Match report
For Plymouth, a match of never-to-be-forgotten tedium is complete. They defended incessantly and immaculately, restricting Liverpool to maybe one clear chance all match. Plymouth’s fans and players are celebrating like they’ve won the game of life, never mind the FA Cup; when you see these celebrations, you realise the end more than justifies the means. The book says Plymouth drew at Anfield, and it will say that forever. Congratulations to Plymouth. Thanks for your company, bye.
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Full time: Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth
Peep peep!
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90+5 min Lucas sizes up a bouncing ball 35 yards from goal and lashes it a few yards wide. McCormick wasn’t worried.
90+4 min It’s dinked in by Alexander-Arnold, flicks off the head of Gomez and hits the unsighted Smith before ricocheting towards his own goal. Thankfully for him, McCormick is sufficiently alert to make a comfortable save.
90+3 min Slew commits a needless foul on Ojo just outside the box on the right. Moreno and Alexander-Armstrong are over it...
90+1 min A replay is not ideal for Liverpool, who already have an extremely busy month. They haven’t played well in the final third.
90 min There will be six minutes of additional ambience.
87 min Lallana fouls Carey 35 yards from goal. Plymouth look more positive than at any stage in the match. Fox wafts the free-kick into the box and Liverpool clear.
86 min “In Germany,” says Tim, “Eurosport have given up and switched to Chelsea v Peterborough...”
This is the future of sport on TV, incentivised exposure. ‘I don’t care if it’s the Champions League final, there hasn’t been a shot on target in the first half, we’re going back to Family Fortunes with Vernon Kay.’
85 min Jervis finds energy from somewhere, marauding down the right wing. He flips the ball one side of Stewart and runs round the other before driving a cross-cum-shot that drifts well wide of the far post. He had only had one man in support, Tanner I think, and the cross was nowhere near him. It was a great run though.
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82 min Lallana’s inswinging cross skims off the head of the stooping Origi and goes well wide of the far post. He thought he was fouled by Purrington, but there wasn’t much it in.
81 min Firmino stands a left-wing cross up for Sturridge, whose header loops onto the roof of the net. He was under pressure and couldn’t get a proper run at the ball, so it wasn’t much of a chance.
80 min Ojo’s deliberate curler is easily held by the plunging McCormick. Liverpool have created surprisingly little in this game, especially when you consider they have had 110 per cent of the possession.
78 min Plymouth almost sneak a goal on the break! Carey drove a pass to the halfway line to find the lively Tanner, who zipped away from the dithering Gomez. The last man Stewart came across to make a superb interception, without which Tanner would have had a clear run on goal.
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76 min Miller is replaced by Connor Smith. He doesn’t seem too bad as he is stretchered off, though it’s hard to know with these things.
74 min Gary Miller is in a lot of pain after landing awkwardly. He needs oxygen and is going to be stretchered off. While that is happening, Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino replace Ben Woodburn and Ovie Ejaria. Woodburn didn’t do a lot, but the way in which he did it suggests he has a chance of being a top player, and maybe even a top, top one.
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70 min “This match is so dull, I’m reading up on Plymouth’s sponsors--Ginsters of Cornwall,” says Rich McGahey. “Apparently (I’m a Yank) maker of wonderful pasties, and their Cornish pasty has geographically protected status from the EU. Will Brexit mean that world markets will be flooded with inauthentic Cornish pasties?”
Why else do you think I voted Remain?
69 min Sturridge has added considerable menace to the Liverpool attack, and his dangerous through pass just evades the sliding Ojo in front of goal.
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68 min “Shall we sing a song for you?” chant the Plymouth fans, apparently oblivious to the fact that they are already doing so.
67 min The substitute Tanner goes on a lovely, fleet-footed run infield from the right, past Gomez and Lucas before his shot from the edge of the area is blocked by the recovering Gomez.
65 min A Plymouth substitution Paul Garita is replaced by Craig Tanner.
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64 min And for his first trick, Sturridge sidefoots fractionally wide from 20 yards. I think the keeper had it covered, but it was a decent statement of intent.
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63 min Liverpool’s domination has been on the infecund side of sterile, so here comes Daniel Sturridge. He replaces Emre Can.
