Tottenham 0 Liverpool 1 (Jan 11 2020)

[tlw content]

 

 

 

Report by

Dave Usher

 

Theres been a lot of bollocks spouted in the aftermath of this game so let me cut through all that before going any further: The truth is that Spurs were shite and deserved nothing. Anyone suggesting otherwise is talking a steaming pile of pure Zlatan.

 

I know they missed chances and some of them are kidding themselves into thinking they were ’unlucky’ (if they want to completely overlook the chances we missed at the other end). That’s the predictable narrative spun by Mourinho, but it’s fucking nonsense. It’s all about trying to justify his cowardly approach to a crowd who have always been staunchly against that type of ‘football’. Maybe some Spurs fans will swallow it, but that doesn’t make it true.

 

Here’s what happened. Tottenham tried to Mourinho the shit out of the game and to some degree it worked, but they lost. Tough shit. If you play with that kind of cowardice you don’t get to cry about what you ‘deserve’, especially when you ‘deserve’ nothing. Maybe if you’d shown even the tiniest bit of ambition you might have gotten something, but you didn’t, and you didn’t. So fuck off.

 

The only time Spurs looked dangerous was when we gave them the ball through our own complacency. Why were we so complacent? Because they were fucking shite and it was too easy for us. They played like a plucky underdog in a cup match. Or to put it another way, they played like a Mourinho team. 

 

He did this with Chelsea and Man United and he did it against far less accomplished Liverpool sides than this one. So Jurgen will have known exactly what to expect. This is who he is. It’s what he does. 

 

He was probably made up that Kane was injured as it gave him the excuse he needed to park the bus. “Look at us with all of our injuries, trying to take on the best team in Europe so short handed. We had to play like that, aren’t my lads brave”. His brand of football is ten years past it’s sell by date. Enjoy, Spurs fans. This is your new reality.

 

It’s incredible how far we’ve pulled away from Spurs in the last 12 months and with him in charge that’s not going to change any time soon. From the first few minutes of the game I thought it was glaringly obvious just how big the gulf was between the sides. They looked terrified of us. It shouldn’t have been like that because Spurs have got loads of good players and have shown plenty of times they can win without Kane. In fact, Son and Lucas Moura worry me far more than Kane does.

 

We’ve generally edged the meetings we’ve had in recent seasons but they’ve always gone toe to toe with us and given us some of the most difficult games we’ve had. They could have tried to go toe to toe with us again because they know they can do it and besides, what did they have to lose really? 

 

The league table shows how much better than them we are but in head to head games it’s always been difficult for us. It’s not as though the result was going to be season defining for them, so they could have given it a go. It says everything about Mourinho though that nobody ever thought for a second they would.

 

This game was too easy for us and that was the thing that caused us a problem. It really shouldn’t have been as close as it was because Spurs played with a massive inferiority complex and we should have buried them by half time. 

 

 

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[Ben Sherman]

Atkinson is a cheat, as is Taylor. The club really should be making loud protests behind the scenes just as Ferguson did for years.

[Bad Red Bull]

18 minutes ago, tlw content said:

I know they missed chances and some of them are kidding themselves into thinking they were ’unlucky’ (if they want to completely overlook the chances we missed at the other end). That’s the predictable narrative spun by Mourinho, but it’s fucking nonsense. It’s all about trying to justify his cowardly approach to a crowd who have always been staunchly against that type of ‘football’. Maybe some Spurs fans will swallow it, but that doesn’t make it true.

Superb report Dave. My feelings too exactly and it's some of our own supporters too who believe that. Can't believe what more this team has to do to make these guys believe in them.

[ralph]

When you start crying ‘conspiracy’ though and dissecting every decision in our games you’re just making yourself look like a fucking danger whose hard drive needs checking.

Love it Dave, funny as you like !

[Butch]

Excellent stuff. We are so good now it's glorious. 

[halewood pete]

Spot  on that report Dave.

[rb14]

We looked jaded. Second half we were a long way from our own high standards. Last 15 minutes I was behind the sofa. 

 

Fucking mancs next. Try turning up on time and I might buy you some chips. 

[deiseach]

Jonathan Liew in the Graun summed Shitcoat up perfectly - the article is strewn with nuggets of gold, such as "Mourinho has had some past success in nullifying the threat of Salah. Alas, leaving him on the bench at Stamford Bridge for a year and then sending him on loan to Fiorentina is no longer a viable option" but as mission statements go this takes some beating:

Quote

This is the founding principle of Mourinho-ball: the opposition are infinitely strong, we are infinitely weak. 

 

[mattyq]

Agree about the baldies

Think that once the hair cover has gone their brains are affected by the cold and infested with micro maggots that slowly eat their way through the grey matter

[Arnaud]

I’ve been reading you for about 20 years, Dave. I have agreed on almost every things except  on Zidane’s greatness and bald’s rights, but on this occasion I agree even more. We totally outplayed a disgraceful spurs team which had no right to complain. They were so negative and poor. Fuck Mourinho. 

[Kevin D]

I don't know, Dave.

 

I reckon if Robertson makes a balls to the wall tackle like that against Flamengo, or Sunday, or Atletico they send him off. No malice, he went for the ball, but he did leave a lot on the boy, in fairness.

 

You weren't a bit worried?

[Bob]

Finally managed to pay my subs last week so I can read these and I get greeted with bald-phobic hate speech.

 

i don’t come on her to be fucked at.

[Anubis]

Interesting comments from Hendo at the end. In one of his post-match interviews on Saturday, Klopp said he’d gone to hug Bobby at the end and Bobby said “Sorry boss, I should have scored more.” Clearly the players were annoyed with themselves.

[dockers_strike]

1 hour ago, Ben Sherman said:

Atkinson is a cheat, as is Taylor. The club really should be making loud protests behind the scenes just as Ferguson did for years.

