Frank Lampard may have no idea what he’s doing as a manager, or he may be saddled with the largest collection of jumbled bits that don’t fit, but he’s aware of the story. It’s been almost eight years to the day since Lampard’s Chelsea showed up at Anfield to smother title chasers Liverpool. In true Jose Mourinho fashion, Chelsea parked the bus, team charter and maybe a space shuttle in front of their goal, started wasting time from kick-off by taking free and goal kicks forever, and was bitchy and testy in a way, like You don’t see them outside of a high-end coffee shop. It worked a treat when Steven Gerrard fell on his ass just before half-time and Liverpool’s title dreams were on the floor right next to him.
That’s what Lampard told his Everton side today when they showed up at Anfield. The bench of 10 dressed in blue just outside their penalty area at the end of April certainly caused some disturbing flashbacks for Liverpool supporters (or at least these). Not only was the bus parked tight, but the antics were pitched up to 11. Everton players popped up everywhere, waiting eons for free-kicks and turning every minor argument into a full Lincoln-Douglas debate in front of referee Stuart Atwell, clearly outdone.
The performance that left the Anfield crowd most in awe was that of Jordan Pickford, who fell to the ground every time he got his hands on the ball to hold it in a way that could only be done in the last few minutes of a game with a sees team clinging to a thin track, or someone has turned off their controller. It certainly didn’t belong in the 11th minute of a 0-0 game. Here is a prime example:
But while that Chelsea side was still filled with great players in 2014 and Mourinho was still in his window of success (right at the end, it turns out), this Everton side is still full of wayward kids. So their resistance dwindled in the second half, just as the legendary Everton killer (and one of the strangest cult hero Divock Origi) came into play. Andy Robertson drove home to end a move created by Origi and Mo Salah, and then Origi wrapped the points himself with his own header with five minutes left.
Happy with a 2-0 lead and after surviving Everton’s karaoke at Atletico Madrid, Alisson thought it was time for a classic second-half injury time piss:
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The ultimate thumb in the eye for an opponent whose only hope of getting something out of a match against their biggest local rival was to tactically go as deep as possible while still not getting that close. To the point where the Liverpool goalkeeper was able to throw in a joke at the end of the game, the epitome of ‘nice try boy’.
Comedy can be victory.
