Liverpool vs Man City (Apr 13 2014)

[Furmedge]

Bag of nerves this morning. I was only a kid when we won the league last so going through this a little older is making me sick.

 

Love it.

[bossy]

Yes we have to come out like lightning but we also have to stay controlled, not lose our heads gung-ho fashion. I realise this means nothing and is mere chatter. Nervous, excited, hopeful and inclined to pessimism.

[Bobby Hundreds]

25th anniversary of hillsborough and a game that could be crucial in deciding if we win the league. Today is so significant and massive I need go for a run, drive a car and look in the rear view mirror visit a grave revisit old memories all to an 80s rock ballad.

[deiseach]

I'm far more relaxed than I was last weekend. We're at home. Citeh are not going to park the bus or lead with their elbows. If we win, it's no Istanbul. Still four games to be won. If we lose, we'll go from needing 12 from 12 to needing 5 from 12. It's all good.

 

This post will self-destruct in four hours...

[Bobby Hundreds]

Everyone's confidence is making me nervous.

[JermainePennant]

This is the first game of the season where I have no feeling about the result, its too hard to call.

 

The timing of the game around Hillsborough gives me belief though as I am a believer in fate and destiny, also the twelth man should play a part today.

[Paco]

my first ever game as a season ticket holder was brendans first premier league home game - man city 26/8/12. I was the kid the night before christmas, went to bed at 10 knowing I had to be up at 4. think I finally got to sleep about 3 and next thing the alarm went. booked flights from dublin to manchester as they were about 40 quid cheaper. after this trip I d just pay the extra and travel from belfast.

 

got to dublin airport a little bit late and then the bus from the red car park took ages to go then security was a queue. shitting myself I d miss the plane or ryanair wouldn't let me on because I was too late. had been boycotting ryanair for 5 years since they cancelled a flight we were on to a wedding in santander. they put us on a flight to madrid and we had to get an overnight train arriving at our accommodation 2 hours before the wedding stinking of a day and a half travelling.

 

Got through security and I booted it up towards the gate threading my belt back on as I ran fearing I wasnt going to make it. felt like I d run a mile to the gate right at the far end of the terminal. when I got there sweating and out of breath the gate was a picture of serenity. football fans sitting relaxing, reading their newspapers. a few minutes later we were called to board. ryanair staff couldnt have been nicer.

 

on board I tried to sleep. never a great one for sleeping on planes, I read my book and looked forward to getting from manchester to liverpool. hopefully it would be less stressful.

 

landed at manchester and made my wsy to the station and the national express terminal. got the bus cos it was cheaper than the train. pre booked my ticket and stood at the stand. a bus going to Edinburgh pulled up, surely this wasnt going via liverpool. it was. dont fall asleep on this I thought or you ll be watching the game in Leith and paying for a new flight home.

 

on the bus there were a few liverpool scarves so I thought id follow them when I got to liverpool. I listened to rubber soul and imagined if john lennon and paul mccartney had come up with any of their songs while on a bus into town. we drove past some technology park and the scarves got up a few miles further on at what I now know is Tuebrook. I followed them through the streets and then I lost them. I got to a main road where there was a McDonald's and some fans were walking in the direction I thought I should be going but then they all stopped at a bus stop. I was on a budget. fuck it I ll walk on.

 

walked on down some long straight road. There was a park but it wasnt Stanley Park. eventually I asked someone if I was heading in the right direction he said I was. came across elm house, I d done a bit of remote work for north west ambulance trust so knew I was near t the ground as my contact there would tell me how he could see anfield from his office. I kept walking and finally it rose high above the rooftops like something out of district 9. I d finally made it. it was 1pm and kick off wasnt til 4.

 

I got myself a drink and something to eat. spent quite a long time at the Hillsborough memorial reading every name. some I d heard of some I hadnt. Tony Bland was a name that stood out. At school we covered euthanasia in Religion and Tony Bland had been left in a persistent vegetative state following the crush at Hillsborough. His family asked that he was allowed to die with dignity and he became the first English patient to be allowed to die by having his life support machine turned off. For the first time Tony Bland became a real person to me.

