The Offical Liverpool - Milan Champions League Final Thread (before during & afters)

zAbbo

I hope to see a more controller display, not like in '05, when the game plan went out the window after 49seconds.

jackdaw

el rabitos wrote:

from the same dude that said "you dont win anything with kids". nuff said.

when did Alan Hanson say that ?? was it on his column on the prem ?

Tusky

Im actually quite confident going into this game which is unusual. I think the Milan team of two years ago (apart from Kaka and Seedorf who have improved) were much more of a threat than the current team. I also think that they flattered themselves against Man Utd. They played a 'perfect' game...but they were allowed to play a perfect game, this will not happen against Liverpool.

Lets not forget they had a hard time getting past Celtic & Bayern. They havent been great this season. I also think that Chelsea & Barcelona are much stronger teams than Milan...and looking at Liverpools performance in Europe from the last three seasons, I find it silly that they are looked at as underdogs.

Juventus, Chelsea x2, PSV, Milan, Barcelona...

gucci

id say if al pachino got paid every time his speech was quoted for different things he would be minted by now. im not sure how rafa does his speeches :rolleyes: those videos are great

redspider

el rabitos wrote:

---

Reina

---

Finnan----Carra----Agger---- Arbeloa
Gerrard---Masch---Alonso

---

Riise

---

Kuyt

---

---

Crouch

---

theres your formation and team for the match, i guarantee.

if i'm wrong, may we all somehow have the worst most depressing wednesday of our lives.

That is the team that I would play too. Others have mentioned it as well here I think. But the big question is whether Rafa will pick it or not?

He nearly always throws in a surprise. He could play 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard centre in the 3, with Kuyt roaming on the left but moving inside, Pennant on the right, Riise at LB.

I have no doubt that Benitez's mind is still whirring away when it comes to the selection and he will not make it until tomorrow evening (there is now JUST 33 hrs until kick-off)!

I agreed with most of Hansen's article on the BBC website until the last line:
> Liverpool are going to win the Champions League final - I am absolutely 100% confident of that.

None of us can be 100% confident, because it is football, these two teams can do anything and players are human so mistakes will be made. It just depends where and from whom. If Gerrard mis-kicks a free-kick, so what. But if Arbeloa or a defender makes a mistake it could be punished by a goal. Such is football.

I think I feel the same as the pre-2005 final sitiuation. Milan are favourites and are coming into the final with a strong position. Liverpool have worked hard to get there. But both teams will be up for the final so anything could happen. Liverpool will not fear Milan and prefer the underdog label. The players will do as best as they can.

I think it will be different than 2005 in terms of goals. I expect Liverpool to be much tighter in the 1st half. Of course, could Rafa surprise us and play an open and expansive game. Who knows? But I doubt it. I think he will be aiming for a 0-0 at half-time, and then to pick up the pace in the 2nd half. That could mean an impact sub role for Pennant on 66-70 mins.

One of the best ways to beat Milan and the Italian league-based players is to get at them with pace. Knocking the ball about slowly asnd not pressing them when not having the ball, could play into their hands, as they have the ability to conjure up a goal from more or less nothing with a quick pass or two.

One thing is for sure. If Mascherano, Alonso, and Carra can bottle up Kaka, Liverpool have a much stonger chance. For all the talk about Milans other great player's almost everything of note goes through him. Pirlo is also a creative force as is Seedorf at times. Gattuso is their ball winner and I can see him getting a yellow.

But containing Kaka is the key imo. That will stop Milan. Then to win it we need some inspiration up front. The Crouch (if selected) v Nesta pair-up will be interesting to watch. I hope Crouch has been taking heading/jumping lessons during the prep weeks. My fingers are also crossed for a Riise or Gerrard thunderbolt goal. We haven't had one in a while.

Another role which we shouldnt forget is that of Steve Finnan. He is good going down the right and in defence and will have an important if unsung role to play, both in terms of nullifying Kaka and creating some chances with crosses, passes, etc.

I'm looking forward to a good night, come what may .....

Redspider

Im_No_Superman

Its getting feisty now!

Gattuso fumed: "If Gerrard says I am a kitten then I must be an ugly, bearded kitten

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_2141320,00.html

redspider

Xabi Alonso interview:

Does the fact you're in the Champions League final mean this has been a successful campaign?

At the moment it has been a successful campaign but obviously finishing with this final means we have a massive motivation for the last game. Once we start the final we just want to play and win it, but we know it will be difficult.

You must have been hugely impressed with AC Milan in their two semi-final matches. United were under strength but Milan played some terrific football didn't they?

Especially in the second leg at the San Siro when Milan played really well. They were dynamic, playing with a very good tempo over the 90 minutes and they played much better than Manchester United. The final will be different and hopefully we will play the way we know.

Everyone talks about Kaka but do you believe they are too reliant upon him because they don't seem to have the goal threat they did two years ago with Shevchenko and Crespo?

