Topic: Liverpool 4-1 Steaua Bucharest: post game revisionism

[Barney_Rubble]

ko 20.05

Team when it's announced around 19.15

[lfctitch]

Raul Meireles makes his Anfield debut in tonight's Europa League clash with Steaua Bucharest

The Portuguese star, who featured as a late substitute in Sunday's goalless draw with Birmingham City, is one of eight changes made by boss Roy Hodgson.

Joe Cole also returns with Paul Konchesky, Pepe Reina and Maxi Rodriguez the only survivors from St Andrews.

The Liverpool team in full: Reina, Kelly, Konchesky, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Babel, Maxi, Meireles, Spearing, Ngog, Cole. Subs: Jones, Johnson, Lucas, Carragher, Pacheco, Shelvey, Eccleston.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/meireles-starts-listen-live

I have my bag of Haribo and surround sound set up, so we're almost ready to get under way

[lfctitch]

Welcome to the in game thread. With your hosts me and Ray K. - So if you have any shout outs you can PM us, or text in to 911

This one is live on Channel 5 in UK, for anybody wanting to watch. Or you can head over to the usual rawk thread for streaming information.

Great to see Meireles get a chance, Shelvey starts on the bench, perhaps a chance for a run out for him, Pacheco if things are going well.

Hope we give you enjoyable game coverage and we shall be bringing you news on how alvaro is doing in that mine in Chile as the game goes on

[Ray K]

Welcome to RAWK's In-Game Commentary thread of the UEFA Cup Europa League Group Whatever it is as the Reds take on Steaua Bucharest at Anfield.

Kick-off is at 8.05 and here's the team news.

Liverpool - as predicted by djphal in yet another lucky guess - make (tries to count changes with his fingers.  gives up) a lot of changes from the Brum game, with a game against the Unmentionables in store sunday.

Pepe We Love his Baldy Head Reina is our captain for the first time in his Liverpool career. (He may have done so before, but I've the memory of a goldfish) and the rest of the team line up as:
Kelly / Soto / Agger / Konchesky
Spearing / Meireles
Babel / Cole / Maxi R
Ngog

For proof that I've a memory of a goldfish, UEFA tells me that we played this lot on 2003/04 Uefa Cup, and won 1-0 at anfield with a Kewell goal. Zero recollection of that).
Steaua line up like this
(Looks at teamsheet. For fuck's sake, don't tell me I've to type this during the game)
    *  12 Tatarusanu
    * 03 Emeghara
    * 04 Abrudan
    * 14 Latovlevici
    * 23 Geraldo
    * 08 Radut
    * 10 Tanase
    * 20 Angelov
    * 26 Bicfalvi
    * 09 Kapetanos
    * 28 Stancu

[lfctitch]

You've given the numbers Ray, its fine, they have that for reference when we say number 9, number 26, and so on...

Have to admit not heard of many of them before, despite my wide European football knowledge from Football manager and so forth

Interesting one for me is Maxi, how do you rate him so far Ray? Think he is still up to the task here at Liverpool? Who else do we have who can perform on the right when he's not in the line up (without kuyt) I have to admit one thing I noticed is Gerrard drifting out to the right often against Birmingham to try to get something going. Needs to pick things up a little tonight, build some confidence perhaps.

[Ray K]

Steaua's most famous European night was when they won the greatest European Cup Final of all time* in 1986, beating Terry Venables Barcelona side in the final in Seville on penalties.
* If you're a Steaua fan, or if the only other European Cup Final you've ever seen was Red Star Belgrade - Marseilles in 1991.

Here's some footage of that famous night vs Barcelona, with Romania's answer to Clive Tylsedely commentating:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXaW75kvW70

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

Well played lads, I might join you in the, ahem, box at half-time some inane banter dressed up as half-time analysis.  Let's face it Messrs. Redknapp, Dixon and Merson haven't really set the bar that high have they.