 

I went round to the turnstile where I was to enter the ground. The door was shut but I knew where I was going now. I discovered the Heysel memorial round there also. I stood there for a few minutes remembering watching that game on a black and white tv in my bedroom as an 8 year old kid. unable to understand why the football wasnt being played and then left devastated by losing the game. The next day in school the united fans projected the views of their fathers in the playground 'liverpool fans killed Juventus fans' they said 'no they didn't' we replied. no one was allowed to speak ill of our team.

 

About 1.30 now. Just the 2 and a half hours to kick off or an hour until I could get in the ground and rest my weary feet. I walked around to the back of the main stand where a lot of fans had gathered to see the team arrive. I decided to join them. I stood for an hour enjoying the excitement. The coach arrived, black and shiny. I d seen the players get off the bus on tv but that was from a face on angle this was literally they stepped off the bus and disappeared. one by one they disembarked. big cheer fir suarez gerrard and the biggest cheer for carroll. groans for adam and henderson. how some things would change.

 

I walked back round to the centenary, the crowd now thronging. I was one of the first in the ground I reckoned. walked up about 6 flights to CE4 and found my seat 94 row v directly across from the players tunnel. I thought about getting a seat closer to the kop in the centenary but I reasoned I d get the best seat to watch football. centre ice. The team came out and did their warm up. keepers first then the outfield players. Glen johnson waved at me or could have been his family in boxes below. suarez was mesmeric even in the warm up pinging inch perfect passes from one corner of a 20 x 20 to the other. every game I went to I tried to get in early to witness the warm up. as the song says I just cant get enough. on the other side city, yaya toure, aguero, kompany and silva - the champions.

 

I remember very little about the game itself. skrtel and coates took the ball off the keeper. we were nervous doing it but we kept doing it. we took the lead through skrtels header but they equalised then suarez brilliant free kick 30 yards out curled round the wall into harts bottom left hand corner. we were going to win. we were going to beat the champs but the style of play was in its infancy, the passing at the back seemed more suicidal than normal. skrtels pass back to reina was short and tevez nipped in to equalise. huge disappointment but no shame.

 

as I left the ground on my long journey home I was satisfied. we d played well. we were brave with the ball and we had suarez.

 

I spoke to a few fans at the airport. none of us were sure what rodgers was going to be like. the signings of borini and allen were not awe inspiring but we d drawn 2-2 with the champions. city it turned out were not the team they d been the season before and we would struggle to get going until well into october. if you d said to me back then that the next time we played city at hime we d be top of the league with 5 games to go and the opportunity to go 7 points clear if them I d have laughed in your face but thats how short a time it has been and how far we ve come.

 

I got into the house at 2am. I d driven home with music blasting and window open to keep me awake. sktrels back pass and luis' s free kick on my mind and a feeling of not being able to wait until I could get back to watch us again.

 

love to be there today but got a one season only dispensation and as much as I loved it a lot of the time I was on my own not in the ground, you re never on your own in the ground but I would have loved to have someone to share it all with and organise the logistics better than me.

[king7]

Have no idea how this will go. All I know is that it will be hours of pain before the match, and 90 minutes of intense emotion. So happy that we´re again in a position where we can play matches of such importance!

[Bjornebye]

can't think straight 

[bossy]

Nice one Paco.

[Captain]

I just can't wait for this one!

[firelightez]

Havent posted in a while. In fact, been lurking for the past year or so.

 

But im breaking that today because i feel its going to be special. Special enough that i clicked the sign in button.

 

We can really do this. the atmospheres going to be mental. i havent felt this way since 05; and since was born after our last league triumph, this feeling of being so close to the title, with a legitimate chance (09, while we were challenging, i always felt united would somehow spawn the title), is completely alien. Im shivering, nervous, excited, sick, hungry and simultaneously full. I have an assignment due tommorow morning but i dont care. Ill gladly fail it to see us beat city and have half a hand on the title.