They have different players but two years ago we conceded in the first minute and that broke the plan we had. They had space and Kaka played really well in the first half. We will try to make sure that doesn't happen again and do our plan the way we want.

For the second half in Istanbul you changed tactics when Didi Hamann came on and you played a bit deeper. Do you think that's going to help you knowing now how to deal with Kaka?

Yes. I think it's important not to let him have any space because that's when he plays very well and he is strong, quick and very gifted with the ball. If we don't allow him to play then we will have a lot of possibilities. We will have to be very compact in midfield and not give them a lot of space.

Are Milan as strong as they were two years ago?

To me they look really strong. They have a couple of different players but they haven't changed many things and they are still a very good team. Thinking about ourselves, I think we have improved as well and we have progressed in two seasons.

What do you like most about Milan?

I think they play as a team. They have experience and know what to do and have confidence in themselves. They are a really good team and have a good manager as well.

They have a great balance in midfield and play a different game to Liverpool...

Yes, they have a very powerful midfield with a lot of qualities. The playmaker is Pirlo in front of their defence and Kaka creates the chances. They have powerful players in Ambrosini and Gattuso who also do great defensive work. They have a really good and well balanced team but we have a good team as well and we will try to win.

I think it's quite a level final and I can't see a clear favourite. You never know what is going to happen. I remember two years ago everybody was expecting a close final and there were a lot of goals scored so you never know what can happen.

So what is your plan for the game?

Well that's why we have been preparing in Spain for the match! That's something we will have to keep to ourselves.

Because of what happened in 2005 this is being billed as a revenge final so that does put more pressure on you?

No because I think that once you are playing in the final you can feel the pressure and you can handle it. It's like a revenge game for them but for us it's another final and a very good chance for us to lift another cup.

What are your memories from that night?

It's going to be unforgettable for a lot of us. I think in the history of football you won't see many finals like that. Going in at half time 3-0 down and then to score three goals in six second half minutes was just unbelievable but that's the past now and we have to look to the future.

You do look to the future but you can't forget about what's happened...

No I don't want to take that away as it's something we will keep in our memories forever. Right now, though, we are just thinking about May 23 and the final.

Have you been paying attention to the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson who has been saying he's ready to celebrate with a bottle of wine for Milan?

We'll see what happens. I'm not really bothered about what he will do, I'm more bothered about what we will be drinking when we hopefully win! We are just thinking about ourselves.

Has the manager made it clear he doesn't fancy another penalty shoot-out this time?

[Laughs] We would love to go to penalties if it finishes in the same way! Of course those kind of finals are stressful but that's Liverpool. I remember watching the final against Alaves as well and that was quite an exciting game. If it finished that way again I would be happy to suffer the penalties again.

Joking apart, Liverpool are very good at winning games on penalties...

We will practice as it's always important to be prepared. I remember in Istanbul Jerzy was a key player for us and now it could be Pepe. He practices in training and if we do reach penalties at the end in the final we will feel confident.

Athens will be very similar to Istanbul in terms of the weather...

Yes, that is something that is very different from England. It's going to be warm, the humidity is going to be high and it will be late at night but that's why we have been to Spain to acclimatise a bit better.

Do you have a snapshot in your mind from Istanbul and do you remember the fans and the part they played?

I remember a lot of things. It was really special to go out onto the pitch for the second half and to hear the fans singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and that's when we felt we had the absolute support of the fans even though we were 3-0 down. It gave us a lift and it was a boost for the team and they played a really important role in that game. I'm pretty sure they will play another important role in Athens.

We know there were a lot of Liverpool fans inside that stadium and there will be more than 17,000 in Athens won't there?

I'm pretty sure of it because I remember in Istanbul half of the stadium were all Liverpool fans and in the Italian area there were a few Liverpool flags, so that's going to happen again. It's a shame what's happening with the tickets but there will be a big support for us.

It was a magical night in Istanbul but is it important to learn from what went wrong because to be 3-0 down at the break must have been mentally well as physically draining for you?

It was a great night but the first 45 minutes weren't very great! That's why we can't allow them to score as quickly as they did and we can't afford to make big mistakes. That's something we are working on and we will try not to repeat that.

Rafa's made the point several times about the size of the squad and the need to rotate but how disappointing was it for you to be left out of the team for the semi-final?

As players we want to play in the big games and the second leg here at Anfield was a big game. It's normal to be disappointed when you are left out of the team but when you are on the bench you have to support your teammates and be ready for when you come on. That's what happened and I was ready.

I want to play in the final, we all want to play in the final. The manager has a decision to make but we will all have a part to play.

RE*AC*TOR

Im_No_Superman wrote:

Its getting feisty now!



http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_2141320,00.html

An ugly bearded kitten is still a ****ing kitten! Just without any of the good qualities of a kitten. All that statement suggests to me, is that he thinks he's a big man because he has a beard.

