CL knock out stage

**NeilMcD** · 14/04/2009, 9:10 PM

There is no way or realing anyalying that game as tactics went out the window from an early stage. When you take of Mascherano and Torres acause you think the game is over nd then score 2 more goals to get yourself back in the game, you know its a mad game. I still think that Man Utd will win this tournament.

**rambler14** · 14/04/2009, 9:15 PM

Unbelievable game but if I were Guus Hiddink i'd be absolutely furious with the Chelsea players for their inability to defend. I'd say he's in the dressing room right now telling them what Barca will do to them if they play like that!
7 goals conceded in 2 home games i'd be furious if I were Chelsea manager.

**Dunny** · 14/04/2009, 9:17 PM

Originally Posted by rambler14

Unbelievable game but if I were Guus Hiddink i'd be absolutely furious with the Chelsea players for their inability to defend. I'd say he's in the dressing room right now telling them what Barca will do to them if they play like that!

Is it not the winners of United-Porto go on to face Barca?

**NeilMcD** · 14/04/2009, 9:18 PM

No its not.

**Dunny** · 14/04/2009, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

No its not.

Ah right, cheers.

**Dodge** · 14/04/2009, 9:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dunny

Is it not the winners of United-Porto go on to face Barca?

In the final, yeah...

**eamo1** · 14/04/2009, 11:21 PM

Barca will win this tournament.They will destroy Chelsea.Chelsea will probably do at the Nou Camp what Man Utd did there last year and park the bus for most of the match.
I NEVER seen anything like Drogba tonight,he spent more time on the fu**ing ground then he did standing.He was a disgrace,an embarassment.HE ROLLED BACK ONTO THE PITCH in the first half when he was "injured".Some ppl call that smart play,i call it blatant cheating

.Im not much of a liverpool fan btw,im more of a chelsea hater.

**SkStu** · 15/04/2009, 4:39 AM

in fairness he ran Liverpool ragged while acting the c*nt. Quality player. Much rather play with him than against him alright.

**Stuttgart88** · 15/04/2009, 7:17 AM

Phil Thompson said afterwards on SKY "I knocked my monitor here and Drogba fell over". Top player, total embarrassment to football.

**Angus** · 15/04/2009, 7:31 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Phil Thompson said afterwards on SKY "I knocked my monitor here and Drogba fell over". Top player, total embarrassment to football.

Let's save the "total embarassment" tag for the coach who took off the best striker in the world with 12 minutes left. The man is a joker and the fact he gets a free pass from Liverpool fans, generally, is galling.

Let's call a spade a digging implement - he was happy last night when Liverpool went close so he would, once again, get a pass for the pluckiness and spirit and all that stauff - he should be berating those players and they should be berating him. If we had posted yesterday that Liverpool would score 4 times last night and were still 10/1 to go through, we could all have bankrupted Paddy's.

It took him 6 years to figure out Stevie Me is not a midfielder and he takes Torress off when the game was still alive - and that is even before we get into the zonal mindgames - clown.

**OwlsFan** · 15/04/2009, 7:33 AM

isn't sport great? We have had some epic encounters of late. The rugby, the Italian game, the golf last weekend and now that game. Benitez must have felt a bit foolish as he took Torres off as they needed 3 and then Liverpool score 2 in quick succession. Don't blame him but I had to laugh. Sure the game wasn't full of flowing football but it was compulsive viewing.

Much underrated player in my opinion is Benayoun (not sure of spelling). Very creative and gets in to very dangerous positions.

Who said the CL was boring

?

**Roadend** · 15/04/2009, 8:19 AM

Originally Posted by Angus

Let's save the "total embarassment" tag for the coach who took off the best striker in the world with 12 minutes left. The man is a joker and the fact he gets a free pass from Liverpool fans, generally, is galling.

Let's call a spade a digging implement - he was happy last night when Liverpool went close so he would, once again, get a pass for the pluckiness and spirit and all that stauff - he should be berating those players and they should be berating him. If we had posted yesterday that Liverpool would score 4 times last night and were still 10/1 to go through, we could all have bankrupted Paddy's.

It took him 6 years to figure out Stevie Me is not a midfielder and he takes Torress off when the game was still alive - and that is even before we get into the zonal mindgames - clown.

What a load of tosh, nobody in the world thought that game was alive at 3-2 down. Its easy to waffle on with the benefit of hindsight, but its also embarrassing to do it.

reder · 15/04/2009, 8:33 AM

Originally Posted by Roadend

What a load of tosh, nobody in the world thought that game was alive at 3-2 down. Its easy to waffle on with the benefit of hindsight, but its also embarrassing to do it.

I did. Chelsea were uneasy at the back all night. What had Rafa to lose by leaving Torres on for the rest of the game? Liverpool dont have a game for another week, so it wasnt down to tiredness.

