Liverpool FC Forum

GYBS wrote:well the owners gave him a new contract so we can see what they think already .

peewee wrote:well it doesnt matter what we think, its what the owners think, its what possibly new owners will think. if we win nothing this season  its 3 seasons without a trophy, they may see any progress made as not enough, the power balance might shift from hicks to gillett and we all know gillett wants him out, many things can happen and all lakes said is it will be expensive now to get rid of rafa. he never said lets sack him

GYBS wrote:well the owners gave him a new contract so we can see what they think already .

Bam wrote:Hats off to Chelsea.

I don't think we were as 'shi.te' as some people have suggested the game was very open which was entertaining enough. We came out of the traps pretty well with high tempo; the only thing about playing hig tempo football which I advocated before hand is ... Playing against another English side who are equal to desire, determination, stamina and quality football to boot. We blew Madrid out of the water with this, and it is a great game to possess when playing continental sides.But Chelsea for all their credit were equal to it.

I have to agree with Angy Gray in that he suggested Liverpool after scoring their first goal didnt really know to 'stick or bust'. It is hard to execute a gameplan in a match of such magnitude after you score the first goal. What does the manager want first and foremost and second are the team able to carry out his instructions? We did sit back and invite pressure onto us and I think that was a natural element after scoring but it did look as though we were caught between the devil and the deep blue sea in implementing a definate decision gameplan to take.

In this time Chelsea showed nerve and character and they were able to build up a head of steam, with some decent football. The warning signs were there with Drogba's two missed sitters. The game was stretched yet we were not able (as we usually do) press and close down the oppositions space, because IMO our lads didnt know whether to go hell for leather or shut up shop.

Personally I wish Mascha had came on he would of been the type of player to close down space with high energy and tackling. He would of covered Ballack and Lampard much better and prevent them the room and time to make something happen.

As it stands though they scored from two set-pieces, zonal marking has never really been an issue for us and has served us well. But that Ivanvic's movenment for the first goal IMO would of worked had the player been man-marked. His movenment was good and Alonso tried to stick with him  like a man to man marker. I think Skertel was caught ball watching a tad which has been mentioned on here before, and maybe he could of attack the ball in flight.

As for the second goal well, you still see many set-pieces scored in the prem when man-marking is deployed and this looked no different to the regularties witnessed elsewhere around England every weekend. Ball watching an not picking up the man making the run into the box is dangerous no w\matter which style of marking is used.

It is a MASSIVE hurdle now, maybe it is fate telling us to concerntrate on the league 

Cracking post bamaga man fecking spot on 

Anyone up for a Lemon Fanta ?

Scottbot wrote:That was a tough one to swallow, I don't think i've ever felt so confident going into a Champions League game with Chelsea (i'm normally racked with nerves). When we got the early goal I really fancied we could do some serious damage but you have to take your hat off to Chelsea, they were excellent, they did to us what we do to so many other teams away from home in Europe. I'd agree with the notion we didn't know whether to 'stick or twist', we sat back a bit and Chelsea simply took all the initiative, I was desperate to get to half-time 1-0 for a good ten minutes leading up to their goal and unfortunately the entire Anfield crowd seemed to feel the same way. That's the first time i've ever been to Anfield for a big European game and NOT come back completely bursting with pride for our fans, there wasn't the usual passion, furvour and sheer noise of previous fixtures so we didn't really help the lads as we ususally do As for individual players last night, the phone-ins on the way home were full of the usual 'blame Lucas' calls but from where I was sitting he had a solid game, was he that bad?

A couple of things stood out for me. 1- It's the first time (since we sold Keane) that we've really been caught out with only having one quality striker on the books. We really could have done with a Crouch (or another target-man) at 60 minutes today, we could have dropped Gerrard into midfield (away from Essien's shadow) and gone two-up-top. 2- As well as Arbeloa and Aurelio have played this season, they both showed their limitations (going forward) yesterday, we will need to upgrade at one of the full-back slots (right-back makes the most sense) over the summer.

It wasn't to be last night but I guess the Champions League final won't be able to ruin my wedding now! 3 points at Blackburn with the mancs dropping points at Sunderland could be just the tonic to wash this result down with though.

stmichael wrote:It pains me to say it but I've got to give some credit to Chelsea last night. I thought they were excellent. It just shows what a decent manager can do for a side. There's no way a Chelsea team under Scolari would have come to Anfield and won 3-1. Putting Essien on Gerrard was a masterstroke. I don't think I've ever seen him snuffed out of a game to the extent which he was last night.

