Norwich (H) - Sat 19th Feb 2022 (3:00pm)

[Trumo]

Wednesday to Saturday is a routine I’m more comfortable with, and it’s the first time since before Christmas that we’ve had that. It’s also the first time in ages that we’ve played a fixture before City. They always seem to be a game or two ahead and with the points on the board. No question that I’d rather be in that situation. Anyway, Norwich come to town for the first of two fixtures against us at Anfield within a fortnight, the other being the FA Cup tie. With that said:

 

Substance. Yer ma. Luck. Vim. Effervescence. Skill. Tactical nous. Effort. Ruthlessness.

 

I don’t ask for much.

 

Our last home game against this lot was on the opening day of the season in 2019/20. It was a Friday night game and the only blemish was Alisson suffering a calf injury in innocuous fashion during the first half. It meant we would be using Adrian for the next couple of months. A Grant Hanley own goal, a header from a corner from Virg, some opportunism and skill in the box from Mo, and Div heading in front a great Trent pass meant that we were 4-0 to the good at half time. Though we conceded to Pukki in the second half, we ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.

 

Even more comprehensive was the 6-0 hiding we dished out to the Canaries in February 1979. This was the season where we collected a record points haul for a 42-game season, and barely conceded any. Rock solid defensively, able to both play and handle the rough stuff in midfield, Kenny imperious in attack and the poacher’s instincts of both Johnson and Fairclough meant that nobody could live with us. Kenny and Johnno bagged a brace apiece with the two Kennedys (the ones that hadn’t been shot, though Sir Bob often questioned that they'd got the wrong one when referring to Barney Rubble!) grabbing a goal each. Just complete and utter dominance. Here's the Guardian's match report.

 

 

February 1979’s big box office smash was director Michael Cimino’s Oscar-grabbing heavyweight The Deer Hunter. Another piece of cinematic brilliance from a decade full of cinematic brilliance. De Niro, Streep and Walken were all on top form, as was the late great John Cazale in his last film before his death. That fella’s legacy is a movie career where every film is a work of art. The aforementioned The Deer Hunter notwithstanding, Cazale also played a significant role in The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II and Dog Day Afternoon. Has any other actor had such a run of films all at elite level? The Deer Hunter is the tale of a group of small-town steel workers who used to spend weekends going hunting, before being enlisted to fight in the Vietnam War. Stunning cinematography aids the performances of the cast alongside a great script, and not forgetting a memorable score topped by John Williams’ (not the film composer) beautiful acoustic rendition of Stanley Myers’ ‘Cavatina’. Seriously, watch this film. Cimino never bettered it and even managed to bankrupt a studio (United Artists) following the failure of his next film, Heaven’s Gate.

 

 

Dean Smith has managed to improve Norwich’s performances and resultssince taking charge earlier in the season. Under Daniel Farke, they were losing every week and were certainties to finish bottom. It was even being suggested that they could match or beat Derby’s record for the worst ever Premier League season. They are not out of the woods by any means, but they are in a position where if another side hits the skids and starts to tumble down the table, a bit of luck might enable them to rescue themselves. That bit of luck will not be this weekend. As long as we approach the game with the correct application and mentality, we have the tools to do what we generally do to Norwich. We also have another Luis who could torture them like the last one did. Do all the right things and get the job done.

[Creator Supreme]

0-5, Pukki will nut VVD and Big Bird in the first minute, get away with a yellow card, and then bang 5 past us!

[Jairzinho]

Klopp should be sacked if this lot win a throw in. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

My brother-in-law is a lifelong Norwich fan and I suspect he has started to look forward to the reassuring tradition of a regular fucking hiding at Anfield. Serves them right for winning the Kop's Last Stand.

 

Last time we played them at Anfield was the game that kicked our title-winning season off. It was tongue-in-cheek, if prophetic, when we sang "Liverpool, Liverpool, Top of the League" seven minutes into the match.  This time it's at a stage of the season where "the table doesn't lie": we're very good and they're not.

