Champions League Qualifying Round 3

[Bluesmanager]

I see that Liverpool are battling against Leige in Extra Time, and also that the Goons have beaten McClown's Twente 4-0 (6-0 on aggregate).

This is good, 1, because maybe if Liverpool go out now we won't get any of "That night in Wherever-it-was", and 2, because we get to laugh at the Scousers.

That's not my main issue though - WTF are BBC3 doing showing CL footie?! I'm not complaining or anything, but I thought ITV had the rights.

 

[HUTTON]

Liverpool through winning 1-0

 

[BlueJ]

I see that Liverpool are battling against Leige in Extra Time, and also that the Goons have beaten McClown's Twente 4-0 (6-0 on aggregate).

This is good, 1, because maybe if Liverpool go out now we won't get any of "That night in Wherever-it-was", and 2, because we get to laugh at the Scousers.

That's not my main issue though - WTF are BBC3 doing showing CL footie?! I'm not complaining or anything, but I thought ITV had the rights.

I think its only from the group stages onwards that ITV have coverage rights along with sky. IIRC both legs of Man Utds qualifier a fair few seasons ago was shown on BBC 1.

 

[seany t]

Is that the most important goal Kuyt will ever score?

That was potentially the difference between Liverpool staying in the top 4 and losing their grip on it. The money rights to merely qualifying for the group stages is something like £30 million I think I read?

Benitez would be gone by the weekend if they'd lost. And this weekend they face Villa. Without Gerrard. And with Barry starting as captain for Villa.

You can't make this stuff up can you?

 

[sufcintheprem]

I'm confident Liverpool would have won the shootout - they're one of the best teams in Europe in such a situation - but the nature of Liverpool's reticence and inability to break down an average European side home or away which must be a worry. They were lucky to get away from Liege on level terms and were then held for 116 minutes at home.

It's not the first time this has happened. The team that wins the Champions League regularly stutters through at least one stage which seems to give them impetus later on. However, this Liverpool team should be constantly improving yet still, it seems when Gerrard is off-colour as he has been this season, the rest of the team seem unsure what to do.

By contrast, Man Utd have a 100% record without their 40 goal a season man and Chelsea are simmering with options in midfield and have scored five without reply in spite of missing Drogba.

On the subject of Chelsea, I swear I was never aware that Essien cost £25m. This more than anyone else (including Shevchenko) shows the gluttony Chelsea have showed inthe transfer market. Is Essien worth £25m now? Probably yes because of his versatilty and dynamism but he was surely not a £25m player when he first signed for Chelsea.

 

[TrueBlue]

Liverpool through winning 1-0

Slippery ****ers

 

[seany t]

On the subject of Chelsea, I swear I was never aware that Essien cost £25m. This more than anyone else (including Shevchenko) shows the gluttony Chelsea have showed inthe transfer market. Is Essien worth £25m now? Probably yes because of his versatilty and dynamism but he was surely not a £25m player when he first signed for Chelsea.

Was Wright-Philips worth what they paid either? They were spending money on any half decent player back then, and every club selling those players milked them for all they were worth.

Can't blame them really either.

I think the title will comfortably head Chelsea or Man U's way this season. Liverpool, by now after a good few years in charge and a lot of spending, should be in a place to tackle the Premiership title. But I'd be surprised if they mount a serious challenge. Benitez seems to merely replace average players in abundant positions with more of the same. They have quality admittedly, but they have a wealth of average Joes too.

We'll see, but I think they still look shaky down the flanks and in bridging that gap between midfield and attack. I also think Reina is poo...

 

[class]

How much longer can Benitez continue to sacrifice domestic football for the sake of the faint chance of them winning the Champions League? And given it took them the best part of three and a half hours to struggle past average Belgian fodder, I'd say they've got a long way to go. That tie could easily have gone the other way.

Their ridiculous owners (who incidentally they welcomed because "we need obscenely rich idiots who know nothing about football to invest in us") have helped Benitez in that they side with him rather than them. But why don't they have a go at actually winning the league? Does it not concern them that Manchester United are just one league title behind them?

 

[SUFCLiam]

I was so surpised to see Liverpool just get throught to the next round, i thought they would do a Aresnal and win 4-0

 

[sufcintheprem]

Was Wright-Philips worth what they paid either? They were spending money on any half decent player back then, and every club selling those players milked them for all they were worth.

Can't blame them really either.

I take your point but Wright-Phillips had just had a cracking season in England, is an atacking player, played in the same division and was a young English prospect. All these combined pump your price right up. Essien had been running over a bunch of no-marks in France (although that might also have been one of Lyon's better seasons in the CL). Even Drogba still seems to me to have been a bit of a gamble at that price but I guess that one came off.

 

[BrettieAngell]

I'm confident Liverpool would have won the shootout - they're one of the best teams in Europe in such a situation - but the nature of Liverpool's reticence and inability to break down an average European side home or away which must be a worry. They were lucky to get away from Liege on level terms and were then held for 116 minutes at home.

It's not the first time this has happened. The team that wins the Champions League regularly stutters through at least one stage which seems to give them impetus later on. However, this Liverpool team should be constantly improving yet still, it seems when Gerrard is off-colour as he has been this season, the rest of the team seem unsure what to do.

By contrast, Man Utd have a 100% record without their 40 goal a season man and Chelsea are simmering with options in midfield and have scored five without reply in spite of missing Drogba.

On the subject of Chelsea, I swear I was never aware that Essien cost £25m. This more than anyone else (including Shevchenko) shows the gluttony Chelsea have showed inthe transfer market. Is Essien worth £25m now? Probably yes because of his versatilty and dynamism but he was surely not a £25m player when he first signed for Chelsea.

No genuine width, the one time a Liverpool player actually went down the outside off the full-back instead of cutting inside they scored!