Benny’s been beaten to a puree by Phil Leotardo, thanks to Tony Soprano’s failure to give up his cousin. Business is suffering and none of the leading Soprano crew can sleep safely. Vito gives a world weary sigh and mutters “Whattayagonnado?” Eugene rolls his eyes and shouts “What do I wanna do about it? I want that man there to do somethin' about it.”
Well, my point is an obvious one. There were encouraging signs against Fiorentina and given our ability to raise our game against the better sides I thought we’d turned the corner. Come half time on Sunday I thought we were a goal away from a big scalp and some sort of return to form. Torres showed in the first thirty seconds of the game just what we’ve missed all season when he turned past an Arsenal defender. The goal was lucky but we deserved it and we went in at the break with a sense of expectation and hope. Then they came out for the second half. Sort of.
We’d done exactly the same at the derby a fortnight earlier. 1-0 up and then nothing, defending so deeply that Mascherano was often as not the most forward player. Our quick breaks took 4-6 passes before they crossed the half way line and when you rely on Dirk to get things going you might as well start re-assembling your defence and not bother attacking space as the ball’s going to be coming back at you anyway. We currently have the pace of Arthur Mullard wearing a copper diving suit. How has this happened? How do we manage to go from a good first half performance to such flaccidity? What exactly is Rafa saying at half time? Is an evil Paul McKenna giving the team talk?
I’ve written about Reading away being the nadir of Rafa’s League career and the angriest I’ve ever been but Sunday saw a possible contender. I couldn’t even blame Rafa for the defeat as it was his first team for once and we know that they can be a match for anyone. I was more infuriated at the total lack of focus and desire from defence to attack. We were good, we were average, we were scared and then absolutely atrocious in just ninety minutes. As I made my way down the stairs of the Kemlyn a few nearby booed Howard Webb, Arsenal’s fifth midfielder, which confused me and angered me in equal measure. We had the excuse at the ready. A man behind me mumbled ‘I don’t know why you’re booing him. He wasn’t sitting on his arse when Arshavin scored.’ I whirled around and nodded at him. That’s the problem with the team. It’s not the injuries, the signings, the Americans, the manager or Rick Parry – it’s the players being scared and not good enough. The fact that they ARE good enough makes it the more infuriating. Sure, confidence is a factor but no one can make you feel inferior without your consent as Eleanor Roosevelt once said.
Come 7pm I was shouting at anyone who would listen and even those who would not about what was wrong with the team and one sentence was repeated more than any other. ‘Those players do not want to know.’ Now I’ve calmed down I’ve expanded my invective to a wider argument. Either they haven’t got the stomach to wade into the fire while Rome burns or we’re simply shit and I’m pretty sure we’re not shit.
Meanwhile Sky’s Shithouse Club still meets every second midweek and this time they’d coincidentally drafted in the man that made Rafa mad in the first place. Klinnsman was anodyne as usual while Souness talked of Liverpool fans preferring to finish fourth than winning the two Cups. Yes, Graeme. This club’s success is based on economic guarantees and not shiny pots. However, he did state that Liverpool would not fall into a ‘Leeds’ scenario, a statement which hilariously made Richard Keys frown in deep disappointment. The chimps’ panel should never be taken seriously but Rafa feels the need to stand up and return serve. If he’s just sick of the sniping and wants to get his own back then fair enough but he shouldn’t lower his hand into the ordure those ‘experts’ manufacture. I admire his promise to lead us to the Holy Land of Fourth but I’m not sure three wins in fifteen is the ideal basis for such confidence. I don’t want posturing and fighting with the kids down the road, I just want that man to do something. He’s got the first team back now and he must re-build the confidence that’s leaked from every orifice since Spurs. This is the biggest task he’ll ever face as a manager. If he wants it we’ll be with him. Rafa divides opinion more than any Liverpool manager I’ve ever know but if he battles then so will we. We love a fighter, a man who can do something. It’s time the team showed that and start playing, not walking.