PSG (A) Champions League 28/11/2018

[Trumo]

First things first. The referee was so awful it's amazing he actually never awarded Neymar a penalty. He missed the blatant one for us despite being in a better position than the touchline official, and thankfully the official actually did something useful and informed him that there had indeed been a foul on Mane. The ref was allowing PSG to get away with their shithouse antics all evening, and failed to send Verratti off for a dreadful challenge on Gomez in the first half. I'll touch upon that again shortly. Thiago Silva is an excellent defender but he goes down 'injured' at least half a dozen times a game.

 

Which brings me to another point. Yet again we failed to be streetwise. It needed some shithousery from our players to let PSG know they were not going to have it all their own way. Gomez should have made a meal of Verratti's challenge. We needed to be in the refs ear just as much as PSG were. We needed to dive around whenever we were anywhere near a challenge with Silva just to put doubt in the ref's mind. It's little things like that - unpalatable as they are - that often make the difference in these big games. We really need to wise up to it.

 

Which leads me onto my next bugbear, and that's the midfield. For the love of god Jurgen, please do not pick these 3 in an away game again. It's making our attack look shit because it lacks the guile to create anything so they have to do it all themselves. It's not shielding the defence properly because they can be played through by passing and movement. With Henderson in the deep-lying role, Wijnaldum is ineffective because he is caught in a role that negates everything he is good at. Until PSG took Cavani and Mbappe off because they'd settled for 2-1, Henderson did absolutely nothing with the ball. Time and again when we had it and were looking for options, he was never in a position where he could receive it and play an effective forward pass. Milner seemed to be having one of those games where everything he did was on the stretch. If bypassed, he was out of the game.

 

We were not quite as bad as we had been in Naples and Belgrade, but our away form in Europe is cause for alarm. For me, the midfield trio of Henderson, Milner and Wilnaldum is the biggest reason as to why. Keita hadn't had a good game when picked to start at Napoli, but when he was subbed early after getting injured, Klopp reverted to the ineffective trio once more. It simply doesn't work, so he needs to start putting more faith in Keita, Fabinho and Shaqiri for midfield roles.

 

Up front, Firmino really looked off the boil. There was a slackness about his play that meant he couldn't link up with either Salah or Mane, which made those two less effective. I can understand us using Firmino because he is more physical than our other forwards, but maybe we needed a different approach, I don't know.

 

People will now big up the Anfield factor for the final game, but we've been in this position of needing a win in our final group game in the Champions League several times (ALWAYS the season after we entered it without needing to play qualifying games first) and fallen short. Basel twice and once against Fiorentina. Of course we can still make it but that we mean Napoli drop out in all likelihood, and they've been the best team in the group so far. Go in with a streetwise attitude and we could still reach the knockouts.

[Carvalho Diablo]

1 minute ago, Jairzinho said:

40 seconds of the game left today, losing 2-1, and he was hanging around the half way line picking his nose.

Stevie Gerrard he is not. Salif Diao ? Maybe...

[Kevin D]

34 minutes ago, Jairzinho said:

I thought it was a terrible game. Which forward for either side played well?

 

It was unwatchable, the ball was out of play for easily 20 minutes in total as the ref checked if the Neymar injury was truly serious this time. I can't believe people would willingly watch that every week, fuck that.

[A_S]

It'll surprise you all to know Alan Smith didn't mention a red card once for Verrati. 

[John102]

The diving tonight was ridiculous. It got to the point where when they put the ball out when Silva went down, I wanted us to just keep the ball and be equally snidey

[Trumo]

That was an absolutely infuriating watch. We seemed to start the game in a coma and were second to everything. Both goals were just so avoidable. There seemed to be a brief period at the start of the second half where it looked like we were up for it, but it quickly disintegrated after a succession of bad decisions and sloppy balls in the final third and the last half hour was just incredibly passive. The players looked like they'd accepted defeat.

 

That ref didn't help either. Verrati should have been off and I'm struggling to recall a time where I've got more annoyed with a ref when it looked like he wasn't going to give one of the most obvious penalties ever for the foul on Mane. His assistants bailed him out that time but he was so inept/bent throughout the game that it was hard not to laugh at some of his decisions.

