Topic: UEFA Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg: Atlético Madrid 1 - 0 Liverpool (April 22nd 2010)

[LFCfan4Life]

Liverpool
Shots on target: 0

Can't blame Ngog for that cos he was isolated for most part. We really need to bridge the gap between attack and midfield.

thats what gerrard is meant to be doing and hes been ding a very poor job of it all season

was awful today even when presented with some very good balls

[Filler.]

Would have gladly taken a 2-1 defeat or even a 3-1 loss tonight all things considered. Not scoring over there makes it a bit nervy but we can take that team up at home. Wouldn't mind us giving them an early goal on the return leg to make us need three - not for any kind of retro glance back at the Olympiakos match, but it would just make them feel better and softer and us more stung. We're sometimes better like that. With Aguero and Forlan, they have an away goal in them but I can see some fun in their net too.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

My God there's such a bunch of nobs on here after that result that it's driven Roy, yes royhendo, to call someone a naughty word. You animals!

Spot on

But it was no surprise to who though eh ?

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

[classycarra]

It is funny the people who can't say a bad word about Benitez are having a go at me.  But the fact is he's doing a poor job this season and tonight was another example.

18 losses this season.

18!

i think it's more that people can't bear reading the rubbish you come out with. suggesting bringing on aquilani/moving gerrard back into centre midfield is laughable. also you're complaints about aquilani not coming on in place of el zhar (on the right wing!) were hilarious.

you're full of crap, you don't respond to posts that call you on knowing little, and constantly repeat yourself. 18 18 18.

[Samee]

stevie wasn't that bad tonight at all, i don't know what you guys are talking about. if he'd scored with that left foot volley he'd be man of the match like.

Don't be daft. He's shit, always has been. Too full of him self the big nosed twat. Sell him to Madrid and get Balotelli in to partner Torres.

[finchy1972]

Some people need to grow a set ffs, its not the harlem  , brazil1970 , globe fuc*in trotters we are playin in the second leg its an average atletico madrid side against a side that has got a very impressive home record , jesus liverpool sides have from years past to the present had 1-0 result away from home and its always considered a good one . We will get thru so grow a set

[reldinho]

We don't though, do we? We just went away to Atletico Madrid in a European Cup semi final, gifted them a stupid goal, and should have come away with a 1-1 but for an offside decision. If we'd notched at the death people would be on here saying it was a classic counter attacking performance and all that shite, but then they don't actually watch the football do they? They're more concerned about coming on RAWK. I wonder about that actually. Do people watch the football? I mean, actually watch it? Or during the game, are they brewing up their angle for the patter on RAWK?

I wonder the same too sometimes. Its like when the in match threads existed. How can people find the time to watch a match properly and comment in the in match thread? Makes no sense to me but each to their own I suppose.

I can watch a match when we draw or lose and almost predict what people will start moaning about and who the biggest moaners will be. Good to see the usual suspects in this thread too.

[weebroalan]

European semi final in Madrid was never going to be easy.

Considering the season we've had this was a decent result and we had a good goal disallowed.

Would you rather we'd put Aqualani on and 'gone for it' and got beat 2 or 3 nil and have an impossible task next week? Or damage limitation where we now have a real chance of making it to the final?

Make no mistake Anfield will be struggling to stand up come kick off next Thrusday and I suspect the Madrid players will also be struggling.

Bit of perspective lads/lasses. Let's focus on winning this bloody cup and worry abou next fucking season when this one is finished.

[OohCampione]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

Sometimes Gareth, I think you should stop beating round the bush and just let'em know what you think

[royhendo]

It is funny the people who can't say a bad word about Benitez are having a go at me. 

I've said quite a few bad words against Benitez this year, but I'm having a go at you. Your attitude's ridiculous for a European semi in the context of the shite season you describe. If you cared, you'd be thanking the fucking Lord for letting us out of there with a 1-0, but you'd rather grind your axe. Bus ride, Torres out, and we should have come away with 1-1. That's good for any club in Europe, not just us in our current context.

