Champions League 2017/18

[Pagnell]

please dont fuck this up liverpool. it's all fun and games right now but don't do that thing where your defence does something stupid and concedes, then confidence drops and you fall apart.

My fear in a nut shell.

 

[Bilo]

Well that was a lovely half of football.

Unfortunately, it's one out of four. Can't think of any team a 3-0-lead feels more fragile against than against City. And even then most of our 3-0-leads are comparatively fragile.

 

[SALTIRE]

What a half, never in my wildest dreams did I think we'd win that 3 - 0. Cannot ease off at all though, we have to try for more goals and not let them have a sniff.

 

[Renegade]

In other news, De Rossi scored a spectacular own goal against Barcelona.

 

[Bilo]

please dont fuck this up liverpool. it's all fun and games right now but don't do that thing where your defence does something stupid and concedes, then confidence drops and you fall apart.

My fear in a nut shell.

While there is some merit to what my good friend G.B says about our confidence dropping, there's another relevant parameter in simple fatigue. We have to stand off a bit more in the second half or we'll tire, which will give City more space, which with the quality they have will result in a few chances. You don't do that half over 90 minutes, it can't physically be done I don't think.

It was mostly fatigue in the 4-3 semi-collapse imo.

 

[G.B]

https://twitter.com/Canterburydaz/status/981602101259358208

looks like changing the coach route, but also announcing the new route in advance, paid off.

 

[G.B]

You don't do that half over 90 minutes, it can't physically be done I don't think.

dr. fuentes disagrees

 

[Bilo]

Oh, and Milner has been absolutely outstanding. None of the three goals would've been scored without him. Plays the through ball to Salah for the first, wins the ball against Gundogan and gets the assist for the second, wins the ball back and sets off the counter for the third. Brilliant at his best, you have to say.

 

[SALTIRE]

Oh, and Milner has been absolutely outstanding. None of the three goals would've been scored without him. Plays the through ball to Salah for the first, wins the ball against Gundogan and gets the assist for the second, wins the ball back and sets off the counter for the third. Brilliant at his best, you have to say.

Maybe also cause its City he has that extra motivation, not that he never gives anything less than 100%. He has been utterly superb though. Must be those mini eggs.

 

[Pickleman1967]

Cracking game in the most unpredictable fixture ever. Dunno how this might end even now, but I do recall being amazed at how leggy Liverpool looked in the second half when we got the Desmond in the PL at Anfield in the PL this season. That may be the best hope any Citeh fans have right now, but being 3-0 up at home usually ends in one way.
Biggest test of Pep's tactical acumen coming up...

 

[Renegade]

Was Guardiola's only tactic for this game to target Alexander Arnold? So one dimensional.

 

[Renegade]

That was onside...

 

[Bilo]

Was Guardiola's only tactic for this game to target Alexander Arnold? So one dimensional.

That was your entire game plan against us. Well that and competent defending, but still. Those game plans look one dimensional when they don't work, genius when they do.

And yeah he was just as much on as Salah was for the opener. But look at Madrid, you need a few lucky calls to win the CL innit.

 

[Blitzballer]

lol couldn't even get an away goal. They're fucked . Fair play Liverpool

 

[Stevencc]

Halfway to a victory for human rights, full stadiums and sport without doping.

Well done Liverpool.

 

[Renegade]

That was your entire game plan against us. Well that and competent defending, but still. Those game plans look one dimensional when they don't work, genius when they do.

And yeah he was just as much on as Salah was for the opener. But look at Madrid, you need a few lucky calls to win the CL innit.

Haha, I know it was, but you'd expect more out of possibly the best English club side we've ever seen. Mourinho did it with long balls and physicality too at least, City just passed the ball to Sane without any overlap and expected him to beat AA. It has been a fucking bizarre night from Guardiola. Liverpool have been fantastic obviously, but Man City have been utterly inept by their own standards.

 

[Pagnell]

Fantastic result, far better than I thought we'd get. One away goal and City will need 5, I don't think they will do that. Come one lads.

City were shite. Great to see. Fuck them and their questionable financial source. Cnuts.

 

[SALTIRE]

Over the Blue Moon with that.

 

[G-Dragon]

TAA MOTM.

