This week’s episode of Scouser Tommies sees Jim Boardman and Jay Reid discuss Liverpool’s derby ‘defeat’ at Goodison Park. Well, you’d think it was, given the celebrations afterwards. There’s also a brief mention of the FA Cup and a look ahead to games against West Midlands sides Wolves and Aston Villa.
That game against the neighbours was the final derby at the Blue’s second home ground, before they move even further from Everton to their third home ground next season. It was always going to have some kind of controversy to it, and no doubt some refereeing involvement in those controversies.
For decades now, not just the three since Everton last won any silverware, all we’ve heard from the blue quarter of the city is how it’s somehow our fault, with our Kopite behaviour and our own army of referees, that they’ve been as bad as they are. Evertonians have a talent for remembering 12th minute throw-ins, incorrectly awarded, that start a chain reaction that results in a Liverpool winner five minutes from the end. Even if they weren’t actually born when it allegedly happened.
This time, however, it wasn’t Everton who were hard-done-to by a referee. They got a goal from a free kick that wasn’t a foul. They were beneficiaries of the first ‘next goal wins’ bit of timekeeping in a Premier League derby. They didn’t get their manager sent off for offering to shake hands with the referee. And many more.
Not according to them, though, as Jay points out, recalling some conversations you’d call unbelievable if you’d never encountered a Blue before. They have their own logic, you see, with LFC in the centre of all the equations.
How did the game compare to the same fixture last season? Both ended in disappointment, but were there still plusses to be had this time? Did the defeat against Plymouth have any bearing on things?
Next up is the visit of Wolves, a chance to get back to how it was before these two trips to what some people might call smaller clubs, having their cup finals. Back at home, it’s an opportunity to make the most of that world renowned Anfield support, and hopefully only a couple of players unavailable.
Liverpool are now seven points clear, despite the ‘loss’ during the week, but as Jim points out, it’s not won yet, there’s still a lot of work to do and the best way to do it is probably to stick to the age-old Reds adage of taking it one game at a time, Wolves first.
Also this week, Jay and Jim talk about how different clubs welcome their players to the pitch, and the extremely different but equally embarrassing ways some of them do it. There’s also a couple of ideas on how maybe the Anfield atmosphere could be made even stronger, small tweaks that could make a huge difference.
As always, despite the result, there’s always plenty to laugh about from across the park.
