Friday, 5 March 2010
LIVERPOOL FC: You can't beat a bit of bias
IF there's one thing that never ceases to amaze about football, it's how two people can watch the same game and walk away with totally different opinions.
I've noticed it a lot in recent weeks.
Take Liverpool's 0-0 draw at Manchester City. If some are to be believed, this was the worst game in the history of football. A game devoid of incident, passion or entertainment, according to most reports in the media.
Not for the first time, I saw it differently. Yes, goalmouth incident was lacking. But I still found it intriguing nevertheless. A game that had so much riding it on it was always likely to invoke a cautious approach, particularly from two managers well known for that trait.
Yet Liverpool took that game to City, and apart from the lack of a telling final ball (a common theme throughout this injury-hit season) some of the build-up play was to be admired, as was the defending - an aspect of the Reds' game that all and sundry were queuing up to criticise earlier in the season.
The result too, against a team that has beaten Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United on their own turf, wasn't bad either.
But that still didn't stop fans throwing their toys out of the pram and dramatically declaring that was the final straw with Rafa Benitez.
The media men were at it, too.
Watching from the press box, and keeping my ears open, it's hard not to think some journalists will find fault no matter what.
The 'terrible game' concept was thrown up in the air by one hack - who had clearly learnt to whisper in a helicopter - within 20 minutes.
The idea stuck - and soon they were all at it. By the time proceedings had reached the post-match press conference, the knives were out for the "negative" managers and the party line had been agreed.
"Is your first thought defence?" was the opening gambit fired at City boss Roberto Mancini - and so it went on from there.
Barely a mention of a horrendous refereeing display from Peter Walton - or an acknowledgement of how important it was for both sides to avoid defeat.
On to the Blackburn match at Anfield and it was the same again, this time a fan outside the Main Stand loudly stating the 2-1 win over Sam Allardyce's side was the "worst game of the season".
Granted it wasn't a classic, mainly due to Blackburn's spoiling tactics. But Liverpool played well in the first half and Sam Allardyce's team of giants should have been brought crashing down to earth by half time.
That they weren't - allied to a dip in the level of Liverpool's play in the second half - made for a nervy ending to the match and the quality suffered accordingly.
At least referee Alan Wiley did his best to keep the crowd entertained with his own comedy sideshow.
How Pascal Chimbonda - for stabbing his studs into Maxi Rodriguez's chest - and Steven Nzonzi - for shoving Lucas in the face - didn't see red are definite 'answers on a postcard' moments.
So, "worst game of the season"? Not even close. Ask the fans who travelled to Portsmouth to watch Liverpool roll over at Fratton Park or the supporters who went up to Sunderland to watch a beach ball get on the scoresheet. A scrappy win over Blackburn was Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 in comparison.
The problem seems to be some people - managers, fans, pundits, journalists - have a mindset about Liverpool now.
And however they play, or whatever they do, they will perceive it negatively.
There are lots of factors at play though - anti-Rafa, pro-Rafa, supporting another team, despising Liverpool for their past successes, or being influenced by a negative voice from within the club - all can sway the opinion of fans, writers, broadcasters and the rest.
Look at the appropiately-named Andy Cryer of the Lancashire Telegraph.
Mr Cryer is clearly a dyed-in-the-wool Blackburn Rovers fan. Perhaps he has posters of Sam Allardyce on his (very big) bedroom wall?
In this article he took exception to national newspaper journalists questioning Allardyce's criticisms of Liverpool - a long-standing tit-for-tat argument with Rafa Benitez the Ewood Park manager decided to reignite before a ball had even been kicked.
Allardyce must have been visiting Craig Bellamy's glass house when he unashamedly threw stones about Liverpool's "physical" style pre-match.
Blackburn finished the game at Anfield with five players in the book.
But Cryer didn't like the tables being turned, poopooing a "supposed physical approach" and instead praising Rovers for "mixing it with the superstars."
He illustrates perfectly that an objective report in football is as unlikely as a convincing argument from Carol Vorderman on Question Time.
