Liverpool FC Forum

[Emerald Red]

I just watched that clip on Youtube! WOW! I'm aghast at such verbal diorhia. These two need heckled and abused. I'd spit at em in the street for talking so much tripe.

Besides--and I say this, in all honesty, meaning no offence to our Irish members on this board but--since when were the Irish the standard-bearers for beautiful pass-and-move football?

None taken, and you're absolutely 110% correct. I'm Irish myself, and what I've heard off these two, believe me, won't go down too well with the support here!!!

[account deleted by request]

So what those Paddy's said in a way may have been slightly true.

I'm Irish and I'm not quite sure what way to take that. Usually the term "Paddy" or "Mick" is regarded as a racial slur.

I'm new to these forums and I'm hoping it's a hospitable place.

Now, regarding Duncy's comments on RTE, well, what do you expect? I'm not surprised. In fact, I'd be surprised if any of the pundits even know what day of the week it is, or even where they are, when they are sitting in those chairs making those comments. They have been sucking Mancunian for years now, and it's not about to stop any time soon either. I wouldn't take heed of anything that comes out of their mouths as it tends to be just gibberish of the highest kind, and sometimes even comical.

I didn't write that, I just posted it on behalf of  Bamaga man, however I don't consider "Paddy or Mick" a racial slur, Its not exactly offensive (or maybe thats just me?)

Anyway, no offence intended I am sure, and welcome to the forum 

[Emerald Red]

So what those Paddy's said in a way may have been slightly true.

I'm Irish and I'm not quite sure what way to take that. Usually the term "Paddy" or "Mick" is regarded as a racial slur.

I'm new to these forums and I'm hoping it's a hospitable place.

Now, regarding Duncy's comments on RTE, well, what do you expect? I'm not surprised. In fact, I'd be surprised if any of the pundits even know what day of the week it is, or even where they are, when they are sitting in those chairs making those comments. They have been sucking Mancunian for years now, and it's not about to stop any time soon either. I wouldn't take heed of anything that comes out of their mouths as it tends to be just gibberish of the highest kind, and sometimes even comical.

I didn't write that, I just posted it on behalf of  Bamaga man, however I don't consider "Paddy or Mick" a racial slur, Its not exactly offensive (or maybe thats just me?)

Anyway, no offence intended I am sure, and welcome to the forum 

None taken, mate. Didn't mean to get up anyone's there (I'm not that way inclined) it's just some might take it the wrong way. No pun's intended there.

[Lando_Griffin]

How is that retard still on tv?

The bloke uttered more bullsh*t in 4 minutes than anyone else (barring that spasticated dog turd McKenzie) could in their entire lifetime.

"Gerrard was found out - nothing player."    You f*cking what!?! Are you on drugs, you pathetic wart on a weasel's wedding tackle?

"Alonso - never there at all...nothing player."      Only the most mentally challenged imbecile would fail to see what Alonso brings to our team, no more so than against the Champions.
Is this dickless dullard Dunphy actually spurting what he truely believes? Is he THAT ignorant?

Forgive me, but aside from seeing this and another clip a while ago, I've never even heard of the bent and brainless boy buggerer. What qualifies him to sit on national TV and slag off the two best midfielders in the Premiership? How did this bile-billowing b*llock-biter ever get a job in TV?

It certainly isn't for his knowledge of the game.

It certainly isn't for his looks or intelligence.

We absolutely annihilated the reigning champs, beating them 2-1 in their own stadium, and battering them for 75 minutes at Anfield.

Sure, we had to sustain pressure for periods - every team does against Barca.

But not every team goes and beats them over 2 legs, creating far more chances and at times making it look easy.

So - rather then savour our victory against the best team in World football, and laud Rafa for yet another tactical masterclass, we find ourselves defending a f*cking belting performance against a man (I use the term loosely) who probably needs help locating his no-doubt rather pathetic penis, and probably prefers the company of little boys than women.
If RTE think it's clever to employ a punk with the intellect of a gnat's foreskin (no doubt they feel utterly nonsensical conflict makes for interesting television), then more fool them.

I know I wouldn't watch the f*cking bag of sh*te while ever that Mongol's left knacker was broadcasting.
C*nt.

