Liverpool F.c.

[scousemouse]

A great read from a true Liverpool supporter and great newspaper columnist , Brian Reade :

WHY TORRES COULD BE BEST RED EVER

Before last month's Reading game I bumped into a mate whose Anfield memories go back to afternoons when Jimmy Melia's ample backside stretched the red stripe on his white shorts to the width of a girder.

He needed to get something off his chest about Fernando Torres. Although the mere mention of the Spaniard's name made the Fiftysomething's eyes blaze like a child on Christmas morning, he was clearly troubled.

And so he launched into a long confessional in which he unburdened his guilty feelings. He spoke of being visited in the middle of the night with the sacrilegious thought that it was no longer Kenny Dalglish or Kevin Keegan who were the best players he'd seen in red, but this kid who'd barely been around for five minutes.

I gave him ten Hail Marys and told him to revisit the Anfield scriptures. But one crucifixion of Everton later, I'm beginning to buy into his blasphemy.

The superstar has yet to draw breath who could prove in a season that his contribution to the Liverpool cause exceeds Dalglish's. But if Fernanado Torres sees out his six-year contract in the same manner he has seen out his first six months, there is a good chance he will win a place in our collective heart as Liverpool's finest.

And resistance from even the most ardent Dalglishophile will be futile because the cold eye of history will be the judge. Put simply, if Torres develops the way his talent and character suggest he will, and if Liverpool improve with him the way they surely must, he will be named World Player of the Year before 2013.

Michael Owen is the only Red to be named European Player of the Year while still at Anfield, with Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish earning runners-up spots and Steven Gerrard making off with a bronze. There have been others such as Roger Hunt, Graeme Souness Ian Rush and Alan Hansen who could lay claim to a place in the best world side of their day. But ask a fan of any age from Buenos Aries to the Bosphorous to name a Liverpool player who at some point was the best on earth and they would be stumped.

Ask them after the 2010 World Cup, when the then 26-year-old Torres will hopefully still be the Liverpool Number 9, and they may have a name for you.

Due to Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning form, Torres' achievements in his debut season have been criminally overlooked. Compare his 21 League goals (with six games left) against four of the most successful foreign attackers to have moved to the Premiership.

In Ronaldo's first season at United he scored four League goals. The following season it was five. Didier Drogba's first two League totals at Chelsea were 10 and 12. Denis Bergkamp hit 11 in his first season for Arsenal and 12 in his second. And the great Thierry Henry managed 17 and 17, more than a few of which were penalties. All of those players except Bergkamp were arguably playing in better teams than Torres currently is. As were Keegan (whose first season haul at Anfield was nine), Dalglish (20) and Ian Rush (17).

But the statistics don't tell half the story about this phenomenal young player, who possesses every single quality a striker needs: Pace, power, control, movement, guile, coolness, maturity, timing, heading ability, two quick feet, bottle, technique (insert your own attribute of choice.)

When he signed for Liverpool a Spanish media pundit said: "The wonderful thing about Fernando is you never see him score the same goal twice." I still haven't. Neither have I seen him score a scruffy one. Even the ones described as gifts (against Derby and Middlesbrough at Anfield) were mainly due to the mental pressure he puts defences under. The same reason Milan's Marco Materazzi was sent off which massively swung the last round of the Champions League in Liverpool's favour.

Sitting in a Milan bar after Torres had claimed revenge for Shankly 43 years on, someone asked what his best goal so far had been, and all six of us gave a different answer. Mine was his Ricky Villa slalom in Marseille but virtually every one of his 28 goals this season have been worthy of a frame.

Indeed the one we'd just witnessed in the San Siro summed up his towering talent. Fabio Aurelio played in a lovely cross, but it was Torres's ability to bring it under control so quickly, to turn his tight-marking defender so easily, then place it with such power and precision in the corner of the net in one of the great stadiums of world football, which exemplified his class.

A sign of any sportsman's true greatness is to make what he is doing look like it is happening in slow-motion. That was how his goal against Everton on Sunday looked from my view-point on the Kop. When he picked up that loose ball in a packed box time stood still. All the other bodies seemed frozen to the spot, incapable of doing anything to stop the back of the net rustling.

Yet there is more to his game than scoring. Ask Steven Gerrard why he's blossoming in that second striker role and he'll tell you that the intelligence of Torres' runs and the panic it causes among defenders creates the space for him to exploit.

Ask him why he had a frustrating game for England against France in that same position and he'll hopefully tell you that Wayne Rooney isn't a shadow of the player Torres is when it comes to leading the line. And if Stevie won't Fabio Capello will.

