Liverpool FC Forum

[112-1077774096]

peewee predicting future losses is negative. Nobody KNOWS whether we are going to win or not, and assuming that we wont is being negative. And it is just plain false to say that Rafa doesn't care about English football.  Tell me how Arsenal couldn't beat Wigan? Tell me how West Ham took 6 points of the mancs last season? I guess Ferguson has no interest in English Football.  Just look at our recent run of form IN THE LEAGUE dating back to the Sunderland match, winning at the bridge is nearly impossible and nobody has done it in a long time, and other than that, its been full points in the league since the start of February

and where are arsenal as we speak mate, look who won the league last season.

managers of both these clubs have an interest in the premier league, sure its hard to go every season unbeaten (although arsenal did do it), but look at us under rafa, every season out the league by xmas while going strong in europe.

so earlier i asked the question, how can we lose to barnsley, reading, west ham and yet beat inter twice.

are they all better than inter? are the bollox mate

the fact is rafa, after 4 years either doesnt know the english game, or has no real desire to win the league and focuses on europe, the league obviously means nothing to rafa

Jesus wept.

Using your 'logic', we could ask how the Mancs could lose to Coventry, Man City twice, West Ham, Bolton and Portsmouth and yet still manage to beat the French champions in Europe?  Is Lyon worse than those sides?

The only thing "obvious" in your statement is that you've got such a hate-on for Rafa that you've lost grip of reality.  Another fantastic result and all you can do is come on here and have a whinge.  Unreal. 

actually did you read my first post, probably not.

i said how good the performance was and simply pointed out how innefective one of our players was. but why let facts get in the way of b*tching eh bob?


as always on here a victory has to be greeted with rafa is god comments and how fantastic we are.

the fact is our performance tonight was superb, i am simply questioning why we can do this in europe and not in the league, i then respond to comments from others but sadly all the morons on here can only see 'peewee is whinging" and then start having a go about it.


grow up you lemons   

[Lando_Griffin]

I see the dickheads are out with a vengeance again...

A great display of containment football, with that man Torres again showing just how good he is.

For all that tw*t Interrrrrrr's pant-wetting over Ibrahimovic, he showed he's a nothing player with a heart the size of a weasel's wedding tackle.

Cruz is a dirty, diving Argie b*stard, and Mascher should nut the f*cker when they're next on International duty. C*nt.

As for the detractors who will use that oh-so-witty retort "But this result doesn't change the season" - you're a bit thick, really. Of course it f*cking does, you dim b*stards - if we hadn't won, we'd be out of the Champions' League now.

And the serial add-on "But it doesn't change previous results..." - no, you're correct.

But then, they don't affect THIS, either.

So stop your whining, stop your Rafa-bashing, and f*ck right off.

(And for those "I have every right to moan..." c*nts - get a life, you sad cockroaches. There's more to existence than being a boring, self-obsessed, negative boil on the anus of LFC Newkit.)

[112-1077774096]

peewee is a joke...even if we won all our games next season by 5goals he would find something to moan about...probally rafa`s hair or something
if we are so bad and other teams are so great you know what to do

he does look much fatter and older than in his first season     


seriously i do dislike beinitez for his stubbornness in persisting with something that doesn't work and i am annoyed with fans for missing the obvious about this. just my opinions and really i dont give two f*cks whether you agree with them or not, i want whats best for my club, in my opinion benitez is not that man

[Lando_Griffin]

Peewee has a point folks, it does make you wonder why Benitez brings Torres, Carra and Gerrard off IN AN ENGLISH LEAGUE GAME AGAINST READING WHEN WE'RE 3-0 DOWN, the game before Europe, yet with 20 minutes left when we're 3-0 up against Inter he leaves them on. Carra who only needed a yellow card to miss the opening leg of the quaters, Gerrard who'd been booked so was in danger of being sent off the way the ref was card happy and Torres who'd ran his socks off.

Against Reading none of them had been booked or were carrying knocks. Yet tonight he leaves them, when there was no way Inter would of scored four in 20 minutes, even if Carra, Gerrard and Torres had come off. It's decisions like this as to why I think he FAVOURS europe.

