More than a game. More than a storm.
It’s always a balance as a football writer commenting on the disgraceful/enjoyable scenes of mayhem at the end of an epic game. It’s impossible to propagate an argument that the modern player doesn’t care and then mount a high horse when players have a tear-up protecting their clubs after the final whistle.
Curtis Jones, the home-grown Liverpool midfielder, tore after Abdoulaye Doucoure as the Everton attacking midfielder celebrated their late, late goal in front of the Liverpool fans at Goodison Park. Jones was enraged that Doucoure should taunt the visitors, his people, and the Toxteth-born 24-year-old doubtless had friends in there. Doucoure, for his part, had received some stick and felt like giving some back, throwing in some gloating over the result for good measure. It was needless, provocative and entirely in keeping with the Derby dynamic. The Goodison, the bedlam and the ugly scenes.
The knot of tension tightened further by the VAR check on James Tarkowski’s goal ensured an almighty release of steam like an angry kettle when the goal was confirmed. Moments later, as chaos reigned at the final whistle, Jones and Doucoure had to be separated. Both received second yellows and now have this weekend in the stands to reflect on the errors of their ways, or maybe to take quiet pride in their gut reactions. They responded like fans rather than professionals. Emotional.
The problem in the modern age when poison has a platform is that in-stadium conflict doesn’t stay within those four stands. Doucoure now endures racist abuse on social media. Once again, the tech companies are too slow to intercept vile messages and emojis. Everton and Liverpool issued a joint statement condemning the abuse, saying they will work with Merseyside police to try to identify the bigots and adding that “platforms need to take accountability and actions to ban such abusers”.
Football is best when it has an edge, triggering emotions, but that always risks tipping over the edge into toxicity and abuse. Inside the stadium, the drama was briefly ugly, especially with fans invading the pitch, and police having to come on. Z Cars at the start of the game and the boys in blue scrambled at the end. How very Goodison.
As a television viewing spectacle, I imagine TNT Sport’s audience stayed strong longer. Rio Ferdinand was almost giving a running commentary on the incidents from the gantry. The coverage in print mixed criticism of some behaviour, lighting the blue touchpaper, and red, with revelling in the passion pouring forth.