The first half was exciting stuff with high octane action from both sides. The football on display was truly beautiful and Torres early goal couldn't have been scripted any better. It really had the makings of becoming another classic game, which it was, but it was for Chelsea, and not LFC.
Set piece zonal defending was badly exposed as Liverpools players failed to track their players, which resulted in them scoring 2 of their 3 goals. Despite that though, the harsh reality is that Chelsea completely played us off the park in the second half and they deserved to win.
Forget Chelsea, forget the Champions League, we need to focus our limited resources on maintaining the fitness of key players and focus all our efforts on the Premier League now.
27 comments:
yep, I agree. you could see the chavs looked much stronger than us and their positional play and passing game was superb. At least it wasn't 4, eh? Let's use the next leg to blood a couple youngsters and lets go hell for leather for the PL. I'd love to knock old whiskey nose of *his* f-ing perch!
It wasn't the zonal marking - it was the player not tracking his man and it worked for Chelski twice. They got impetus from that and from then on in it was difficult.
We missed Masca tonight. And we should really have put them to bed in the first 30 mins.
Still thats football sometimes.
That was a total disaster. I cant believe the Chavs were so much better than us. It was embarassing to watch. This better not be the start of a run of bad form as we dont have any time left in the league for more mistakes.
Look we were shit and this is going to turn into another trophyless season. Lucas and Dossena will be gone in the summer and Benitez better get players who are good enough to wear the red shirt.
l'poo got exactly what they deserve, they have cheated their way through the few cl competitions and have rode their luck. I am so pleased they are going out to a London team
When you call this blog 'My Anfield' it seems a bit strange to me now I must admit.
There is only one Anfield.
No one can own it legally except those who have the deeds.
No one can own it mentally either.
You alone can not trump the many fans who go to Anfield regularly and have more of a claim to it. It is far too arrogant an attitude, too much self importance which is a classic symptom of bloggers who use the net to increase their self worth.
Anfield is a phenomenon in it's own right.
Calling a blog 'My Anfield' smacks too much of someone making excuses for not having been to Anfield EVER.
Bit like some bloke ranting about politics and saying 'My Number 10 Downing Street' is it not?
As for tonight's match, another Torres goal in the first ten minutes at Stamford and anything can happen!
It is football after all you know.
@marko - I'd love nothing more than to win the Premier League this season, it would trump Istanbul big time.
@roberto & @inderjit - hopefully the lads will get over it quickly and carry on winning, there's no more room for error in the Premier League.
@twombly red - ouch, I'm a little stung by your comments but think they definitely deserve an honest response.
I started the blog simply as a hobby while my wife was away in South Africa for a year and I wanted something to pass the extra spare time I had (can't go out every night you know).
The thinking behind naming a blog "My Anfield", was based on my PCs desktop, you see I've folders like My Music, My Pictures, My Computer etc..... and for saving my favourite Liverpool articles, I've a folder called 'My Anfield'.
When deciding on a name for my blog, I tried all sorts of different names which unfortunately were already taken and then figured why not call it 'My Anfield' (I didn't know back then it was going to become so widely read a blog, I figured only a few friends and family would ever read it).
As for going to Anfield, that's something which I get to do on an annual basis (it's too expensive for me to do it more often living in Dublin). Not going to Anfield more often than that, doesn't make me less of a fan, and having an LFC blog doesn't make me more of a fan.
As for next weeks game against Chelsea, the likelihood of us scoring 3 are too ridiculously slim to be worth risking key players considering what's at stake in the Premier League.
@twombly red : Absolutely spot on.
What another defeatist attitude paul!
Your title said it all
"Chelski deserved to destroy Liverpool"
From now on I refuse to read this second rate blog.
Chelsea were the better side ON THE NIGHT but you can hardly say they destroyed us
I don't want to elaborate too much here but your lack of football knowledge astonishes me if you had a basic grasp of tactics you wouldn't be saying this crap!
By the way it's really obvious that you post some of the comments yourself!
We were lucky we only lost 3-1. It's just one bad game and not the end of the world. We should look on the bright side of life and sleep easy knowing that there is nothing to distract us from the league now.
@zoran - I agree completely :-)
I have to say you are spot on Paul. We have to concentrate on the league now. Where has all the red gone ? has it gone on your pepperami? Ha ha stay cool m8
It was a great game last night, Liverpool started brightly and deservedly went ahead through Torres, however, Chelsea hit back magnificently and were definitely unlucky not to be 2-1 up before they actually scored that goal (another goal we concede through a set-piece :-|, will we ever learn?) then Kuyt missed that sitter to put us back ahead before half-time :-(.
Though, we started the second half brilliantly, Chelsea too responded and eventually got those two goals, nothing more than they deserved. We were not played off the park, but we were outmaneuvered by a team which played much better on the day and hats off to them. At least us Liverpool fans are more gracious than Manure supporters and give credit where its due.
I would be lying if I said that there is hope, but then one can always dream, who knows a 1-3 or 2-4 scoreline at the bridge in our favour may just happen yet, after all Istanbul happened didn't it?
Paul, this issue about the "My Anfield" name is rubbish, you do not have to justfy the use of it to someone who suddenly claims to take issue with its use. I think the real issue is that he belongs to that breed of supporters who take exception to any opinion that is critical of Pool, they hate Freedom Of Speach. The fact of the matter is Pool were pathetic last night, cow-pats should be awarded to most of the players including Rafa for playing the likes of Lucas & Babel and being unable to tactically change the game. For those FOS haters out there it is "My Anfield" and no I have never been to Anfield (I live in SA) and no I do not have the need to "use the net to increase my own self worth" and yes I am sorry I thought that about you when I read your e-mail but I wont make an issue of it because I do believe in FOS.
