Month: February 2019

The Cups. Liverpool derby at the Football League Cup – up and coming Everton vs mighty Liverpool. As derbies go, it was tense and difficult. The final ended 0-0. Liverpool prevailed in the replay – 1-0, thanks to Souness.

Nice picture, but it was battle on the pitch, both teams ambitious.

Perhaps Everton was not at its peak yet and they lost to more experience team. But it was nice challenge and good stepping point for better future.

Difficult victory, but victory. Confirming that Liverpool was the top club and also prevailing over local rivals, which matters a lot. A double does not come every day, especially in England, so it was great season for Liverpool.

The FA Cup opposed Watford to Everton. Well, Everton was truly climbing up, reaching both cup final this year. Watford wanted to get a trophy too. Class decided it – Everton won 2-0, Sharp and Gray scoring the goals.

Everton posed with the FA Cup. It was their 4th and the first one won after 1966.

Watford deserves two pictures. They reached the very possible top – it is arguable was it in 1982-83, when they finished in the championship, or this year, when they had a chance to win the FA Cup. No matter, really, for it was heroic effort of a small club. And a small club they were, unfortunately. Few ever did the kind of miracle Watford did: in 1976-77 they were lost in 4th Division – in 1981-82 they were promoted to the top league, only to finish 2nd in their first season. But it was not possible to go higher than that – Watford had some good players, but there was no chance to build a team of stars. They had to sell – Luther Blissett was already gone to Milan. At best, Watford could be mid-table club. Playing at the cup final was more or less the maximum, a peak more likely to not be repeated. Sorry for the darlings, but that was the reality.

Everton had a decent team for years, but nothing special. Their last triumph was in 1969-70, when they were champions of England. True, they were never in danger of relegation, but they also nothing more than solid squad – nothing to compare with their rivals Liverpool. Even now the team did not very impressive, but the work of Howard Kendall was: it was team going up, having good players, younger and ambitious, not at their peak yet. Since there were no first-class stars around, the best players were not attracting the interest of other clubs and there was room for development in relative peace. Everton was coming, that was made sure this year – noticeable championship and two cup finals. They won one, so ambition was backed up by success.

Lastly, there was something interesting happening: this was 3rd consecutive year when one club reached two cup finals – and won one. Before Everton, Manchester United in 1982-83, and Tottenham Hotspur in 1981-82. Never before 1982 such thing happened, but three years in a row was interesting pattern. Was it possible to continue?

First Division. Two outsiders and two runners for the title, the one was a surprise, but that was England, so it was only a mild surprise.

Woolverhampton Wanderers was dead last with 29. Winning only 6 games. The agony: the crisis settled some time ago, but the Wolves tried to fight it. Relegated in 1981-82, promoted in 1982-83, now relegated again – and this was not the end of suffering.

Notts County – 21st with 41 points. It was inevitable – small club like Notts County could have a great run for a while, but not for long.

Birmingham City – 20th with 48 points. They fought as much as they could, but were relegated at the end. Not a surprise – Birmngham was one of the usual candidates for relegation.

Coventry City – 19th with 50 points. Recently, Coventry sunk to the dangerous zone of the league – 19th in the previous year, 14th in 81-82, 16th in 80-81, 15th in 79-80. There was a sense that Coventry will drop further down and soon, but they kept the nose above the water somehow.

Stoke City – 18th with 50 points. Not a good period, so survival was the only aim. Sammy McIllroy and Dennis Tueart were the only big names here, both aging, so the future was rather dark.

West Bromwich Albion – the good spell was over. 17th with 51 points. For whatever reason – most likely lack of money – West Brom was unable to reinforce the team when they were running strong. And now they dropped down to what usually were in the past – in the lower half of the table, often in danger of relegation.

Luton Town – 16th with 51 points. Good for another season, but may be no longer.

Leicester City – 15th with 51 points.

Norwich City – 14th with 51 points.

Sunderland – 13th with 52 points.

Ipswich Town – their great spell over, they plummeted down. Key players were gone, but no similar replacement came – Ipswich was no longer a great force and may be relegation was in the books. 12th with 53 points.

This may have been the best ever season of Watford, but it was also clear that enthusiasm cannot keep rather ordinary squad on top for long. 11th with 57 points.

That Aston Villa was accidental champion 3 year ago was clear even than – 10th place was pretty much just position for this team. 60 points. Not bad, but nothing special either.

West Ham United was doing fine, although it was clear that they could not do better – that was the limit. 9th with 60 points.

Tottenham Hotspur – 8th with 60 point. Could do better, even expected to do better, but they may be excused – perhaps a bit disappointing in the championship, but winning the UEFA Cup.

Everton – 7th with 62 points. Now, this was team going up, one to watch, one expected to go higher. Although their final standing was no particular different from their usual position in the league, the team was gathering momentum and had splendid season promising even better days to come.

Arsenal – 6th with 63 points. Depends on how one looks at it – they were the only consistently strong London club: all others went to second division at one time or another, Chelsea was still there. But in the same time Arsenal was no title contender either – just good enough to stay among the top 5-6 clubs. No exception this season – 6th placed, but 10 points behind the 5th.

Queens Park Rangers was seemingly repeating their great spell in the mid-70s – just like decade ago, QPR climbed up from second division to prominence: 5th with 73 points. 2 more points would have given them bronze medals. Credits to Terry Venables, of course. Was it just a one-time wonder or something more permanent only the next season could tell.

For years there was nagging sense that Manchester United underperfomed. Squad like that should have been title contender. The same was true for almost 10 years now, always ending with Ron Atkinson – may be a great manager, but no winner. Of course, many were happy – Manchester United had many enemies – but, objectively, this was team at least equal to Liverpool’s. And – 4th with 74 points. Barely near the favourites.

Nottingham Forest was 3rd with 74 points, beating Manchester United on goal-difference. Well, looked like Clough still had the magic and may be his team will stay strong for long. But it was suspect magic: Clough managed to keep well performing team with string of otherwise over-the-hill veterans – no different this year: Colin Todd, Fairclough. The Dutch goalkeeper van Breukelen was not yet the great man between the goalposts – for some reason Clough’s foreign additions misfired.

Speaking of veterans: Lawrie McMenemy based his concept entirely on veterans. Southampton kept a long string of them during Big Mac’s reign. This year – Peter Shilton, Mick Mills, Frank Worthington. And they run for the title, quite a surprise. Nice surprise. And one-time wonder too, for veterans had short life left. How long a team could be run on such concept? Certainly not for ever, so it was especially nice season to be cherished. Alas, it was not really strong squad and unable to win the championship – 2nd with 77 points.

The title went to Liverpool, who else? There was a lot of grumbling against them, Liverpool was blamed for killing traditional English football with their dominance, making the league like the dreaded ‘continental’ leagues – one big club takes all, boring and nasty – but Liverpool was amazing club, knowing what they were doing. Southampton perhaps gave them a scare this season, but at the end the well oiled and balanced squad prevailed over a team based on few veterans. A matter of stamina, a matter of depth, a matter of longer squad. So much has been said about Liverpool and for so many years, there is really no need to repeat the well known. Just for the record: 22 wins, 14 ties, 6 losses, 73-32 goal-difference, 80 points. Not as dominant as in the previous year, but still the champions.