Liverpool FC Forum

[inglis5]

Didier Drogba ran until he dropped

Commentator made me laugh last night - "Didier Drogba; strength of a bull, pain threshold of a little lamb" 

[club_Levis]

Kudos to the Boys...Well done...You will Never walk Alone.No need to slate any player today.

[LiverpoolMadman]

Daily Mirror

BITTER JOSE BOTTOM OF THE CLASS
Oliver Holt Chief Sports Writer 02/05/2007


JOSE MOURINHO blamed injuries. He blamed bad luck. He blamed penalties.

He blamed Liverpool for defending too much. He blamed Rafa Benitez for concentrating on the Champions League.

He blamed Chelsea for not scoring enough goals in the first leg and made it sound as if that was Liverpool's fault, too.

He mentioned several times, as casually as he could, that he had won the European Cup.

But he said most generously that that did not stop him feeling the pain of his shattered players, most of whom had not won it.

And when he was asked if he wished Liverpool luck for the final, he said, no.

He had too much respect for whoever their opponent would be to do something like that, he said.

Gracious in defeat Mourinho was not. Not even close. Not that we expected him to be. Not even he could claim this time that Liverpool had not scored as Daniel Agger's clipped shot bulged the back of the net.

But he did everything he could to convey the idea that Chelsea had been cheated of their divine right to appear in the final.

His attitude did a disservice to his players who had run like demons and fought like tigers.

John Terry was magnificent at the heart of defence, Didier Drogba ran until he dropped, Frank Lampard showed the nerve and style of a class act.

But just like he did two years ago, Mourinho tried to start the process of cheating history.

He tried to deny the winners their due. But if he thought his stance would take attention away from a season that is lurching towards failure, he was wrong.

By anyone else's standards, Chelsea have had another stellar year, vying for four trophies until late into April. But the team that cost hundreds of millions is staring blankly at the apocalyptic scenario of clinging only to the Carling Cup for solace.

Since peace was declared between Mourinho and the Chelsea board, the club's season has fallen apart.

Outlasted by Manchester United in the Premiership, they have been knocked out of the Champions League by Mourinho's most-hated domestic rival.

And though Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has pledged Mourinho will not be sacked, we do not know whether Roman Abramovich feels the same.

It seemed strange Abramovich was not at Anfield. His absence suggests his passion for the club is not quite what it was. Or certainly, that his enthusiasm for his manager is not what it was. He will not be happy with his return from this season.

And nor will he be thrilled at Chelsea's lack of panache. Once again, they were solid and relentless but never did they threaten to take the game to Liverpool.

Mourinho insisted they showed ambition, that they were the team trying to win, but that perception was shared by few of those within Anfield.

But if Liverpool could point to inspired performances from half of their side, Chelsea could highlight only Terry and Lampard in the same vein.

Having backed Mourinho so clearly, it would be a major surprise if they jettisoned him over the summer. But even if Chelsea win the FA Cup, it will only lend a superficial sheen to a season of under-achievement.

Mourinho has to be judged only by the highest standards after the money he has been allowed to spend. His gamble on changing his team against Bolton last Saturday to save players for last night's game backfired spectacularly. And there will be no shortage of those queuing up to say that the Special One has lost his sheen.

Not that he was tempted to start trying to win friends and influence people last night. When he was asked what Benitez had got that he had not, what had helped Benitez get to two finals in the last three years when he had not reached any, Mourinho sneered: "We have two Premiership titles in the last three years and they have none."

We have welcomed the colour, spirit and character Mourinho has brought to the Premiership since he arrived from Porto.

But on nights like last night, it is awfully difficult to say anything other than he appeared childish, churlish, bitter and sad.

If he is looking for people to blame for last night's defeat, he should look at giants like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher first. And then at himself.

he's a real ...

[Olympiakos_liverpool]

Well first of all i'd like to say that i'm too happy that yesterday i watched Liverpool (the most succesfull british team) qualifying for the final of athens.despite the fact i am greek  i rally love liverpool ant its magnificent fans.personnaly i am OLYMPIAKOS PIRAEUS fan but as u probably know we a lot common characteristics.our teams locate at cities with large ports,the main colour is red,our fans are really devoted and almost worship their team.Also we have lost fans in accidents over the past. ,Anyway i wish Liverpool good luck in Athens final and be sure that the greeks that are going to appear in the Olympic stadium of athens the night of the final will unite their voices with the fans of the  most glorious Eglish team (that's LIVERPOLL of course) and will celebrate with you the 6th European champions cup of your history:):)
Greetings to all,Olympiakos-Liverpool we stand together:)

[Roger Red Hat]

a mate of mine went to the game and was stood in the kop, she said the noise was deafening, she tried to ring me but i couldnt hear a thing she was saying. However, after the game she went to a party and at about 1am she sent me a picture message...

