Prem Weekend Thread

super_furry

**** football.

BKtje

Utd to get a jammy 94th minute goal with their one and only decent chance. Probably from Ferdinand or someone unexpected.

What a prediction, only out by 2 mins

What really really makes me happy is that you could see that the win meant a great deal to the players

Atlas_IRL

PiE wrote:

Looking like one of those games... Utd to get a jammy 94th minute goal with their one and only decent chance. Probably from Ferdinand or someone unexpected.

Close call


i knew united would score from that free kick , havnt had that feeling since 99


i want o sheas babies, ha completly robbed of 2 points

A Dub in Glasgo

Poor game but what a finish from United

Scoles did not deserve to be sent off
Crouch should have buried that 88th minute chance with his head
Saha should have had a penalty

Chucky the tree

of course he deserved to be sent off.

Green_Martian

Have to agree with Chucky, he deserved to be sent off due to Intent

KdjaCL

Raise your hand and you have to go.


kdjac

RasTa

If Liverpool had a world class striker, they would be class. Alas they don't and didn't deserve anything today. Crouch should of won it for yis. I take back everything I said about O Shea! Get him back into the Irish squad!

kaimera

I said the same thing as PiE just before walking out the door with 20mins left

For ****ing shame. Horribly disappointed given we were all over them for a change.

Champions elect it seems, unless Chelsea do something spectacular for the last 11 games.

If Liverpool had a world class striker, they would be class. Alas they don't and didn't deserve anything today.

Ehh...yer third choice keeper scored.

Chucky the tree

No, dont. You united lads can keep him in the the united team as much as you want, but he cant go anywhere near the irish team. We are bad enough as it is.

Green_Martian

kaimera wrote:

Ehh...yer third choice keeper scored.

Who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nalz

S.M.B.

I don't think Scholes had any intent in trying to punch Alonso in the face but there was no way the referee could interpret the swing in any other way.

Scholes isn't the type player who would lash out at an opposing player just because of a little tug of the jersey from behind while the team are just ten minutes away from getting a useful point. I think he flung his hand towards the referee in disgust at not getting a free kick but it looked like it was aimed at Alonso.

PHB

Oh that was very very very very very enjoyable.

Scholes deserved to go.
Havn't seen a decent replay to see if it was offside, but I think maybe after Momo's touch it was, not sure though.
Defo peno on Saha.
Great Free Kick from Ronaldo
Great pressure from Saha on the keeper
Great finish from O'Shea

Liverpool would have won if they had had a decent striker on the pitch, but they don't have one in their squad, cept Fowler, but he's too old now.
Liverpool really only created two very good chances, one which Bellamy ****ed up, one which Crouch ****ed up. Feel sorry for Kuyt playing with either of those two. Carragher deserves the MOM for a stellar performance, really solid.

It's the same as the league last year, and I'll say the same thing. Liverpool were a lot of huff, a lot of possession, but were never really that close to scoring. Lots of long balls, lots of half chances, but few real chances. Then even when you get a real chance, the strikers are unlikely to score. Even when Crouch got the ball in the 88th minute, how many people really felt he was going to put it away?

A draw would have been a fair result, a win is just great. I really hope Chelsea were watching that.

quad_red

PHB wrote:

Liverpool would have won if they had had a decent striker on the pitch, but they don't have one in their squad, cept Fowler, but he's too old now.
Liverpool really only created two very good chances, one which Bellamy ****ed up, one which Crouch ****ed up. Feel sorry for Kuyt playing with either of those two. Carragher deserves the MOM for a stellar performance, really solid.

Eh? Bellamy gave Vidic and Evra a complete nightmare. He linked play well and was energetic as hell. Crouch is a clown though.

And Carragher played brilliantly today but Rio was outstanding. Real Alamo stuff. Himself and Van Der Sar kept Utd in it.

KdjaCL

PHB wrote:

Liverpool were a lot of huff, a lot of possession, but were never really that close to scoring.

And Utd were polar opposite ?

I love that cliche


kdjac

The Volt

Great tactical change by Sir Alex

PHB

Eh? Bellamy gave Vidic and Evra a complete nightmare. He linked play well and was energetic as hell. Crouch is a clown though.

Evra had a crap game, but he wouldn't have been playing had Heinze been fit. He can't handle those sort of long balls up for headers, he's just too small.
Bellamy did good against Vidic, but ultimately, nothing came from it.

And Utd were polar opposite ?

