by Neil Atkinson | Sep 17, 2015 | Footie
LIVERPOOL neither attacked nor defended nor midfielded with conviction against Bordeaux. It was frustrating to watch. There is a pleasure to be taken from the following 1-1s away from home in Europe: a) A swashbuckling side hammer the opposition goal but their...
by Neil Atkinson | Sep 16, 2015 | Footie
BORDEAUX. Just arrived that bit too early for me this autumn. Can’t justify this Thursday to be in amongst the vineyards. Were we playing it when we go to Kazan, well that could be quite different. Means it’ll be the telly for me watching this, though...
by Neil Atkinson | Sep 12, 2015 | Footie
YOU go to Old Trafford. You don’t play well. They don’t play well. They win. I think I’ve seen this film before. I’ve seen games decided by set pieces. I’ve seen blunt sides overwhelmed by the occasion. I’ve seen vaguely...
by Neil Atkinson | Sep 1, 2015 | Footie
THERE we go then on the Newstalk website. Philippe Coutinho. Too lightweight and like a schoolboy. It’s immediately tiring, but it does need to be said that the diminutive Brazilian isn’t above criticism and that he was both poor and a dope — a big,...
by Neil Atkinson | Sep 1, 2015 | Footie
SOMETIMES you write because you think something and you want to put it over to other people. Sometimes you write because you are trying to work something out and you just don’t know. Below is most definitely the latter. It’s about transfers, net spend and...
by Neil Atkinson | Aug 30, 2015 | Footie
FINAL whistle goes and I’m furious. Furious with Liverpool, furious with them for losing when there’s a big Saturday night planned, for placing that in jeopardy. I’m furious with them because Basement Jaxx are playing in Sefton Park and they...
by Neil Atkinson | Aug 24, 2015 | Footie
ARSENAL have you on pins. Before the game we talk about how Arsenal away ties with City as the worst away. Because they have you on pins. Chelsea bludgeon you. United wear you down. But Arsenal and City have you on pins. They probe. They pen. They ratchet up the...
by Neil Atkinson | Aug 23, 2015 | Footie
AT half time on Monday, Liverpool sent out five substitutes to warm up. The two they didn’t send out were Roberto Firmino and Emre Can — the two that first got on the pitch. Those two pretty much started warming up as soon as the second half began. The...
by Neil Atkinson | Aug 18, 2015 | Footie
BOURNEMOUTH started the game like there had never been a bigger league game for them. They were right to do so. Because there hadn’t. For 20 minutes they were all over The Reds, runners everywhere, one more man, one more ball. But it was 0-0 and they never quite...
by Neil Atkinson | Aug 13, 2015 | Footie
LUCAS has been a Liverpool player who has always had more meaning attached to him than many that he has shared the pitch with. He’s a footballer with signifiers. You can probably tell the story of this football club through him over the last 10 years far better...