[Phoenix]

I have the feeling Fernandinho is going to score against us.

[gingerhulk]

3-1 sakho (he best start) 490-1. Yes please. 

[Tom araya]

For those of you going to the game or if you're just standing and supporting the team coach please post as many photos as you can,would love to see this.Y.N.W.A.

[Paco]

the difference between chelsea in 05 and city today is I dont hate city. I cant imagine the same vitriol. I think it will be more support for our team as opposed to booing everything they do. however they are in our way in our attempt to get where we want to go so in that respect they re the enemy and need to be defeated by any means necessary.

[KopOut]

T minus 155 and counting

[deiseach]

Everyone's confidence is making me nervous.

I wouldn't call it confidence. More 'que sera, sera'.

[Pony Princess]

2-1 win.

 

Squirtle and Suarez

[Mathewbet1]

Well fuck them into the middle of next week 1-0

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I wouldn't call it confidence. More 'que sera, sera'.

 

I think that's spot on.

 

I'm usually a bundle of nerves, but for some strange reason I'm feeling calm about this one.

[Horus]

my first ever game as a season ticket holder was brendans first premier league home game - man city 26/8/12. I was the kid the night before christmas, went to bed at 10 knowing I had to be up at 4. think I finally got to sleep about 3 and next thing the alarm went. booked flights from dublin to manchester as they were about 40 quid cheaper. after this trip I d just pay the extra and travel from belfast.

 

got to dublin airport a little bit late and then the bus from the red car park took ages to go then security was a queue. shitting myself I d miss the plane or ryanair wouldn't let me on because I was too late. had been boycotting ryanair for 5 years since they cancelled a flight we were on to a wedding in santander. they put us on a flight to madrid and we had to get an overnight train arriving at our accommodation 2 hours before the wedding stinking of a day and a half travelling.

 

Got through security and I booted it up towards the gate threading my belt back on as I ran fearing I wasnt going to make it. felt like I d run a mile to the gate right at the far end of the terminal. when I got there sweating and out of breath the gate was a picture of serenity. football fans sitting relaxing, reading their newspapers. a few minutes later we were called to board. ryanair staff couldnt have been nicer.

 

on board I tried to sleep. never a great one for sleeping on planes, I read my book and looked forward to getting from manchester to liverpool. hopefully it would be less stressful.

 

landed at manchester and made my wsy to the station and the national express terminal. got the bus cos it was cheaper than the train. pre booked my ticket and stood at the stand. a bus going to Edinburgh pulled up, surely this wasnt going via liverpool. it was. dont fall asleep on this I thought or you ll be watching the game in Leith and paying for a new flight home.

 

on the bus there were a few liverpool scarves so I thought id follow them when I got to liverpool. I listened to rubber soul and imagined if john lennon and paul mccartney had come up with any of their songs while on a bus into town. we drove past some technology park and the scarves got up a few miles further on at what I now know is Tuebrook. I followed them through the streets and then I lost them. I got to a main road where there was a McDonald's and some fans were walking in the direction I thought I should be going but then they all stopped at a bus stop. I was on a budget. fuck it I ll walk on.

 

walked on down some long straight road. There was a park but it wasnt Stanley Park. eventually I asked someone if I was heading in the right direction he said I was. came across elm house, I d done a bit of remote work for north west ambulance trust so knew I was near t the ground as my contact there would tell me how he could see anfield from his office. I kept walking and finally it rose high above the rooftops like something out of district 9. I d finally made it. it was 1pm and kick off wasnt til 4.

 

I got myself a drink and something to eat. spent quite a long time at the Hillsborough memorial reading every name. some I d heard of some I hadnt. Tony Bland was a name that stood out. At school we covered euthanasia in Religion and Tony Bland had been left in a persistent vegetative state following the crush at Hillsborough. His family asked that he was allowed to die with dignity and he became the first English patient to be allowed to die by having his life support machine turned off. For the first time Tony Bland became a real person to me.

