If you missed the sign out front indicating Epilogue was for Liverpool supporters only, you couldn’t miss the other clues on display as you entered. Patrons clad in red, a collection of the most recent kits worn by the Mighty Reds. Posters and signed jerseys hung from the wall. Liverpool pint glasses are stacked neatly behind the bar. Graphics from The Anfield Wrap hang from the doors along a back corridor.

I had a choice to make, and it was one that would affect the direction of this piece. I could continue the night’s festivities and end up with something akin to Hunter S. Thompson’s essay on the Kentucky Derby. While it would probably have made for a great story, I didn’t believe it was in my best interests to roll those dice here in Beijing.

One of the few remaining neighborhood grounds, it’s not like any of the modern stadiums being built nowadays. Nestled snugly within the confines of a tightly fitting neighborhood, space is definitely a scarce commodity. All of which provides a character more akin to Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. After your ticket is scanned, you walk up a narrow set of stairs to your section. But at the landing, you’re greeted by the concession area, which itself is equally lacking in space. The tight confines add to the charm though. Fans accommodate each other and are gracious when shoulders and bodies inevitably collide.

Fans, like myself, looking for a response, saw one. The Mighty Reds looked to have done a complete 180 from the performance against Brighton—and much of the rest of the season as well. They were competent, confident, and all-conquering.

What’s the point of fandom if you’re only on board when it’s easy? Liverpool’s rough start to the season certainly engenders some despair, but if we were honest, we saw this coming last season.

When defenders go to ground, they know there are only three outcomes. A foul, the attacker gets by, or they win the ball. In the match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool this past Sunday, the match official got it right.