Everyone, in every walk of life, in every trade or profession, is biased when it comes to football. Including referees (remember Mike Reed 'celebrating' a Danny Murphy goal at Anfield in the win over Leeds in 2000?).
It's just that some are better than others at hiding it.
Andy Cryer isn't good at it, but then he's writing for a Lancashire paper, so why not don the rose-tinted glasses and write a completely biased piece?
It's only down to the internet that so many Liverpool fans have become aware of his musings (see the comments).
And if we didn't have criers like Cryer, what would we talk about, write about, rant about...?
Different opinions in football are as much a part of the game as a ball or a goalpost.
And as much as we all like to moan about it, we wouldn't have it any other way...
New Liverpool FC magazine - Well Red - out next month.
I've noticed it a lot in recent weeks.
Take Liverpool's 0-0 draw at Manchester City. If some are to be believed, this was the worst game in the history of football. A game devoid of incident, passion or entertainment, according to most reports in the media.
Not for the first time, I saw it differently. Yes, goalmouth incident was lacking. But I still found it intriguing nevertheless. A game that had so much riding it on it was always likely to invoke a cautious approach, particularly from two managers well known for that trait.
Yet Liverpool took that game to City, and apart from the lack of a telling final ball (a common theme throughout this injury-hit season) some of the build-up play was to be admired, as was the defending - an aspect of the Reds' game that all and sundry were queuing up to criticise earlier in the season.
The result too, against a team that has beaten Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United on their own turf, wasn't bad either.
But that still didn't stop fans throwing their toys out of the pram and dramatically declaring that was the final straw with Rafa Benitez.
The media men were at it, too.
Watching from the press box, and keeping my ears open, it's hard not to think some journalists will find fault no matter what.
The 'terrible game' concept was thrown up in the air by one hack - who had clearly learnt to whisper in a helicopter - within 20 minutes.
The idea stuck - and soon they were all at it. By the time proceedings had reached the post-match press conference, the knives were out for the "negative" managers and the party line had been agreed.
"Is your first thought defence?" was the opening gambit fired at City boss Roberto Mancini - and so it went on from there.
Barely a mention of a horrendous refereeing display from Peter Walton - or an acknowledgement of how important it was for both sides to avoid defeat.
On to the Blackburn match at Anfield and it was the same again, this time a fan outside the Main Stand loudly stating the 2-1 win over Sam Allardyce's side was the "worst game of the season".
Granted it wasn't a classic, mainly due to Blackburn's spoiling tactics. But Liverpool played well in the first half and Sam Allardyce's team of giants should have been brought crashing down to earth by half time.
That they weren't - allied to a dip in the level of Liverpool's play in the second half - made for a nervy ending to the match and the quality suffered accordingly.
At least referee Alan Wiley did his best to keep the crowd entertained with his own comedy sideshow.
How Pascal Chimbonda - for stabbing his studs into Maxi Rodriguez's chest - and Steven Nzonzi - for shoving Lucas in the face - didn't see red are definite 'answers on a postcard' moments.
So, "worst game of the season"? Not even close. Ask the fans who travelled to Portsmouth to watch Liverpool roll over at Fratton Park or the supporters who went up to Sunderland to watch a beach ball get on the scoresheet. A scrappy win over Blackburn was Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 in comparison.
The problem seems to be some people - managers, fans, pundits, journalists - have a mindset about Liverpool now.
And however they play, or whatever they do, they will perceive it negatively.
There are lots of factors at play though - anti-Rafa, pro-Rafa, supporting another team, despising Liverpool for their past successes, or being influenced by a negative voice from within the club - all can sway the opinion of fans, writers, broadcasters and the rest.
Look at the appropiately-named Andy Cryer of the Lancashire Telegraph.
Mr Cryer is clearly a dyed-in-the-wool Blackburn Rovers fan. Perhaps he has posters of Sam Allardyce on his (very big) bedroom wall?