I don't agree with peewee that Benitez has no desire to succeed in England, because two domestic cup finals proves otherwise. I just don't think Benitez' mentality is yet right to deal with putting domestic form first and europe second. Europe always seems to come out on top for Benitez, but I think this is the wrong topic to be discussing it in, this should be left to tonights match alone, filled with praise that the lads (including Benitez) rightfully deserve.

They'd also done f*ck all for the 70 minutes they were on show.

[god_bless_john_houlding]

if we hadn't won, we'd be out of the Champions' League now.

So a draw of any result would of seen us knocked out? 1-0 to Inter and we'd be out I take it? 3-1 to Inter and we're out? 4-2 to Inter and we wouldn't be in Friday's draw?

Sorry couldn't resist. 

[Lando_Griffin]

if we hadn't won, we'd be out of the Champions' League now.

So a draw of any result would of seen us knocked out? 1-0 to Inter and we'd be out I take it? 3-1 to Inter and we're out? 4-2 to Inter and we wouldn't be in Friday's draw?

Sorry couldn't resist. 

2 legged tie mate. 

[god_bless_john_houlding]

Peewee has a point folks, it does make you wonder why Benitez brings Torres, Carra and Gerrard off IN AN ENGLISH LEAGUE GAME AGAINST READING WHEN WE'RE 3-0 DOWN, the game before Europe, yet with 20 minutes left when we're 3-0 up against Inter he leaves them on. Carra who only needed a yellow card to miss the opening leg of the quaters, Gerrard who'd been booked so was in danger of being sent off the way the ref was card happy and Torres who'd ran his socks off.

Against Reading none of them had been booked or were carrying knocks. Yet tonight he leaves them, when there was no way Inter would of scored four in 20 minutes, even if Carra, Gerrard and Torres had come off. It's decisions like this as to why I think he FAVOURS europe.

I don't agree with peewee that Benitez has no desire to succeed in England, because two domestic cup finals proves otherwise. I just don't think Benitez' mentality is yet right to deal with putting domestic form first and europe second. Europe always seems to come out on top for Benitez, but I think this is the wrong topic to be discussing it in, this should be left to tonights match alone, filled with praise that the lads (including Benitez) rightfully deserve.

They'd also done f*ck all for the 70 minutes they were on show.

Babel was man of the match against Barnsley yet got brought off, so it doesn't matter if you are playing well, Benitez still brings you off.

Kuyt did nothing against Villa in January (2-2 draw) but stayed on for 90 minutes. So again it doesn't make a blind bit of difference if you're playing well or badly, Benitez still brings you off.

It was simpley down to the fact we had a european tie coming up, which is why those subs were made agaisnt Reading. But during that game Lando, Gerrard managed to score or is that counting as nothing during the 70 minutes he was on the pitch?

[Bad Bob]

peewee predicting future losses is negative. Nobody KNOWS whether we are going to win or not, and assuming that we wont is being negative. And it is just plain false to say that Rafa doesn't care about English football.  Tell me how Arsenal couldn't beat Wigan? Tell me how West Ham took 6 points of the mancs last season? I guess Ferguson has no interest in English Football.  Just look at our recent run of form IN THE LEAGUE dating back to the Sunderland match, winning at the bridge is nearly impossible and nobody has done it in a long time, and other than that, its been full points in the league since the start of February

and where are arsenal as we speak mate, look who won the league last season.

managers of both these clubs have an interest in the premier league, sure its hard to go every season unbeaten (although arsenal did do it), but look at us under rafa, every season out the league by xmas while going strong in europe.

so earlier i asked the question, how can we lose to barnsley, reading, west ham and yet beat inter twice.

are they all better than inter? are the bollox mate

the fact is rafa, after 4 years either doesnt know the english game, or has no real desire to win the league and focuses on europe, the league obviously means nothing to rafa

Jesus wept.

Using your 'logic', we could ask how the Mancs could lose to Coventry, Man City twice, West Ham, Bolton and Portsmouth and yet still manage to beat the French champions in Europe?  Is Lyon worse than those sides?