[adamnbarrett]

Barca lack spirit and work ethic, blasts Gudjohnsen

MADRID, March 8 (Reuters) - Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen believes his side lacked the team spirit and work ethic needed to overcome Liverpool in the Champions League.

'We have got more skill and quality than Liverpool but if people don't make sacrifices and work full out then it isn't enough,' the former Chelsea player was quoted as saying in the Spanish media on Thursday.

'When everyone works hard then it improves the level of skill. For me Liverpool aren't a great team but they work together very well as a unit and that's what Barcelona are lacking.

'It doesn't mean we have to be friends outside the dressing-room but we all need to work together when we are on the pitch.'

The Iceland international's comments were seen as a thinly veiled reference to the internal divisions which emerged at the club in the weeks before the Liverpool tie.

The divisions came to light when Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o hit out at coach Frank Rijkaard and team mate Ronaldinho after they appeared to criticise him for refusing to come on as a late substitute in a recent league match.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol subsequently said the matter had been nothing more than a misunderstanding but local media have reported that relations within the squad remain tense.

Despite his concerns about team morale, Gudjohnsen said this Saturday's league clash against arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Nou Camp had come at the right moment.

'It's a good time to play Real Madrid because we've now got even more motivation to show how well we can play and give our fans something to cheer about,' he said.

'It's a big game, we are still in with the chance of winning two trophies this season and if we beat Real it will be a big boost to our confidence.'

----------

Bitterness

[account deleted by request]

A great result over the two legs, to knock supposedly the best team out of Europe.

I just read the reaction from those Irish pundits on the link above. It pis.sed me off to hear what Liam Brady and the other idiot said. Gerrard myth Alonso myth, to be sure to be sure hey guys.    I think when something pis.ses you off though is usually because it may have some truth in it and thats what gets to you, or me anyway.

I'd have to agree slightly that we really didnt play football in the second half. Watching it in all honesty had and air of Ingerland about it. Now I'm not knocking tthe result or performance, not at all. Especially in the second half we constantly played the long ball. I believe we continued to do this and this is my honest opinion, because our players were to scared to put their foot on the ball, take their time look up and pass the ball to a fellow teamate. I dont think the players did this out of respect, but more panic. If that had been Bolton, Watford or any other prem team our boys would of been playing "football" around them, (with the odd long ball). But the players would of had the confidence in themselves to hog the ball, run with it, pass it to a teamate and trust him to keep possesion.

And lets face it, its probably harder to play football around an English team than it is a continental one. Because the prem players dont allow you the time on the ball, their snapping at your heels. Thats hardly Barcalona is it ! So what those Paddy's said in a way may have been slightly true.
But they critisised out second half performance, what about the first ?

The first half (in every game) effected the way the second half would pan out. In the first half we had more shots than them and were more of a threat. Didnt we hit the wood work twice, have an effort saved off the line ?
It wasnt for the want of trying, and maybe if we had scored one or even better two. We'd have probably grown in confidence, and the players could of trusted eachother more in possesion and knock the ball about (short passes). But it didnt, so the inevitable will happen in the second half,knowing Barca need two, we've missed a host of chances in the first half . The pressure will build, so this will result in the kind of second half we saw. I will pose one thing at the end of this........ To me that performance had a Gerard Houllier-esk performance about it, hard working, defending with grit, and knocking long balls, looking for a quick outlet to Bellamy instead of Owen. People moaned about that towards the end of Houlliers days, but we dont really here a murmur of that now do we ?

I would like us to try and play football, and score more goals but believe it or not they can be big asks in football at times and I would gladly take hard work as a foundation to build. The players last night worked their socks off. And I must say the fans were magnificent, I salute you    without the fans that could of easily been a different result.
Jamie Carragher yet again MOm, f.ucking excellent defender, wouldnt swap him for ANYONE. Also Finnan had an excelllent game, another very good defender, well in lads.

BM


Written by Bamaga man (The Banned )

What happened there?

Its all my fault Effes ( most things are). If I hadn't taught Bamaga how to post pictures, and he hadn't come up with the idea that a picture is worth a thousand words he wouldn't be banned. 

