INNER Chimp everywhere. Inner Chimp may never get back in. Inner Chimp could be out for days off the back of this. When will my heart stop racing. When Sebastian Prodl’s effort bounces off the bar it felt like the start and the end of everything. Heart attack as effort on goal. The grace of god descending on the Reds. The trickiest, gnarliest of Reds.
They love a scrap this Liverpool team. They rise to the challenge of a scrap. Let’s not mess about — Watford wanted a scrap. They came not to play but to leave one on Liverpool. You could smell it on them from the first whistle. Their new fragrance — Teamtalk by Troy. There wasn’t a blade of grass on the pitch which wasn’t competitive, every area of the pitch tight, every Liverpool player needing to earn the right to play. Challenges were rattled into, two lads off injured early and many others rubbing limbs.
The approach from Watford was one which many managers and almost all supporters would endorse. But it was counter productive. They couldn’t get near the Liverpool goal for 70 minutes, and while they made it hard for the Reds, Liverpool forced the issue to score one and a half of the goals of the season. Simply stopping a football match from breaking out by walloping people might seem the better approach but it was the approach taken by West Brom, Stoke to a lesser but significant extent and Everton, if we are all being honest. Crystal Palace stood off Liverpool, asked them questions and broke with intent. They got their reward. The others? The others scrapped. But the thing is this:
They love a scrap this Liverpool team.
They may well love it a tiny little bit too much. They haven’t shown a ton of being able to rise above, quite possibly because they don’t want to. Liverpool’s shape was excellent. It wasn’t conducive to playing football of the gods but this isn’t the task at this stage. It’s worth stressing this, though — some more quality from Liverpool between the break and the 70th minute may well have seen the Reds out of sight and far more comfortable, indeed, chances ever missed in any event. Instead, Liverpool bedded in for the battle. Liverpool, slogging their way to the Champions League.
Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, let it not be said that this group of players lack fight and bottle. The last three away performances have shown exactly what this side is about. If they don’t make the Champions League it will be because they aren’t good enough, not because they don’t fight hard enough. Not because they don’t want it enough. If they don’t make the Champions League let’s talk about tempo, not balls. They have tons of the latter. They need to improve at the former. Tempo will be worth talking about regardless. It’s the main thing that needs to be worked on.
The winning goal — a thing of beauty. Emre Can’s acrobatic effort the moment of truest quality in the game. Can loves this scrap as much as anyone, the handsome devil. Walloping and getting walloped and not a hair out of place. The goal should be marked down, discussed when we are 100, should it get Liverpool where they need to be this summer. Parabolic curves everywhere, the ball in the net, Liverpool in excelsis deo.
Can aside, the major winner from the game was the defensive shape; the manager, his coaching team, his players. Watford made it hard but Liverpool’s clever shape made it very possible. Players were doubling up, dropping in, getting themselves back where they needed to be. Liverpool were tough to break against, tough to build play against. Every player had a mate nearby when he needed him.
The Mig pulled another massive away performance out, too. He came for everything he could and offered everyone confidence. He gave the Inner Chimp confidence and that is saying something. These are strange days and strange games. They exist to create more great days, not to be great days in and of themselves. Third is a thing to be, but not a thing to celebrate. But the summer and the nights that follow are what the blood is the most up for — Liverpool bringing the fine wine to the European banquets. It makes the release harder, the run-in tougher in a sense. Normally I’d be bouncing into the idea of another game tomorrow if it is all on the line. Not now, not with this Liverpool, not when they are going for what they are going for.
We lose our heads too easily, too often with this side. We mistake these footballers and presume our rivals are better than they are, than we are. They aren’t. Only Spurs and Chelsea have been better than this side and Spurs have shown that last eight weeks. United, Arsenal and City drop points all the time.
There are three games to go. Three more hurdles to overcome. Three more times to find a way to do the business. My Inner Chimp needs to wind his neck in because these Reds will do everything they can. They are scrappers, they are gnarly, they are good footballers. They are Liverpool players, part forged in this quasi-run-in.
They will do for me today. They will really do for me.
Up the 0-1 Reds. Scrappy Doo.
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As usual am in awe of the ability to write an article so full of insight and passion so soon after a match like that – especially asuuming you’re bevvied up and probably in a layby somewhere. Kwality, Neil.
As for these lads – they are getting the job done aren’t they??
Up the scrappy Reds
Parabolic curves – lovely stuff
How you come up with that whilst in Los Angeles is pretty awesome.
My inner chimp is currently still in shock #ynwa
Brilliant stuff. Heck of a piece of writing.
Mignolet has really stepped up to become the player he always threatened to be. I feel a little sorry for Karius.
Excellent writing – ‘poetry’ in a way – how can you write such a piece so soon after that stressful watch! Was never going to be straight forward! Up the mighty reds.
I have seen a lot of Liverpool fans say things about diving in the last few days. What do you think about Lucas. At least with the others there was contact even if it was made by the attacking player. Retrospective red cards have to be introduced. A game you deserved to win and a great goal to win it but this has to be shut down.
Hi Russell
Total dive by Lucas but I reckon your “at least with the others there was contact” muddies the waters – all of the incidents you refer to had players attempting to cheat to get an advantage.. I think you either fall into the camp where you accept everyone will do everything they can to win including cheating (diving, kicking people off the ball, claiming it’s your throw in when you know it’s not) or you think it should be stamped out. If the latter, then it needs to apply to everyone regardless of team.