I expect Gerrard and Gattuso to go in for some strong tackles early on, and neither man will flinch. Lets just hope Gerrard doesn't get sent off.

redspider

Pako Ayestaran interview ...

He's one of the masterminds of the 'rafalution', yet he rarely gives interviews. But as the Reds head into their second Champions League final in three seasons, Pako Ayestaran gives an an end of season evaluation.

As well as looking ahead to Wednesday night, Rafa's right-hand man offered an honest assessment of Liverpool's Premiership season.

The Spaniard explained what he feels the club has to do to end its long wait for a title – and he revealed the one thing that really winds him up about the modern game.

Firstly Pako, how excited are you personally about the days ahead?

I am more proud than excited. I am proud of the players, of all the employees at Melwood and I am proud of Liverpool. Everyone has been important in making sure we're still in when 30 other teams have been knocked out.

Have you done anything differently to prepare for the final than for a normal game?

No, not really. The only difference is that Athens is a warm city. For this reason we went to Murcia last week. It's in south east Spain, so the conditions there were very similar to Athens. Then we came to Athens for three days. That has given us eight days to get used to the conditions.

What's the mood like in the camp? How confident is everyone going into the final?

Confidence is a word I don't like, because it has positive and negative effects. Confidence is not something you can buy in the supermarket. The better you prepare, the more confidence you will have. That is what we are working on now. The important thing is to see yourself as being ready for the challenge, not to be confident.

How would victory in Athens compare to the achievement in Istanbul?

I don't like to talk about victory when there is still so much hard work to be done. You are not ready until you have analysed the situation, the strengths and weaknesses of the other team. Victory is a long way off. It's out of our control at this very moment, so my main worry is what is happening today. I started this morning and I was not thinking about victory, all I was thinking about was hoping it wouldn't be a windy day, because it must be a clear day for us to do the tests with players. This is all I can do today. Sometimes people are too focused on the result, and you can lose sight of what is important, which is preparing yourself to win.

Rafa has taken a lot of plaudits for masterminding some great European victories, like the incredible result in Barcelona. What's his secret?

It's always the same thing. He analyses the strengths and the weaknesses of each team. Rafa is a very open-minded person and coach. He always asks his backroom staff what they think, and listens, but of course the final decision is always with him.

One of the main challenges tomorrow night will be stopping Kaka. Judging by his performance in the semi-final against Manchester United, is he the best player in the world right now?

It's very difficult to select just one player, but if you analyse the impact players have on their teams, then I think you have to look at Didier Drogba. I think Chelsea feel his absence more than any other team misses any other player.

Looking back on the season as a whole, Liverpool have once again been great in Europe, but things haven't gone to plan in the Premiership. What do you think is behind this?

They are very different. One is a knockout where you need to be at you top level for just 12 games to reach the final; the other is a competition in which you have to be at your top level for 10 months and 38 games. If you have a bad run during one or two months, you don't have the possibility of fighting for the Premiership. The second reason is the games we had at the beginning. You have to be a little bit luckier with the fixtures, I think. We played Chelsea, Bolton, Man Utd, Everton and Arsenal away from home during a stage when the team and new players were trying to mould together.

Both Liverpool and AC Milan have fallen short in their respective leagues. Do you think it's possible to do well in both competitions?

Yes, really it is possible. You need a really deep squad. We did it as well with Valencia, when we won the league and had a really good run in the Champions League – we were very unlucky to go out to Inter Milan. Yes, AC Milan and Liverpool are in the final, but it could easily have been a Chelsea versus Manchester United final, and they are doing well in the league. It is true that teams like Liverpool, without as deep a squad, can't fight for all the titles. You have to select your target. That's something we have done this year when our chance in the league was too far away.

So is it fair to say the club has concentrated mainly on the Champions League during the second half of the season?

Not concentrate, but we knew it was a more real possibility than the league.

A lot was made of Rafa's rotation policy earlier in the season. Do you think rotation has played a part in the fact we are in Athens?

I think we selected targets and used our resources properly, and that's the reason we are where we are. I'm not just talking about the Champions League final – Liverpool have finished the season with a high level of performance. The rotation policy has helped us to arrive at this level.

Looking again at Rafa's rotation policy, how hard is it for you to motivate players when they're not playing week in, week out?

It's difficult with players who are not professional enough. If they are professional, they realise there are reasons they are not in the team. I try to get them focused on the reasons. They shouldn't use excuses. If someone is not in the squad, it's because there are things he has to improve. The way to motivate the players is to get them to look long-term and change the reasons they are not in the squad. They have to look at themselves.

What positives will you take from your third Premiership season, and what have you learned?

