Author: johnadmin

Somebody said as they left the game, “We made hard work of that” and it wasn’t far off the mark but the important thing was we won and despite Sunderland’s style we worked bloody hard.
After the Watford game we said that not too many sides will give us the spaces we prefer and last week that was evident against Southampton and Southampton were at home. Moyes said Sunderland would park a bus and that’s what they did. This is how it’s going to be when teams like Sunderland come to Anfield. To be fair to Sunderland they did what they had to do and showed some discipline in doing it.
I don’t think Coutinho going off early in the game made a lot of difference, Sunderland had already set out their stall and I think at times in the first half there was some frustration around but some of our players weren’t doing what they do best, like Manè for instance who seemed to be running into blind alleys rather than using whatever space was available.
Sunderland caused a bit of panic in our defence just the once in the second half and my heart was in my mouth, but we kept going at them. The Kaiser was at his most animated, orchestrating the crowd and urging the team forward and whether Divock Origi’s effort was a shot or a cross, I don’t care and I’m sure I saw the Kop roof move a little aided and abetted by the noise and a certain amount of relief. The penalty at least meant the last couple minutes could be watched without any further bouts of anxiety.
Nice to see Ben Woodburn get the chance of a little cameo appearance, he was featured in the current issue of Red All Over The Land which has just about sold out.

I’d like to start by thanking everyone who has helped in making this Fanzine reach the ripe old age of 21.  It’s a long list, too many to mention, but thanks again.

Back in 1995 when I started this Fanzine the media, including the Liverpool Echo, had been suggesting Liverpool could/would win the title.  We’d destroyed the then Champions, Blackburn Rovers at Anfield and gone to Old Trafford in the face of total hostility [Cantona’s first game back after being banned for criminal activity] and got a draw.  Only then came what would be known as ‘Black November’ when we couldn’t buy a win and the title dream started to fade before a New Year revival reignited it.  It all ended on a sour note, we didn’t win anything and had the famed ‘White Suit Final’ to haunt and remind us, of what might have been.

In the summer of 1995 Stan Collymore had been signed with banner headlines suggesting we’d found the missing link, the final piece of the jigsaw only he wasn’t anything other than an enigma and that’s being kind.  Twenty-one years later we’re still trying to put all the pieces together and come up with the right formula.  I honestly don’t know whether we’re closer to fulfilling the dream or just as far away.  Each time we think we’ve got it right we’ve fallen over our own feet but just like 1995 we’re dreaming again.  There can be no doubt Jürgen Klopp knows what he’s doing even though I disagree about the goalkeeping situation.  In 1995 I thought David James might be the Achilles heel as well. 

The League Cup game against Spurs may have given us a glimpse into the future, finally seeing some potential on the pitch in the form of the young lads the manager picked.  I know we’ve seen them before – ‘Ones for Tomorrow’ [Circa G. Houllier 2003] – but those in the side against Spurs showed up well.

We’ve wasted almost as much money in the transfer market as the British Government has done on Wars but finally there’s a sneaking feeling we might have got some things right.  I remember just a few short years ago the club being pillared for signing the likes of Jordan Henderson but he’s now club captain, maybe still a few doubters but not as many as there was a while ago.  I don’t know if Jürgen has any special gifts but he’s made players such as Lovren and Lallana look like half decent and he’s found something in Firmino more than a few disbelievers doubted was there.  Ah just seen Lovren at the Palace!  I’ll forgive him though because he did score.

So, twenty-one years on, nothing much has changed.  We’ve still got dreams and songs to sing.  Twenty-years is a long time, how much longer can I go on I don’t know.  To quote the winner of the Nobel prize for Literature, “Life is an Ocean, but it ends at the shore, you may not see me tomorrow”.  I don’t know when tomorrow is and I only use that in the Fanzine sense.

In the meantime you should still find me somewhere between Paisley Square and 96 Avenue close to where someone’s outside toilet used to be.

       JJP

Still Wearing Black.