[lfctitch]

Well played lads, I might join you in the, ahem, box at half-time some inane banter dressed up as half-time analysis.  Let's face it Messrs. Redknapp, Dixon and Merson haven't really set the bar that high have they.

Well Torres must be on the brink of getting sold for the fact he isn't here tonight, Roy obviously doesn't rate him after his 'diabolical' game on Sunday against the Brum. Make of it what you will Liverpool fans 

How has Stan Collymoore got onto Channel 5... If we can't beat him during half time we have serious problems

[Ray K]

After desperate Wikipedia-ing, I find out that Steaua will probably play 4-4-2, and that Ilie Dumitrescu is their manager.
He was brilliant in one of the World Cup's greatest ever games - he scored twice vs Argentina and gave the greatest assist ever for Georgie Hagi in that game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnNliThxA7c

Jim 'Count von Count' Rosenthal is presenting on C5 with Stanley 'Dog von Dogging' Collymore and Pat Nevin. Oh joy.
I'm getting loaded up on caffeine. Don't forget to send us PMs with your thoughts.

[lfctitch]

After desperate Wikipedia-ing, I find out that Steaua will probably play 4-4-2, and that Ilie Dumitrescu is their manager.
He was brilliant in one of the World Cup's greatest ever games - he scored twice vs Argentina and gave the greatest assist ever for Georgie Hagi in that game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnNliThxA7c

Jim 'Count von Count' Rosenthal is presenting on C5 with Stanley 'Dog von Dogging' Collymore and Pat Nevin. Oh joy.
I'm getting loaded up on caffeine. Don't forget to send us PMs with your thoughts.

The texts are already flooding in

[lfctitch]

Well Torres must be on the brink of getting sold for the fact he isn't here tonight, Roy obviously doesn't rate him after his 'diabolical' game on Sunday against the Brum. Make of it what you will Liverpool fans 

How has Stan Collymoore got onto Channel 5... If we can't beat him during half time we have serious problems

On torres...

*disgruntled 606/talksport caller*

Obviously the lad is still suffering from his experiences with that Rafa character, poor heart

Nice one Robbie for the informative talksport caller. He sounds intelligent that character, any guesses which Rawkite was the caller?

[lfctitch]

Roy Speaking:

Nonsense that Torres heart isn't in it, why I don't read newspapers, amazed at arrogance of journalists, when all they've done is judge him on 1 performance on the pitch.

Talks about imposing and making teams stop us - interesting after playing 2 such defensive midfielder's so far this season

We haven't sat down and said what we are capable of this season, be it quarter final, semi final.

Dangerous to look into the past, haven't dominated in the 90's or the new millennium, just because we did it 20 years ago doesn't mean we'll do it tomorrow (erm 05/07?) Of course if he is talking on imposing on English Premier League he could be right, but in terms of how well we've done in the past 10 years, under Houllier and Rafa, that felt a bit odd to say the least.

Look forward to peoples views on that.

[Ray K]

I nearly forgot - this year's final is in Dublin in the new Landsdowne Road. (I refuse to use the corporate game).

If Liverpool get there, Sarge is putting all of RAWK up in his house for the night.
(Note: This may or may not be true)

[lfctitch]

I nearly forgot - this year's final is in Dublin in the new Landsdowne Road. (I refuse to use the corporate game).

If Liverpool get there, Sarge is putting all of RAWK up in his house for the night.
(Note: This may or may not be true)

Perhaps we could have a poll on who we believe Sarge would most want to spend the Final with on Rawk

Steaua Bucharest have played in England 6 times, never won, including games against Arsenal

Heavy rain at Anfield, should be a quick pitch and perhaps could be (conspiracy theory here) why Torres isn't playing, when still coming back to full match fitness

And according to the informed Pat Nevin on Channel 5; he believes steaua bucharest will be playing a 4-2-4 against Liverpool 

I'll be taking you into the first 15 minutes of the game, before handing over to Ray. As You'll Never Walk Alone rings round Anfield.

