Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:16 pm

I would have paid anything to have watched this game. Two footballing giants at the peak of their powers. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, we never got to find out who was the better team.

As great as that Milan team was, looking back, I say Liverpool.

AC Milan had Van basten, Gullit, Rikaard, Baresi etc, where as we had Barnes, Beardsley, Aldridge, Rush, Hansen..etc

Although very elegant AC milan were I feel that we would have beaten them with our stupendous passing game at the time... remember Forest 5-0 and 9-0 against Palace for example.

What do you think (those of you who are old enough to remember the two great sides?)

by **jonnymac1979** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:39 pm

I think Everton cause everyone knows they would have been the best team in Europe except for that nasty club Liverpool.

Seriously, it would have been some game that. Two great sides. It's hard to call. But due to Liverpool's slick attacking game, I would have to side with them. I had a season ticket back then and we won the league at a canter. Untouchable.

by **JBG** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:48 pm

Sorry to say but I think AC Milan..........at a push.

Continental Europeans, Benitez included, generally agree that the Milan team of 1987-1990 was the best club side of modern times.

by **taff** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:58 pm

Im gonna sit on the fence and say that if there was no ban we would have been triumphant in the first few years but IMO Milan would have done us towards the end of the decade.

after 1987 Id go with Milan

by **JBG** » Tue May 10, 2005 2:00 pm

Had we still competed in Europe then maybe we might of sized up well, but despite our brilliance in 1987/88 we started to lose something in the seasons thereafter (all things being relative of course).

by **jonnymac1979** » Tue May 10, 2005 2:11 pm

I should really have stated I was only talking the 1987/88 season.

Afterwards, in 1988/89 we were still a top class side, but the Championship winning side in 1989/90 was starting to show cracks.

by **stmichael** » Tue May 10, 2005 2:15 pm

amazing to think that in the 1988/89 season, the top 6 in the first division were arsenal, liverpool, nottingham forest, everton, millwall and norwich

forget the michael thomas goal. we literally threw the league away that season.

by **Leonmc0708** » Tue May 10, 2005 2:18 pm

The Liverpool team was an efficient effective football machine, which was all conquering in English football, and would have undoubtdly been a match for the top European sides if the ban was not in place.

Milan was pure skill and invention, a team that swept away all in their path by out passing out thinking and outplaying the opposition.

I would go for a 3-3 draw.

by **taff** » Tue May 10, 2005 2:27 pm

I think in all honesty that Milan would have come through regardless of what was happening to us. They just had one of those teams right place right time etc and regardless of who else was around it was just meant to be for them.

Just as we spearheaded English football in the late seventies early eighties they did the same for Italy

by **Big Niall** » Tue May 10, 2005 4:19 pm

That LFC team (Barnes, beardsley, Aldo etc) only had 1 fantastic season i.e.Everton won 86/87, Aresnal won 88/89 and LFC on last legs in 89/90.

MIlan were the best team I ever saw. Their stars were world class and showed it on international level which only Beardsley really did in that team (Barnes never got the hang of England and Aldo was in a long ball Irish team as was Houghton)

by **Juventino** » Tue May 10, 2005 7:14 pm

This Milan and the Real Madrid of the 50's were the best football teams ever... simply unbeatable...

by **Scottbot** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:46 pm

Big Niall wrote:MIlan were the best team I ever saw. Their stars were world class and showed it on international level which only Beardsley really did in that team (Barnes never got the hang of England and Aldo was in a long ball Irish team as was Houghton)

It's a nightmare comparing British teams during the ban to their European counterparts. Guessing the outcome of any match-ups is a stab in the dark.

Just look at this Liverpool team - shocking at home but world-beaters in Europe. Who nows how the 87/88 Reds would have fared in European competition.

How much better would the likes of Barnes and Beardo have been with regular European football. Barnes played 80 odd times for England and only really performed in ahandful of those. Maybe his international career would have turned out different with match-ups against the likes of the great Milan sides.

by **Red Indian** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:59 pm

Scottbot wrote:
Big Niall wrote:MIlan were the best team I ever saw. Their stars were world class and showed it on international level which only Beardsley really did in that team (Barnes never got the hang of England and Aldo was in a long ball Irish team as was Houghton)

It's a nightmare comparing British teams during the ban to their European counterparts. Guessing the outcome of any match-ups is a stab in the dark.

Just look at this Liverpool team - shocking at home but world-beaters in Europe. Who nows how the 87/88 Reds would have fared in European competition.

How much better would the likes of Barnes and Beardo have been with regular European football. Barnes played 80 odd times for England and only really performed in ahandful of those. Maybe his international career would have turned out different with match-ups against the likes of the great Milan sides.

Barnes once stated that at Liverpool, he got the ball every few seconds, for England he often didn't see it for 10 mins! I think he would have fared far better playing for LFC in Europe as we played a slick passing game at the time and would kept the ball better than England could. It's a tough one to call against the great Milan side. Our side in 87/88 might have shaded it as we had supreme confidence when going forward and were able to score against and open up any side with our football. :devil:

by **coolsobs** » Tue May 10, 2005 9:26 pm

I thnk ac milan they had so many amazing players then and were definetly at their best in my opinion.huulit and van baston what a strike partnership.

by **Big Niall** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:42 pm

Rijjkard, Van Baten, Gullit. Baresi, Maldini, Costacurta, that team was amazing going forward and in defence. Those players listed above were POSSIBLY all the best in their position in the world.

The LFC team wasn't as solid defensibly.

I didn't see the 1978/79 LFC team but they were probably the best LFC team in my opinion. 16 goals in 42 (note to chelsea) games and winning the Euro Cup prior 2 seasons. I don't think they had much flair but were our most solid.

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