I literally walked home from the pub tonight through the wind and rain, and the climate suited my mood perfectly ... desperate disappointment.
Those who didn't see the game will be thinking, "that
must have been close".
And it was.
Now, you're going to need to use your imagination a bit for this report.
First, imagine a Liverpool side playing 4-4-2. Whoa.
Then, imagine a defence consisting of Jase, Wright, Razor and
Stig.
Then really concentrate as you try to envisage a midfield of
Thommo and
Redknapp, with Berger and Macca as wingers.
And two proper strikers : God and Colly.
I know it's difficult, but stay with me.
Now for the big leap - imagine no Barnes, not even on the bench.
Nnnnnnnngggggghhhhh !
Phew.
The early omens weren't good, as Jason Lee look-alike Loko burst through and fired just wide after 3 minutes.
In fact, it took us about 10 minutes to gain our composure.
Then the chances started, first Redknapp just wide.
Then a Colly knock-down fell to Fowler, and he volleyed it in
from just inside the box ! Terrific goal, just what we needed.
A buzz went around after that, could this be another Auxerre ?
Unfortunately unlike the Man U game last night the chances didn't
come thick and fast. Too often Jase and Berger wasted possession
when a killer ball was required.
Meanwhile at the other end the French mounted their usual
sneaky Euro-style attacks. You know, the dummy runs, the
sprinting counter-attacks, all the stuff we defended so poorly
against 2 weeks ago.
Blasted foreigners.
Captain Mark Wright did a good job though, especially as Jase was a full-back in name only - he spent most of his time on the right of midfield. Which was, to be fair, where we needed him. Ruddock had a super game, how we missed his presence over the past few months.
But only a couple of half-chances to get us going before half time.
As the second half started I was confident we'd score the extra two goals we needed, into the Kop and all that. Unfortunately we lacked the guile to unlock a pretty competent looking PSG defence. Ever wonder what Carl Lewis is doing these days ? He's playing French footy under the pseudonym N'gotty.
So the night wore on. PSG had a couple of chances to score and end the game prematurely, but Jamo was (luckily) never really tested.
20 minutes to go, and a surpise, the fairly anonymous Berger off - and Kennedy comes on. Good move Evvo, the lad Kennedy did well on the left.
However, most of our attacks were blocked 20 yards out of
resulted in corners. And most of our corners were pretty dire.
Except one.
Stig took it, Lama flapped, and Wright scored with a bullet
header !
Pub erupts in cheers ... "just one more !" We were in
danger of reciting Mel Gibson's pre-battle speech from
Braveheart. "Just one, just one chance !"
The atmosphere inside Anfield must have been really something.
But even with Razor playing upfront for the remainder of the game
we never really created a clear-cut chance. Long range shots, a
couple of almost chances for Robbie.
But all the time the clock's ticking down, 88. 89. 90. Injury
time.
By now the crowd's well into a passionate rendition of YNWA, most
of the Reds fans in the pub are on their feet. "Just one,
just one chance !"
But it never came.
The ref blows, and a collective sigh goes up.
And a few shouts of "Yo!" are heard. Man U supporters,
they'd been quiet.
Like I said, I'm gutted.
If only we'd played this way in the first leg. If only Barnes ...
Oh well.
But for the time being Reds fans everywhere can hold their heads up high.
Reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.
Walk on ...