Sport Liverpool Football Club

[larrydavidsanger]

Ahh well, things didn't go right for us but it was a close match. In extra time I went from "Oh fuck" when Essien scored to "FUCKING YES!!!! OFFSIDE!!!!" to "Oh fuck! Penalty" to actually feeling sick when they put in their 3rd and got a big "Cheerio! Cheerio! Cheerio!" from all the Chelsea cunts when I left the bar before 2nd half of injury time

Anyone got a gif of Gerrard cleaning out toad of toad hall to cheer me up?

[Nate Dogg III]

One thing about Chelsea I don't understand is all the praise Ballack has been getting recently, I mean the guy has been a passer by for most of the games i've seen. Ok he scored a header and penalty against United, but his contribution during the 90 minutes was nothing out of the ordinary. Don't get me wrong, scoring two goals was obviously important, but i've seen nothing in his normal play to suggest he's in 'amazing form' and the 'reason for Chelsea's resurgence.' A stat from the UCL semi-final first leg said he had only 13/14 successful passes, less than half of our full back who went off injured.

He has this incredibly lazy way of playing - he gives the impression of just strolling around flicking a leg out when he can be arsed but he actually does a lot more. As evidenced last night when they brought up the distance covered stats and he'd done 15km or something.

He's certainly nothing like the classic English box-to-box midfielder who's sprinting all over the place and pinging 50-yard passes about, getting himself noticed, but his movement is fantastic, his passing is exquisite and he's cool as a fucking cucumber. He had a poor season last year, cosmetically his performances this season have been near identical but he's producing a lot more.

[ras el hanout]

Anyone got a gif of Gerrard cleaning out toad of toad hall to cheer me up?

Grant was very gracious about us after the game and was wearing a holocaust day black armband. That's why seeing him bundled over wasn't that great to me.

[dogsout]

Torres certainly didn't show any visual signs of an injury and in any case, it's essentially the last 15 minutes of your season, what is there to save him for? Give it ten minutes. The guy had already shown earlier in the game that he only needs one half chance and two touches to make a difference and I'd have left him on for sure and brought Babel on for a defender. Obviously I'm not Liverpool manager.

It was his hamstring. Why leave him on if he's unable to run? He told Spanish radio after the game that he told Rafa at the end of normal time and Rafa said he'd give him 5 minutes. This is such a non story I can't believe it's being discussed.

[dogsout]

I am picking this up from the Chelsea thread, as I would prefer to reply here. Sorry if this is bad manners or something. I think this is clearly rubbish. As soon as it went 1-1 for the next 10-15 or so minutes it looked like there would be only one winner - we had the momentum and continued pressing.

Chelsea composed themsleves and then pressed forward again in the last 5-10 minutes mainly bouyed by that amazing Essien run. Then right from the start of the first half of extra time it was open with good attacking play from Liverpool until your goal knocked our confidence.

That's the way I saw it too. We had much more of the ball after we scored and bossed the game for most of the remainder of normal time. As I said yesterday, the small details cost us in the end.

[rjpageuk]

I'm feeling all right this morning, compared to last week when I was acting like I was in mourning for days. I decided I couldn't affect the result, but I could try to change how I felt about it.

I am feeling ok about it too, I felt like the team gave it their best shot but it just wasnt to be.

It is a much better feeling than weakly limping out against Benfica in 2006.

[Dandy_Sephy]

I'm pretty glad I was working as I'd have had a heart attack watching this! I'm most likely working nights the week of the final so in a way I'm glad I won't need to worry about missing it. A good run from the boys considering how weak our group games were much of the time.

[Dandy_Sephy]

I would say AVRAMLOL but given that he's in the final...

[Spudulis]

Indeed he is! As I said earlier I really dont think it helped Skrtel going off injured as he coped with Drogba in the first leg better than Carragher and Hyypia have at any point in any other game against him.

I said it after the first leg but I think its probably worth repeating. Skrtel handles Drogba better than pretty much any defender I've seen him play against. He was a big loss to you last night.

[V3zna]

I said it after the first leg but I think its probably worth repeating. Skrtel handles Drogba better than pretty much any defender I've seen him play against. He was a big loss to you last night.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, Skrtel and Agger are our first choice centerback pairing (when the big Dane gets fit some year). Carragher and Hyypia are squad players from here on in. Big, pacey, versatile centerbacks that can bring the ball out at their feet are the way to go.

[Sportello]

But HAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU LOST HAHAHAHAHAHAHA isn't really my cup of tea. You should see how much Cal sticks it to me in the Celtic v Rangers debate whenever Celtic drop points, but we don't go around calling each other 'wankers' or 'sticking the knife' in each others backs it's all part of the eb and flow.

How would we know - you're never here...

[Paradigm]

I did have to laugh when all the so called 'experts' were saying he wouldn't make TWENTY goals this season, as he was less of a direct player than someone like Crouch.

Massive lolz.

He was bought to be the predatory outlet, but all the 'experts' had seen was him foraging and doing the leg work at Athletico since he was a nipper and read the stats. I don't think he would be a success at any other club.

31 goals, 22 in the league. Imagine if he was played every game?

I put him in my fantasy team and said he'd bang loads in. What do I win?

As a neutral extra time was really exciting, but when that penalty was given and Lampard stepped up I really wanted him to score. Under the circumstances, to be able to put that in, was pretty amazing. Really good show from both teams though, all in all, and seemed like a fair game of football overall.

