Liverpool FC Forum

by **aCe'** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:50 am

mmm.. yeaa... maybe now we should concentrate on the league... or better yet, next season...

by **ConnO'var** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:08 am

Hope springs eternal lads.......

Even if the odds are poor, we do have the ability to turn them over 3-0 at the bridge..... unlikely of course.... I'm not stoopid but as far as I'm concerned, the fat lady has not sung just yet.... it's still in our own hands......

The league on the other hand is totally dependant on the Mancs screwing up..... Arsenal will hold the key.

by **Owzat** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:58 am

Madmax wrote:concentrate on the league now feck the champions league.. every league match should be given priority.. Just hope we bounce back with a comfortable victory against blackburn.

Should have been that way of thinking before Wednesday's pitiful display. Maybe the players had that in the back of their minds, normally by this stage of the season the Champions League is the only thing we can win and perhaps it does affect the players. It might explain why only twice have the English Premiership Champions won the Champions League, I suggested it is a distraction and makes it harder to win the league and it's funny how we won it in 04/05 with no title challenge (finished 5th) and Arsenal reached the final in 05/06 when they finished 3rd.

Champions of England* in Europe

98/99 Man Utd won the Premiership, got lucky and won the Champions League
99/00 Man Utd won the Premiership, lost in the QFs (Real Madrid)
00/01 Man Utd won the Premiership, lost in the QFs (Bayern Munich)
01/02 Arsenal won the Premeirship, lost in the last 16/2nd group stage
02/03 Man Utd won the Premiership, lost in the QFs (Real Madrid)
03/04 Arsenal won the Premiership, lost in the QFs (Chelsea)
04/05 Chelsea won the Premiership, lost in the SFs (Liverpool)
05/06 Chelsea won the Premiership, lost in the L16 (Barcelona)
06/07 Man Utd won the Premiership, lost in the SFs (Milan)
07/08 Man Utd won the Premiership, got lucky and won the Champions League on pens

*how far the Champions of the season in question got in the Champions League.

Shows that it isn't easy, even for seasoned Premiership winners like Man Utd, to win both the Premiership and Champions League. Have any of the English winners of the Champions League done so convincingly? Two won on penalties and the other a fortunate and undeserved late win by the mancs, yet apparently we're a "dominant force" in Europe. Ok Chelsea would have won if the mancs hadn't, but the other two could easily have gone to non-English teams and England would have one European Cup in 25 years

10 seasons and only twice has an English team won the league and Champions League in the same season, both times the team that is used to winning the Premiership. A lot of good teams did knock them out, but not teams that the Champions of England couldn't beat. England had three finalists between 04/05 and 06/07, none of them the Champions of England that season.

Basically we're better off out, unfortunately we'll probably go for it and not be out for sure early enough to rest key players. Last thing we need is players injured chasing an impossible mission, Chelsea will make it difficult for us to score and even if we push for goals then that will open it up for them. We couldn't even score more than one against them at home, some are thinking we might score three at Stamford Bridge. What are our goals against them this season? Two late goals against 10 men at Anfield, one at their's with a bit of fortune and that one on Wednesday. Four goals in three games against them, one fortunate, and we're thinking we can score three at SB.

by **Emerald Red** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:04 pm

United are jammy b@stards (as if it wasn't already known) but the past few games have just totally confirmed it as a solid fact. They are f*cking cack! That OG just might have saved their season. Miller's stupid backpass as well. B@stards. Wish we could play them next week.

by **Greavesie** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:06 pm

I can feel it slipping away

and we play Arsenal next week, wish it was them they'd kill them the way the two are playing at the moment

by **tubby** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:19 pm

To be honest I never had today down as a day when Utd would drop points. However they played poorly and Sunderland had a chance so naturally everyone is upset. Still plenty of time yet. Wait till after next weekend, CL midweek, FA Cup on the weekend and we get to rest then.

by **Ciggy** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:23 pm

Oh well we are still in the title race 1 point behind dont give up they have a few more games to play than us.

by **red37** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:24 pm

ConnO'var wrote:The league on the other hand is totally dependant on the Mancs screwing up..... Arsenal will hold the key.

