We’ve had a lot of low moments this season and plenty of games that I found difficult to process. Really in the grand scheme of things this one shouldn’t even register on that list but somehow it’s really got to me. My head was so done in that I left at full time and didn’t even stay for the lap of honour and the goodbyes to Bobby and Big Games James.
I couldn’t do it, I just needed to get the fuck of there as it was one of the most frustrating, unpleasant afternoons I’ve ever spent at Anfield.
There were three reasons for that. Our performance was a small factor as it was not good at all. I can deal with that though, and besides, it wasn’t even THAT bad. We’ve played far worse than this. The lads kept going, found an equaliser and they were absolutely not the reason my head was so cabbaged. I felt sorry for them if anything, because that game was a fucking abomination.
The conduct of the Aston Villa players all afternoon was beyond a disgrace. Hardly anything seems to have been made of it in the media but the carry on from them all day was fucking disgusting. This is a cancer in the game now and it needs addressing. Newcastle are the worst for it but this from Villa was every bit as bad as anything we’ve seen from Beheddie Howe and his Saudi shills.
I’ve got plenty to say on that and I’ll get to it shortly. The third factor that tipped me over the edge was the officiating. It could not have been more obvious what was going on. Revenge is a dish best served cold and John Brooks will have been laughing his tiny cock off after this. He really showed Klopp didn’t he? Again, I’ve got a lot to say and I’ll get to it.
The game itself was shit. We didn’t start well and it was a little disconcerting how Villa were playing out from the back and doing it really well. How can it not be a bit worrying when we’re not getting anywhere near Tyrone Mings and they’re popping passes through and around us?
Emery is a good coach and he clearly knew what they needed to do to shut down our passing lanes, as we struggled to get in between the lines and everything was in front of them and posing no threat. It was all way too bunched in the centre and they dealt with it easily. They also knew that the key to getting at us was to use Watkins in the space Konate was having to cover.
They got a penalty via that route. Mo lost the ball cheaply and a ball was played into space for Watkins to chase. He got there first but Konate looked like he had it under control. Then Watkins toed the ball past him as Konate made a challenge and down he went. The ref immediately pointed to the spot but with VAR you always think there might be a twist. From my vantage point I thought there was a chance that Ibou may have got a touch on the ball as he seemed to be telling the ref he did. This was going to be one of those rare clear cut ones where he either got the ball or he didn’t. It’s an easy call.
Having seen the replays since, he didn’t get anything on it and it’s a clear penalty. You have to wonder why players are so adamant about this stuff when the video is there to expose them. Konate didn’t get the ball and he knew it. Protesting isn’t going change anything when there’s VAR. He wouldn’t have even got away with that if the ref hadn’t given it, as it was so blatant that VAR would have had to intervene. There was never a danger the ref wouldn’t give it though, but I’ll get to that.
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