Find it quite difficult to really get a grip on things that happened, why I think this and think that after a game like yesterdays, but will try. The tension of the occasion, and spending 35 minutes hoping and praying (and hopping about) for just one good chance to level isn't helping either. It's like a fog. But that was a damn fine moment that equaliser. I think the build up to that goal, and the goal itself, has carried me in defeat. I found myself laughing alot at work today for some reason. Maybe it's tonic'd me thru it a bit, I don't know.
I was ill in bed for 3.5 days previous, so was glad to be alive and up, and happy to meet some friends and friends of theirs at a pub in town. I was even happy to drive there and to drink one beer all game. What an idiot. A final on a shandy... urg. Got there in time to see Mr Van Gaal fall over. Lovely moment. Full of your typical jeering Mancs and skulky Gooners. Off you go now please... there's a final on. Tootle on there.. there you go. Ah, a decent spec.
Wembley looked fantastic on the telly welly. Felt bloody years since we were in a final. First half went by neither slowly, nor quickly. The use of Fernandinho was of interest to me before the game - wondered if he was there to nullify things a little, and not have a Navas in there, and I think it worked. Had almost forgotton that Kompany would start... hoped for Otamendi and AN Other, and thought that might be key. It WAS key, just not the way I hoped. It wasn't an end to end game as such, but it was full of intrigue. There were some negatives - spent some time wishing Sturridge was at 90-100% but was clearly at 70. I'm with Yorky on Sturridge dropping deep. I love having a Sturridge drifting out of the areas where he 'should' be in, to pick things up, get things going again, adding that other pair of decent feet in the build up ( or rather
a pair of decent feet). He wins a ball, makes space, ballets the ball to the sides or in front... out of the tussle and bustle, and away from the concerns of central defenders - idles about waiting - takes his moment, makes his run, two seconds later, gets infront, slots home off the shoulder. But he's at 70% today. Everything is. But that's a few games in a row now. Encouraging. Firminio was at 70% (tho still unsure of what 100% really looks like), and Coutinho was too. Our midfield is our midfield. Our back 5 are our back 5.
Our back 5 looked like our back 5 for their goal second half, that's for sure. All I wanted was to not go home in defeat after a blunder. Why he doesn't use a leg I'll never know. But towards the end of that second half, he was fast becoming a hero, and stars were aligning. Moreno's tackle you do only on your sister in the garden, Sterlings finishing... Bony coming on. Bony instead of Silva with a pen? Happy with that. The rush of our equaliser, and that tense last 15. All much a blur that 2nd half, bar me shouting 'don't let him turn!' at the countless times Toure received the ball and whizzed around forwards. Would love someone in our team to do that from there.
Can't remember a thing about extra time.
So... pens. Mate said, 'we're probably favourites here now aren't we?' Oh go away with that! I just didn't want Can to take one. All I could think of. I wasn't able to speak... just glued onto Klopp's beaming smile. It's a really good smile. I'm taking stuff from that smile... the players are surely. Shots of a small huddle as they work out who's doing what. Wanted the pens to be taken at our end obviously. All I wanted. Plus Can not to take one. A big group huddle, and Klopp roars a primal roar.
https://www.youtube.com/v/ybGOT4d2Hs8(EDIT:
Napalm Death's 'You Suffer' - clocking in at 1.316 seconds long)That immediately came to mind. We can do this Reds, we can do this. Is that erm?... is that... ah... bugger, we're at their end... ah well, we'll do it the hard way then... but is that Can with the ball? 'Rob.. haha... it's Can mate!'. I didn't want to watch. I turned round, another screen, I hunched on the floor. I got up... didn't know what to do with myself.. oh God, Can... up first, he's going to do something daft. Could have slapped him when it went in.. ha. Fernandinho goes up... he's not scoring. Look at that face! Everyone sensed it... he's not in a good place... not walking up right. Post! I'm stood still... just a clenched fist. I'm the only one still it seems. I don't bounce around during pens. Seems daft to me. Lucas... Lucas?! really? Oh God. Thoughts go back to a pen he scores very well in a shootout., but is he walking up right here? He is I think. Is he? Not sure now. Places the ball.. yep... all ok... walks backwards facing goal... don't like the eyes... somethings not right. Please for the love of god go in. Nope... not what you want. Navas... ah... maybe there's some hope. Actually, because I'm thinking that... he's going to put in a peach of a pen... no fuss, bang, hard low, wide of keeper, side netting. Can't even remember what he did now. But he scores. Phil... Come on Phil... easy mate this is... good solid strike. Oh, he's paused... is he falling over? he's lost his train of thought... lost that split moment you need when you pause like that - you watch for just a muscle twitch from the keeper, and you've got time to decide to put it in the other side... but he lost that moment. Hung there for an age wondering what to do. Chose the wrong one, and dollied it to mid off. Oh fuck this. Aguero. Aguero is going to score. Will he? Hmn? Stories... y' never know. Oh come on Robert think straight. Scores. Lallana. tries to control the ball with his feet walking up to take the pen. Miscontrols it. Never going to score. Doesn't. I hadn't even allowed the space in my head to wonder why Milner or Henderson hadn't taken one. We'll never know probably. Toure.. bang.. goal. Some hadn't stayed for it.
Next time... get your 3 best pen takers on first. Do that please.
And out of the pub we go.
But I really quite enjoyed that game. Enjoyed the fight back. Enjoyed being in a Final. Let's hope for some more. Onwards. Lots to do.