Riley, head of PGMOL and Scudamore, head of the Premier League, were both shit scared of ferguson. Riley and Hackett before him both kneeled at the alter of the theatre of dillusion once.

 

I think both bodies are glad ferguson's retired and they arent going to let any club dictate to them like that again.

 

City have tried these 'protests' but have been knocked back each time. I dont think we'd have any better luck. That doesnt resolve the problem though. I think the best way to get change is for Liverpool to canvass other PL clubs into binning off Riley, primarily because he's cocked up VAR implementation and its use. Then, address the 'poor' performance by refs in general.

[aws]

I didn't thing the Robbo incident was even a foul. They both flew in for the ball, Robbo kicked it and then his follow through kicked the defender -all part of the same movement.

If he'd missed the ball then he would have got yellow, maybe red for reckless play. But the defender was just as reckless.  

[Kevin D]

11 minutes ago, aws said:

I didn't thing the Robbo incident was even a foul. They both flew in for the ball, Robbo kicked it and then his follow through kicked the defender -all part of the same movement.

If he'd missed the ball then he would have got yellow, maybe red for reckless play. But the defender was just as reckless.  

 

I mean I did see it in dodgy angles from my mates and, to be honest, Andrew; I'd have your view over any of their slow motion shite.

[dockers_strike]

13 minutes ago, aws said:

I didn't thing the Robbo incident was even a foul. They both flew in for the ball, Robbo kicked it and then his follow through kicked the defender -all part of the same movement.

If he'd missed the ball then he would have got yellow, maybe red for reckless play. But the defender was just as reckless.  

Hmmm, I deffo thought it was a foul, mate. He'd clearly taken a heavy touch and tried to recover. I think he was fortunate to escape a yellow at the very least. It wasnt a red like PEA's lunge but I could see a ref like atkinson waving one at Andy.

[Josef Svejk]

1 hour ago, Butch said:

Excellent stuff. We are so good now it's glorious. 

It's disturbing how recent those are. As much as I'm enjoying our current run, the utter dominance of top leagues by top teams in recent years isn't an especially healthy sign...

 

Does demonstrate that Guardiola is the greatest flat track bully of all time, though.

[deiseach]

14 minutes ago, Josef Svejk said:

It's disturbing how recent those are. As much as I'm enjoying our current run, the utter dominance of top leagues by top teams in recent years isn't an especially healthy sign...

 

Does demonstrate that Guardiola is the greatest flat track bully of all time, though.

I seem to recall you expressing disquiet after Liverpool battered Spartak Moscow 7-0 a few years back. You were right then and you are right now. I know it's hard to come up with a way of levelling the playing field in European football, but there isn't even a willingness on the part of the authorities to admit there is a problem.

[aws]

The easiest way to help level the playing field would be to drastically reduce the CL money. At the moment virtually the same clubs every year trouser £50m plus. But it will never happen.  

[DaveT]

2 hours ago, aws said:

I didn't thing the Robbo incident was even a foul. They both flew in for the ball, Robbo kicked it and then his follow through kicked the defender -all part of the same movement.

If he'd missed the ball then he would have got yellow, maybe red for reckless play. But the defender was just as reckless.  

In fairness to MotD, Lineker described it in pretty much the same way, shooting down Bitter Danny's comments in flames. As for comparisons with the Aubameyang, it's a whle different kettle of fish - PEA's tackle was late, noweher  near the ball. Robbo won the ball first before making contact - it's only in recent years that such a challenge has been interpreted as a potential foul. No sane person would consider that as a red.

 

Totally spot on report, Dave.  While I was watching it, I was thinking about the fact that we were away to Spurs, who have been our match - or more - for most of the last decade - and they were shit scared of us, and we were bossing it as if we were up against some lower league minnows. The Mourinho-influence narrative about injury-stricken underdogs doesn't hold water when set in the context of us having to play the same 13 or so players against most of the division's form teams - Watford,Leicester,Wolves, SheffU - plus the WCC in the space of a month, without Lov,Matip, Fabs, Shaqs, and Milly, Keita and Ox for chunks of it. Even though they ahd a bit of a break, it was no wonder we looked a bit mentally and physically jaded in the last 15.

[El Rojo]

1 hour ago, aws said:

The easiest way to help level the playing field would be to drastically reduce the CL money. At the moment virtually the same clubs every year trouser £50m plus. But it will never happen.  

Repped for 'trouser'. Vastly underrated as a verb.

 

And Dave's report repped for calling out baldies.

[Josef Svejk]

2 hours ago, deiseach said:

I seem to recall you expressing disquiet after Liverpool battered Spartak Moscow 7-0 a few years back. You were right then and you are right now. I know it's hard to come up with a way of levelling the playing field in European football, but there isn't even a willingness on the part of the authorities to admit there is a problem.

I take pleasure in us winning meaningful, competitive matches and competitions. I take no pleasure in us humiliating once proud, even great sides that can barely compete or survive anymore.

 

The likes of Aberdeen, Steaua, Mechelen, etc... From my childhood alone.

 

(Fuck the likes of Everton, though: incompetent, billionaire-owned scum!)

[Josef Svejk]

I have an affiliation with four clubs, I'd say: Liverpool (place of father's birth (he died when I was 6, barely remember him), 40 years of mindless affection); Coventry City (many relatives - absolute diehard fans included - support them); Bray Wanderers (local club growing up); and Lech Poznan (local Polish club, through wife and residency).

 

Three of those four clubs have been fucked to varying degrees over the passage of recent time. So, much as I'm enjoying our current brilliance, I remain a miserable bastard...

 

Edit: At a push (on reflection) I could add Limerick (where I lived for four years until recently and my second child was born). They've just gone bust.

[Guest]