Posted April 26, 200717 yr I must say I am very surprised to read some of the negative comments re: last nights WIN over the scousers, OK, we all would have preferred to be going up there with a bigger advantage, but last night we played well without being brilliant and and won 1-0. Yes! it is going to be tough in the 2nd leg, but we are going into that with several plus points, Essien will be back, Joey is starting to look the biz more each game, no one is suspended so a full squad will be available with Ballack also returning from injury by then, plus, they don't have an away goal to fall back on. We are in a far healthier position than we were 2 years ago with a 1-0 in our pocket and we have to ask ourselves, who would genuinely put money on us NOT scoring at Anfield ?, no one really gave us much chance of progressing after the 1-1 at home against Valencia (myself included) but we got the job done, a lot of people thought we might trip up against Wham, but again we proved them wrong (this is intended to be a positive thread so won't mention N'castle!) the point is I think we should be a bit more upbeat about last night than we are showing at the moment. The fact that they are a goal down will mean they will have to come at us and if we can keep the door shut for the first 15-20 mins, I sincerely think we will be alright, after all some of our best performances in cup competitions this season have been away from home, so heads up & keep the faith, we can do this!!!!!!!!!
April 26, 200717 yr I thought we did well last night, nothing too fancy but the was job done, very professionally. The most important things was no goals conceded
April 26, 200717 yr 1.0 is a lot better than 2.1 + Liveryank only managed 1 decent shot on target - the pressure is all on them and all Ive heard is that the atmosphere will win it for them - just like when we beat them 4.1
April 26, 200717 yr No gloom from me. Id have taken that result at 7-45 last night. Yes i think we wasted a chance to finish it there and then and i certainly dont think Liverpool will play that badly again at Anfield but we are in an excellent position. Liverpool will be stronger next week - i expect Crouch to start and i think the big one will be if Finnan returns, which will allow Riise to go back to left midfield. However we will have Essien and maybe Ballack back too. It is going to be a big night thats for sure.
April 26, 200717 yr I also have vivid memories of the atmosphere at Valencia making our players cower in the corner like mice. It's comical that people seem to thinm that a team of professional footballers in this day and age are going to be scared of a bit of noise. We have a squad packed with CL winners, Premiership winners, internationals and a world cup winner - why on earth people think they are going to get stage fright because a bunch of scousers are going to be singing some naff tune from Carousel s beyond me.
April 26, 200717 yr In a funny way I prefer 1-0 to 2-0 at this stage. At 2-0 there's more reason to sit back and almost think job done, we might nick one on the break but we don't generaly concede 2 in a game anyway. At 1-0 I think we'll need to go up there and score, that mean we have to go up there and play, we've got the advantage of not needing to go gung-ho though and if we get one they have to score three. A very very good performance last night, full of positives and a good position to go into the second leg. That's about as doom and gloom as I can get at the moment.
April 26, 200717 yr Ive heard is that the atmosphere will win it for them - just like when we beat them 4.1 Who this Atmos Phere then? their new striker, is he legally signed?
April 26, 200717 yr Ive heard is that the atmosphere will win it for them - just like when we beat them 4.1 But you gotta remember that it's during the EUROPEAN NIGHTS? at Anfield when the atomosphere wins games for them.
April 26, 200717 yr Ive heard is that the atmosphere will win it for them - just like when we beat them 4.1 But you gotta remember that it's during the EUROPEAN NIGHTS? at Anfield when the atomosphere wins games for them. yeah, that and crap linos
April 26, 200717 yr yeah, that and crap linos I'm pretty sure you'll find their pitch is turfed, just like all other pitches.
April 26, 200717 yr Liverpool will be stronger next week - i expect Crouch to start and i think the big one will be if Finnan returns, which will allow Riise to go back to left midfield. However we will have Essien and maybe Ballack back too. And maybee Mr. Robben AKA "Cristal leg" ? How's he doing ? Any news on his injury ? (He would've been great last night during the 2nd half - memories of Bar?a at home with him and Duff... )
April 26, 200717 yr I seem to remeber a lot of doom and gloom at this stage two years ago, and it was probably justified given that Jose looked for the clean sheet rather than to actually win the game. I sometimes think coaches/managers overthink these ties - it's quite simple really. Win both games and you're through! There's a lot of talk like 'they need 3 if we get one' & 'a clean sheet sees us through'. I'd rather concentrate on the football. If we play like we did in the 1st half, we'll win and go through. If we play like the tired team we were in the 2nd half, we'll go out. They have an advantage in that they can rest players over the weekend that we surely can't. Ballack will have an extra few days to get fit, Essien will return as strong as ever and hopefully do a lot of Franks' running for him as he looks absolutely knackered, and there are others who might earn themselves a breather with a good 1st half v Bolton. The fact is that it's still up in the air, anything can (and probably will happen), but I like to remember the 'good old bad old days' - 3 days after my 20th birthday we lost 0-6 at Rotherham - it's a perspective I use to keep my feet on the ground!
April 26, 200717 yr The fact is that it's still up in the air, anything can (and probably will happen), but I like to remember the 'good old bad old days' - 3 days after my 20th birthday we lost 0-6 at Rotherham - it's a perspective I use to keep my feet on the ground! Another game that scarred me for life. We were so bad that day, I spent the entire second half in the middle of the Rotherham end doing my best pissed as a fart Glasgow accent "ah'm no English ya Nothern bassa".
April 26, 200717 yr i accidentally stumbled across it, i put it in the vintage vids thread luckily im too young (just) to remember it!
April 26, 200717 yr I don't think its doom and gloom, and I don't believe the majority on here think so either. Its just a reality check - it isn't over, who gets excited at halftime?
April 26, 200717 yr i accidentally stumbled across it, i put it in the vintage vids thread luckily im too young (just) to remember it! Lucky you. It probably says something about me that those are the kind of days (not the games, the days) that stay in my mind. We were so bloody awful at times that away games in particular were more about having a day out than anything else. Anyway. Enough of the nostalgia. I don't think its doom and gloom, and I don't believe the majority on here think so either. Its just a reality check - it isn't over, who gets excited at halftime? I quite agree. It doesn't do to be over-optimistic, that way lies complacency which is the last thing we need. But then why be pessimistic either? "We are the Chelsea and we are the best ... " and all that. A touch of quiet optimism perhaps, with large amounts of necessary caution. There's still a long, long way to go yet.
