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Liverpool FC  Mersey memories Article


Barnes stormer is real entertainment

Sep 29 2005

Post Past by Sean Joseph Liverpool supporter, Daily Post

 

John Barnes in action for Liverpool

IT sometimes seems like more than 15 years, but there was a time when Liverpool were the standard bearers of English football.

And on an October day in 1990, Kenny Dalglish's side showed an expensively-assembled Chelsea just what was needed to win the championship.

It may seem like some sort of role reversal for younger readers, but when former Liverpool player Bobby Campbell brought his Chelsea pretenders to Anfield it was Liverpool who were champions.

Liverpool who were top of the table. And Liverpool who allowed Chelsea plenty of possession, but who showed clinical finishing to keep them ahead of the chasing pack.

Andy Townsend was Chelsea's new man in the midfield that year. And while he saw plenty of the ball, he finished the day with nothing.

John Barnes was the main reason why Liverpool won, as he set up both goals early on before being forced off with a hamstring injury.

Barnes had been a revelation in his first three years at Anfield, but slowly injuries took their toll before he reinvented himself as a central midfielder.

But against Chelsea that day he was the swashbuckling winger who was worth the admission fee on his own.

While the ultra cautious Premiership prefers just one up front these days, Barnes made it virtually a three-man attack with Ian Rush and Peter Beardsley.

It took Barnes just four minutes to set Liverpool on their way. His pinpoint cross allowed Rush to open the scoring. Then after 17 minutes he did what only he could, he mesmerised three defenders before delivering another perfect cross for Steve Nicol to head home. It was the Scot-man's 50th Liverpool strike.

And while there was plenty more entertaining attacking football it ended in a 2-0 home win. Thanks chiefly to Bruce Grobbelaar, who did what only he could do, an acrobatic save to deny Townsend, who thought the ball had crossed the line.

 

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