Paul, the guys on here knocking your website should go get a life, if they dont like the site, they should just close the page and shut the fuck up. Its your site and you can put whatever you want on it. But getting rid of the red margins has made the site look as white as a ghost, and i would bring it back mate.
It was a shite last half, thats for sure. We seem to leak a lot of goals from corners and free kicks which is frustrating. After we scored first it looked like we relaxed and let Chelsea dominate.
I am feeling really sorry for Babel. Every time he comes on he can not do anything useful, and gives the ball away about 80% of the time. I think Rafa needs to loan him out for a year where he will start up front every week. That way we can see if he really is any good or we should sell him. I like the guy and want to see him do well at LFC, but playing 10 minutes here and there is destroying him. Why not loan out Lucas as well, he is not ready for first team action yet at a big club.
I have not given up on the Champions League yet, I still think we have a small chance of banging 3 in at the Bridge. Shit it we can do it against Manure at Old Toilet then we can do it anywhere. Agreed ???
@leonardo - oh ok then, the red is back ;-)
@HarryFloyd - Istanbul was an awesome experience but the chance of us repeating that next week is far too slim which is why I hope we focus our limited resources on the Premier League.
@Bruce FOS RED - I'm not sure what to make of it all really, at the time it was quite an innocent decision. But cheers for your perspective on it.
@ScottD - the red is back. I haven't completely given up on on the Champions League, it's just that I'm not too bothered about it anymore !!
@Paul I agree that chances of that happening are million to one, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. In fact as I said, I don't even believe that is possible. All I hope for is that we do not go down without a fight. But then no one gave us a chance at Old Trafford too.
I believe, the best of teams have days when they come up against someone simply better. We can no understand how Real fans must have felt after their matches against us, the feeling that your best is simply not good enough on the day can be quite undermining. It's different when you play better and lose or are robbed off by inept or dubious officiating. This is very different. But all credit to the Kop, there were no jeers or boos and they kept singing till the very end. I hope that gave the team some comfort.
There's a lot of scope for improvement and each loss is a valuable lesson learned; I only look forward to the reverse fixture with absolutely no expectations but only best wishes for my team.
@HarryFloyd - I know what you mean by hoping we don't go down without a fight.
Maybe Rafa will give the likes of Torres & Gerrard a run out at Stamford Bridge and depending on progress or lack there of, he might take them off after an hour and let some of the youth players get a look in.
@Bruce FOS. I would have thought freedom of speech also included the right to criticise?
As William Blake once said,
'Opposition is True Friendship'
YNWA
first, all those ridiculous blog accusations are..well.. ridiculous. this is a great blog.
second, last night was so depressing i don't think i've gotten over the shock yet. but while i go on giving if-looks-could-kill glances to those who dare to poke fun, i hope we still end the season with a bit of silverware.
YNWA
@Howard. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but there's a difference between criticising someone and being outright abusive which is what I think that anonymous fool was doing.
@Paul. This is a cool blog. You have your good days and your bad days, but that's perfectly acceptable and like many other people I enjoy it for what it is. Keep up the good work.
@howard kirk the kopite - that's certainly true. I guess different people choose to go about it in very different ways though.
@thedropper - we're still tantalisingly close to the Premier League title, and this could prove to be an extraordinarily exciting title run-in :-)
@dummy - cheers dude
Speaking with Karien and you must not forget that we scored 3 against AC Milan in 8 minutes, we can do the same to Chelski! :)
Shane D
@shane - that's something which I'll never forget ;-)
But the Premier League is the one I hunger after most, it's been far too long since we last won the league. It's also the one which we have the most realistic chance of success in next month ;-)
Liverpool never do things the easy way and "realistic" is not an option with Liverpool.
Realistically how possible was it for us to beat AC Milan at half-time ? Realistically did we have a cat's chance in hell during the Gerrard FA Cup Final? Realistically how likely was treble season? (and that Gary McAllister goal that qualified us for the CL by a "cat's whisker" to put it mildly?) Realistically how possible was it for King Kenny to win the double in his first season as a player-manager?
If you understand this then you are halfway to becoming a Liverpool fan.
Keep the faith,
YNWA
@GoldenLiverBird - I understand that completely, it's one of the things I love about LFC. But the Premier League is the one which I want more than anything else right now.
@GoldenLiverBird-- Couldn't have put it better myself mate. We are Liverpool fans because we keep the faith just like the team we support. I look forward to the remaining games with no expectations only hopes... YNWA
@Paul- I understand Paul about most Liverpool fans yearning for EPL title this year. But I for one would be happy with both. Liverpool have been one of the best in CL these past few years and it would kill me to see us go out so early in the competition, all because of one bad day at the office. As long as we talk of keeping the faith, I hope, my team does it at the bridge this week and goes onto to win the title. Financially CL makes more sense for a cash pressed club like ours, last year Utd won nearly 40 Mill in prize money for winning the CL, there's a lot we could do with that much money.
@HarryFloyd - I'd be completely thrilled with both ;-)
I honestly hope we can turn things around at the bridge, it would be amazing, but as long as win the Premier League next month, it won't bother me if we don't beat Chelsea (just this season).
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