 

This game spoke volumes for the current Liverpool side but it might have also sent out a message which might not be too our benefit in the future.  Unlike certain teams Watford came to play an open game and was simply picked off and went back down the Yellow Brick Road knowing six could have easily been ten, maybe more.  I think we can expect a few others thinking, “Right, at least ten behind the ball and in our own penalty area when we play that lot”!

This team of ours looks a frightening prospect especially if everyone is in the mood and they looked as if they were against poor old Watford.  Many ‘experts’ consider Daniel Sturridge the best English striker and he can’t even get in the side but when he came on, he hit the woodwork twice and had a big hand in the final goal.

The hardest task The Kaiser could have is keeping everyone happy and also seeing the side keep a clean sheet.  There were sighs of disappointment when Watford scored but as a critic of our ‘keepers I’d say Karius had a decent enough game when it came to making a few saves, still looks unsure when a cross comes over though but after yesterday that would be nip-picking.

A year ago Jürgen Klopp talked about the early leavers at Anfield but not too many left the scene as early as they have been doing of late.  I don’t think the atmosphere was anything great yesterday but I put that down to people just wanting to watch what was just about poetry in motion.  For me, because I was at the Anfield Road end, the final fifteen minutes of the first half was almost spell binding.  To pick out a man of the match would be unfair it was one of those days.

Finally a word of praise for the Watford fans.  I know we had the usual bile about Anfield and a library and one or two other predictable bits but they never mentioned Steve Gerrard falling over once.

Thanks to everyone who purchased a copy of Red All Over The Land and/or a pack of Christmas cards. If you want to be part of the long running Fanzine, visit www.redallovertheland.com or lookout for the Facebook pages and Twitter accounts.  Thank you.

I was a bit surprised Jürgen decided to make 11 changes especially when looking back at the strength of the sides put out against Burton and Derby but it all worked out for the best.  I thought the team played well against an also much changed Spurs and we deserved the win.  Maybe it shows we’ve finally got a bit of strength in depth and I thought Sturridge was as good as The Kaiser said he was.  Scored two, denied by the Spurs ‘keeper twice and missed a couple, not a bad nights work for someone who can get into the England side but can’t always get into ours.  Ovie Ejaria really impressed, early days I know but it looks like there’s a talent in waiting inside this player.  Although the other young ‘un Trent Alexander-Arnold found life a bit trickier he let nobody down and for a young defender playing in a back line that must have been almost alien to him he showed there could be another prospect lurking within.  The Spurs side included eight players who were under 23 but we couldn’t have been far behind.  Origi is only 21 and Grujic 20 [and how big will he be when he stops growing] and that has to be a good sign.  We’ve had our share of ‘Fools Gold’ but it finally looks like our scouting network has delivered the goods.  Oh, and Danny Ings doesn’t normally even make our bench but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.  The problem Herr Klopp might have is keeping them all satisfied but not a bad problem to have.  The atmosphere last night was reasonably good and even after the customary nerves arrived following the penalty the crowd kept with the lads and that can’t be bad.  53,000+ as well, shows the price was right.  Another home draw wouldn’t go amiss and I’ll be tuning in to find out who we’ve got once Mourinho has stopped either gloating or moaning.  The final word on last night; thought Mignolet looked more confident that Karius has been looking.

West Brom’s ‘keeper was probably the Man of the Match yesterday, although our finishing might not have been as we would have hoped but there will always be days like that.  Fair to say Foster’s poor clearance helped us with the second goal but there was a bit of quality in the build up as well.  The build up for the first wasn’t bad either.  What I can’t fathom out is our defending.  Clyne and Milner had decent games as did Lovren and Matip but we still looked so vulnerable when West Brom saw a chink of light.  Karius doesn’t fill me with confidence and those around me yesterday were of a similar opinion.  Having said Milner had a decent enough game the free kick he gave away just before West Brom scored looked needless but once the kick came into the box the goalkeeper should be at least looking to deal with things, ours looked as if he didn’t know what to do and the ball ended up going for a corner and once again the only real shot on our goal went in.  The question is, does our defence have confidence in our keeper?

Sitting in close proximity to the away fans how boring must it be to have to sing about us never having seen Gerrard win the league?  The last time West Brom won anything Jeff Astle was still playing.