This team beats the 2005 team

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

Nah - what a team and what a performance. Best night ever.

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

I don't think we were rubbish

we had a strong core of Alonso, Hamman, Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Finnan, Riise and Garcia. We played against a world class side and we beat them!

We looked inconsistent in the league because it was Rafa's first season plus Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United were world class sides back then.

This day next week the nerves will be seriously jangling

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

I think this team would beat the 2005 team but it wouldn't be a walkover. Dudek, Traore and Baros stand out as weak links that would tip the game in this teams favour. However players like Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Luis Garcia (especially in Europe) were outstanding in their day and then Gerrard and Alonso are 2 generational talents, with Gerrard being one of the best centre midfielders of all time.

To say we were 'rubbish' is ignorant to valiance of that legendary team.

I think this team would beat the 2005 team but it wouldn't be a walkover. Dudek, Traore and Baros stand out as weak links that would tip the game in this teams favour. However players like Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Luis Garcia (especially in Europe) were outstanding in their day and then Gerrard and Alonso are 2 generational talents, with Gerrard being one of the best centre midfielders of all time.

To say we were 'rubbish' is ignorant to valiance of that legendary team.

14 years ago ? That's unbelievable

I think this team would beat the 2005 team but it wouldn't be a walkover. Dudek, Traore and Baros stand out as weak links that would tip the game in this teams favour. However players like Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Luis Garcia (especially in Europe) were outstanding in their day and then Gerrard and Alonso are 2 generational talents, with Gerrard being one of the best centre midfielders of all time.

To say we were 'rubbish' is ignorant to valiance of that legendary team.

This 100% - we had Alonso AND Gerrard - players that would be valued at £150m + in today’s market

This 100% - we had Alonso AND Gerrard - players that would be valued at £150m + in today’s market

Those 2 in the team now and we would win the lot.

14 years ago ? That's unbelievable

seems like yesterday! what a game that was

14 years ago ? That's unbelievable

Crazy isn’t it mate

Crazy isn’t it mate

It’s a shame that we were sold to H&G ...we could have built something special under Rafa in the league and Europe on the back of Istanbul..

Am I right to believe next seasons champions league will be held at the Ataturk again..?

It’s a shame that we were sold to H&G ...we could have built something special under Rafa in the league and Europe on the back of Istanbul..

Am I right to believe next seasons champions league will be held at the Ataturk again..?

I believe so!

Will be nice to lift number 7 there!

I believe so!

Will be nice to lift number 7 there!

Great sentiment let's make sure that we lift number 6 next week !

Those 2 in the team now and we would win the lot.

Sami, Didi John Arne etc it wasn't a bad side at all you could say Dudek was a weak link as was Djimi but both of the proved to be total heroes and forever legends. For 6 mins we were the best team in the world

Nah - what a team and what a performance. Best night ever.

My Fez is already in place next to the TV . Istanbul will never ever be beaten for drama it still feels like yesterday and incredibly it is 14 years ago.
However we are now on countdown and for completely different reasons this Victory will be the most sweetest of all.

Awesome picture on the top left of this tweet. Sandwiched between two of the finest defenders the game has ever known, looking on helplessly. The start of the most miraculous few minutes of our lives!

https://twitter.com/ThaiLFC/status/1132212026883788800

Awesome picture on the top left of this tweet. Sandwiched between two of the finest defenders the game has ever known, looking on helplessly. The start of the most miraculous few minutes of our lives!

https://twitter.com/ThaiLFC/status/1132212026883788800

it was like watching your life flash before your eyes for 6 mins. When Alonso had his penalty saved but then scored it was a complete emotional roller coaster

it was like watching your life flash before your eyes for 6 mins. When Alonso had his penalty saved but then scored it was a complete emotional roller coaster

Even when the penalty was saved you felt sure it was going to be in on the rebound.

Will be in Liverpool for this...but many places hosting formal events have already booked out. How many/are all pubs in the city running a booking system for next Saturday?

it was like watching your life flash before your eyes for 6 mins. When Alonso had his penalty saved but then scored it was a complete emotional roller coaster

Pure shock and adrenaline. I was at university in Southampton watching in a pub with my housemates - non of them Liverpool fans and they were going mental too, the whole pub was.

