Too goosed when I got back in last night to muse on a very weird game so a few thoughts:
First the admin.
Last night's latest success now takes us joint second all-time with Madrid in UEFA Super Cup wins-
5. Barcelona/ Milan.
4. Liverpool/ Real Madrid.
3. Atlético Madrid.
2. Ajax/ Anderlecht/ Juventus/ Valencia.
And subsequently moves us 1 behind Barcelona in the all-time list of UEFA club competition wins that define the Worlds super clubs-
22. Real Madrid.
17. Milan.
14. Barcelona.
13. Liverpool.
11. Juventus.
10. Ajax/ Bayern Munich.
THIRTEEN UEFA trophies man. That's as many league titles as this Country's third most successful football club, Arsenal, has! Absolute behemoth of a football club that once again showed it's as big as anything on the planet by completely painting Istanbul Red. And getting another real warm and welcoming reception from the locals in that magical City again by all accounts. With a ground that must have been 95% Red to put into STARK context the difference between proper World mega clubs and the recent, seriously limited history/ nouveau riche in England of Chelsea and their ilk.
Standards man. This football club is now ALL about winning silverware again. No matter how off their game they are, these lads just don't lose games of football very often. Just as against Tottenham in Madrid 2 and half months ago, L'pool were poor. (Utterly ***** would be a more apt description.). But just like that glorious night, they believed in themselves enough to dig in and see it out. Of all the pertinent things Jürgen (who 'Only loses finals him!' ..... Yeah, THAT'S now a redundant slur) has said that really resinate, the '******* Mentality Monsters!' line after Barcelona sums up this superb gang of Reds more than anything. They just don't know when they're beaten and are now consistently starting to add the trophies to back everything up.
Utterly mad, yet equally brilliant, that you've got Rhian Brewster and Caoimhin Kelleher, at 19 and 20-years-of-age respectively, and without so much as a senior game of football under their belts yet, sat with two big European winners medals the last 10 weeks or so. Hoever at 17 with his first senior winners medal last night along with boyhood Red Harvey Elliott at 16-years-of-age. What an experience for those young men who now have the taste at such a young age to know what this club is all about and just what dreams they can achieve here.
And then the two goalies. Both free agents training by themselves this summer ..... Man alive, boys own stuff the pair .....
35-year-old journeyman Andy Lonergan, picked up as a camp body to help out with the 'keeper crisis this summer, then starts a friendly for Europes best which must have been mind blowing enough to begin with. But then circumstance rewards him for impressing through the pre-season with not only a contract at the European Champions, but his first experience happens to be on the bench in a European final, culminating with a winners medal around his neck for the first time in his 19-year career. Pinching himself doesn't begin to start there.
Adrián, picked up off the street a mere 9 days before last night, finds himself thrust into a surprise debut at a wild Anfield the PL season opener 4 days after arriving. And then is the peno saving hero to reinforce his new clubs standing as Europes best side 5 days after that with, like Lonergan, his first winners medal of his career. This game just delivers when it throws up such miraculous, heartwarming stories as those. Ridiculous for them all. Side note- Calm, assured, display from the Spaniard who's everything Mignolet never was to suggest we'll be sound with him in Alisson's absence. Not a World beater naturally who's particularly great in anything. Just solid and reliable all round with a couple of great saves and good distribution again.
I guess it would be remiss to not mention the actual game .....
Chelsea, like they showed in totally bossing Utd for a good hour Sunday without the run of things, were real sprightly and really good going forward. Much the better team performance wise with the returning Kanté a big difference maker they lacked their humiliation in the opener. But then we walloped City all over the CS the other week and didn't get the result that deserved either. Such is football. L'pool were, in the main, dog **** for the vast majority of last night. Couldn't keep hold of the ball to save their lives. No shape with players out of position that just completely throws off our whole complex system in most every facet. With a completely non-existent midfield who just laboured all game and left the defence badly exposed. Milner and Oxo-Chambo particularly bad standouts who may as well not have been on the field. Along with Matip returning to bad Matip in his worst outing in well over 9 months. Just 'one of them' early season games where nottin goes right.
With the whole team looking really leggy too which, although a major surprise from ourselves, I think he's doing what he did last year and continuing the pre-season into the first month of the season and working them ragged in training to make sure it's in their legs to be fitter than anyone the business end of the season again. That said, the stifling heat and humidity, along with a pitch looking as bad so early in the season it took you back to Derby's arl Baseball Ground (just what was all that about?), doubtless played a big part. Not the best conditions at all conducive to a good game of early season togger. Although the real benefit in that sauna was Sadio getting a great 102 minutes into his legs after just returning from the AFCON. Our best player by a Country mile among the REALLY slim pickings.
Props too to the history making French lady becoming the first to referee a senior UEFA competition mens game. Overall Stephanie Frappart went around her business quietly and effectively. As with all the best ones you rarely notice through a game do. She got the penalty totally wrong like. But then the continued VAR carnage should have sorted that but sadly, and not surprisingly, got it catastrophically wrong. AGAIN! But full credit to her and her team overall for a good display. LOVED how she took no S off Azpillicueta in her face and booked him straight off to quell that. Senior mens officials should take note and that side of indiscipline and disrespect the men's game would be soon cleared up.
All in all a ***** game/ performance. But another boss night watching Europes best. From a paltry one trophy the previous 12 years to now two major European ones in 2 and a half months. That's how we now roll again and we're just getting started!
Can't get enough of the memories of L'pool hoisting silverware. Henderson's boss little trophy dance lift he's totally got down just adds haha.
Would anyone bet against him lifting more back in Istanbul next May?
European Royalty doing what European Royalty do.
Up the F Mentality Monster Reds!