[lfctitch]

Not often that you can hear the music of You'll never walk alone over the crowd... But certainly didn't seem that noisy in Anfield tonight...Considering its a European tie. I wonder if Hicks and Gillett have made an appearance...

[Ray K]

Great to see Pepe captain. If ever a man deserved that honour, it's him.

Over to Titch for the start.

[lfctitch]

Liverpool seemed to have won the toss, kicking right to left in the first half, and steaua bucharest getting us under way towards the kop

[lfctitch]

Cole Scores with the first 30 seconds.

1-0 Liverpool Dream start

[Ray K]

Bloody hell, Joey Cole after 30 secs!! 1-0

[lfctitch]

A mistake on the left, badly laid back, lovely curling strike into the bottem corner, great start

[lfctitch]

Free Kick Liverpool, and now the fans have warmed up, and now theres a bit of noise, a good early goal to get us all going including me.

[lfctitch]

Guess my all night vigil with his holiness paid off!!

So says the GIMP!

[Ray K]

Lovely finish: cutting in from the left corner of the area, he opened his body out and placed it in the far corner with his right foot, in off the post.

[lfctitch]

steaua bucharest attacking down our right hand side early on, Kelly heads it out into touch

[lfctitch]

steaua bucharest hit long forward and not finding anything, a bit of a Carragher centre back perhaps for steaua

[lfctitch]

Joe Cole certainly looks like he can finish, a good early sign for the game against United on sunday

[lfctitch]

Lovely play from Babel skipping past 2-3 players, playing centrally to start with and he wins a corner

[lfctitch]

Chance for Babel tonight, corner to be taking by Maxi on the right hand side, bit of pushing, Sotos heads it down, but played away by steaua bucharest

[lfctitch]

6 mins: Steaua lose the ball again and Babel seem to be attacking the left hand side early on here, Konchesky with the throw into cole played back to Spearing who has a go from a good 25-30 yards and not to far away

[lfctitch]

7 mins: Babel and cole playing some nice stuff between each other, and Cole certainly seems to be adding something

[Ray K]

Decent effort from Spearing from 25 yards, just over.
Babel is having a lot of touches so far. Good to see him involved.

[lfctitch]

8 mins: and how often do you see a Reina mistake, kicks the free kick straight into touch

[lfctitch]

10 mins: Liverpool pick it up and sotos back to Reina, plays it short this time to agger, to Sotos, who comes forward nicely, looking for a long ball to maxi never going to find it, and it stays Liverpool 1-0 Steaua

[lfctitch]

11 mins: Maxi trying to chip the ball into the box but doesn't quite work out, but we are putting good pressure on so far, moving it around very well, Joe cole and Babel look lively

[Ray K]

I'm sorry to say it but I can't ignore it.
Paul Konchesky has a weirdly-shaped head.

[Ray K]

Oh bugger, 1-1.

13 mins
Tanase ran onto a through ball and flicked it past Reina. Completely against the run of play.

[Ray K]

15 mins.
That goal has deflated Anfield. Nice ball from the midfielder to Tanase who outpace Soto (and Kelly trying to cover) and got to the ball just ahead of Reina. 

[Ray K]

17 mins Another good chance for Steaua.
Stancu, who created the goal, did well in beating a couple of players before delivering a cross for Tanase, who was flagged offside.
Pepe saved it from close range though.

[Ray K]

20 mins.
Change for Steaua - right back off due to injury.
They get a corner. It makes our corners look good.

Dave Woods on commentary has clearly been reading Gregg Roughley's article in the Guardian on Ryan Babel as he's mentioned about 3 different bits from it so far.

[lfctitch]

After a fault with my internet connection (would happen on the only night I do commentary I am back) and ready to take over for the final 15 minutes of the half. The game seems very open at the moment, good play going on from both sides, very stretched at present