I knew we won it when Dudek made the double save off Shevchenko. As for the 2005 team. I think the team  with Masch, Reina and Torres was better but we never had subs. H&G don't by the club and the Sheik Mahktoum (??)  buys it and different story in terms of the league, sliding doors moment.

What got me about the team in 2005 campaign was the matches before the final. Juventus at Anfield with LaTallec up front. Mellor etc against Olympiakos. Biscan ? we got some insane results that season.

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

wow are you sure?, in its day, It was a fantastic team,with a fantastic manager.  How long have you been a fan, or you a another wum,
Either way, stupid comment.

wow are you sure?, in its day, It was a fantastic team,with a fantastic manager.  How long have you been a fan, or you a another wum,
Either way, stupid comment.

The current team is better in defence and attack, the midfield is possibly slightly weaker now but not by much. Overall I would back our current team to win 9 times out of 10.

The current team is better in defence and attack, the midfield is possibly slightly weaker now but not by much. Overall I would back our current team to win 9 times out of 10.

Midfield possibly weaker ?
Gerrard
Alonso 
No one in our current midfield comes close

wow are you sure?, in its day, It was a fantastic team,with a fantastic manager.  How long have you been a fan, or you a another wum,
Either way, stupid comment.

Think it’s a fair comment to be honest. How we managed to beat that Milan team and other teams when we had Dudek, Biscan, Traore, Baros, Mellor, Pongolle, Nunez etc in our team was nothing short of a miracle.

Back then, sure we had Alonso but he was still very early 20s and nowhere near the player he was a couple of years later, we had a slightly aging Hamman, Carra, Hyypia, a defensively poor Riise at LB, Finnan and Gerrard as the best players. To say we are currently miles better than that team is nothing short of an understatement and so many parts of that team wouldn’t have been so quickly moved on/or out of the team had they been as good as you are maybe suggesting. The team Rafa had then compared to the team he had in 08 was chalk and cheese.

But that was then and this is now, and now we have probably our strongest team for as long as I can remember. Bring on the Spuds!!!

2005 was the best year ever and our campaign was absolutely fantastic but that team had many faults. Dudek wasn't reliable, Traoré was a Championship player at best, Riise was a good left back having to play at left wing, Baros was overhyped due to a good European championship but never actually scored that many, Luis Garcia was a magician on his day but more frequently went missing. Add to this that Kewell started the UCL final despite having contributed nearly nothing in the campaign, that we beat Juventus with the total nobody Le Tallec in the starting lineup and Scott Carson in goal, that Igor Biscan not only played but played well in a couple of games, that Neil Mellor actually scored some important goals, that Vladi Smicer who had been useless all season came on and scored in the final, and all that to me says a lot more about the fantastic manager we had back then than about the quality of the squad, which wasn't anything special. Just look at some of those players careers after LFC. They had just been European champions, and still Baros couldn't do better than, I don't know, Aston Villa. Traoré went to Portsmouth, wasn't it? Smicer to Bordeaux, Biscan to Panathinaikos. Dudek went to warm Real's bench, his career effectively over. Mellor ever even played in the Premier League again? I don't think so. I find it funny when people say Rafa won it with "Houllier's squad" as if that was some sort of nod towards Houllier. I see it the other way around. The squad that Gerard left us was hardly good enough to achieve European qualification, and that weight is on him. Rafa turned them into European champions, and that merit is all his.

Especially as he beat a side virtually entirely composed of legends and/or world class players in Dida, Cafu, Nesta, Stam, Maldini, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Kaká, Shevchenko and Crespo.

That was a brilliant night, way back in 2005. Only parallel that I would like to see is winning the final, with no need for penalties or extra time.