62 min Moreno’s corner is headed towards goal by Lucas and blocked by Bradley.
61 min Can’s long-range shot takes a double deflection and goes behind for a corner. There’s a delay before it is taken while Garita receives treatment.
59 min Daniel Sturridge is getting his kit off.
57 min Lucas comes forward and hits a fierce long-range shot that is well held by McCormick, high to his right. It was a save you’d expect him to make but he did so very confidently.
55 min A stupid foul from Alexander-Arnold gives Plymouth a shooting chance from 30 yards. Carey bends it nicely over the wall but it’s a comfortable save for Karius. That’s Plymouth’s first shot on target. They have been better since half-time.
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54 min The excellent Woodburn dupes Miller on the left and crosses deep to Ojo, who heads well wide under pressure from Purrington. There was a slight appeal for handball but I don’t think there was anything in it.
53 min Liverpool have some big-hitters on the bench and you’d expect to see them soon because they are creating nothing against this excellent and plentiful Plymouth defence.
51 min Slew has Plymouth’s first shot of the match. It almost goes out for a throw-in, but it’s the thought that counts.
48 min Garita breaks down the left and then fouls Stewart. The referee, out of either boredom or sympathy, gives the free-kick to Plymouth. But then Carey wafts a poor cross straight into the loving embrace of the Liverpool keeper Karius.
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47 min “In Die Hard the character Argyle spent most of the 90 minutes parked up in his limo before bursting into life just before the end,” says Niall Mullen. “Not sure why I’m thinking about him.”
46 min Peep peep! Plymouth kick off, attacking from right to left.
“Eleven years without winning the FA Cup a long time in “Liverpool years’” quotes Sean Kilgannon. “They famously didn’t win it at all until 1965. Yes, I’m a Liverpool fan, so I am, of course, obsessed with history......I’ve even got an MA (Honours) in it.”
If we’re boasting, I’ve got a PhD in
But yes, fair point, I should have said ‘a long time in post-Shankly Liverpool years’.
Half-time chit-chat
“I doubt Plymouth would regret parking the bus and losing 2-0,” says Rich Harland. “As a Reading fan I’d have taken that over watching us drive the bus around a bit at Old Trafford and being out of the FA cup after 15 minutes.”
“Not so fun fact - Plymouth is the largest city in England that has never had a team in the top division,” says Øyvind Røed. “At least according to a Norwegian newspaper’s Christmas quiz.”
“Blimey Rob, what a game to give up drinking for,” says Paul Sumner. “I am going to sponsor you, but exactly the same as if you gave up for a month (or even a day tbf, it is a good cause). Think of that in glorious summer evenings in the pub garden, or as the nights draw in ten months from now.”
(Thanks Paul!)
“ZigZags are limited edition KitKats,” says Daniel Friedman. “Instead of delicious parallel chocolate covered wafer straight lines, they are delicious parallel chocolate covered wafer crooked lines. PS no Twitter?”
(Maybe in 2018 when there is some drink to which it can drive me.)
He hasn’t misplaced a single pass, etc.
One Plymouth player (Threlkeld) completed 0 passes in the first half. Two more (Garita & Jervis) completed 1 each.
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) January 8, 2017
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Half-time reading
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth
Let us never speak of that 45 minutes again.
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45+2 min Slew wins a free-kick on the left wing, almost by the corner flag. Plymouth have six men in the box ... and Carey’s cross is headed away.
45+1 min Moreno’s chipped cross is headed away to Ejaria, whose adroit volley ricochets around the box before Plymouth clear.
45 min In fairness to Plymouth, they have defended extremely well - so much so that McCormick has only had one real save to make. If they can cross the halfway line in the second half, anything could happen.
44 min If Terrence Malick ever makes a football film, this will be it.
42 min This first half comes to you in association with Brian Eno.
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39 min Bloody hell, nothing is happening.
37 min Liverpool have had 86 per cent of the possession, and 255 passes to Plymouth’s 21. Somewhere in the north west, Pep Guardiola’s knees are trembling. When Plymouth do put four passes together, they are accompanied by olés.
