Tottenham 0 Liverpool 2 - Champions League Final (Jun 1 2019)

[TK421 7,496]

I think they would've scored with Lucas Moura starting ahead of Kane.  I'd have fancied them to have taken it into extra time with more mobility offered from a non-injured striker in great form.  I reckon if Poch could roll the dice again he would start with Kane on the bench.  Subbing Sissoko for Dier was also a strange one.  It was just a like-for-like swap and changed nothing about their dynamic.  Lamela would have been a better option.  

 

Winks was impressive.  I agree with @viRdjil, he is an excellent player who rarely gets ruffled.

 

 

[Pudns 12]

Cracking report Dave

[Brownie 3,259]

Superb as ever mate.

 

Made up to see the comments about the two sets of fans mixing well. We stayed up all night partying and encountered a few Spurs fans and they were all sound as fuck and very respectful, as we were back.

 

I love all of that shite, me. 

[aws 6,440]

Great review. Enjoyed reading that.  

 

I just watched BT's recording of the game - 30 minutes or so of each half with them cutting out all the slow bits. Without the tension of watching it live it was noticeable how much more in control we were than I realised and with BT cutting out all of Spurs fruitless  passing round at the back it was clear how worthless much of their possession was. 

 

We were poor going forward but our defensive play was really good and we just strangled them until the last flurry. We were even tighter than the streaker's costume. 

 

Number seven  next year. 

[Rico1304 6,324]

Lovely that mate. 

 

Apologies about the queue jumping, lads said the helicopter was late. 

[skaro 4,842]

Cheers, Dave.

 

Barca at Anfield was our final.

This game was the just dessert.

 

 

[russell.banks 1]

Great report, I said to my mates before the game that my biggest worry was the fact that I didn’t feel worried.  I hate being overconfident before a game but really did think this one was ours.  It’s been a pleasure to watch this team this year, roll on 2019/20.

[Carra_is_legend 1,055]

I am all aboard for the fanzine. How do I subscribe? 

[xabi the red 42]

nice one Dave. look forward to the fanzine coming back

[buster69 47]

Good report Dave. Nice and balanced. I do wish that the fight with you and the guy watching the game took place. That sounds like it would have been a sight to see

[Mark M 1,430]

Brilliant report Dave.

 

Watched all the parade on LfcTV they missed a trick by not having a klopp cam setup just recording him for the whole thing. What a man. 

[Paul 6,920]

6 hours ago, Rico1304 said:

Lovely that mate. 

 

Apologies about the queue jumping, lads said the helicopter was late. 

Fucking Tory. 

[suzy 2,299]

Re-reading and I’m a little shocked the words ‘big game James’ didn’t get used!

[Jose Jones 2,581]

Got to be another book out of this season surely Dave?

[aws 6,440]

1 hour ago, buster69 said:

Good report Dave. Nice and balanced. I do wish that the fight with you and the guy watching the game took place. That sounds like it would have been a sight to see

The first TLW pay-for-view. 

[El Rojo 8,489]

Great stuff Dave, looking forward to the fanzine.

 

Hendo's actual lifting of that beautiful trophy was great too, pure ecstasy on his face as it went over his shoulders. He thoroughly deserved that moment. 

 

I remember in the summer we signed him he ended up playing for England U-21s in some tournament alongside Phil Jones. We'd been duped, apparently. What does he actually do, people asked. He was completely anonymous while Jones - the new Duncan Edwards (despite the fact that nobody calling him that could possibly have even seen him play) was the real coup that summer. That all ended well.
 

There's been no better midfielder in the knock-out rounds of the tournament over the last two seasons, which is some feat.

[JustTosh 328]

I always thought we'd win it.

 

When Spurs beat Ajax they were all in heaven: "We've reached the CL final!"

 

When we beat Barca our first thought was:  "Great, a new chance on the CL. Let's not fuck up this time!"

 

Somehow Spurs had achieved their goal by reaching the final. We didn't want to reach the final, we wanted to win it!

 

[dave u 5,732]

8 hours ago, Rico1304 said:

Lovely that mate. 

 

Apologies about the queue jumping, lads said the helicopter was late. 

Hahaha!

[dave u 5,732]

2 minutes ago, JustTosh said:

I always thought we'd win it.

 

When Spurs beat Ajax they were all in heaven: "We've reached the CL final!"

 

When we beat Barca our first thought was:  "Great, a new chance on the CL. Let's not fuck up this time!"

 

Somehow Spurs had achieved their goal by reaching the final. We didn't want to reach the final, we wanted to win it!

 

That sort of ties in with the point I was making about how you don't just turn up off the street and go home with a European Cup.  

[Turkish Delight 311]

4 minutes ago, dave u said:

That sort of ties in with the point I was making about how you don't just turn up off the street and go home with a European Cup.  

The last six first time finalists (Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Monaco, Leverkusen and Valencia) have all lost which just backs that up.

 

The occasion is so big that just being there is an achievement in itself to teams that aren't used to it.

[Fred Oldfield 22]

Love the report, as usual, Dave. Thanks for all your efforts during the season. Looking forward to the fanzine and some more trophies in the bag next season...

[Spy Bee 3,327]

I've had a weird feeling since the final whistle, that I have not been able to describe until now. I was obviously ecstatic and emotional, but there was this other weird feeling that I couldn't explain, I still really can't. I feel a kind of calmness that comes with knowing you deserved to win, knowing you'll have chances to win more, realising that you're absolutely fucking class and this is not a flash in the pan. 

 

Dave, I think a Week That Was will be worth it for the post final week!

 

PS. I think you'd have had him Dave!

[skaro 4,842]

9 minutes ago, Spy Bee said:

I've had a weird feeling since the final whistle, that I have not been able to describe until now. I was obviously ecstatic and emotional, but there was this other weird feeling that I couldn't explain, I still really can't. I feel a kind of calmness that comes with knowing you deserved to win, knowing you'll have chances to win more, realising that you're absolutely fucking class and this is not a flash in the pan. 

 

Dave, I think a Week That Was will be worth it for the post final week!

 

PS. I think you'd have had him Dave!

 

I'll admit mine was - ashamedly - one of slight anti-climax.

I knocked over the requisite two bottles of red wine on Sunday night in celebration.  Of course.

But until we taste the thing Shanks called bread and butter, I won't be truly truly happy.

I'm a greedy, ungrateful cunt I know...

 

 

[Babb'sBurstNad 8,931]

The difference in the defence - and the players' belief in it - can be seen by Virgil's reaction when Origi scores. He just collapses, he knows it's won, this defence won't give up two goals in injury time.

[Barnesey 274]

We learnt from the Anfield game; didn't let them switch the ball across the pitch as they did in the second half then. We deliberately played the ball forward quickly to take advantage of our pace up front against their slow central defenders. Didn't come off but meant they had to play deeper which resulted in them being contained and having to go back to their keeper to keep the ball.

 

Being a goal up in a couple of minutes meant we could let them have the ball and attack us. They didn't have a shot on target until the last 15 minutes or so and hardly threatened. We had a load or corners, Robbo and Millie's shots and were at least as dangerous as them; not sure how anyone can say they were the better team.

 

We were generous to their fans afterwards but know that, if we had lost, they would have a song about beating "them scousers" to be aired next season; we will sing about winning number 6 in Madrid.

 

I could be unbearable but the only people who will find me (or any other Red) unbearable will be those who have given us so much stick for not wining anything or "bottling it" over the last few years. Serves them right.