Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Initially, I felt I'd blog the usual post-match summary of the Drogheda game up in Sligo which I attended with my friend Alfie. The Drogs put up a spirited fight but went down 3-1 to a much rejuvenated Sligo who have had quite the success against Louth opposition in recent weeks. On the return journey to Dublin my daughter rang and asked if I would like to join her and her boyfriend in Cusack's on the North Strand Road for a Patrick's Day drink. Normally I find Patrick's Day too rowdy and tend not to go out on the swally. But as Liverpool were playing Manchester United in the FA Cup I told her I'd head over to her from Connolly Station and watch the second half of the game.
So that was what decided tonight's post. The fate of the Drogs will have to wait until later in the week.
Our decision making was not great. You have to accept the result. They deserve to go to the next round. It was a period in the second half when we should have finished it but we didn't and we know they could come back.
⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
City are in a bit of a trough this season and just can't get going.
Clean sheets are hard to come by and they seem inable to put teams to the sword like they did last season. The victory at Bournemouth being a case in point. City scored first for a change, and kept a clean sheet for a change, but couldn't get the second to make things more comfortable. In the end they held on for a hard fought victory, but this is not sustainable in a title race. A seemingly disinterested Haaland got subbed off after 75 mins, while KdB was only capable of 10 minutes due to hamstring niggles. Next month City face Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Brighton. I just can't see 12 points from that run, 6 or 7 at best. March is a mouthwatering prospect for the viewer.
Will all three teams still be in the running come April?
Arsenal would appear to be the biggest fly in the red ointment for Klopp. They have got some momentum and are blowing teams away, but it is hard to forget that they have blew up in the last 2 seasons chasing the final UCL spot and then the league title. They have Jesus, Tomiyasu, Partey and Timbre set to return soon. Is that enough to maintain their run of form? Big doubts remain.
I just can't shake the feeling that it is une fin d'cycle at Liverpool with Klopp leaving, a new stadium refurb and probably the sale of Salah while they can still command a decent payday. It seems that they are in a determined push for silverware before the German bids farewell. And they got their hands on the first silverware of the season last Sunday. I can imagine how jubilant the dressing room was after that game finished and how that will drive the desire for Premiership glory. At this moment they sit top of the table, it is theirs to lose.
What we call our cup final squad - myself, my son Ronan, Paddy and his son Jason - met in the pub which serves up a great Guinness. I started on it but switched to Jack to celebrate the win by Liverpool.
As cup finals go it was a riveting game. I got a text from my sister close to the finish saying how edgy she was. The paradox at the heart of it was that while Liverpool deserved to win, Chelsea did not deserve to lose. My joy at Liverpool's victory was tempered by my sympathy for Chelsea. I thought of my friend Aine Fox, and the Quiller Steve R. My memory took me back to the H Blocks where Tommy Loughlin was a Chelsea stalwart.
Yet it was theirs to win. They had a goal disallowed, hit the post, should have scored when it seemed harder to miss, yet for some inexplicable reason failed to come out in extra time when it appeared Liverpool might not have the legs for another thirty minutes.
Pre-match, I didn't give Liverpool a snowball's chance in hell. In their last three cup finals they failed to manage a single goal in open play, relying on penalties to win two of them. It looked as if it was heading that way today. I had told Paddy that if it went to spot kicks after a scoreless draw I would not watch them. While a soccer solution to the draw problem it seems to devalue the beautiful game. One or two in the course of a match is fine but to have a competition decided by one sucks. I would have opted for a Chelsea victory rather than see it go to penalties.
As Tsimikas was about to take his corner deep into extra time I told my son to hold on until the penalties before getting another round. But lightening struck Chelsea and silver fell from the skies into the lap of Liverpool, courtesy of a well placed header by the captain Virgil Van Dijk.
It could all so easily have been a different outcome. Liverpool stepped out on the Wembley turf seriously under strength, but left with arms strong enough to hold aloft the trophy. With so many key players out injured their lineup looked like a chessboard where one side only had pawns. A sure silverware opportunity for the London side. With all the forwards out those who stepped into a makeshift team did the business, and pawns were promoted to queens. Even with Gravenberch substituted after a heavy tackle the tactical choice by Klopp of pushing Bradley up front and placing Gomes in the Tyrone man's vacated spot at the back prevented the equilibrium going out of the team like air from a deflated balloon.
In the end the deflation was Chelsea's. Their fans in the bar were gutted but one of them agreed to take a photo of the four of us. The spirit of soccer as it should be.
⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
I have always said to my son that he will have the honour, if he calls it that, to dispose of my ashes in the Mersey when the time comes so that he can think of me figuratively listening to the Anfield roar. If they continue to play like they did on Sunday, there will be little for fans to roar about, more an emittance of a collective groan.
Paddy-Anthony-Andrew-Les |
⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
And it certainly felt like it. Liverpool travelled to Arsenal knowing that a win would see them 8 points clear of the Gunners. This would effectively reduce the title race to a two-horsed variety, as only City could challenge Liverpool.
It was a must-win for Arsenal and they got the three points reasonably comfortably following a shit show from Liverpool's captain. Last season, Virgil Van Dijk had a poor campaign by his standards, but so far this one he has been back to his outstanding best. But that all changed on Sunday as he was at fault for all three of Arsenal's goals.
He was caught out of position for the first, failed to deal with a long ball for the second and, most bizarrely, he failed to close down and block the shot for the third. With Salah and Szoboszlai injured, a poor match from their iconic captain was not what the doctor ordered.
It was always going to be a battle for midfield domination and Arsenal won that one easily. Jones, MacAllister and Gravenberch were no match for Odegaard, Big Deccy and the excellent Jorginho.
While Arsenal were the better team and deserved the three points, Klopp will not panic. He has been here before with Dortmund and Liverpool. This was only their second league defeat of the campaign.
They are still top of the league and their next three league games are against Burnley, Brentford and Forest. An ideal run to get the juggernaut back on the road. The crucial period could be the middle of March. City travel to Liverpool and then host Arsenal 2 weeks later.
After the City game, Liverpool go to Goodison. Twists and turns await.
As for Arsenal, the doubts still remain. They aren't playing as well as last season and the lack of a 20 goal striker is a major cause for concern. The way they bottled last season's title charge is fresh in the memory and I think they are the least likely of the three to take the title.
Arguably, the biggest winners on Sunday were City. If City win their two games in hand, they will be top of the league. The big question is whether or not they can go on yet another end-of-season winning streak like they have done on so many previous seasons. With Klopp leaving at the end of the season and City facing possible relegation next season for "crimes" against the footballing establishment, both sets of players are facing an "end of an era" scenario.
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.
Before We Conform, Or Condemn, Let Us At Least Be Curious
Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.