1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

Let me preface this by saying that I, on the whole, can't stand Liverpool. I think that the conduct of their fans (without discussing Heysel, etc.) is generally hubristic, cringeworthy, and borderline delusional. I find the bizarre hive mind and usually unwarranted entitlement to exceptionalism which surrounds the club to be both concerning and irritating. But fair f**king play to them... last night was an extraordinary achievement. It was exceptional, it was a "famous European night at Anfield"™; the theatrics and hagiographies were, for once, not pandering, but justified.

For the first time in perhaps a generation, this is a Barcelona side who aren't perfectly comfortable and fluent in building slowly from the back. Klopp recognised that, and instructed his rag-tag frontline* to press, needle and harry Barca in their own half. It worked perfectly. Barca were never comfortable, created little, and after the tie was brought level, never looked like coming back. They, to a man, were comprehensively defeated, in terms of physicality, desire, ability - even their cheating was less good than Liverpool's.

Did you ever think that you'd ever see a Barca side, 3-0 down in a season-defining match, revert to 4-4-2 and put 9 men behind the ball? Can you ever imagine that a Barcelona side playing Guardiola's style (or at least mimicking it) wouldn't have simply put their foot on the ball and throttled the life out of the game? Do you think that we'd ever have been permitted to forget why Guardiola considers dominating possession to be primarily a defensive measure? Valverde's drift from tradition may have added an extra element to Barca's play, however it seems like something more fundamental is ebbing away. They were truly atrocious last night, as poor as I've ever seen any Barcelona side.

I can't even bring myself to be annoyed or snipe about that match - last night I witnessed something truly extraordinary. Bravo Liverpool...

 

 

...didn't do it at the Nou Camp, with ten men, and José Bosingwa at centre back though, did you?

 

 

*(which consisted of, let's not forget, a player they signed from relegated Stoke, and a centre-forward voted in Ligue 1's worst team of the season a couple of years ago, who had also played 492 minutes before last night).

Sums it up perfectly for me. Hate them, hate their fans. But fair play to them last night they were absolutely superb. 

I never understand why people dislike it so much that Liverpool are doing well. It doesn't affect us in anyway. In fact, our board should admire the way liverpool are run and take some notes.

They have kept with the manager; they have supported him with players to fit the system, and have scouted well. I don't mind seeing liverpool do well as these things come in ebbs and flows. 

7 hours ago, axman2526 said:

I will admit it. I am jealous of the spirit and drive this Liverpool side has and reminds me of us at our best under Jose.

Agreed - in spades!

100% what our team currently lacks.

6 hours ago, JMaher94 said:

If it come down to it, who would you rather win it Liverpool or Tottenham?

Much rather Liverpool in all honesty, they've won it before so as annoying as their fans will be, we've seen it happen in the past.

Spurs winning it would put them level with us, ruin our only team in London song and it would be all round awful.

Ajax, help.

Doesn't matter, Ajax will win it. Young and driven side with very good players.

Barcelona bottled it like I thought they would. They are poor this season, and weren't much better last season either. Summed up by idiotic decision making from Messi trying to dribble it past players to score an almost open goal earlier in the game. Barcelona need a rebuild as they are overly reliant on Messi. 

our dismal league challenge over last two seasons is worthy of investigation in itself, but liverpool's emergence really should lead to even more questions being asked about how our club is being run...despite us winning the league two years ago, Liverpool have overtaken us big style. We can't blame lack of funds as we have spent a sh*tload too. Yet they have reached two successive cl finals and been right there with city in the title this season. We have obviously made big mistakes and people, i.e. Marina, should be held accountable

Edited May 8, 20197 yr by The Brit

The corner kick for the winner is pretty funny.