The only thing "obvious" in your statement is that you've got such a hate-on for Rafa that you've lost grip of reality.  Another fantastic result and all you can do is come on here and have a whinge.  Unreal. 

actually did you read my first post, probably not.

i said how good the performance was and simply pointed out how innefective one of our players was. but why let facts get in the way of b*tching eh bob?


as always on here a victory has to be greeted with rafa is god comments and how fantastic we are.

the fact is our performance tonight was superb, i am simply questioning why we can do this in europe and not in the league, i then respond to comments from others but sadly all the morons on here can only see 'peewee is whinging" and then start having a go about it.


grow up you lemons   

Course I read your first post--it was the usual mix of guarded praise and sticking the boot in that we've all come to expect.  That's not what I'm calling you on.  I'm calling you on this ridiculous suggestion that Rafa doesn't have any interest in the league and somehow that losing to the likes of Barnsley, Reading and West Ham prove it.  If that's proof, then I guess Ferguson, Grant and even Wenger don't want to win the league either, seeing as they've all managed to crash out of the domestic cups to lesser competition and drop points in the league to weaker opponents too.  I used to think that was just football--silly me.

As for GBJH's point, I'd point out that Ferguson rested Ronaldo and Rooney away to Fulham ahead of their return leg with Lyon so let's not pretend it's only Rafa that cares about this Champions League lark, shall we?

[Toffeehater]

Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool
Scoring Summary
Inter Milan Liverpool
Fernando Torres (63)
Soccernet Store Podcast
Match Stats
Inter Milan Liverpool
Shots (on Goal) 13(2) 11(4)
Fouls 18 17
Corner Kicks 2 4
Offsides 2 2
Time of Possession 50% 51%
Yellow Cards 3 4
Red Cards 1 0
Saves 3 2
Match Information
Stadium: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Attendance: 80,000
Match Time: 19:45 UK

Click here
Teams
Inter Milan Liverpool
12 Julio César 25 Pepe Reina
26 Cristian Chivu 23 Jamie Carragher
13 Maicon 4 Sami Hyypia
16 Nicolas Burdisso 12 Fabio Aurelio
24 Nelson Rivas 37 Martin Skrtel
4 Javier Zanetti 8 Steven Gerrard
14 Patrick Vieira 19 Ryan Babel
5 Dejan Stankovic 20 Javier Mascherano
19 Esteban Cambiasso 21 Lucas
8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic 9 Fernando Torres
9 Julio Cruz 18 Dirk Kuyt
Substitutes
18 Hernán Crespo Peter Crouch 15
7 Luis Figo John Arne Riise 6
1 Francesco Toldo Jermaine Pennant 16
29 David Suazo Yossi Benayoun 11
28 Maniche Andriy Voronin 10
11 Luis Jimenez Alvaro Arbeloa 17
30 Pelé Charles Itandje 30
Substitutions
Pelé for Patrick Vieira (77)
Yossi Benayoun for Ryan Babel (61)
David Suazo for Zlatan Ibrahimovic (80)
John Arne Riise for Dirk Kuyt (81)
Luis Jimenez for Dejan Stankovic (84)
Jermaine Pennant for Javier Mascherano (88)
Yellow Cards
Nicolas Burdisso (34)
Ryan Babel (12)
Nelson Rivas (59)
Steven Gerrard (47)
Dejan Stankovic (73)
Fabio Aurelio (56)
Cristian Chivu (85)
Yossi Benayoun (74)
Red Cards
Nicolas Burdisso (50)

· Club Squads: Inter Milan | Liverpool

Updated: March 11, 2008, 6:02 PM ET
Fernando Torres struck yet again for Liverpool to send them into the Champions League quarter-finals after a 1-0 win at Inter Milan.

A stunned San Siro had seen their side reduced to 10 men in the second-half when Nicolas Burdisso was dismissed after a harsh second yellow card.

Marco Materazzi's red card changed the course of the first-leg at Anfield - and another Inter dismissal did the same here as the hosts fell to a 3-0 aggregate defeat.

Thirteen minutes later Torres finished the tie with his 26th goal of the season, scoring from the edge of the box from Fabio Aurelio's pass.

Jamie Carragher played his 100th European match - a new Liverpool record - at right-back to allow Sami Hyypia to return in the centre alongside Martin Skrtel.

