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

Zapp Brannigan

nipplenuts wrote:

He was on a proper stage, and found out! Remember how "great" he was in the World Cup?

To be fair he was one of the better performers in a poor England team.

Mr. Presentable

Call_me_al wrote:

like united shouldnt have been in the year they won it, or Milan shouldnt have been in it this year coz they were done for match fixing.

tbh why dont you just p*** off.

Woah! They were not done for match fixing.

fullstop

Slurms wrote:

What has that got to do with anything?
Credit to the Milan players. deserved winners and nice gesture there.

He said milan shouldn't be in the competition...i was merely pointing out liverpool shouldn't either.

Mr. Presentable

Call Me Jimmy wrote:

As andy gray said in commentry, it was an odd match. But what a freakin' goal from inzaghi, the run and the finish were absolutely perfect.

Inzaghi is an infuriating, falling over, offside riding, under-rated wonder. I cannot stand him, but respect where it's due, the man gets the job done.

Zapp Brannigan

fullstop wrote:

He said milan shouldn't be in the competition...i was merely pointing out liverpool shouldn't either.

I believe Liverpool qualified into the competition, so how can you say they shouldn't be in it? As for Milan, they earned their place in the competition too.

fullstop

Call_me_al wrote:

like united shouldnt have been in the year they won it, or Milan shouldnt have been in it this year coz they were done for match fixing.

tbh why dont you just p*** off.

Now thats not very nice is it? why can't we all just be friends and get along?:(

Trizo

What a time for Italian football , World Cup and now the european Cup . A lot of underperformers on both sides tonight, happy for the like of Gattuso,Kaka and Pirlo great players.

Paul Tergat

No need to get into the deserved to be in it argument, both teams deserved to be in the tournament, Milan won it, Liverpool edged out on the night, simple as that!

Raskolnikov

The Liverpool squad just isn't strong enough. Milan were deserved winners.

fullstop

Slurms wrote:

I believe Liverpool qualified into the competition, so how can you say they shouldn't be in it? As for Milan, they earned their place in the competition too.

CHAMPIONS league

Ardent

Raskolnikov wrote:

The Liverpool squad just isn't strong enough. Milan were deserved winners.

Yup. Clearout needed in the summer and proper wingers and strikers in.

copacetic

fullstop wrote:

He said milan shouldn't be in the competition...i was merely pointing out liverpool shouldn't either.

he was making a little sense though. by your reasoning 90% of the teams in the champions league shouldn't be in it. just a troll tbh..

Paul Tergat

Dunphy "its not good news for Italian soccer - just a little blip!"

hmmm

Kojak

Well done to Milan on their deserving win (just about). Liverpool had their chances in the first half and failed to take them. Against a team with as much quality as Milan, you cannot afford to do that.

I did think that the initial selection by Benitez was very defensive minded, and the idea of not bringing on bellamy in the last few minutes was just as puzzeling.

copacetic

Raskolnikov wrote:

The Liverpool squad just isn't strong enough. Milan were deserved winners.

i agree that our squad isn't strong enough, but milan were never 'deserved winners'. they got a fluky goal after being very poor the whole first half. this allowed them to sit back and keep everyone behinf the ball until liverpool were forced to take chances going forward. I respect that they won and are a good side but 'deserved' just isn't true imo..

PHB

Can't say I thought Liverpool were the more attacking team. Most of their attacks came from shocking shocking passing from the back 4, like Maldini and Jankowhatever must have passed the ball to Pennant like 6 times.

Liverpool just didn't have the quality up front. Zenden, Kuyt, Pennant just are not good enough players to break down a defence of Nesta and Maldini. Gerrard tried his heart out, but to be honest, he wasn't playing great, but that happens to everyone.

Mascherano was fantastic though, really kept Kaka in his pocket.

p.s. Funniest moment was when Kaka nutnegged Inzaghi with a cross, hilarious

Pepe LeFrits

Call_me_al wrote:

pepe did you watch the game? Liverpool were the attacking team and Milan just sat back. way to throw in generic post liverpool match quote.

Which part of my post is wrong, then?

Obviously Milan sat back, they had the lead.

copacetic

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

Which part of my post is wrong, then?

Obviously Milan sat back, they had the lead.

the bit about the offside was rubbish for a start, insaghi was miles off and running on to the same ball so it had to be given..

Villain

I'm sorry but Rafa has to be take some blaim for this result, Liverpool bossed the game in the first half and even for a while in the second half but with Kuyt alone up front and Pennant not able to deliver a cross they never really looked like scoring and he left it too late to make changes.

Kewell brought on ahead of Bellamy? seems odd imo, Liverpool played well and dominated most of the game but the art of winning soccer games is very very simple - score goals and tbh Liverpool didn't look like scoring before Milan and by the time they did it was too late, it also looked offisde too btw.

It will be interesting to see who Rafa signs they need a big change to make sure they can challenge for the league, 17 years since they won the league?

evad_lhorg

The FA cup final was bad but that was just awful. Liverpool didnt have a decent chance except for Gerrards chance and they " controlled" the game. Milan weren't much better at all. Their goal was down to Inzaghi's brilliant movement. other than that it was a boring match were neither team seemed to want to win it. it didnt seem like an important final at all. No liverpool player seemed to want to go for it coming near the end.

