Note to Fernando: Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

The game was on at 4pm earlier this afternoon. Like most people, the only way I could watch the match was on the telly, via Sky. Normally, I'd skip the pre-match hype and hogwash (especially when Andy Gray was still around) and flick on the match as close as possible to kick-off. But this time, it was just that bit more than just the football. It was in a way, quite personal. Dion Fanning (once again) gets it spot on in his latest article in today's Independent:

Torres' mistake was to leave Liverpool when the club were feeling good again and put in jeopardy the supporters' fragile sense of hope.

So today, at just around 3.30, the Nickolodeon channel (or was it Playhouse Disney?) became Sky Sports earlier than usual. Ray Wilkins was being interviewed and then to give a so-called balanced view, it was former Liverpool player and perma-crocked Spice Boy, Jamie Redknapp's turn. Blah...blah...blah...


Then, came the bit I was waiting for. The players' reaction to Liverpool's former number 9. The cameras were focused on the players lining-up in the tunnel. As expected, there were the usual suspects. Terry was upfront along with Gerrard and right behind him, a fit again Jamie Carragher. Further behind were the other nine Liverpool players and as if right on cue, up pops Torres offering his hand to the players at the back of the line. His handshakes appeared more like those of a seasoned politician (on a once in a blue moon visit to his constituency) rather than of a football player. I didn't see Reina but Kelly, Lucas and Kuyt didn't appear too keen on returning the gesture, not bothering to make any sort of proper eye contact with the Spaniard. Planned or not, it was probably just as well that Torres only made it up to Meireles (whose reaction was warmer compared to the other Liverpool players) because if he made it to the front, it would be interesting to see the reaction he would've received from messrs Gerrard and Carragher.


At the end of the day, after all the hype and the Chelsea fans' copy-paste Torres banner (seriously, could they not come up with something more original???) it was the players' reaction after Meireles scored that was the best reaction. The players lined-up, arm in arm in celebration with their backs to the bench in a sign of unity. I don't have a picture of the celebration but djphal's Photoshop job from the previous match (against Stoke) sums it all up.

Like the saying goes...Form is Temporary. Class is Permanent. Liverpool certainly showed which club had which today.