Lucas Leiva played in central midfield in place of Xabi Alonso, who stayed on Merseyside to be with his pregnant girlfriend who had gone into labour, with Javier Mascherano also back after a groin problem and the pair turned in an outstanding defensive display.

For a while the gratitude Inter fans feel towards Liverpool shone through this vibrant, passionate occasion as a huge banner was hung above the 5,000 visiting contingent saying "Whatever happens, Istanbul 2005, thank you Liverpool'', in reference to that famous victory over hated rivals AC.

But once the banner was taken down the real battle began in an electric atmosphere amid deafening noise.

Inter were desperate for an early breakthrough and it almost came after eight minutes when Jose Reina made a fine save at full-stretch from Julio Cruz's drive from just outside the penalty area.

Crosses flew in, while a string of free-kicks were conceded too close to the box making Liverpool's task even more difficult.

Javier Zanetti was a constant threat down the left while Esteban Cambiasso followed Gerrard everywhere and still had time to keep Inter's play moving relentlessly forward.

Liverpool had their moments, though. One outstanding ball from deep by Fabio Aurelio sent Ryan Babel away behind Inter's defence and keeper Julio Cesar needed to rush out of his box to intervene.

Then a mistake by Cambiasso in his own box let in Torres, who side-stepped one defender and forced Cesar into a crucial block at his near post.

But Cruz should have scored after 30 minutes, racing on to an Ibrahimovic pass only to fire an angled shot just wide of the far post.

Maicon's error from a poor crossfield ball let in Kuyt but his low drive bounced back to him off Nelson Rivas and ricocheted behind.

It was left to Reina to end the first half with another fine save, diving backwards to hold a Cruz flick from Maicon's cross.

Gerrard was booked for a foul on Cambiasso but after 50 minutes Inter were reduced to 10 men when Burdisso received a second booking for a high tackle on Lucas.

Inter, who had Materazzi dismissed at Anfield, had to move Cristian Chivu into a central defensive role and push Zanetti back.

The tension was racked up and Aurelio was next into the book as Inter urged referee Tom Henning Ovrebo to produce cards for seemingly every Liverpool tackle.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic should have scored after an Aurelio error before Rivas was cautioned for body-checking Babel, who was soon to be replaced by Yossi Benayoun.

Inter were being stretched and after 63 minutes Liverpool scored the goal they so desperately needed.

Aurelio won possession on the left and surged forward, feeding Torres on the edge of the box. The Spaniard turned to fire a stunning shot inches inside Cesar's right-hand post to send the Red hordes behind the goal wild.

Dejan Stankovic and then Benayoun found themselves in the referee's book with former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira taken off after 76 minutes and replaced by Pele, the Portuguese 20-year-old.

John Arne Riise and Jermaine Pennant took over from Kuyt and Mascherano as Liverpool saw out time to claim the 12th European Cup quarter-final place in their history.

[greenred]

Fantastci result - though hay I expect that of Rafa's Reds !

Can see where Rafa is taking us - I hope some of you can too - 10pts of the pace and much more to come

er yeah right,

it will be exactly the same next season in the league, just as it has been for the last 4 seasons. rafa places his priorities in the CL and always will do, explain to me how we can beat inter and can't beat barnsley, west ham, reading etc etc etc

because he has no interest in english football, he has no clue about english football after nearly 4 years here.

sadly if we win the CL again this year this will buy him a stay of execution and we will meander on aimlessly again the league next season

I don't give a fuc.k about beating Barnsley.

Beating Inter Milan is what makes you the best team in Europe.

[god_bless_john_houlding]

As for GBJH's point, I'd point out that Ferguson rested Ronaldo and Rooney away to Fulham ahead of their return leg with Lyon so let's not pretend it's only Rafa that cares about this Champions League lark, shall we?

Yes Ferguson dropped his star players, FROM THE START. He didn't go and start them then give up on a match after an hour. In fact he brought Ronaldo and Rooney on in the match against Fulham which I presume is the game you're referring to, so United could try and add to their already 3-0 lead.

It's the fact that Benitez GAVE UP on that Reading match that pisses me off. If you're going to lose, then lose fighting, not happily give in.