The most remarkable thing about this young Spaniard is that he has something of every great Liverpool striker I've had the pleasure to have seen: St John's tenacity, Hunt's accuracy, Keegan's engine, Toshack's heading, Dalglish's perception, Rush's movement, Aldridge's opportunism, Fowler's repertoire, Owen's pace. It's all there. And in his first season as a marked man in a foreign land playing in the most physically demanding league in the world, he's proved it.

Torres has yet to show himself superior to King Kenny but he has a real chance of becoming the first Liverpool player to be judged by experts as the best in the world, a feat which would mark him down as the greatest Red of all-time. And you'll have had the honour to have witnessed his every glorious shimmy.

So go on. Bounce.

[scousemouse]

Good words from Torres :

TORRES: I'M HERE TO WIN TROPHIES

Fernando Torres is confident Liverpool can build on their derby day victory on Saturday and enjoy Champions League success over Arsenal tomorrow night. Liverpool have tonight put the finishing touches to their preparations ahead of the clash with Arsene Wenger's men which will be the first of three meetings between the two teams in just over a week.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference Torres - who spoke entirely in English - revealed his desire to further enhance a reputation which has blossomed during a brilliant debut season in English football.

"It's an important game for us and an important game for the fans," said the 28 goal striker. "There are three games to play against Arsenal but for now we are just concentrating on tomorrow.

"The most important thing for us is to win this first game and then we can look ahead to the other 180 minutes.

"We have respect for Arsenal and I'm sure they have respect for us. I'm not sure they'll fear us but they will respect us. We are always strong in Europe and hopefully we can be again in this game.

Torres is a certain starter at the Emirates Stadium and is set to again lead a Liverpool attack with Steven Gerrard floating just behind.

With 47 goals to their name so far this season, Torres is keen to pay tribute to the Liverpool skipper for helping make his first season in England so memorable.

"He's easy to play with because he's one of the best, if not the best, midfielders in the world," he said. "You always want to play with the best players in the big competitions.

"I have improved already as a player at Liverpool because of my teammates and because of my manager. Since my first day here I've felt at home.

"It's my best season so far in terms of scoring goals but I'm not going to set myself a target for the rest of the season. I just want to help my teammates win trophies."

[MSingh]

A good result for Liverpool, just think they could have got a second towards the end of the first hal when they really had Arse on the ropes..

But...........a blatant Penalty on Hleb by Kuyt, some you get, some you don't..

Perfectly poised for the 2nd Leg..

[scousemouse]

The report from last nights match , we'll take 1-1 :

ARSENAL 1-1 LIVERPOOL

KUYT NETS AWAY GOAL IN EMIRATES DRAW

Liverpool leave the Emirates with a priceless away goal following a 1-1 draw in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Dirk Kuyt was the Euro star once more, equalising Emmanuel Adebayor's opener after Steven Gerrard cut through the Gunners defence.

The result sends Liverpool into next week's return at Anfield as bookies' favourites, though the heavy weather they endured during the second half illustrates how finely poised the tie remains.

In between that is a crucial Premier League clash which could prove decisive for both the title and fourth place.

The first part of the most eagerly-anticipated trilogy since The Godfather saw Rafa Benitez select the same four-pronged attack that has helped the Reds to eight wins in nine. Arsenal, meanwhile, recalled Adebayor to a side which contained not a single Englishman. So much for not being drawn against continental opposition.

It was Adebayor who could have punished the visitors in the opening minutes when Pepe Reina strayed to the left-back position only to mis-control. The 23-goal striker looked to capitalise but Liverpool's custodian recovered to make a fine tackle.

The Reds' first chance came when Xabi Alonso floated a sublime ball into the box on the quarter-hour mark. He might have the same flowing blonde locks, but Sami Hyypia is not quite El Nino in the box. Instead of hitting it first time, the Finn took a touch and the opportunity was gone.

From there, Arsenal's thrusting football suddenly revealed itself, and it cost Liverpool a goal.

First, Mathieu Flamini lofted a teasing ball to Robin van Persie, who tried to lob Reina with his first touch. The Dutchman then tried his luck from 20 yards and the Spanish stopper had to be smart.

Hyypia and co failed to compose themselves as the resulting corner was swung in, however, and Adebayor was given free reign to nod home from five yards. First blood Arsenal.

Some teams would have let their heads drop; some would have collapsed. But this is Liverpool, Liverpool in Europe.

Within three minutes, the scores were level and the only noise inside the Emirates had a Scouse twang.

