Liverpool F.C. – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – Gameweek 30
The Reds are back after the enforced rest, despite that, far from their best. It was like Groundhog Day, as two points at Goodison were wrestled away. Attempts to create an atmosphere, fail to convince us anybody’s there. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, another week reviewed at the world’s favourite football club.
The Good
At last being able to watch a game of football. The fact that the match was against that lot from the other side of Stanley Park made for an even sweeter prospect. Sadly it wasn’t to be, although Liverpool were still able to get a point in a very difficult game, which ended goalless.
There were starts for Takumi Minamino, Joel Matip and Naby Keïta and the latter looked very lively it must be said. For the other two regular non-starters, the news wasn’t so good. Matip resumed his reputation as the club’s resident sick note coming off injured after 73 minutes. Minamino, hauled off at the break “purely an idea from me and nothing to do with Taki’s performance” claimed Jürgen Klopp after the game.
So a point nearer to no. 19. Due in no small part to Alisson who made a super save late on from Dominic Calvert-Lewin to keep the hosts out, before the follow-up hit the post. Great stuff from Reds’ stopper who was a spectator for 99.999…% of the game.
So all in all, a good way to resume for the champions elect in red. It could have been worse, but equally, it could have been far better. Bringing us nicely on to…
7 of the last 8 #PL Merseyside derbies at Goodison Park have been draws#EVELIV #thesportsconnect pic.twitter.com/O4pNngpesP
— T2-1 SPOT ON (@1_spoton) June 22, 2020
The Bad
A 0-0 draw is rarely a joy to behold and yesterday’s game was certainly no exception. A rarity it wasn’t. In fact watching the tap drip in your kitchen sink would have been way more thrilling.
After the game Klopp said the team deserved a point. He could have added: because any more would have been an injustice. It was that bad.
“The point is one we deserve,”
One has to hope for a day when Matip isn’t injured… and isn’t replaced by Dejan Lovren (instead of my great aunt Rose). Liverpool tried. They tried, and they tried, but Carlo Ancelotti is very good at entertaining games like these. Not entertaining as in the amusing sense of course, but more as in giving time, or consideration to. Usually used in the sense that one shouldn’t.
There have been worse games for sure but there has been a trillion better at the same time. I’d interpret this as two points reluctantly wrestled from us rather than cast aside. Still two points they are, and two Liverpool don’t have! We move on.
2 hours of my life I'll never get back… #EVELIV #boredraw
— Blair Somers (@sumowicklow) June 21, 2020
The Ugly
The fake noise that came through the TV yesterday. I watched it on Sky’s main event, which actually came across as quite genuine… until you notice the stands are empty. That and the fake fans made the whole affair seem quite contrived.
I was grateful the players were real, despite the result. On Sky, one cam choose to keep it or not – unlike the Match of The Day which forced viewers to persist with often badly timed reactions to the games Events. This naturally led to the inevitable jokes on social media, hinting that even the fake fans were disappointed with what was being served up.
It's becoming more obvious that the crowd noise @SkySports is fake. 15 mins in and the Everton fans are still positive. No chance 🤣🤣 #COYB #EVELIV
— Paul (@paulcunno) June 21, 2020
A short one this week. I’m just glad to have got some real football back. I never expected much from this first game back and I really wasn’t surprised by the result. I just want the team to get the points needed to secure the league and not keep the fans waiting too long.
On This Day
In 1964, Dean Nicholas Saunders was born. The Welshman signed for Liverpool on 19th July 1991 for £2.9m from Derby County. He went onto make 65 appearances for the Reds and scoring 25 goals in the process.
Not a prolific goal scorer by any means, Saunders was popular with the crowd because of his high work rate only to be sold by the club after one season. Then manager Graeme Souness reportedly wanted to raise funds to buy Torben Piechnik. We all know how that signing turned out!
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