Liverpool FC Forum

by **metalhead** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:39 am

bigmick wrote:
metalhead wrote:Agreed, but the ref was still a c*nt

Sometimes, when some people display behaviour which could be said to be "c...ish", we can say their actions are untypical. In this instance, we can say they are ACTING like a c...

That is to say, under normal circumstances they aren't a c..., but on this occasion they are.

On other occasions, certain people don't ACT like a c..., they merely display tendencies which are consistent with their normal behavioural patterns.

The referee tonight IMHO was in the latter of the two categories. That is to say, he didn't act like a c..., he actually IS a c...

well put Mick

by **radun5** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:52 am

My two cents on the game.

We started brightly and scored, but Benfica are no mugs and they showed more than decent skills, particularly Dimaria and Aimar were getting quite good. But we were holding on and I fancied some counterattack chances at the end of the first half when the Babel dismissal happened.

I already said it, I think both Luisao and Babel should have walked off. Babel was naive (I know, this also means a bit stupid) to touch the thug's face, but I think we should see the positive side of this. This whole forum was calling Babel lazy and non-passionate, so when he shows some passion this is suddenly wrong (true, only for some posters). Those who criticize Babel now, I did not see you saying anything about Gerrard's gestures in the last month. Gerrard is passionate, but Babel is stupid. Talk about double standards.

Then came our second goal, cancelled for Kuyt's whothehellknowswhatpartofthebody being offside. I thought if the goal stood the confidence in our lot would have been much higher and Benfica would not manage to get back in. But this is it, I've seen worse decisions by refs (the non-dismissal of Luisao being one).

The rest of the game has been a torture to the LFC fans, because we were suddenly more exposed to the home team, especially since the ref starting showing cards for nothing. But let us not forget there were a couple of decisions in our favor, so let's just say the ref was p8ss poor and get over it.

They got two solid penalties (I think most would agree they should have been given) and Cardozo scored them both with great executions. Then the amazing thing happened. They still had some 15 minutes left but they stopped. Either they were knackered or they feared our name so much that they thought 2-1 was a good enough result ? They should have gone for the jugular right then, to me 2-1 was a good result given the conditions.

I though both our fullbacks were sh8t to be honest, exposing our centre halfs many times. Masch and Kuyt were the best performers last night, while Lucas should not be mentioned at all. I remember this play in the second half when the defenders and Reina got out of a difficult situation with a series of neat passes even if under pressure, then Lucas received the ball and lost it immediately. Torres looked really tired in the end, it is one of the reasons he missed that sitter - great first touch but then his legs let him down for the finishing. If he got that we would have killed the tie - thus we need to do it the hard way.

One more thing, nobody commented on Rafa's late subs. I know this is habitual for rafa, but even for his standards this was late. We played in 10 men for most part of the game, and he only makes his subs in the dying minutes ? I thought at least Benayoun should have been given a bl00dy chance ! Is he in conflict with Rafa or anything ? He entered the pitch in the 90th minute !

by **Reg** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:24 am

Our back 4 were ripped apart time and time again, it was inevitable they would score.

Babel was extremely unprofessional getting sent off in such a big game, it completely changed the rythmn of the game.

The 4th official behind the goal is a joke, he has nothing to do all game but take abuse from fans behind the goal, so any chance to influence the game and he'll grasp it. UEFA need a camera at both ends and the fourth official in the stand.

by **shawnk** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:02 am

Went through the highlights and noticed that our defender didn't know how to jump.... WTF!
What's the reason Rafa not playing Kyrgiakos again? Even the match before that after his suspension. He was a better defender than our central defenders defensively and better than Carragher IMO.

by **Reg** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:16 am

Daily Telegraph

Ryan Babel regrets red card action as 10-man Liverpool lose to Benfica in Europa League

Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has admitted to being "stupid and silly" after his sending-off in Thursday night's 2-1 Europa League quarter-final first leg defeat to Benfica in Lisbon.

Having taken an early lead through Daniel Agger, and watched the Portuguese league leaders waste numerous chances, the match turned on the 30th-minute dismissal of Babel.

