Mr.Smoketoomuch

To be fair he sadly isn't. the new way of interpret the handball rule inside the box is well known (amongst referees that is).

 

If the defending team gets an advantage of the handball, or the attacking team get a disadvantage - it's a penalty.

 

The ironic thing about that stupid way of looking at it is that a balloned shot two feet from an arm will earn the attacking team a penalty. If Allen's arm wasn't there, the ball would end up outside the stadium. But you would need slow motion reply to make that call obviously.

 

Blame the rules, not the ref.

 

For the record, I don't think it's a penalty in a million years. But I know why it's given.

All true. The handball rule has become a joke. Don't understand how and why, but it has happend over the last 5 years or so.

I think he should play ahead of Allen now.

If I was manager I would give Downing a chance to continue his 0 goals + 0 assist in the league achievements.

It was a shit transfer. Even suggesting anything else is plain wrong. And I like Rafa.

What JohnnyH said.

Not yet. By some distance.

Hopefully Jovanovic gets the message by not being picked for the bench again. Put Coady on instead og Poulsen today and he will start listening to offers too.

Great result. Good goals. Good play from Lucas/Meireles. Team looked confident at times.

Still a surrendering Villa team had 54% possesion in the second half. Like most team against us bar West Ham, I suspect. Not the Liverpool way that. Effective though it seems. Just like lesser teams doing well: let the other team have the ball and then effectivly punish them.

So far this season we've been outplayed by Wigan, Stoke, Blackpool at Anfield and Sunderland (at times). Even West Brom had spells when they played better than us.

Not getting results agianst these has happend before but looking consistently this poor is sad.

Is fucking right!!! It feels fucking great to get home from the match after seeing a win and a good performance. That was much more like it and certainly far more like what I expect (and expected, to be fair) as a bare minimum from Roy's Liverpool.

 

To be honest the scoreline is a complete rip off because we could have been four up quite easily at half time. Blackburn were absolute dog shite - I mean really poor - but the story of the match for me is the dramatically improved football from us. There was a five/ten minute spell after we went back to 2-1 when we played some lovely stuff with great possession, movement, width (width!!!) and no little aggression.

 

However, the fragility of our confidence was soon obvious as we suddenly dropped deep and seemed unable to put a foot in in direct contrast to what had preceded that excellent little spell. Dave suggested to me afterwards that it's been a recurring theme that we drop like that in the final quarter of matches and he reckons it's actually a fitness thing - especially as they'd worked so hard in closing Blackburn down prior to that. In a way I hope so, as fitness is far more readily rectified than poor tactics.By the final whistle, we were shamelessly keeping the ball by the corner flag and a few people by me were shouting for us to put it in the box. Fuck that, though. Desperate for a win, a goal up at home with seconds left and we should risk a late equaliser? No fucking chance.

 

It's easier to change tactics than to make any significant gain on the fitness level of a football team during a season.

I wish I can get some of the positive thoughts though. Football should enjoyable and even though they played well for 70 minutes I can't shake the doom feeling.

Meanwhile United are winning 4-o away at West Ham with their second best

Didn't the commentators on norwegian Canal+ say there were fighting in directors stand? Something about not seen scenes like this since fighting amongst directors of VIF and Besiktas in the cupwinnerscup back in the 90s?

Not excited for the first time in years, maybe ever. Hope it's a good sign. Fear that we are not ready, and a delayed start will cost us.

Rieras injury not serious according to Rafa.

No.

I saw Ribery in the Krazy House

That made me laugh!

El Zhar will shine this season trust me, he has all the attributes to be as good as Ronaldo.

Shiny happy people.

Bid whatever it takes, it doesn't matter what he cost - we'll recoup the money in replica-shirt sales.

Don't leave Perez alone with this business plan.

Can't wait till tuesday.

A heavy boozer according to couple of his Iceland team mates.

Over the top and not coming back (and going to Bayern isn't he?)

Despair? I can stand despair, it's hope I can't stand.

Or something lik that.

I will not watch.

I've totally changed my mind about Benayoun. He's a fucking superstar, I seriously, seriously love the little fella. Not only does he have lots of ability but I can only echo what Gerrard said in the studio, 'He has the heart of a lion'.

 

His performances, and more importantly his desire over the course of the season have been top drawer.

 

I've never been wronger about a player than I was about Benayoun.

What else did Gerrard say in the studio? And how could he stand to watch this in the Sky studio?

I'm gutted like everyone else, but how some people fail to see what an absolute fantastic performance this was, I will never know. We played one of the best teams in Europe tonight. Ok, they had played a semifinal on saturday, whilst we were resting and we needed to win unlike them. The first 65 minutes, especially the 20 minutes after the break, should be put out on DVD for anyone who wants to learn about high pressure football. I'd like to see a map showing how many breaks we had in their half during that time. We were all over them. People talk about the Valencia cruncing machine during Benitez reign - Arsenal was forced through a meat mill and made into minced beef.

Of course Mascherano should have protected the ball better - turning towards the sideline and protecting the ball, Arbeloa should have protected the ball better too and Aurelio should have cleared the ball better. And when is Reina gonna pull out a great save when we really need him too? Their third goal would have been the perfect time for that.

But honestly, thats three defensive errors in one match. How often do you get punsihed like this? Arbeloa, especially, should feel hard done by. Arshavin, though a great player will never score four goals in one game again in the PL, nevermind four goals from four chances. Certainly not against United when they play them soon.

United will scrap through and win this, but deep down the United fans will know that this season they did just that, not by being fantastic and unplayable like last season.

Maybe that's the sign of a fading champion?

He felt that when the one on one is from a reasonable distance out ( ie not a quick decision where he is quite explosive ) that he can be a bit passive.

 

He mentioned Fabregas' goal last season , Nugent this season & a group game goal this season ( might have been PSV away ).

 

Not having a go by the way, as I am a massive Pepe fan & every goalie makes mistakes , but thought it was interesting what a qualified guy in the sphere felt.

I was thinking about the quick decisions were I think he is really great. Nugents goal was too easy, I agree. Your friend clearly got a point.

I've a friend who is a goalkeeping coach & he says that Reina's sweeper-keeping & early distribution game is more suited to our style than any other world goalkeeper.

 

He says that he feels Pepe's only main 2 areas for working on are his tendency to anticipate crosses from the right , leaving him vulnerable at the near post & his one-on-one with attackers method.

I can't really believe Barca let Pepe leave , preferring Valdez !!!

I think he is really great at that. He runs straight at them, not giving them time and stands on his feet. Unlike VDS against Porto for their second. Did your friend elaborate on that point?

That's what happen if you try to attack against them. Take notice Villa.