[zarababe]

Great outcome and tactical prowess acknowledged; this guy wrote exactly what I was thinking last night :

Realist Benitez outshines Wenger
European Football |
by Phil McNulty - BBC Sport 07 March 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Take your mind back to the first week of January - the week when Arsene Wenger was hailed as the great visionary and Rafael Benitez as a bungler who did not know his best team.

Arsenal dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup on the Saturday then became the first visiting side to score six at Anfield for 77 years in a Carling Cup tie on the Tuesday.

Wenger's brilliant band of youngsters ran Liverpool ragged, with Benitez accused of betraying Anfield's great traditions by fielding weakened sides.

Liverpool supporters voiced disapproval, but Benitez was unrepentant, effectively saying he had not come to Anfield to win the Carling Cup.

He wanted the Premiership or the Champions League.

Arsenal and Wenger, in contrast, were almost obliterated by the bouquets hurled in their direction. The world was at their feet.

How we laughed. At Benitez.

Turn the clock forward to where we stand after a dramatic two nights of Champions League football and who is laughing now?

Wenger's season has collapsed in the space of 10 days that have damaged Arsenal's image and left them empty-handed in their glittering new Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were outstanding in defeat against Chelsea in a Carling Cup final that ended in acrimony, but were then promptly dumped out of the FA Cup by Blackburn.

And the Champions League exit at the hands of PSV Eindhoven capped a miserable 10 days.

Benitez, on the other hand, has been hailed as one of the finest tactical brains in football after meticulously plotting Barcelona's downfall to reach the last eight.

Arsenal went the way we always knew they would. Passing the opposition into submission, then missing the chances that should have sent them through.

The glitter has been taken off Wenger's golden generation - for now at least.

Benitez is an altogether more pragmatic figure. If you want romance, send flowers but don't look for it in his football teams.

He deals in the small details, whereas Wenger is an admirable man of footballing principle who embraces the beautiful game.

But after two seasons without a trophy, it may be time for Wenger to adopt a little of Benitez's hard-nosed realism.

No-one would suggest for one second Wenger is under pressure, but two seasons without a trophy is not good news for Arsenal as they settle into a new home.

Benitez's insistence that he was seeing the bigger picture has arguably made Liverpool the best-equipped of the Premiership trio still in the Champions League to go on and win the trophy.

And that statement is made with the knowledge that Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson have set their heart on reclaiming the trophy.

The Spaniard still fails to nail down the Premiership, but he has no peers when it comes to plotting a route around Europe.

And Liverpool's fans will start to see uncanny echoes of 2005, when they emerged from the shadows to win the trophy in Istanbul.

Examine the evidence.

Benitez was criticised for fielding a below-strength team in an FA Cup defeat at Burnley, but then a succession of high-quality opponents fell by the wayside in Europe.

Make no mistake, no team in the draw will want to be paired with Liverpool in the quarter-final.

And this is not just because of the prospect of facing Steven Gerrard or confronting The Kop. It is also the fact that they will have to out-smart Benitez.

Wenger will be a miserable man after their loss.

He is a bad loser at the best of times, and three hammer blows in less than a fortnight will not be well-received.

Unthinkable as it may seem, maybe it is time he put his principles - laudable though they are - to one side and put a little bit of the Benitez philosophy into his talented but flawed Arsenal side.

He must dwell on that while Benitez eyes up another Champions League crown - but wasn't that what he said he was doing after losing 6-3 to Arsenal in the Carling Cup?

[dward]

I was just reading that Zara. Interesting read.

[zarababe]

It is isn't it, what a turn around ay Dward. Last night when I heard Ar.se had been knocked out my thoughts turned immediateyl to the debacle of those cup defeats and how it felt at the time.. wouldn't swap for how I feel now

[dward]

Exactly. I bet they would be very willing to swap as well, seeing as it's going to be two seasons in a row without a trophy.

Imagine if we went all the way...

[zarababe]

... too right .. make us dream, makes us believe !!

[zarababe]

Further analysis by the the BBC and a certain "turnip"
---------------------------------------------------------------
It stands to reason that when you are protecting a 2-1 lead against a team with the attacking flair of Barcelona, defence will be crucial but Tuesday's performance was hardly a backs-to-the-wall scramble.

In the first half, Barcelona had plenty of possession but Liverpool keeper Jose Reina did not have to make a single save, while at the other end the Reds twice hit the woodwork among 10 efforts on goal.



Taylor explained: "The greatest thing Liverpool did, especially in the first half, is they kept Barcelona in front of them as often as they possible could. That is the art of good defending.

"It's when the ball and the opponent is behind you that you're really in trouble.

"As long as it is in front of you, it doesn't matter how talented the player is, you're still in control of the situation. Liverpool were first-class at that."

As Liverpool tired in the second-half, Barcelona did begin to look more threatening but they found central defender Jamie Carragher in outstanding form.

"In the last 10 minutes, when Liverpool had a corner, Carragher was shouting to the players, pulling them back," said Taylor.

"The hallmark of a great defender is he recognises danger even when his own side have the ball because he knows the chances are the ball will be lost and he's already reorganising in preparation for that."


ATTACKING INTENT

Alvaro Arbeloa was charged with marking Lionel Messi
Benitez had already produced a double masterstroke in the first leg by boldly playing two up front and introducing Alvaro Arbeloa at left-back to mark Lionel Messi.

The Argentine winger admitted afterwards: "Benitez's decision to put Arbeloa on me was a very good plan that surprised us. It was a clever tactical move."

Having scored two away goals, the temptation might have been to pack the defence in the second leg at Anfield but Benitez opted instead for a line-up which could also exploit Barca's weakness at the back.

While midfielders Momo Sissoko and Xabi Alonso helped the defence break down the Barca attacks, ahead of them was a willing quartet of runners ready to lead the counter-attack.

John Arne Riise, who hit the bar and had a shot cleared off the line in the first half, Steven Gerrard, Craig Bellamy and the tireless Dirk Kuyt deserve as many plaudits for Liverpool's victory as their defensive colleagues.

Indeed, Benitez's questionable substitutions in the second half only highlighted the brilliance of his team selection.

We won this leg but maybe we were lucky

Barca coach Frank Rijkaard

Riise, Bellamy and Kuyt all came off to be replaced by striker Peter Crouch, midfielder Jermaine Pennant and defender Fabio Aurelio and it was only then that Rijkaard's side looked at all likely to score the two goals they needed.

The Barca coach said he did not like Liverpool's style but the humbled Dutchman added: "We won this leg but maybe we were lucky considering the amount of chances Liverpool created in the first half.

"They are a difficult team to play against. They are strong, direct and are mentally tough. I can only congratulate them."

Barca vice-president Ferran Soriano told BBC Five Live: "Liverpool are strong, very well organised and very, very difficult to beat."

No wonder Benitez warned his European rivals that his side are a "match for anyone".

[dutchman]

A couple of great posts tonight from Bad Bob (extra classy as it includes what I can only assume is the correct spelling of "phaff") and from Zara. I was at the 3-6 Carling Cup defeat to the Ar*se - the most surreal game I've ever been to but I consoled myself that night by telling myself that the really important stuff was yet to come - it does have that 2005 feel about now after the Barca game. I haven't seent the Dunphy clip - I'm logged on via my mobile whilst having a coffee at Charnock Richard services on my way home up to Cumbria so connection speed too slow - I'll catch up with it later - for Bob to pour about 30 paragraphs into a reply makes me think it must be worth watching. Am really enjoying the forum - only my third post this - obviously delighted with our progress this week - very frustrated that we still can't convert that kind of form into a real Prem challenge but that I guess is for another time. Finally, really pleased that Stevie Finnan has been picked out by quite a few members for praise - the phrase "unsung hero" must have coined especially for him - while the others regularly get the praise (and rightly so) his brilliant and consistent efforts are very often overlooked - for my money the best right back in the prem by a country mile. Got a tingle waiting for tomorow's draw - don't care who we get - just bring 'em on now!!

[Kash_Mountain]

Just watched the youTube thing.  Oe thing they mentioned was that we only had hard work to show, what the heck is a team suppose to do, let the opposition run riot.  Those chaps are a bunch of nutters.

[Emerald Red]

Those chaps are a bunch of nutters.

Nutters isn't a proper term for those munching, stabbing, sucking mother !