Why can't it be like this all the time?
Having reached Anfield with about 2 hours to go til kick off you normally can see a mass of arrivals either via coaches or those who've driven up. Outside the ground or near the burger vans small queues of people.
Just not today. Coaches were there. People were missing. On a sun-shining day you may have thought they wouldn't hiding indoors somewhere but in a week where we'd already lost two matches it seemed we'd lost a bit of spirit in the fans too. Listening to the Anfield Wrap on the drive up they made an interesting point or two about our manager's C.V. which got me thinking.
It was widely reported that when Brendan Rodgers interviewed for the role of becoming our next manager he had a 180 page dossier on how he would revive fortunes and so on and so forth. He'd compiled it over the last 15 years (respective to his philosophy, not us!) and it got me thinking. Over the last 15 years I've seen a lot of CV's and interviewed a lot of people. Many a time the CV talks the talk and the only walking the candidate can really do is the one right back out of the office he/she has walked in to. Is our boss the same? Is he all mouth and no trousers? We've seen the same mistakes again and again defensively - will it ever change?
Change is a funny thing. In any organization I've been at the old adage and now clichéd phrase of "Change is the only constant" is banded around all too often. Similarly, the reaction to change is always considered to be one that will involve push back as it affects "comfort zones" and so "needs to be managed". We've changed owners, managers, some players but not the fans. In the cultural adjustments that brings about some are easier than others due to the reactions they cause. We draw 2 matches we could have won, lose two matches we could have won. I'm not saying it's all magic and we're now going into a barnstorming final 10-12 matches but in all this change we owe it to ourselves to let the Brendan Rodgers fairy dust settle over a season rather than half of it.
It might therefore be a little premature to write the CV off just yet
If you'd read the matchday programme though you might have thought otherwise. I said in the preview that fans on the whole aren't stupid. If the boss says "We have defended very well throughout the season here at Anfield..." I don't think we'd wholly agree
Back to the match. Line ups held one surprise for us in a starting position for Coutinho. Swansea however went for wholesale changes. Michu, Ashley Williams, Angel Rangel, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer all not starting. I'll take silver linings all day long!
First halfAs the first 10 minutes or so went by and Swansea blocked our few shots it seemed as if they were happy to contain us. The Kop roar had already dulled out, raising the decibels for corners and later for Howard Webb's mistakes. The most glaring of them being on Sturridge. About half way into the first half btw. Just when you thought he'd pass he didn't. Even the defenders thought he would. Even I thought he would. Whether you like it or not he only had one thing on his mind. I like it! It's about time we have someone ready to scare defences and panic other than Suarez.
On the whole we played well. Some great chances. Downing just wide was one of them worth a mention as was Suarez on a couple of occassions. We weren't positionally great on some attacks. Each break on the counter only had some running forwards at speed. Post the first goal Sturridge breaks. Suarez and him only really up in their half and Lucas is the one running neigh thundering up to support. Where are the attacking midfielders?
Coutinho debut in the first half was awesome. Some great great skills to be seen. I counted one lovely flick and beaut of a turn which had the Swansea defender embarrassed. As far as Ford Cortina's go he could go on to be a Ghia. Definitely a 1.6 GL already
The goal. Are we allowed a party now that Suarez has got a pen and we've got a goal from it? I honestly think it's been banned. I know who's banned it too. It's Stevie. He scores the penalty. Pumps fist in celebration and then looks like he was promised chips for his dinner and has just discovered its going to be sprouts and nothing else. No smile. Just this grimacing look of annoyance. He carried on grimacing. We carried on celebrating!
First half musings • What is wrong with black boots? Really. White, Purple, Pink, Yellow, Luminous Yellow, Bright Orange, Fluorescent Green, Turquoise and Red. We did have a natural rainbow at Anfield earlier (I'll get onto that later). This man made boots one is just not cricket
• Sturridge. Opened them up. Ran into box. Rounded a few. Gets tripped up. No pen. Cortina puts it wide. Damn you Howard. Damn you to hell.
• David Price. Even from up here he looks big down there!
Second half I actually go nowhere during the break. I stay at my seat as I don't need a pie/pint or hotdog. It means I don't miss things like the beginning of the 2nd half. Coutinho proves why that is such a wise decision (again!). A debut goal for the fella and if streams didn't show it his work in the first half deserved something so what better than a goal? A lovely move to play him in and for him to score. A back-heeled flick a minute or so later nearly meant 3-0 and 2 for him
Mind you the actual third goal was pretty good too. Enrique crashing it into the top right and the Anny Road faithful going nuts along with the rest of the ground. Nice to be the ones scoring two goals in five minutes! Just all the passing and moving involved must have warmed the cockles of the Brendan Rodgers tiki-taka heart.
Now the fourth. The fourth just might be one of the best individual goals we'll see this years. It was pure unadulterated class. Downing with a sweet ball to Suarez who takes it with grace. Beat one, beat two and skill and sweet caress into the left of the goal.
The fifth I guess was what we expected
2 penalties at Anfield on the same day and from Howard Webb. Even though he missed one to make it a hat-trick of them. Liverpool five. Swansea City nil.
You have got to feel for Fabio Borini. The scream when he went down sent a shiver down my spine. God knows how it must have been for those closer to him. As far as scouting goes though do we now need to have an addendum that reads "Should the players first name be Fabio please expect injuries to be common"?
Ok, I jest a little. Get well soon Fabio Borini.
So now that's a hoodoo kicked into touch. Beating a team above us and in the top half of the league. We'll need the same on Thursday please. Oh, and if its not too much to ask, every match day
Thanking you in advance - the fans :-)
Ps - about that rainbow. Spotted at Anfield an hour or so before kick off. Courtesy of my favourite steward who posted this on twitter
PPS - HELP. I'm jumping out of a plane for charity!!! http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=303469.0 