One down three to go. Of course we had to do it the hard way as nothing is ever easy with us in finals.
This one was particularly excruciating though as that penalty shoot out felt like it would never end. Neither team deserved to lose this one and for a long time it looked like neither would. Until Kepa ended the impasse.
You often need luck to win finals and that was certainly the case here. We were just about the better side but Chelsea probably had more clear chances. They also had THREE goals disallowed for offside. Two of them were clear enough, one of them was as close as it gets. We had one ruled out too, a decision not everyone is happy about but I have no complaints. More on that later.
In addition to the disallowed goals Chelsea missed some glorious chances. So did we, probably quite as many though. How on earth did this end goalless? It’s as good of a 0-0 draw as you’ll see. I thought it was a great game, really absorbing, full of incidents and chances and there wasn’t really any lull in it at any point. Maybe extra time things dropped off a bit as players got tired, but this was a pulsating game with two great teams going toe to toe.
We won and I’m obviously made up about it, but if we’d lost I wouldn’t have had any complaints as it really was one of those coin flip games. Chelsea played us really well once again. There’s absolutely nothing between us in three meetings this season now. It’s a good job they’ve dropped loads of points to shite teams or they’d be as much of a threat as City.
We have a clear edge over them up front although we didn’t show it in this game, mainly because Sadio wasn’t as clinical as we needed him to be. I thought he played well apart from the lack of a goal, but I agreed with the decision to take him off even if he didn’t. Again, more on that later.
The starting eleven was exactly what most expected. At least it would have been had Thiago not injured himself in the warm up. Keita replaced him and Elliott then found himself promoted to the bench. Both he and Curtis had been left out completely, as had Joe Gomez. Brutal for all of them, and it was noticeable that neither Jones nor Gomez seemed to play much of an active role in the post match celebrations. Not everyone can be like Kostas I guess.
It does seem a little strange that Elliott wasn’t on the bench initially yet he ended up going on to replace Hendo while Ox was left kicking his heels. I’m not questioning that decision, in anything I’m questioning why Ox was preferred for the bench when he is clearly behind Harvey in the pecking order.
Losing Thiago was such a body blow though. It completely knocked the stuffing out of me just prior to kick off. I wasn’t exactly full of confidence beforehand but I had us maybe 60-40. After losing Thiago that dropped to 50-50. Which as it turned out was pretty accurate.
The game kicked off and we saw Thiago absolutely distraught on the bench, being consoled by Allison. I think if I was as upset as that then Alisson would be the person I’d want consoling me too. You’re not going to get anyone better, he’s just such a great fella. Gutted for Thiago though, and also for us if he’s out for any length of time. Still no word on the injury so let’s just hope for the best.
We didn’t start well, which may well have been because of what happened to Thiago. Nothing specifically relating to Keita, more just the shock of losing Thiago and how it may have unsettled our preparation. Chelsea were the better side in the opening 15 minutes, of both halves actually, but then we took over and had periods of domination before they hit back again.
Chelsea had the better chances early on but we looked threatening too, mostly because Diaz had Chalobah on toast and was just beating him for fun. Chelsea’s threat came from the late runs of Mount and Pulisic to beat our high line, while most of what we did came down the left with Robbo and Diaz.
Pulisic had the first clear chance of the game but was denied by Kelleher. The shot was more or less straight at him but he still showed good reactions to keep it out. It wouldn’t be the last time. That chance came in part because Robbo chased back in to cover Mount and ended up playing Pulisic onside.
It was a recurring theme, although not specifically with Robbo as the one deepest. Our line was all over the place for spells in that first half.
Our best chances fell to Sadio. He produced a woeful header that went miles wide from a brilliant pick out by Trent. He just didn’t time that right at all but it looked like he lost his bearings. That’s one where you need to flick your head at it to direct it goal wards, but he just headed it straight at the corner flag. Weird.
He wasted a glorious chance not long after though when Mendy could only parry a good effort by Keita. Sadio was first to the loose ball and didn’t really do much wrong other than not lift his shot a bit higher to take the keeper out of the equation. Mendy did incredibly well to save that but nine times out of ten it hits his hands and goes in. This was the one unlucky time when it goes over the bar.
What I loved about that was after the ball goes over, Sadio is gutted and Diaz just runs over and picks him up, hugs him and gives him encouragement. I absolutely love him already, he’s fucking boss. He tormented Chelsea in this game and every time he got the ball he looked like he’d do something. He also set a record for the number of no look passes in one game. He was totally overdoing it to the point that it was just fucking hilarious.