...she'd taken a picture of her t!ts and sent me it! lol!   shes a star!

i'd post it but i'd get tw@tted

[Emerald Red]

Well first of all i'd like to say that i'm too happy that yesterday i watched Liverpool (the most succesfull british team) qualifying for the final of athens.despite the fact i am greek  i rally love liverpool ant its magnificent fans.personnaly i am OLYMPIAKOS PIRAEUS fan but as u probably know we a lot common characteristics.our teams locate at cities with large ports,the main colour is red,our fans are really devoted and almost worship their team.Also we have lost fans in accidents over the past. ,Anyway i wish Liverpool good luck in Athens final and be sure that the greeks that are going to appear in the Olympic stadium of athens the night of the final will unite their voices with the fans of the  most glorious Eglish team (that's LIVERPOLL of course) and will celebrate with you the 6th European champions cup of your history:):)
Greetings to all,Olympiakos-Liverpool we stand together:)

Hmm, you can feel the love in here now, can't you!

Thanks man!    

[metalhead]

Jose Mourinho insists the atmosphere at Anfield had no bearing on Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Backed by a vociferous home crowd, Liverpool emerged victorious on penalties following a 1-0 win after extra-time

Much of the talk pre-match had been of Liverpool's 'Special Ones' but Mourinho, the self-styled original, claims his side were not intimidated.

"People were speaking about the atmosphere but I didn't see the atmosphere," Mourinho told Sky Sports News.

Mourinho was also at pains to counter suggestions his Chelsea team had been too negative.

"I saw an enthusiastic atmosphere but I saw one team in blue playing to win. I saw one team in blue wanting to play well.

"They had one good period in the first half but after that the best team was the blue team so I don't think the atmosphere was the cause of anything.

"Chelsea tried to win the game in 90 minutes and in extra-time. You could see for free-kicks Chelsea putting every strong player in the air in the box trying to score goals.

"We showed clearly that we wanted to win the game."


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

Yeh right maureen!

[redtrader74]

Well first of all i'd like to say that i'm too happy that yesterday i watched Liverpool (the most succesfull british team) qualifying for the final of athens.despite the fact i am greek  i rally love liverpool ant its magnificent fans.personnaly i am OLYMPIAKOS PIRAEUS fan but as u probably know we a lot common characteristics.our teams locate at cities with large ports,the main colour is red,our fans are really devoted and almost worship their team.Also we have lost fans in accidents over the past. ,Anyway i wish Liverpool good luck in Athens final and be sure that the greeks that are going to appear in the Olympic stadium of athens the night of the final will unite their voices with the fans of the  most glorious Eglish team (that's LIVERPOLL of course) and will celebrate with you the 6th European champions cup of your history:):)
Greetings to all,Olympiakos-Liverpool we stand together:)

Nice one mate.

[Well_Red]

Mourinhio is delluded and clearly cannot take the pressure that comes with managing in the EPL

His behaviour over the last week has been that of a man on the edge.
He was clearly loosing it at the thought of taking his team of passionless mercanaries to Anfield...Oh how we laugh at them now.

In the mirror Frank Lampard said that the memories of the Garcia goal were erased from Chelsea players minds...then went onto to talk about that very goal..Why??
Because it was all they had and still all they have to complain about!
What now?Jose says its very sad that Chelsea will not be remembered beacuse the mighty LFC were lucky and Chelsea deserved to go to the final,Chelsea were robbed,Chelsea are better.

THE ONLY THING CHELSEA WERE ROBBED OF WAS THEIR HEARTS....BY THE BEST FANS THE WORLD WILL EVER SEE!

Thanks to every player last night and equally to every Red that was lucky enough to be there...In a funny way it was more enjoyable than winning the C/L in 2005 because Milan had respect.
To beat a bunch of overhyped and overpayed disrespectful idiots like them tastes a hell of a lot better than lifting any cup for me...well apart from what it will feel like in Athens when we take it from the Mancs.

As for Chelsea and Jose Mourinhio....they can have the luxury of sitting at home watching it on their 68 inch widescreen tellys with empty hearts knowing full well that reagrdless of what they say to eachother in training or how they put us down...

LFC will always be bigger and better than they can dream of being.


Well done Raffa Benitez..in the 'war of words' He kept his dignity and respect when being goaded and tested by a man on the brink of insanity...Insanity driven by the very aspiration of becoming what we were in the 70s and 80s..not to mention how great we are now,Raffa deserves our love and respect and before he leaves our great club i really feel that he will be up their in our hearts with Shankly!

As for our lack of success in the EPL,be patient folks,Raffa knows that our squad is not strong enough over so many games..with Euro qualification he is happy and in reality with the money we have had so should we be.

We are breathing down the necks of Man Utd and Chelsea as we are..in 2 years time they will be looking at nothing but our rear end!
We will not win the league next season,things take time!
The season after that Mourinhio will be long gone and Fergies liver will have caved in....

There will be a Spaniard with a very wry smile at the top of the best league in the world and every team beneath him in his pocket...

His name is Raffa Benitez!

THANKYOU RAFFA!

YNWA  

[GLB1]

What a game...... Tension plus !!!!

Team showed the character we have in these important games and the players really stepped up.

Agger not good enough ??  Pftt

I'm sure those certain know it all posters will find something negative to focus on.

Number 6 here we come !!!

[kunilson]

what a night.

id like to thank rafa and the team, the academy etc. Fkin brilliant night that was.

