A week in Liverpool

Take a rest seat, make a cup of coffee, tea, a pint of beer perhaps and get ready for a really long blog, regarding my recent one week trip to Liverpool.

 

Sunderland's game

 

I arrived to Liverpool March the 3rd, through London, then took the train from Euston to Liverpool. I didn't have time to waste, as the Premier League game against Sunderland was in just a couple of hours. Even though it wasn't a game against a strong team, this was going to be my first EPL game to watch from Anfield, and I was really excited about it. You can imagine my excitement when the lad told me that my reserved ticket was gonna be at the famous Kop End. I didn't lost time. I took a hot shower at the hotel and rushed myself to Anfield.

 

The weather wasn't the best I could have found, since it was pretty cold, windy and rainy. Craig had already messaged me about it but my reply was that I'd be ok, as soon as the Reds provide me with two wins, one tonight and one in a week's time against Real Madrid. Spoken like a true red, Craig replied and arranged to meet the day after the game.

 

 

The match was going to be a sold out despite the bad weather. I got a couple of match programmes and the relative pin for the game and rushed myself into Anfield...

 

 

A very nice couple from Ireland was sitting just behind me and were so kind to take this picture above. I wanna wish them the best wherever they are and hope they stay as much in love as that night. I got them a couple of pics as well, thanked them and started concentrating on Liverpool's team who just entered Anfield, having their warm up.

 

Well one thing I noticed was that there was no natural right back between the players having the warm up, so eventually someone else was going to play that role. So so true, since when the match kicked off, it was Javier Mascherano that took his place on the right back. I can strongly recall him playing in the right wing for Argentina's national team, but never at the back.

 

 

The game proved to be quite entertaining, but it was only in the 2nd half that we managed to score, with French striker David Ngong (or Ngoal if you prefer), a player that I consider a hot prospect for Liverpool. For me Yossi Benayoun had a great game once again, while Mascherano wasn't bad at all as a right back, his problem was that he was forgetting going back and Skrtel was forced to cover the position.

 

 

Anyway, the game ended 2-0 for Liverpool, with Yossi Benayoun scoring the second one, after a very nice effort by Ngog.

 

Midweek

 

The next day we met with Craig. It was only last November we had just met and yet we had so many things to talk about. He picked me from the hotel and drove me home, greeted the family and rushed for some Guitar Hero World Tour gaming. You see, I had brought my guitar controller and wouldn't let the chance go wasted. At the start, I got completely ripped off at PES2009 by Craig and Kris (2-0 and 4-0 respectively) and after losing all hope and before getting humiliated any further, posted a couple of things at noobfeed and got myself prepared for a some real Guitar Hero gaming.

 

We really are good at this with Craig, whether we were playing on pro face-off or co-op career, we were truly great. We kept switching between guitar and bass just to keep us both satisfied with the guitar experience (we were actually playing at hard). In the end, Craig showed me some of his true guitar skills. He said he was very bad that day and out of focus, but I'd say he was good, especially for someone who learned the electric guitar on his own.

 

And this is how more or less how the midweek went by. I was making my daily shopping in the town centre, going to Tesco, getting the Liverpool Echo to read the news and having some gaming and talking with Craig in the afternoon. All of this made me really feel adapting in the city's everyday life and believe me, I would easily have a normal life there. Who knows, may be in my second life.

 

Saturday night : Craig's birthday

 

Saturday was the night out. I've never been to Liverpool during the weekend before so it was going to be a really interesting one, not to mention the fact that we were going out for Craig's birthday. We first all met at Craig's home, and had a couple of shots of Masticha (I sense you really liked this one lads, I'm bringing more of this next time). Everyone was there, Jade, George, Kris, Stacey and Martin. We talked a bit and rushed to a pub in Liverpool to have our first round of pints. I wanna apologize in advance if I'm forgetting the names of some of you guys, the truth is I recall the ones that I've already met once.

 

 

Then we moved onto a karaoke bar, where the total awesomeness would follow.... I don't wanna reveal much, after all, you can't describe with words 3 hours of drinking, laughing and attempting to sing along with everyone in front of a mike.

 

 

The last pick is what I consider the best I took, mostly based on the momentum. As Martin reminded us all, this picture was taken during Dionne Warwick's - That's what friends are for This one is for you guys, it defines you boys and gals, it really says of what you are and what frienship is all about. I was looking at them and remembered a very good friend of mine who lost his life on duty. There are times I miss him so much and wishing he was here, but nobody has ever managed to beat death. Like I was saying, I was looking at them and felt that there's a special bond between them, something that no matter how many years will go by and no matter what happens in their lives, they will still have each other. I could see it in their eyes, I could see it in the way they were singing this particular song. I feel honoured and lucky to have met you, again, thank you for that night lads. I just hope one day, may be in my retirement days, to come over there once and for all and remember that night as if it was March 7th 2009 again.

 

The night we crushed Real Madrid

 

And so Tuesday, the Champions League day had come. I did exactly what usually do in such days (no I'm not gonna reveal anything). And imagine my feelings when I realised that me and the rest of Greeks were going to be at the Kop End in a European night like this. Trust me guys what they say it's true.

 

 

YNWA before the match 1 , YNWA before the match 2

 

And honestly do you really want me to write about this game ? Honestly, I'd settle for a 1-1 draw, a mediocre match, but as if I was a noob, I seemed that I had forgotten where I was was. THIS IS ANFIELD and the major mistake that Real Madrid had done was show arrogance. Ramos and the Spanish press were talking about Rafa's anti-football tactics at Bernabeu and how he managed to win like this. Well, you went asking for it Madridistas.

 

Liverpool grabbed Real from the neck and hit it like an octapus. In the first 30 mins, Real passed the midfield's line 3 times. Liverpool was on fire, on attack and greedy. Torres netted the 1st one, after ovelapping Pepe (poor Portuguese, he fell as if he was Ronaldo) and Kuyt's assist. Second one came around 23' when the ref saw a handball on Heinze's shoulder (even I saw that it wasn't a penalty, depsite sitting about 100m away and not having a totally clear view). At any case, the second goal was a matter of minutes to come, as Real seemed totally lost.

 

The 1st half ended with 2-0 and I was expecting the lads to drop the tempo a bit. Hell no, we 're tghe mighty Reds. Just a couple of minutes after the start of the 2nd half, Babel made a nice run from the left flank, made the low cross into the heart of Madrid's box and Captain Fantastic didn't miss. We then dropped our tempo for about 20mins, Real could have scored one, but it was meant to be the night that those Spaniards would suffer their worst defeat EVER in Champions League, as Dossena netted the 4th one late in the game.

 

The game ended and rushed out in joy, while we were singing Italy, Italy, we are the famous Liverpool and we are going to Italy. I'd say keep focused lads, we have just showed the world who we are and what we are capable of. Relax with the friendly against ManUtd (honestly, I'm not gonna watch this one and truly don't care about the outcome) and get yourselves ready for a week's Friday draw.

 

I really could so many more things about the game, but the blog is too long already don't you think.

 

While on our way to Cavern, I stopped at the old Liverpool's store and asked a fellow Greek to take this picture.

 

 

After all this is what Liverpool is all about, family...

 

See you in the quarters...