Was it a cross? Was it a shot?
It doesn’t matter. It was beautiful.
That’s the word Willian used to describe his ... “shot” ... that earned Chelsea a share of the spoils at Anfield on Saturday. When I see it, it looks like an obvious cross intended for the far post runners (Morata and Alonso). But who am I to disagree with the man himself?
Here he is claiming the goal on BBC’s Match of the Day...
The big question... was it a shot?@willianborges88 knows... #CFC #LIVCHE #MOTD pic.twitter.com/b9DGm91Yza
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) November 25, 2017
...then doing the same on Chelsea TV, though failing to keep a straight face. “Too much quality!”
Willian on his wonder goal tonight @NiiNiiFC @youneshh @Laus1507 @BreatheChels @cobhamblues @cfc_wale pic.twitter.com/aEyDo8NiRG
— Dumi (@mynameisdumi) November 25, 2017
Jokes aside, it was precisely what the doctor ordered, though perhaps the doctor should’ve ordered it a bit sooner. It took Willian just barely two minutes to make the telling difference — lucky or not — taking his tally to three goals and two assists in the span of four days, having now had a hand in each of the five goals Chelsea scored in the last two games
The goal not only brightened our day but ruined someone else’s, and just like there is always money in the banana stand, there is always joy to be taken from someone’s (sporting) misery.
“We did well. We were the clear [sic], more active team. We did well and scored a wonderful goal and had more chances. It was a perfect night for us. The atmosphere was great and everything was really good… until Willian made a cross. That is the problem of the night.”
-Jürgen Klopp; source: talkSport
To his credit, Klopp, like Conte, praised the players for the intense battle after a grueling week and, also like Conte, felt that his team played well enough to win all three points. And in fairness, neither head coach is completely wrong; both sides played well, both sides were disappointed, both sides made sloppy errors, both sides were happy to not lose, both sides showed tremendous strengths and weaknesses, both sides got lucky, both sides “deserved” more. All of which adds up to a very good game of football to watch, if perhaps not as an invested fan on either side.
“After a week like this (long trips away in the Champions League) we have both had, it was one of the better draws I've seen in my life.”
-Jürgen Klopp; source: BBC
Here’s Klopp’s post-match interview with the BBC which has now been used for sensationalist headlines about Klopp “taking aim” at Conte’s tactics (how DARE he use EIGHT “defenders”!), but should instead be watched for his perspective on the result and the credit he gives both teams after a hard-fought battle, as all good sportsmen should.