While not exactly three sheets to the wind, enough was supped to make it anything but a sober experience. I definitely would not pass a breathalyzer. But anybody who would want to pass one on cup final day must lead a mundane existence.
What we call our cup final squad - myself, my son Ronan, Paddy and his son Jason - met in the pub which serves up a great Guinness. I started on it but switched to Jack to celebrate the win by Liverpool.
As cup finals go it was a riveting game. I got a text from my sister close to the finish saying how edgy she was. The paradox at the heart of it was that while Liverpool deserved to win, Chelsea did not deserve to lose. My joy at Liverpool's victory was tempered by my sympathy for Chelsea. I thought of my friend Aine Fox, and the Quiller Steve R. My memory took me back to the H Blocks where Tommy Loughlin was a Chelsea stalwart.
Yet it was theirs to win. They had a goal disallowed, hit the post, should have scored when it seemed harder to miss, yet for some inexplicable reason failed to come out in extra time when it appeared Liverpool might not have the legs for another thirty minutes.
Pre-match, I didn't give Liverpool a snowball's chance in hell. In their last three cup finals they failed to manage a single goal in open play, relying on penalties to win two of them. It looked as if it was heading that way today. I had told Paddy that if it went to spot kicks after a scoreless draw I would not watch them. While a soccer solution to the draw problem it seems to devalue the beautiful game. One or two in the course of a match is fine but to have a competition decided by one sucks. I would have opted for a Chelsea victory rather than see it go to penalties.
As Tsimikas was about to take his corner deep into extra time I told my son to hold on until the penalties before getting another round. But lightening struck Chelsea and silver fell from the skies into the lap of Liverpool, courtesy of a well placed header by the captain Virgil Van Dijk.
It could all so easily have been a different outcome. Liverpool stepped out on the Wembley turf seriously under strength, but left with arms strong enough to hold aloft the trophy. With so many key players out injured their lineup looked like a chessboard where one side only had pawns. A sure silverware opportunity for the London side. With all the forwards out those who stepped into a makeshift team did the business, and pawns were promoted to queens. Even with Gravenberch substituted after a heavy tackle the tactical choice by Klopp of pushing Bradley up front and placing Gomes in the Tyrone man's vacated spot at the back prevented the equilibrium going out of the team like air from a deflated balloon.
In the end the deflation was Chelsea's. Their fans in the bar were gutted but one of them agreed to take a photo of the four of us. The spirit of soccer as it should be.
 |
| ⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
Absorbing game which would not have merited a penalty shootout. Congratulations, Anthony. Hope we don't feel the full effect of a Chelsea backlash in the FA Cup on Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteI fucking hate football. And Sterling was on side!
ReplyDeleteSo was V V D ! Back to the grind V Saints @ Anfield on wednesday ; @ least it's on I T V ( which I don't have ) . Portugese ( Vito ) Reds youth coach is doing a truly exceptional job . Who needs Alonso ?
DeleteIt's VAR you hate, Steve the absence of which at Elland Road last Friday helped us to beat Leicester.
DeleteJ K didn't shake ref Chris Kavanagh's hand after the game . Disgraceful tackles ( unpunished ) on Gravy & Endo . Can the Reds emulate the class of # 2001 & win a treble ( or more ) ? Smart money is on outsiders Arsenal to win the P L or C L !
ReplyDelete