Saturday, 14 October 2017
12:30 pm (local time)
Anfield, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Footy season has ended and it’s the soccer and cricket time. I am happy to cover the English football here.
English Premier League attracts me with powerful and fast plays in the football. I enjoyed watching the match between Liverpool and Sutherland ten years ago in New Zealand. My English colleague at the time who was an Everton supporter organised the socialising at a pub. He was unhappy his big rival Liverpool won, but my friend who is a Liverpool supporter was happy.
An Englishman Andrew Mangan is a blogger writing about his favourite Arsenal on Arseblog and presenting at the Sports Writers Festival on the 28th. Then why not watching English football playing by big clubs to gain more knowledge of the sport and to enjoy?
In the match review on the Premier League website, Liverpool are winless over Manchester United for six matches with four losses and two draws. I hope the winless records will be ended on Saturday.
Sitting at Pig and Whistles, two English gentlemen and I are waiting the game for an hour. Japanese sport pay TV is on the screen but muted and instead music is on. We are having general and football talking while waiting the kick off.
More and more patrons are arriving for the game. Some Japanese are there, but they keep themselves as is their custom. Opposed to them, as always I am happy chatting with English patrons as well as other western people. Tables at the non smoking section (unfortunately smoking bans at public places is not legalised here in Japan) around the big screen are taken.
Once the ball is kicked off, Liverpool push towards their goal on the left hand side. A collision is involved in two United players and a Liverpool player. Then the United is throwing in a ball.
Only one and quarter minutes passing, Reds have a corner kick, but no success scoring a goal. Five minutes later, his teammate dribbles the ball and plays hard trying to score, but the United defense blocks.
Liverpool keep pushing hard with good dribbles and long kicks, but their opponent defends so well.
At 18:19, Liverpool’s Salah makes a turn over and kicks long trying to score a goal, but it’s still scoreless.
Later, an English family sitting two tables away from me tell me Salah is a good player. He has played for Chelsea in the past and the family are Chelsea supporters and want Liverpool to win. Like me, they are sick and tired of United gaining big money and luring good players from other clubs to play for United.
At 33:40, Liverpool have a corner kick but miss the opportunities to score a goal. The opponent goal keeper blocks at first, and the ball is flying over the right high of the goal post at the second attempt.
One or two minute(s) later, Liverpool’s another attempt is blocked. Salah doesn’t succeed at 40:29 again.
Finally at 42:10, United try to break the scoreless, but Liverpool defend well.
With a minute extension of the first half, the game is still scoreless. I order a pint of beer and a snack of emadame (boiling green beans), and chat with English people at the half time break.
Talking to the family, we conclude that Liverpool should have led in the match.
After before seven minutes passing at the second half, Liverpool’s attempt scoring a goal is once again blocked by the hard United defense.
Then the gentleman to whom I have been talking takes a photo of his mate and me. It must be a unique experience for them on their Asian holiday. By the way, I told them that I was contributing sport stories here and was heading to Melbourne for the Sports Writers Festival.
In the 56-minute ish, Liverpool make a good team play with a good kick, but the ball is flying over the right over on the goal post again.
Like AFL, kicking accurate with much pressures is hard in the football, I reckon.
Liverpool attempt scoring a goal at 67:00, 70:46 and 90:06, but the scoring is so unfriendly to the Reds.
Meanwhile United is throwing in near their goal post at 74:00 as the award because of Liverpool making a tackle. But no score is recorded to the United either.
At 85ish, United shoes defensive play.
The final whistle is made with a three-minute extension, the game ends without score. The draw game brings Liverpool the seventh winless match against Manchester United.
Football is so different to AFL footy. The ground is small and players run less. The ball is going back and forth. Balls can only be kicked unless throw in. More defensive with tights and hard to score goals.
It’s a good experience to watch another sport. I have to admit AFL is more powerful and exciting, but football is also a good sport.
Liverpool 0 – 0 Manchester United
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistants: Lee Betts, Stephen Child
Fourth official: Jonathan Moss
About Yoshihiro Imagawa
Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.
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Good one Yoshi. The Avenging Eagle and I are in Spain at the moment, and have watched quite a bit of European football. Did not see this game, but there is a lot of pressure on Jurgen Klopp the Liverpool manager in the media. Liverpool are a very attacking team with lots of strikers, but are not able to put the ball in the net lately. Saw Liverpool play a 1-1 draw against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League 2 weeks ago. They dominated possession and shots on goal, but either great saves or shots wide. Don’t know what it is, but Liverpool are a good team to watch. Jose Mourinho is a very tactical manager and he parked the Man U bus last night and settled for a point.
I have always said that a good soccer or rugby game is as good as a good AFL game, but there are a lot more crap games in soccer and the rugby codes. An average AFL game is much better than an average game in other football codes.
Congratulations on being asked to speak at Francis Leach’s sportswriting conference. Your passion and willpower has overcome a lot of obstacles. More power to you.
G’day PB,
Thanks for your comment and I bet you all are enjoying Spain.
Soccer has tight defence as well as rugby, so games are more likely close and some of them can be boring. Your point of view in average games in AFL, soccer and other football codes is what I agree with you.
Sadly media puts much pressure on managers and coaches everywhere. Commentators point out issues on how they coach and manage games and their game plans. Now the premiership coach Damian Hardwick has faced such pressure in the past.
Sorry for making you confused, but I will be an audience at the Sports Writers Festival. I am not a guest speaker. Hope I will be one day.
Cheers and enjoy Spain!
Yoshi