The positives are that in our direct confrontations with the other top four sides, we have been closer than last year. The only game we have been far away from winning was the match at The Emirates. We have won at home against Chelsea and Arsenal. The negatives, or the things we've learned? I think we have made the same mistakes as a team and as a club. I think still we are not ready to fight for the Premiership. You have to be realistic: if you want to be a winner, if you want to be first, you have to take all your decisions with this target in mind. Sometimes maybe we still are not close, as a squad and as a club as well. It's not a coincidence that Liverpool haven't won the league in 17 years.

What then do you think the club needs to be doing that it isn't already?

These are important questions. One thing is that our most expensive signing has been Djibril Cisse for £14 million. This year we haven't been able to compete with Manchester or Chelsea who can spend £20 or £30 million on a player. This doesn't mean we can't fight for the Premiership, but it's always more difficult. The only way we have to reduce the gap is to do everything better, to prepare the structure and hierarchy of the club to be more competitive. I am talking about the full structure of the club, the environment, the staff behind the players, everything. One of the things I don't like in football is when people say, 'We've done it this way for years'. My father had a Fiat but at this moment I have a BMW. You have to move on and you have to adapt to new ways.

So how far behind Chelsea and Manchester United do you think Liverpool are on the pitch?

In one game, we are really close; through the season, I think we are too far. We have lost around 60 points in three seasons. If you cheat yourself, you're not going in the right direction. We have to be fair to ourselves.

Do you think we might be on their level next season, or is it a longer process than that?

We can't say anything at all until we know what our starting point will be next season, and as well the starting points of Chelsea and Manchester United.

Were you surprised to see United overhaul Chelsea this season?

Not really. After three or four games, I said it could happen. There are two really important reasons for me. Firstly, they built a team over two or three years and then realised they were close. If you want to win the Premiership, you have to realise you are close and you are capable of winning. Then, when you are close, your self-confidence starts to build. Years ago a cyclist said to me, I want to win just one race. How was he going to win one race when he hadn't even been in the first 10 in any race?

Are you saying Liverpool aren't at that stage yet?

No, maybe we are not. Still we have finished too far from them to think we have a real possibility to win the Premiership. Manchester United didn't need to sign too many players this year. They bought Carrick, and if you look at the starting 11 they played against us this year and last, the only difference is Carrick and no van Nistelrooy. Eighty or 90 per cent of the key players were already in the team. All these things are the first reason for me why Manchester won the league. The second reason is they have used the rotation policy better than Chelsea. I remember three or four games when Manchester played with five, six or seven changes. Playing with Fletcher on the right instead of Ronaldo or with Brown at centre-back. Chelsea haven't done that.

United have won the league by outscoring teams. While Liverpool have once again been excellent at the back, is it the case that we need to score more goals?

One of our main problems is that, when you compare with the other top four teams, we haven't really scored too many goals. This is not the mistake just of the strikers. It's also for the midfielders, and also our defenders could sometimes have supported the attack better. We haven't been as aggressive going forward as we have in defending. United have also been really effective in wide areas. There are not many world-class wide players, and United have Giggs and Ronaldo. For me, Chelsea were more effective when they had Duff and Robben. With Liverpool, we have been without Harry Kewell all season. He has this kind of quality.

Alex Ferguson has stated that one of the reasons they won the league is because they got off to such a fantastic start. Liverpool didn't get out of the blocks as quickly, why do you think that was?

The fixtures we had at the beginning of the season were really tough, and we had them while our team was still coming together. Players needed to settle here, to learn how each other played, to get in the dressing room and join with the players already here. We didn't get our level until late November.

Another thing that's clear from this campaign is that Liverpool's home form has been excellent, yet points have been harder to come by on the road. What do you think is behind this?

I remember a coach in Spain once said that Spanish girls in the 1970s and 1980s were brought up not to be on their own, but to always have someone with them. They were educated to be part of a family, not on their own. They were educated to be married and be with the children of her husband. I think something similar has happened with our team. Liverpool is the team that more than any other feels the difference when they play away. The support they feel when they play at home is so huge and important that when they play away, the difference is massive. When Chelsea play in Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea players don't really feel the support of the crowd, so the difference is not massive for them. One thing the players have to learn is to compete and have the self-confidence independent of the supporters. You need the right mental attitude when the conditions are not comfortable. It's a psychological attitude that's so important.

You've been in England three years now. Is the task of overhauling Manchester United and Chelsea harder than you first thought?

Not really. You have to realise that Liverpool haven't won the league for 17 years. That said everything about how hard it is to win the Premiership. In the last 12 years, just three teams have won it. I knew it was going to be very difficult.

If you win the Premiership with Liverpool, how would that compare to overtaking Real Madrid and Barcelona with Valencia?

I think it will be more of an achievement. When we won the league with Valencia, we did it against two teams that were losing their level. Valencia had built the team the previous year and had already reached two Champions League finals. Maybe we didn't have a better starting 11 than Barcelona and Real Madrid, but we had a lot better squad and that was key. In England the situation is opposite. When we arrived here, Chelsea and Manchester United were improving their level year by year. For these reasons, it would be a massive achievement to win the Premiership.

