Watched the Final in a pub and at half-time I actually had to stop myself throwing my pint glass at the big screen, I was SO F**Kin ANGRY and DISSAPOINTED!
It was my uncles birthday back in Liverpool and I phoned him but all I got was negativity and who could blame him?! I tried to raise his spirits, giving him all the positives I could, for Gods' sake the final whistle was 45mins away (or so I thought!).
We started the 2nd half positively and when
Gerrard rose like a phoenix from the flames to head in on 54mins I knew we had a glimmer of hope. In one post match report the writer said that Dida went down "slower than than the Titanic" when trying to save the shot. Another said "Hello?" in a voice of positive anticipation - I loved that!
Smicer slammed in his shot from distance and I will always be grateful
Baros arced his body over as it cruised past him,
the outcome could have been so much different if he hadn't. At this point the dream was becoming more of a reality and only 3mins prior to this it was 3-0, (Game over and I hate saying that...)
not now...3-2!!
When
Xabi stepped up for that penalty time stood still, every
RED heart was pounding like never before and with the MASSIVE weight of expectation bearing down on him
Alonso struck. His focus was such that even after the initial save he had the awareness to bury the rebound and make history.
Every
LIVERPOOL player had a say in what happened that night, no matter how big or small.
Traores' goal-line clearance was as vital as
Dudeks double save form Shevchenko,
Carragher who had cramp in both groins defies words, the guy is a living legend. As the penalties loomed he barked his "Grobbelaar instructions" to
Dudek as if his life depended on it and in response we witnessed some of the best "Starfish" moves this side of your local gym!
Dudek, for all that's been said and written about him since, was an
enormous piece in a 1000 piece jigsaw that night and his name is now forever in
Liverpool folklore.
It doesn't seem the
Liverpool way to do things easily but that makes victory so much sweeter and with Liverpool you just never know... (NERVES ...!)
It's a mystery how I didn't get an ASBO that night with my wild celebrations and my Liverpool scarf took pride of place along the dashboard of my car - it raised many a smile, thumbs up and a few "Wow, what a night" conversations!