[greenred]

peewee predicting future losses is negative. Nobody KNOWS whether we are going to win or not, and assuming that we wont is being negative. And it is just plain false to say that Rafa doesn't care about English football.  Tell me how Arsenal couldn't beat Wigan? Tell me how West Ham took 6 points of the mancs last season? I guess Ferguson has no interest in English Football.  Just look at our recent run of form IN THE LEAGUE dating back to the Sunderland match, winning at the bridge is nearly impossible and nobody has done it in a long time, and other than that, its been full points in the league since the start of February

and where are arsenal as we speak mate, look who won the league last season.

managers of both these clubs have an interest in the premier league, sure its hard to go every season unbeaten (although arsenal did do it), but look at us under rafa, every season out the league by xmas while going strong in europe.

so earlier i asked the question, how can we lose to barnsley, reading, west ham and yet beat inter twice.

are they all better than inter? are the bollox mate

the fact is rafa, after 4 years either doesnt know the english game, or has no real desire to win the league and focuses on europe, the league obviously means nothing to rafa

Jesus wept.

Using your 'logic', we could ask how the Mancs could lose to Coventry, Man City twice, West Ham, Bolton and Portsmouth and yet still manage to beat the French champions in Europe?  Is Lyon worse than those sides?

The only thing "obvious" in your statement is that you've got such a hate-on for Rafa that you've lost grip of reality.  Another fantastic result and all you can do is come on here and have a whinge.  Unreal. 

actually did you read my first post, probably not.

i said how good the performance was and simply pointed out how innefective one of our players was. but why let facts get in the way of b*tching eh bob?


as always on here a victory has to be greeted with rafa is god comments and how fantastic we are.

the fact is our performance tonight was superb, i am simply questioning why we can do this in europe and not in the league, i then respond to comments from others but sadly all the morons on here can only see 'peewee is whinging" and then start having a go about it.


grow up you lemons   

You are the kind of pathetic fukker that put me off this forum in the first place.No humour,no intelligence,no feedback.

[LFC2007]

Ferguson also rested Ronaldo for the Bolton game, which they lost, to keep him fresh for the midweek Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon.

Rafa doesn't favour Europe any more than his managerial counterparts.

If Ferguson was in the same position as Rafa was, with regards to the absolute necessity to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, I suspect he would also have taken off and rested his two most important players against Reading.

It's not necessarily what every Tom, Dick and Harry would've done, but it was understandable given the context of the situation and until you're in that position of having to win the next game or you lose your job (pressure of that nature), it's hard to say whether you'd have acted otherwise.

[Lando_Griffin]

As for GBJH's point, I'd point out that Ferguson rested Ronaldo and Rooney away to Fulham ahead of their return leg with Lyon so let's not pretend it's only Rafa that cares about this Champions League lark, shall we?

Yes Ferguson dropped his star players, FROM THE START. He didn't go and start them then give up on a match after an hour. In fact he brought Ronaldo and Rooney on in the match against Fulham which I presume is the game you're referring to, so United could try and add to their already 3-0 lead.

It's the fact that Benitez GAVE UP on that Reading match that pisses me off. If you're going to lose, then lose fighting, not happily give in.

What you're suggesting is silly, given the situation.

Rafa can't win, can he? He plays a strong side with the "untouchables" on from the start.

We go 3-0 down.

20 minutes left. Does he:

a.) Leave the ineffectual "untouchable" players on, despite us having a make-or-break tie in 3 days' time, risking their fitness,

b.) Change them and hope the new blood can get somethign from the game?

Bear in mind that he was going to be sacked had we lost in Europe.

Only a complete tit would fail to see why Rafa did what he did.

[JoeTerp]

we don't need to beat Inter to know that we are a better side than Reading. In football, the best team does not always show up and even sometimes when they do, they don't win, it just happens sometimes, that is what makes the sport exciting. our blips have been too lengthly and have occurred to frequently this season, that is why we are not in the hunt for the title, it has nothing to do with Rafa having no desire to win the league. Rafa has a desire to win BOTH competitions, and given the nature of the Champions League, any slip ups and you are out, and typically it is against much tougher opposition in much more foreign grounds, so given the fact that we have a team of considerable quality and depth when compared to the smaller clubs of the premier league, it would make sense to play some of the more fringe players who are STILL better than the players they are lining up against.