Moving on to life off the pitch, how are you finding life in England?

I have settled in really well. One of the things which was difficult at first was the language. Day by day I'm improving, but I'm still further away than I'd like because, as crazy as it sounds, I sometimes don't feel like I'm living in England. I am at Melwood for so many hours, I don't have time to socialise. I'm always at my computer. I have two hours training with the players but it's always the same vocabulary. Another thing I had to adapt to is the different timing of the day, like the times of meals or going to bed. Now these are things I enjoy. In Spain, I'd never go to bed early or have dinner early, but it is enjoyable.

What do you make of Liverpool the city?

I enjoy the culture here; the music, theatres and cinemas. I live on the Wirral and that allows me to be in contact with nature, something I love, along with my family.

Do you get recognised when you go out?

Yes, but it's something I don't worry about. More important for me is the players and staff recognising my work.

Talk me through a typical day in the life of Pako?

That's easy. Normally I come to Melwood about eight o'clock, and so many times I don't set off home until seven o'clock. I am trying to leave earlier some days, so I can share my life with my family, take my wife for a meal, go for a walk or go to the theatre. I like to go to The Empire. Particularly in my first year, they missed me too much because I was too long here. When I'm at Melwood, it's no more than two or three hours on the pitch. The rest of the time I am planning training, analysing data from training sessions.

If you had to sum up your philosophy on coaching in one sentence, what would you say?

I can do it in just one word: professionalism. I think this word covers the most important things you do day by day.

Finally Pako, if there was one thing you could change about football, what would it be?

The lack of professionalism.

At Liverpool or in general?

In general. There are too many examples. One thing is, I can't understand when people say, 'There's nothing new to be found in football, everything has been discovered, so there is no point in analysing things.' To take the right decisions, you need to analyse a lot; you need to control of lot of data. This takes a lot of hours. As well, something I hate is when the players don't realise they lead a privileged life. They have a big responsibility to the supporters. They have to work hard not just for themselves, but for the club and the supporters who follow them everywhere. Sometimes when people say they are doing everything they can, it is not true. You can always push yourself a little bit more.

Okay, thanks for your time Pako, and good luck in the final...

Thank-you.

Strange that he didnt answer the Kaka question directly, although reading between the lines it looks like he is implying that stop Kaka and you stop Milan. I think he is right.

Redspider

Dcully

Nerves really kicking inn now while watching sky sports news and their live broadcasts from Athens.
So proud of the boys getting to another final,if Mascherano keeps kaka quiet which i think he will i can see us bring home number 6,fingers crossed however as milan can be awesome if they click.
this is well worth a look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJeSooXp3lI&mode=related&search=

shane86

$lattman wrote:

If it goes to peno's, which I hope to god it doesn't, don't think my heart can take anymore, would you say Reina will do the wobbly legs routine!?

Given his form against Chelsea Id love a shoot out A bit of nerves and tension for 120 minutes is alot more fun than a 6-0 slaughtering of the other side tbh.

Dudek must be a bit down about having been so sidelined since saving their arse last time.

re the youtube vids is it just me or do some English people just not know how to make a good compilation? Everything I Do as the soundtrack? Jaysus

gucci

shane86 wrote:

re the youtube vids is it just me or do some English people just not know how to make a good compilation? Jaysus

i love that quote under the radio commentry describing the comeback in the 2005 final
"It's like coming back from 10-0 in the bottom of the ninth in game 7 of the World Series. Simply amazing."
wow when you put it like that hahaha!!

Trippie

Tusky wrote:

Im actually quite confident going into this game which is unusual. I think the Milan team of two years ago (apart from Kaka and Seedorf who have improved) were much more of a threat than the current team.

albeit the milan strike force isn't as good as it was on paper two years ago their defence has improved with oddo coming for cafu and depending on who plays at left back (jankulovski/kaladze) offers more balance for the maldini nesta partnership. as out and out goal scorers there strikers aren't as good however with inzaghi looking likely to start i think he is going to offer a completely different option as i would say in trying to stiffle kaka it will play into inzaghi's hand as if the liverpool push up to pressure milan inzaghi will have a chance of breaking the off-side trap on the 18th time however if liverpool sit back and try to give milan no space to run into and play on the counter that means inzaghi will be in the box for a lot of the game and regardless of how sh1t he is as an all round attacker he is one the best natural goal poachers there is, so i would say he is going to be the difference in the final

Lets not forget they had a hard time getting past Celtic & Bayern. They havent been great this season. I also think that Chelsea & Barcelona are much stronger teams than Milan...and looking at Liverpools performance in Europe from the last three seasons, I find it silly that they are looked at as underdogs.