36 min For all the attacking they’ve done, Plymouth might as well be playing Carlos Kaiser up front. I shouldn’t be too critical - like Kylie said, you’ve got to put yourself in their place. But if they lose this 2-0, that 293-mile journey home will be accompanied by a few regrets.
33 min Good play from Ojo, who tricks the second left-back Slew to make some room in the box before hitting a low shot that is kicked behind for a corner by Bradley. Miller heads the corner just wide of his own goal.
32 min I sincerely can’t remember the last time Plymouth crossed the halfway line. Ah, the romance morbid pragmatism of the cup.
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31 min “Rob, you’re up with the latest trends in onanism - are Ian Copestake’s ‘zigzag papers’ a euphemism for art pamphlets/jazz mags/bongo periodicals?” says Mac Millings. “And if so, aren’t Liverpool’s business-types aware that they can get some of that sweet, guilt-ridden action on modern websites? It’s embarrassing, in this day and age, and in this league, that a club of LFC’s standing is furtively asking for gentlemen’s magazines in exchange for a sub-standard player whom they wish to, if you will, toss off.”
I assumed ‘zigzag papers’ was a reference to Zebra Magazine, an e-mag dedicated to the sharing of beautiful black and white, monochrome photography.
28 min Most of Liverpool’s attempts have been from long-range and there’s another, scrunched wide on the half-volley by Stewart.
28 min The game hasn’t just been played in Plymouth’s half; it’s been played in Plymouth’s third. Yet their defending has largely been excellent and McCormick has only really had one significant save to make.
27 min If I were Chris Coleman, I’d give Woodburn a cap as soon as possible. He looks like he has got it.
25 min Woodburn shows Brazilian feet in a phonebox by the six-yard box, which takes him past two defenders, but in the end the space is too tight and he runs the ball out for a goalkick. It was lovely skill for the first part though.
21 min Origi has a goal disallowed for a foul on Miller. It was the right decision.
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20 min Plymouth drove 293 miles just to park the bus. You can’t blame them I suppose, but at the moment it’s painfully one-sided.
17 min McCormick makes a good save to deny Woodburn. He was found on the left of the box by Can and dragged the ball confidently away from Songo’o, but McCormick was out smartly to narrow the angle and block Woodburn’s toepoke.
15 min Can’s free-kick is headed away by Bradley, lurking in no man’s land between the wall and the keeper. The loose ball is headed back towards Ojo, who misses a great chance from six yards. He didn’t make proper contact with his header and it went straight into the ground before bouncing up into the hands of McCormick.
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14 min Liverpool’s kids are enjoying a training session in front of 50,000 people. Now they have a free-kick just outside the D after Carey hoofs Stewart in the gut. Can and Moreno are debating who should take it...
13 min “Shocking lack of respect by Klopp for this venerable competition,” says Lou Roper. “His selection of Moreno must warrant a fine.”
Honk! Ho-honk!
12 min Stewart breaks into space before dragging a shot well wide from 25 yards. It’s all been very nice from Plymouth so far: no strong challenges, no putting in the fahkin mixer. Liverpool have had 82 per cent of the possession.
10 min “Is this worrying for Liverpool?” says Simon Heseltine. I’m worried. Carmela is worried. Adriana is worried. But Liverpool? I don’t know.
9 min Plymouth’s first decent attack. Carey plays a nice pass -told you - to Slew, whose deep cross is only half cleared by Moreno. Jervis follows up the play on the edge of the area but overruns the ball and is dispossessed.
8 min Carey in midfield looks a fabulous player for Plymouth.
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7 min “Plymouth are a very decent side by League Two standards. In particular, Carey in midfield is a fabulous player,” says Dave Adams. “Certainly the most likely to be mentioned at half time by highly paid ‘experts’ who’ve never heard of him.”
6 min Plymouth have started cautiously, with Liverpool commandeering possession as a consequence. Alexander-Arnold’s dangerous cross from the right is headed away well by Bradley.
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4 min “And of course Argyle have Dundee United’s 2010 Scottish Cup Final goal scoring hero David Goodwillie on the bench,” says Simon McMahon. “Now the epitome of a journeyman, he was a real prospect at Tannadice, pacy, direct, a good finisher who scored some spectacular goals. The Cup Final one will forever be etched in my memory. Happy days.”
