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

[John C]

Got a PM of one of the serial moaners this week complaining about his topic (another boring whingefest) being locked. Explained to him that RAWK is populated roughly as follows:

10% extreme moaners
10% extreme "sunshiners"
79% rational people  with a balanced outlook
1% Sarge

Love that Gareth.

If I'm to be honest I'm not a sunshiner tonight. It goes without saying that my starting outlook is there's no easy games in football, European games are different but I'm afraid that was synonymous with one of our typical painful PL games.

AM were poor in the first half, constantly hoofing it 30 yards behind their striker, and didn't deserve the lead, the game was there to be drawn had we wanted it enough.

There was some poor individual performances and I just hope the optimism by some on here about next week is proved correct. If it isn't, there's more than what went wrong to be debated.

[guest]

Makes me wanna cry this thread.

Seriously if we make it to Germany what will you lot be saying?

Fucking embarrassment to our club and the city of Liverpool.

They won't be going, thank fuck. But they'll all be there for the parade. STEVIE STEVIE! RAFA RAFA! I LOVE YOUS! MWAH!

[Rojo O Muerto]

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.

El Zhar: A hero will rise.

[weebroalan]

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.

Yeah fuck it let's sack him the silly fucker. Imagaine keeping Lucas and Masch on the pitct away from home.

[Z e u s]

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.

[classycarra]

In my books, after all the shit he's done for us, he should be able to have at least one bad season.

so to make sure you're happy, nobody can call it like it is if he doesn't play well? you don't even seem to know what you're arguing about anymore.

[WelshKopite]

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.

Mate, there was only a few mins on the clock when El Zhar came on, plus the grass was a bit too long for Aquilani.

Lucas was our best player IMO tonight.

[Z e u s]

Yeah fuck it let's sack him the silly fucker. Imagaine keeping Lucas and Masch on the pitct away from home.

Well it hasn't worked all season and didn't work again tonight.

[HiroProtagonist]

Why are so passionless? Why do we play with virtually no tempo? I can only think to the high-pressing, fast tempo stuff we played last season. And don't tell me it's because the team is tired, it's been like this all season. I'm sure we'll go through anyway but it's always disappointing and frustrating to see a performance like that, which has become all to familiar. I just want the season to end and our team needs a major rethink this summer, possibly the biggest summer in years.

[Samee]

Nonsense.  We can't afford to be carrying a player for an entire season, and shouldn't be expected to either.

What now? The team has been CARRYING Gerrard? I don't know if I should laugh or well.. laugh.

[Gainsbarre]

I think you're the first tonight who wrote "o shots, 0 corners".

Hven't look all the posts... Just find that bit of stats very frustrating...  We have had our chances but didn't catch them really... So hope to see another game at Anfield!  Godd night...

[Mal]

Another poor performance. How anyone can say we play good football is beyond me. I'll re-itterate - WE PLAY ABSOLUTLEY DIRE FOOTBALL.

That's a very poor Atletico team too, and they lost 3 on the bounce before beating us. We didn't even have a shot on goal. Reyes looked like fucking Messi out there.

Its a good job they're pretty shite, cos we should pummel them at Anfield.

I'm confused

"WE PLAY ABSOLUTELY DIRE FOOTBALL"

but

"we should pummel them at Anfield'

Those two statements seem, to me, mutually exclusive.

[exiledintheUSA]

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.

Such great insight. How the fuck you're not running the Club is beyond me. You should write a letter to the new Chairman out-lining your masterplan for glory. I'm 100% behind you.

[slaphead]

Makes me wanna cry this thread.

Seriously if we make it to Germany what will you lot be saying?

Fucking embarrassment to our club and the city of Liverpool.

Its a terrible thing expecting a Liverpool team to perform better than we did tonight isn't it, yeah, dead embarassing

[Cruiser]

Liverpool
Shots on target: 0

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

Surely Aquilani has to start at Anfield..

[Samee]

so to make sure you're happy, nobody can call it like it is if he doesn't play well? you don't even seem to know what you're arguing about anymore.

No, I'm all for pointing who's played well and who hasn't. I'm not for people targeting players making scapegoats out of them.

[Cochise]

What now? The team has been CARRYING Gerrard? I don't know if I should laugh or well.. laugh.

Come on mate, Gerrard has been poor for most of the season and looked dis-intrested for about 90% of our games too.

[Z e u s]

Why are so passionless? Why do we play with virtually no tempo? I can only think to the high-pressing, fast tempo stuff we played last season. And don't tell me it's because the team is tired, it's been like this all season. I'm sure we'll go through anyway but it's always disappointing and frustrating to see a performance like that, which has become all to familiar.

Yes this is a problem as well.

No urgency or intent.

[lfcmaster]

Surely Aquilani has to start at Anfield..

i agree with cruiser

[royhendo]

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.

How old are you, can I ask?

[Mr Boat]

I'm confused

"WE PLAY ABSOLUTELY DIRE FOOTBALL"

but

"we should pummel them at Anfield'

Those two statements seem, to me, mutually exclusive.

