UEFA Champions and Europa League 2015/16 Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

It begins for the English today as West Ham face FC Lusitans in front of a sold out Upton Park this evening. The team will be a bit mixed. Randolph, O'Brien, Tomkins, Burke, Page. Jarvis, Oxford, Poyet, Amalfitano. Zarate, Sakho.

[GSC]

Firmino wasn't much better than Coutinho in fairness. Moreno is somehow managing to appear to be a poor mans David Luiz.

Dunno how Gameiro didnt make Frances squad.

[GSC]

Feel for the refs sometimes, they make a fantastic decision to correctly allow a goal, and its a "controversy"

[Guest]

The third goal was not a controversy, never was, never will be

Liverpool defended like a Sunday league team in the second half & made Gamiero look class, but he really isn't. He missed that one on one & then scuffed a pretty easy chance, unmarked, from five yards out. The game was easy to analyse, Liverpool did the high press in the first half & Sevilla couldn't cope. Second half, Liverpool didn't press AT ALL, & got slaughtered. The side simply isn't capable of performing the type of football Klopp requires over 90 mins.

I wouldn't say it's a massive clearout, it's always easy to go overboard, but this side has still made two finals. Just get rid of Benteke, Moreno & Allen types & bring in quality players with engines to perform to Klopp's tactics, then Liverpool should be ok.

As for Sevilla, fully expect this will be the highlight for them, again. Champions League level is just that, a level above them.

[Scott is Back]

Klopp has lost 5 finals in a row now....maybe his personality papers over the cracks of not being the uber-manager everyone thinks!

[Crimey]

Coutinho was also marked out of the game, obviously the best can cope with that, but I think it's being slightly unfair to both Coutinho and to Sevilla's tactics. He never got any space, had to keep getting further and further infield and they just went for Moreno, good tactics really. Funnily enough it was exactly what Liverpool did in the first half to their left back.

Absolutely gutted, think had Liverpool scored the second in the first half, Sevilla wouldn't have got back into it. The earlier equaliser just killed the confidence of the squad. They all just looked slightly off the pace, not enough pressing and then not enough pace to get away from the Sevilla players. Only player I think who can genuinely claim to be happy with their performance is Kolo Toure, who on that evidence probably should get another contract. He's been really good this year, he's a very clever defender - considering his age, his lack of pace and height, he never really gets too exposed.

Think it would be a little unfair to criticise Sturridge, it was the players around him really lacking. He scored an excellent goal and was always eager to create and to get into dangerous positions. He just didn't have any support. Firmino really poor, apart from the Villarreal game, he's been poor for a while now. Hopefully it's just a matter of a long season and with the summer most likely off he can come back rejuvenating and in his second season should get better. Lallana is good at being the first line of defence, but just doesn't create enough. I'd keep him next year for sure though, unless we receive a £20 million plus bid; which is unlikely. Coutinho was marked out of the game, needed people around him to create a bit of space for him, but it just never happened.

Can and Milner just never took hold of the game, don't think Milner's future is ever going to be in a central midfield two, he's much better being allowed a more free role, to run wide and make use of his stamina. I was disappointed in Can but I can only suspect he just wasn't fit enough, he was fantastic against Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund but just never showed the same quality here. Could have done with Henderson being fully fit as I think he does the simple stuff very well and would have led to more of a control in midfield, stopping Sevilla getting all the momentum.

Clyne was really good in the first half then just tailed off, don't think he can be blamed for the goals, but he didn't do enough to act as an outball I feel in the second half to relieve pressure. He's much better defensively than offensively. Lovren played okay, think the booking in the first half was stupid as it made him too cautious in the second. Kolo Toure was great. Alberto Moreno was awful. Didn't offer much going forward and was constantly exposed defensively. Wasn't helped by anybody, but some of the mistakes were really poor. Think this will be the damning evidence needed to bring in a new left back, may struggle for games next year but I'd keep him as I do like him and think he has things to offer, he just needs to improve quickly. Hopefully the 17/18 season will have Europe again so he can play a bigger role in the squad. Mignolet was okay, he made that fantastic save in the second half but I think he just makes the defence feel uncomfortable, more than once the defender cleared the ball with Mignolet running for it because I don't think they can trust him. He HAS to be replaced. He'd be a decent back up option, I'd even be happy for him to be second choice on his wages so long as we buy an improvement.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Disappointed by the lack of coverage for the fan trouble.

[Scott is Back]

Disappointed by the lack of coverage for the fan trouble.

Let it Go DZ, West Ham fans were at fault 2 weeks ago, im sure the liverpool fans will be reprimanded too...

[Atila]

Klopp has lost 5 finals in a row now....maybe his personality papers over the cracks of not being the uber-manager everyone thinks!

I'm a Man U fan, and I think Klopp is a good manager. I reckon that if he was United's manager and had spent 250 million, United would be better than they are now.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Disappointed by the lack of coverage for the fan trouble.

Let it Go DZ, West Ham fans were at fault 2 weeks ago, im sure the liverpool fans will be reprimanded too...

Just waiting for Crimey to take full responsibility.

[Hero]

Disappointed by the lack of coverage for the fan trouble.

Let it Go DZ, West Ham fans were at fault 2 weeks ago, im sure the liverpool fans will be reprimanded too...