Chelsea were a defensive mess last night and there for the taking. Taking all things into account, I still think they will beat Barca, that will be a completely different game.

**OwlsFan** · 15/04/2009, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by reder

I did. Chelsea were uneasy at the back all night. What had Rafa to lose by leaving Torres on for the rest of the game? Liverpool dont have a game for another week, so it wasnt down to tiredness.

3 down with 20 minutes to go

. The pictures of the downcast Liverpool supporters at this stage behind the goal showed those fans weren't sharing your optimism. Imagine if Torres had been injured in those last 20 minutes. People would have been castigating Benitez: "Why was he left on when there was nothing to play for?" Anyway, if he had stayed on, Liverpool might not have scored those goals.

Hindsight is a great thing.

**Angus** · 15/04/2009, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

3 down with 20 minutes to go

. The pictures of the downcast Liverpool supporters at this stage behind the goal showed those fans weren't sharing your optimism. Imagine if Torres had been injured in those last 20 minutes. People would have been castigating Benitez: "Why was he left on when there was nothing to play for?" Anyway, if he had stayed on, Liverpool might not have scored those goals.

Hindsight is a great thing.

With respect, nobody would have said that - the whole point of having world class players is that they can turn games. Since when is there a strategy of keeping your world class players off the pitch just because a game is won or lost ?

If Torres had got injured, he would have got injured - things happen, injuries happen - now if Liverpool were 8-0 up or down from the first leg, yes, no need to trouble your best players but this game was close - neither side was defending and this was a truly bizarre decision

**DeLorean** · 15/04/2009, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Angus

With respect, nobody would have said that - the whole point of having world class players is that they can turn games. Since when is there a strategy of keeping your world class players off the pitch just because a game is won or lost ?

If Torres had got injured, he would have got injured - things happen, injuries happen - now if Liverpool were 8-0 up or down from the first leg, yes, no need to trouble your best players but this game was close - neither side was defending and this was a truly bizarre decision

Obviously history has proven me wrong but I did not think it was close at 6-3 agg. and I suspect I am in good company.

That said I didn't see the sense in bringing off Torres but I presume it was down to the fact that Benitez, in his paranoid wisdom and feeling the game was up, wanted to eliminate the possibility of Torres gettin a knock. He did the same late on last year and Babel scored to keep the tie alive briefly and back then they didn't even have the PL to save him for.

**gaisc�och** · 15/04/2009, 1:15 PM

I can't understand how Liverpool keep getting away with persistant fouling. Mascherano had committed 4 fouls within half an hour no card? These fouls aren't dirty but it's something I've noticed in Liverpools play the last while. Persistantly body checking Arbeloa fouling for the goal was a yellow card he shortly seen one later with a knee high tackle on Essien.

On Benitez I think he got very lucky with Chelsea in my opinion falling asleep and believing the game was over. They kept going and made some game of it.

I can't wait to see what happens with Ivanovic at right back vs Barcelona. He will be run ragged he was a centre back playing out of position and it looked it. Cech is a lost cause at this stage. It's sad to see he was a great keeper but now he more worried about his health and when that happens I think it's time to step aside he should have been taken off imo

**Weatherman** · 15/04/2009, 1:37 PM

Originally Posted by Axe Man

I can't understand how Liverpool keep getting away with persistant fouling. Mascherano had committed 4 fouls within half an hour no card? These fouls aren't dirty but it's something I've noticed in Liverpools play the last while. Persistantly body checking Arbeloa fouling for the goal was a yellow card he shortly seen one later with a knee high tackle on Essien.

On Benitez I think he got very lucky with Chelsea in my opinion falling asleep and believing the game was over. They kept going and made some game of it.

I can't wait to see what happens with Ivanovic at right back vs Barcelona. He will be run ragged he was a centre back playing out of position and it looked it. Cech is a lost cause at this stage. It's sad to see he was a great keeper but now he more worried about his health and when that happens I think it's time to step aside he should have been taken off imo

I think ivanovic will shift to the left with essien playing right back v barca coz of the the lack of a left back

**gaisc�och** · 15/04/2009, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by Weatherman

I think ivanovic will shift to the left with essien playing right back v barca coz of the the lack of a left back

If he is played at left back that's even worse considering who he will be trying to stop. The two players on the right for Barca are top quality.

Bosingwa may be back but taking Essien out of the middle would be disastrous. He will be the player they need the most in front of the back four where Iniesta and Xavi love operating.

**eamo1** · 15/04/2009, 2:42 PM

How does Cheating and diving all night make Drogba a top player??????IT WAS PATHETIC!!
Cant wait for Messi,Xavi,Henry,Iniesta,E'to to take them apart!!!I mean if that Lucas guy can score against them then ANYONE can.