By Ian Grant
Arsenal rammed this result up homer Durkin’ s backside.
Ironic that Durkin’s disgraceful refreeing perfomance, spurred Arsenal on to ultimate victory, which in effect, purged the bitter and unjust Poll inspired defeat last Tuesday.
Graham Poll has a lacadaisical arrogance – a sort of sleeping pride just below the surface, which was bound to rear up and influence a dodgy penalty decision the wrong way given thirty thousand singing that he was some sort of dark space throughout the match.
Paul Durkin’s egotism stems from an inner enjoyment of a largely authoritarian personality. Perhaps it is an attempt to make up for his lack of inches.
When lightweight Gio van Bronckhorst was muscled over innocently in the Liverpool penalty area by the much bigger Henchoz and got up without any claim for a penalty, Durkin’s authoritarian side shot up his psyche like mercury.
The sheer sadistic pleasure on his face in brandishing the second yellow, was sickening in its obviousness, irrespective of whether it was just or not.
Before the incident, I wrote in my notes – Arsenal’s midfield heart has two yellows. Durkin is an obvious homer. This is a disaster waiting to happen.
This is a watershed result for Arsenal. A performance of character like Anfield ’89.
When the Ljungberg goal went in, there was a Mickey Thomas feel to it. Same scoreline. Same jubilation. Same steely, Graham-like Arsenal. Arsenal coming good in adversity. If they can keep up this spirit, allied to their natural skill, Arsenal will be in another stratosphere compared to the Graham era.
It was adversity from the start. Bergkamp (toe) and Grimandi, suspended Vieira’s natural replacement, were out.
Arsenal started brightly. But were disadvantaged when Lauren fouled Gerrard, who made the most of it, and got a yellow very early.
Arsenal’s tactic was to place balls from the flanks behind Hypia and Henchoz, for Henry to chase.
Pires with a superb dribble set up Kanu, who flashed a shot wide instead of taking a touch.
Owen was put through. Cole miscued the ball towards the goal-line with one foot, but with a rubber-legged like recovery prevented it going over the line with the other. A turning point. They say if you can score first against Liverpool, you have a chance.
And up popped Freddie Ljungberg running through near half-time, to be brought down by Dudek. Penalty, but no yellow. Durkin said it was a careless challenge, and not deserving of red OR YELLOW.
Thierry Henry, a model of friendly diplomacy throughout, scored a cool penalty under pressure.
Liverpool brought on Smicer and Litmanen for ‘Gary Mac’ and Heskey. Craft and skill for power.
But it was Bob Pires who provided the instant craft and skill, when he skinned Gerrard and hit a low ball to meet Freddie Ljungberg’s long run and perfect finish.
But Litmanen had a big influence two minutes later. Owen miscued a shot, which spun and drifted across Taylor’s goal, and the Finn got goal-side of the sleeping Lauren to head home unmarked.
Even though eleven v ten: Game on.
Patrick Berger had three chances to score. One shot Taylor never got near, yet Durkin awarded a corner. The best was a close header.
But Henry had two clear cut chances to make it three. One a perfect through ball inches wide. The other a flashing header inches over.
Another through ball put Henry through. Henchoz, the last man scythed him down. Obvious red. But Durkin is a coward as well as a liar if you watch the body language in the post-match interview – the two go hand in hand, and gave a yellow.
As if the refereeing performance wasn’t bad enough, Cole slipped down outside the pitch. Smicer ran into him and gained a dangerous free-kick. Ljungberg was booked for protesting. Taylor was booked soon after for time-wasting.
Ray Parlour, who won Sky’s Man of the Match said:” it was a lot of hard work. The goal before half-time was very important. We dug in.”
On the van Bronckhorst dismissal, he said:” I thought it was harsh. It was quite slippery out there. He’s unlucky.”
Thierry Henry said: “It is a big result. We played with the right mentality and spirit. After the sending off it was a hard game. We wanted to stick together and get something out of the game.”
On the sending off, he said: ” I was laughing.”
Liverpool’s acting manager, Phil Thompson said:” I can’t believe it. I’m exteremly disappointed with the result. There was a lack of quality in some of our passing.”
I suppose all you can do after two disgraceful refereeing performances on the trot is to write to the FA and complain, requesting that Poll and Durkin be struck off the Premiership list.
With such ego driven consciousnesses, principles such as truth and justice will largely be foreign to them, unless they undergo therapy.
In the meantime, we can celebrate a red and white Christmas, the nine year Liverpool bogey laid to rest- ye merry gentlemen. Yi-ha.