I said this to bav via PM. Chelsea will f*ck things up for us regards concentration between the two competitions...but its Arsenal who hold the key to this title being decided. They play all 3 so it is vital we get a result next weekend and lay our marker down first.

by **Ciggy** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:25 pm

red37 wrote:
ConnO'var wrote:The league on the other hand is totally dependant on the Mancs screwing up..... Arsenal will hold the key.

I said this to bav via PM. Chelsea will f*ck things up for us regards concentration between the two competitions...but its Arsenal who hold the key to this title being decided. They play all 3 so it is vital we get a result next weekend and lay our marker down first.

We play them a week on tuesday they have Chelsea in the fa cup next weekend.

by **tubby** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:27 pm

red37 wrote:
ConnO'var wrote:The league on the other hand is totally dependant on the Mancs screwing up..... Arsenal will hold the key.

I said this to bav via PM. Chelsea will f*ck things up for us regards concentration between the two competitions...but its Arsenal who hold the key to this title being decided. They play all 3 so it is vital we get a result next weekend and lay our marker down first.

I might be wrong but im sure the game is not next weekend it is the following Tuesday evening. Arsenal play in the FA next weekend so we a lot of time after the Chelsea game to rest up.

Ah CGGY got to it first.

by **GOAT** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:28 pm

This arsenal game is absolutely huge, it is by far our toughest remaining game and we obviously need a win, this could be a defining game

mancs play pompey at home the next day

I wasn't expecting them to drop points today myself, they have much more difficult games to come, but we need to get this big one out the way first

I've still got a lot of hope

by **tubby** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:29 pm

Ciggy wrote:
red37 wrote:
ConnO'var wrote:The league on the other hand is totally dependant on the Mancs screwing up..... Arsenal will hold the key.

I said this to bav via PM. Chelsea will f*ck things up for us regards concentration between the two competitions...but its Arsenal who hold the key to this title being decided. They play all 3 so it is vital we get a result next weekend and lay our marker down first.

We play them a week on tuesday they have Chelsea in the fa cup next weekend.

So really the Chelsea game should not affect us in terms of resting players. We should be well prepared for Arsenal whatever the result in the CL.

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:32 pm

almost made up the 4 point gap in 2 weeks. Just need them to draw twice out of Pompey, Spurs, Boro, City, Wigan, Arsenal, and Hull.

by **tubby** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:33 pm

JoeTerp wrote:almost made up the 4 point gap in 2 weeks. Just need them to draw twice out of Pompey, Spurs, Boro, City, Wigan, Arsenal, and Hull.

Boro, City and Arsenal for me.

by **tubby** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:43 pm

Ferguson is nervous, says Benitez

Liverpool Rafael Benitez continued his verbal joust with Sir Alex Ferguson saying the Manchester United boss was "nervous" about Liverpool's title bid.

"Sir Alex is talking again about Liverpool, I don't mind, but he's maybe showing he's nervous," said Benitez after the 4-0 win over Blackburn.

"They will be under pressure now. It depends on Manchester United but we are doing our side of the job," he added.

"After what happened against Chelsea, that it was the perfect response."

During the midweek defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League, Liverpool had proved vulnerable to set pieces, but there was little sign of that weakness as Blackburn opted to play Christopher Samba in attack.

"We needed a good performance and to score goals; we didn't concede against a good team in the air, so that is very positive," said Benitez.

"We were in control from the beginning so it was just a question of time. A matter of not making mistakes and waiting for it come.

"My only concern was that we did not score more. Goal difference will be very important if this title race goes to the wire."

Benitez said the result had been timely with the 20-year anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, where 96 Liverpool fans died at an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, due on Wednesday.

"We talked about Hillsborough and how this week would be really important for our fans so it was pleasing to give a good performance for the fans and the families affected.

"It is very good and very positive for the confidence of the players."

Two-goal hero Fernando Torres dedicated both of his strikes to the victims of the tragedy.

"This is for the fans and the victims. It is a special gift for them," he said.

"We have to keep playing like this, try to win and if Manchester United can lose a couple of games maybe we can finish top."

606: DEBATE
Do you agree with Benitez?

Benitez secured the victory despite resting talismanic captain Steven Gerrard, a gamble the boss was pleased had paid off.

"I'm pleased we scored four goals and we were able to rest Gerrard. Clearly Gerrard is key for us but it proves we have other good players in the squad."

Liverpool FC Forum

Title run-in - The home straight

Who is online