In this article he took exception to national newspaper journalists questioning Allardyce's criticisms of Liverpool - a long-standing tit-for-tat argument with Rafa Benitez the Ewood Park manager decided to reignite before a ball had even been kicked.
Allardyce must have been visiting Craig Bellamy's glass house when he unashamedly threw stones about Liverpool's "physical" style pre-match.
Blackburn finished the game at Anfield with five players in the book.
But Cryer didn't like the tables being turned, poopooing a "supposed physical approach" and instead praising Rovers for "mixing it with the superstars."
He illustrates perfectly that an objective report in football is as unlikely as a convincing argument from Carol Vorderman on Question Time.
Everyone, in every walk of life, in every trade or profession, is biased when it comes to football. Including referees (remember Mike Reed 'celebrating' a Danny Murphy goal at Anfield in the win over Leeds in 2000?).
It's just that some are better than others at hiding it.
Andy Cryer isn't good at it, but then he's writing for a Lancashire paper, so why not don the rose-tinted glasses and write a completely biased piece?
It's only down to the internet that so many Liverpool fans have become aware of his musings (see the comments).
And if we didn't have criers like Cryer, what would we talk about, write about, rant about...?
Different opinions in football are as much a part of the game as a ball or a goalpost.
And as much as we all like to moan about it, we wouldn't have it any other way...
New Liverpool FC magazine - Well Red - out next month.
Comments (7)

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LIVERPOOL FC: You can't beat a bit of bias
2010-03-05T15:32:00Z
robbohuyton
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Ian L · 784 weeks ago
Jeez Rafa, what about your brand of anti-football you've imposed on us? We're not exactly masters of free-flowing footy that sets your pulse racing.
You know when they get those heart monitors and put them on fans, at say a cup final, to show how much the heart rate goes up at exciting or tense moments of the game?
They wanna get some of those at Anfield - just to show how restful the heart rate is among the fans cos we're all so bored!!!
Moyesismartyfeldman · 784 weeks ago
Crash · 784 weeks ago
Bet you wernt saying that when we tore Real and Man U a new arsehole at the end of last season, we were the best football playing side then...Rafa hasnt imposed that on us..its a necessity to stop leaking goals and build composure and confidence from the back...you only have to look at the type of players hes signed in the last two years to see that he wants us to do what we where doing last season as a rule...you dont just magic that type of play out of thin air...hes had to rebuild every thing about us again this year for one reason or another...we've had a blip this season...get over it..we've got a better more attacking squad now than we had last season...it just requires some time to click again..when it does...well...watch the games at the end of last season...or watch the Benitez Valencia team when they came to Anfield and absolutely destroyed us and got an ovation off the pitch...short memories some people..instant success isnt bought in a shop...go and watch the reserves and see the work Benitez has done right through the club....what this season has brought us is the steely defiance and determination we need to win the league couple that with the type of football we were playing last season and when it clicks this time its gonna shock a few people because the defiance has been earnt in sweat this season..a kick up the arse was needed you don't just walk to the title you gotta fight for it...in the long run i think this season was a blessing in disguise! Whatever we're not in it for one league title...once we're on top noones gonna wanna come down and thats where the experience of this season is gonna come in handy...Long term
Ian L · 784 weeks ago
Better attacking squad? Come on.
And what exactly has he had to rebuild this season? We've lost Alonso and that's about it. These are mostly the same players we had last season plus some more average dross he now seems to excel in signing - step forward Albert and Maxi.
I used to think that his Valencia side played us off the pitch as well. But take a look at it again - it's the same containing, pressing style of play that we do now.
Still, what does it matter what we think? Rafa will be gone in the summer, I'm sure.
Guus McLaren · 780 weeks ago
Same containing, pressing style...which beat Mourinho.
Not the same containing, pressing style of the Russians Hiddink just failed to get to the World Cup, though.
Jamie Ward · 784 weeks ago
I also read a few articles from that Cryer fella and gave me quite a chuckle.
Great idea for an article, although I felt it ended suddenly.
Hippo Critic · 780 weeks ago