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Fraudiola

 

[4froale]

Stubborn pep at his best. The city fans at work called me daft when I said he had to switch it up tonight. It's all well and good being an attacking outfit but when you come to a place like anfield and face the pace of mane and salah then you have to adapt. Gundogan drifted constantly inside and Robertson had the freedom of the flank.

The only team who have really took the game to city this year is Liverpool and look at the results. City would be crucified if they set up at the Nou camp with that team and formation.

 

[Pagnell]

Any news on Salah's injury? Would be fucking tragic if he missed out on the Prem record through injury.

 

[Benji]

I was really impressed by Alexander-Arnold. I'm guilty of thinking he is rather crap overall, but today I thought he coped brilliantly with Sane.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Stubborn pep at his best. The city fans at work called me daft when I said he had to switch it up tonight. It's all well and good being an attacking outfit but when you come to a place like anfield and face the pace of mane and salah then you have to adapt. Gundogan drifted constantly inside and Robertson had the freedom of the flank.

The only team who have really took the game to city this year is Liverpool and look at the results. City would be crucified if they set up at the Nou camp with that team and formation.

He did switch it up tonight though, and that was in large part what caused them problems.

 

[SALTIRE]

Any news on Salah's injury? Would be fucking tragic if he missed out on the Prem record through injury.

Klopp has just said on German telly Salah said to him he should be fine. Fingers crossed that should be the case.

 

[shane]

I was really impressed by Alexander-Arnold. I'm guilty of thinking he is rather crap overall, but today I thought he coped brilliantly with Sane.

Why? He’s made a few mistakes but he’s 19 and shows nothing but massive promise. Clyne, an established England international, will get some minutes in the next few minutes but only so Klopp can rest Trent.

Robertson has to be in any top ten Prem transfer list this year. He’s been fantastic.

 

[Bilo]

TAA is fantastic going forward (dead cert for centre mid imo) and in general poor defensively. There'll be matches where he's poor going forward and there'll be matches when he's ace defensively, but they're exceptions. I'm not really sure how you can think he's "rather crap overall", he's probably one of the easiest rated players we've got, his strengths and weaknesses are so obvious. I bet Saltire thinks he's fantastic at everything though.

I'd argue Milner was head and shoulders above everyone today. I was hoping for a Henderson-Wijnaldum-Ox midfield because fast paced games sometimes pass Milner by, but City targeted Milner in the buildup and he bloody murdered them. Crucial to all three goals and always the one covering for defenders out of position. I think he won every 50/50 he was in as well, which seemed like every other minute.

What else. Right, Trent Alexander-Arnold. Well, to be honest, Sané was poor, but still he did manage to set up a legitimate goal and Henderson's sole purpose in our third was helping TAA out. We were also saved by some lucky bounces and Lovren, the centre back on his side, had his best match in a Liverpool shirt ever. He looked fine-ish defensively which is good for him, and he's so young and Sané is world class, etcetera bla bla bla but it's not like Guardiola won't try to the same thing next week. We got away with it today but if Lovren plays like he did and Henderson isn't needed in the middle because Milner wins every ball near him, we'll be fine. I'm just saying that wasn't an individually flawless performance from TAA.

Lovren, covered, van Dijk showed why we bought him (there's no way we sit back for 45 minutes keeping a clean sheet without him) but he's overly enthusiastic in possession sometimes. It looks good when he does it and it comes off but it's rare that it actually leads to anything. Robertson, as good as always.

Front three is the best in Europe and were so today again. Ta-ra. Still not confident that we're through.

 

[SALTIRE]

I bet Saltire thinks he's fantastic at everything though.

Yep pretty much this, especially for a 19yo kid coming into the side, he has been terrific. He showed his all round game tonight and was utterly superb in defense and attack. He is raw and he does/will make mistakes, but he is far from crap as Benji suggested he thought he was.

 

[Bilo]

Yep pretty much this, especially for a 19yo kid coming into the side, he has been terrific. He showed his all round game tonight and was utterly superb in defense and attack. He is raw and he does/will make mistakes, but he is far from crap as Benji suggested he thought he was.

Baffling. I was joking, I didn't think even you could think he's good at defending.

 

[mistermagic]

So glad to be proven wrong but how shite were City. Why don't you play a RW in a major game? Reminded of Scolari at Chelsea. He did bring Sterling on but too little too late for me. Everything clicked and I'm glad but boy did I expect a contest and I didn't get one. Still a marvellous performance by the home team. I hope they progress and win the whole thing.