Liverpool v Porto - Match Discussion

what about porto they have better superior game difference against Marsielle!

In fact, Porto would go through over Marsielle as they've drew one and Porto won one! My apologies!

A win therefore would garauntee us passage into the knockout stages! Think of nothing else!

Sorry my apologies once again! It's the ale you see!..... :

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Lads, Lads, Lads. It doesn't matter as we will beat Marseille anyway. Don't waste tonight worrying about it!!!

Very true!

I'll play the frogs at Fifa 08 and let you know.....

But what happens if Besiktas win against porto and we draw against marseile, then that will mean 3 teams on 8 points, with Porto having a better head-to-head against Marseile and us having better than Porto and marseile better than us.  What happens in such situation, I think it will go on goal difference can someone correct me!

I hope so. But A win in france will kill all these Noise! ''Middle finger U'' Andy Gray.

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Lads, Lads, Lads. It doesn't matter as we will beat Marseille anyway. Don't waste tonight worrying about it!!!

we're not having an arguemnet i am just curious.  As for Marseille i am pretty sure they will suffer  besiktaphoria on the night!

Superb atmosphere.  Superb support for Rafa and a superb result.

Torres is going to be outstanding for us.  I hope we keep him for a long time.  I know our performance wasn't great but the manner in which we are getting these results, and decent results too, is something we should all be positive about.

Too often we have played well and lacked either

a) the clinical finishing or
b) the ability to kill teams off when we take a 1 goal lead.

I've seen us lose or draw way too many games  in recent years that we should have won.  Maybe now it's our turn to start roughing up some other sides.

More importantly, the 'winning mentality' is extremely important in ANY sport.  Instead of being worried about upcoming fixtures I genuinely believe we will always win the next fixture these days.

What is more - I think that is exactly how the players think too.  Nobody likes playing against a team who cannot comprehend defeat.

 i think that peter crouch should have play in the starting 11 because evertime his comes on he scores important goals and he is a star player

More importantly, the 'winning mentality' is extremely important in ANY sport.  Instead of being worried about upcoming fixtures I genuinely believe we will always win the next fixture these days..

I posted something similar earlier JD. I used to go into some games worried and nervous about the result, but these days I really look forward to each game and believe that we will win.

Nicely summerised and thats that topic put to bed!!! Roll on the dirty dockers of Marsailles!

there are in good form of play and thet should beat marseille no probllem

More importantly, the 'winning mentality' is extremely important in ANY sport.  Instead of being worried about upcoming fixtures I genuinely believe we will always win the next fixture these days.

What is more - I think that is exactly how the players think too.  Nobody likes playing against a team who cannot comprehend defeat.

Brilliant point JD, that's how I've been seeing games recently! I certainly think that's how the lads are looking at the up and coming games!

The next few teams we're playing couldn't have got us at a worse time for them in my opinion! They must be karking it!

Tell you what! I don't think I've seen a match thread filled with so much drunken humour!!! Great stuff. Great to see.

I actually thought we played well for the majority of the game. There was a period from 10 mins before half time and for about 15-20 mins after, that we played pretty badly but never really looked under too much pressure. I've watched a few games under similar circumstances when I have been really nervous but tonight I always thought we would come good I the last 20 minutes.

Spot on!! Couldn't agree more there mate. Once we got that first goal the concentration started to lapse and unfortunately, the only thing Mascherano really done wrong all night led to their first and ONLY goal! Second half we came out not like I thought we would. The concentration wasn't there. Too much space in the midfield and some nervous passing. But once Kewell and Crouch came on there was a good link and someone to hold the ball.
Personally I was quite surprised at the way Porto played. Was expecting a little bit better from their 'dangerous' players and seeing as they were unbeaten.

For all the qualities Torres has, I'm beginning to think his attitude is probably the best out of them all. He's a winner and doesn't let things unsettle him. And that makes him a dangerous player at any point in any game.
Have to say, Gerrard wasn't at his usual full best tonight but that's allowed because it's not a regular occurrence. Slotted his pen away very nice and loved the way he clapped the keeper after he scored it!! Well in Gerrard!
Mascherano was brilliant I thought and Rafa's impatience to get him on the books permanently, is more than justified. Any area in the pitch he will try his best to break up play and win possesion. 9 times out 10 he'll do it - which can go unnoticed. Just a shame he couldn't prevent that cross for their goal. But you have to remember where he was trying to prevent it. Just shows you how mobile he is...

Bloody great win and when Torres scored that GEM of a second goal the pressure just lifted from me. It was a great feeling.

Might not have been a 'classic must win european game'. But we won 4-1 against a very decent Porto side and they looked less than ordinary.
If this is what needing a draw does to the oppositions game, then hopefully Marseille will take a similar approach. But we have the players to beat them anyway!!!

What a memorable night for all us who love LFC. Well done REDS! You'll Never Walk Alone Rafa!!

Mascherano was brilliant I thought and Rafa's impatience to get him on the books permanently, is more than justified.

Totally agree! Did anyone hear Souness criticise Rafa for wanting to spend the money to secure his signature before the game? It amazes me how some 'so called' experts cannot see the quality some players can bring to a team, particularly if they are not a flashy player.

Great Post RedKenny,

Summed up my feelings exactly.