 

I went round to the turnstile where I was to enter the ground. The door was shut but I knew where I was going now. I discovered the Heysel memorial round there also. I stood there for a few minutes remembering watching that game on a black and white tv in my bedroom as an 8 year old kid. unable to understand why the football wasnt being played and then left devastated by losing the game. The next day in school the united fans projected the views of their fathers in the playground 'liverpool fans killed Juventus fans' they said 'no they didn't' we replied. no one was allowed to speak ill of our team.

 

About 1.30 now. Just the 2 and a half hours to kick off or an hour until I could get in the ground and rest my weary feet. I walked around to the back of the main stand where a lot of fans had gathered to see the team arrive. I decided to join them. I stood for an hour enjoying the excitement. The coach arrived, black and shiny. I d seen the players get off the bus on tv but that was from a face on angle this was literally they stepped off the bus and disappeared. one by one they disembarked. big cheer fir suarez gerrard and the biggest cheer for carroll. groans for adam and henderson. how some things would change.

 

I walked back round to the centenary, the crowd now thronging. I was one of the first in the ground I reckoned. walked up about 6 flights to CE4 and found my seat 94 row v directly across from the players tunnel. I thought about getting a seat closer to the kop in the centenary but I reasoned I d get the best seat to watch football. centre ice. The team came out and did their warm up. keepers first then the outfield players. Glen johnson waved at me or could have been his family in boxes below. suarez was mesmeric even in the warm up pinging inch perfect passes from one corner of a 20 x 20 to the other. every game I went to I tried to get in early to witness the warm up. as the song says I just cant get enough. on the other side city, yaya toure, aguero, kompany and silva - the champions.

 

I remember very little about the game itself. skrtel and coates took the ball off the keeper. we were nervous doing it but we kept doing it. we took the lead through skrtels header but they equalised then suarez brilliant free kick 30 yards out curled round the wall into harts bottom left hand corner. we were going to win. we were going to beat the champs but the style of play was in its infancy, the passing at the back seemed more suicidal than normal. skrtels pass back to reina was short and tevez nipped in to equalise. huge disappointment but no shame.

 

as I left the ground on my long journey home I was satisfied. we d played well. we were brave with the ball and we had suarez.

 

I spoke to a few fans at the airport. none of us were sure what rodgers was going to be like. the signings of borini and allen were not awe inspiring but we d drawn 2-2 with the champions. city it turned out were not the team they d been the season before and we would struggle to get going until well into october. if you d said to me back then that the next time we played city at hime we d be top of the league with 5 games to go and the opportunity to go 7 points clear if them I d have laughed in your face but thats how short a time it has been and how far we ve come.

 

I got into the house at 2am. I d driven home with music blasting and window open to keep me awake. sktrels back pass and luis' s free kick on my mind and a feeling of not being able to wait until I could get back to watch us again.

 

love to be there today but got a one season only dispensation and as much as I loved it a lot of the time I was on my own not in the ground, you re never on your own in the ground but I would have loved to have someone to share it all with and organise the logistics better than me.

 

 

Tell me more about the Santander trip.

[Baltar]

Fucking Aguero had to come back for this one didn't he? Hopefully he'll be rusty as hell.

[JermainePennant]

the difference between chelsea in 05 and city today is I dont hate city. I cant imagine the same vitriol. I think it will be more support for our team as opposed to booing everything they do. however they are in our way in our attempt to get where we want to go so in that respect they re the enemy and need to be defeated by any means necessary.

Good point mate, a lot of that atmosphere against Chelsea was down to dislike of them and the fact we wanted to beat them so badly after earlier defeats that season.

 

The other reason it was so good was the hunger the fans had to get to a final after so long, the hunger is there today for a title so the atmosphere should be immense but matching that Chelsea game will take some doing, that was also a night game which makes a difference.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I wouldn't call it confidence. More 'que sera, sera'.

Exactly. For me, we can't win the league without winning this game, so the nerves won't start unless we do. I personally think City will be too strong, so anything else is a bonus.