17 minutes ago, The Brit said:

our dismal league challenge over last two seasons is worthy of investigation in itself, but liverpool's emergence really should lead to even more questions being asked about how our club is being run...despite us winning the league two years ago, Liverpool have overtaken us big style. We can't blame lack of funds as we have spent a sh*tload too. Yet they have reached two successive cl finals and been right there with city in the title this season. We have obviously made big mistakes and people, i.e. Marina, should be held accountable

It all started with the horror-show of a summer in 2017.
If we had actually supported the great manager we then had, we'd be right up there with Liverpool and City today.

Typical Chelsea really. We win the league, proceeds to get complacent and rest on our laurels and to no ones surprise - get's overtaken quickly.

Marina should be nowhere near the club. I've said that for years. She's got no business running the football-side of any club, much less a top one.

 

Edited May 8, 20197 yr by Sindre

Honestly I enjoyed the game last night.

Loved seeing that c*nt Suarez getting knocked out. He’s more of a c*nt than any of Liverpool players.

Barcelona always are protected by the ref so I’m glad to see them get smashed again.

I don’t care if Liverpool win the champions league or not. As long as Tottenham don’t win it.

You have to admit Liverpool have been fantastic all season and that team deserves silverware.

Again, Suarez take that you c*nt!

Messi and his crews failed the cold night at Stoke test big time. It's unbelievable the way they conceded those goals, every one of them looked amateurish. I don't think even their manager got a clue what happened there, just complete choked and brain dead. I don't remember Origi and the other guy ever scored 2 goals in any game, if they ever scored more than 2 goals a season. The worst possible CL final is coming, somehow I fear Spurs will get away with a 2:1 tomorrow.

58 minutes ago, Sindre said:

If we had actually supported the great manager we then had, we'd be right up there with Liverpool and City today.

So who asked for all the crap brought in from italy?

58 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Marina should be nowhere near the club. I've said that for years. She's got no business running the football-side of any club, much less a top one.

It always ebbs and flows. Some days Marina is only in charge of negotiations, other days she is apparently picking the targets herself. Does she really run the football side of the club?

9 minutes ago, Stim said:

So who asked for all the crap brought in from italy?

It always ebbs and flows. Some days Marina is only in charge of negotiations, other days she is apparently picking the targets herself. Does she really run the football side of the club?

Who knows? Certainly wasn't Conte as he wanted actual top class players.

Instead he got Zappcosta and Drinkwater for 70 million on deadline day after we refused to pay the price for class all summer long.

 

I worry about next season, if liverpool do not win the prem this season they are only going to get stronger and other than city, who else can possibly stop them? i can not see chelsea, united, spurs or the goons improving that much next season

15 minutes ago, luckywerthers said:

I worry about next season, if liverpool do not win the prem this season they are only going to get stronger and other than city, who else can possibly stop them? i can not see chelsea, united, spurs or the goons improving that much next season

I'd I remember rightly, Klopps Dortmund ended up having a poor season after initially having 2 positive ones. The season after that he left. There's no guarantee Liverpool keep this form up for more than two seasons.

It's difficult to predict. I am sure they will be in or around top three/four, but nothing is guaranteed. Looks like City will continue strengthening though with interest in Bruno Fernandes already. 

No idea what will happen season, but if Liverpool can't win the title this year with 96 points, doubt they will get there same or more points next year to win it.  They have punched above their weight to be where they are, City will get their missing pieces,  Team 3-6 will get stronger, and they will not get that many rub of the greens such as last second GK horrors, dodgy Penalties etc. Still, expect a bit of drama this weekend, Brighton may just hold City out for 45 minutes and get everyone on edge.

3 hours ago, enigma said:

Doesn't matter, Ajax will win it. Young and driven side with very good players.

Hopefully Ajax will win it. Liverpool are deluded. They sing their silly song at the beginning and the end. They get carried away with the fact that Barcelona didn’t turn up. Ajax for me.

I received a text this morning from a friend of mine. She is a season ticket holder at Manchester City and lives in a town north of Manchester. She works in Liverpool and she said that is awful in that place. I hope that if City win the PL and the bin dippers lose the CL final she goes into work and gives the Scousers a load of stick.

