Liverpool 0 Swansea 0:THE PRE-MATCH Remembrance silence here evoked all sorts of memories, of football's past, as well as the fallen. The last time these teams met at Anfield at the top level, 28 years ago, Bill Shankly had just died and when the players lined up in an emotional demonstration of respect for the great man the Swansea City manager, John Toshack, stripped off his tracksuit top to reveal his old Liverpool shirt.
Liverpool were champions that season, as they usually were in that era, and in trying to bring back the good times Kenny Dalglish has sought to replicate the old Toshack-Keegan spearhead with another little and large pairing, Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez. Unfortunately for all concerned, whereas the excellent Suarez may be Keegan’s equal, Carroll is “Tosh” only in the pejorative sense. The €41 million recruit from Newcastle United more closely resembles the white elephant that was Gerard Houllier’s Erik Meijer (no league goals in 24 games).
Liverpool were poor – Dalglish’s description – on Saturday, outplayed for embarrassing periods by the Premier League newcomers whose entire team cost well under €12 million. The quality of the Swans’ pacy passing game was such that the home crowd applauded them off at the end. Liverpool made their heads-down exit to desultory booing.
Dalglish’s red army of supporters mostly accept these are early days, that “King” Kenny is only 10 months into his reign, but many were expecting better progress from a squad reinforced at a gross cost of €128 million.
Dalglish claimed he had not heard the booing, in which case he will have been in a minority of one.
The fans made plain their displeasure at the shortcomings of Jordan Henderson and Carroll (combined cost €62 million).
Brendan Rodgers, Swansea’s manager, felt this was the day his team arrived as fully fledged members of the elite. They had managed one point from six away games previously. “We’re little old Swansea and the thought was that we would roll over but I think we’ve shown we’re here to play good football and here to fight.”
- Guardian Service