Unsurprisingly, it was hometown hero, Steven Gerrard, who grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, drilling himself through the home defence before sending a low cross into the six-yard box. Two Arsenal defenders were tracking back but Kuyt got there first to bag his sixth of the European season. Game on, though Benitez still didn't venture a smile.

That's how it remained until the break.

It was the team in black who carved out the first scoring opportunity of the second half after Fernando Torres brought a cynical foul out of Philippe Senderos. Gerrard stepped up for the free-kick midway inside the Arsenal half before hitting an out-swinger towards Martin Skrtel at the far post. The Slovak sent a delicate header to the feet of Kuyt but the Dutch international was denied by a low save from Manuel Almunia.

Meanwhile, Theo Walcott was a half-time replacement for van Persie, and the lightning-quick youngster soon found space down the left channel, cutting inside before whacking a long-range effort inches wide of Reina's goal.

With Arsenal starting to dominate possession, Benitez also decided to tinker, waiting just 12 minutes after the restart to introduce Yossi Benayoun at the expense of Ryan Babel.

The change didn't do much to ease the pressure, though the hosts had to wait until the 65th minute to seriously threaten, first when Skrtel cleared off the line from Walcott, then when Alexander Hleb got through only to be out-muscled by Kuyt, of all people. Penalties have been given for less but Arsene Wenger's calls went unanswered.

Next Adebayor burst down the left, skipping past Skrtel before the ball came to Fabregas. His shot appeared to be going in but the unfortunate Bendtner got in the way. Thankfully for the substitute, his blushes were spared by the linesman's flag.

Still, Liverpool were penned in, creating a wall of black that somehow managed to stand firm until the end.

[mrbojangles]

Watched the match last night and to be honest, Liverpool escaped defeat there. Maybe it's your lucky year.

[mrtoad]

Watched the match last night and to be honest, Liverpool escaped defeat there. Maybe it's your lucky year.

Not if they play us in the Final.

[scousemouse]

Watched the match last night and to be honest, Liverpool escaped defeat there. Maybe it's your lucky year.

Not if they play us in the Final.

As long as you lot don't get beat in the Semi's and mess it up again .

[scousemouse]

A bit harsh I thought , though the F.A do have to make a point I suppose :

Mascherano handed FA ban and fine

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has been banned for a further two matches and fined £15,000 by the Football Association.

Mascherano was found guilty of improper conduct after being sent off against Manchester United on 23 March.

He appeared to question referee Steve Bennett's decision to caution Fernando Torres, and was then shown a second yellow card himself for dissent.

The Argentine, who admitted the charge, initially refused to leave the pitch.

Mascherano had to be calmed down by Reds manager Rafa Benitez before he relented and left the field.

The midfielder, 23, was fined two weeks' wages by his club and banned for one game by the FA.

But after requesting a personal hearing, he has been punished further. His suspensions only relate to domestic fixtures and having already missed the Merseyside derby against Everton he will also be absent for the Premier League games against Arsenal on Saturday and Blackburn a week later.

[mrtoad]

Watched the match last night and to be honest, Liverpool escaped defeat there. Maybe it's your lucky year.

Not if they play us in the Final.

As long as you lot don't get beat in the Semi's and mess it up again .

You got me there Scouse.

[MSingh]

Well you would think it's harsh as it's your Player ( or MSI's ?? ) but something or someone has to be made an example of after the way Players are beahving with Officials these days & if Mascherano was foolish enough to do what he did, the it serves him right in my opinion...

Another thing in that whole episode that i couldn't understand was where was Capatain Marvel Steven Gerrard ??

He never at one stage got involved in helping his Player, remonstrating against the sending off which he can do as Captain or wasn't on any of the TV angles of the incident ??

A bit harsh I thought , though the F.A do have to make a point I suppose :

Mascherano handed FA ban and fine

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has been banned for a further two matches and fined £15,000 by the Football Association.

Mascherano was found guilty of improper conduct after being sent off against Manchester United on 23 March.

He appeared to question referee Steve Bennett's decision to caution Fernando Torres, and was then shown a second yellow card himself for dissent.

The Argentine, who admitted the charge, initially refused to leave the pitch.

Mascherano had to be calmed down by Reds manager Rafa Benitez before he relented and left the field.

The midfielder, 23, was fined two weeks' wages by his club and banned for one game by the FA.

But after requesting a personal hearing, he has been punished further. His suspensions only relate to domestic fixtures and having already missed the Merseyside derby against Everton he will also be absent for the Premier League games against Arsenal on Saturday and Blackburn a week later.

