Joe Public
Gabibbo's Finest
Everything I saw about the first half said that Liverpool were killing them.
How much time is left, just a few minutes, right?
How much time is left, just a few minutes, right?
Champions League Final (discussion+plays)
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Joe Public
Gabibbo's Finest
2-1.
There's the over. Congrats to those who hit it.
There's the over. Congrats to those who hit it.
Joe Public
Gabibbo's Finest
Three added mintues.
Here we go.
Here we go.
Joe Public
Gabibbo's Finest
Joia e una festa per Milano.
Ack.
Great call, ACM and over backers.
Ack.
Great call, ACM and over backers.
$$CMoney$$
Don of Sepcon
There was a very noticeable difference once Liverpool brought Crouch in and I was shocked it took them so long to do so...Gerrard's missed opportunity early in the 2nd Half was such a huge play in the game but thankfully Dida got on it otherwise this game could have played out very differently...Even though I was on Milan they were really outplayed today but the breaks just went their way
wuntun
Well-Known Member
First half Liverpool had the better chances, but i wouldn't go as far as picking a side that played the better football as this final was no classic and its that old cliche "if you dont put your chances away you leave yourself open to a sucker punch" and thats exactly what Liverpool got.
I dont think Rafa over did his tactics in any way, Pennant did his job staying wide and upfield all the time 1st half as players were passing or heading the ball blindly into the right channel, instinctively knowing he would always be lurking around there.
Liverpool create chances and could easily have been 2-0 up, but they weren't and got punished with a fortunate deflected freekick right before HT and you have to put yourself in Rafa's shoes, his side he chose at kickoff showed enough dominance to create chances in which he had to keep faith.
Mascherano did a great job in midfield before his booking and for someone who's style of play like Mascher's, you are not the same player going into challenges afterwards on such a big night.
Pennants pace down the flank outshone Zendens contributions by a country mile 1st half and in the 2nd half when Milan could afford to keep their left back Jankulovski in Milans own half with Seedorf to help double up on him for the rest of the game, thus Pennant was seeing less of the space he was generously offered in the first half and the ball for that matter. Therefore Liverpools attacks had to start trying down the left in which Zenden did not have the pace or guile to get past Oddo, so he had to be replaced which was the first sub and choosing flair over pace in Kewell and not Gonzalez.
Then Mascherano was the obvious replacement for Crouch irregardless of whether Crouch should've been on earlier or not, Mascher did not have the same bite as he did in the first half and finally Arbeloa for Finnan, which i have no clue as to why he didnt bring on Bellamy for his pace and determination instead and go 3-4-3 all or nothing.
All in all, it was a surprising lineup attacking wise as alot of media attention was pointing to Gerrard starting on the right leaving Pennant on the bench, but goals win games, and Liverpool didnt convert when it mattered.
...If my Spurs were playing, i think we woulda won
I dont think Rafa over did his tactics in any way, Pennant did his job staying wide and upfield all the time 1st half as players were passing or heading the ball blindly into the right channel, instinctively knowing he would always be lurking around there.
Liverpool create chances and could easily have been 2-0 up, but they weren't and got punished with a fortunate deflected freekick right before HT and you have to put yourself in Rafa's shoes, his side he chose at kickoff showed enough dominance to create chances in which he had to keep faith.
Mascherano did a great job in midfield before his booking and for someone who's style of play like Mascher's, you are not the same player going into challenges afterwards on such a big night.
Pennants pace down the flank outshone Zendens contributions by a country mile 1st half and in the 2nd half when Milan could afford to keep their left back Jankulovski in Milans own half with Seedorf to help double up on him for the rest of the game, thus Pennant was seeing less of the space he was generously offered in the first half and the ball for that matter. Therefore Liverpools attacks had to start trying down the left in which Zenden did not have the pace or guile to get past Oddo, so he had to be replaced which was the first sub and choosing flair over pace in Kewell and not Gonzalez.
