I have never seen our fanbase so divided over anything. Was it two important points lost against Liverpool, when we are in a title race against side that has been on the top from like last 5 years? Or was it a point gained at Anfield, where we haven’t won since 2012? We were competing against a team built by Klopp, regularly competing at the top.
It’s tough to decide, but lets talk about the positives first!
We went to Anfield, we dominated them in the first half and scored 2 against the likes of Virjil Van-Dijk. Klopp looked awestruck with our performance; we could have easily scored more, had Jesus managed to keep the ball down of Saka’s cross in 17th minute. Martinelli could have had a better pass in the end, and Saka would have scored. There was another Gabriel header that landed into Allison’s hand but he could have done better. Going to Anfield is never an easy job, not just for us. They have great home-record and if you consider the fact that Manchester City lost there, one points sounds as a good result.
Another positive was Ramsdale. What a business that was, I wasn’t happy with buying a Goal Keeper who was part of team that got relegated. I loved Bernd Leno and why shouldn’t I when he was our best player before his injuries and emergence of Emi Martinez. I wasn’t happy selling Leno for cheap and then spending 24m in cash for a goal keeper. I was proved wrong. Ramsdale is the reason we didn’t lose 4-2. He made some brilliant saves, he keeps the enthusiasm high and he can fu*king celebrate like TH14 whenever he wants. We need passion, he has it in abundance.
Another positive to take from the match was our front 3. Jesus is back and he is looking in his best shape. I doubt he will ever be a prolific 25-goals a season CF but he keeps defences busy. He creates chances, open up spaces for others and is very very good in tight spaces. He has another Brazilian on one side and Saka on the other. This front 3 will grow to be a Salah-Firmino-Mane in coming time and that time isn’t far away.
Negatives? A lot.
One point sounds like a win but if you consider the fact that were 2-0 up, and then blew it away, it’s not good enough. We are not a top 4 battle but fighting for the title and every point dropped is a loss. This loss brought us to just 6 points difference when City has a game in hand, a game against us at their home ground and a better goal difference. From ‘ours to lose’ to ‘theirs’s to lose’ now, just because we didn’t manage to keep our 2-0 lead.
We also ran out of gas in second half. Zinchenko had a bad game, Saka didn’t look like the one we are used to watching, and our midfield didn’t impose on the game. About 20mins before and after half time, Liverpool played in our half and we didn’t have any answer. They missed chances, Ramsdale had to make some brilliant saves, Salah don’t usually miss a penalty but he did, and none of this should have happened. If your best player on the pitch is your Goalkeeper, it ain’t good.
Arteta’s subs were dubious. Tierney should have replaced Zinchenko much earlier, there was no need to give Kiwior his league debut against Pool at Anfield for last 15min when all they will do is attack. Saliba was missed. Odegaard wasn’t having a great game and Trossard should have been brought in the game earlier in my opinion.
I run a poll and majority of the readers were happy with one points. We still have 6 points lead and even if City wins their game in hand, they won’t go on and win all of their remaining games. They have Champions League fixtures, and points will be dropped.
Are you happy with one point considering our past record at Anfield?
— London Is Red (@LondonIsRedCom) April 9, 2023
If you ask me, I wasn’t happy. This has sorted Pep’s life in Manchester. He don’t need to depend on our results & luck anymore, they can win all games and run away with trophy. What we need to do is, to improve our GD, we are 5 short of City and if we manage to make it better than them, we can lose at Etihad and still be crowned.
However, I don’t want to see it. I want us to beat them at their home. I want those 3 points. I’m sure Mikel and company has the same in mind.
Lets keep our hope, we will still make it.
TRVL – That’s truly wonderful to hear and a testament to his parents of which you, as I do and KP does – we as fathers with our parenting/guidance shapes their lives as adults. Sounds like your son should meet my daughter; both scholars where she’s just turned 25 with beauty & brains. She’s Mrs T’s niece who she took on as a parent when she was 6 months, as is the way in Chinese Thai families where there are more than one child and where affordability to put 2 kids through private education would be too much; one is happily farmed out and often adopted.
I came along and we adopted her. I’d been adopted, so I knew the emotional trappings that came with that. What we didn’t know was her high intelligence, once kicked off kilter, led to terrifying depression where she would stay in her room for days. She was top of year for aerospace engineering winning a full ride for a 2nd aerospace degree majoring in new materials when covid hit her program hard and eventually it all became too much for her to understand and control.
Needless to say I’ve done countless hours of reading regarding ADHD and its attachments and depressions over the years.
Happily, she’s much better now with her life cat we’ve all adopted because Pumpkin thinks he’s a dog all bar the barking. Kind of feels right for this house. She’s teaching herself Chinese because she’s bored being too overqualified for work in Bangkok or not experienced enough for the work she’s qualified for – yes that old chestnut. Her learning French would be her 4th language with also a good understanding of Korean.
I’m hoping she gets in front of the French-Thai fusion idea I bounced off her and decides to go on a 2-year culinary learning curve in Paris and Bangkok’s best schools while I prepare the move and find properties for us to choose. Maybe 6 months in an Indian cooking school would polish the learning off.
You know what’s really uncanny, TRVL? my daughter spends her TV time watching all things Korean! Has done since a teenager. When you said your son has an affinity with Koreans I thought WTF? I’m sitting at my keyboard laughing, in my office thinking this shit just keeps on getting weirder but in a good way. 🙂
My biological father was a Scottish BBC producer who did a runner before I was born. Now if you tell me you have a Scottish accent I’m going to book an appointment with the therapist and then think about the book rights. 🙂 🙂
Back to football.
Jared Bowen, KP, mentioned will no doubt be a threat. I thought a while ago that Jared would be a good Xhaka replacement until Mitoma came on my radar. Bowen is another Podence type player a level or 2 below Trossard.
Doesn’t look like Saliba is going to make it and will probably not be anywhere near match fit for the City game. I’m going to surprise people and say Xhaka should play in this game with his invisible cloak. I’d Play KT, too for when Xhaka goes walkabout up top. If the pace is too much for Xhaka then he can be subbed for ESR/Trossard/Zinchenko.
Fragile West Ham are there for the taking where we should have a chance to increase our GD. That doesn’t mean it’s an easy game, it’s not, if we treat it that way. We need to silence the home supporters and keep West Ham on the back foot for 90 + minutes and the goals will come.
Spuds losing was perfect and City finding Leicester tougher than they thought, and not managing to significantly increase their GD was a bonus for us.
1:4 is my stat induced, mathematically counted, wet finger in the air test.
See you at the game.
TRVL-I should add our daughter spent a year staying with a behavioral scientist PhD mom and a DA dad and family for a year in the Eastern States near Chicago and graduated High School in English, then came back to her school in Thailand and graduated 3.78 which is a university run high school that prepares students through uni curriculum teaching. It’s notoriously tough where lower scores are respected more. Now Junior is there living in our daughter’s shadow, and although very smart nowhere near older sis.