Anfield Stadium

6^th November 2002

Liverpool 3-1 Southampton

Things may have changed a wee bit now, but for a spell a few years back getting into some of the English Premiership grounds to see a league match became nigh on impossible, unless you wished to either pay silly sums on the internet, or to gamble on hanging around outside the ground looking to pick up a spare ticket.  With the latter approach one always risked disappointment, and for us Scots it was geographically speaking never a realistic option.  

Thank Goodness, then for the League Cup (or the Worthington Cup as it was in 2002), which usually offered an opportunity for the casual visitor to see first team football at Old Trafford, Anfield, Highbury and the like. 

The downside, of course, is that in such matches the phrase “first team” often stretched the definition slightly.  And such, indeed, was the case with this Liverpool side this evening, as I sat in the Kop listening to puzzled Scousers muttering “Who?” as their team line-up was announed – Jon Ostemobor, Gregory Vignal, Pegguy Arphexad and Bernard Diomede anyone?  Steven Gerard was there though, this being his first outing as Team Captain.

Not that it matters who plays really, I suppose.  A view shared by the guy next to me:  a strung-out basket case of nerves who spent the whole game muttering “Come On, Red Men.  Come On, Red Men.” to himself over and over again, like an incantation.

The packed Centenary Stand.

Even if this looked a Liverpool second string, they were still too good in the end for what was a near full-strength Southampton side.  And yet the visitors had plenty of opportunities in the first-half to trouble their hosts, but had the misfortune to find Chris Kirkland relishing a rare opportunity in the Liverpool goal.  Instead they found themselves going in at the break a goal down, after Patrick Berger’s free-kick on 45 minutes was deflected into his own net by Michael SVENSSON.

Southampton began the second-half in the same hurry, and actually pulled level after 55 minutes courtesy of Ecuadorian Agustin DELGADO, but Liverpool immediately regained the lead through El-Hadji DIOUF.  Then three minutes later, Milan BAROS converted a cross from Berger to make it 3-1, leaving a shell-shocked Saints side wondering how after playing so well for an hour they could have got themselves into such a predicament.  

This third really just knocked the stuffing out of the visitors, and the final half-hour plodded to an inevitable dull conclusion, although Saint’s ‘keeper Anti Niemi did do well to prevent Vladimir Smicer grabbing a fourth.

This was a first, and as of 2011 my only, visit to Anfield, and I have to say I did come away with a slight feeling of disappointment.  The Hillsborough memorial was as tastefully poignant as I had expected, and the Shankly Gates as intimidating, but inside it was all a bit flat.  Even the pre-match rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” seemed contrived and perfunctory.  I shall have to go back for a league match, I think.


THE KOP



Hillsborough memorial and The Shankly Gates.

Panorama of Anfield, Liverpool.

********************************************************

Liverpool 5-1 West Ham United

25th September 2024

Although the margin of victory may perhaps have flattered them - Cody GAKPO's brace came in stoppage time, after West Ham had been reduced to ten men - this weakened Liverpool side were well worth their victory this evening.

Frederico Chiesa, making his starting debut for his new club, put in a quietly efficient performance before being replaced after 60 minutes, having been heavily involved in creating Diogo JOTA's 25th minute equaliser.  This arriving just a few minutes after West Ham had taken a surprise lead courtesy of Waturu Endo bashing a panicky attempted clearance off team-mate Jarel QUANSAH into his own net.

But the star of the show this evening, in my eyes anyway, was homester Curtis Jones.  He put in a fine shift in the heart of the Liverpool midfield, playing an integral part in most of the good stuff on show.  It was his astute through ball which set up JOTA's second four minutes after the restart.

On the hour mark, Arne Slot turned to a couple of his big guns, in the shapes of Alexis Mac Allister and Mohammed SALAH.  And it was this pair who combined for the latter to make the score 3-1 in the 74th minute.  Moments later, West Ham's Mexican midfielder Edson Alvarez was sent off with a second yellow, following a late challenge on Salah.  And that was sort of that, GAKPO's late show notwithstanding.

As for West Ham?  Well I felt they put in a decent performance (despite conceding five!).  But their lack of firepower up front let them down.  Danny Ings, returning to one of his former stamping grounds, was pretty much anonymous and was replaced after 59 minutes by the robust-looking Michail Antonio.  But the burly Jamaican fared little better.  Former Hearts midfielder Andy Irving also came on for The Hammers in the second-half, making just his second appearance for the club.  But I can barely recall him touching the ball.

So - this defeat represented four matches without a win for the London club, whilst Liverpool could look forward to a Carabao Cup fourth round tie at Brighton.

Anfield from across Stanley Park

The Hillsborough memorial.

Since my previous visit to Anfield some twenty-odd years ago, all four stands had been redeveloped to some extent or other.  The Anfield Road Stand, where I sat for example, had only recently had an additional 7,000 seats added to the upper tier.  Which was, I suppose, the reason I was able to obtain a ticket for this tie.

Panorama of Anfield Stadium.

 

The route from my parking spot on Grandison Road took me through the extensive Anfield
 Cemetery.  Former Liverpool manager Joe Fagan resides here these days, I believe.