Cardiff. It has been 22 years since I’d been here. The last time I came to this city it was for a week at an activity camp of sorts. I came as a 15 year old teen full of beans and four days into that week I broke my leg and that was that. Cardiff Royal Infirmary was the rest of my trip and to top it all off my mum’s car broke down on the way to take me back home.
I went home on courtesy of a tow truck. Sod Cardiff. Sod Wales. Sod activity camps.
22 years on how much has changed. Leeds had clinched the title that year back in 1992. They probably look back at that period too and long for pastures new. In 1992 we probably didn’t think we’d be waiting such a long time for us to be crowned League Champions again.
That was then. This is now. Parked up and seeing a sign in the car park steps saying “Caution, slippery surface when wet”. They expected the piss!!! The only thoughts running through my mind at that point of time was that I should have bought a spare pair of footwear with me.
Enough procrastination, on with getting to the ground. Met WelshRed (Chris) and StevieNash in town as well as minibus full of other Rawkites and off to the ground we went. Chris opted for a cab, the rest walked. I say walked but this could only be applicable to a handful of the 10. Stagger would be appropriate for the others!!! Ap823 guided those lads to the stadium.
Once in and seat found, myself and DesiKopite (Prit) soon realised we were in for an interesting 90 odd mins… the seats were right next to the away fans and we were separated only by a steward who wanted to be anywhere but there. She didn’t even break into a smile at any point pre/post match. Maybe she’d broken her leg in Cardiff some years earlier too?
First halfNow I’d like to say we carried on exactly where we left off from last Sunday but not quite. We had the intent but not the precision really. Cardiff had Craig Bellamy starting and he chased down everything. Intriguingly though the goal came from the opposite flank and Jordan Mutch took it well. Very well. Bastard. 1-0 to Cardiff City. From the angle I had for watching the match they were exposing that side Flanagan was on. That didn’t make me happy. Jon’s got a song and everything.
Our response though looked brilliant. We were passing the ball with desire and purpose so when the equaliser came some 5 minutes later it was no great surprise. He wasn’t going to miss from there and Suarez brings us level. 1-1. At 1-1 passing starts well but breaks down on rinse and repeat and what made that frustrating is what happened next and what tempered that frustration is what happened after the goal
When the ball came in for second goal Campbell had acres of space. The Ole Gunnar Solksjaer must have gone through the roof. As he polished his pocket size Fergie shrine we simply started our game again with the faith that we can score more than they can. No heads down. No capitulation. No surrender. The Cardiff City fans next to me must have had all their dreams come true being 2-1 up against us but we support and we believe. Vincent will be in tears of sadness before this day is done!
And it nearly came quickly. If only Joe Allen didn't scuff that shot. He was open. Never mind, we'll get the next one in but not if we don't sort the control of the final pass out. Following this was some great passing. Pass pass pass pass pass pass hendohhhhhhhhooooooohhhhhh. Close but no cigar.
Henderson passing and running. His pass to Johnson for the first. Running led to second. Corner didn't yield but the cross after did. Skrtel. 2-2. Get in Martin!!!!! I initially thought it was Agger who scored but what do I know about these things? The way we were playing leading into the close of the first half nearly led to a third.
Yeah, polish yer pocket shrine now Ole!
First half musings (note, half time seemed like an eternity… maybe it was because were in a different country!)• Just what the hell is it with all the blue balloons? Did Tan ok them? Is there some poor kid somewhere blowing these up under instruction for timed release onto the pitch?
• Wasn't Juan Cala in Breaking Bad?
• Kenny Rogers was in a TV show. Now he's doing Roasters. Tan wants you to know this. Along with so many other things. Kakao. Talks. Chats. Free. Get lost!
• Kids from Malaysia doing Ayotollah. If they can't then call New Law if accident not their fault.
• Oh to the heckler calling Joe Allen a jippo… you’re the one wearing a shellsuit from 1996 lad.
• Arsenal. You had one job
Second halfNow if there is one thing I love seeing is a player obsessed with Suarez. You can imagine the half time talk to Gary Medel by Ole
Ole: “Gahry. You tek him. He yours.”
Gary: “Arrrrooooooouuuughh. Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooooooooooohhhhh”
Ole: “What did he say?”
So with that in mind Gary happily attempted on pitch intimacy with Luis. As people watched that show with some anticipation of glory they all forgot about Martin who very happily got his second and we very happily celebrated. 3-2 to Liverpool FC.
Gary. Just. Grunted.
Spare a thought for Simon Mignolet. I don’t think he had much to do for ages after that. In for the kill we went and how the kill came was sublime. Another SAS attack. Don’t know who played it in after Henderson passed wide but all I saw was it zip from Sturridge to Suarez who duly made it 4-2 to Liverpool FC and a good night and God Bless to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
We weren’t done. 4 is not enough. So we went and got a fifth. Which Flanagan nearly got straight after the fourth but it ended up being Sturridge instead about 10 minutes later. Ball from the back and Suarez wrestles past and a rampant Daniel nailed the 5th. A familiar thing happened next… people started going home
Oh. They scored too. It didn’t seem like much of anything other than a goal for Mutch. 5-3. Who gives a shit? We're gonna win the league!
Oh. We scored too. And how. Now this for me was the best of all six goals by the person who wanted the hat-trick the most. It wasn’t just the fact that the manner in which it came was inevitable. It wasn’t just the fact that no matter what happened the keeper was facing a check mate situation in that either Sterling or Suarez were about to score it. It was for the fact that it happened so close to where I sat. Seeing Suarez’ eyes said it all. He saw the choices, he thoroughly had the keeper in his control and his eyes showed something I hadn’t seen in years. There was no going back. He was a man possessed. No wonder defenders shit themselves near him… I would too!
Oh. Luis scored. Forgot to say that! 6-3 to Liverpool FC.
When the final whistle blew the bedlam from the third goal just carried on. Like it had done back at Old Trafford the week before. The second half was one whole party for us. One thing that will stay with me though is the three young teens in the Cardiff City block next to me. All three of them stretched over to shake hands. For all the things we see and hear of others twice to three times their age, kudos to them… their parents brought them up well.
The journey home seemed to be dictated by radio phone ins wanting to talk about Andre Marriner. There was no mistaking our identity though. Brendan Rodgers has us stamping it all over the land!
I can’t make the midweeker against Sunderland and am a bit gutted about that. I’ll have to make up for it when we play Spurs on Sunday. If yesterday is anything to go by, he may need some mothering come the end.
There, there now Tim, it couldn't happen to a more deserving "geezah"