Then Mascherano was the obvious replacement for Crouch irregardless of whether Crouch should've been on earlier or not, Mascher did not have the same bite as he did in the first half and finally Arbeloa for Finnan, which i have no clue as to why he didnt bring on Bellamy for his pace and determination instead and go 3-4-3 all or nothing.
All in all, it was a surprising lineup attacking wise as alot of media attention was pointing to Gerrard starting on the right leaving Pennant on the bench, but goals win games, and Liverpool didnt convert when it mattered.
...If my Spurs were playing, i think we woulda won
Satyr
Paster of Muppets
First of, sincere congratulations to all AC Milan fans. You guys deserved it. Very dynamic, interesting match, despite the tactical approach by both coaches, there was A LOT to see in this game.
Both teams were solid in the 1st half, Liverpool perhaps slightly better, Pennat was excellent, perhaps his best match since he's in the club, Gerrard was all over the place but wasn't "in the zone" as he usually is in big matches. Kuyt was running a lot, no clear chance for him he was well marked.
I can be sorry for those two chances by Pennant and Gerrard respectively, both similar, and both too weak finishes. Carragher was solid, Xabi as well. Finnan decent. Zenden DISASTER. This guy is done.
The ref was rather bad as well, but this isn't a "classical post match conspiracy theory rant by the loser" but a general observation. The ref was bad generally, both teams equally suffered from his bad calls.
That wasn't an offside by Kaka, only Inzaghi, and that was an 85% goal, only in case Kaka didn't see Inzaghi was offside and would have eventually passed the ball to him, only then Milan wouldn't score, slim chance 1 on 1 with Kaka for any GK in the world.
I thought Reina was solid as well btw.
Anyways, this was a classic revenge for Istanbul and you Milan fans should enjoy it. Cheers! Smile
P.S. What do you guys think of Platini's decision to move the celebration to the stands rather than center field? I personally didn't like it.
Both teams were solid in the 1st half, Liverpool perhaps slightly better, Pennat was excellent, perhaps his best match since he's in the club, Gerrard was all over the place but wasn't "in the zone" as he usually is in big matches. Kuyt was running a lot, no clear chance for him he was well marked.
I can be sorry for those two chances by Pennant and Gerrard respectively, both similar, and both too weak finishes. Carragher was solid, Xabi as well. Finnan decent. Zenden DISASTER. This guy is done.
The ref was rather bad as well, but this isn't a "classical post match conspiracy theory rant by the loser" but a general observation. The ref was bad generally, both teams equally suffered from his bad calls.
That wasn't an offside by Kaka, only Inzaghi, and that was an 85% goal, only in case Kaka didn't see Inzaghi was offside and would have eventually passed the ball to him, only then Milan wouldn't score, slim chance 1 on 1 with Kaka for any GK in the world.
I thought Reina was solid as well btw.
Anyways, this was a classic revenge for Istanbul and you Milan fans should enjoy it. Cheers! Smile
P.S. What do you guys think of Platini's decision to move the celebration to the stands rather than center field? I personally didn't like it.
Toronto_Mike
Scent of a Woman
he's French, what do you expect :smiley_acbe:
Satyr what do you think about Benitez taking out Crouch until last minutes??
Sincerely I didn't understand his view..Gerrard wasn't on a good night and IMHO there was noone able to score for Liverpool yesterday..I don't like Kuyt..I live in italy and I know a bit about Milan and their defence is pretty good but they would have had problems against a player like Crouch..I definitely think Crouch should have been in match from the beginning
There were some crosses from Liverpool that could have created some problems..
Anyway I think that Liverpool for next year absolutely needs a good forward..a player like Suazo (plays here in Italy with cagliari..maybe you know him) would be great for them (I THINK)..
Toronto_Mike
Scent of a Woman
Bellamy is on his way out, just hope its not to Aston Villa, he's too much of a headcase!
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