2005 was the best year ever and our campaign was absolutely fantastic but that team had many faults. Dudek wasn't reliable, Traoré was a Championship player at best, Riise was a good left back having to play at left wing, Baros was overhyped due to a good European championship but never actually scored that many, Luis Garcia was a magician on his day but more frequently went missing. Add to this that Kewell started the UCL final despite having contributed nearly nothing in the campaign, that we beat Juventus with the total nobody Le Tallec in the starting lineup and Scott Carson in goal, that Igor Biscan not only played but played well in a couple of games, that Neil Mellor actually scored some important goals, that Vladi Smicer who had been useless all season came on and scored in the final, and all that to me says a lot more about the fantastic manager we had back then than about the quality of the squad, which wasn't anything special. Just look at some of those players careers after LFC. They had just been European champions, and still Baros couldn't do better than, I don't know, Aston Villa. Traoré went to Portsmouth, wasn't it? Smicer to Bordeaux, Biscan to Panathinaikos. Dudek went to warm Real's bench, his career effectively over. Mellor ever even played in the Premier League again? I don't think so. I find it funny when people say Rafa won it with "Houllier's squad" as if that was some sort of nod towards Houllier. I see it the other way around. The squad that Gerard left us was hardly good enough to achieve European qualification, and that weight is on him. Rafa turned them into European champions, and that merit is all his.

Especially as he beat a side virtually entirely composed of legends and/or world class players in Dida, Cafu, Nesta, Stam, Maldini, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Kaká, Shevchenko and Crespo.

Come on mate - I don’t think we appreciate just how good Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Hamman and Garcia were. They got to that final for a reason... superb management and superb football.

Come on mate - I don’t think we appreciate just how good Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Hamman and Garcia were. They got to that final for a reason... superb management and superb football.

Those were all good players, some exceptional, some very good in that particular competition, but there's a reason why we have achieved 97 points this season while in 2004/05 we ended level on points with Bolton Wanderers and behind Everton... 5 good players don't make a great team, let alone a great squad... that trophy was a huge achievement by a brilliant manager

Fundamental difference between this team and the 2005 team is that they were European Champions.

You can look good on paper, on Opta, in the eyes of the media, but if you don't win silverware then nobody remembers you.

To prove that fact list the 2007 starting line up without doing any research.

wow are you sure?, in its day, It was a fantastic team,with a fantastic manager.  How long have you been a fan, or you a another wum,
Either way, stupid comment.

Not a wum, been a Liverpool fan since the 70’s and my comment was based on that season, not 1 game, we finished fifth, lost to Everton, Bolton,Birmingham to name just 3 of 14 league defeats that season, I was absolutely delighted how the season ended, but definitely not a stupid comment, just what I saw, and maybe could have worded it better, but stand by it, the current team is light years ahead of them

you could never say a team with Gerrard in it is rubbish and he could and did on any occasions win games on his own.
Finnan. Riise Sami and Jamie is not a bad back four , Stevie, Alonso and Didi far from a rubbish side because rubbish sides don't get to a CL final go 3 down and win it.

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

Would take Gerrard and Alonso circa 2005 in a heartbeat.

Would take Gerrard and Alonso circa 2005 in a heartbeat.

you would need about £350 million to do so . If we had them in our team now we would win everything and its not a reflection on our current lads but these two together matched perfectly in every way

Would take Gerrard and Alonso circa 2005 in a heartbeat.

Yes but they would probably be the only two I would take, in all other positions the current team is better, I would maybe also take Carragher but in all honesty was he better than Gomez, Matip or Lovren, I'm not so sure, I'm certainly not going to compare him to Virgil.

Just rewatched the Istanbul final, compared to this current team, we were rubbish back then

no we were not. We had a class team.

Champions of Europe, we pumped 1st half by the best team in Europe, but we came back and showed our class 2nd half, we rode our luck in Injury time, but our legends like Carra, & Gerrard & Dudek etc. played out their skin.

Those were all good players, some exceptional, some very good in that particular competition, but there's a reason why we have achieved 97 points this season while in 2004/05 we ended level on points with Bolton Wanderers and behind Everton... 5 good players don't make a great team, let alone a great squad... that trophy was a huge achievement by a brilliant manager

Don't forget back in 2005, Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal were world class teams that would have been so close on winning the title this season.

Yes but they would probably be the only two I would take, in all other positions the current team is better, I would maybe also take Carragher but in all honesty was he better than Gomez, Matip or Lovren, I'm not so sure, I'm certainly not going to compare him to Virgil.

I’d have big Sami in a heartbeat ahead of any other our current partners for Virgil, they’d be an awesome pairing.

