Growing weary of power struggles and background noise
Was there anything else? Sure there’s something more I should be doing ...... Er, try to win the league for Liverpool? It’s always the unimportant stuff that slips under the radar.
For someone who only wanted to focus on Everton, Benitez gave an uncanny impression of an interfering busybody puffed-up with self-importance.
Through the doth-protest-too-much denials of each press conference called to put out fires he started, there emerged much to be curious about.
Like how swiftly Hicks responded to Rafa’s contract refusal. Why, it’s almost as if he knew what would happen before any other person at the club (bar one).
But that couldn’t be. Benitez is a man of the people and there’s no way he would collude so brazenly with the Great Satan destroying our club.
We rounded on the media last week for using the word “outburst”, but they come so thick and fast now that we’re inclined to agree with the press.
It seems any element of control has been lost.
Fans who initially revelled in the attack on Ferguson were slightly less enamoured after the draw with Stoke. Ironic really, since that seemed a reasonably good point by 4.45pm on Saturday.
When the transparent manoeuvring against Parry began in earnest the huge wells of good will began to evaporate.
Cynic that I am, it felt like the start of an exit strategy.
Who’d take on any manager with so little stomach for a fight, unless it was clear there was nothing he could ever do to overcome such obstacles.
With the refs in United’s pocket and hindered on all sides at Anfield, how could he possibly be expected to secure number 19? His supporters all yahoo’d like never before, embroidering the myth of siege mentality and the rallying of troops that would improve our chances.
Seriously, how ‘rallied’ do you feel right now after a calamitous weekend where rivals showed varying degrees of fortitude and fortune whilst we disappointed on the pitch (where it actually matters) again.
Rafa wants to spend the budget his way or not at all. Doesn’t this now raise questions about his use or rather misuse of Keane? Wait until the various ministries of truth are done. He won’t have heard of him, never mind wanted to sign him. It was probably Parry’s idea to buy Dossena too.
Laugh if you want but I’ve read some extraordinary drivel from the one-eyed king’s most loyal subjects.
When all’s said and done, it’s nonsense to suggest that a manager whose team was top of the table for months wasn’t being allowed to do his job properly! “This was never about money”? Well, it was at one stage. It was also about the length of contract. In both instances Hicks and Gillett caved.
Now there’s something else. They agree to this, and there will be more. There always will be, constantly exploiting the fans’ hatred of the owners.
After all the chicanery you’d think the actual match would come as a blessed relief. It didn’t. Rafa’s right when he says we’d have taken this in August, but there’s background noise now and it’s deafening.
I could write a novel about the deterioration of the derby and the squealing inferiority complex across the park.
When Everton don’t celebrate a derby draw like victory they’ll be a threat again. Moyes was oblivious to favourable refereeing and latched limpet-like to one dubious decision that didn’t go their way.
One can imagine him muttering about a protected elite, conspiracies, favouritism and the words “so-called” and “level playing field” in the same sentence. It would be awful if our man were like that, that’s a fact.
Reds left recent matches uttering the same word: courage. This time it was triggered by the withdrawal of £40m’s worth of attacking talent rather than it being benched, though 60 minutes for Keane was 65 too many on this form. Damn you, Parry! Gerrard is no longer a central midfield player and once he returned to his usual attacking role he scored.
The instinct was to protect the lead, the idea of scoring another and sealing victory utterly alien. The equaliser had a ghastly inevitability about it, coming as it did from one of the most loathsome men in football. It punished the decision to use Lucas in the first place with a righteous ferocity.
We’ve had better weeks.
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