TALK of the Bridge for over an hour on The Anfield Wrap, Chelsea on the back foot and Liverpool found themselves on top.
The back to front looking at the lads who won for Liverpool, players who showed more patience in the box.
Simon Hughes, John Gibbons and Ian Salmon join Neil Atkinson to talk through Liverpool’s excellent victory.
Also have a think of the Kazan team. You’ll hear the shouts from our lads at the end.
Trevor Francis, ball hit his head at the back post for Forest against the mighty Malmo , he knew nothing about it but he hates Liverpool with a passion because
A: He played for Forest but was never mentioned as a dangerman, ( Unlike Jocky Wilson lookalike John Robertson)
B: Blames Liverpool for his demise as a manager following the Worthington Cup final.
I could be wrong but I think Paul Mariner was picked ahead of him for England on merit.
Haven’t listened yet, but on the match commentary Michael Owen redeemed himself for me at the weekend. He was piling it on Chelsea (his “That’s the difference between the two teams” remark was priceless) and didn’t bother trying to conceal his glee at the LFC performance and result.
I know it hasn’t always been like this where Owen is concerned, but credit where it’s due.
I can see where John is coming from with his Firmino comment. I’ve been telling anyone who’ll listen that I think he’s gonna be a player, since Saturday. It’s not that I’ve been overly impressed though. I realised what it is (for me). I’d got to the stage where I had it in my psyche that anyone we signed was gonna be shit. With Firmino I thought Brazil international, good reviews from Germany but ultimately, I’ve never even heard his name before. I’ll get excited and hope he’s brilliant but deep down I now he’ll be a failure who no-one else wanted (for a reason). After about 100 minutes of his Liverpool career my worst fears were confirmed. The last couple though, combined with Klopp as manager I’m seeing it in a much more positive / expectant light. So, the glimpses I have seen are making me excited. My thought process has changed to ‘at least he can actually play football’. That’s a huge lift to me. I like how alive he is. I’d love to see Coutinho, Henderson, Benteke, Sturridge and Firmino as 5 of our players on the pitch. We’d probably win about 8-1. I wonder if we ever will see them together for a run of 10 games.
Benteke looks brilliant. At the Norwich home game though, although a few good signs I thought we looked better for the 20 mins in the second half when Ings came on for him, alongside Sturridge. Neither were fit though and I still think it will be brilliant with the pair of them. He’s another though. I’ve always liked Benteke since I saw a mini documentary on him. Although all the people close to him believed in him he was kind of rejected a lot by clubs and the Villa move was seen as a gamble by them. His family were all made up for him. I always like the ‘footballer flees worn torn country’ story too, although Benteke said they just went to the airport and bought a ticket to Belgium. No rafting down rapids to cross the border but I definitely believe in not letting the truth ruin a good story. I always thought he was good against us. I think Si mentioned the 3-1 at Anfield. That games unique for me because it’s the only Liverpool goal I’ve ever missed from leaving early. He embarrassed Agger that day. Yet, I thought ‘he’ll be wank, I can feel it’. Another Lambert. The point of all this is I’m at the point where I expect all signings to fail. It’s strange really. Now I’m telling everyone how good Benteke will be. Again, I’m excited. Obviously, I’m finding it hard to shake the injury worries but TAW had some Brummie journalist on City Talk before the Villa win and he put the injuries into perspective. One was because someone caught him and ruptured his achilles and the other 3 could have been related. All his career injuries came within a 6 month period. He was ok last season and for us he picked up a hamstring which happens. I think we’re all in a state of fear now over our strikers. It’s been plaguing us since the summer of 2014. As if we haven’t got enough to worry about without having a fear of opening the internet in case one of them is out again.
I assumed Bogdan was worst than Jones but he clearly isn’t. I assumed Ings was an Erik Meijer type yet when I got the text he was out for the season I felt faint. I thought Milner was gonna win us the league though. Ha, I don’t have much luck. No, again, I agree with the pod people. He’s doing an important job there, more so while Henderson is out.
I think Ings was a major loss. His work rate and straightforward enthusiasm impressed me, like another Dirk Kuyt. With him available we had the option of a complete change of emphasis within a game. Rodgers seemed always to think a substitution should be like for like, blaming the player. Anyone who has ever played football knows that some players ALWAYS shine against certain types of opponent, and putting on a similar player just confirms it. I am already rapt by Klopp. It’s hard to imagine him watching a 2-0 or 3-0 lead evaporate. It may happen, but he wouldn’t stand and watch like a rabbit on headlights. Anfield is Anfield again, not just another away game. It’s ‘look upon this place and tremble’ again!!
Yer da admired Trevor Francis for his honesty regardless of how much shit he was chatting.
Anyone who cuts their finger nails is deeply unwell with too much time on their hands. Just bite them on the bus or whatever. Toe nails need clipping after they’ve softened in the bath. I think I’ve found my Mastermind specialist subject. Simon Hughes with his scissors, the sicko? His books will never read the same again.
I struggle to talk about footy when there is little to complain about. I just enjoyed how good we looked; it definitely, definitely wasn’t the Carlisle game. Moreno bitching in the press then still defending like a fucking tool was a bit unfortunate of him.
Another cracking podcast, loved watching us take (a weakened) Chelsea apart.