by red37 » Sun Dec 31, 2006 4:03 am
im not sure if i like the 'flavour' of this article, though for the record its worth a read to see just how sad Allardyce and his bunch of labourers really have come to be depicted. And they appear to be proud of it too....
Neighbours from hell - The Times 31/12/06
Jonathan Northcroft
The recent history of animosity between Bolton and Liverpool is liable to resurface when the local rivals clash tomorrow
In “The Wanderer” online fanzine there is a spoof photo-story called “Evil Sam Allardyce” in which the big man is blamed for events in history from the crucifixion to shooting King Harold in the eye at Hastings. At the Reebok stadium the fans have a song: “He drinks, he dives, he spits in people’s eyes, El Hadji Diouf.” If Bolton supporters really do revel in their club’s notoriety their feelings towards Rafael Benitez must have been love at first slight. Boltonians are fond of the Liverpool manager in as much as they adore beating him. To them, Benitez is up there with Arsène Wenger in the ranks of the pious who must be slain. Arsenal and, to a greater extent, Liverpool have become fixtures with an edge. Football is always remaking itself. A needle match can be suddenly forged.
Liverpool against Bolton carries enmity because of the culture clash between Benitez and Anfield’s Spaniards and the muck and brass of Big Sam. It was Bolton who gave Benitez his “welcome to the Premiership” happy slapping in 2004. He had begun his first English league programme away to Tottenham followed by a home game versus Manchester City. At Bolton, Benitez gawped as Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso were marginalised, his other new Spaniard, Josemi, was terrorised, Liverpool were outplayed and outmuscled and beaten domestically for the first time in his charge. Kevin Davies, Bolton’s scorer, had broken Sami Hyypia’s nose and left his vision blurred just 14 minutes into the game.
“The main thing is to realise referees in England are different when it comes to challenges. The physical stuff is allowed here,” said Benitez post-match, having marched down the tunnel without shaking Allardyce’s hand. If the first cells of bad blood had been spawned, they multiplied with Benitez’s subsequent comments. “I have learnt that sometimes in England you need to play basketball,” he reflected later that first season. He also said:
“I remembered watching Wimbledon on television during the 1980s so I can’t say I was surprised. I knew there would be a lot of long balls in England.”
Bolton were left unnamed when he made both remarks but taken to be a reference point. Allardyce and his club’s supporters are of the Frankie Howerd view: “Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it infamy,” as Howerd liked to say. For Boltonians, Benitez had joined the ranks of the sore losers, those who when defeated by the Wanderers’ use their opponents’ negative image as a fig leaf to hide shortcomings.
In last season’s corresponding fixture, Bolton v Liverpool truly kicked off. On January 2, 2006, Liverpool had to fight back from behind to draw 2-2. Allardyce was incandescent that neither Steven Gerrard nor Momo Sissoko were sent off for seeming stamps on his players. Gerrard had landed, studs first, on Kevin Nolan’s chest, although replays suggested a possible accident. Gerrard certainly offered that explanation and Nolan, a friend and fellow Scouser, was happy to accept. But their managers were implacable.
“Serious foul play,” stormed Allardyce. “The referee should protect the players who want to play football. Bolton were diving all the time,” Benitez groused. Allardyce and Benitez should not feel like such opposites. For all their backgrounds differ, much of their method and philosphy is similar. Benitez may aspire to a smoother type of football but, like Allardyce, he is a pragmatist above all else, willing to use scientific analysis to identify “the right areas” into which Liverpool should make their runs and play their passes. Allardyce, with his flotilla of technical and fitness consultants, is just as methodical as Benitez. Perhaps it comes down to personalities. Allardyce is a stalwart of football lunches and charity dinners. For Benitez, socialising means quiet time at home on the Wirral with his family.
The draw at the Reebok last January prevented Liverpool from achieving a club record 11th consecutive league win and Bolton will be out, tomorrow, to end another streak. Liverpool have not conceded at Anfield since October nor lost there since March. Bolton last had a league win at the stadium in 1954 but have recent form on their side. Liverpool were well beaten in September, but the comfort of Bolton’s 2-0 victory did not mean the game was without thorns. Benitez claimed Abdoulaye Faye should have been sent off and was furious when Jose Reina was wrongly judged to have handled outside his area, giving Bolton a free kick from which they scored. Nicolas Anelka returns to Anfield five years to the day since he made his home debut for Liverpool — against Bolton. Also caught in the middle is Nolan, a Kopite, who followed his team to the Champions League final. “They (Liverpool) see us in a different way to how we see ourselves,” the Bolton captain said. “We’re supposed to be this long ball team but I can tell you we have looked at the stats and we don’t play as many long balls as some teams. Liverpool are the highest.”
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the sooner this fixture is over, the better for me...at least it makes a change that we play them at Anfield this time, it seems we nearly always get them at their gaff around New years day...so lets see a good battle on our own turf, hopefully with an injury-free victory!
TITANS of HOPE