Unlucky v Unluckier
Last Saturday the VS gang came over to my place after our football session to catch the biggest game of the season. Liverpool vs Manchester United. For me this got to be the biggest of the season; it is always the first fixture that I check when the fixtures are released. Frankly speaking as long as we managed to beat the Scums, my week will definitely be brightened up 100 times.
One of the most memorable match for me between the two sides was during the 1999 season. It was played early in the morning and only RTM 1 was showing. Channel 5 was showing the North London derby between Arsenal and Spurs and Arsenal was Man Utd's main rival for the title. When I woke up, it was already half-time and Man Utd was 1-0 up courtesy of a goal from Dwight Yorke I think. Second half got worse when Jamie Carragher kicked Jesper Blomqvist in the chest, resulting in a penalty which Denis Irwin connected. I could have switched off the TV and went back to sleep but this was not what a Liverpool fan would do. A real fan would walk on with hope in his heart.
There was to be another penalty, this time it was for Liverpool. Oyvind Leonhardsen was fouled in the area but I couldn't remember who committed the foul. Perhaps it was Irwin because I remembered that he got sent off. Redknapp converted the penalty in front of the Kop and the Anfield was treated to the rousing finale. In the 89th minute, there was a mad scramble in the Scums' penalty box and "Big-time Charlie" Paul Ince stabbed the ball in and stick one up (not yet Sir) Alex Ferguson at the same time.
I probably woke the whole block up when the goal was scored. I can't describe the feeling. Ecstasy coupled with sense of satisfaction plus the release of all the frustration accumulated over the years. Yeah it felt that good. I could still remember that at the final whistle when the announcer broke the news that Arsenal had beaten Spurs, the whole Anfield erupted in cheers. It shows how deep the hatred is; it is not necessarily good but I DO really hate them.
Including me there were 4 Liverpool fans and the Man U brigade comprised of only Shahid and Kendrick. Ken was around too but he gave no indication who he preferred. He better supported Liverpool because it was my house. Ferguson, Scholes, Giggs and Gary Neville were with Man Utd in the 1999 game but for Liverpool only Carragher was still around. A win was long overdue; I couldn't wait to beat them and stopped them from winning the league this season.
Kendrick and Shahid had nothing much to cheer about throughout the match because Liverpool was dominating. We missed many chances and the Liverpool fans simply couldn't believe how unlucky and wasteful our players were. Saha did have a legitimate penalty claim but Bellamy's goal was not offside too. So things did even out.
It was another case of deja vu when Finnan conceded a free kick at the right side of the box. The memory of Rio Ferdinand scoring the last minute goal at Old Trafford returned and how right it proved to be. Reina could only spill Ronaldo's effort and John O'Shea slammed home the winner. And I felt so sick in my stomach watching Shahid and Kendrick rolling on the floor at my house and Gary Neville that bloody fucker celebrating on TV. Simply felt like shit.
We were unlucky but we did not deserve to win because we didn't take our chances. The Scums did and I couldn't see how they could fumble for Chelsea to catch up. They had two bad away games in a row and somehow managed to win in the last minute. It seemed all pre-destined to me. I got this gut feeling that we will draw them in the Champs League where we will knock them out. Serious.
Well Liverpool didn't turn out to be the unluckiest team this weekend. The weekend ended with the thrilling match at Upton Park where 7 goals were scored between West Ham and Spurs. Mark Noble scored in the first half and Tevez also opened his Premiership account with a superb free-kick. Somehow West Ham's defense allowed Spurs to come back through a Defoe penalty and a Taino volley.
When Tevez curled a brilliant free-kick in from the right for Zamora to nod home in the 86th minute, the Hammer fans celebrated as if they won the league. They thought that it could finally be their day which turned out to be just another false dawn. The defence managed to screw up again and conceded a dangerous free-kick which was delightfully curled over the wall and into the net by Berbatov in the 90th minute.
West Ham had no choice but pushed men up for the winner. Tevez who had scored one and made the other two missed the goal by inches and the Spurs managed to launch one last counter-attack which ended with Stalteri followed up on the spilled Defoe's shot. Curbishley couldn't believe what he had witnessed; Magnussun's facial expressions were captured whenever the cameras zoomed in on him and it was pretty obvious that he went through an emotional roller-coaster ride.
