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9/02Red Diary 1 - Villa (A) Red Diary 2 - Southampton (H)
Liverpool Red Diary - part III
Joel RookwoodThe week in Liverpool began with the annual three day Beatles festival, which is undoubtedly the best weekend of the year in these parts. At the risk of sounding like my grandma, by Monday dinnertime I was in need of a break from the incessant noise. So we took a trip through the Mersey tunnel to see Tranmere Rovers of the second division play Huddersfield Town. We sat with the away fans, where there is usually a better atmosphere, and saw Jason Koumas score on his last appearance for Tranmere before moving to West Brom. His new club travel to Anfield in a couple of weeks, and should be brushed aside with ease if their first performances of the season are anything to go by.
The early part of the week though was dominated by Liverpool's midweek trip to Blackburn Rovers. A dour, tactical encounter last year, memorable only for the rivalry evident on the touchline between Liverpool's Phil Thompson and Blackburn's Graeme Souness, two former Liverpool team mates. The two actually shook hands before the game last season, which was the shock of the day. To say there is no love lost there would be something of an understatement.
Despite the fact our Lancastrian opponents haven't got a bad record against us, I love going to Blackburn. There's something amusing about having to walk past a field of sheep on the way from the alehouse to the ground. Livestock is a rarity in Anfield, you see. The ale is decent, they´re friendly enough, and both factors probably contributed to the fact that we took 7,500 fans - not bad for a Wednesday night game.
The Lancashire outfit were good value on the pitch, but on the terraces, were totally outsung by the travelling Kop. We were in great voice, and while we struggled to take the game by the scruff of the neck, we were perhaps a shade unlucky not to come away with three points. Blackburn took the lead early on through David Dunn, in an enthralling encounter, characterised by unrelenting attacking football from both sides. The visitors equalised on the half hour mark, a cracking goal started and finished by the rejuvenated Danny Murphy.
After the break Liverpool began to dominate, getting a deserved second goal, thanks to a looping Riise header which dropped over the helpless former Liverpool keeper Brad Friedel. Blackburn threatened to retaliate, but many thought Liverpool would hold out to secure all three points. It wasn't to be. The two former Manchester United strikers, Cole and Yorke, who currently ply their trade at Ewood park, were booed throughout by the Liverpool fans. Their combined efforts produce little cause for concern for the Merseyside defence. And when Souness introduced one of the league´s least prolific strikers, the Italian misfit, Grabbi, we assumed the points were ours. With minutes remaining however, Liverpool fullback Abel Xavier, who was given a torrid time all night, was beaten yet again by the inspirational Damien Duff, a former Liverpool target, with Grabbi heading in from close range to ensure the points were shared.
Throughout the game though the attentions of the travelling Kop had been focused as much towards the bench as the players, with Souness subjected to particularly (though justifiably) harsh treatment. In 1992, the then Liverpool boss, Souness, underwent a triple heart by-pass. He thankfully recovered successfully, but upset many fans by selling his story to The Sun, a paper boycotted by the whole of Liverpool because of the way it had reported the Hillsborough tragedy. It was once one of the best-selling papers in the city, yet I don't know a single person who's bought a copy since that sad April afternoon in 1989.
I was travelling home from Dortmund by coach after the 2001 UEFA Cup win over Alavez, and about thirty coaches carrying Liverpool fans stopped to refuel at a service station. Extra newspapers had been purposely delivered, yet upon our arrival the best papers had gone, and even the supply of broadsheets was running thin. Yet the biggest pile of The Sun papers you've ever seen lay untouched - I've never been prouder to be from Liverpool. Oh how I longed for a camera, as a long line of scousers queued to buy The Independant, Telegraph or even a copy of Vogue - anything to read but that particular tabloid. Liverpudlians never forget, and Mr Souness was reminded of that when the words 'Souness is a gobsh#!@' and 'you can stick your f#!@ing Sun up your arse' bellowed round Ewood Park last Wednesday night. Apparently, he has expressed concern over his treatment by the crowd who once adored him. Still no apology though.
Neither side really did enough to win this game, with both looking good going forward, and creative in midfield, yet slightly vulnerable at the back. Blackburn's equaliser may have come in the last five minutes, but in truth, their efforts warranted the point they eventually secured. Liverpool fans made their point, whilst Blackburn emphasised that they will be hard to beat. A great start to the season has become just a good one for us, and a win is needed at home to Newcastle on Monday to get us back on track.
The Newcastle game at Anfield is always a classic, and despite our much criticised defensive approach, I predict open flowing football and plenty of goals. I just hope Newcastle are on the receiving end.
The morning after the Blackburn game, people were huddled around televisions all over the city, in order to see the Champions League draw take shape. The information was relayed in painfully slow fashion (UEFA love to drag these things out you see), but when it eventually came, the draw could have been worse. We avoided a truly big team, such as Real Madrid, although Spanish champions Valencia will provide stern opposition. Spartak Moscow and Swiss side Basle (the latter knocking out Celtic in the qualifying round) are certainly beatable. After the draw it was then straight on the phone and the Internet to various other fans and airlines to discover a way to get to the three cities. First, Valencia away, not an easy place to get to by all accounts. I'd be great on the stock market - but for now, I'll stick to football. Newcastle at Anfield on Monday.. this one's easy enough for me to get to anyway!