[vicgill]

People can criticise Gerrard, but he's feeding off scraps in the position he's playing now.

Last season Alonso would control the game and feeding Gerrard / Torres.  This season we aren't controlling games as we used to and Gerrard is getting balls hoofed up to him and Ngog.  Plus the supply from out wide isn't much better.

He should be in centre midfield.

If only Rafa would read your posts, seriously son you are becoming a fucking bore

[SwedenRed]

We just went away to Atletico Madrid in a European Cup semi final, gifted them a stupid goal, and should have come away with a 1-1 but for an offside decision.

Did you watch the rest of it? If it wasnt for Reina we would have lost 3 or 4 nil tonight. Dont bring the offside goal into it, as it was extremely marginal, and you would need a linesman with an eye of a hawk to make the correct decision. We were beaten by a very average team...and sorry to say we were well below average.
BUT that was just one game. Its half time, and I am confident we will beat this side at home.

[slaphead]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

he was just stating a fact for christ sake

[Chakan]

anyone know wat the travel plans are for the team coming back home?

[stfabians]

It's not mysterious at all mate, the reason we've been so shite all year is because the same players and tactics have been used time after time.

agreed, I could set up a team to get a draw against a liverpool away side at the moment!!!

Im not worried about tonight, im worried about the whole season's away form.Its been nothing short of shocking and desperately disappointing in every way.

I looked at our team tonight, and the players that made me shrug my shoulders - lucas, kuyt and benny

I am being honest, I think I could pick better players out of the six teams above us, I also think we have better in the liverpool squad. 

Ok, maybe being a little unfair on benny, but he's hardly in form is he.  But a 20 million pound playmaker on the bench, who has shown signs of good creative play recently to justify that price tag, in a euro semi final when we can barely string 5 pass's together???  If we are all honest, we needed a player like him tonight, and away all season.

I'm also a little confused to why people who are moaning are getting such a hard time, I'd be shocked if anyone here thought our away form has been acceptable in performances, even more so results.  Do people really think Rafas getting it right away from home - serious question??

[weebroalan]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

Felt like saying just that but was worried I'd get banned and wouldn't be able to come on here next week when we turn Madrid over and ram it back up the arses of most of these whingig negative fuckers on here

shoulda watched the bloody political debate instead of coming on here. Would of been more fun

[JimmyGrunt]

I need to get the fuck out of here. Bye.

[Samee]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

Naughty Gareth.

[Uhoh AureliOs]

I think a significant problem (attacking wise) is our left. At the moment most of our attacks are coming down the right or through the middle, with Agger staying back and Yossi cutting in it's like we're ignoring the left entirely. Kind of predictable but Aurelio/Insua and Riera missing from the team really hinders us.

[Obviously]

I would give my right testicle for some skillful players in our team. For fucks sake, our players can't even control a simple ball.

We need:
- A couple of skillful wingers/wide players with pace

You see against every club we play against how much the wide players can hurt a team. Robben and Ribery, Valencia and Nani, Messi, Iniesta, Henry, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott. We don't have something even close to any of these, none of our wide players can do something special. Walcott's not even that skillful, but his pace can hurt teams really bad.

- A playmaker in the middle of the pitch

Lucas and Masch have a great work rate, but no creativity. We need a player in the middle that can get a hold of the ball and control the game. Aquilani might be this player or not, who knows as he never plays.

- A new quality left back

Insua is not good enough, not yet at least. But i would like to keep him as he is a club trained player and is good enough to be back up. Aurelio could have been a really good left back, but he's always injured.

- A back up striker

Torres is in my opinion the best striker in the world, but when he's out N'gog or Kuyt just aren't good enough. We need someone who can do a better job than they can. Every other team has good back up strikers, and so should we.

[royhendo]

The problem seemed quite simple to me: Ngog not yet ready for this level (fine against the likes of West Ham) and Babel not having developed. Agreed entirely with Taylor on that front. To (try) to change the tone of this thread a little: what to do at Anfield? Would it worth putting Aquilani in the middle, Gerrard on the right and Benayoun on the left, supporting Kuyt? I think it might offer a little more invention. We need to up our tempo at home, too.