Good stuff by Naby on that chance though. He had a quiet start but then got involved in a couple of incidents that had Chelsea players wanting him sent off. The first was a joke. He was in a foot race with Mount and was struggling, but he did a good job of using his body to get between Mount and the ball. As he was moving across his arm accidentally caught Mount in the face. There was nothing in it, a complete accident and not a swinging elbow, but Mount made a big meal of it and Chelsea players surrounded Stuart Attwell demanding he do something. He did. He gave us a free-kick.
Not long after there was another clash involving Keita. This time is was Chalobah on the receiving end. Not an elbow though, it was studs right to the bollocks. It looks bad on the moment of impact but when you watch the whole incident it’s just a case of two players going with a foot up for a bouncing ball. There’s no intent from either other than to win the ball and it could just as easily have been Keita on the receiving end. There’s nothing in that for me, and Attwell and VAR agreed.
Pulicis then had another shot that stung the palms of Kelleher after our back line was all over the place again. This time Virgil dropped to deal with Havertz and Matip was about 20 yards higher up, which left Pulisic loads of space to run in without being off.
Another sweeping Chelsea move soon after ended with Mount shooting inches wide when he simply has to score. Didn’t deserve a goal simply because of his hair. What the hell is going on with that?
He went even closer early in the second half when he got in behind us again and this time hit the post. The ball then rolled right across the face of goal to safety. It was weird because everyone seemed to stop and I was expecting the flag to be up but it wasn’t and the replay showed he was well onside. Not great from us again but in fairness Mount timed that run to perfection.
Next Mo ran clear and linked over the keeper, but didn’t get enough on it and Thiago Silva cleared off the line. Mo should do better there. I thought he’d ran offside but he was just on and that was the moment where he would normally step up. It was the one clear sight he had and it’s not a co-incidence that it came from a Chelsea mistake at a moment when he was on the other side of the field to Rudiger, who plays Mo as well as anybody.
We’d regained control of the game at this point and were all over them. Mo won a free-kick off Alonso and when Trent played it to the back post Sadio nodded it back across goal for ol’ Big Bird to steam in and head home. I didn’t even see a hint of anything wrong with that so that was a full on celebration, no holding back in the way I’ll often do these days because of VAR.
The players were the same. There was nothing dubious about that goal and when it said there was a check for offside I wasn’t worried because I knew both Sadio and Joel were fine. Then I saw Virgil blocking James, and I immediately knew it wouldn’t stand. The same thing happened the other week with Maguire blocking someone off while standing offside. You can’t do that as you’re interfering with play.
Virg doesn’t really do much other than stand still, but he also has a little grab at James. Even without the grab that might still have been disallowed, but with it there’s no way that goal is going to count. James might not have even got back to win the header, in fact he probably wouldn’t have, but there was a chance he might and that’s enough to cancel the goal.
I didn’t even get mad about it as I agreed with the decision. It’s upsetting that we’ll probably see the same thing happen in the next few weeks and the goal will count, but that doesn’t alter the fact that Attwell got this right. And it was Attwell, as VAR didn’t make the decision they just told him he needed to see for himself.
Attwell is known as being one of the worst refs in the country. But he had a really good game. He let the game flow, was very reluctant to issue cards (too reluctant in the case of that Azpilacueta tit) and the only complaint I have is how lenient he was with Kepa in the shoot out. But again, I’ll get to that.
The disallowed goal was a blow but we were looking really strong at that point and I felt that the goal was coming. Diaz was sensational and Sadio led the line really well. Diaz ran clear and was denied by Mendy. So close to being a great goal but his final touch took him a fraction wide and it wasn’t a great angle to shoot on his left side. So exciting though, he was unplayable.
It caught up with eventually though and right at the end of normal time you could see he was cramping up. We’d used three subs by that point as Klopp had made a triple change with about 10 minutes or so left. Hendo made way for Elliott, Keita for Milner and a furious Sadio was replaced by Jota.
I felt for Sadio but what choice did Klopp have? Mo is never going to be the one subbed and Diaz was the best player on the pitch. We needed a goal Sadio hadn’t taken the chances that came his way and we had Jota in reserve. In theory it was the right decision. In hindsight, we’d have been better leaving Sadio on a bit longer as Jota looked rusty.