Raskolnikov

p_larkin99 wrote:

Dunphy "its not good news for Italian soccer - just a little blip!"

hmmm

He's right.

How many mega-bucks TV deals are the Italian clubs getting?

How many billionaire foreign takeovers are happening in Serie A?

What big-name foreign players are going to Italy?

starman100

Gutted - but no way was it as bad as the FA cup final.

Pepe LeFrits

copacetic wrote:

the bit about the offside was rubbish for a start, insaghi was miles off and running on to the same ball so it had to be given..

And for a finish?

Inzaghi was several yards away and moving away from the ball, while Kaka was in possession of it.

Paul Tergat

Raskolnikov wrote:

He's right.

How many mega-bucks TV deals are the Italian clubs getting?

How many billionaire foreign takeovers are happening in Serie A?

What big-name foreign players are going to Italy?

So you think he's correct in saying tht both Italy winning the world cup and Milan winning the CL is "not good for Italian soccer"?

i cannot understand how you can agree with what he was saying, surely these type of events are likely to raise the status of Italian football - therefore potentially attract investment then takeovers and other issues that you are talking about?

the fact there is no tv deal, billionaire takeovers or big name players going there has nothing to do with what he was talking about - winning those 2 competitions!

Mike...

Banned.

d22ontour

starman100 wrote:

Gutted - but no way was it as bad as the FA cup final.

QFT



Liverpool offered almost nothing going forward which didn't surprise me looking at the team layout.

RE*AC*TOR

First goal was fortuitous, second goal was well made and well taken.

Liverpool didn't make the most of the posession and chances they had.

Based on the first half performance up to the flukey goal, I would say Benitez got his tactics right. Ultimately though, fair play to Milan. Based on the whole competition Milan are good winners.

Liverpool, good effort, unfortunately not clinical enough, but that's football. A new season awaits in a few months, and maybe it will be a somewhat unrecognisable team.

For the match as a whole, thought it was only alright, not that exciting, from a neutral perspective. Maybe some neutrals can give me their verdict on that. I thought the presentation of Big Ears on the pitch in Istanbul looked better than the one in the stands like tonight.

As for the RTE panel. A lot of what they say holds truth. I mean that when they talk about Ronaldo, and I mean that tonight when they talk about a lot of the Liverpool players.

Finally, a thought for Mark Gonzalez. Two players got in ahead of him on the left and they were both poor. Gonzalez has not had a good season, but he would have been no worse than Zenden/Kewell, and who knows, could have made a difference.

Good night, and good luck.

copacetic

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

And for a finish?

Inzaghi was several yards away and moving away from the ball, while Kaka was in possession of it.

no he wasn't, they both ran on to the ball until inzaghi saw that kaka was after it too. by then the linesman had flagged. long before kaka got anywhere near it..

smemon

The better side won.

Liverpool had more possesion but they rarely got into Milan's penalty area and were shooting from outside the box with no creativity or class.

Milan were poor in the first half, they did their job in the second half and it was up to liverpool to penetrate them. It didn't happen as liverpool can't penetrate, they can just apply pressure.

Milan did as all great sides do - took their chances. Chelsea-esque. And that was the difference.

Felt sorry for Liverpool though as they should have had 50 seconds extra (20secs + 30 for sub injury time).

Sad to see the cup and players being mobbed by photographers when they went over to the fans - i would have smacked them myself

Paul Tergat

copacetic wrote:

no he wasn't, they both ran on to the ball until inzaghi saw that kaka was after it too. by then the linesman had flagged. long before kaka got anywhere near it..

ye but i still think this rule is unclear, at what point is one involved in play and therefore offside? when he touches the ball or when he makes a run close to the ball through?

this debate could take up a whole new thread!

RE*AC*TOR

*mono* wrote:

Great result...hope the greek cops beat the sh*te outta some scousers tonight

i hope you never know true love.

Pepe LeFrits

copacetic wrote:

no he wasn't, they both ran on to the ball until inzaghi saw that kaka was after it too. by then the linesman had flagged. long before kaka got anywhere near it..

First of all, at no point was Inzaghi on the ball, and secondly the linesman was wrong to flag, which is the point I'm making. He should have waited to see if Inzaghi took the ball (as is the custom under the current rule) before raising his flag. As Inzaghi didn't get involved, he shouldn't have flagged Kaka offside.

I also thought that Kuyt looked marginally offside for his goal. At any rate, Liverpool didn't lose because of the referee, and those blaming him shouldn't.

Dcully

Milan first goal was pure luck against run of play but in the end Pool were not good enough to put an average milan performance to the sword

RE*AC*TOR

Dcully wrote:

What a ****ing moronic statement,grow up you sack.

Milan first goal was pure luck against run of play but in the end Pool were not good enough to put an average milan performance to the sword

don't rise to the bait. remember WHERE you are posting.

Bateman

If Milan were so average, how did they win the match? FWIW, I hope the mickies get slapped in town. I don't like them.

Dcully

don't rise to the bait. remember WHERE you are posting.