Was a cagey game, but we defended brilliantly at times and made some really good chances...apart from the drogba shot saved early and one later on (which was a good save from Reina), they didnt threaten us all that much, only from set pieces....

We scored another "goal that never was", but this time it wasn't, and  in extra-time too i was half-way thru a victory lap when i realised    
Penalties were a nightmare as usual but Reina put on a brilliant display...im happy that Gerrard can hopefully put his world cup penalty nightmares to rest with his, and fkin dirk has great balls of steel for the way he finished them off.

We're goin to Athens, never wanted to believe it until it happened, brilliant.
CMON THE POOL! (and Milan tonight    )

[kingofthegreen]

Jose Mourinho insists the atmosphere at Anfield had no bearing on Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Backed by a vociferous home crowd, Liverpool emerged victorious on penalties following a 1-0 win after extra-time

Much of the talk pre-match had been of Liverpool's 'Special Ones' but Mourinho, the self-styled original, claims his side were not intimidated.

"People were speaking about the atmosphere but I didn't see the atmosphere," Mourinho told Sky Sports News.

Mourinho was also at pains to counter suggestions his Chelsea team had been too negative.

"I saw an enthusiastic atmosphere but I saw one team in blue playing to win. I saw one team in blue wanting to play well.

"They had one good period in the first half but after that the best team was the blue team so I don't think the atmosphere was the cause of anything.

"Chelsea tried to win the game in 90 minutes and in extra-time. You could see for free-kicks Chelsea putting every strong player in the air in the box trying to score goals.

"We showed clearly that we wanted to win the game."


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

Yeh right maureen!

sour grapes jose!   

[account deleted by request]

Mourinho the deluded one 
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at Anfield 

Mourinho maintained his side were superior - they were not
Jose Mourinho was stripped of his self-appointed status as the special one and became the deluded one as Liverpool visited another Champions League nightmare upon Chelsea.

Mourinho's disappointment was understandable, as he had to swallow a second semi-final defeat in front of an Anfield gallery that has taken particular exception to his unique, outspoken personality.

But it took all of Mourinho's brass neck and some very thick blue-tinted spectacles to sit and declare - without any sign of his tongue drilling a hole in his cheek - that the best team lost and that Chelsea were truly deserving of a place in the Athens final.

Nonsense. Every word of it.

If Mourinho truly believed Chelsea were the stronger team, the team pressing inexorably for victory, the team throwing men forward at set pieces to secure the goal that would have made a final place certain, he kids no-one but himself.

Mourinho's self-belief is iron-clad, but in this instance he simply used it as a shield against what was a grim reality for Chelsea.

"Chelsea tried to win it in 90 minutes. Chelsea tried to win it in extra time. The best team was the team in blue," he said.

And on it went in an assessment that was nothing short of bemusing.

Rafael Benitez's side showed the greater verve and variety - just look at the work-sheet of the two goalkeepers if you want proof.

Pepe Reina, before his penalty heroics, made a fine save from Didier Drogba and endured the odd skirmish around the six-yard area.

Chelsea counterpart Petr Cech was beaten by Daniel Agger's first-half strike, saved brilliantly from Peter Crouch and watched Dirk Kuyt's header hit a post.

Dutch striker Kuyt also saw a goal ruled out by a marginal offside and brought a fine save from Cech in the final seconds after he was played in by Robbie Fowler.   

Chelsea, in the real world away from the place Mourinho appeared to be occupying, were brave, resilient, and only the hardest heart would not feel a tinge of sympathy for men like John Terry and Claude Makelele.

But they were pedestrian, unambitious, and seemed to have a simple plan A aimed at securing a goalless draw.

Once that went west, plan B was a horribly basic approach of hoofing the ball in the general direction of Didier Drogba and crossing fingers that these scraps would lead to a feast.

It did not work and never looked like working, hence general astonishment at Mourinho's swiftly drawn up attempt to re-write history. 

Chelsea ultimately paid the price for failing to kill Liverpool off in the first match at Stamford Bridge, a game Mourinho was well within his rights to say his team dominated.

This game was Liverpool's and Benitez's. They will not care one jot for the somewhat bizarre analysis offered up by Mourinho.

Liverpool, fuelled by another firecracker of an Anfield atmosphere, deserved their place in the final.

And after the miracle of Istanbul in 2005, who would bet against Benitez making it a remarkable two Champions League wins in three seasons at Liverpool?

[el_stinger]

I was LMAO!!  On Australian tv the 3 analysts predicted that Chelsea were the obvious favorites to win the penelty shootout becasue Cech is obviously a better keeper.  When the cut across to the actual commentator he reminded them that Liverpool had won 9 of their last 10 penelty shootouts and Reina was famous for saving penelties.  As soon as extra time ended i knew that we were going to win it.  Reina is just awesome!

In particular, Fozzie, is notorious for trying to bang moaninho from behind. They all love Cheatski, except Palumbo. That guy is Serie A biased. They never give Liverpool any respect, I hope they don't go for us in the final, we'll prove them wrong again. Feck em

[kunilson]

the full penalty shoot-out if anyone wants to relive the glory...

Penalties