What a night Friday was, eh? Well, from what I remember.
It’s the merriest I’ve been at a match this season, the most bruised I’ve came home in some time and I was one of the people most plastered all over the telly.
The bits I do remember will be unforgettable. The half-hour thousands of us spent standing on our seats singing our hearts out after the game. Kieran Trippier’s penalty fake-out (he had me on toast and I was baffled for a solid minute). Bruno singing along with us. The absolutely ridiculous celebrations that saw me in multiple rows on my back. Getting half a bus full of lads to sing Westlife with me on the way home.
Watching the extended highlights and match cam back did bring a lot of it back to me, and blimey, we’re back, aren’t we?
The way Isak kept the ball while on the floor in the build-up to Anderson’s goal. His one-twos with Burn. Bruno’s blinding balls. Murphy creating chances for fun. Willock’s cross and back-heel nutmeg. SO. MANY. GOOD. SHOTS.
I’ll never stop laughing at Navas’ failed mind games, but he’s the only reason we didn’t win it 6-1 or so.
A highlight was definitely Murphy’s performance. It’s nice to finally see some respect on his name; we all love his passion but the way people go on sometimes, you’d think he’d never successfully completed a pass at all. Long may this form continue.
There isn’t a single player who doesn’t deserve credit from that game. Even Botman, who made a very uncharacteristic mistake, was solid beyond that moment. Judging by the way he was picking up players and swinging them around like ragdolls after the final whistle, he was relieved too.
Isak and Willock stole so much thunder that Bruno went under the radar. It’s a huge positive moving forward that we can win games and play well without our Brazilian maestro being at his brilliant best.
What really gets me is the togetherness of this team. Their connection with one another and us. How much they clearly all care. The photos of the penalty celebrations really bring this to life. Schär twelve feet in the air while Isak leads a celebration charge. Even Anderson’s goal – it’s cruel that it was taken away, but him and Burn celebrating together was beautiful. I could watch Bruno screaming “VAMOS” into the crowd all night long.
Even those that weren’t playing, like Wilson, were joyous soaking in the post-match atmosphere. We’ve had some cracking squads over the years in terms of both quality and togetherness, but this one really stands out to me.
They know they’re part of something special. Even Trippier said himself that there are no egos and it’s one of the most together squads he’s been at, and that’s got to be saying something.
Their willingness to get in amongst the crowd makes our connection with them feel real, and unbreakable. I wish I could relive Friday over and over again. At the very least, I wish we had another game this weekend…but my legs will secretly be thankful we don’t.