We need to hold sway in the middle and keep the ball further up the park, but they'll sit deeper so it'll be easier on that front.

You'd think we'll push Johnson and Agger further on, so there'll be hairy moments with the centre halves, but I'd say we need Lucas and Masch in there. If it's still tight with the clock running down, Lucas can push on.

I like N'Gog, but I hope he starts Babel.

[DonkeyWan]

It is funny the people who can't say a bad word about Benitez are having a go at me.

Mime artists can be such cruel bastards. Don't let them get you down Z e u s, I'm 100% behind your plan of using a playmaker in midfield to get the team going, Benitez is a fool for not sneaking a 12th player on before.

[electric_bloom]

Could have been better, could be worse.
Can't wait for next week!

[Samee]

shoulda watched the bloody political debate instead of coming on here. Would of been more fun

Exactly what my Dad said.

[electricghost]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

 

[WelshKopite]

We don't though, do we? We just went away to Atletico Madrid in a European Cup semi final, gifted them a stupid goal, and should have come away with a 1-1 but for an offside decision. If we'd notched at the death people would be on here saying it was a classic counter attacking performance and all that shite, but then they don't actually watch the football do they? They're more concerned about coming on RAWK. I wonder about that actually. Do people watch the football? I mean, actually watch it? Or during the game, are they brewing up their angle for the patter on RAWK?

Roy...

Stop kidding yourself mate. We've been like this all season, so stop acting like we nearly pulled off a masterful performance by grabbing an equaliser.

Our quality of football is poor - there's no ifs or buts about it. People act like I'm happy we play shit football, I'M FUCKING GUTTED mate, fed up of watching tripe game after game. It wasn't nowhere near classic counter attacking football, their keeper didn't have to make ONE save? And lets be honest, they're not THAT great an outfit.

I know you post on here all the time, and your a respected poster, but cmon man, take the rose-tinters off. I was actually counting the amount of passes we could make tonight, and apart from a few ocassions, we lost the ball after 2, 3 passes. As soon as we're pressed, we lose possession or hoof it. Its the truth. If it was a one-off, I'd think fair enough, but its week after week after week.

[mickeydocs]

Some strange decisions by Rafa tonight. Benayoun was anonymous on the left wing. N'gog was doing nothing up front. Kuyt was ok (in a Kuyt way) on the right. I felt that he should have put Babel up front for a while, but no he puts him on the right. And I'm just sick of seeing El Zhar guaranteed 10 minute run out.

[macca888]

Fucking hell. Zeus is getting our Roy and Gareth all fucking mental tonight like!   

It was clear that we needed someone in the centre of midfield that could get us playing.

Instead of subbing Lucas for Aquilani or dropping Gerrard into centre midfield, our manager decided to bring on El Zhar.

I think it was really fucking good of Rafa to let you know which three changes he was thinking about making. Was it him that dropped his fucking phone when he was texting you to tell about the subs he was thinking of making?

"Z, should I tk LL off 4 AA, put SG in DM n put Dani on, or put EZ on for 4x2. LOLZ. Rafa"

[Mal]

We don't though, do we? We just went away to Atletico Madrid in a European Cup semi final, gifted them a stupid goal, and should have come away with a 1-1 but for an offside decision. If we'd notched at the death people would be on here saying it was a classic counter attacking performance and all that shite, but then they don't actually watch the football do they? They're more concerned about coming on RAWK. I wonder about that actually. Do people watch the football? I mean, actually watch it? Or during the game, are they brewing up their angle for the patter on RAWK?

I think you've completely missed the point of my post; I was pointing out the inherent contradiction of WeslhKopite's post (the one I quoted) - go take your attitude with me for a long walk.

