Up & Running! VILLA 1 - LIVERPOOL 2

Finally, the first game of a highly anticipated season and most Reds were anxious to see how our new recruits would fit into Rafa’s scheme of things. Granted, a visit to Villa Park is never the ideal start especially when the team is managed by a certain Ulsterman who has a great record against us (Celtic, Uefa Cup, need I say more) plus Villa have improved greatly as a team over the last few months. Villa’s emphatic 3-0 victory of Seria A champions Inter Milan in a pre-season friendly is testimony to that and I can assure you more than a few of us were a touch apprehensive about this fixture.
The late kick off was greeted by an almighty cheer as many of us had been there early to soak up the atmosphere as well as to greet new (and prospective) My RAWK members. The massive beer intake also helped grease our collective throats for some very boisterous singing and chanting which, if I may say so, certainly enlivened the proceedings.

Initial signs were good with an adventurous 4-4-2 with ever reliable Pepe in goal and he was protected by the redoubtable Carra and Agger while the flanks were patrolled by Finnan (r) and Aberloa (l). The midfield engine consisted of Alonso and captain fantastic Stevie G with Afro-boy Pennant on the right wing and surprisingly Riise on the left (I was expecting Kewell or new boy Babel).

Game starts Liverpool taking the lion’s share of possession but without actually threatening the Villa goal. Martin O’ Neill had done well to shuffle his pack by staring with a 4-4-2 which quickly morphed into a 4-5-1 to allow a dense midfield to stifle the game. Alonso and Stevie G’s mobility proved useful in confusing the markers as both took turns to defend and attack thus pulling the Villans out of shape.

In the danger area, Kuyt and Torres were showing signs of a possible fruitful partnership as the opening goal demonstrated. Though it was an own goal, it started with a fluid passing movement which led to a stinging Torres shot being parried by the Villa goalie but Kuyt showing the usual steely determination to chase down lost causes, retrieved the ball and sent it across the six yard box to a waiting Torres who had read the situation. But the pass was intercepted by Laursen who did us all a favour by smashing it into the roof of his own net. Cheers!

In the second half, we were expecting us to go in search of number two but instead were pushed back by a resolute Villa. Carew in particular took delight in bullying Agger and was a constant thorn in our backsides. This highlighted our discomfort in dealing with long ball tactics and I hope Rafa is working on this Achilles heel as many teams will employ it especially at Anfield. Some supporters thought that Hyppia should have been in the team to neutralise the threat of Carew but let’s face it, he is too slow, and would be vulnerable to people like Agbholahor and Reo-Coker.
We were just about able to contain Villa when an unlucky bounce caught Carra on his hand. Spot kick! (We can’t complain, it was a penalty.) Barry smashed the spot kick in with aplomb leaving the whole pub slightly deflated as it was less than 10 minutes from the end. “Here we go again, yet another winless start to a season,” we all thought. But up stepped our Captain Fabulous – Steven “effing” Gerrard (as he is known to opposing fans) who curled a free kick just from the edge of the area into absolute top right hand corner of the goal. Taylor was in full stretch but there was nothing any keeper in the whole wide blinking world could do about it. Absolutely vintage Roy of the Rovers stuff!

Whistle was eventually blown, cue rousing rendition of "You’ll Never Walk Alone" and even more downing of beer! Granted, there was plenty that left to be desired but on the positive side, Babel showed plenty of promise when he came on as a sub. Torres and Kuyt look like a long-term partnership and most importantly, we collected all three points on the first day of the season (last time we did was in 2002 season where we beat Villa 1-0 with a Sami Hyppia header).

The feel good factor was obvious as many stayed back to celebrate a winning start to the new campaign. In a slightly belligerent mood, the assembled Kopites at our first ever viewing party were mouthing the inevitable - “Bring on Chelsea!” We hope to have an even bigger crowd assembled for this coming Sunday’s 11pm kick off against Jose’s troops. Me, I am wondering what the odds are for Torres to open his Liverpool account with a goal against Chelsea. . .

You'll Never Walk Alone

Jonathan Lim
El Presidente
MyRAWK