[mrtoad]

And it looks like Liverpool are going to appeal the decision, which I reckon will mean a 5 game ban if they are unsuccesful.

[mrbojangles]

And it looks like Liverpool are going to appeal the decision, which I reckon will mean a 5 game ban if they are unsuccesful.

At this rate he'll miss all of next season

[Jimjim]

Two more games is way too harsh, although I thought I read that they handed him the two game ban not because he requested a hearing, but because of his behaviour upon getting the red card. I believe the hearing he requested was to address the two game ban. Funny it happened it a Man. United game with the king of all the F-bombs regularly strewn into referree's faces (Rooney) on the pitch and Mascherano didn't even use dirty language. Pathetic referring and pathetic action by the league but given the, granted, bullshit talk about "the climate" I do agree Masch should have known better and let the team down continually complaining to the referree. It's just so inconsistent this issue of dissent.

[scousemouse]

I think we could be seeing Crouch leave this summer with Man City ( as long as they don't sign Ronaldinho ) or Newcastle being his likely destination. I do hope he stays , but if he does leave I'm sure he'll get a round of applause on his return to Anfield from the Kop :

RAFA CONFIDENT CROUCH WILL STAY

Rafael Benitez today reiterated his belief that Peter Crouch will end the speculation over his future by signing a new contract at Anfield. java script:;

While Sami Hyypia agreed a new deal with the Reds over the weekend, Crouch is still pondering over whether or not to further his career on Merseyside having been offered an extended contract by the club.

After netting Liverpool's goal at the Emirates on Saturday Crouch admitted his frustration over his lack of games this season, but Benitez is remaining confident the player will decide to stay.

"Peter Crouch is a very good professional," said the manager. "That is the reason why we offered him a new contract.

"I have confidence he will sign. The player wants to. At the moment, we are playing with only one striker, but we can play with two. It is not a problem.

"If you are in a team which wins trophies and you know you can be an important part of that squad.

"I know he is happy here and that he wants to play. But that is football. We have offered the contract and we need to wait."

Crouch admits he would love to stay but that no decision will be taken until the end of the campaign.

"I'd love to stay, it's a fantastic club and I love everything about it," he said. “But I've got to be realistic, and if I want to have any aspirations of playing for England, or furthering my career, then I have to be playing.

"But I'll have to look at it at the end of the season. Now I'm concentrating on winning something for Liverpool and playing some part in the end of the season.

"We've got a Champions League run-in and it's exciting for us, and all my efforts are focused on that."

[scousemouse]

Another good totally un-biased read from Paul Tomkins with a few intresting facts about the gooners under Wenger :

TOMKINS: TIME TO TIP THE BALANCE

While Liverpool still struggle against Manchester United, five drawn games against Arsenal and Chelsea suggest a parity between the chasing pack.

Liverpool have a slight advantage in the second leg against Arsenal, but it's fragile in these situations. We all remember 1989, and how Liverpool were caught in two minds about how to approach the game, needing only a 1-0 win to clinch the league title. And I struggle to see Liverpool keeping a clean sheet against this Arsenal side; they just seem to score whenever they play. But equally, at home in Europe, when the crowd is buzzing, Liverpool rarely fail.

Liverpool clearly need to improve their set-piece defending. Andy Gray still laughably mocks zonal marking, doing so again last week because Arsenal scored from a corner, and also because the Reds have shipped goals from a few of those of late. But in the same match Arsenal left Torres, Skrtel and Hyypia totally unmarked on three separate occasions. Where was the criticism of managers who opt for man-marking?

This season I've seen Man United's man-marking cost them two goals in one match at West Ham, while Chelsea conceded four goals from set-pieces in two games recently due to shoddy man-marking.

It seems that more and more goals are coming from set-pieces throughout the country, and while Liverpool are losing far more than in the previous two seasons, you don't abandon a system that has done so well for you for such a long period of time. It seems an issue with confidence as much as anything, as players get nervy when they concede a certain type of goal and the situation arises again.


Short of an emphatic win at the Emirates, I'm not sure what result I would have wanted going into the second game. Any time you are a favourite without a great advantage in the scoreline it gets harder; it's yours to lose. The away goal was important, but a 1-1 draw in the second leg and suddenly Arsenal have a further 30 minutes where the away goal rule still applies.

Including last season's League Cup game as some kind of marker of Arsenal's ability to get a result at Anfield, as some have done, is ludicrous. For a start, it was mostly reserves, and eight of Liverpool's starting XI are no longer at the club (although Danny Guthrie is only on loan). Arsenal's hero, Julio Baptiste, has also moved on.