FWIW, my own opinion is that although the result isn't too bad we could've made more substantial efforts to score. In defense we controlled space excellently but when we had the ball it seemed to me that we were too intent on controlling space rather than using good movement to create some space of our own, that said Atletico pressed us well the whole game (something they'll do at Anfield too). It was a typical euro away performance so not entirely unexpected, just a little disappointing that we didn't notch.

[Juan Loco]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

It's like watching the Dalai Lama snap and headbutt someone.

[cjc9020801Beverly Hills]

Not got a good feeling about the home leg, we've battered Lille and Benfica but can we do it again?? It will be tough, probably tougher than a lot of people seem to think. If they score we could be screwed.

About tonight, I thought it was satisfactory by our away standards. But that's not saying much. Not adventurous enough and far, far too negative. As usual away from home.

Still, we've got a good chance.

Not sure. think we will fall short this time round.

[Samee]

Our quality of football is poor - there's no ifs or buts about it.

I thought you were done being negative?

[rushyman]

Dont know where this good result stuff was coming from. If they score we need 3 and we looked utterly lost and bereft of ideas going forward. Ngog in the first half where he tried to cut back inside instead of letting the ball run and going in on goal and kuyts chance when Babel put him through were both made for Torres. Reckon he mightve got another on his own aswell

4 games v them and hes played none. Hmmm...

[classycarra]

Don't be daft. He's shit, always has been. Too full of him self the big nosed twat. Sell him to Madrid and get Balotelli in to partner Torres.

alright we know you think gerrard's infallible and want so much to fit in, but can you stop the pointless exaggeration, it's getting boring. change the record

[SwedenRed]

At the risk of contradicting everything preached about abuse....

Just FUCK OFF with your incessant, never ending moaning. You're more trouble that it's worth. Hope you find peace somewhere else you whinging bastard.

Jesus. I am shocked.

Come on guys its a Forum with lots of opinions... Cant everyone kiss and make up?

[royhendo]

Did you watch the rest of it? If it wasnt for Reina we would have lost 3 or 4 nil tonight. Dont bring the offside goal into it, as it was extremely marginal, and you would need a linesman with an eye of a hawk to make the correct decision. We were beaten by a very average team...and sorry to say we were well below average.
BUT that was just one game. Its half time, and I am confident we will beat this side at home.

A post of two halves there, no? The keeper's a member of the team aswell mate - we don't get consolation points cos he made the saves - the score was 1-0 because Pepe is our goalie.

Marginal you say? But onside - you'd concede that?

[WelshKopite]

Drop the charades and false bravado lads - it's fucking boring.

If anyone of you can say that wasn't a shite performance, then you need to seriously have your eyes examined. Call it what it is. The reality is that we have a good chance of going through next Thursday seeing how shite Atleti were. One thing remains, for a European semi final that was not even a semblance of a Liverpool team that turned up. The result is digestable only because of the abject performance, and it could (and probably should) have been worse.

I don't care about the style or the fact we may not win every game, but I want to see the players trying. We were getting rings run round us at times, and our tactical masterclass boiled down to balls over the top by Lucas. We couldn't pass to each other, any pressure within five yards and the man in possession panicked and his priority was to get rid of it in the quickest way possible.

Atletico were shit and came away with the win because of our schoolboy defending and overall we were shitter. It wasn't a night to discuss who was better, but who was less shite, and we easily came second in that department.

One good thing is that next Thursday shouldn't have an apathetic audience at least, and yes I'll be up for it. But right now, I feel I wanted tonight more than the players and burst more capillaries shouting at the TV than any player on that pitch.

Man, best post of this thread. Wish I could word mine like that, just get too vexed at the dishonest bullshit people write.

[Samee]

And I'm just sick of seeing El Zhar guaranteed 10 minute run out.

Am I missing something? Hasn't be played like.. twice this season?

[royhendo]

It's like watching the Dalai Lama snap and headbutt someone.

[hoonin]

he was just stating a fact for christ sake

Of course, but there's a history that you're probably not aware of.

As I said, more of a problem for the forum as a whole than a benefit. You can see this yourself merely by checking past posts.