I thought it was just me

[evered avenue]

In my books, after all the shit he's done for us, he should be able to have at least one bad season.

I don't understand what you mean by 'he should be able to have at least one bad season' in this context?

As I said, I don't think people criticise him for being off form, struggling with injury/for fitness and genereally having a poor season all of which can be understood and made allowance for. 

What I think he shouldn't 'be able to have' is a whole season of bad body language and poor effort and what appears to be next to zero motivational captaining.   Yes you can be off form but as captain, you need to stay positive in body language and in encouragement and especially effort.   These, I think, are the reasons he's been getting so much stick of late.

[reldinho]

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.

Why? Because you said so? There was no space to operate in centre midfield. The space to attack was on the wings or having someone to link midfield and attack. Unfortunately we had Gerrard in that role and his movement, touch and passing was piss poor to say the least.

[Samee]

Come on mate, Gerrard has been poor for most of the season and looked dis-intrested for about 90% of our games too.

He's been poor by his standards but then again so has most of the squad. He's not had a poor season, 9 goals and 9 assists isn't as bad as some will have you to believe. But YES he hasn't been his usual self but he definitely hasn't been shit enough for the team to 'carry' him -  and even if he has, so what? After the amount of times he's had to 'carry' this team to victory in the past.

[OohCampione]

Can't we keep the post mortems till the end of the season. He've got a chance of another glorious night in our trophy-laden history and people want to jack it in because we lost tonight. I agree we could have been better but fuck it, try getting behind the team - try being positive - you never know, you might enjoy it.
When we get to Hamburg, there's only a handfull on here that I could enjoy a bevvy with before the game. The remainder would be too busy slitting their wrists at the prospect of coming up against Horse Face or Bobby Zamora.

And if we don't make it then I'll happily come on here so you doom merchants can get your fix with a host of 'Told you so's'

But until then, get behind your team. Support your manager. Back your players.

You never know, a bit of positivity might just mean you're not the miserable twat that gets left on his own in the boozer, or better still, the one who gets told its cancelled.

Its a European final at stake for fuck sake, its what we're made for

[classycarra]

No, I'm all for pointing who's played well and who hasn't. I'm not for people targeting players making scapegoats out of them.

don;t really see who's doing that, but don't let that stop you from showing everyone that you're the bestest fan in the world

[Brian Blessed]

Only took a quick glance over the thread...people are complaining? It beggars belief.

[Samee]

you're the bestest fan in the world

Cheers.

[Redwhiteandnotblue]

Haha

Always the same people though, isn't it?

Got a PM of one of the serial moaners this week complaining about his topic (another boring whingefest) being locked. Explained to him that RAWK is populated roughly as follows:

10% extreme moaners
10% extreme "sunshiners"
79% rational people  with a balanced outlook
1% Sarge

There are a hell of a lot more than 100 users on RAWK. So when are you going to ban Sarge for all of his multiple log ins?

Seriously though, 79% rational? Like air, 79% inert Nitrogen? You definitely lost a decimal point there.

[royhendo]

"WE PLAY ABSOLUTELY DIRE FOOTBALL"

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?

[SwedenRed]

That was a awful game of football to watch tonight. I was expecting a highly charged semi final. But when you play with 3 central defenders, 2 defensive midfielders, and Ngog as our target man...we are hardly going to get forward and score. Rafa wanted a low score game, and that is what we got.
Didnt think Atletico were any good... just that were were worse than them on the night.
We must up our game next week, and we WILL be in the Final.

[amir87]

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.

There's some rumours going around Melwood that he simply does it just to piss you off.

[Terry de Niro]

Such great insight. How the fuck you're not running the Club is beyond me. You should write a letter to the new Chairman out-lining your masterplan for glory. I'm 100% behind you.

Me too..

IN ZEUS WE TRUST.

[Z e u s]

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!

[BazC]

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!

[No666]

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.

[felix.]

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.

[WelshKopite]

I'm confused

"WE PLAY ABSOLUTELY DIRE FOOTBALL"

but

"we should pummel them at Anfield'

Those two statements seem, to me, mutually exclusive.

I love clever dicks like you. The best type of internet comedians.

We will pummel them at Anfield because our mindset will be different. You can win a game by 3, 4-0 and still not play great football you fucking plank.

So, there you go, nothing to be confused about. You can win games by big margins and still not play that great. And in the same breath, you can play outstandingly well and not win the game. See Arsenal last season 4-4. Make sense now?

Goodnight chuckles.

[exiledintheUSA]

Only took a quick glance over the thread...people are complaining? It beggars belief.

Not wrong. I have lost count over the past couple of days of the lads and lassess who were saying that after that journey they would be happy to get out of there with a one nil defeat.

Well, hello? 

One nil down going into the 2nd leg of a Europen Semi-final, with the game to come at home, at Anfield.

Yes please. BRING IT ON.

[lachesis]

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.