Which leaves two contests to take seriously from last term, and as well as Arsenal winning 3-1 in the FA Cup they lost 4-1 in the league. Admittedly that was a pretty heartless side, but even so, they were despatched with consummate ease. Should he get on as a sub, as he did in the league game earlier this season (when both Torres and Alonso were injured), Peter Crouch will still feel the confidence of that inspired hat-trick, and now another fine strike, this time at the Emirates.

But as highly as I rate Crouch, it's hard to argue for his inclusion from the start with the way the team is performing, and the way Gerrard is linking with Torres, as well as the midfield behind him. The balance looks right. In this role, Gerrard is less involved in the play, and at times he can be isolated. Against better teams it's inevitable that he will see less of the ball. But the point is what he does when he is involved.

Still, it makes me laugh that it was Gerrard who ‘inevitably' got Liverpool back into the game last week; had it been Torres, it would ‘inevitably' have been the Spaniard instead. Meanwhile, as great as Gerrard's play was, if Babel or Kuyt had produced such a run but Gerrard scored, Gerrard would have been the ‘saviour', not the person who created it. So Gerrard should share the credit with Kuyt, who backed up my constant assertions that he gets into good positions when coming infield. At the other end of the pitch, Eboue didn't have a clue how to do the same.

And even when it is Torres and Gerrard who win the plaudits, it shouldn't be seen as a bad thing to have two world-class match winners who frequently make a difference; that's what they're there for. Also, it's not like the others aren't playing their part in providing the platform or chipping in with goals; Babel, Kuyt and Benayoun have 28 between them; two more for Crouch and Babel, and it will mean six players into double figures, while Torres could end with 30+ and Gerrard 20+. Meanwhile, the defence and shielding midfielders continue to play extremely well.

Even if some argue that he's not a ‘big game' player, in that you don't always see him dominate the major matches from start to finish, he is a ‘big moment' player. Liverpool have had few, if any, better at coming up with the contribution at the right time. Against Arsenal, as in Istanbul, it needed a quick riposte to change the complexion of the game. At other times, such as Olympiacos, West Ham and Inter Milan, it's been stunning last-gasp contributions.

Arsenal deserve most of the credit that comes their way. But I do feel Arsene Wenger is exempt from some of the criticisms levelled at others. In the last three seasons, Arsenal have amassed seven fewer Premiership points than Liverpool.

Arsenal are a young side. But Liverpool are also a fledgling team, and unlike Arsenal, the majority haven't been part of the set-up for years. The 18-man squads involved in last Wednesday's match had average ages of 25 (Arsenal) and 26 (Liverpool). By comparison with the other English teams involved, Manchester United's was 27 and Chelsea's 28. (Players' ages correct to the last day of this season.) And of course, had Agger been fit to play instead of Hyypia, the average age of the Reds' starting XI would come down by a full year.

While Arsenal have a few youngsters who are regularly on the bench –– Walcott, 19, and Bendtner, 20 –– they are not this team of raw kids as which they are portrayed. Almumia is 31, Gallas 30, Rosicky 27, Hleb 27, Toure 26, Eduardo 25, while van Persie and Adebayor are 24, and Eboue is nearly 24. Senderos is now 23, and Clichy will be 23 in the summer. The one truly young gem they have is Cesc Fabregas, who is about to turn 21.

The key difference is that most of Liverpool's younger players are new to England this year, and part of a newer project, and as such are lagging behind Arsenal's younger players in terms of adaptation. You will always get the exceptions to the rule like Torres, who adjusted very quickly (although has still improved), but the majority take time. Incredibly, none of Arsenal's starting XI arrived into English football after 2005, and nine were either at Arsenal (or Chelsea, in Gallas's case) in 2004. No wonder they play with a lot of understanding, of English football and of each other.

Contrast that with Liverpool, where six had arrived since 2006, and four of those since the start of 2007, and you can see the relativeness newness of Benítez's project. Arsenal had two subs who arrived in 2006, but otherwise they all pre-dated 2005. In other words, Wenger had collected nearly all of his squad before or during Benítez's first year. Liverpool's bench contained four players signed in the last nine months.

This returns to a point I've been making all season long: that Wenger, without the riches of Chelsea or Manchester United, has been allowed time for his youngsters to mature, and for his unit to grow in cohesiveness, by starting this project several years ago, and accepting two mediocre league seasons while they developed. Benítez, as a new boss with more to prove, was under more pressure to deliver quickly.