Diaz stayed on for the start of extra time but Matip was replaced by Konate. A smart move. Chelsea had introduced Lukaku and Werner so the extra speed and physicality of Konate was useful. He was really good I thought.
It was just so draining. Every time it felt like we were in control Chelsea would have a spell where they created a good chance or two. Extra time was slightly less manic but there was that absolutely mad scramble when Diaz and Robbo both nearly scored only to be denied by Mendy, and then there was Mendy making that brilliant save from Virgil’s header.
Then Diaz eventually made way for Origi and I won’t have been the only one expecting Divock to have a Divock moment. It never arrived though and in truth never looked likely. He didn’t get a sniff of a chance as without Diaz (and Mané) we lost a lot of the thrust we’d had up to that point.
Overall our subs weakened us but Chelsea’s probably did too. Werner is fucking shite. I’ve said it for ages so this is nothing new. I’m pretty sure Timo in German means Stuart, and Werner translates as Barlow. All he has is speed, but what good is that when after all these years of playing football he still doesn’t know how to stay onside? Thick as fuck him.
As for Lukaku, he was a danger because he times his runs much better. We did a good job overall of stopping the service to him but it did look like he’d done us when he ran through and scored. On first look I didn’t think he was offside and was fully expecting the VAR check to confirm my fear. Even when they paused it he still looked onside, but it’s one of those where the shoulder of the leaning forward is ahead of the foot of the last defender.
Havertz had one ruled out for offside too but that one was clear. I can’t even remember the third one they had, I just know there was three.
Ok, I’ve just had a look and it was Havertz again. He wasn’t offside but Lukaku and Werner both were (Werner by three yards) and Werner was the one who crossed it, so yeah defo no goal there.
Lukaku went close with a close range stab that Kelleher reacted well to block with his foot. That was a real heart in mouth moment that one as it was really late on. Can’t actually remember if that was normal time or extra time, as there was so much going on I’ve lost track. Either way, it was probably the biggest moment of the game actually, given the timing of it. “Kweef” defo justified his inclusion, even if he didn’t save any pens. His performance in the game itself was class.
Tuchel had been itching to get Kepa on before the end of extra time and when he did I was thinking how funny it would be if he made a mistake that led to us scoring before the final whistle. He didn’t, but we’d have the last laugh over him eventually.
Usually I’d have sympathy for a keeper in his situation, but honestly, fuck him. He thought he’d come on and be the big hero, with his gamesmanship on literally every single one of our pens. That was weak from Attwell. After he’s delayed the first pen you have a word. If he does it again on the second you book him, and you say if he doesn’t wind his neck in then he’s getting another yellow.
Instead he allowed him to delay every kick. He’d fix his shinnies, he’s mess with his laces, and even when he wasn’t doing that he was standing on the edge of the six yard box, eyeballing the taker. Which is fine. It’s his right to do it, but it’s the ref’s job to stop it. And Attwell just kept going up and telling him to get on his line.
Compare that with Kelleher, who just went and stood on his line and waited for the kick. Fair play won the day for once. Kepa thought he’d get into the heads of some of our lads but it just didn’t work because they’re so strong mentally.
Our pens were mostly brilliant. Milner drilled it into the bottom corner and Fabinho dinked up the middle. Outrageous. Then up stepped Van Dijk. To my shame I wasn’t confident. I just wasn’t expecting him to take one, I didn’t like his run up and I was so fixated on that I didn’t even notice what was happening with Kepa. He was stood on one side of the goal trying to psych Virgil out. Anyone else, literally anyone, would have just put the ball in the vast space Kepa had left.
Not Virgil though. He just leathered it into the side Kepa was guarding, right in the top corner, and then glared at him with utter contempt as if you say “don’t try that shit with me, junior”. The absolute swag and self belief you need to do that, in that moment. I’m blown away by it. Some people are just built differently to the rest of us.
Then it’s Trent. Again, I’m worried. Why? Because he doesn’t normally take them. I didn’t know that the takers had been chosen based on tests they’d done in training, involving heart monitors and electrodes wired to the brain. Virgil and Trent were two of the calmest so they made the five.
Then it was Mo. Again, I feared the worst. I was worried about the narrative you see. Salah missing against his old team after not having his best game. I didn’t like the potential for that storyline. Mo stepped up and smashed it right in the corner. Another sensational pen.
