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| Foreshadowing: feel the randomosity. And the foreshadowing. But it still won't make sense later. |
Roy Hodgson didn't start out too well with his post-Napoli comments, giving us more of the same. Every performance positive, point wonderful, and opponent difficult. Even if the opponent respected the shirt like this was a Liverpool side in Europe two years ago and so played even more tentatively than we did. Play it again, Roy:
It was a very positive performance in many respects and a good point - a point maybe many people didn't think we would be capable of getting here with the team selected.
...I don't think we should be anything other than delighted with the fact we played well, got the point and are still top of the table.
Grumble grumble. Well, I suppose it's arguable that last night's actually was a good result if you look only at the opponent and the point earned and take it out of the context that is the rest of the season. However, soon after commenting on the match itself Hodgson said a few surprising things about the violent Napoli Ultras doing what violent Ultras in Italy tend to do and stabbing opposing fans without provocation:
I was aware and I was also concerned. These supporters have done a fantastic job in coming to Napoli - it was always going to be tough asking them to come to Napoli, many of whom were the same ones who came with us to Trabzon.
All I can say is how grateful we are for their support and we are sad and sympathetic to hear several of them got attacked. I hope they are not seriously injured and able to go back home without having too many bad memories. These are things we don't want to see in football.
Well in, Roy. That might be the first time he's actually sounded like the manager of Liverpool Football Club, and for all the flack I send in his general direction I would be remiss not to highlight it when he unquestionably said the right thing. Now we just have to wait for the day that UEFA treats the Italian hooligan situation with as much seriousness as they would if it was an English hooligan situation and ban at least a couple of their sides with more notorious "supporters" from European competition until they get their house in order.
Yeah, I don't see that happening any time soon, either.
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Anywho, with the week winding down and everything gone oddly quiet on the rumours front, here's a few things that I didn't manage to work into any posts during the week. That doesn't mean they're bad, just that the times never lined up or... something. Honest. I wouldn't lie to you. Probably. Unless the Sheinhardt Wig Company was paying me to. Because I would sell my soul to make a quick, easy buck. Or maybe get some free goodies. Or even just one of those light-up key chains so you can open the door when it's two in the morning and you're drunk off your ass. Right, where was I?
* Boston's NPR did a piece on the takeover of LFC by their local team's owners that's worth a listen if you've got a bit of time.
* It may not be relevant in the end, but if you've missed it doing the rounds on forums and the comment section, here's a bit of Pellegrini on tactics.
* I don't think there will be anything new there for people who frequent this blog, but Tomkins gives a one-stop-shopping overview of why he thinks it's time for Hodgson to go.
* Oh, and don't forget to vote if you haven't already. I'll leave it running until the match rolls around and we'll see where things end up.
Also, since I noticed I still have it buried in my bookmarks from a couple of years ago and feel as though I should do something with it before deleting it, you get this for no reason whatsoever, really:
And today's "We love you Google, please send us some ill-gotten hits!" phrase of the day of the day is: "There was a second shooter behind the grassy knoll."