 

This current PSG side have got to be one of the most dislikeable teams I can remember seeing. A whiny bitch of a manager (he was exactly the same when his Dortmund team played us), their players rolling around and feigning injury at every opportunity, the constant moaning to the ref and the actual nerve of making out they'd been hard done to with the penalty decision, 2 of their defenders celebrating getting a lucky ricochet off Salah going out for a goal kick as though they'd just won the Champions League … the list just goes on. I'm still not having that they're any good either. Had we played anything like last season, we'd have absolutely battered them. They'll go out early on in the knockout stages again.

 

I guess it's still in our hands at least. Beat Napoli by 2 goals. and we're through. It certainly won't be easy. Napoli look a decent team. They were worthy winners against us in Naples and from what I've heard dominated both games against PSG. We need the Liverpool attack of last season to return as they seem to have been replaced by a bunch of lookalikes with nothing like the same ability or desire. We can't really have any complaints if we go out. We've been atrocious in all 3 away games and lucky that results have panned out elsewhere in a way that still gives us a chance.

[Saintslfc13]

Just now, John102 said:

The diving tonight was ridiculous. It got to the point where when they put the ball out when Silva went down, I wanted us to just keep the ball and be equally snidey

I thought we should've too, when Mané got it he had a look and then Robbo motioned for him to give it back. I wish Mané would've just turned and ran, fuck PSG and fuck any pretense of fairplay when playing them.

[Captain Howdy]

For sure enough is enough with Henderson, he’s fucking awful and everybody bar seemingly the manager can see it.

[aRdja]

Alisson - 7

Lovren - 6

Van Dijk - 6

Gomez - 6

Robertson - 6

Hendo - 5

Gini - 5

Milner - 7

Mane - 7

Salah - 6

Bobby - 5

[chrisbonnie]

first half they where excellent, credit where its due. yeah Veratti should have been off, but that didnt change the fact they beat us at our own game in the first 45 minutes.

 

The second half we where much better, i actually thought PSG where knackered. But all whinging about the referee aside, that Thiago Silva and the other brazilian centre half played fucking brilliant. The two cunts where like magnets for the ball, annoying and frustrating as fuck to watch as an opposition fan, but they did play well, and deserved the win. Their centre halves didnt give us a sniff. 

 

As for Napoli. We'll fucking batter them, its what we do. 

 

Last game, go behind early, get your heart racing and probably take another 5 years off your life expectancy then go on and win, somehow.......

 

I CANT WAIT!!!

[Trumo]

I mentioned Silva going down repeatedly. When he went down out of play on the sideline and pretending to have hurt his head on the grass, they showed replays of it (there was fuck all in it) amidst cuts to famous faces in the crowd. When it then showed Silva getting treatment, he was in his own penalty area! Mbappe went down out of play and rolled onto the pitch (Drogba behaviour from bygone days that) so the ref stopped play again. Marquinhos must have gone down with cramp half a dozen times. And Neymar was being a cunt all game, kicking the ball away every time PSG conceded a free kick. Sure enough, the ref only booked him for it in stoppage time.

[John102]

7 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

For sure enough is enough with Henderson, he’s fucking awful and everybody bar seemingly the manager can see it.

Lovren says hello.

 

We know he isn't good enough. Klopp knows he isn't good enough. He tried to replace the midfield in the summer. It's unfortunate that both signings have been poor so far. Henderson will continue to get games until the others show themselves to be better. I dont believe they have done so far.

[aRdja]

1 minute ago, John102 said:

Lovren says hello.

 

We know he isn't good enough. Klopp knows he isn't good enough. He tried to replace the midfield in the summer. It's unfortunate that both signings have been poor so far. Henderson will continue to get games until the others show themselves to be better. I dont believe they have done so far.

Lovren didn’t do much wrong tonight.

[John102]

Just now, aRdja said:

Lovren didn’t do much wrong tonight.

My point was that Lovren has been atrocious in the past, notably the spurs game which is the worst performance I've seen from one of our players, yet he kept getting picked, as there were no better options at the time. The same with henderson. Its no endorsement of his ability thay he is playing.

