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Top 10 most memorable moments from the last 10 years

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Liverpool Man UtdWATCHING Liverpool FC and supporting them through thick and thin has given me so many memories down the years – some good, some bad. Sustained success has become increasingly rare at Anfield and the club has even had more managers than won trophies since 2003.

Still, the Reds have claimed some illustrious pieces of silverware, winning them in the most dramatic fashion, providing moments that will live with us forever, whilst other, lesser celebrated incidents caused endless amusement.

I don’t pretend that this is the definitive list of memorable moments from the last ten years, but it is mine – warts and all.

The club has brought me so much to celebrate in the past decade but I chose the following because they stood out for me. What stood out for you?

10. Jamie Carragher’s studs making Nani cry like a baby.

I’m sorry but I had to throw this one in because it is one of my guilty pleasures. Nani has always been one of my least favourite players and this incident, although not destined to live in the annals of Liverpool FC, gave me such Schadenfreude that I couldn’t leave it off my personal list.

His melting into a puddle of tears when he saw his own blood was truly a sight to behold.

9. Jonjo Shelvey telling Ferguson to shut his gob.

Finally, someone stood up to the most cynical and influential man who ever controlled the FA and intimidated its officials. After a challenge in which, at worst, both players should have been sent-off for, Ferguson’s intervention exonerated Johnny Evans and had Shelvey dismissed for a dangerous challenge.

Although the pictures clearly showed Evans sliding in with the studs of both boots showing, the decision went overwhelmingly in Man Utd’s favour.

8. The Ghost goal.

In the 2004/5 UEFA Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, Luis García’s disputed goal sent the Reds on to the final. Mourinho was beside himself and described it as “a goal that came from the moon”.

The referee was later to state that, had he not been convinced by the reaction of his assistant that a goal had been scored, he would have awarded a penalty kick for an infraction on the play (and sent Petr Cech off for the foul), so chances are that Liverpool would have won in any case.

One can only hope that we score something similar in the coming season to watch the ‘Special One’ come apart on the touch line. This one goes in my scrapbook next to Ryan Babel’s picture of Howard Webb in a Man Utd shirt.

7. Kenny Dalglish’s first day coaching Liverpool again.

The atmosphere seemed magical (as it had been for the return of Robbie Fowler in 2006) when King Kenny stepped onto the field at Anfield as interim coach.

His introduction seemed to usher in a more exciting style of play than we had become used to under both Roy Hodgson and Rafa Benitez. Although the club was without depth because of the turmoil created by Hicks and Gillette, the team seemed to want to play for the legend and it showed in their liveliness and invention on the pitch.

6. Fernando Torres’ first Anfield goal, 2007.

Nando scored some amazing goals in his relatively brief stay at Anfield; one of my favourites was his debut goal in his debut appearance against Chelsea.

Having been sent in on a brilliant pass from Stevie G at midfield, Torres’ huge strides and artful ball control easily took him past the last defender and left the aforementioned Petr Cech with no chance. It was a sign of things to come.

5. Xabi Alonso long range on 20 September 2006 vs. Newcastle.

In response to reporter’s suggestions that there was an element of luck involved in a goal that had the ball travelling 70 yards from his own side of the pitch, Alonso replied that he always rehearsed the long strike in practice and this, being his second consecutive long range effort that struck the goal, was merely the fruit of his hard work.

Forever after, when faced with a large opening around midfield, Xabi would hear the cry of “Shooot!” and a snigger rising from the Anfield faithful.

4. March 2011 Suarez sets up Kuyt against Man Utd.

The moves that Suarez put on the Man Utd defenders before slipping the ball to Dirk Kuyt were pure magic. To remind myself of the details, I went to Youtube and watched it again a dozen times. The man’s ball handling skills are so sublime and so brilliant that it takes one’s breath away.

3. Suarez over the shoulder trap and goal, 4/11/12 Newcastle.

One of the best goals, if not the best, of 2012 was Luis’ goal against Newcastle. He beat Coloccini to a long arching ball, trapped it with his shoulder/chest, brought it down to his feet, slewed it around Krul and guided it into the net.

He was so dominant in the game and made Collicini look so ordinary that the Newcastle defender kicked out at him in an outrageous foul later in the game and was sent-off.

2. FA Cup final Liverpool 3-3 West Ham (13/05/2006).

As in the Champions League final at Istanbul the previous year, things were not going well for the Reds as they were two goals down to a recently promoted West Ham side.

Liverpool managed to fight their way back to 2-2 but West Ham were fighting hard to win the FA Cup.

Paul Konchesky (remember him?) put the Hammers in front and things looked bleak for the Reds until the Gerrard equalized in time added on.

Reina was a wall in the shootout, but it was our captain in his iron will and refusal to be beaten that should be given the credit for this victory and so many others.

1. Istanbul.

The classic of classics. I watched this game with a ragtag group of Liverpool supporters at an English pub in Canada. We arrived early to keep the Italian fans from the choice seats (most of them were across town in the Italian quarter in any case), ordered our beer and chips, and cheered the team through the first-half with diminishing faith in a positive outcome.

The second-half seemed to find the lads with a spring in their step and as our fortunes rose, so did the animation of the patrons and the noise. And the Italians were more and more quietly distraught.

Somehow we knew that we would win the shootout (although Shevchenko gave us a scare) and when Dudek again blocked Sheva in the shootout, the place went mad. For me, the game was doubly memorable because I watched it with my son.

I challenge you to watch this clip without tears and a smile.

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Retired High School English teacher. Coached high school football (soccer) and basketball. Played football (soccer) in high school and at university. Live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with my wife and 2 cats. Have been a Liverpool fan since we started receiving broadcasts in Canada. Love to golf and read Terry Pratchett.

6 comments

  • CHUKWUEMEKA says:

    ISTANBUL GLORY is always lfc. suarez celebration against everton (dive in front of moyes) and his drible after the 8 match ban against manure (making evra slam into ferdinand like a raging bull after a couple of nutmegs) deserves a worthy mention. YNWA

  • CHUKWUEMEKA says:

    beating madrid home and away nd creating a theatre if nightmares for man u at their own by wining 4-1 with web in the middle of the park was wonderful.

  • Gthor says:

    What about the 1-2 for Liverpool fc vs. Barca at Camp Nou. Riise and Bellamy scoring 1 each.

  • Higgs Boson says:

    Gerrards screamer in the CL against Olympiacos in the 85 minute has to be in there. Crazy stuff leaving that one out!!!

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