Donkeyiones

Anthony McIntyre feels at long last Liverpool FC has been put out of its misery in an act of brotherly love.  

It would be unfair to describe today's match at Goodison Park in which Liverpool notched up another underwhelming performance as a donkey derby. Everton are not donkeys although their season has not been an impressive one, hovering around mid-table and showing little sign of being able to progress out of it.

Again I chose not to watch the game, having given up half way through an abysmal performance against West Ham a few weeks back, never to resume viewing. I drifted in and out of the living room where my son was engrossed by it, glancing occasionally while talking to my friend Alfie on the phone to relay the score to him. From what I saw of the passing, it was a game best given a pass. Beating Watford and Bournemouth are nothing to crow about. You gotta be able to do it in the big boy's league. This team can't.

I suppose Goodison was a fitting venue for Liverpool to finally squander whatever delusions they continued to harbour about their championship potential. At least the ghost was given up on the territory of fellow Merseysiders. Better to be put out of their misery by their own, even though it will hardly feel like that. Derbys are often fratricidal affairs and the brother to emerge with bragging rights is despised much like Cain detested Abel. And Evertonians will brag - they finished off their great city rival's championship pretensions.

Sweet revenge for them after the Jordan Pickford howler that handed victory to Liverpool in the 96th minute the last time the sides met. The deflated Klopp who walked onto the pitch after today's game was not the Jubilant Jurgen who virtually summersaulted onto it that day. Liverpool didn't deserve to win then. They didn't deserve to win today either.

Having won only two out of their last six Premiership  games, I never expected the Anfield side to step up to the plate. They were either going to draw against Watford or Everton. Winning both games seemed an impossibility. Seven points clear at Christmas, usually an unassailable position in English Premiership soccer, if there was ever a contender to upend the stats underscoring that it was the current Liverpool side.

We can expect Manchester City to win most if not all their remaining games. We can expect Liverpool to draw as many as they win. The drawn game has become the defining feature of this Liverpool side. The title is City's and Liverpool will be lucky to hold onto second place.

Years ago I would have been upset about an outcome like today's result. I still have not forgiven the side that squandered the double in the final minute of the season against Arsenal in 1989, the year so many fans were unlawfully killed by the cops six minutes into the FA Cup semi final against Nottingham Forest.

No more. My sorrow is simply for the fans, let down again by flatterers and deceivers. Bungling is what I have come to expect from this gaggle of fumblers and bumblers.

Anthony McIntyre blogs @ The Pensive Quill. 

Follow Anthony McIntyre on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre

15 comments:

  1. Klopp will score a record points tally for Lfc,better than Paisley or Kenny D.Can't compete with financial doping.Fergies best tally was 91.Champions lge may provide some joy 😂

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  2. Ronan - record points provide only a consolation prize. Not much use when somebody else totes up more. Who is going to put the opposition to bed in Europe when they are wholly incapable of doing it in England? This team have neither the bottle nor the quality. All the questions Graeme Souness asked have been there all season - they have never been addressed.

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    1. AM,
      Souness also stated that Stevie G was the man to put it up to Celtic and knock them off their ivory pedestal.....really, when you look at Rangers and the age and quality of some of the players he bought...some of them supplied by Burke and Hare and came in a barrel!!!! I recall watching an early season Old Firm and Celtic hammered them and thinking that is probably the worst Rangers side I have seen in years...although they did beat Celtic later but then Celtic were in a bit of a turmoil on and off the pitch at that time and Rangers only allowed a few hundred Celtic supporters in to their ground......
      Liverpool are hyped up champions and their fans are so desperate for them to lift the trophy but hope and desire are not real...they will suffer worse next year in the league as Man Utd are back, Spurs will give it all although Pot may well be away...quite possibly to Real Madrid considering their humiliation at the weekend against Barca....the Gunners (yeow) will have settled this season and Emery will have them bouncing next season, Chelsea will continue to threaten and I will not mention City as Pep wants to win the Champions League with them then piss off back to the sunshine out of rainy Manchester...and this will all play on Liverpool....I think also some of that team might be thinking of jumping ship at the end of this season as they maybe realise that they are not going to win any medals with that squad and Klopp could find himself at the cliff edge before Halloween....Next season should be good.

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    2. Niall - Souness is hardly without shortcomings but he is right about this current Liverpool side. I think balance will be restored to the Scottish game and that Rangers will pose a challenge

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  3. Liverpool are tightening up in defence. Encouraging surely, Anthony. Title race on a knife edge just like Championship promotion race. I am still hopeful that both Liverpool and Leeds United can reach their respective Promised Lands!

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    1. Barry - they put Lovren back in against City and he did what he always does -gave away a goal that cost them two points.

      Tightening up in defence with a forward line hopelessly underfed by midfield will at best get draws - which is all they do. All Klopp has done is shift his teams frailties from defence to midfield. Souness says the midfield have scored 5 goals all season.

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  4. Lovren played because Gomez and Matip were in injured.Drop Hendo, play Fabinho and Chamberlain in the middle, watch results improve. On course for the fourth highest points tally ever scored by a team.Won it with 79 in 1990.

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    1. Lovren should be sold along with Henderson. Fourth points tally counts for nothing if someone else gets a higher tally. Fabinho is a holding midfielder - good at what he does but they need a creative midfielder. Not sure Ox alone can make the change. Keita has yet to turn up.

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  5. Anthony and all you Liverpool supporters, don't be afraid to come over to the dark side and start supporting Ole...

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  6. Mutd have done a Lazaras.Fergie is pulling the strings 😞. No trophy and an exit to Munich will see Klopp heading for Madrid.The German version of Brendan Rodgers?All chat,no product.

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  7. Frankie - I was very pleased to see Utd win last night. Even with a Liverpool type penalty award they went to PSG's ground and won it. Since taking my son to watch them play Sampdoria, I have had a sneaking regard. If their supporters had the experience of the Liverpool ones, a trip to the dark side would never have been a complete non starter.


    Ronan - you could be right. It would be sad as I like Klopp and feel if Liverpool are to take the Premiership it will be under him, just not with this current side. I can see no one else capable of doing it. Rodgers always took it but his sides could not defend. Had he a backline like Klopp's he could have taken it.

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    1. Put Ancellotti in charge at Anfield and he'll win the Premier League.

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    2. he would not be my choice

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    3. I stand by it. He's a great motivator and tactician. Much loved behind the scenes too. An all round lovely bloke who has a track record of success and getting the most out of players. Hell I want him back at Stamford Bridge!

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    4. he has a great record but still does not strike me as the guy who could do it at Liverpool. I think Klopp can do it but not with this side and not with any side that has Lovren or Henderson in it. I felt years ago that Liverpool would never take a title with Gerrard in the team - too much emphasis on him and as each year went by and he got slower they expected more out of him. Henderson is a much less competent leader. They should sell him, make Virgil captain and radically alter he midfield

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