The Holland international raised his hands to Luisao in a melee started by the Benfica defender after he had viciously gone through the back of Fernando Torres - a tackle which infuriated manager Rafael Benitez.

Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson, who lost control of the game the moment he allowed Luisao to escape with a yellow card, had no hesitation in sending-off the Liverpool player.

Two second-half penalties from Oscar Cardozo turned the game around for Benfica to leave Babel regretting his actions.

"The referee told me the red card was for touching Luisao's face - that was it," said the Dutchman.

"It was clear that Luisao had made an awful foul and all I wanted to do was back up Fernando.

"Too harsh maybe. In the end maybe it was a stupid, silly thing for me to touch him in the face, but I think a yellow card would have been fair enough. But if they are the rules...

"He came very loud and very close with his face and I just tried to back him off with my hand (to say) don't come too close.

"That's it and in the end, they made it bigger than it was. But it was a mistake by me, I will learn from it and it won't happen again."

by **andy_g** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:19 pm

basically then the referees decision making processes were obfuscated by his inability to deal with the pressure from the crowd and the benfica players' theatrics...

by **kunilson** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:21 pm

good that Babel has taken it like a man..

under the letter of the law maybe it was a sending off, but......it....was.....HARSH. ref could have easily given a yellow instead. game would have benefited......but if that was a read the kick on Torres was a definate red!

1st penalty, also soft decision. 2nd pen....fair enough.

Overall refereeing was SHOCKING

but in terms of the actual game, we managed to keep them at bay quite well, got a few lucky breaks too tho with their misses.....and im surprised that we managed to create good chances with 10 men. As for Torres' disallowed goal, maybe it was stupid of Kuyt to be offside from a set-piece but did he really interfere with play all that much? and Torres should have buried that chance before their 2nd pen. but what can u do, he scores so much he's bound to miss a few now n then and is forgiven :;):

bury them at Anfield. for what they did to us last time, for the cheating, diving, shower of sh!t we had to see yesterday.........

by **badradio** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:52 pm

Well...I was at the stadium yesterday. First of all, I must say that 99% of the fans totally regret what happened with those 2 things being thrown on the pitch..it was just lame that a stupid guy gives such an image to all Benfica fans. If you knew portuguese, you'd understand that we were chanting 'Palhaços' (Clowns) towards the guys who did it. And we clapped when the speaker told to stop throwing that...so, I don't think it's fair for you to assume that as the Benfica supporters, as we don't assume the 70 hooligans that can't travel europe to support Liverpool, as the Liverpool fans.
Apart from that, what we saw, we see in every stadium..even thought we have the most respect for Liverpool, that's obvious you try to push your team. And I KNOW it happens in Anfield too.

About the match, Benfica had an average game, in my opinion. But I honestly think we were better the whole time, even on 11vs11. You had that free kick, and that's it. And that Torres miss on the second half.

The referee was just TERRIBLE. He was clearly not used to big matches... Some examples:

- In my opinion, Babel shouldn't been sent off...a yellow card would have been enough

- I think there's a Kuyt offside on Agger's goal. The law is clear, and he truely influences the play.

- Yellow card on David Luiz is ridiculous. Yeah, wasting time losing 0-1....

- Both penalties were good calls...but Insua should have been shown a second yellow card on first penalty.

- Clear penalty over Cardozo, by Carragher. He hit him with his boot on his chest...

- David Luiz could have seen a yellow on that foul on the right side over Torres.

- There's an handball inside Liverpool box, I don't think it was a penalty.

- Please..that diving talking is just non sense..Torres, for example, was always diving..specially on the left side. You always give that excuse. Let's look at the facts! Benfica suffered 12 fouls. 2 of them where the penalties (clear). 10 fouls left...do you really think that we got so many fouls conceded? I mean..10 fouls! And most of those were good calls. Torres by himself suffered almost as many as whole Benfica team (8). And you know he tried to get Gerrard free kicks...
I mean..talking about that sounds like an excuse...

- About players moaning...both sides again...Agger was complaining EVERY foul, even the obvious ones, too..like that push on Aimar.