Juventus, Chelsea x2, PSV, Milan, Barcelona...

milan were unlucky not to beat celtic in normal time as the ball just didnt want to go in the goal and while they didnt play there best it is hard to play against a team who doesnt event want to win the game by having 10 sweepers on the pitch.

did you watch the bayern games? in the first one bayern had two shots on goal total milan were all over them. and in the second leg they were immense the went out in the first 30 minutes played the football we all know they can play and sat back and said to munich come score if you can which they couldnt


both chelsea and barcelona are the most over rated teams around at the moment. the reason liverpool are underdogs is because milan are regarded as one of the best european teams around regardless of how well/bad they are playing it would be the same if liverpool were to play madrid,barca,juve and united. regardless of how many trophies they have won they are perceived to have a better pedigree than liverpool, just like with chelsea for example why are they not in the G-14 because they are seen to be a small club with only achieving sucess recently

futuredeath

ahhh i'm gonna **** all over myself terrified,
we should play with gerrard, masch, xabi, momo and kewell in midfield and try beat milan to death its our only option that wont result in my hearth dying early on.

StickyMcGinty

seems like there'll be even less Milan Fans making it to athens....

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=59e56c83-bc7a-44d4-a066-f6d3aeffac4b&k=88116

i've heard on the grapevine that Milan returned 4000 tickets aswell, surly it aint true is it?

RE*AC*TOR

futuredeath wrote:

ahhh i'm gonna **** all over myself terrified,
we should play with gerrard, masch, xabi, momo and kewell in midfield and try beat milan to death its our only option that wont result in my hearth dying early on.

Not Kewell. If you really want to beat them to death, better off with Zenden or Risse on the left.

gucci

thats a bit sickening,regardless of which team theyre supporting it will be a pity to see a chunk of empty seats

jesus_thats_gre

There won't be 4000 emtpy seats.. Don't worry about that..

Bounty Hunter

those seats wont be empty, expect many more pool fans after paying black market prices and the atmosphere you all want

Dont be at yourself

I'm getting very excited now! I think tomorrow will be spent watching last year's final and the run up to this year's final. I can't wait!

Reading over the build-up, there's an air of quiet confidence amongst the Liverpool camp by the sound of things, so that's good to hear. I thought Paco came across very well in the interview posted above.

The big question for Liverpool fans is obviously the team selection & formation. The consensus on here seems to be Arbeloa at LB, but I'm still not convinced, and I don't think Rafa will go that route himself.

Milan are very dangerous on the break, and Inzaghi (if he plays) and Kaka' will have to be kept in check by a well-drilled offside trap. For this reason alone, I would say it's best to have Riise at left back. We all remember the havok Traore caused two years ago by not holding the line with the rest of the defence, and while Arbeloa looks to be more aware, I'd still be a bit anxious.

There's talk of Alonso losing his place, but I can't see Sissoko stepping in. He's out of match practice, and while he has received probably more than his fair share of criticism, his wasteful passing could cost us against such a lethal midfield. My money is on a Macherano and Alonso central midfield - they can both tackle and get stuck in, and their quality of passing will be a big boost.

With Zenden possibly injured, the left wing is looking bare. Milan play central, so I can see Rafa playing narrower too. Perhaps Gerrard on the left, it's an ideal position for him to cut in onto his right foot for a pop at goal. Pennant on the right, because if Crouch starts, the Milan defence will struggle with his crosses. Gerrard and Pennant will both track Milan's attacking full-backs too.

I don't know if 2 up front or 5 in the midfield is a better option. I can't see Kuyt or Bellamy having much luck against that Milan defence. They sit deep, so Bellamy's pace won't be much of an advantage. Kuyt is useful for his movement, but in finding space for himself and for the other striker, but perhaps an extra body might be needed in midfield.

In any case, my formation:

---

Reina
Finnan-Carra-Agger-Riise

---

Mach-Alonso
Pennant

---

Gerrard

---

Crouch-Kuyt

Dont be at yourself

Yeah, you're cool.





On the internet.

jackdaw

NekkidBibleMan wrote:

I'm getting very excited now!




I think tomorrow will be spent watching last year's final and the run up to this year's final. I can't wait!

Reading over the build-up, there's an air of quiet confidence amongst the Liverpool camp by the sound of things, so that's good to hear. I thought Paco came across very well in the interview posted above.

The big question for Liverpool fans is obviously the team selection & formation. The consensus on here seems to be Arbeloa at LB, but I'm still not convinced, and I don't think Rafa will go that route himself.

Milan are very dangerous on the break, and Inzaghi (if he plays) and Kaka' will have to be kept in check by a well-drilled offside trap. For this reason alone, I would say it's best to have Riise at left back. We all remember the havok Traore caused two years ago by not holding the line with the rest of the defence, and while Arbeloa looks to be more aware, I'd still be a bit anxious.

