John Giles is not impressed: Liverpool vs Southampton, March 1990
An important win for Liverpool, maybe, but Johnny Giles didn't say what he was thinking: that they'd have never been happy with that at Leeds.
In 2020 Liverpool and Leeds United are trying to repeat the First and Second Division title one-two of 1990, back when it wasn't June and they weren't the only divisions playing.
The coronavirus has interrupted present day progress but back in March 1990 Liverpool's serene advance was being threatened at Anfield by Southampton Football Club. And by comedians Hale and Pace, who made their ghostly presence felt near the end of the first half when the transmission to Ireland got scrambled and their faces got on the screen. RTE sprang an apology photo while somebody adjusted the aerial.
The score at the break was 1-1, but the away team's one wasn't being put down to the talent of Rod Wallace, playing up front with tall target Paul Rideout, or young Matthew Le Tissier in slippers on the wing. Hale and Pace were the spectres on the screen; in the commentary box, Johnny Giles was sabre-toothed.
"You've got to win games like these," he told Liverpool. "If they win the title this season it will be with the worst attitude I've seen from a Liverpool side."
Beside him, George Hamilton agreed. "Ian Rush has done what he did for Wales against Ireland at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday," he said. "Nothing!"
When Ray Houghton's free-kick was headed in from behind the penalty spot by John Barnes, it felt like the first successful play the reds managed in the first fifteen minutes. The midweek internationals were given as a reason for Liverpool's dire start, but Giles wouldn't let it stand as an excuse.
"At Leeds, if lads had played during the week, this was typical of the way they started," he said. "It takes one or two of the senior players to say, let's sharpen up."