Indeed but someone needs to say it

Dave!

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

i hope you never know true love.

post reported

That was just harsh.

RE*AC*TOR

DaveMcG wrote:

post reported

That was just harsh.

I know you wouldn't do that Dave. You're too much of a legend.

I love you.

Dave!

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

I know you wouldn't do that Dave. You're too much of a legend.

I love you.

¬_¬

Royale with Cheese

So it seems you're better off winning the champions league 3rd/4th place play off than coming second.

adox

Well done Milan.

It must be very disheartining for Liverpool fans when they loose.Their style of football can only really be justified at all when they win.Trying to take the game back 20 years imo.

Necronomicon

Liverpool can feel a bit hard done by from the general balance of play, but I don't think they were quite lethal enough up front. They did what United couldn't in taking Kaka out (for the most part) with Mascherano who played extremely well, but as an attacking unit they weren't at their best.
Milan were lucky with the first, but there was nothing lucky about the second. Great run, great pass, great finish. Unfortunately for Pool, the fight-back started too late. Hard luck Liverpool, well done Milan.

RE*AC*TOR

Royale with Cheese wrote:

So it seems you're better off winning the champions league 3rd/4th place play off than coming second.

How so?

I think it a greater achievment getting to the Champions league final than winning the FA Cup. Either way, its safe to say Chelsea are still a better team than Liverpool, having finished substantially higher in the league etc etc.

The Muppet

copacetic wrote:

no he wasn't, they both ran on to the ball until inzaghi saw that kaka was after it too. by then the linesman had flagged. long before kaka got anywhere near it..

Kaka was onside when he recieved the ball. The Linesman was premature in giving the offside IMHO. Inzaghi would have been offside if he had touched the ball, but he didn't.

Dcully

If Milan were so average, how did they win the match?

Because Pool were lower than average when it came to making chances, average V below average pretty simple to work that one out dude

Dcully

It must be very disheartining for Liverpool fans when they loose.Their style of football can only really be justified at all when they win.Trying to take the game back 20 years imo.

lol and the award for most ridiculous statement of the night goes to :rolleyes:

eirebhoy

The European champions took 3 hours to score against Celtic. Sounds good.

Royale with Cheese

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

How so?

I think it a greater achievment getting to the Champions league final than winning the FA Cup. Either way, its safe to say Chelsea are still a better team than Liverpool, having finished substantially higher in the league etc etc.

Well most Pool fans I know pride themselves on the amount of trophies they win, which aside from the Champions League in 2005 have all been fairly crappy competitions. Even though their title challenge is over by Christmas they'll always just point to a league or fa cup victory. No crappy trophies for Pool this season. No decent ones either.

leninbenjamin

well, what a night. not spectacular but strange...

1st off... i dont think there were any really deserved winners on the night. both teams were pretty sloppy in possession. but credit to Milan, they got the lead and sat on it brilliantly, well enough to make Benitez proud. and it was good to see Maldini lift the cup tonight, he really is a legend, it couldn't have gone to a more deserving player.

2nd... the referee (and his team) no matter what way you look at it was horrible. i hate that guy, he is atrocious! he never gets the big decisions right but always gives a load of fouls where its really nothing. a few times the whistle was blown for crouch and Kuyt jumping for the ball where i saw them make no infringement. i think a worse foul was commited on Gerrard early in the second half inside the box, Nesta's arm was clearly all over Gerrard, but nothing. Agger commited the most cynical foul on the night and wasn't booked, a ridiculous decision. did Alonso get through the whole of that game without a booking? Kaka was blown offside when clear through on goal (Inzaghi never touched the ball so it never should have been an offside). Later Kaka clearly dives but no booking. Kewell gets away with diving too. one or two offside decisions went against liverpool too if i remember correctly, just a horrible refereeing performance, really pisses me off to have that overshadow a game, it changed it completely. to sum it all up he blows up early! ridiculous! and Liverpool were in the opposition half and everything!

3rd... Liverpools real lack of attacking threat was apparent. Pennant started off bright but by the end of the night was overhitting corsses, taking too much out of the ball and failing to see the early ball. most players were guilty of the latter, a few times Kuyt or Gerrard would make the early run for no one to spot it. at times they all looked to be on a completely different wavelength.

4th... Benitez's tactics were poor. zenden shouldn't have started, and should have been brought off a lot earlier. i think GOnzalez would have been better than Kewell, Kuyt cannot do the lone striker in my opinion, Crouch should have been the one to start for me, he's much better at holding the ball up and that's what Liverpool really needed at times.

and finally, had Inzaghi not got that bit of luck for the goal i really do believe we would have seen extra time. it was so tight and nothing was really happening before it. but that's the way the cookie crumbles, eh?

Cyrus

adox wrote:

Well done Milan.

It must be very disheartining for Liverpool fans when they loose.Their style of football can only really be justified at all when they win.Trying to take the game back 20 years imo.

not nearly as disheartening as being destroyed like united were or beaten at your own game like chelsea were,

go back under your rock

milan were lucky tonight, on the balance of the 2 finals they deserved one, but on the night i believe liverpool were the better team