 

5 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

Let me preface this by saying that I, on the whole, can't stand Liverpool. I think that the conduct of their fans (without discussing Heysel, etc.) is generally hubristic, cringeworthy, and borderline delusional. I find the bizarre hive mind and usually unwarranted entitlement to exceptionalism which surrounds the club to be both concerning and irritating. But fair f**king play to them... last night was an extraordinary achievement. It was exceptional, it was a "famous European night at Anfield"™; the theatrics and hagiographies were, for once, not pandering, but justified.

For the first time in perhaps a generation, this is a Barcelona side who aren't perfectly comfortable and fluent in building slowly from the back. Klopp recognised that, and instructed his rag-tag frontline* to press, needle and harry Barca in their own half. It worked perfectly. Barca were never comfortable, created little, and after the tie was brought level, never looked like coming back. They, to a man, were comprehensively defeated, in terms of physicality, desire, ability - even their cheating was less good than Liverpool's.

Did you ever think that you'd ever see a Barca side, 3-0 down in a season-defining match, revert to 4-4-2 and put 9 men behind the ball? Can you ever imagine that a Barcelona side playing Guardiola's style (or at least mimicking it) wouldn't have simply put their foot on the ball and throttled the life out of the game? Do you think that we'd ever have been permitted to forget why Guardiola considers dominating possession to be primarily a defensive measure? Valverde's drift from tradition may have added an extra element to Barca's play, however it seems like something more fundamental is ebbing away. They were truly atrocious last night, as poor as I've ever seen any Barcelona side.

I can't even bring myself to be annoyed or snipe about that match - last night I witnessed something truly extraordinary. Bravo Liverpool...

 

 

...didn't do it at the Nou Camp, with ten men, and José Bosingwa at centre back though, did you?

 

 

*(which consisted of, let's not forget, a player they signed from relegated Stoke, and a centre-forward voted in Ligue 1's worst team of the season a couple of years ago, who had also played 492 minutes before last night).

Great post could have written it myself. I totally detest Liverpool but have to hand it to them they deservedly beat Barcelona last night. In Klopp they have a manager who is a great 'fit' for the club, last nights display was reminiscent of how British teams dominated their continental rivals back in the late 70s and 80s, the power and intensity they rarely encounter in their own leagues. That was one of the great footballing performances and boy will we hear about it for the next 20 years! Unless the footballing gods stop them winning the trophy on June 1st, please God just let it be Ajax that deflates them.

To play 2 years in the Champions league final in a row is not a fluke though, Liverpool had a bad defense last year and then Klopp spent money on tough defensive players and this is the result they are playing for titles but this level won't last much longer I mean it lasted for Zidane 3 years so Liverpool might have the quality to keep fighting for the league title or in Europe but to keep this level in both competitions is just too hard.

Also funny how Messi can't do much in Europe anymore at all, no refs, no Xavi and the rest anymore, his team got swiped 3:0 last year and now 4:0.

Edited May 8, 20197 yr by Ewell CFC

Not quite sure what happened there

2 hours ago, Gol15 said:

To play 2 years in the Champions league final in a row is not a fluke though, Liverpool had a bad defense last year and then Klopp spent money on tough defensive players and this is the result they are playing for titles but this level won't last much longer I mean it lasted for Zidane 3 years so Liverpool might have the quality to keep fighting for the league title or in Europe but to keep this level in both competitions is just too hard.

Also funny how Messi can't do much in Europe anymore at all, no refs, no Xavi and the rest anymore, his team got swiped 3:0 last year and now 4:0.

To be fair, he did destroy United and beat Liverpool on his own last week. Even yesterday he set up 3 one v one chances for his team mates, they just bottled their finish.

Edited May 8, 20197 yr by Scott Harris

Suppose Spurs are going to setup the nightmare final tonight aren't they?

i reckon they are as good as out

Surely we won't have to suffer for a second night in a row? Life can't be that cruel.