I love that cliche

Nope, little possesion, not very close to scoring. But United used their possession better than Liverpool, albeit just.

therecklessone

PHB wrote:

Liverpool would have won if they had had a decent striker on the pitch, but they don't have one in their squad, cept Fowler, but he's too old now.
Liverpool really only created two very good chances, one which Bellamy ****ed up, one which Crouch ****ed up. Feel sorry for Kuyt playing with either of those two.

Why feel sorry for Kuyt? If they've no decent striker, and only Crouch and Bellamy had chances, then what does that say about Kuyt?

PHB

Because Kuyt has really shown he could be a great striker, but never an out and out attacker. He is a second striker, but has the potential to be a very very very good one. I really didn't expect much from him after the World Cup, but he's really shown himself to have great potential. That potential will never be realised next to Bellamy or Crouch

therecklessone

Oh. so they did have a decent striker on the pitch. Thanks.

The Volt

Cahill gone off injured...

Nalz

PHB wrote:

Because Kuyt has really shown he could be a great striker, but never an out and out attacker. He is a second striker, but has the potential to be a very very very good one. I really didn't expect much from him after the World Cup, but he's really shown himself to have great potential. That potential will never be realised next to Bellamy or Crouch

I agree with all of that. I like kuyt and see him exactly as PHB described. Hard luck Liverpool, by far the better team.

John O Shea is a legend. What was that you said about him PHB, which that Arsenal fan seems to remind us about in his signature? Never a truer phrase spoken!

redspider

Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd

Well, well, well. Liverpool did enough to win this game but Man Utd did a typical smash and grab. This has happened too often for my liking, and it was Liverpool's speciality in the 90's. Also, many goals are still coming from dead ball situations. Too many Liverpool players just switched off for that free-kick. Finnan stood still and watched and Reina's spill was typical of him and a symptom of his faults, which is why he is just not good enough for the standard that we seek.

In the general scheme of things, its not the end of the world for Liverpool. Barcelona wont get too much consoling from it and Man Utd know that they stole it, players and fans. It wont make a difference in our position in the league, 1 pt (as it was looking) or zero pts. However, perhaps the infamous quote from Bill Shankly applies, in that these matches are ALWAYS important against Liverpool's main arch enemies, especially as they are challenging for the title. As a result of this the title is theirs unless they implode and they shouldnt. That is always a bitter pilll to swallow for Liverpool fans, although its a moot point really as Chelsea are in their current guise eqaully as unplatable.

So, to Tuesday and Barca. I hope that the lads, especially Stevie G, can pick himself up from this dissapointment, and I'm sure he will.

PiE wrote:

Looking like one of those games... Utd to get a jammy 94th minute goal with their one and only decent chance. Probably from Ferdinand or someone unexpected.

I sort of had that feeling too, but there was much hope for Liverpool, more than there has been in recent years. And what with the Scholes sending off, Larsoon subbed, Rooney off injured, it looked like a safe one point.

Good prediction though Pie,

Redspider

PiE

PHB wrote:

A draw would have been a fair result, a win is just great.

Fair result? For who? What game were you watching? Utd deserved nothing from the game.

It wont make a difference in our position in the league, 1 pt (as it was looking) or zero pts

Yea, that's the way I'm looking at it too. Top 4 is pretty much guaranteed, we were never really gonna catch Chelsea either. No big deal really as long as the morale aint affected too badly.

Nalz

yep, it would have been lucky if United got a draw even...but what a win!

The Volt

There was a sense Utd would do it though, especially when Andy Grey said " It would be an injustice after how they've played" Then Bang!

PHB

Fair result? For who? What game were you watching? Utd deserved nothing from the game.

How many real chances did Liverpool actually have?
Crouch's shot? Bellamy's misplaced pass?

Aside from that, it was just lots and lots of half chances.

The Volt

PHB wrote:

How many real chances did Liverpool actually have?
Crouch's shot? Bellamy's misplaced pass?

Aside from that, it was just lots and lots of half chances.

More than Utd. had

PHB

By one, and the difference between the two teams? The real difference?
Crouch couldn't put away his chance, O'Shea could

PiE

PHB wrote:

Aside from that, it was just lots and lots of half chances.

As opposed to Utd's one chance which produced the goal and zero half chances.

Like I said though, I'm not too bothered. Really makes no difference to our season and I'm quite happy for Chelsea to not win the league again.

Quite content in the knowledge that we totally dominated the future champions.