It was supposed to be a bit tongue in cheek but hats off to you for the goal. I was just glad it wasn’t 6 again.
I’m all for players diving to try and win a pen, regardless of who they play for. The contention comes when Utd get awarded them and we don’t. Refs need to be stronger at Old Trafford and give us a few dodgy decisions instead. At least then no one can moan because just it’s evening it up.
Not healthy. Just not healthy. Body temperature 97 degrees by the end of that. They deliberately make it nervy to spite me, the bastards.
Fantastic bunch of bastards our team though. Can’s goal was stupendously pleasing to watch. Any goal where the keeper doesn’t even bother diving is always aesthetically more pleasing than if he does.
Loved how Matip and Lovren handled Deeney easily. He’ll still give an interview tomorrow about how he’s old-school and was in prison once and modern players are too soft and he’s a man’s man and knows Anthony Joshua and was in prison once and plays the game like a man and was in prison once, but he caused us no problems and resorted to petulantly kicking Mignolet and barging Firmino before giving him verbals. Great seeing us deal with a bully boy like that.
Love Lallana. He brings serenity to my being.
Exactly so. And Firmino winning throw-ins with 90 seconds left.
Yep. Loved that too.
That’s the kind of thing we need to be doing in these situations. Keep the ball in the corner when we’ve a one goal cushion with minutes to go. It is simply not intelligent to do anything else. It keeps the ball off the opposition and encourages them to either commit a foul or give away a throw-in.
Muddy game, glorious goal, beautiful result. Great stuff Neil. Oh yeah.
Nice one Neil.. great piece of writing that. Wonderfully dogged performance from the lads today.
Massive, massive three points.
Was worried about Can not so long ago, thought he needed a big bounce in the summer to cement his place. But, whether it’s the calf injury clearing up, or just contract time is immaterial- he’s been excellent lately, even before that piece of pure joy he produced tonight. He puzzles the shit out of me but I love the dysfunctional, belligerent, self confident, handsome bastard all the same. I actually love ALL of these dysfunctional bastards if it comes down to it.
Millie, Patsy, Deggsy, Joel, Lucas, Big Si, Big Divvy. Gini. Bobby. Lall. Studge. Even O Magico.
All can be accused of being flawed to some extent. None a perfect fit. None a finished article.
As you so often do Atko, you’ve nailed it for me again- ” part-forged “.
I think that is the thing.
Part forged indeed. Part forged into what? Forged into a flawed final piece? Or forged into something stronger and better as a result of imperfection taking time to remove?
I think that depends, as so much does with this club we love, on your mindset. On your hopes. On your belief.
I choose to believe.
Into these.
Up the Reds.
No matter where we eventually finish I will look back on the season with pride. Early on we saw a full strength Liverpool steamroll opponents. They were s thing of beauty as they transitioned from defense and flew down the pitch scoring goals in bunches. January and February were hard. We started getting injuries and lost Mane for a month. Results were poor and the pundits began to write us off. Then they flipped the switch. They became a team you did not want to play. They became tough, smart, and determined. Injuries kept coming but so did positive results. Now with three games left this scrappy bunch is fighting for a spot in the Champions League. No matter what happens between now and the end no team has shown more heart. Let’s just hope they achieve what they do deeply deserve. Either way this team will always have my admiration.
As usual, my favorite match review. Great and truly gnarly match, most worthy winner. And get to read about it all again – a tale well told. Thanks for that, Neil.
Imagine if Neil cared about top 4!
Up the new-Mignolet guarded reds.
“New-mignolet guarded Reds”. Excellent description!! Mig deserves it (I was possibly among the biggest critics during his worst times with us)
TBF Josh, quite a few lay claim to that!
Boss article as always. Sums up my emotion exactly.
It is quite astounding how you churn these out so quickly after the game. Beautifully written.
Couple of potential discussion points:
1) aThis argument as to whether / how we ‘rise above this. This seems well worthy of an AW podcast on its own – wondering whether derivatives of Gegenpresse in PL have this net effect with lower table / more physical intensity
2)Wijnaldum invisible for long stretches although you’d think he would have been suited to this. Lucas covered well and also did well to avoid being drawn into a red which seemed an obvious Watford objective as obvious as clearing out Firmino after half time (that 20 mins after HT was best of the game)
A few randoms from me
1. Those rugby bags seem to be working. Migs coming out with his knee up a la Clem.
2. Karius celebrating that goal like a real team player was nice to see.
3. I think we got more offsides than I’ve seen for a long time. We’ve started playing a much higher line of late but this time it was clearly more prominent (and therefore tactical).
4. Do we need 11 in the box to defend a corner against 6 of there’s? This means they get the clearance to the edge of the box, much like we did when Llana hits bar first half.
5. Watford are amongst the shittiest teams around. A top ten team, fuck me that’s says so much about this league.
Great 3 points though.
That’s 3 away wins on the trot.
Only one goal conceded.
Apparantly we can’t do that.
In our last 10 games we’ve taken 20 from a possible 27 points. Only one defeat in there.
Can we take 3rd?
I love neil He’s the best footy writter ive ever read.
Neil is great. He is TAW. The rest just cling to his coat tails. He should move on to bigger and better things. If like to see him in the tv I think he would offer a fresh and fun insight I to all things football. Get on tv neil you deserve your own show.
We’re a team, that’s what has made TAW work.