There's talk of Alonso losing his place, but I can't see Sissoko stepping in. He's out of match practice, and while he has received probably more than his fair share of criticism, his wasteful passing could cost us against such a lethal midfield. My money is on a Macherano and Alonso central midfield - they can both tackle and get stuck in, and their quality of passing will be a big boost.

With Zenden possibly injured, the left wing is looking bare. Milan play central, so I can see Rafa playing narrower too. Perhaps Gerrard on the left, it's an ideal position for him to cut in onto his right foot for a pop at goal. Pennant on the right, because if Crouch starts, the Milan defence will struggle with his crosses. Gerrard and Pennant will both track Milan's attacking full-backs too.

I don't know if 2 up front or 5 in the midfield is a better option. I can't see Kuyt or Bellamy having much luck against that Milan defence. They sit deep, so Bellamy's pace won't be much of an advantage. Kuyt is useful for his movement, but in finding space for himself and for the other striker, but perhaps an extra body might be needed in midfield.

In any case, my formation:

---

Reina
Finnan-Carra-Agger-Riise

---

Mach-Alonso
Pennant

---

Gerrard

---

Crouch-Kuyt

i know what you mean !

Dont be at yourself

Smashing stuff altogether. Exactly how little do you have to do in life that you're acting the big man on an internet website? Moreover, what are your reasons?

Do you fantasize that maybe you're going to impress a fine strapping scouser with your loose-cannon, off-the-hook-and-engaged attitude, and you'll run off in the hills together?

Or are you just a sadcase with literally nothing else better to do?

jackdaw

NekkidBibleMan wrote:

Smashing stuff altogether. Exactly how little do you have to do in life that you're acting the big man on an internet website? Moreover, what are your reasons?

Do you fantasize that maybe you're going to impress a fine strapping scouser with your loose-cannon, off-the-hook-and-engaged attitude, and you'll run off in the hills together?

Or are you just a sadcase with literally nothing else better to do?

well it only took a few secs.. having a slow day in work and after seeign that
video just made my head spin !!!

Dont be at yourself

Yeah, well you're obviously a very tough and scary man, aren't you?


You little kitten, you!

Jesus Wept

Take it to PM boys, and don't shoot the messenger.

---

YWNA

cournioni

I think that if it is a tight game, Liverpool just might sneak it. However if they let Milan play and in particular Kaka or Seedorf Milan should win.

RE*AC*TOR

The-Rigger wrote:

Take it to PM boys, and don't shoot the messenger.

---

YWNA

Did you see the comments before they were edited? Are you a moderator of this forum? Is your world falling down around you because two people you've never met had slightly cross words with each other.

:rolleyes: tbh

Jesus Wept

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Did you see the comments before they were edited?

I don't know if I saw them before or after they were edited, and I can't be arsed to go back and try and figure that out, its off topic.

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Are you a moderator of this forum?

No, nor have I claimed to be, that's why I also reported it. I don't know or care who started it, I just can't be arsed reading it. I don't have any ill feeling againest either of them. I'm here for pre-match buildup, not a domestic, if I want to read the insult thread, I'd go there.

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Is your world falling down around you because two people you've never met had slightly cross words with each other.

Hardly, what's the point of anything, why open a webpage in the first place, why get out of bed in the morning, lets not get to deep, I think my post was a suitable response. Why are you getting bent out of shape? lol.

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

:rolleyes: tbh

:rolleyes: likewise,

Now lets get back on topic, the glory of Liverpool and our impending 6th European cup, ffs.

RE*AC*TOR

@the-rigger

They were edited at 16:06 - you posted around 16:20.

NekkidBibleMan - who to my knowledge is not a gobshíte, combined with the series of edited posts by jackdaw - surely should suggest to you that you did not see the full picture?

We have moderators who mod the forum with an iron fist, we certainly don't need any more volunteer moderators. Reporting the posts would have been sufficient expression of your ill-founded objection.

Jesus Wept

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

@the-rigger

They were edited at 16:06 - you posted around 16:20.

NekkidBibleMan - who to my knowledge is not a gobshíte, combined with the series of edited posts by jackdaw - surely should suggest to you that you did not see the full picture?

We have moderators to mod the forum with an iron fist, we certainly don't need any more volunteer moderators. I'm sure you reported the post(s), that would have been sufficient.

I haven't claimed to see the full picture. I don't know or care who is right or wrong.

I haven't sided with jackdaw or NekkidBibleMan.

I also haven't stated or implied that anyone is a gobsh!te.

I am not a volunteer moderator, I used the report post function. My comment was very mild, I fail to see how you are crying such big salty tears over it :rolleyes:

I have no desire to ever moderate, and I don't go around pretending to be a moderator.

Ill-founded? Maybe everyone should use this thread to slate each other on a personal level due to disagreements past? :rolleyes:

jackdaw

exactly it's an absoulute disgrace ....