Having said that, our defending was awful. When was the last time we concede 3 at home? I can't be bothered going in to this zonal marking debate again as it's been done to death but in general we just didn't defend well. If Drogba had a bit of composure we'd have bee evn more adrift in this tie.

It just begs the question of how we approach the return now. We've got nothing to lose but can you really see us scoring three down there and not conceding? Would Rafa really think about resting players for the Premiership?

stmichael wrote:It pains me to say it but I've got to give some credit to Chelsea last night. I thought they were excellent. It just shows what a decent manager can do for a side. There's no way a Chelsea team under Scolari would have come to Anfield and won 3-1. Putting Essien on Gerrard was a masterstroke. I don't think I've ever seen him snuffed out of a game to the extent which he was last night.

Having said that, our defending was awful. When was the last time we concede 3 at home? I can't be bothered going in to this zonal marking debate again as it's been done to death but in general we just didn't defend well. If Drogba had a bit of composure we'd have bee evn more adrift in this tie.

It just begs the question of how we approach the return now. We've got nothing to lose but can you really see us scoring three down there and not conceding? Would Rafa really think about resting players for the Premiership?

Sir Roger wrote:Rafa was outwitted
Basically it was a smash and grab with three sucker punches. Two corners and a one two three in the back of the net. Aurellio was awful and mostly to blame for allowing Drogba to race past him and slot the third. But to be honest the whole of the back four were shi.tting themselves of Drogba.
Alonso was poor. Lucas average at best. Gerrard was shackled and Torres was starved. Riera and Kuyt (except for the backheel) were ineffective. The only time we used width and played round the back was for the goal. The rest of the time we were too narrow (again) and pumped high balls which Terry ate up. We had no creativity and played right into their hands with our tactics. A poor show overall and Chelsea did a job on us. Even if we dont win over the two legs I hope to see a better display from the team who smashed madrid, bashed the mancs and mashed villa

Bam wrote:

Sir Roger wrote:Rafa was outwitted
Basically it was a smash and grab with three sucker punches. Two corners and a one two three in the back of the net. Aurellio was awful and mostly to blame for allowing Drogba to race past him and slot the third. But to be honest the whole of the back four were shi.tting themselves of Drogba.
Alonso was poor. Lucas average at best. Gerrard was shackled and Torres was starved. Riera and Kuyt (except for the backheel) were ineffective. The only time we used width and played round the back was for the goal. The rest of the time we were too narrow (again) and pumped high balls which Terry ate up. We had no creativity and played right into their hands with our tactics. A poor show overall and Chelsea did a job on us. Even if we dont win over the two legs I hope to see a better display from the team who smashed madrid, bashed the mancs and mashed villa

Rafa was not 'outwitted', Roger the cabin boy.

Really? So Rafa outwitted Huddink?
I see.
So the scoreline was false?

Bam wrote:

Sir Roger wrote:

Bam wrote:

Sir Roger wrote:Rafa was outwitted
Basically it was a smash and grab with three sucker punches. Two corners and a one two three in the back of the net. Aurellio was awful and mostly to blame for allowing Drogba to race past him and slot the third. But to be honest the whole of the back four were shi.tting themselves of Drogba.
Alonso was poor. Lucas average at best. Gerrard was shackled and Torres was starved. Riera and Kuyt (except for the backheel) were ineffective. The only time we used width and played round the back was for the goal. The rest of the time we were too narrow (again) and pumped high balls which Terry ate up. We had no creativity and played right into their hands with our tactics. A poor show overall and Chelsea did a job on us. Even if we dont win over the two legs I hope to see a better display from the team who smashed madrid, bashed the mancs and mashed villa

Rafa was not 'outwitted', Roger the cabin boy.

Really? So Rafa outwitted Huddink?
I see.
So the scoreline was false?

Hiddink is a good manager, But I dont think he outwitted Rafa unless of course he planned on going a goal down., his team played better, end of.

That would mean that tactics, formations, team selections and substitutions are useless?

A team plays better than the other or doesnt?
Thats it?