 

I trust these players and the manager not to be as arrogant or complacent as I am about this.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'd be tempted to give Mo & Sadio a breather and start with Luis, Bobby and Taki.

[VladimirIlyich]

8 minutes ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

I'd be tempted to give Mo & Sadio a breather and start with Luis, Bobby and Taki.

Mo scored so I reckon he will be chomping at the leash. Sadio is still in awe at being the current King of Senegal.

[El Rojo]

6 minutes ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

I'd be tempted to give Mo & Sadio a breather and start with Luis, Bobby and Taki.

I’d do similar in terms of resting Mo and Sadio, but I’d say there’s no way it’ll happen. Can you imagine Mo’s face as Jurgen told him that he wouldn’t be starting at home against defensively dodgy Norwich?

 

[magicrat]

I want these snotted into next week by HT. No complacency 

[TheHowieLama]

Norwich have conceded 50 - anything less than 4-0 will be a disappointment.

[Pete]

Be nice if they got tortured by another Luis. 

[KMD7]

15 hours ago, Jairzinho said:

Klopp should be executed if this lot win a throw in. 

Agreed.

[Anubis]

Let us win by a reasonably comfortable margin. Five or six, thanks.

[Total Longo]

4 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Sadio is still in awe at being the current King of Senegal.

He's always been the King of Senegal... 

[SasaS]

What does the situation look like for tomorrow, on the storm front?

[magicrat]

2 minutes ago, SasaS said:

What does the situation look like for tomorrow, on the storm front?

Yellow warning for shite football team heading from the South East

[Arnaud]

16 hours ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

My brother-in-law is a lifelong Norwich fan and I suspect he has started to look forward to the reassuring tradition of a regular fucking hiding at Anfield. Serves them right for winning the Kop's Last Stand.

 

Last time we played them at Anfield was the game that kicked our title-winning season off. It was tongue-in-cheek, if prophetic, when we sang "Liverpool, Liverpool, Top of the League" seven minutes into the match.  This time it's at a stage of the season where "the table doesn't lie": we're very good and they're not.

 

I trust these players and the manager not to be as arrogant or complacent as I am about this.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

Norwich is still a fine city, isn’t it ?

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Just now, Arnaud said:

Norwich is still a fine city, isn’t it ?

It is a fine city.

 

Not sure about the pedestrianisation of the city centre, though.

[Carvalho Diablo]

I'd be amazed if Luis Diaz doesn't score a beauty.

[alles ist gut]

32 minutes ago, SasaS said:

What does the situation look like for tomorrow, on the storm front?

‘Stiff breeze from the south-west’ rather than ‘people getting blown over in the street while their mates film them’.

[Chairman Meow]

3pm kick off? On a Saturday?

 

Jumpers for goalposts, small boys in the park, wonderful. 

[dockers_strike]

1 hour ago, Chairman Meow said:

3pm kick off? On a Saturday?

 

Jumpers for goalposts, small boys in the park, wonderful. 

Im wondering if the game will go on. Couple of games off tonight due to the storm and travel. Wouldnt surprise me if more games were called off tomorrow if the storm continues or worsens.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

8 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Im wondering if the game will go on. Couple of games off tonight due to the storm and travel. Wouldnt surprise me if more games were called off tomorrow if the storm continues or worsens.

Forecast to be quiet in Liverpool tomorrow. A bit of rain and winds of less than 20 mph.

[rb14]

Once upon a time, the draw or even home defeat would be one of those games that appeared out of nowhere and I'd be like "How on earth did THAT happen, against THOSE fuckers?" Fortunately, both Brenda and Woy have bigger fish to fry and two-thirds of our team are not absent through injury. 

 

Have I just jinxed this? 

 

Nah. 2-0.

[Kevin D]

18 hours ago, SasaS said:

What does the situation look like for tomorrow, on the storm front?

 

Wool.

[Shitty Arse]

I hate all these posts saying we are going to win by 5 or 6. It regularly bites us on the arse I wish people would cut it out. (I’ve used my free £5 bet on us to win 4-0).