This was a performance of resilience, hard work and pride in the shirt that Blackburn Rovers' revered former owner, the late, great Jack Walker, would have absolutely loved. Rovers fans frequently chanted "there's only one Jack Walker" as their spirited, well-organised side deservedly took Liverpool back to Ewood Park on April 7 or 8. The sweat on those famous shirts should have dried by then.
Blackburn's 6,000 supporters were magnificent, singing throughout, lauding Walker's name particularly when the clock showed 20 minutes, a tribute to the day 20 years ago when Kenny Dalglish's side lost here but won the Premier League title. Walker was up in the smart seats then, a tear forming in his eye as his beloved team were crowned champions of England.
Walker passed away in 2000, aged 71, and Blackburn have endured many problems since, including the current transfer embargo. Rovers fans miss his support of the club financially and emotionally so days like this, displays like this, are treasured. "The 20th minute was a wonderful gesture,'' said their manager, Gary Bowyer. "It has been well-documented what we've been through and they've suffered most. They sang their heart out for 90 minutes. They never stopped."
Bowyer's team excelled in the last round, vanquishing Stoke City at Ewood before only 13,934 and more than 5,000 of those were visitors. The number of Rovers fans at Anfield alone eclipsed the 5,928 who watched Swansea City despatched at Ewood in the fourth round. Maybe this televised performance will bring the fans back. Bowyer and his players deserve this sort of backing.
Although this was only draw, it felt like a triumph of sorts for Blackburn given their recent travails. This felt special. This was Anfield, a place of historical significance for them. This was against Liverpool, who had been in such vibrant form, who had won their past five games here, even accounting for the champions Manchester City. This was against opponents apparently driven to "Get Gerrard to Wembley" in the words of one banner, although the man himself was still injured.
So this show of resolution meant so much to Blackburn, especially with injury depriving them of important players like the centre-half Grant Hanley and Josh King, the scourge of Stoke. So they cheered every clearance, every block, every moment of defiance and every rare attack. The travelling support lifted their players when Liverpool threatened a siege late on. They saluted Bowyer, whose tactics of flooding midfield and playing Rudy Gestede as the lone striker paid off.
Gestede, the tall Benin international, was superb, troubling Brendan Rodgers' defenders on the ground and particularly in the air, seemingly on a personal mission to erase the memory of a past meeting with Liverpool. During his time at Cardiff City, Gestede missed a penalty in the shoot-out against Liverpool in the 2012 League Cup final.
Gestede was not alone. All in those distinguished shirts and retro socks delivered, playing their hearts out. Craig Conway was terrific down the right, all stamina and determination. Lee Williamson worked over-time in the boiler-room, breaking up attacks and launching occasional counters. At the back, Matt Kilgallon and Alex Baptiste simply refused to be beaten by whoever in red came their way, whether Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, Lazar Markovic or eventually Mario Balotelli.
Blackburn's keeper, Simon Eastwood, also excelled, making a couple of great saves from Sturridge and Jordan Henderson. Rovers did ride their luck at times, especially when Kilgallon pushed Lallana over and then tugged back Sturridge. Andre Marriner waved away Liverpool's legitimate-looking penalty appeals.
Whatever the grievances felt by Rodgers, his players and supporters at those two incidents, the painful truth for Liverpool was that they were disappointing. Sterling was slightly wasted as a wing-back, his attacking brio tempered by having to track back to contend with the runaway Conway.
Sturridge was isolated, needing more service. Coutinho and Lallana failed to maintain their recent exuberance. Balotelli did little when coming on, barring one shot that was almost a danger to shipping in the Mersey.
They were given no space, no room to move. Bowyer's players managed the difficult balance of keeping their shape while ambush parties swarmed towards the Liverpool man in possession, crowding him out. Liverpool got going only in the second period, but even then their tempo lacked its usual percussive vigour.
In mitigation, Liverpool were inevitably distracted by early events. The game had hardly kicked off when it was halted for eight minutes with a distressing incident involving Martin Skrtel. The Liverpool centre-half challenged Gestede for an aerial ball, collided at speed, and landed awkwardly, his head falling back and hitting the ground with considerable force. Liverpool players immediately gathered around their stricken colleague. Coutinho looked on with concern etched on his face. Sterling, Emre Can and Henderson stood close by as Liverpool's medical team, fearing concussion, placed Skrtel in a neck-brace and then lifted him on to a spinal board.
Skrtel, encouragingly, was soon moving his arms, and then raised his hands in acknowledgement of the applause from Liverpool and Rovers supporters. He was later described as "fine" by Rodgers but taken to hospital as a precaution.
Rodgers' team laboured, lacking a final ball or composure in front of goal. There was no shortage of goals from Liverpool legends in the directors' box with Robbie Fowler sitting behind Dalglish. Liverpool could have done with some of their sangfroid.
Rodgers looked on, a frustrated figure. Bowyer was at the edge of the technical area, exhorting his players. Conway went charging towards the box but was tackled by Kolo Toure, Skrtel's replacement. Conway, who never stopped running, then swept in a cross that Johnson almost chested into his own net.
Bowyer's defence was assured. Baptiste dispossessed Lallana. Kilgallon blocked a shot from Sturridge. Marcus Olsson intercepted a cross from Lallana. Eastwood saved routinely from Markovic and then athletically from Sturridge. Liverpool needed to quicken their game, needed to pick out Sturridge more yet they almost conceded from a corner shortly after the re-start. Conway drilled the ball across in front of the Kop, Baptiste headed goalwards and only Simon Mignolet's reflexes rescued Liverpool.
Rodgers' side slowly began to move up a gear. Sturridge got away from Kilgallon but was tugged back, an offence missed by Marriner. Liverpool kept attacking, kept running into barricades constructed by Baptiste and Kilgallon. Rovers' first-team coach, Craig Short, looked on, admiring the defensive master-class.
Liverpool cranked up the pressure but their finishing was poor. Balotelli almost disturbed the top tier of the Anfield Road End with one shot. Sturridge fired wide under pressure from Kilgallon. Eastwood saved from Balotelli, then Henderson. Liverpool had almost 70% possession but it was the Blackburn fans chanting "ole".
As Kilgallon and Baptiste held firm, as some of the Rovers officials in the directors' box beseeched the players to go down the corner flag and run down the clock, the away section chorused "Rovers 'til I die". Then came that final whistle and another roar from the away end. Walker would have approved.
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét