Football really is after all a 'funny old game' isn't it? For weeks on end we've been outplaying teams, yet coming away with nothing. Today, we were awful, and although we certainly deserved to win, 3-0 was flattering in the extreme. Charlton set out with two objectives in mind. First, stop us playing, and second, wind up Emile Heskey. Much was made after the game of Heskey's two minor dust-ups with Rufus, and quite frankly, the media hysteria sdurrounding it was nothing short of a scandal. I'll say with 100% certainty that you'll see that kind of thing in every single game played across the country this weekend, and 99 times out of 100 the player invoilved won't get booked.
All this bollocks about 'if you raise your hands you have to go' makes me sick. Would we be hearing this if it was not a Liverpool player involved. Jesus Christ, I've seen United players dish out rougher treatment to referee's than what we saw from Emile! Curbishley's comments after the game were both petty and needless.
They were also extremely rich from a man who encourages his teams to cheat. Maybe Curbishley would like to explain to us why Rufus stayed on the floor for what seemed like an age after he was shoved in the chest (no more than that) by Emile. Playacting I call that. Something which Curbishley's players are no strangers to I might add.
Remember Pringle's disgraceful antics at the Valley that resulted in Carra's ridiculous sending off two years ago? Curbishley obviously doesn't. And what about Redfearn's embarrassingly faked reaction to a supposed elbow from Vieira a few short weeks later? There was another incident involving a Charlton player faking injury to get a Spurs player in trouble, so this has to be something encouraged by the manager. So before you start ranting and raving about our players, sort your own hopuse out you fucking cockney wanker.
The fact that I've spent so much time talking about the Heskey incident tells you how dull the game was. After his yellow card, Emile seemed reluctant to get involved in the game and it certainly upset him. In an attacking sense we were awful, but the saving grace was that the back four looked pretty solid.
Carra is a great player to have around. He never gets any headlines or praise, but wherever he plays he does a job for the team. I put Carra on the front cover last month for the simple reason that his lack of exposurte really pisses me off. The lad is a damned good player, and just because he's not the flashiest or most skilful around doesn't make him any less valuable.
He's not going to get down the wing and whip balls in with his left foot, but at least he offers us a reliable defensive option at left back. The way he was left exposed by Ziege's lack of work ethic in this game was shocking, but it says a lot for Carra that he came through without too many problems.
Ziege was an absolute disgrace in this game I'm afraid. He's happy enough attacking, but defensively he simply doesn't want to know. He's a luxury that we simply can't afford. Just like his mate Didi, he's one lazy bastard who needs to pull his finger out. On one occasion he simply stood by and let Graeme Stuart run off him, leaving Carra with two against one. Luckily nothing came of it, but Gary Mac saw what had happened and raced over to administer a bollocking to Ziege. Quite right too. Reputation or not, if he isn't putting the effort in his arse needs kicking. Simple as that, and Gary Mac deserves a pat on the back for that.
People may feel I'm being harsh on Ziege, as he did make the first goal after all, but I was watching him closely all game and I'm telling you, he is a lazy sod. He won't tackle, doesn't track back and only seems interested when he's attacking. Some left back, eh?
The plus points were the performances of Hyypia and Henchoz, with Stephane in particular looking rock solid. I couldn't understand the stick he was getting early on in the season, as he's a solid player who hardly ever makes mistakes. He had a slight dip in form, but form is temporary, class is permanent, and Stephane is a great player in my opinion.
Fair play to Babbel too, who although not having the most comfortable of days at right back, did his best and managed to get his second goal in a wekk too. I'll be honest, I think he's shit at right back, but at least he seems to be improving gradually. And unlike his two mates, he actually puts the effort in.
Everyone else will have better days, and at least we won, which after our recent run of results, is a bonus. This could prove to be a turning point in our season, as we really were shit, yet came away with a 3-0 win.
TEAM: Sander Westerveld; Markus Babbel, Sami Hyypia, Stephane Henchoz, Jamie Carragher; Nick Barmby, Steven Gerrard, Gary McAllister (Dietmar Hamann) Christian Ziege; Robbie Fowler, (Vladimir Smicer) Emile Heskey:
