Idiotic responses such as “rawkish” are shallow and embarrassing. Despite the fawning over Liverpool in the media, they have lagged behind us all season. As have Spurs and Chelsea, all of whom have enjoyed generous praise. Little or no praise given to United’s management of this game or any other this season. No surprise given the amount of ex Liverpool players in the media but that is only part of the story. Liverpools past success was built on solid defence and work ethic. Hardly the flowing, attacking football of United renown yet admirable, nonetheless. The media purred through it all and most of it was justified but the main difference was that their negative side, both in their often defensive play and thuggish players such as Smith, Case, Souness etc we’re universally admired and overlooked. Justified by their success. How things have changed. Liverpool aside, the “special one” tag, generously applied to Jose in his Chelsea days has become a note of derision for a manager who has suddenly become negative since his arrival st OT with little regard given to the mess he inherited or his previously heralded success. This is not just my perspective. The main difference is the media being predominantly London based with little objectivity since the centralisation of the media resulting in bitter, success starved southern based so called journalists and presenters resentful of United’s 20 year stint of trophy gathering coming on the back of Liverpools similar success. The last thing they can stomach is more of the same. Little dwelling on United’s treble of 99, for instance; they couldn’t wait wait to create their ridiculous outrage over the Brazil tour, (after the Beckham witch hunt in France 98 followed by his national hero status once he left OT) that we were pressured into going. Imagine if we hadn’t and poor England’s WC bid failed? We know all clubs have their little issues but really, this is without the individual player witch hunts and anti Sky takeover etc etc. The only analyst, for me, with any credibility, ironically, is Carragher. For the most part, makes his points honestly, and without Neville, Redknapp’s etc need for the “look at me, I’m on telly” headline, attention seeking sound bites. Endless, isn’t it? but put your cool aside and never mind history, just put the fecking telly on.
40+ years of journo shit right there^.