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LFC 21/22 – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly – Gameweek #29

Ben Green

The Reds make no joke in the Smoke and remain on the up in the cup. Again the FA show no shame, ignoring those supporting the game. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Another week reviewed at Liverpool Football Club.

The Good

Navigating an improving Arsenal side to take three points from the Emirates. Goals from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino were enough to give Liverpool an important 0-2 victory.

Arsenal showed how far they have come under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta in an excellent first half showing. Liverpool struggled to contain their hosts. Alisson being the busier of the two ‘keepers tells its own story.

The second half – as the cliché goes, was a different game. Liverpool played a far more expansive game and were more adventurous than they were before the break. Jota smashed an effort home to give the Reds the lead. Beating Aaron Ramsdale at his near post, before his now customary taunting of the opposition fans.

The Portuguese international, along with Luis Diaz were substituted straight after for Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino. The latter putting the game beyond doubt by tapping in Andy Robertson’s cross.

Liverpool have now amassed a nine-game run of wins to put them a mere point behind the blue half of Manchester. This race is going to go to the wire!

The (Not) Bad

Emerging victorious from the away encounter with fierce rivals of yesteryear Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The Reds had to battle the Forest team, plus their partisan crowd to secure this 0-1 victory.

Again, Man-of-The-Moment, Jota was on hand to score what turned out to be the winning goal in the 79th minute. This game was like being back in the 1980’s. The City Ground has always had a very special atmosphere and it’s nice to see that former Liverpool academy coach Steve Cooper is building on that and developing something that has a lot of promise.

Liverpool now have an away trip to Manchester City in the semi-final on the 16th April. Six days after they play them again in the League, also at the City of Manchester stadium. Two games that may well decide the Reds’ season.

The Ugly

Again, our friends at the FA are showing how inept and out of touch they are in not (at the time of writing at least) rearranging the FA cup semi-final between Manchester City and Liverpool.

The game will coincide with engineering works on the west coast train line and thus thousands of fans will struggle to get to and from the venue on 16th April. The English ruling body has refused to move the fixture and instead, provided 100 free coaches for each club in order to manage the circumstances.

“This time, I’ve been thinking a bit more about the fans,”

Liverpool Captain Jordan Henderson has also made his feelings known. However, it’s likely of course, that his appeal will fall on deaf ears. “This time, I’ve been thinking a bit more about the fans,” he said.

“In many ways it’s their day and not being able to get down to London for different reasons – the cost of that.

“So in my head it would make sense obviously to change it to a neutral venue, especially with it being two teams from the northwest…”

Frankly, a typical situation that ultimately won’t be resolved to anybody’s satisfaction other than the FA’s. Go figure…

YNWA

Ben Green

Avid LFC supporter for 50 of his 53 years. Seen it all, ups and the downs. Now praying for a return to winning ways. Whichever way it comes!

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