Time To Give Something Back

By AM Monday, April 9, 2012

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The humorist Erma Bombeck once commented that ‘anybody who watches three games of football in a row should be declared brain dead.’ A couple of things about this: firstly, a humorist whose vocation is to make people laugh would derive great professional joy from watching Liverpool. As former striker John Aldridge bitingly stated, the team is a laughing stock. Secondly, brain death could never possibly result from watching Barcelona, three times, thirty times or three hundred. The mind comes to life and marvels at the sheer range of talent on display at the Nou Camp. If Barcelona travels to France the assumption is that it does so to serve up a feast of soccer.  If Liverpool makes the journey people suspect the team is off to Lourdes.

On Saturday Anfield’s Awfuls managed a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa. That Villa was the team followed by Bobby Sands but few others in the H Blocks, hardly sweetens the pill of yet another failure to take all three points from a home fixture.

Discovering what a bad lot Liverpool FC are is not something that occurred only on Saturday afternoon or after the Wigan performance or after ... or after ... it has long been evident. Even before Benitez the team was nothing to write home about although he did make it appear decent. Hodgson got thrown in at the deep end with too many holes to plug. Dalglish has been all heat and no light. He might wear a big hat but he has no cattle, although plenty of donkeys to graze on the once green grass of Anfield.

Those who doubt the club is on the road to nowhere must not be going through Bombeck’s endurance test. Just watch three games back to back and the brain far from being dead instantly recognises that what is being churned out is mush play audaciously term soccer.  Being in the semi final of the FA Cup or having stumbled to Carling Cup victory does nothing to disguise that. Dalglish can look down towards London at the fate of the Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas and muse there for the pace of dog go I.

Watching Suarez pull a point out of the bag against Villa with a late equaliser demonstrates that he makes up half the brace that is the team’s consistency performance wise, Kuyt being the other half. Solely from a playing perspective it is a good thing that Liverpool still has him. Without his input the team might consider it a major achievement to avoid the drop. That is not to excuse his silliness in refusing to shake the hand of Patrice Evra.

It is fortunate for Dalglish that the club declined Alex Ferguson’s ‘advice’ after that untoward incident that it should never allow Suarez to take to the field again. ‘He's a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club. That certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again.’ That would suit Fergie who of course has no disgraces of his own. Ryan Giggs, well, he is okay so long as he does not play away where he has frequently scored with the sister in law and then demanded that censorship prevail to cover his own goal.

Twenty three years ago this month 96 fans died watching a Liverpool team perform. Maybe it’s time the players honoured their memory by giving something back.