Actually, while you’re here, can you recommend any long articles/books on McLean’s team? I’d love to read more about them, Milne, Roma, the finger and the rest.
3 min Alexander-Arnold surges down the right to win the first corner of the match. Moreno’s inswinger is half cleared to Stewart, whose shot is blocked; and then three-quarters cleared to Ejaria, who shoots wide from 25 yards.
2 min “I still managed a soupçon of excitement seeing Liverpool’s Nextgen team, though in reality it was more a synaptic memory of an enthusiasm born in the days of listening on the radio as reports came of a young tyro called Owen,” says Ian Copestake. “Now I fully expect most of these prospects to go the route of Tiago Ilori and be sold off for a tenner and some zigzag papers.”
1 min Peep peep! Liverpool, in red, kick off from right to left. Plymouth are in green.
We hate it when our erstwhile colleagues become successful
My life has been leading to this moment https://t.co/6fLmXwE0Xc
— Josh Widdicombe (@joshwiddicombe) January 7, 2017
“Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “So, a much-changed Liverpool against a confident team going well in their own division, with nothing to lose. As you say, wouldn’t be a total shock. Not like somebody giving up the booze for a whole year.”
One week down, 30931200 seconds of existential desperation to go. (And thank you so much to all who have donated so far.)
A reminder of our youngest-ever line-up! #LIVPLY pic.twitter.com/gZdv6xYfka
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 8, 2017
Liverpool 368-160 Plymouth That’s the total of the squad numbers in each starting XI, which reflects the changes made by Jurgen Klopp.
An email! “Are you implying that the League Cup has become more important than the FA Cup?” says Joseph Talbot. “Or just that it’s a shorter route to silverware...”
Yeah all I meant was that it’s a shorter route when you are already in the semis. That said, these days I don’t think there’s a huge amount between them in terms of perceived importance. Also, if Liverpool win the League Cup this year they will probably do so by beating Manchester United in the football, which would make it significantly more valuable.
Team news
Liverpool (4-3-3) Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lucas, Gomez, Moreno; Stewart, Can, Ejaria; Ojo, Woodburn, Origi.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Klavan, Clyne, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Sturridge.
Plymouth McCormick; Miller, Songo’o, Bradley, Purrington; Threlkeld, Fox; Carey; Jervis, Garita, Slew.
Substitutes: Bulviss, Smith, Goodwillie, Osborne, Rooney, Borel, Tanner.
Referee Paul Tierney.
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Preamble
Hello. It’s inconceivable that a manager as genial as Jurgen Klopp will leave Liverpool without winning trophies, so it’s likely he’ll end at least one of two droughts. We know about the big one, no league title since 1990, but Liverpool have quietly gone 11 years since they last won the FA Cup. That’s a long time in Liverpool years. It’s not their priority this season, at least not yet, but they will aim to stay in the competition for as long as possible while the bigger picture – their chances in the Premier League and the League Cup – becomes clearer.
Plymouth have bigger priorities too. They are second in League Two, aiming to achieve promotion after losing in the play-offs in the last two seasons. But a first ever FA Cup match against Liverpool is a pleasant distraction. Klopp will make a few changes today – he told me on Whatsapp last night – so a shock is not entirely beyond the realms.
Kick off is at 1.30pm.
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Rob will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Paul MacInnes on the match:
It will not be the most important game in Plymouth Argyle’s history. That was the 3-2 victory over Swansea in April 1953 that sealed fourth place in what is now the Championship, Argyle’s highest league finish. Or perhaps it was in 1973 when Pelé came to Home Park with Santos, and lost. This is not even their most important modern fixture, given that last summer Argyle reached the League Two play-off final. But, still, Liverpool at Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup? You’re not going to forget it, are you?
So how does a Pilgrim approach this big match, the glamour tie, a potential Cup upset? David Fox knows better than most. He played against Liverpool for Norwich City who snatched a Premier League draw back in 2011. Now anchoring Plymouth’s midfield alongside Graham Carey, Fox knows that Anfield can be a different experience altogether. “We played in the early evening under the lights and it was the best atmosphere I’ve experienced,” the 33-year-old says. “When the Kop are singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, well you can see it on the telly but when you’re out there on the pitch … wow.”