While Fabregas and Clichy are now top-class top-level players, you need to wait at least two or three years to judge Benítez's youngest signings, like Hobbs, Insua, Pacheco, Bruna, Nemeth and the impressive Plessis, who mixes midfield destruction with a sweet left foot.

I think it was the otherwise sensible Henry Winter who said on Sky's Sunday Supplement that "Benítez buys either good or bad players", while one of this weekend's papers said "Far from all of Rafa Benítez's numerous Liverpool recruits have succeeded" –– as if there was the existence of one single manager who doesn't get plenty wrong. One of my main bugbears is how Arsene Wenger's mistakes in the transfer market somehow get overlooked.

While, as with Benítez, he has unearthed a lot of great players, he's also bought a fair few failures and disappointments too. Stepanovs, Jeffers, Wright (Richard), Boa Morte, Diawara, Cygan, Wreh, Grimandi, Chukwunyelu Obinna, Danilevicious, Luzhny, van Bronckhurst and Baptista (bar one game, at Anfield) –– to name just a few; in all, a mixture of substandard players and a couple of talented ones who failed to settle.

Meanwhile, Wiltord and Reyes were £10m+ players who hardly set the world alight. With Benítez, a few cheap flops like Nunez, Josemi and Paletta (a mere kid) get brought up as if they are par for the course. You could add those three to the fee of Morientes and still not get what Arsenal paid for either Wiltord or Reyes.

With the relative merits of both sides I find this game virtually impossible to call. But Liverpool are ending the season on an upward curve, while Arsenal appear to be on a slippery slope. The full force of the European Kop, and it could easily be one more step towards another European Cup.

[Devil]

Liverpool have done it, what a game! and now I cant sleep its 4:00 am and I am still hyper after watching that amazing match! Elnino Elnino...

[kopite]

Liverpool have done it, what a game! and now I cant sleep its 4:00 am and I am still hyper after watching that amazing match! Elnino Elnino...

get in. exactly lad. jack daniels has been done, <deleted> this im off out.

over 3 games and 2 of them at home they couldnt beat us. and one of them games we made 8 changes.

hhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooofffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

Edited April 8, 2008 by kopite

[Seapok]

Well done bin dippers, see you in the semi's.........again! this time it will be our final.

[kopite]

Well done bin dippers, see you in the semi's.........again! this time it will be our final.

bless

[mrtoad]

Well done bin dippers, see you in the semi's.........again! this time it will be our final.

bless

Hope you beat them again Kopite, shouldn't be too much of a problem for your team.

See ya in the final.

[kopite]

Well done bin dippers, see you in the semi's.........again! this time it will be our final.

bless

Hope you beat them again Kopite, shouldn't be too much of a problem for your team.

See ya in the final.

wont be easy mr toad. the only thing i like about it is the fact that they are fighting for the league, and have everton and united either side of the forst league. whilst we have birmingham and fulham.

a few changes here and there me thinks

[mrtoad]

Well done bin dippers, see you in the semi's.........again! this time it will be our final.

bless

Hope you beat them again Kopite, shouldn't be too much of a problem for your team.

See ya in the final.

wont be easy mr toad. the only thing i like about it is the fact that they are fighting for the league, and have everton and united either side of the forst league. whilst we have birmingham and fulham.

a few changes here and there me thinks

Yeah, I agree it wont be easy, just like watching Chelsea isn't easy on the eye. I think United v Liverpool would be a cracker of a game though, given the history of both clubs, as well as the intese rivalry. I really hope that it happens.

[kopite]

Yeah, I agree it wont be easy, just like watching Chelsea isn't easy on the eye. I think United v Liverpool would be a cracker of a game though, given the history of both clubs, as well as the intese rivalry. I really hope that it happens.

yeah i know, like ive said before though, im a bit worried about the potential for trouble in moscow. can you imagine both sets of supporters sitting next to each other on flights

looks like ive secured two tickets anyhow. just need to get past the plazzy flag wavers now

[mrbojangles]

Well done boys. For a neutral, it was a brilliant game.

On another note. I had to go to Liverpool yesterday, to the passport office. I had to waste a bit of time so went walking round town. What are they doing? It's in a right mess, loads of guys walking around in luminous jackets and hard hats but nobody doing a tap of work.

[scousemouse]

GET IN THERE !!!!! .

First of comiserations to the gooners , you played us off the park in the first 20 mins ( that had me worried nid-noi ) and made for another great european night at Anfield .