Aldini98

The usual Moderator bullcrap, lets keep tabs on everyone. Such nonsense.

shane86

Cant believe I missed the net fight

As for the ticket allocation, I can well believe 4000 were sent back. Football doesnt seem to be the religion it once was in Italy. I was in town (Dublin, Temple Bar) for the WC final (was backing France myself after being disgusted at the way the Italians had robbed the Aussies in the dying minutes with their diving, and also because I was impressed by the French comeback after such a poor qualifying campaign given their line up). Anyway, place was packed full of Italians, they won, and they celebrated. However, they celebrated with even less enthusiam than the average Irish prem fan celebrates their foreign English team winning it or the CL. It wasnt 5% of the ecstatic lunacy in the streets that would accompany Ireland merely getting to the quarter final of the WC. We all know that if we won a tournament the party wouldnt stop until 3 days after the open top parade through town had ended At this stage, Id say if we even make it to Euro 2008 we will be dancing in the street and giving it loads more than the Italians were. Perhaps this lack of fan backing might be the turning point. After all, in 2005 the pool fans gave it all to the very end, Im sure it impacted (well, Ive read about some who left at half time saying it was the biggest regret of their life. Good enough for them if you ask me, teams are better off without those types following them)

RE*AC*TOR

The-Rigger wrote:

I haven't claimed to see the full picture.

Fine. Lets leave it at that. I just assumed a reasonable person would not act on a partial view of this kind of incident.


Anyway, here are some cats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNtozs_x69M

Jesus Wept

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Fine. Lets leave it at that. I just assumed a reasonable person would not act on a partial view of this kind of incident.


Anyway, here are some cats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNtozs_x69M

I'd understand your position if I had taken one persons side over anothers, with a partial view.

My partial view leads me to an impartial response to them of: take it elsewhere.



Funny Cat Picture

mike65

WTF? Get back on topic. Or bring on the Soccerdome!

Mike.

mike65

Zenden back in the mix according to Rafa in the times

Whoever wrote the article seems to favour the same formation as Rebel~ and me.

Benitez will not announce his side until nearer kick-off, but Liverpool could well play Steven Gerrard as a support striker, behind Dirk Kuyt, as part of a five-man midfield to counter Milan's similar system.

That means Benitez could play Zenden on the left and Jermaine Pennant on the right, with Xabi Alonso, Gerrard and Javier Mascherano in the middle. Benitez will have his accepted first-choice back line of Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and John Arne Riise to protect goalkeeper Jose Reina.

Mike.

Vokes

So, what do other people think about Milan?

Do they still play 4-4-2 narrow diamond regularly these days? Or will they play with 5 men in midfield with Ambrosini, like in the semi final 1st leg?

Dont be at yourself

5 in midfield, probably with Gilardino up-front I'd say. Width provided by full-backs.

Midfield is usually pretty narrow, and very mobile. They go up and down the pitch as one unit.

Kaka', Seedorf and Pirlo are all dangerous from midfield. Pirlo's got a nice free-kick on him too.

Everyone praises their performance in the 2nd leg of the Man Yoo tie, but Man Yoo were as bad as they've played all season. Scholes was the only midfielder who closed the Milan team down, Ronaldo and Giggs stayed far up the pitch the whole time. United's defence, particularly the left side, was all over the place as well.

It'll be a completely different story against Liverpool, as Rafa likes players to get tight and hassle teams like Milan.

PHB

I do think people are underestimating Milan to some extent, they are still the bookies favorites for a reason to be honest. I think Hansens comment is more a kiss of death than anything

jesus_thats_gre

PHB wrote:

I think Hansens comment is more a kiss of death than anything

Don't I know it.. The more I analyse it, the more I feel we that we can do it. I just have a sickening feeling that we are gonna get beaten. :mad:

shatners basoon

Meh, i'm no believer of fate and the buildup to a game doesn't really count for anything. I don't think people are underestimating Milan (they are bookies and most non liverpool fans favourites after all) You can forgive us if we're confident though as we're used to winning as underdogs:D

Zapp Brannigan

I have it from a good source Rafa is favouring the 4-5-1. An ex-player told me, could be bullcrap though.

Pighead

Pighead was told by and ex player that Rafa was definitely gonna play a 5-5-2 formation. McAteer swore to me he wasn't talking shite.

Cyrus

was gonna goto sinnots but now boss from work and a few more are going and its kinda like a team night out and sinnots is a non runner. was thinking of the pembroke, anywhere better down that general area?

applehunter

Anybody have any trouble with Abbey Travel?

On Joe Duffy today

Nephew

Who has the best odds on Liverpool to win? I'm tempted to put some money on them to make the match more interesting.

Dont be at yourself

Boylesport offer 13/5 for Liverpool to win in 90 minutes. Not a bad price, I guess.

Good article that sums up Rafa's team-sheet options:
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22052007/58/champions-league-liverpool-selection-posers.html

mike65

Just looking at ITN, Athens is red and ticketless!

Mike.