[Baltar]

Really annoyed by that because I didn't think PSG were great at all. No chance these little shits will win the thing unless they can get every ref on their side with their despicable tactics. Been a while since I've been so pissed with the dirty tricks of an opposing side. What an absolutely scummy team. Their manager seems like a cunt too. We were just too sloppy up front, and maybe a bit intimidated by their "stars" early on. In the second half once our boys realised they were nothing special at all, we looked more confident and were willing to have a go but it just wasn't happening for the boys up front.

 

Napoli are much, much better which is why sadly I don't think we're going to be able to scrape through this time.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

9 minutes ago, aRdja said:

Lovren didn’t do much wrong tonight.

A glowing tribute.

[John102]

1 minute ago, Baltar said:

Really annoyed by that because I didn't think PSG were great at all. 

I dont think anyone in this group has been particularly brilliant. Thus is why I still think a strong performance at home under the lights should be enough.

 

Napoli aren't something to be feared

 

[TheBitch]

49 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

Going to be some game and atmosphere at Anfield. Hopefully certain players will be enjoying it from the bench or preferably the stands.

Who you thinking, mate?

[billypilgrimnz]

24 minutes ago, aRdja said:

Lovren didn’t do much wrong tonight.

 

It's like clockwork. Do you get a notification each time Lovren is mentioned in a negative light?

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

6 minutes ago, TheBitch said:

Who you thinking, mate?

If everyone is fit then, Allison, TAA, VVD, Gomes, Wijnaldum, Milner, Shaqiri, Salah, Mane, Firmino. Maybe even Keita for Milner.

Henderson can sit in the stands talking about his Chelsea wondergoal to anyone who will listen. Probably a few from here.

[The Guest]

I still love Klopp.  Fella is a genius and he always makes me feel good watching him speak because he nails it every time.  He knows what we need to do and he will give it his best shot which will be good enough for me.  It’s difficult going again after getting to a final.  I think we went out in the groups in 06 as well.  If that’s what happens then the team learns and Klopp learns.  We go again.

[sir roger]

2 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

If everyone is fit then, Allison, TAA, VVD, Gomes, Wijnaldum, Milner, Shaqiri, Salah, Mane, Firmino. Maybe even Keita for Milner.

Henderson can sit in the stands talking about his Chelsea wondergoal to anyone who will listen. Probably a few from here.

Not even bothering with a left back, loving the confidence.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

1 minute ago, sir roger said:

Not even bothering with a left back, loving the confidence.

See you get it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robbo.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

1 minute ago, sir roger said:

Not even bothering with a left back, loving the confidence.

See you get it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robbo.

[Trumo]

45 minutes ago, Trumo said:

That was an absolutely infuriating watch. We seemed to start the game in a coma and were second to everything. Both goals were just so avoidable. There seemed to be a brief period at the start of the second half where it looked like we were up for it, but it quickly disintegrated after a succession of bad decisions and sloppy balls in the final third and the last half hour was just incredibly passive. The players looked like they'd accepted defeat.

 

That ref didn't help either. Verrati should have been off and I'm struggling to recall a time where I've got more annoyed with a ref when it looked like he wasn't going to give one of the most obvious penalties ever for the foul on Mane. His assistants bailed him out that time but he was so inept/bent throughout the game that it was hard not to laugh at some of his decisions.

 

This current PSG side have got to be one of the most dislikeable teams I can remember seeing. A whiny bitch of a manager (he was exactly the same when his Dortmund team played us), their players rolling around and feigning injury at every opportunity, the constant moaning to the ref and the actual nerve of making out they'd been hard done to with the penalty decision, 2 of their defenders celebrating getting a lucky ricochet off Salah going out for a goal kick as though they'd just won the Champions League … the list just goes on. I'm still not having that they're any good either. Had we played anything like last season, we'd have absolutely battered them. They'll go out early on in the knockout stages again.

 

I guess it's still in our hands at least. Beat Napoli by 2 goals. and we're through. It certainly won't be easy. Napoli look a decent team. They were worthy winners against us in Naples and from what I've heard dominated both games against PSG. We need the Liverpool attack of last season to return as they seem to have been replaced by a bunch of lookalikes with nothing like the same ability or desire. We can't really have any complaints if we go out. We've been atrocious in all 3 away games and lucky that results have panned out elsewhere in a way that still gives us a chance.

 

Somehow, instead of copying my own post from this thread to put in the MF thread, I've managed to copy someone else's post by accident, and STILL put it on this thread anyway!