Though West Ham still has 9 games to save their season it seemed to be too little too late now. West Ham was undoubtedly the unluckiest team this weekend.
One of the most memorable match for me between the two sides was during the 1999 season. It was played early in the morning and only RTM 1 was showing. Channel 5 was showing the North London derby between Arsenal and Spurs and Arsenal was Man Utd's main rival for the title. When I woke up, it was already half-time and Man Utd was 1-0 up courtesy of a goal from Dwight Yorke I think. Second half got worse when Jamie Carragher kicked Jesper Blomqvist in the chest, resulting in a penalty which Denis Irwin connected. I could have switched off the TV and went back to sleep but this was not what a Liverpool fan would do. A real fan would walk on with hope in his heart.
There was to be another penalty, this time it was for Liverpool. Oyvind Leonhardsen was fouled in the area but I couldn't remember who committed the foul. Perhaps it was Irwin because I remembered that he got sent off. Redknapp converted the penalty in front of the Kop and the Anfield was treated to the rousing finale. In the 89th minute, there was a mad scramble in the Scums' penalty box and "Big-time Charlie" Paul Ince stabbed the ball in and stick one up (not yet Sir) Alex Ferguson at the same time.
I probably woke the whole block up when the goal was scored. I can't describe the feeling. Ecstasy coupled with sense of satisfaction plus the release of all the frustration accumulated over the years. Yeah it felt that good. I could still remember that at the final whistle when the announcer broke the news that Arsenal had beaten Spurs, the whole Anfield erupted in cheers. It shows how deep the hatred is; it is not necessarily good but I DO really hate them.
Including me there were 4 Liverpool fans and the Man U brigade comprised of only Shahid and Kendrick. Ken was around too but he gave no indication who he preferred. He better supported Liverpool because it was my house. Ferguson, Scholes, Giggs and Gary Neville were with Man Utd in the 1999 game but for Liverpool only Carragher was still around. A win was long overdue; I couldn't wait to beat them and stopped them from winning the league this season.
Kendrick and Shahid had nothing much to cheer about throughout the match because Liverpool was dominating. We missed many chances and the Liverpool fans simply couldn't believe how unlucky and wasteful our players were. Saha did have a legitimate penalty claim but Bellamy's goal was not offside too. So things did even out.
It was another case of deja vu when Finnan conceded a free kick at the right side of the box. The memory of Rio Ferdinand scoring the last minute goal at Old Trafford returned and how right it proved to be. Reina could only spill Ronaldo's effort and John O'Shea slammed home the winner. And I felt so sick in my stomach watching Shahid and Kendrick rolling on the floor at my house and Gary Neville that bloody fucker celebrating on TV. Simply felt like shit.
We were unlucky but we did not deserve to win because we didn't take our chances. The Scums did and I couldn't see how they could fumble for Chelsea to catch up. They had two bad away games in a row and somehow managed to win in the last minute. It seemed all pre-destined to me. I got this gut feeling that we will draw them in the Champs League where we will knock them out. Serious.
Well Liverpool didn't turn out to be the unluckiest team this weekend. The weekend ended with the thrilling match at Upton Park where 7 goals were scored between West Ham and Spurs. Mark Noble scored in the first half and Tevez also opened his Premiership account with a superb free-kick. Somehow West Ham's defense allowed Spurs to come back through a Defoe penalty and a Taino volley.
When Tevez curled a brilliant free-kick in from the right for Zamora to nod home in the 86th minute, the Hammer fans celebrated as if they won the league. They thought that it could finally be their day which turned out to be just another false dawn. The defence managed to screw up again and conceded a dangerous free-kick which was delightfully curled over the wall and into the net by Berbatov in the 90th minute.
West Ham had no choice but pushed men up for the winner. Tevez who had scored one and made the other two missed the goal by inches and the Spurs managed to launch one last counter-attack which ended with Stalteri followed up on the spilled Defoe's shot. Curbishley couldn't believe what he had witnessed; Magnussun's facial expressions were captured whenever the cameras zoomed in on him and it was pretty obvious that he went through an emotional roller-coaster ride.
Though West Ham still has 9 games to save their season it seemed to be too little too late now. West Ham was undoubtedly the unluckiest team this weekend.
posted by shyh jie at 9:09 PM
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