Yes but they would probably be the only two I would take, in all other positions the current team is better, I would maybe also take Carragher but in all honesty was he better than Gomez, Matip or Lovren, I'm not so sure, I'm certainly not going to compare him to Virgil.

wow now Jamie isn't ad good as Matip.Gomez or Lovren ?. did you ever see him play?. He is better than Virgil and here is why go and look at what he won with a sh*t team (so called).

Yes but they would probably be the only two I would take, in all other positions the current team is better, I would maybe also take Carragher but in all honesty was he better than Gomez, Matip or Lovren, I'm not so sure, I'm certainly not going to compare him to Virgil.

I’d take Carra or Hyypia over Lovren, Matip and Gomez any day of the week.

Gomez obviously looks promising but he’s proven very little so far, certainly nothing to say he will be at the level of Carra and Hyypia.

Dont think its a fair comparison anyway.

That team was not built with the mega money that is now available.

Alisson

Alex-Arnold Carragher VanDijk Robertson

Fabinho Alonso Gerrard

Salah Firmino Mane

2005 team gets three players in most likely?

Id have to play 3 at the back to get Hyypia, Carra & VVD in the team. .

I do get the point about the current team it is awesome, and when we win on sunday it is probably the best team since the 89 league winning team.

I just think its harsh comparing the 05 team, as time have changed to massively, just like its hard comparing the 70s teams with the 01 team that won the treble, now that was an amazing season.

I do get the point about the current team it is awesome, and when we win on sunday it is probably the best team since the 89 league winning team.

Yeah, that Arsenal team was special...

I’d have big Sami in a heartbeat ahead of any other our current partners for Virgil, they’d be an awesome pairing.

Forgot about Sami, yeah I'd have him in the team, but possibly not as a starter, I think we'd find it shocking how slow he is compared to our current CB's, not sure he'd work in a Klopp team.

wow now Jamie isn't ad good as Matip.Gomez or Lovren ?. did you ever see him play?. He is better than Virgil and here is why go and look at what he won with a sh*t team (so called).

Yes I watched him his whole career and he was a very good defender who probably played a couple of season s to many but he certainly was not great, like VVD, not even close in my opinion.

Yeah, that Arsenal team was special...

ok. 89/90 to be precise.

Something that cannot be underrated about that 05 team is their heart.

You know who else beats that 05 team... that 05 Milan team, except that didn’t happen.

Does that even make sense? I’m tired

Come on mate - I don’t think we appreciate just how good Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Hamman and Garcia were. They got to that final for a reason... superb management and superb football.

they also went on to win the super cup and the FA Cup

Yes I watched him his whole career and he was a very good defender who probably played a couple of season s to many but he certainly was not great, like VVD, not even close in my opinion.

just remind us what Virgil has won because at the end of the day if you play for Liverpool you have to win things to be considered a legend. Saying Carra wasn't great is f***in bonkers and actually explains a lot of your posts

Something that cannot be underrated about that 05 team is their heart.

You know who else beats that 05 team... that 05 Milan team, except that didn’t happen.

Does that even make sense? I’m tired

Was just about to say the same.
On paper that Milan 05 team beats the Liverpool 05 team.
Football can be crazy sometimes.

I think if you put the argument of winning then Taraore gets ahead of Robertson and Diomede gets ahead Mane.  Both aren't fit enough to polish the boots of their current replacements.  For me  I think Carragher was fantastic I'd have him ahead Lovren maybe Matip.  Not sure about Gomez.  At 21 Gomez is better than Carragher at the same age IMO.  I do think Carragher was a very intelligent player but most of his career he played as a proper all out defender not play it from the back so there will have to be assumptions that he will have be able to make them adjustments.  I hope i am not coming across as disprespectful to the legend Carragher because he was a monster of a player that played his whole career under defensive managers.  I think right now he makes it into this team as a player in his peak years but as a 21 year old,  I would take Gomez for this team under the Klopp style of football. 