Fantastic goals from Hyppia and Torres ( again ) and what a run from the boy Walcott to set up Adebayor for the equaliser.

Bring on Chelski .

[scousemouse]

GET IN THERE !!!!! .

First of comiserations to the gooners , you played us off the park in the first 20 mins ( that had me worried nid-noi ) and made for another great european night at Anfield .

Fantastic goals from Hyppia and Torres ( again ) and what a run from the boy Walcott to set up Adebayor for the equaliser.

Bring on Chelski .

DATES CONFIRMED FOR CHELSEA TIE

Liverpool have confirmed the dates for their Champions League semi-final against Chelsea. The first leg will take place at Anfield on Tuesday, 22 April with the second leg at Stamford Bridge the following week on Wednesday, 30 April. Both matches will kick-off at 7.45pm.

[Jimjim]

Great result. What a night to be a Liverpool fan. Livid at Walcott's great run and Liverpool's horrible defending one minute and estatic at Babel's great run and Arsenal's retarded defending the next. I have to say, that was absolutely disgraceful by the Reds to practically give the game away at that point; worst defending I've seen all year by Liverpool on that play. They should have fouled him. Take a yellow for the team, dam_n it.

Anyway, doesn't matter. Bring on Chelski although they have the advantage having the 2nd leg at home.

[The Vulcan]

Liverpool overcame Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final on what was yet another memorable evening of European football at Anfield, but where does the contest rank among other famous continental nights on Merseyside?

Take a look back at five other spellbinding Euro encounters to have taken place at the famous ground:

1. Liverpool v Inter Milan, semi-final, first leg (May 1965)

Bill Shankly's Liverpool were on a high, having just won the FA Cup following a 2-1 victory over Leeds United for the very first time in the club's history the previous Saturday, although their semi-final opponents were the most feared team in the world at the time, Inter Milan.

Helenio Herrera's team arrived at Anfield for the first leg not only as kings of Europe, having won the European Cup the previous year, but they were also the reigning Serie A champions and officially the best club side in the world thanks to victory in the 1964 World Club championship.

However, Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, famous for being no respecter of reputations, cunningly sent the club's injured hero from the Wembley win, Gerry Byrne, with the FA Cup trophy before kick-off to deliberatley whip the home faithful up into a frenzy.

The ploy worked a treat as Liverpool tore into their Italian opponents, taking as early lead through star striker Roger Hunt after just five minutes, only for the visitors to draw level five minutes later through Italy international Sandro Mazzola.

But the Kop urged their side forward in search of another goal, which duly arrived from Ian Callaghan just before the interval and was followed by an Ian St John strike 15 minutes from time that put Liverpool in the driving seat to become the first-ever British side to reach the European Cup final.

2. Liverpool v St Etienne, third round, second leg (March 1977)

Having been outclassed in the first leg in France, losing by a goal to nil to the French champions, few neutrals gave Bob Paisley's side much of a chance come the return leg at Anfield.

St Etienne, who had been runners-up the previous year to Bayern Munich, boasted a star-studded line-up of seasoned internationals, including the likes of Dominique Rocheteau, although the home side were given hope when striker Kevin Keegan levelled the tie on aggregate after just two minutes.

However, Dominique Bathenay spectacularly drew the visitors level with a precious away goal, meaning that Liverpool needed to score twice more without reply to secure their passage through to the semi-finals.

With time ticking away, the odds against such a revival happening were mounting, until Ray Kennedy made the scoreline 2-2 on aggregate with a 59th-minute strike, before 'supersub' David Fairclough broke through the middle to fire Liverpool through with only six minutes of the tie remaining.

3. Liverpool v Roma, second group stage (March 2002)

Needing a victory by two clear goals over the soon-to-be crowned Italian champions to make it through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in the club's history, Liverpool turned in one of their finest-ever displays on an emotional night on Merseyside.

The match was the first time in five months that manager Gerard Houllier had been back in the Anfield dug-out following heart surgery and the popular Frenchman was given a rapturous welcome back from the home supporters when he emerged from the Anfield tunnel just prior to kick-off, with Roma coach Fabio Capello even warmly embracing his opposite number.

Liverpool's players responded in kind, tearing into the Romans with gusto from the off, and were rewarded as early as the sixth minute when Marcos Assuncao impeded Danny Murphy in the peanlty area, before Finland international striker Jari Litmanen calmly stroked home the resulting spot-kick.