~Rebel~

I agree that a draw would probably have been fair. Liverpool kept the possession well, and kept pressure on, but didnt do enough with it. Man U took their chance well AND had a very decent call for a Penalty waved away. Liverpool were lucky not to have been 1-0 down from that.

gandalf

Jaysus thank god Arsenal won that 2-1, the feckers are giving me an ulcer this year !!!

d22ontour

PiE wrote:

As opposed to Utd's one chance which produced the goal and zero half chances.

United had a couple of half chances in the 1st half tbh.Ronaldo not off-loading it to Rooney when he ballooned it over was a decent chance.

PiE wrote:

Quite content in the knowledge that we totally dominated the future champions.

2nd half i would agree but you would expect that from a team that aspires to challenge for the league.

Bateman

PiE wrote:

As opposed to Utd's one chance which produced the goal and zero half chances.

Like I said though, I'm not too bothered. Really makes no difference to our season and I'm quite happy for Chelsea to not win the league again.

Quite content in the knowledge that we totally dominated the future champions.

Can you tell me what exactly you think Liverpool have in reserve for midweek?

Can you tell me if you think the players and management should / will have the same attitude as you do, ie "not too bothered"?

Finally, if you do indeed think that the management team share your "not too bothered" attitude, how exactly do you think they are supposed to stop Eto'o and Barcelona?

~Rebel~

Bateman wrote:

Can you tell me what exactly you think Liverpool have in reserve for midweek?

Can you tell me if you think the players and management should / will have the same attitude as you do, ie "not too bothered"?

Finally, if you do indeed think that the management team share your "not too bothered" attitude, how exactly do you think they are supposed to stop Eto'o and Barcelona?

What are you jumping on his post for?

I'd agree with him. Of course it always absolutely sucks to lose to United as a liverpool fan, but this season unfortunately that result doesnt change anything for us. We're still in a comfortable position for a top 4 finish, too far from chelsea for 2nd anyway. As a great man once said 2nd is nothing.

Of course the Manager and players will be pissed off, knowing themselves that they did enough to win, but it didnt work out that way, they'll move on and prepare for the next game. One of which is actually very important and on which the season does actually hinge, so of course they wont have a "not bothered approach to it" (What kind of question is that anyway?!?), just as they didnt have a "not bothered approach today"

If Liverpool were torn apart today id be worried about tuesday, but they weren't, it could quite easily have gone the other way had bellamy's goal stood, had crouch finished better (as he has on many occasions), or had the ball across goal to Kuyt been a little better. Theres no question of what Liverpool have in reserve for midweek, they already know they can beat Barca (as they did a week and a half ago), and so can approach the game with confidence that they have the work ethic to disrupt Barca, together with an attack capable of nicking a goal from a very attacking team leaving them stretched at the back (as they were in the 1st leg).

We know our problem with the strikers not taking all their chances - but they dont miss all their chances either.

Bateman

~Rebel~ wrote:

they did enough to win

How on earth are Liverpool ever going to challenge for the league if they believe that "doing enough to win the game" doesn't actually include scoring goals? I wonder does Benitez share those sentiments, fine away goals manager that he is.

~Rebel~ wrote:

What are you jumping on his post for?

I'm jumping on the post because there's an acceptance there that Liverpool have lost to United at Anfield having gone the whole season previously unbeaten, and having not conceded a goal there in the league since October. There is little in the way of asking why they lost, little in the way of questioning Finnan's concentration and discipline firstly in giving away the free kick, and secondly in standing motionless as O'Shea lashed in the winner.

I don't think that a team of professional footballers can just erase today's result from their collective memory and feed off the first leg in Barcelona. Time will tell I suppose, but I anyone who backs Liverpool to qualify at 1/3 is off their head.

KdjaCL

PiE wrote:

Quite content in the knowledge that we totally dominated the future champions.

So did Fulham.


kdjac

~Rebel~

I meant more that they'd be pissed off at themselves for doing enough to win in the game but not actually getting the win ie. the all important finishes. That they'd be pissed off they dominated possession and play for long spells but were unable to hit home when it mattered.

As I said the team will probably take it much worse then I am, losing to the old enemy in the last few minutes. And i've no doubt that Rafa will go through every mistake they made in detail, and lecture those responsible for lapses in concentration. They wont get off as lightly as you seem to suggest id say. It may have its good side too that its a reminder that if you switch off for even a minute against quality opposition you get punished and it will be a lesson fresh in their minds for when they face Barca. If the same thing were to happen in the final few minutes against Barca (well if Barca had a goal in the bag already, with goal difference) you'd see a very different response. For today, im very very pissed off, but its not the end of the world, its just a loss of pride. If the same thing happens Tuesday i for one will have much stronger opinions on it with so much at stake.

