Just a couple of thoughts.
I remember the days when lower league teams have WON at Anfield and got a standing ovation (Bolton spring to mind for one). Whatever happened to Liverpool fans being famous for appreciating a good effort from an underdog, of showing it? Equally, on many a European night we've killed games stone dead and come away with a 0-0 while slapping ourselves on the back telling each other how clever we are (and we are/were too!). Whatever happened to those days?
On young players, I'm probably older than most but I remember a young player or two. I remember Robbie Fowler when he first broke into the team as a kid. He got five in one game against lower league opposition, he would have ripped Plymouth a new @rsehole young player or not. Even Owen (though it pains me to say it) would have filled his boots. For Ojo read Steve Macmanaman, he would have dazzled them and ran at them all day long, eager as he was to impress and force his way into the reckoning. Don't even get me started on what a young Steven Gerrard would have done with the space our midfielders were offered just outside the box, f*** me it would have been like a shooting gallery at a fairground stall. The thing is though, THAT'S how good you've got to be to make it. You've got to absolutely snatch the opportunity you've got like it's your last, because it might be.
Equally, on "young players". It's worth noting that the two full backs yesterday are our FIRST choice should either Clyne or Milner get injured. Stewart is very near first choice should a midfielder or two get injured. TAA is nowhere near good enough yet IMHO, while Stewart arguably barely ever will be and Moreno is some way short.
It's not so much that it was a young team, it was/is how close to our first team a lot of these players were. Plymouth got beat by Wimbledon in last seasons division 2 play off final. Wimbledon are utter sh!te, really sh!te, I go watch them three or four times a season with my boy. They're a better team now than they were then, and they're still sh!te. Wimbledon drew with Sutton Utd on Saturday, Sutton Utd aren't even full time, they're all delivery men, painters and decorators etc. Half of them drink in the Alex FFS, heavily! Given the team we put out, we ought to be able to completely banjo Plymouth, even if the cheeky buggers do decide not to play 3-2-5 and actually play quite defensive. If the players we have in reserve can't beat Plymouth, they either had an extreme off day, aren't ever going to be good enough, or aren't yet good enough to be on the fringe of our first team.
Logged