Topic: CL 1st leg: L’pool 0 v Bayern 0

[Fitzy.]

That was as bad as Leicester.

Nope. Not least because we were playing an elite opposition. Much more accomplished than Leicester.

[TepidT2O]

Poor game of togger that.

All or nothing in the second leg.

First half was excellent, but it died second half.

We missed Fabinho in midfield, Gini doesn’t look 100% fit.  The black Gascoigne (TM) looked excellent but tired.

Another 10 day break, and we look a little rusty once again

[Phil M]

Fabinho and Hendo, top class performances.

Virgil back and a fresher Bob Firmino, we can do them.

[themightybeard]

Not the worst result but I'm really, really frustrated with that. Seems like we have a defender playing out of their skin every time but there comes a point when you're making them look unbeatable with your sloppiness. Some absolutely superb moves and dribbles mixed with some atrocious passing or swiping at the ball all within the same passage of play.

Still, I can't really say that anyone was bad. Salah was a bit quiet and I thought TAA was sloppy but that's to be expected having been out for a while. To be honest I thought everyone else was very good at worst.

I think it helps to be reminded that sometimes teams just cancel each other out without anyone really doing anything wrong. I've clearly just been spoiled by last year's dream performances!

[L8Craig]

Decent for 2nd leg but we need to improve fast.

Keita is a weird player his dribbling is good but shocking passing.

To be fair, Bayern we’re camped on the edge of their box and everyone was running into brick walls.
I’d rather a 0-0 than a 0-1.

All we need is a goal or 2 at the Allianz.

Virgil back. Fabinho Hendo and Wijnaldum/ Keita in mid. We need more intensity in chasing down them playing it around at the back.
They didn’t half piss me off by sitting back and passing from CB to GK to CB.

[S]

Think on some level playing in fewer competitions is harming us. We seem sort of disjointed.

[MNAA]

That set us up nicely to unleash in the away leg ... Howard Gayle!

[BrandoLFC]

What do you know, a 50/50 betting odds game and xG match up game is a draw.  We were better and it's against Bayern.  Yes our decision making in the final 3rd let us down but considering who we were starting at CB it's not a terrible result and makes for a tough game for Bayern at the Allianz as they can't go all out from the off.  Why didn't Gini just kick the ball in the net when Salah cut in but lost the ball?  The Mane chances he had his back to goal but Gini just needed to kick it.  Oh well...

[Perham]

Said before that it seemed impossible that either team would keep a clean sheet. In the end both did. Shows how much I know about football 

[Sharado]

That was as bad as Leicester.

Fucking hell. Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the champions league.

[duvva 💅]

Not on our game, but great to see our slapped together center defense do really well. Just a touch away from a few goals.

As long as we up our away leg performance from the rest of this year, that's a great result for us. Klopp will have them ready!

Just repeating 81. 

Yep, who’s gonna be Ray?

[rawcusk8]

No composure in our attack, snatching at chances and sloppy in possession. Mane should have played in Origi at the end. Not the worst result, we certainly shouldn’t fear playing at theirs. Does Matip wear his boots on the opposite feet? Some awful mishits when he should have hit the target.

[Zeb]

See what happens then they decide to push on a bit at home. Clean sheet with that centre back pairing I'll take. That little bit missing in front of goal for us. Should be a good game over there.

[redboxingyeti]

Not getting all of the negativity, nor the love in of Bayern from the commentators tonight.
It wasn't a great game, but I thought we did fine - Keita looked good first half, defense did absolutely fine, and Henderson played a captain's game.
We were wasteful but not awful. I can see us scoring in the Allianz.

0-0 in 81, 1-1 second leg - not over by a long way.

[Sat1]

They sat back 2nd half. So happy to go home with a 0-0.  It’ll be more so I’m optimistic.

Salah and our full backs were poor. Expect better Sunday

[Phil M]

One shot on target from them. Shows how much Kovac respected us and feared our counter.

[jillcwhomever]

Why would Milner be starting? Fabinho comes back to midfield, and Henderson and Keita both played well tonight

Milner was much better at winning the ball back when he came on though. Normally of course Fabhino would be in that position certainly for the second leg. But Bayern are very good at winning the ball back quickly there was marked improvement in our play when Milner came on and started doing that.

[Felch Aid]

All to play for.

Bayern nullified  us in the second half.

VVD back for the 2nd leg and we'll play on the break.

No more 10 day gaps between games please as we looked rusty.

[ac]

Ps. How good was Fabinho? His 2nd half challenge of Lewandoski was brilliant - great signing

[Gili Gulu]

Bobby was good, but Sadio didn't have his shooting boots on. Thought Salah was very subdued, reacted slowly to things, got caught offside not coming back which is not like him.