PiE

KdjaCL wrote:

So did Fulham.

Touché.

Bateman wrote:

Words

Sorry, next time I'll be sure to write a 2 page rant on how furious I am with each and every player on the pitch because they made one mistake in a game that, from a purely objective sense, means very little to our season.

Because as we all know, whining on a messageboard can actually change results.

As Rebel said, the game could have gone very differently. However all the luck was with Utd today, as Ferguson himself stated after the game.

PHB

Benetiz says...

"I would have trouble explaining how we lost that in Spanish; in English I find it almost impossible," said Benitez.

"We dominated the game, were in control and had plenty of attacks. Sometimes football is all about luck. When you have so much of the play and make chances without scoring, you must be careful against a team as good as United.

"United have a great defence and a fine goalkeeper. He stopped one from Peter Crouch at the end everyone felt was going in. But although we had so much of the game, we did not make too many chances.

"The decision to disallow Craig Bellamy's effort in the first half for offside was right. It just was not our day."

el rabitos

thats football...

liverpool's limitations are obvious. until the problem up front is addressed theres no point in trying to decypher why we're not winning consistantly against the other top teams. you need to take your chances.

cashback

gandalf wrote:

Jaysus thank god Arsenal won that 2-1, the feckers are giving me an ulcer this year !!!

There was no way it should have ended so close.
Arsenal just had so many chances to kill off that match but it was almost like it was a training kickaround, trying to walk the ball into the net.
Will Arsenal ever look dangerous from a corner? I rarely get excited when we win one, as I'm always sure nothing will come of it, and I'm usually right.

Fabregas, that shocking miss and og aside, had an excellent game, as did Clichy, who looks far more dangerous attacking than Cole ever did.
The Beast was effective I suppose. But whenever I see him on the ball, I'm not relaxed. He never looks entirely comfortable in possession.
I thought Diaby played very well when he came in.

Wednesday night will be another cliffhanger. I just hope we're not two-nil up with five minutes to go! Well maybe I do but a goal then for PSV would be a killer.

hawker27

we won the league at anfield,thats the way it will look if man u do indeed go on to lift it.and in all honesty i think we have it,never get a better chance than this.

PiE

PiE wrote:

Looking like one of those games... Utd to get a jammy 94th minute goal with their one and only decent chance. Probably from Ferdinand or someone unexpected.

How ****ing right you turned out to be!:D

The Muppet

quad_red wrote:

Eh? Bellamy gave Vidic and Evra a complete nightmare. He linked play well and was energetic as hell. Crouch is a clown though.
.

True which begs the question why was Bellamy substituted ? I was delighted to see him go as he ws really up for teh game and looked like he might score.

Crouch should have headed his chance instead of taking it down and giving unteds defence the time to stop it. Uniteds tactics were to not lose the game and they would have settled for a draw IMO, the win was a bonus.

~Rebel~

Agreed Muppet, Bellamy really should have stayed on for the 90, looked out most incisive player. Could have been Rafa with an eye to him being fit for Tuesday?

gandalf

cashback wrote:

There was no way it should have ended so close.
Arsenal just had so many chances to kill off that match but it was almost like it was a training kickaround, trying to walk the ball into the net.
Will Arsenal ever look dangerous from a corner? I rarely get excited when we win one, as I'm always sure nothing will come of it, and I'm usually right.

Yep we're still trying to score the perfect goal, I was hoping Baptista would be that 6 yard man but alias so far I have been disappointed. His goal occured because of a defensive error more than anything else.

Fabregas, that shocking miss and og aside, had an excellent game, as did Clichy, who looks far more dangerous attacking than Cole ever did.

Fabregas is the major bright light in Arsenals future and Clichy is growing and improving everytime I see him.

The Beast was effective I suppose. But whenever I see him on the ball, I'm not relaxed. He never looks entirely comfortable in possession.
I thought Diaby played very well when he came in.

Yeah I like Diaby as a player, at one stage during the game he took the ball down, chipped it up and I though I was looking at Paddy at his height again.

Wednesday night will be another cliffhanger. I just hope we're not two-nil up with five minutes to go! Well maybe I do but a goal then for PSV would be a killer.

Oh god its going to be one of those stomach churning nights isn't it !!!

homerjay2005

well this should clear it up then, apologies to those that have already seen this but its well worth a look

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZPelafMmBc&mode=related&search=

WhiteWashMan

keepertastic goal!