Liverpool Play American Football

Liverpool were being thoroughly outplayed in the first half. Arsenal, although, not creating many chances, were certainly dominating possession, and you felt that if things stayed the same way, Arsenal would find a way to unlock the Liverpool defence.

Roy Hodgson, the wily old manager that he is, thought of an unorthodox yet brilliant plan. He told Joe Cole to sacrifice himself.

After Joe Cole got sent off, the timid, fearful Liverpool finally came to life. They got a goal through some egg nogg and went ahead. While Arsenal, so comfortable in the first half, looked rattled. Hodgson's gamble had worked.

Then Liverpool did something strange. They started playing a type of American football. They would get the ball, move up ten yards, play would stop, then they'd start again . They did this by sending the ball down the wings and looking for throw-ins and freekicks and corners.

This worked as well to confuse Arsenal (they kept shooting over the bar thinking that'll get them points) and ruin their rhythm with all the starting and stopping.

Liverpool also tried some unorthodox time-wasting tactics (a certain slug must be envious) where their players would fall down and pretend to be blind. It all might have worked to give Liverpool the three points, if it weren't for Jose Reina.

Jose Reina, the nice guy that he is, decided that Chamakh's header deserved a goal, and threw the ball into his own net as it came off the post.

Soon the final whistle was blown, but Liverpool wanted to continue and play over-time. The referee, finally showing some sense, wouldn't allow it.

In the end, it was a draw both teams will not be unhappy with.