Houllier's fairy-tale return was confirmed on 63 minutes when England forward Emile Heskey powered home a header in front of a baying Kop from Murphy's flighted free-kick and the visitors had no response left in them as Liverpool marched on through to the last eight.

4. Liverpool v Olympiakos, group stage (December 2004)

Again, Liverpool needed to win by the margin of two clear goals against the Greek champions to qualify for the knock-out phase of the Champions League and yet again the team did not disappoint at a rocking Anfield.

However, on this occasion Rafael Benitez's side did it the hard way after making the worst possible start to the night when former World and European Footballer of the Year Rivaldo curled home a free kick after 26 minutes.

That strike meant that the home side now needed to score three times without reply to progress to the next stage of the competition and when the half-time whistle blew, the scoreline remined 1-0 to the Greeks.

Whatever the Spanish manager said at the break, it had the desired effect as Liverpool scored immediately through half-time substitute Florent Sinama Pongolle, before another substitute, striker Neil Mellor, popped up to give the home side a 2-1 lead nine minutes from time.

Club captain and all-round inspiration Steven Gerrard who latched on to Mellor's clever knock-down to send a rocket of a shot screaming past a helpless Antonios Nikopolidis in the Greeks' goal at the Kop end, with just four minutes left on the clock as well.

5. Liverpool v Chelsea, semi-final, second leg (May 2005)

Having held the Londoners to a creditable goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, hopes were high that Liverpool would secure their place in their first European Cup final for 20 years, although Jose Mourinho's side had just been crowned as Premier League champions.

Those present among the 42,529 fans crammed into the stadium that night will never forget the wall of noise that greeted the two teams as they left the tunnel prior to kick-off, although that was nothing compared to the decibel levels reached when Spanish play-maker Luis Garcia poked the ball over the line after just four minutes.

For the remainder of a pulsating contest Liverpool did everything to protect their slender lead against their more savvy opponents, including for an agonising six minutes of injury time. But referee Lubos Michel finally blew his whistle, bringing pandemonium to three-quarters of the ground - and a lot of hoarse Scouse voices the followng morning.

[The Vulcan]

Anyway, doesn't matter. Bring on Chelski although they have the advantage having the 2nd leg at home.

For my 2 cents worth :- They are half the team they were when we last encountered them (Avram Grant) and we are twice the team we were then. The Torres/Gerrard understanding, coupled with the addition of Babel, Skrtel and Mascherano will make a bigger impact than merely playing the last leg at their ground. I am confident the tie will be wrapped up at Anfield.

Then it's Man U in the final. A win there will have seen us overcome (in successive rounds) the run-away Italian champions and (as per current standings) the 3rd, 2nd and 1st placed Premier League teams.

Now that WILL be history!

[paul1970]

Some thoughts after THE game.

<deleted> didn't someone take Walcott's leg's from under him when he was on THAT run, as someone previousley said take a yellow for the team, it was too delicately poised at that stage to let him go on a run like that.

Reina, what's going on in this guy's head, he's been awsoome most of the season but has started to look decidely dodgy in the last few games, he's giving me the shits.

Defence. I think we must get Carragher back into the centre, as much as I like Hyypia (Legend) he's getting too slow (Awsome goal though, what a header) Get Arbeola on the right, Skrtel is looking impressive. I think left back is looking like the weak point, Riise or Aurelio .... I don't know.

Midfield. Mascherano did his job well. Alonso I thought had a shit game how many fuc_king times did he gave the ball away, I think he may go in the summer. Gerrard also not one of his best games but still irreplaceable. Kuyt, right wing is a problem area and although he gives 110 % I don't know if thats enough to warrant his inclusion but then again give me him before Pennant. Babel was awseome when he came on, I wonder if he could play right wing ???

Apparently he's preffered position is striker know how about trying him alongside Torres what with his speed and he showed againt Arsenal that he certainly knows how to finish, that could me a potent combination I think ??

Torres, nothing to add, awesome but who to pair him with ? Maybe Babel as above. Kyut I think doesn't provide enough of a goal threat.

Crouch, I think this guy has a bit of a rough deal, he rarely gives the ball away to the opposition and almost always finds a teamate, I just think we use the wrong tactics when he plays, Reina just seems intent on punting the ball long which gives away alot of posession, I beleive Crouch's feet are good enough that if we keep playing to feet he would set up a load of chances with either knock backs to Gerrard or flick on's to Torres plus I think he's more of a goal threat then Kyut.

What team would others put out against Chelsea ? I can't beleive we got them again in the Semi's, I hope we but themm to bed at Anfield, I'm getting too many Arhythmias whith these Euro ties