So on we go into the ‘others’. We had Div and Jota so thats strong on paper, but by now I’m not thinking straight and I’m expecting all of ours to miss and all of theirs to score. What I wasn’t banking on was Kepa diving the wrong way almost every time. Div and Jota didn’t even need to end the corners. Robbo sent him the wrong way too. Robbo had looked petrified but that was clearly just concentration, because he didn’t panic at all.
Then Harvey. Oh no, I couldn’t have handled him being the one to miss. Yet I didn’t really think he would. There’s always a fear but mostly I just thought he’d score and it might even be the winning pen. Narrative you see. It would have been a great story. He scored, but so did Chelsea.
Fucks sake. And then up stepped Konate. And what a horrendous pen that was. Everything about it was wrong. He rushed the run up, his body angle was awful, he telegraphed where it was going, it wasn’t in the corner and it was almost the perfect height for a keeper. Thankfully it was just high enough that although Kepa got a hand on it, he couldn’t keep it out. That was the one bad penalty we had though. It was also the only one Kepa had a sniff of, whereas Kelleher guessed right quite a bit and got close to two or three.
Then it was his turn to take one. Weirdly, I was relatively calm about that. No idea why, I just had confidence in him. And it wasn’t misplaced. Top penalty from a lad who has such a cool, calm demeanour about him. Nothing fazes him does it?
And so to Kepa. He was never scoring that. The narrative was against him. A keeper brought on at the end of extra time specifically with the brief of saving penalties, and every single one of our lads had scored against him, including Kelleher. This was never going to end well for him after that.
His penalty was brutal too. Often when you see a penalty go over the bar it looks like it’s gone miles over until you see the replay from the side and realise it’s actually quite close. The angle is deceptive but usually those pens don’t miss by much. This one was MILES over though.
And so it was over. Wild scenes of celebration at Wembley with the players and staff charging about everywhere. As for me, I slumped back into my seat like Admiral Ackbar at the end of Return of the Jedi when the Death Star was destroyed.
There’s far too many great moments from the celebrations for me to list all them, but highlights are Klopp dancing, Alisson taking a random kid up to lift the trophy with them and then spending time talking to him and his family (what a special fella he is), Kostas just going completely mental and making sure he filled the Josemi role by never leaving Hendo’s side, and the scenes in the dressing room with Ljinders showing his moves and then Pete Krawietz just randomly strolling into shot clapping and dancing. For some reason, that made me laugh more than anything else.
The celebrations won’t have been too mental because we’ve got big games coming up, starting with Norwich in the cup this week. The lads have a taste for silverware again now but on Wednesday it’s likely to be most of the players that were overlooked who we will be relying on. It’s vital that they have the right attitude.
The likes of Ox, Curtis, Joe especially. They seemed to take it harder than most. Poor Ox just looked sad when he lifted the trophy. Not in a sulky way, I’m sure he’s delighted we won but he probably felt a bit distanced from it because he wasn’t involved. That’s the hard part about having a big squad, you need to deal with disappointed players and my gut feeling is that Klopp has quite a few of those he’s going to need to work his magic on.
Even Sadio, who was definitely distancing himself from the celebrations at the end. When the team was posing for the photo with the trophy, he took himself off and was stood to the side. He’s an emotional lad though and it sometimes gets the better of him. I’m sure he’ll be fine but he definitely looked like he had a bit of a cob on.
Football is a strange old game though. I can remember Michael Owen being fuming about being left out of the League Cup Final in 2001. Then look what he did in the FA Cup Final a few months later. He scored in the UEFA Cup Final too I think. Similarly, Robbie started the League Cup Final and scored but was then livid when he was benched for the FA Cup Final.
It’s the nature of the beast. You can only start eleven, you have nine subs so if everyone is fit we’re going to have four disappointed players. The likes of Curtis and Gomez just need to keep their focus and be ready because you never know when they’re going to be needed.
And Sadio might need to get used to being subbed or left on the bench more than he’s used to as well if Diaz keeps performing like this. He’s the star man by a mile for me. I think Virg got it from the sponsors and maybe he deserved it just for the penalty alone, but Diaz was different class. If he’s this good now when he’s still settling in, how good is he going to become?
That signing feels like it was a real turning point in our season. It gave everyone a massive lift and we haven’t looked back since he arrived. We just need to keep this roll going now as we’ve got so much momentum with us there’s a 2001 feeling about it, only this time we’re in a title race as well.
Team: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip (Konate), Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson (Elliott), Keita (Milner); Salah, Mané (Jota), Diaz (Origi):
Recommended Comments