Even when they equalised and started to get on top of their game, I felt confident that we would come back stronger.It was important not to let our heads drop at that time and we kept going and got what we deserved.

I think Liverpool deserve a lot of praise for putting 4 past them tonight, not that they'll get it from the media.....but do we care about them ...no we don't.

Thought it was lovely what Rafa said in his interview about the fans....he looked very emotional and very proud.

Well done Rafa.....Well done Liverpool and well done the fans.

Who cares what souness says. For me he ain`t and never was or will be a great manager so he can say what he wants. Isnt it funny that these so called experts who think they know it all are always out of a job when they speak?

Brilliant post Kenny!

Torres makes me proud of the current squad! He sums up how much further we have come in just a few seasons! Everytime I see him skinning defenders I have to pinch myself in disbelief that he really is playing for us!

Mascherano is getting better and better with each game! £17m seems a bargain when you see how influential he is for us!

Whats up with Souness having ago at a player pretty much in the same mould and as important to Liverpool as Masch as he himself was back in the day? Also great to see the tension of Macca and Souey who both want the scottish job sat together!!

Is there anybody who cant make match on sunday? I`d like to of gone but its sold out.

Is there anybody who cant make match on sunday? I`d like to of gone but its sold out.

They moved the fixture didn't they? I'm going, but I'm going to be hungover!

What a game. Harry Kewell's introduction sparked a Liverpool revival and what was even better was Rafa's decisions with his bench. I saw Crouchie warming up and thought, 'Ok, good game Fernando, now let Crouchie bag that goal we need.' Instead, he took off Voronin who i thought was outstanding tonight and put in the hard yards and was always there to recieve a pass and set up play. What happens next? Kewell through to Torres and its 2-1! And before that i thought Babel would come off for Harry as IMO he had a decent game but nothing flashy. Instead he took of Benayoun who had an absolutely outstanding first half.

How i think everyone faired through the night:

Reina - Didnt have much to do besides the goal. I thought he was lazy in trying to keep it out TBH.

Finnan - Mr. Consistant. Although he did get caught out quite a few tims at the end of the first half.

Hyypia - The lad's passing was as good as Sissoko's! His attempt to try link defence to midfield with a pass was dreadful.

Carragher - Did what only he knows how and thats shut down his man. He did that very well i thought tonight.

Arbeloa - This lads work is phenominal. He is quiet in his work but boy does he do it very well. Did anyone get a glance of Quaresma? He is a joke and that was only shown more by this lads effort that shut him out alllllllll game.

Benayoun - That first half performance was undescribable. He was everywhere. His dribbling, passing, crossing and just sheer class was all there. He did tire off in the second but another tremendous effort.

Mascherano - Solid as a rock. Although his passing was at its best his tackling was tremendous. I remember seeing Quaresma diving at his feet and getting free kicks because of Arbeloa and Masch's efforts to shut him out.

Gerrard - Not his greatest effort but you could see he was trying and lifting the team along the game. Decent performance from the skip and a great penalty too.

Babel - I know he will be a star in the future. He needs more game time and with that he will grow. Just needs to figure out the basics to his game and he will be right. Too often did he cut back in instead of try and beat his man but when he did try it, he succeeded.

Torres - Abit inconsistent in his play i must say. BUT he played a great game in the end. Great touch and 2 great goals. This time next year he will be the best in the world.

Voronin - Great game. Was everywhere setting up attacks and passing it around. I like the way he went about the game, he was most consistent in his play i thought because during that off spell we had, he kept playing his best.

Im so happy, woke up at 6 to watch it this morning and it was so worth it.

To those who went, well done! You did us proud the way you chanted and got behind the team. Anyone part of the pro-rafa protest out front?

YNWA!!!

What a great result...

We were looking nervous after they equalised and couldn't find the continuity and fluid passing that's a hallmark of our play. I think it was just despiration creeping in. We definitely wanted it more than they did and we rightfully got the victory we deserved.

Torres...what a player. He showed great compsure and superb strength as he held off both defenders to slot home the winner and send the Kop into absolute raptures. I too cannot believe he runs out for us. Positional play - outstanding. Alot of being in the right place at the right time is actually knowing where you have to be. Sounds silly, but its true.

The rest of the guys really battled and showed alot of determination and again, they never gave up. The introduction of Harry Kewell added pace out wide and this brought about Torres's second.

I'm proud and relieved...the atmosphere must have been incredible, I could feel it in my living room, all the way in Cape Town, South Africa!

IN RAFA WE TRUST...Walk on...

absolutely fantastic game!

wow is all i can say as saffi7 and the rest of you summed it up already, I'm abit late posting on this one i had 2 exams today and i aced them, is this day going to get any better?

was well impressed, so ecstatic Kewells back, Torres was ace, babel and voronin didn't look completely on the mark for some reason. not gonna say to much cos its a good moment.

EddieC mate, when i get over to england we'll have to get on the piss, you sound funny when you've had a few and i think i could show you a few mixes of my own  

I'm proud and relieved...the atmosphere must have been incredible, I could feel it in my living room, all the way in Cape Town, South Africa!

I second that, I must have seen about 10 LFC fans walking around with their tops on when I went out to lunch yesterday.

What I want to know is who's that idiot that started the topic about us not scoring from corners?

...torres........wow!