It's strange really, but despite everybody I know saying we were shit, I didn't think we played that badly. Maybe it's because I'm just relieved that this game wasn't anywhere near as bad as the one against Rapid Bucharest, and that at least we tried to attack in this one. I accept that we really should be hammering sides like this, but unless you get an early goal games like this one are never easy, and they get harder the longer it stays goalless. At least the players didn't panic (unlike some sections of the crowd) and we never looked in any danger of conceding an away goal. That's not to say I'm happy with what went on tonight, far from it. But rather than being pissed off with the performance, I was more pissed off with a) Houllier's shabby treatment of Camara, and b) Some of the crowd's comments directed at Danny Murphy.
I often hear scousers claiming that it's the day trippers who get on the playersŽ backs, and maybe that's the case in league games. The thing is though, day trippers don't come to these games, but I find that the level of abuse to players is actually a lot worse in matches like this, and it's scouse voices that I'm hearing. In his article in issue 14, Chris Murphy made the point about some guy calling Danny a shitbag, but he was called a lot worse than that in this game. It wasn't just one guy either. There must have been five or six sitting around me in the Main Stand (not together either, they didn't even know each other, although they certainly shared a common interest - slaughtering Danny). Getting on players backs is nothing new of course, and it will always be the way.
Sometimes it's understandable, as when you're losing and time is running out, if a player fucks up then natural frustration can lead to shouting something you later wish you hadn't, but these guys were at it right from the kick off. On one occasion, Danny picked the ball up from the defence, and sprayed the ball out wide into space. It was a good ball, and the right thing to do, but this wanker sitting at the back of the stand isn't happy and screams ¿Fuck off Murphy you lazy twat!î This continued throughout the game, and he wasn't alone in his rantings. If Danny gave the ball away you knew what was coming next, but even when he found a team-mate he was still getting stick. I desperately wanted Danny to score to shut the fuckers up, but they're probably the type to turn around and say ¿I always said that Murphy's a good player.î
I know they will say that they've paid their money and can shout what they want, but I don't agree with that and never will. Even if a player is having a real ÐUnsworthŽ of a game, I don't think it's right to shout abuse. It's counter productive, as it's not going to make the player perform any better (in fact it will only add to his problems) and it can affect the rest of the team.
Anyway, now that I've had my little moan about that, I'm going to move swiftly on to Houllier's public humiliation of Titi. For whatever reason, Houllier had no intention of bringing Camara on in this game. So what was the point of making him run up and down the touchline for almost the entire second half? He was obviously teaching the player a lesson for something, but he was also showing the fans that is he alone who picks the team, and it doesn't matter if we want Titi on the field or not, as he's the boss.
I hate that about managers. It's as though they think that bringing a player on after the fans have chanted his name is a sign of weakness. They seem to think that everyone will say ¿he only did that because the crowd wanted it.î It's not just Houllier, it seems to be most managers, and it gets right on my nerves. No one can tell me that Titi should not have been brought on in this game. We were struggling to break them down, and we desperately NEEDED the brilliance of the unpredictable Camara. Heskey's late goal got Houllier off the hook in a big way in this one, because if this had ended goalless you can be sure that there would have been many questions asked as to why the Guinean genius was left kicking his heels on the sidelines.
You'll notice I've hardly mentioned the game itself, but there's not much to say really is there. We attacked, they defended, and for a long time it looked as though it would end in a stalemate. Robbie missed a pen, but it was a debatable one to say the least. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but even before he took that pen I knew he was going to miss it. It was like Owen against Villa last year, I knew he was going to miss that one too (although that one did actually cross the line and should have counted). It's not that I have mysterious psychic powers (the reaction to the proposed signing of Gary Mac immediately springs to mind!), but when a striker has missed so many chances during the last few games, it does not make sense to let them take a penalty.
Robbie's confidence was low, as was Michael's against Villa. How do I know this? Well just look at the way they took the pens for starters. Fowler ALWAYS places his pens, often waiting until the keeper has dived before slotting it in the other corner. This time he belted it. I said last season that I'd let Paddy take our pens (until Robbie has a few goals under his belt at least) and I stand by that now. Thankfully, Emile popped up again with a real strikers goal (who said he isn't a goalscorer?) and we shouldn't have too many problems in the away leg. In fact, as I've written in the diary, I reckon we'll score four over there. Now there's the kiss of death if ever there was one!
TEAM: Sander Westerveld; Jamie Carragher, Markus Babbel, Stephane Henchoz, Christian Ziege; Vladimir Smicer (Nick Barmby), Dietmar Hamann, Danny Murphy (Gary McAllister), Patrik Berger; Robbie Fowler, Emile Heskey:
