Liverpool FC Forum

[Ciggy]

deleted all me evertonain family and mates from facebook for bein so bitter .

[GRAHAM01]

fecking get in there!! are lads played there heart out and destroyed them and only when we lifted off the gas did they even get any where near playing football

now i'm hoping we play the same on sat and feck them manc kunts over 

[Ciggy]

[cpc4eva]

how are the teams sorted for the next round ?

dont want to see us play another final with an english club

[Owzat]

how are the teams sorted for the next round ?

We drew Arsenal in the QFs and Chelsea in the SFs, so I'm guessing no protection next round. Hopefully there will only be two English clubs left! The mancs will doubtless dodge English opposition as long as is possible, like they managed to land the weakest of the three possible draws in the FA Cup.

[Ciggy]

Stolen from RAWK spanish interview translated this fella should have just said come and manage Madrid Rafa.

Rafa Benítez Good evening

- Good evening

Did you expect such an easy game?

- I expected my team to perform the way it did, with great determination and high intensity from the start.  We were looking to score an early goal; Casillas made a couple of good saves, but we then scored two goals, and from there on the match was more favorable for us.  But against Madrid you always need to be very careful right until the very end.

But honestly did you expect such an easy RM team?

- I believe that we were very good…

…Yes, that goes without saying but you basically steamrolled past them.  In the first half, Real Madrid, during the first 30 mins didn’t have any shots on goal and I doubt they even made it past their own half.  Before the match the consensus was that Liverpool would try to sit back and defend their lead and Madrid would come out very aggressive and well it’s been the opposite.  You would’ve thought Liverpool were behind on the scoreboard...

- Yes, we knew that Real Madrid are a team that struggle when they don’t have possession of the ball and we were looking for them to suffer from the very first minute and they have suffered until the 90th minute.  That’s been the most positive sign: the way the players approached the game.  I think the idea was clear, and from the first minute they have played their roles to perfection.

Do you think that Torres fouls Pepe in the play of the first goal?

- To be honest I haven’t seen the replays.  On the second goal, which came as a result of the penalty, the players tell me it hit the defender’s arm but I haven’t seen it yet but at any rate I think that we created enough chances before and after to…

…Yes, that’s clear… the reason I ask is because there might be people that are listening now and might say “look he won’t ask him about Heinze’s penalty, which shouldn’t have been one because it hit his elbow” and “he won’t ask him about Torres’s foul on Pepe, etc”.  The 4-0 result is indisputable and there is no contest, although there will be people that will say “Those 2 goals put them in a comfortable position for the rest of the game” But it’s clear that at no time were Madrid threatening to score, you had them cornered….

- Yes, I remember two very clear chances before the first goal…

Two splendid saves from Casillas…

- Yes, and again I’m saying that I don’t know the specifics on those two plays because I haven’t watched the replays since I’ve been talking to the press but in my estimation, apart from those two plays, Liverpool have been the superior team from the first minute to the 90th minute.

That’s undeniable and none of us could’ve envisioned such a big difference between the two teams.  I don’t know whether that’s a true measure of the difference between the two teams but tonight it was an abysmal difference.

- Yes, the team, I insist have played really well.   I don’t believe the difference is ‘that’ big.  At the end, you’re talking about a single match, which was conditioned by the result of the first leg and that prompted them to take risks from the start but since we enjoyed such a good start with the first couple of goals and they didn’t have any other options than to attack and we have taken advantage of that to try to make more damage on the counter-attack.

Now comes the second part… At this time, there are thousands upon thousands of RM fans who are hurting and thousands upon thousands of RM fans who are starting to think of Rafa Benítez.  Next week, as I understand it you’ve said you will decide your future, is it true?

- (sighs) Honestly I don’t know.  I have a pending meeting with the owners , my lawyers and..

This is next week?

- Yes,  it’s supposed to take place sometime next week because of this game and the game against United this Saturday, so we needed to focus strictly on footballing matters and they will discuss a little bit what the situation is

And next week it will be made officially public what your future will be?

- No, no.  Simply there will be talks and if we make any advances good and if we don’t then we will need to have further talks.

But..umm..lets see…

- No there won’t be a decision it’s simply…well, I don’t know,  let’s see… maybe there will be a surprise and everything will be put on the table and everything goes well or on the other hand everything goes wrong, I really don’t know… but I don’t expect a final decision next week… I expect a discussion and I hope it will be productive but it’s not necessarily a make or break deal.

That team you’ve seen tonight, Im referring to RM, does the potential prospect of coaching them excite you at all?

- Thing is I’ve really been watching Liverpool tonight…

I know…but you’ve also seen the other team…

- (laughs) No, not really I’ve paid more attention to my team and I really can’t get into that because I’m at a very important club and we’re in a very important competition like the CL and we’re still fighting for the league so I need to be very focused on this team.

A very important club that have yet to renew your contract, you have set forth a series of conditions which are not just economic reasons…but include areas of influence and related to making your own decisions and which have not been conceded as of yet…  I suppose that now you’re in a position of strength and perhaps they will meet all those requirements and if they do you will stay, no?

- But the intentions are similar, independent of tonight’s result.  The talks have always been positive and very friendly and that will not change.  There’s nothing else I can say until we(owners/lawyers/rafa)sit face to face and the advisors start get to talk.

On a personal level, would you like to stay at Liverpool? Or would you prefer to return to Spain?

- At this time I am the manager of Liverpool and I’m very happy here and I want this team to win games.  You never know what can happen in the future, and I have already said on other media that I’m a young manager and obviously I expect to manager for many more years If everything goes well.  But right now I can only think about Liverpool which is what concerns me.

You future undoubtedly has Madrid as possible destination at some point because Miguel Angel Gil (one of Atletico’s owners) has told Manolo Garcia Quilon (Rafa’s agent, among others)to wait and see what happens to Atletico tomorrow  at Porto because if they go through they will likely keep Abel but if they don’t , they want to start negotiating as soon as possible with Rafa Benítez, that is factual.  I understand that you may not want to acknowledge this and understandably so but you are aware of this…

- No I’m not but I know that I need to be focused on my job at Liverpool and I can’t acknowledge anything because as of today, you’re breaking this news to me.  Manolo Garcia Quilon is based in Madrid and he has a good relationship with many clubs  but…

He has an exceptional relationship with Miguel Angel Gil…

-…yes of course but what I need to do is prepare my team for United which will be a very difficult game there’s not much else.

From the outside, do you feel that RM need many changes?

- (sighs) I want to be respectful…

I understand…
- …I’m only looking at my team…

But you can’t do any damage by making an observation you might have thought ‘ My lord, what a mess’ or ‘They might need to make many changes’ or ‘They just need a couple of tweaks and they’ll be right at the top again’…Do you reckon their situation is as bad because some of the people listening tonight are probably thinking that RM are a team in ruins…

- No, I think they have a good team, they have players with quality, as a matter of fact they’re doing okay in the league .   Always, when you have good players, and they have many good players, you have the potential to improve.

The other day Guardiola has speaking wonders of Iniesta.  You have a player, in Gerrad, that is fantastic as well.  What’s he like?

- He is a great player.  He has quality, he has a great presence, he has passion, many positive traits.

He’s very good but he’s not Iniesta…(the commentator is in love with Iniesta)

- Iniesta is a great player as well but they’re different types of players.  So clearly each player in their position and in their own style are very important players.

Well, Rafa congratulations and good night.  Tonight you are the main character in all of Spain.  In Spain and I suppose in England as well…

- At least in Liverpool  I’m sure they’re very happy, half of the city at least.

(laughs) Surely.  Well, good luck to you my friend.

- Good night, cheers.

[Redbilly1960]

deleted all me evertonain family and mates from facebook for bein so bitter .

Can't believe you had them added in the first place 

[GRAHAM01]

  didn't want to give up asking him about real did he

[Owzat]

Absolutely superb performance from everyone and shows what Liverpool can do when they go and attack a team from all corners of the field.

Why, oh why, can't they do that every week?

The lads were up for it, keen to prove a point and had Gerrard and Torres both available and looking sharp - that isn't always the case.

I thought Gerrard and Torres were brilliant first half, everyone else did a great supporting job and basically few players had a bad half - if any. The defence didn't always look too convincing, but Real offered so little real threat (excuse the pun) that you have to wonder how they won 10 in a row in the league.

We had two efforts saved early on, was a bit disappointed with Torres going near post against classy Casillas. Mascherano's left footed volley from outside the area deserved a goal - or the world class save that kept it out.

I sat with bated breath as Torres scored, thought it would be ruled out for a foul on the defender. What a joke of a goal it was, long hoof upfield, bounced a couple of times through a spacious Real defence before one Real player missed it completely and then the last defender went down with a probable nudge from Torres - whether enough to call it a foul I can't say for sure. Had it been against us you can bet that we would have been fuming, but Kuyt pulled back and Torres nicked in before Gerrard could. Gerrard very briefly had that look like he did when Alonso shot from his own half against Luton, as if to say "you should have left it to me"

Second goal may have been deserved for our play, but handball from less than a yard away when it hit Heinze on the shoulder is rather soft. Again we'd have been furious had it gone against us. And so ended the competition, I think we've conceded three goals ONCE this season against spudz in the Carling Cup. Mascherano got booked, whether mistaken identity for a foul by Alonso or for kicking the ball away I don't know. He misses the 1st leg of the next game unless it is scratched off.

I thought Pepe should have been sent off for persistent fouling, he got away with a second bookable offence so you could argue that balances out one of the two bits of "luck" on the first two goals.

Third was a good goal, Babel seemed less willing to run with the ball first half but this time he ran to the byline and flicked in a good left footed cross for Gerrard to score brilliantly from. Well worked goal, Babel had a decent night but still can do much better. Their defence allowed us so much space that he should have made much more of it. For a team playing such an open game they defended and attacked with little to convince anyone they are a good side. "poor" may be a bit harsh, but they certainly offered little threat and top sides don't lose by such heavy margins. Bayern 12-1 Sporting proves that the competition doesn't begin properly until the QF, so much for the jibe against the old European Cup with few strong sides in it.

The fourth was just making most of the space at the back, I thought a square pass was missed early, but in the end it worked out ok as Dossena's limp shot somehow squeezed through Casillas. Still Real may have been toothless in attack, but Raul should have scored at least one and was guilty of a bad miss or two - should at least have been on target

I thought most had a good game, probably give the defence a 6 with not too much to do and sometimes not convincing in doing it, midfield an 8-9 for controlling the game and linking with attack so well, and Torres a 9 for his goal and work-rate. But if defenders like Pepe keep kicking lumps out of Torres then he will be absent a lot more. Excellent result, hope we can use it at the weekend. I would have taken Torres off a lot sooner with that game in mind

[andy_g]

so it looked like another rocking atmosphere at anfield last night. as usual the spanish tv was bigging up the legendary kop (as they should) and focussed on the scarve waving and singing before the game. it was truly impressive...

but i was in a bar where they have 2 other games on other screens with the sound off, and as i was listening to the commentators saying how amazing the anfield atmosphere was i cast my eyes to the right and was confronted by images of the panathanaikos supporters on one screen and the juve supporters on another. fuck me!! now THAT looked like a crazy atmosphere, they were kicking off like nobody's business with flags, flares, streamers and all sorts of crazy sh!t

we beat real 4-0 and they both went out though

[GYBS]

First Class Performance and the atmosphere was electric . Shame for the two scrappy goals - first and pen but some of Casillas saves were out of this world and the guy must be head and shoulders the best keeper in the world and you can see why Pepe doesnt get into the Spain squad . Every single player player their part last night and some of the football was breath taking - the move that involved everyone and finished with the kuyt flick to gerrard that casillas saved once again deserved a goal and if the Mancs had played like we did last night the Media would be creaming themselves . The passion of the lads was first class and the celebrations when they scored were great to see .

Well done guys and hopefully play like that against the Mancs on sat and we may get a positive result and i dont think many sides in europe could cope with us last night .

[Owzat]

I think what the Juve result shows is how the "advantage" of playing at home second leg isn't really so. A bog standard 1-0 to Chelsea at home and Juve scored first to make it 1-1 on aggregate. Chelsea scored on the night and Juve needed two more to go through. I don't like away goals, I think a draw on aggregate is so close it should go to extra time and pens if needed. Chelsea knew what they needed to do, we saw how the Arsenal game went last season and our 1-1 draw at their's seemed like a good result until the second leg unfolded and we ended up needing to win on the night.

Are we destined to get Chelsea again in the CL? Maybe we'll get Josie's Inter.................

[GYBS]

Must also add that young spearing looked very good when he came on .

[Roger Red Hat]

ironic really that the Spanish No.1 goalie let in 4 goals on the night and the Spanish No.2 goalie kept a clean sheet. lol

[GYBS]

I think the goals he did let in he couldnt do much about - if it wasnt for him it could of been double figures last night , but when pepe was called upon - namely the snejider strike he was equal to it - spain are bloody lucky to have prob two of the best keepers in the world where as england have shi te