Liverpool FC Forum

Bad night folks but don't worry we will fek them over at Anfield.

If we think they parked the bus tonight, at home, they'll bring a bloody fleet of them to Anfield. Plus they'll likely have that pikey up front kicking lumps out of VVD and Gomez and Alisson...

They just were the better side tonight. Disappointed with our performance in that we lacked any real intent up front. The front 3 were off it and I thought the midfield offered little in support or creativity. Didn't think the subs had any effect either.

Hopefully Mane and Hendo are okay and not injured.

We can overturn this in Anfield as long as the ref we get didn't just get introduced to the game in the last few hours like the clown we had tonight. He was awful 

electrum » Wed Feb 19, 2020 5:58 am wrote:Been banging this drum for a while...

It's for these exact games we need to take a punt on Adama Traore..he would tear them a new one coming on at 65-70 mins.
We have the technical ability and the flair. We are missing a complete and utter beast/battering ram for these occasions against two banks of 4.

Traore would attract two or three players every time and they would bounce off him more often than not...far, far more importantly he would afford Salah and Mane the one thing they don't get in these games - SPACE.. they get that, they score. QED 

Please go get him FSG/Klopp

Not going to disagree, we haven't had a Plan B for a long time.  Timo Werner where are you?

red till i die!! » Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:27 am wrote:They just were the better side tonight. Disappointed with our performance in that we lacked any real intent up front. The front 3 were off it and I thought the midfield offered little in support or creativity. Didn't think the subs had any effect either.

Hopefully Mane and Hendo are okay and not injured.

We can overturn this in Anfield as long as the ref we get didn't just get introduced to the game in the last few hours like the clown we had tonight. He was awful 

We may have had an off night but I wouldn't say they were the better side  they scored from a lucky bounce off a half asleep Fabinho, had 8 men in the box when we attacked and went down at the slightest touch, horrible team, awful to watch. If that is Simones philosophy glad hes not our manager.

I hate this team and their despicable manager, always have, the ultimate negative football team. We were out hustled not out played. A strong referee is needed when playing these types of teams and we did not have one last night. We move to Anfield and hopefully we can get it done but it will be a tense affair. Onwards and upwards.

We didn’t turn up it’s as simple as that, Atletico are no great shakes but if you don’t turn up (particularly in the knockout stages of the CL) you run the risk of getting beat. We didn’t turn up against Norwich either so it looks like the players are struggling to find their rhythm a bit after their holidays.
Let’s see what happens in the return leg, we are often at our best not just as a team but as a club when we have to overturn a first leg deficit. This tie isn’t over yet, not by a long chalk.

Good Luck Lads

Boocity wrote:

red till i die!! » Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:27 am wrote:They just were the better side tonight. Disappointed with our performance in that we lacked any real intent up front. The front 3 were off it and I thought the midfield offered little in support or creativity. Didn't think the subs had any effect either.

Hopefully Mane and Hendo are okay and not injured.

We can overturn this in Anfield as long as the ref we get didn't just get introduced to the game in the last few hours like the clown we had tonight. He was awful 

We may have had an off night but I wouldn't say they were the better side  they scored from a lucky bounce off a half asleep Fabinho, had 8 men in the box when we attacked and went down at the slightest touch, horrible team, awful to watch. If that is Simones philosophy glad hes not our manager.

They are massive underdogs going into this and if the shoe was on our foot we would be praying that we do similar. Get an early goal then defend for our lives in the hope that we can see it through. We controlled the game possession wise but only because they sat right back and allowed us to. Despite doing that and with 86minutes to run on the clock we couldn't open them up or even manage a meaningful shot at goal.

They have a weaker team so had to be tactically spot on and they were just that. Take the lead and then shut up shop to prevent us from getting that away goal which puts them probably even favourites for the return leg. They pressed us very well since the off and again when they reverted to parking up.

The referee was awful and they did go down easy but that wasn't the reason we lost. We lost because they were better than us on the night, its as simple as that  Simeone did annoy me by constantly firing up the crowd but no point in complaining about it seeing as Klopp does the same.

Expect more of the same from Atletico in the second leg and if they nick a goal it's gonna be a massive mountain to climb. I really fear that our lack of an away goal could cost us the tie. 

Meanwhile here's an interesting tactical analysis of last nights game, some, surprising stats especially concerning how few successful crosses Trent (3) and Robbo (1) managed all night !

Have to say I was impressed by Atletico Madrid. They maintained shape so well and were very good at stopping us having time on the ball in the wrong areas for them but let us play in the wrong areas for us. The result of a lot of work on the training pitch. Reminded me very much of us under Rafa. Most top teams now seem to play a punch for punch style of football so it was interesting to see something different.

Atletico are an horrendous team to watch and have been for years under Simone. They bring out the worst in people to win games. I don't like it but I respect it.

It was always going to be a team like this that upset us and fair play they did what they set out to do.

Bad night but very confident we will put them to the sword at Anfield and progress.

Cool Hand Luke » Wed Feb 19, 2020 3:48 pm wrote:Have to say I was impressed by Atletico Madrid. They maintained shape so well and were very good at stopping us having time on the ball in the wrong areas for them but let us play in the wrong areas for us. The result of a lot of work on the training pitch. Reminded me very much of us under Rafa. Most top teams now seem to play a punch for punch style of football so it was interesting to see something different.

Agree, and enjoyed the tactical video provided by Woof above. They were the better team and largely neutralised us by playing a well drilled, tight 4-4-2. They pressed the hell out of us in any danger zones and our front three just couldn't get any time on the ball. Scoring the first goal allowed them to be extremely conservative but we really didn't have any answer to their tactics.

In three weeks:

They will come to Anfield confident they can hold their slender lead.
Yes they will cheat, dive and hack our players every chance they get.
Their grotty manager will spend half his time on the sidelines holding his balls and gesturing to our fans playing the pantomime villain.
But we are Liverpool.
We will need to be at our very best to unlock their ultra defensive dour Sh*t.house low block tactics.
Our players will need to fight tooth and nail for 90 minutes, maybe even 120. It will be trench warfare.
Our coach and fans will provide an electric atmosphere with a chorus of sound and orchestra of songs.

Would we have it any other way..............

They will probably play a 4 5 1 at Anfield adding Felix to the midfield and leaving Costa as the lone striker to kick lumps out of our defenders. They probably think they held out for 90 minutes and they can do it again. Much easier would have been to play an attacking team like Real or Barcelona but we got the “deep block specialists”. We will need more than industry from our midfield to turn this around as space for the attackers will be hard to find. An early goal for us will change the whole deal.

A deep block team with strong, highly disciplined and technically skilled players that run as much as us, has to be our Achilles heal so we will have to earn it if we want to make it to the next round. We never played such a difficult team (matchup wise) in the later rounds in the last three campaigns. This was the team I least wanted to play.