GOODISON is something of a guilty pleasure for me. I don’t like to say it out loud too often but it’s a ground with a wonderful feel to it. I like the way it smells. That’s the timber not the Blues. It’s a living museum. One of the last links to another age of football. I will be deeply saddened when its torn down. If Kenwright ever finds the Arteta money down the back of his sofa, and raises the cash to buy them a new stadium, I’d like to see Goodison sold to the National Trust and turned into some kind of football museum. An homage to the Victorian golden age that spawned the beautiful game.
A place for contrasting memories, too. It was a sometime semi-final venue in the 1980s, and getting to use their facility when we took on Manchester United there in 1985 was great. It felt hugely disrespectful to them somehow. What a day and what a game that was (a 2-2 classic, look it up).
I remember us going for the league in 1997, and Jamie Redknapp scoring at the Gwladys Street end, but then Duncan Ferguson levelled from way out. Robbie Fowler and David Unsworth were sent off. We drew and the league was gone. I was in their Main Stand and got spat on for standing up when Jamie scored. They celebrated denying us that title like it was the end of days. I’ve never before or since witnessed such hateful glee. Even the German word for it won’t suffice.
Then so many incredible days. Winning at Goodison is always a place beyond mere victory. It always feels like a madly glorious claustrophobic celebration. Under and over those Victorian pines. That hemmed-in place. You’ve stormed the castle and planted your flag. There’s blood everywhere. You’re delirious in triumph but still senses so heightened. Not sure how you’re making it out of here alive.
Strangest derby? The Hodgson one. Because we didn’t care if we got beat really. We know Goodison is always a watershed moment in a season. We knew it would be his Waterloo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFnYFGa3S3g
And so we come to a kind of full circle. It’s Brendan Rodgers’ turn to get thrown to Goodison lions. This time, as with Hodgson in 2010, there is no hiding from the sense that so many in red want the current Liverpool manager to fail. Go ‘ed, Brendan, lad. Take your team to that Goodison, lad. You’ll be fine there. They’ll be no bother there. He he…
Then they/we push him up and out of the tunnel and into the Derby day light. Into the Goodison cauldron. Wet and blue and green in the autumn. Steam coming off the pitch. Go ‘ed, Brendan. It’ll be fine. Don’t worry, mate. He he…
But it won’t be fine. I feel guilty and you should, too. He’s a good man who has done his level best for us.We’ve laughed and cried with him. We near carried him shoulder high to our greatest ever title challenge. That we fell just short of Everest’s summit should never diminish the leader’s contribution.
So much has gone wrong since that heady spring of 2014. We are now where we are and the winds of managerial change are gusting up the Mersey with obscene haste. We push Brendan Rodgers out into that damp blue green Goodison tomorrow knowing we are sending a fighting man to his fate. Everton are buoyant. Everton are alive, kicking and full of jusitified belief. They don’t care a jot that we’ve cast them in the executioner’s role. The blood will taste just as sweet however it it’s proffered.
Roberto Martinez will know no other way than to harness their new-found belief by simply unleashing it. If Liverpool FC are to give their man one last hurrah they must summon the spirit of the Emirates, a month or so ago. They must subjugate derby ego, for a focus.
If there is to be anything for the Reds this weekend at Goodison, it must be won on the back of solidity and stoicism. Brendan Rodgers would love to cut loose. Just one last time perhaps. He’ll toss and turn the night before. He’ll remember how his team dismembered Bobby’s team just 18 months ago. The 4-0 at Anfield that could have been eight. He’d love to do that to them again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS5cF5kRH-w
Daniel Sturridge remains the symbol, one of the last standing, of that joyous night at Anfield. His presence a potent reminder. A temptation to give all-out unbridled-dicks-flapping in the wind attack, one last insane bash. It’s unlikely to happen, though. The Liverpool manager knows that if his pay masters are still dithering then he has a chance to save his day. He’ll know that a draw might come to be seen as a defining moment in his career.
Because of these stakes, expect nothing less than a compact focused Liverpool. Brendan’s challenge will be to keep them calm. To keep them fearless. Fear and hope kills teams in derbies. The spoils go to those who can freeze time. Those with icy veins.
This team will go out possibly for the last time in this manager’s honour. They owe him a chance. We owe him a chance. This will be his magnificent 11: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Clyne, Lucas, Milner, Moreno; Coutinho; Ings, Sturridge.
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Pic: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
I see what you are saying but I can’t see him dogging it out for some reason. Rodgers has always seemed to be a go out with a hail of bullets kind of guy and I think he knows he needs the win if he has any chance of winning back some of the support (plus dogging it out only works if you aren’t leaking goals).
I always want the Reds to win. Whatever happens to the manager in the short or long term a win is a win and puts us closer to the top.
#YNWA
A victory would represent an honourable departure. Why does a sacking only ever come after a defeat? With a win at Goodison and a new manager, one proven at the highest level, we could go into the next game with some kind of momentum and hope.