Gerrard walks into this team with his name on the team sheet first in my opinion.  Personally I would take Alonso of 2005, but apart from his last season the middle season for me loses out to Wijnaldum of this season.

just remind us what Virgil has won because at the end of the day if you play for Liverpool you have to win things to be considered a legend. Saying Carra wasn't great is f***in bonkers and actually explains a lot of your posts

Your post explains a lot about you, and your inability to construct coherent arguments. If you really think Carragher is better than Virgil simply because he won some trophies then that is just absurd, by that token you must think that Phil Neville was a fantastic footballer and that Le Tissier was sh*t.

just remind us what Virgil has won because at the end of the day if you play for Liverpool you have to win things to be considered a legend. Saying Carra wasn't great is f***in bonkers and actually explains a lot of your posts

If memory serves me correctly, Carra has won.

1 x FA youth cup
2 x FA cups
1 x League cup
1 x Europa cup
1 x champions league
2 x Eufa Super cup

Proper LEGEND !

I think if you put the argument of winning then Taraore gets ahead of Robertson and Diomede gets ahead Mane. 

Diomede???

Diomede???

blast from the past that, didn't he leave in 2003?

blast from the past that, didn't he leave in 2003?

Certainly didn't play in the 2005 final!

The current team is better in defence and attack, the midfield is possibly slightly weaker now but not by much. Overall I would back our current team to win 9 times out of 10.

Aye, agree mostly with the exception of Hyppia. He and VVD would make a defense that a rampaging elephants would find it hard to breach.

Wouldn't dismiss that team of 2005 so easily though, like everyone mentions, Alonso, Stevie, Hyppia, Carra, Hamman...would walk into most teams these days.

Was in Liverpool for the final in 2005, will never forget the whole night. Tears at half time, city going into meltdown at final whistle, partying until early hours of the morning...unbelievable experience. Best CL final to date, hands down!

Reminder of that 2005 team.

Dudek

Finnan
Carra
Hyypia
Traore

Alonso
Garcia
Gerrard
Riise

Kewell

Baros

I'd only take Gerrard,Alonso and Carra from that side. Could make a case for a Hyypia/VVD pairing but I'm going for a Carra/VVD. Finnan might edge out TAA on experience but I've gone for TAA.

Alisson...TAA Carra VVD Robbo...Hendo,Gerrard,Alonso...Salah,Firmino,Mane.

I'd only take Gerrard,Alonso and Carra from that side. Could make a case for a Hyypia/VVD pairing but I'm going for a Carra/VVD. Finnan might edge out TAA on experience but I've gone for TAA.

Alisson...TAA Carra VVD Robbo...Hendo,Gerrard,Alonso...Salah,Firmino,Mane.

As classy as he was, I'm not sure Alonso would fit into the current team as I'm not sure he'd have the energy to play in our midfield.

Reminder of that 2005 team.

Dudek

Finnan
Carra
Hyypia
Traore

Alonso
Garcia
Gerrard
Riise

Kewell

Baros

I'd only take Gerrard,Alonso and Carra from that side. Could make a case for a Hyypia/VVD pairing but I'm going for a Carra/VVD. Finnan might edge out TAA on experience but I've gone for TAA.

Alisson...TAA Carra VVD Robbo...Hendo,Gerrard,Alonso...Salah,Firmino,Mane.

I'd include a young Hyypia, but not the 2005 Hyypia.
His strength was his positioning in a deep defense, and I think the high line Klopp plays would be a stretch for him at that stage of his career.
Carragher wasn't the quickest either, but was quick enough I think.

blast from the past that, didn't he leave in 2003?

Ha ha yeah he wasn't in the team.   The funny think is I've used him as example in banter with Utd fans  comparing him to some of their legends in the years gone by.   He did win a World Cup though so not totally out of context.

Would take Luis Garcia too, I’d much rather have him as an option off our bench than Sturridge or Lallana. Lallana in the final last year was brutal, it was clear at that point the game was going to go Madrid’s way.

Would take Luis Garcia too, I’d much rather have him as an option off our bench than Sturridge or Lallana. Lallana in the final last year was brutal, it was clear at that point the game was going to go Madrid’s way.

Had Cuntinho stayed, we would have been much better able to absorb the Salah injury as you could still have Phil-Bobby-Sadio up front, but no, he had to be an asshole and snake his way to Barcelona and instead we had to use Lallana as the best option off the bench. F**k that guy.

If we are talking about the bench that I would take finnan,  Hamann Garcia and Hyppia,