[Insert Bob Paisley joke about how they should charge Liverpool rent at Wembley.]
- I would like to applaud Liverpool for finally getting their act together and getting proper arm bands for a Wembley match the day before the Hillsborough anniversary. You can safely assume I would have been livid if we’d seen electrical tape yet again.
- Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way first: Jamie Carragher had no business starting this game and sentimentality should not be a consideration when putting together your team sheet for an FA Cup semi-final. With Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, and Jose Enrique all fit there’s absolutely no reason he needs to start, and I think most fans would have said that even if there hadn’t been that horrendous debacle that lead to Carra gifting Everton with their only goal. But there was the horrendous debacle and it was exactly what pretty much everyone feared would happen. Alas. I love Carra but this is not okay.
It’s especially not okay when you have your third-string keeper starting the match due to your first and second string guys being unable to not earn themselves red cards. (In related news, LFC’s goalkeeping coach was fired this week. Coincidence?) This guy has had sixty minutes of playing time this season. That’s it. You need a back line that can protect him and a back line that can prevent the ball from going anywhere near him if possible. Not, you know, a back line that enables the other team. Jones is a professional and should be able to handle what comes his way, but the reality is that he’s still the third-string keeper and in such a huge game you need to ensure that you give him the support he needs. He didn’t get it today. As far as I’m concerned, though, Jones earned himself a clean sheet since that goal was hardly his fault. He acquitted himself well, given the circumstances.
- I thought Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing both looked good out there today, and even the commentators seemed to like what Downing was doing, which is a very rare thing indeed.
- Suarez was excellent and I love when he punishes teams for being lazy while he’s in the vicinity.
- ANDY CARROLL!!! Jamie Carragher joked afterwards that that goal alone was worth £35 million but I’m hoping between this and the Blackburn goal earlier this week that his confidence is now really high and that it will serve him well in the next three weeks. Although he missed some really good chances, I think it’s pretty clear when he’s putting in an effort and playing well, and so I applaud his efforts today.
My other favourite moment was when some dudes at the pub were yelling for Carroll to be subbed off and then when he scored, Martin Skrtel Guy, who is the most positive fan I have ever met, was like “And you wanted them to take him off!”, all sticking up for Carroll. Amazing.
- Tim Howard was totally rocking the bald head and beard combo, which is something I really do adore. Nicolas Anelka and Shel Silverstein approve.
Normally I would have more to say but I am dead tired on account of having been awake since 5:45am this morning. I will never get back my days of sleeping in on Saturdays. No matter. Wembley! Again! The potential to earn an ahistoric double! Yay!