Win or lose, Rodgers clearly isn’t the man for the job. Like all of our previous managers, he’s been given plenty of time to show what he can do.
If a 6-1 hiding at Stoke doesn’t get you the bullet it means you’re bullletproof. He won’t be tin tacked whatever. He is a very useful nodding dog for the Bawston Beanheads
Bulletproof? The man is nuclear proof! Any other manager and the Stoke debacle would have finished him. Our Brendan seems to have ten lives, and I don’t think he will be walking any time soon, wherever the outcome woodison tomorrow.
Was just watching Sunderland vs Hammers match and how Hammers fought back from 2 goals down to get a draw.
Also fist half 1-1 draw between Chelsea vs Saints.
Both away teams played with confidence, even when they were chasing the match. they had well drilled pattern of play.
Really hope Reds will make all of us proud tomorrow.
Please.please show that you have pride and commitment to wear the Red shirt!! Unlike United match, show us u have the Balls!!!
A great input Rob and fitting prelude to this mammoth event and latest episode in the trials & tribulations of life at a Big Club. I’m sat here reflecting on your accurate bitter sweet tones to Brendan’s tenure here and I’m engulfed with sadness winning through any frustration at our inability to string a few good performances in a row because I’m one of the half full as opposed to half empty brigade who think he has the know how to turn the Club’s fortunes 180 degrees. Ferguson was nat’s pubic hair away from the chop before Man U won the FA Cup in 90/91 and the rest is diabolical history. Rogers has already been there and done it in 13/14. The majority fan base must stay strong and keep the faith and not allow the short and selective memories of the agenda ridden few who have eaten away like a cancer at the fickle amongst us who together are now calling for the manager’s head on a platter.
I’m unashamedly firmly backing Brendan with arms around his shoulder, slapping him on the back urging him to succeed and today go and show his bravery and send his team out into the gladiatorial arena to slay that poisonous blue serpant for another season and in the process Have us amass 14 points from 8 games which would place us a mere 4 behind Man City after this so called disastrous start to the season. Given the current form book it may well be a mammoth task but if we do end the day with 14 points, I wonder if the likes of the Twat in the van and Drake who give me the shits with their endless poisonous calling for the manager’s head, will they give it a wrest for a while and show their mercy in the as they spew their venom and give the thumbs up for him to fight another day. I very much doubt it as they pre empt above any such victory with their maddening intent on seeing the man sacked.
If Rogers stands a chance of finishing the first 10 league games with 17- 20 points, is that so bad as to get rid at this stage of the season? Ithink not. YNWA. Meep the faith.
GOOD. I remember watching (and fervently) hoping that fergie would lose that game against forest. As an enemy fan i sensed if fergie went united would fall apart and stumble from calamity to calamity. As it happened a kid saved fergies bacon (not all the multi-pound signings he had made). I wonder if enemy fans who constantly troll us now on social media with “brendon in” have a slight doubt at the back of their minds that if brendon remains, we just might amount to something one day and if he goes so does liverpool, into obscurity no matter who else we bring in or how much we spend. three years to run around a team that hasnt competed at the very top for 30 years is too short a time to judge. Rodgers needs more time just like fergie did. I’m not for one second rodgers will follow the trajectory that fergie had, but right now liverpool just need to be calm. Rodgers was right about “hysterical people”. Rome wasnt built in a day and Liverpool wont get back on the perch in three years either. It will be a long an arduous process and may take a lot longer that 30 plus years.
Hmm…I’ve been critical of brod recently having supported him to the hilt previously. Him. his team, the owners everyone have become a shambles pretty much overnight. Many (esp social media ones), not all, fans want him gone. But looking at the bigger picture is this right? I feel sometimes there is a huge disconnect for LFC fans from the IDEAL and reality. We have not been a powerhouse on the field for nigh on THIRTY years. Thats a long long time however you cut it. So, having won only ONE solitary CL and no league titles whatsoever, why all this hysteria? Its not just bren, not just fsg. There is a core problem at LFC that is not being solved. if we chop and change every few years is this the famous Liverpool way? no. so is what we need owners with bottomless pockets? maybe? I really cant say. What if we get klopp/ ancelotti WHOEVER and that “experiment” fails also in a few years? What if ferguson at united had been fired? FANS WANTED IT SO BAD…did it matter to fans that fergie had a track record of breaking other clubs domination? no it did not. Fans just wanted him gone. So the argument i frequently hear that fergie had a track record before united doesnt wash. You cannot run an army by consensus. Neither a football club. SO. what then? Well how about we start by listening to shankly? support the team win lose or draw? I worry for liverpool. History has shown all successful institutions have come from stability, continuity, patience, and hard, hard knocks. Right now we are so far away from that.
Gosh I remember that 2-2. After dodging golf balls with spikes all game but failing to avoid the beer being poured from the upper stands above us I will never forget Ronnie Whelan’s curler ….. #hairsonbackofneck