The midfield was OK, thought Keita was unlucky to come off.

The back 5 were all good defensively, but Alexander-Arnold and Robertson use of the ball was way below their usual standards.

[Gerry Attrick]

this is way off .... they played completely differently tonight to how they normally play
where were there full backs all game??!
the 2nd half (and most of the match) was an exercise in killing the game from them

They're conceding more than a goal a game in the Bundesliga and even Ajax mustered 3 against them. This really isn't a defensive giant that turned it on over night. With more accuracy there were goals there for us.

[-Willo-]

Think on some level playing in fewer competitions is harming us. We seem sort of disjointed.

Yup, probably why City play strong teams in every game, maintains the rhythm, keeps everyone fresh.

[Andar]

Nope. Not least because we were playing an elite opposition. Much more accomplished than Leicester.

Speaking of our wayward passing.

[Ultimate Bromance]

Definitely looked like we hadn't played a proper game in 10 days. I think that's a poor result given the chances we had, but then you look at the overall performance and think it's probably fair enough.
Biggest concern is games like this where we lack cohesion going forward, and struggle to play a consistent 90 are starting to become more and more common.

Also someone needs to have a fucking word with these defenders taking idiotic pot shots from outside the box, VVD gets a pass, but the rest can get to fuck 

[oldfordie]

Frustrating, simple final passes not good enough, not the worst result though, away goal and it's up for grabs.

[Rush 82]

Think on some level playing in fewer competitions is harming us. We seem sort of disjointed.

I wonder if the injuries have had any effect....

[Fitzy.]

Fucking hell. Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the champions league.

Genuinely, there’s a total loss of perspective from some and an inability to comprehend that some opponents are very bloody good.

[rushyman]

Well I dunno about you lads but I’m taking that all day

[jillcwhomever]

They sat back 2nd half. So happy to go home with a 0-0.  It’ll be more so I’m optimistic.

Salah and our full backs were poor. Expect better Sunday

Why are saying just Salah, none of the front three played well. Bobby was below his best not surprisingly considering, Mane certainly was quite poor too.

[CS111]

Something worries me about us over the past couple of months
Things just don’t seem to be clicking the way they were previously.
Last season I think we win that 2 or 3-0. Not saying we won’t go through, Bayern couldn’t be any worse coming forward. Need to massively up our tempo and pressing for the weekend
. We will definitely be in for a game at Ot

[Robinred]

I hope I never see us go so long again without a competitive game - that’s twice this season and both occasions we were as rusty as fuck on our return.

Trent and Andy were a shadow of their usual selves.

As a team, we gave the ball away for fun. They were up to the sort of stuff you’d expect and the ref, though good overall, bought too many.

The decision making in the final third was poor. The game was summed up for me when Mo (who was very subdued) created a wonderful  - and rare - opportunity, only for Gini to fuck it up.

We’re obviously well in this tie. The return of Virgil will be a huge plus. We are much better than that. I’m unconvinced they are.

[PatriotScouser]

In a 2 legged game if you can't score in the first game then keeping a clean sheet is imperative. We did that therefore me for me it is a positive outcome. We can score 1 or 2 in Munich. If they score 2 or 3 then fair play to them, but I fancy us now.

[Johnny B. Goode]

Might be me projecting it but I feel like our hearts aren't in it (the CL) this season. Worlds away from how we behaved at home last year.

[Andar]

Rafinha up against Mane in the 2nd leg is a big thing. That could be a gamechanger.

[lukeb1981]

No Rhythm unfortunately that is what happens with such a big break .They worked their bollox off in fairness to stop us and they deserve credit for that . Cant see utd being that disciplined so hopefully we can get into a flow and stop this fucking around at the back but with Fabinho in the middle that should give an outlet and we can get the ball forward faster. 

[MobileBayRed]

He can run around a bit. Not sure you blame him much for tonight though, he barely got a touch.

No blame at all, but he offers very little. I get that Bobby was coming off the flu and was an obvious sub, but Shaqiri or Sturridge would have offered a real threat in a game where a bit of brilliance would have seen the difference

[JackWard33]

They're conceding more than a goal a game in the Bundesliga and even Ajax mustered 3 against them. This really isn't a defensive giant that turned it on over night. With more accuracy there were goals there for us.

I'm sure there were - they were lucky in the first half but seriously can you point me to the last Bundesliga game where there full backs didn't cross half way please?
That was like the Man City game - they played completely differently.

[El Lobo]

Interview with the best and worst players on the pitch

[Red Ol]

Makeshift defence and they hardly had a sniff. They will be attacking at home and we are at our best on the counter. Could have been better but given the absence of Virgil I’m pretty comfortable with that.

[RK7]

Should never have binned off the FA Cup, these breaks do us more harm than good. Its Karma perhaps.