I think it's going to be tough on Anfield Road..but we can do it. I still think you have a nice team, english teams always perform like this away on european matches, but come very strong at home. Obviously Babel's being sent off influenced the game, but I never see Liverpool assuming the game. And I don't think it would happen because that was your choice, even before min 30.

If you watch the game now...you'll see things different, I think. Not so 'heated'... you complain about Luisão and David Luiz...first one had 2 fouls whole match, and David 3... I'm sure you can agree David Luiz is an excelent player. Ramires was not as good as usual, and Di Maria was on a bad night too. Coentrão (our left back) had a nice game, I think. He's a good prospect too. Cardozo had a crappy night...

On Liverpool, I liked Kuyt a lot...he's a true team player.

by **TomG** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:13 pm

Yeah...I see much frustration going on here...Liverpool didn´t deserve to win, they rarely attacked.
You can say what you want about the ref, but the statistics don´t lie - Benfica wanted to win more than Liverpool. :cool:

by **only me** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:18 pm

TomG wrote:Yeah...I see much frustration going on here...Liverpool didn´t deserve to win, they rarely attacked.
You can say what you want about the ref, but the statistics don´t lie - Benfica wanted to win more than Liverpool.

Total

- Liverpool went to an away game which was always to be a difficultadn tough game ,we secured the away goal and if it wasn't for Babel and the Ref horror show the game would have developed differently.

Sending off killed the game for Liverpool has nothing to do with wanting more or less.

by **KrakenSLB** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:05 pm

Hi guys, i'm a Benfica fan, i was yesterday at the stadium and already watched the highlights... I have something to ask for those who are talking about the ref.... in england, the TV didn't showed the two penaltys that the ref didn't signal against liverpool? The one where carr kicked Cardozo and the hand of (i think agger)... Liverpool didn't have many goal situations and Benfica had 4 or 5 decent situations to score. In the end i think Benfica clearly deserved to win the game.

Now let's wait for Anfield's game to see what's gonna happen.

Good Luck!

by **Reg** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:22 pm

Lads, Benfica deserved to win theres no doubt, but what people are saying here is that the ref's decisions made it more difficult for us to defend a 1-0 lead without babel etc..

Lets see next week! :cool:

by **bunglemark2** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:53 pm

Actually, that lad badradio makes a lot of honest observations..
Babel DID deserve to go: if you raise your hands to an opponent's face, you go. End of. Babel did, so there's only one outcome.
Insua's tackle was pathetic, the guy was going nowhere, so it was a penalty.
The second peno was 50/50. You can't keep your hands by your side when you're sliding in like that, it was ball-to-hand, and not the other way round. But sometimes they're given against you....and hey presto, it was...unsurprising really in such a hostile environment. I reckon the 4th official would've got a head full of fireworks if he didn't give that !
Benfica could and should have had a handful of goals in the first half, so we were lucky to stay in front for as long as we did.
One thing that DID strike me though, was how petulant Benayoun looked when he came on. Almost as if he was in a huff being on the bench to start with....Well, lad, likelihood is you'll start next week, so enough of the tantrums and get stuck into them. Draw the fouls, and let's see how they handle being down to ten men...
I think we were lucky to get away with a 2-1 defeat tbh. At the back, Agger looked like a spoiled child, whingeing the whole game, and Insua was pure cack.....Pity we haven't got an automatic replacement for him for next week 'cos he'll be skinned alive again the exact same way...

by **parchpea** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:02 pm

I think Benfica will know they needed a third and will be dissapointed they didnt get it. They are a good side and a handful at home but not sure they travel too well especially to these shores. I may be doing them an injustice, but for all Liverpools problems this year Anfield is still a formidable task for any team on a European night and I get the impression it will be one of those where everyones bang up for it. The Portugese will know this only too well and its possible they missed their chance to finish us off on their own turf last night.

by **J*o*n*D*o*e** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:06 pm

thing is its alright them coming on here saying Babel deserved to go but so did there guy, if not for a straight red for the tackle from behind on Torres, then a defo yellow for the tackle and another yellow for confronting Babel, slapping his hand away and then pushing the ref.

that one incident changed the whole game in there favour and i dont think they would of won the game without it.

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