Topic: The Papers on the Monaco game 16-9-04

[Rushian]

Cisse and Baros breathing new life into Benitez regime
By Henry Winter, Daily Telegraph

Rafael Benitez's impact on Liverpool accelerates by the game, this victory over last year's Champions League finalists bringing rich applause from the Kop by the end. Fine strikes from Djibril Cisse and the substitute Milan Baros brought three Group A points but it was the unsung work of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia that also impressed ... this was the sort of football Liverpool fans crave: high on tempo and ambition, completely unfettered by fear ....

Baros completes Liverpool ton
By Dominic Fifield, The Guardian

It is almost two years since Liverpool last contested the Champions League, though any fears that they had fallen behind Europe's elite in the interim have been smartly allayed. Monaco, the team who embarrassed Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to last season's final, were dismantled last night and, though the scoreline suggests a squeeze, the reality was emphatic. This was almost a mismatch ... there was a vibrancy to Liverpool's play which utterly eclipsed the visitors, their upbeat tempo set from central midfield, where Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso were outstanding ....

Luis García gives Liverpool fine start
By Peter Lansley, The Times

Rafael Benitez had to ration himself to the number of grateful waves he offered the Kop as they chanted his name last night. Liverpool, back in the Champions League after a fallow year, controlled a match against last season’s runners-up with such comfort that their new manager was having to restrain himself from acknowledging the Anfield faithful every time they burst into song in his honour ...  it was Luis García, playing in the hole behind Cissé, and Xabi Alonso, partnering Steven Gerrard in midfield, who provided the élan Anfield craves ...

Cissé and Baros give Liverpool the perfect start
By Phil Shaw, Independent

Watched by Gérard Houllier, as well as by Ian Rush, Sammy Lee, Phil Thompson and other legends of continental triumphs past, Rafael Benitez's new-look Liverpool hit the Champions' League trail with a routine win over a depleted Monaco. Djibril Cissé set Liverpool on their way with a ruthless finish after 22 minutes. The peroxide poacher later gave way to Milan Baros, with whom he has so far struggled to form a partnership, and the substitute completed the victory with a splendid solo goal with seven minutes remaining ... Garcia is not a classic No 10, operating more as a frontrunner, but his skill and stature make him well suited to the shirt ....

Liverpool ease to 2-0 win
By Press Association, Soccernet

Liverpool lived on their nerves but in the end deservedly grabbed a confidence-boosting 2-0 victory over Monaco on their return to the Champions League. Monaco, last season's runners-up, were outplayed for long spells but - for all Liverpool's clever, inventive football - were not finished off until six minutes from time. Djibril Cisse put Liverpool ahead as their slick movement and passing threatened to over-run Didier Deschamps' side ... Liverpool continued to improve with Alonso having an increasing input, while Finnan was a constant menace - timing his runs into space on the right to collect a string of excellent cross-field passes ....

Confident Liverpool see off Monaco
By Jonathan Caswell, UEFA.com

Liverpool FC negotiated a potentially tricky first game in UEFA Champions League Group A against last season's finalists AS Monaco FC, Djibril Cissé and Milan Baroš scoring in each half to secure a solid win for Rafael Benítez’s side. Despite the brilliance of Luis García, it was a solid team performance which won the game for Liverpool with Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso impressive in central midfield and Baroš looking lively as a second-half substitute ... the crowd then rose to a free-flowing Liverpool who were displaying great commitment and a full array of passing, stepping up a gear with García instrumental in everything positive they did ....

[Paul Tomkins]

Steve McMahon on Sky: Boring, negative Liverpool, same as last year except with Spaniards replacing Frenchmen. Also questioning how long Benitez would be given to get things right.

Guardian: "It is almost two years since Liverpool last contested the Champions League, though any fears that they had fallen behind Europe's elite in the interim have been smartly allayed. Monaco, the team who embarrassed Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to last season's final, were dismantled last night and, though the scoreline suggests a squeeze, the reality was emphatic. ... Parity would have been scandalous, so rampaging were the home side. "

Still struggling to work out why some ex-players are so negative (when there's no reason to be). Monaco's defence was pretty much the one that got them to the final last year, and Squillaci and Guivet both played in France's recent World Cup qualifiers. We tore them to shreds.

Nice comments in that Guardian article about Finnan and Kewell - neither had their best game on the ball, but both worked very hard and both got stuck in.

[Kop4]

Yeah, surprising comments from McMahon.

Still, who cares?

 

[Bob Kurac]

The Post got their priorities right :

Girls' school comes to the rescue of soccer stars Sep 16 2004

 

 
By Clare Usher Daily Post Staff
 


THE Monaco football team was left embarrassed yesterday when they went to practise in a Liverpool park - and had to use a netball.

The Mediterranean side were trying to get in a last minute bit of practice at Sefton Park ahead of last night's Champions League game at Anfield which they lost 2-0.

But the team realised they had forgotten their footballs and had to enlist the help of the police officer who was escorting them.

The officer went to St Hilda's, a nearby school for girls.

However, despite having older girls who play football, they could not find what was needed.

This meant the 11 men from the city state side were left to play with the netball.

Chris Yates, the headteacher of St Hilda's School on the boundary of Sefton Park, said: "One of the police riders looking after the Monaco team came knocking and asked for a ball.

"He used to do some neighbourhood policing in the area and knew St Hilda's was nearby.

"We lent them a pumped-up netball, but that was all we had."

Meanwhile, there was a small group of fans at the city's Radisson Hotel where the team and all their entourage were staying before their clash with Liverpool.

But the Monaco players were not the only reason they were there because Prince Albert of Monaco booked in.

The Prince is known for attending as many of the team's games as possible and yesterday travelled to Liverpool to watch his side in the match.

The team waited until 6pm before boarding their coach to make the journey to Anfield.

A small crowd of half a dozen people gathered in the hotel foyer while one dedicated fan waited outside with a small hand-made sign wishing the team luck as they walked past.

Manager Didier Deschamps signed a few autographs before joining his team on their trip to the Liverpool ground.

Although the Monaco players had only arrived yesterday, the team chef checked into the Radisson hotel on Monday in order to make some advance preparations.

[Paul Tomkins]

Seemed at times like we ended up playing the girls' netball team last night... 

(Or at least we made them look like young girls at times with our football - and certainly the big rugged centre back who cried when Gerrard fell into him was hardly acting like a grown man).