Is there a more satisfying way to win a football game? Newcastle’s attempted shithousery and time wasting of an ilk that I have never seen before, was supposed to earn them at least a point, but ultimately, it probably cost them the match.
The most ironic part of the game was during injury time, when Joelinton had the perfect opportunity to waste time legitimately by taking the ball to the corner flag. Instead, he opts to cross the ball in and Newcastle lose the ball, before Liverpool go on the attack, win a corner, and score. If Newcastle fans want to bash someone relating to time wasting, it should be Joelinton, not the referee.
I was sad enough to do the maths and the calculations just to prove I’m right about this.
So, the referee adds on five minutes of added time. Perhaps he should add more, but that’s what he goes for. During that injury time, Nick Pope is down and receiving treatment for one minute and thirty seconds. Add that to five minutes of injury time, you get six minutes thirty seconds. Indeed, at this point, at 6:30, Liverpool win the corner, which the referee decides will be the last attack of the game.
Liverpool do not score in the 98th minute as many people keep saying. That’s just completely wrong.
Another issue Newcastle fans would have far more utility in ranting about is Joe Willock- for the goal, the ball is falling into Nick Popes hands. He’s about to pick it up and seal a point for Newcastle, but Willock decides to scorpion kick the ball back into the air before it drops to Carvalho who smashes it in.
It’s a great finish by the way. The quality has gone unnoticed amidst the chaos and the whinging.
Newcastle are a good side and could potentially push for a top six finish, especially if they are fortunate with injuries. They made life difficult for the Reds and did almost everything right.
Had they not bothered with the time wasting in injury time, they almost definitely would have earned a point and been full value for it. Liverpool really struggled to break them down.
The referee deserves a lot of credit for getting it right with the added time. I’m not on board with blasting the referee for ‘not doing enough’ to deal with the time wasting. There’s really not a whole lot he can do about players feigning injury and receiving treatment. He can’t book them because he thinks they’re faking it. In fairness, he let Liverpool play on while Joelinton was down for the 400th time.
Football is a funny game and like no other- I had given up, resigned to yet another draw. My dad paid for the bill at the pub and we looked at each other. He was resigned too.
We were on the edge of our seats, not in anticipation of an equaliser, but ready to storm off as soon as the whistle blew so we could get home as soon as possible. I was planning out the points of what would be a considered rant in my post match piece.
A minute later, I was jumping up and down screaming, singing, and howling with laughter. Whereas I would have spent most of my review praising Newcastle for winning a point, I’ve now spent most of it criticising them for their strategy costing them the game.
There are still concerns for Liverpool. It took a while for them to even register a shot on target. It was another poor goal to concede, born out of an individual and completely unforced error, this time from Alexander-Arnold. What I think happens next is a case of the ball dropping nicely and a tidy move from the Magpies. Perhaps the defensive shape could be more compact but Isak’s finish is superb.
Salah still seems to be too far away from the goal and barely getting a sniff, albeit he was involved with both goals. The biggest positive to take from yesterday is again, our player of the season so far, Harvey Elliott.
My main issue with Liverpool so far this campaign is that they look tired and sluggish. I don’t know whether they’re mentally exhausted or physically exhausted, whether it’s a hangover from last season or that they just haven’t got going yet. It’s possible that players who aren’t fully fit are playing to compensate for the long list of injuries the team is suffering with.
Nevertheless, Elliott has been the antidote to the general “tiredness” and consequent lack of urgency in Liverpools general play. He’s incredibly energetic and skilful, and he releases the ball quickly, also showing great ambition and confidence in taking players on.
Sometimes he gets dispossessed, but I would much rather what he does than someone who constantly turns back and plays the safe pass. He played a key role in Firmino’s equaliser, exemplifying exactly why he’s so important to this side.
Another gripe of mine is the silly long distance shooting. I don’t mind it from players like Diaz or Trent, who are notoriously good at shooting from range. But when I see Joe never ever scored a goal Gomez trying to volley it into the top corner from 25 yards out, it gets frustrating. You’re not Phil Jagielka, mate (you’re miles better). Aside from that, he was excellent again.
I’m hoping that Carvalho’s goal means more than just a vital three points for Liverpool. I hope it gives them the psychological boost to get them back to the team that was challenging for the quadruple just a few months ago, because Liverpool are better than what they showed yesterday. Sometimes it’s just about getting the job done in a very tough match, and I’m obviously delighted they did, but everyone knows Liverpool are capable of playing a lot better.
Everton at Goodison Park may prove to be even tougher than last night but one can hope the last minute winner will push the Reds on. It looks like Arthur is going to sign, but I think Carvalho should start over the injured Henderson, who I suspect has been playing through the pain in every game this season.
It’s very attacking, but when we approach the hour mark at a stalemate when Everton are inevitably just sitting back, and we throw on Carvalho to help us again, we will regret having not started him. Don’t start with Milner, but bring him on to protect the lead we’ve got from going bold and attacking from the offset.
It looks no one’s going to stop City (or more specifically Haaland) but the fixtures have been falling very nicely and continue to this weekend with a game against a struggling Villa side. However, after that, they’ve got Spurs. The only real challenge they’ve faced, was indeed, Newcastle, and they dropped points. They also got very fortunate against Palace. If teams stop giving Haaland ten open goals a game, or if he gets an injury (and he does have a record) there could be a way back in for Liverpool.
The Reds just have to keep winning their games and if City bulldoze everyone, so be it. I expect this Saturday to be both torrid and horrid. I expect diving, bad tackles, bus parking, shithousery and if possible on this earth, a new level of time wasting.
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