Previous Red Diary

9 Oct 02

Liverpool Red Diary - part 8

On to Red Diary 9

As I searched the Internet for information on Spartak Moscow and the reputation of their fans, the only thing I discovered was that the club's website is about as easy to understand as their team's approach to their match against Liverpool last Wednesday. And while their list of national honours might be longer than a Moscow Metro escalator, their European record is far more modest.

The last meeting between the two clubs in November 1992 saw the Russian outfit win two- nil at Anfield to knock us out of the now extinct European Cup Winners' Cup, with a staggering 6-2 aggregate score-line. Times have certainly changed for both clubs. The then Liverpool manager and one-man demolition job that was Graeme Souness has thankfully long since departed, with the legendary Houllier now in charge. He has revolutionised the club. Conversely Spartak Moscow no longer seem capable of any major scalps at this level, and are currently among the poorest sides to annually take up their place as also-rans in Europe's premier competition. Not even the long trip to Mokba presents any serious worries for decent European teams.

My weekly reflections on Liverpool's performances thus far this season have not involved descriptions of brilliant all- commanding displays, but more of efficient performances doing just enough to get the required result. In truth, Wednesday night's performance wasn't that much different, yet we won five- nil, a score-line that could easily have been doubled. On Houllier's first ever visit to Anfield, he witnessed Shankly's Liverpool annihilate Dundalk ten-nil, with Liverpool five-nil up by half time. As I sat on the Kop on Wednesday, there were times when I wondered if Houllier too was thinking of that famous night in 1969, and whether his side would repeat that score-line. Spartak Moscow did everything in their power to make it happen. They were woeful, and if I had made a 3200-mile round trip to see my team play the way Spartak did that night, I'd be straight down to the club's training ground (a l the Lazio Ultras) demanding answers.

From the first whistle Liverpool attacked their opponents, and before the half hour mark, we were three up and cruising. Heskey grabbed the first, unusually granted a starting role in attack alongside Michael Owen instead of in midfield. The talented Bruno Cheyrou added the second following a clever Danny Murphy pass, with the third coming courtesy of a Sami Hyypia header, as the Anfield crowd roared with excitement. Somehow the score remained three-nil until the final ten minutes, when Heskey eventually added to his tally after unselfish work by Owen, with the rout rounded off by Salif Diao, scoring his first goal in a Liverpool shirt.

Spartak Moscow were undeniably terrible, though antithetically Liverpool were utterly ruthless, and as the Kop yelled 'we want six' in the closing stages, you couldn't help but feel sorry for the Russians - the fans that is. As for the team they support, they deserved their humiliation for their shambolic, gutless display. They were dead and buried before the ball boys had removed the UEFA parachute from the Anfield turf before the game, and showed no ambition to compete. Admittedly they had no realistic chance of getting anything from the match, but their lack of desire was shameful. In midfield they had no bite and were overrun, in attack they presented virtually no threat, whilst defensively the words 'bloody' and 'generous' spring to mind.

The Liverpool Echo were clearly in agreement of this evaluation, claiming Spartak's right back "looked a ringer from the Zingari league, except less athletic". If I were a full-back in that Liverpool Saturday football league, I would be sending the Liverpool Echo a letter of complaint at this offensive remark at the state of local football in this city. He wouldn't even get a game at Everton, though knowing their history with defenders they're sure to put in a bid.

On a trip to Moscow's famous ground last summer I found to my annoyance that, like in Kiev, the fans don't sing at the match they blow plastic trumpets - incessantly. I was therefore not surprised to see the small army of away fans produce a similarly annoying noise throughout the entire game at Anfield last Wednesday, interspersed with the occasional cry of 'Spartak'. Thankfully the buoyant Kop drowned out the piercing racket for the majority of the match.

Unsurprisingly Anfield was bursting with pleasure despite the heavy rain, with the largest noise of the evening undoubtedly the Kop's seemingly endless rendition of 'there's only one Michael Owen' in the second half. Kevin Keegan has admitted to having been brought to tears at Anfield whilst being subjected to vocal adulation from the Kop. Michael can't have been far from tears of pride last Wednesday night. He gets criticism for every chance he misses whenever he plays from the media. But he has a fan base at Liverpool who now truly worship him.

Former Liverpool favourite Robbie Fowler was our idol, and when the man nicknamed 'God' moved to Leeds United last season he undoubtedly left a void that we feared would not be filled for some considerable time. And our appreciation of Fowler, a local hero, reflected badly on Michael who never quite had the same relationship with the fans, despite his ability. But with every game this season, I get the feeling Michael is filling that void left by the departed so-called "smack fiend". Any club would welcome a player with Owen's ability with open arms, but Liverpool fans seem to back the players experiencing adversity more than the superstars grabbing all the headlines.

Goal-scoring sensation Kevin Keegan was popular at Anfield in the 70s, but it was the little talked about full-back Joey Jones who was the subject of the Liverpool fans' greatest ever flag in the 1977 European cup final: 'Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He's Munching Gladbach.' Now that Michael is experiencing criticism and he turns to the Liverpool fans to get him through it, we worship him. As the Liverpool banner read when Fowler left, 'Forget God, we've got St Michael.'

Houllier claimed this game was a 'must win, will win game'. I don't really like Liverpool managers saying publicly that we will win games. For me the first rule of business is 'don't talk about it until you've done it.' But then Paisley said reflecting on past glory only breeds complacency. So I guess 'The Liverpool Way' is to tell the opposition how good they are before the game, have them agree with you, and then beat them. Then, rather than revelling in the victory over a side lost in a false sense of security, concentrate on the next encounter. The type of arrogant complacency where you say victory 'will' come fares better at European clubs and at Arsenal. But when Houllier subsequently sends his team out and they win five-nil you can hardly complain.

It seems that the next 'must win' game is in Switzerland in mid November. Punish Basle in the way we did Spartak Moscow last Wednesday night, and we surely 'will' subsequently book our place in the second phase. Before that of course there is the little matter of a home tie with Valencia and the trip to Moscow. But with Spartak still without a point in the group we have to be confident of securing a win there. When Moscow send their current team out to play us in the second half of this double header it's likely to be a case of Liverpool 'Back in the USSR, not knowing how lucky we are'.

On to Red Diary 9

Joel Rookwood

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by Soccerphile Ltd.

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