[larrydavidsanger]

Not a .gif... but :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkGzaoj6DuY

It's the way he doesn't know what to do with his hands afterwards that makes me laugh the most, he's probably thinking "Fuck another gif of me waving my arms about like I've no control over them"

I've said this before and I'll say it again, Skrtel and Agger are our first choice centerback pairing (when the big Dane gets fit some year). Carragher and Hyypia are squad players from here on in. Big, pacey, versatile centerbacks that can bring the ball out at their feet are the way to go.

Skrtel just gets better and better every time I see him, great signing, I definitely agree

[V3zna]

Carra only a squad player?

Yep. Skrtel and Agger should be our first choice centerbacks. We also need to invest in more attack minded fullbacks.

[camps]

After Riise's showings this season a decent defensive minded full back wouldn't go amiss either

[V3zna]

After Riise's showings this season a decent defensive minded full back wouldn't go amiss either

I've banged on about Insua for the past season or two but it's fair to say his strength is going forward rather than defending. Riise's just been shown up as a severely limited footballer especially now that we've got the best squad we've had in years.

[Commander Jameson]

My worry about Insua is that he has hardly ever played, even though a lot of people rate him highly and despite having the enormous drag factor that is JAR. If he plays in the last two league games (maybe along with Plessis and Nemeth), I'd feel a lot better about his prospects as a first team player.

[ras el hanout]

But it's no good putting these players in a weakened team, you know? Like it's not good throwing these players into whatever B team we field for the last few games while resting Gerrard and Torres and the big guns. Because if we get battered they'll feel like shits.

I don't know much about our reserves but surely to fuck we must have somebody better than JAR who's been a tremendous servant for the club and who I hope that own goal isn't going to be his parting shot.

I hope we buy Henry and Luis Garcia this summer. And somebody like Evra.

[rjpageuk]

Maybe we will see Carragher on the right more often once Agger is back?

[ras el hanout]

Maybe we will see Carragher on the right more often once Agger is back?

I hope not, it's terrible to say but he looked shot this season. Absolutely fantastic defender but nowadays defenders need more than that. The funny thing is the very rare, VERY RARE occassions he does rampage forward he's actually quite good, but after 10 years it's obvioulsy just not in his DNA.

[Takizawa]

It's funny how Carragher is now our worse centre back, you guys are mad! Just because he hasn't the strength to deal with a Drogba on a rare occasion doesn't mean he's still not the amazing figure who saves Liverpool time and time again at the back, i'd be severely worried if he wasn't at the heart of our defence next year. How many times does Carra make crucial last minutes blocks/tackles/headers?

[V3zna]

I hope we buy Henry and Luis Garcia this summer. And somebody like Evra.

I'd take that. Plus Rafinha as our attacking right back.

[V3zna]

It's funny how Carragher is now our worse centre back, you guys are mad! Just because he hasn't the strength to deal with a Drogba on a rare occasion doesn't mean he's still not the amazing figure who saves Liverpool time and time again at the back, i'd be severely worried if he wasn't at the heart of our defence next year. How many times does Carra make crucial last minutes blocks/tackles/headers?

We didn't say he was our worst centerback. He's a fantastic old school defender but in the modern game we need a bit more than that. We have two centerbacks in Agger and Skrtel that are pacey and more importantly distribute the ball well from the back. There's far too much long ball being played when Carra and Hyypia are at the back.

[ras el hanout]

Hypia is actually fanatastic on the ball, I've always thought. He's just too flipping old now. I mean, I'd take a 23 year old Hypia for next season.

[Commander Jameson]

Regardless of his previous outstanding contributions, Carragher has been poor this season. Whether it was the lost of Agger and/or the time it took Sami to get back into form, I don't know. But whilst Sami has regained form amazingly over latter part of the season, Carragher still gives me the shakes. There have been far too many of his "pulls" in the box; quite a few that we have gotten away with. Assuming Agger's injury clears up, I can see Agger and Skrtel as our first choice centre-back pair next season, with Carra and Sami as back-ups.

For next season, I think we need two attacking full-backs, one top quality winger and cover for Torres and Reina.

Rafa has mentioned three players arranged already, one for the first team and two youngsters. I've heard some names being bandied around (Degen as RB, Barry as LM/LB), but nothing concrete yet.

[ras el hanout]

Bentley would be good.

[V3zna]

Hypia is actually fanatastic on the ball, I've always thought. He's just too flipping old now. I mean, I'd take a 23 year old Hypia for next season.

He's an accomplished passer of the ball but takes the aerial route far too often. He's an Anfield legend but this is certainly his final season next term.

[V3zna]

Bentley would be good.

He's not one I would sign. Ask yourself is he good enough for any of our main three rivals? I don't think so.

[ras el hanout]

He's not one I would sign. Ask yourself is he good enough for any of our main three rivals? I don't think so.

I think he is! Arsenal are probably kicking themselves.

[Chewylegs]

Just want to say as I haven't been in this thread for a few days, well done to the lads for trying so damn hard on Wednesday. We just weren't good enough to go through this time

Talking about signings next year, we must replace Riise and get a very very good, already ready attacking full back. I do think Carragher has had a poor season by his standards but I'm not writing him off just yet. To be able to have Agger, Skrtel and Carragher as centre backs next season is just brilliant in my eyes. Hyypia as cover too.

Crouch is surely gone though ain't he? I think Riise, Voronin and Pennant may well follow him out the door as well. I suggest the greatest improved player next season will be Babel. I can really see him becoming the Henry type player that we all think he is capable of