Rather sure at the time I said if it was Liverpool fans Dolph would be over it like a rash as well!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Simply put, Liverpool are not as good as Sevilla and an 8th place finish in the league is more proof of that. Their summer will need to be transformative, without being insane on numbers.

Maybe they didnt deserve it with Sakho and the drugs test, but it doesnt really matter. Klopp has done good stuff, nothing major, but he needs his type of players.

[Hero]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

[Scott is Back]

Klopp has lost 5 finals in a row now....maybe his personality papers over the cracks of not being the uber-manager everyone thinks!

I'm a Man U fan, and I think Klopp is a good manager. I reckon that if he was United's manager and had spent 250 million, United would be better than they are now.

Im also a Utd fan, and completely agree, we would be much better for it, but the way he was banded around as one of the best...? I think it shows he is a good manager, but not one of the greats.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

I'm going to safely presume you didn't have media outlets bothering you with questions on an extremely busy night and a history of people making up stories about bus problems nearby?

[Duty281]

Klopp has lost 5 finals in a row now....maybe his personality papers over the cracks of not being the uber-manager everyone thinks!

Klopp is a hugely overrated manager, one day people will realise this.

[Hero]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

I'm going to safely presume you didn't have media outlets bothering you with questions on an extremely busy night and a history of people making up stories about bus problems nearby?

No I don't, but I'm also not the chairman of a football club that should know a small modicum of PR.

[Guest]

Klopp has lost 5 finals in a row now....maybe his personality papers over the cracks of not being the uber-manager everyone thinks!

Klopp is a hugely overrated manager, one day people will realise this.

To be honest, have no idea why people are going down the 'let's attack Klopp' route. I know this forum is pretty anti-Liverpool, but this senseless bashing makes no sense to me. He's a top manager, won trophies galore & single handedly taken an average Liverpool side to two cup finals in less than a year, with no signings of his own. He's managed inferior sides in finals, he's lost to dominant Bayern sides, Manchester City & the two time defending Europa League champions, in Sevilla, who were favourites, if you actually have a brain & don't think football revolves solely around the PL.

[Guest]

Klopp has lost 5 finals in a row now....maybe his personality papers over the cracks of not being the uber-manager everyone thinks!

Klopp is a hugely overrated manager, one day people will realise this.

To be honest, have no idea why people are going down the 'let's attack Klopp' route. I know this forum is pretty anti-Liverpool, but this senseless bashing makes no sense to me. He's a top manager, won trophies galore & single handedly taken an average Liverpool side to two cup finals in less than a year, with no signings of his own. He's managed inferior sides in finals, he's lost to dominant Bayern sides, Manchester City & the two time defending Europa League champions, in Sevilla, who were favourites, if you actually have a brain & don't think football revolves solely around the PL.

Come now, Liam...it's a high profile Liverpool loss and folk do just love to kick us when we're down.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

I'm going to safely presume you didn't have media outlets bothering you with questions on an extremely busy night and a history of people making up stories about bus problems nearby?

No I don't, but I'm also not the chairman of a football club that should know a small modicum of PR.

Or just an honest man who was asked a quick question. Who then made a full statement and response. Only an idiot would suggest there were or would have been any repercussions to what Sullivan said. I'll take honesty and genuine replies over the media trained sanitised world of football

[Guest]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

I'm going to safely presume you didn't have media outlets bothering you with questions on an extremely busy night and a history of people making up stories about bus problems nearby?

No I don't, but I'm also not the chairman of a football club that should know a small modicum of PR.

Or just an honest man who was asked a quick question. Who then made a full statement and response. Only an idiot would suggest there were or would have been any repercussions to what Sullivan said. I'll take honesty and genuine replies over the media trained sanitised world of football

OK, I honestly and genuinely think you should calm the f*ck down.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

I'm going to safely presume you didn't have media outlets bothering you with questions on an extremely busy night and a history of people making up stories about bus problems nearby?

No I don't, but I'm also not the chairman of a football club that should know a small modicum of PR.

Or just an honest man who was asked a quick question. Who then made a full statement and response. Only an idiot would suggest there were or would have been any repercussions to what Sullivan said. I'll take honesty and genuine replies over the media trained sanitised world of football

OK, I honestly and genuinely think you should calm the f*ck down.

I'm calm, very calm, I've had a half day and I've just eaten a BLT. Co-op though, so only a 7/10 on lunch due to the chicken satay skewers I had with it.

[Guest]

Making the point, Hero. Predicated idea that some cannot be guilty whereas others can, and that people were making a bigger deal of it than it was. I think this has entirely proven my point, especially with how quiet you are until making another dig at me.

It's mainly because last night I was on a train home from London and not frequenting the site that much, nor did I see any of the Liverpool game or the scenes in the crowd so I couldn't pass comment on it before I knew the facts, which ironically isn't what your chairman bothers to do.

I'm going to safely presume you didn't have media outlets bothering you with questions on an extremely busy night and a history of people making up stories about bus problems nearby?

No I don't, but I'm also not the chairman of a football club that should know a small modicum of PR.

Or just an honest man who was asked a quick question. Who then made a full statement and response. Only an idiot would suggest there were or would have been any repercussions to what Sullivan said. I'll take honesty and genuine replies over the media trained sanitised world of football

OK, I honestly and genuinely think you should calm the f*ck down.

I'm calm, very calm, I've had a half day and I've just eaten a BLT. Co-op though, so only a 7/10 on lunch due to the chicken satay skewers I had with it.

You savage...you can't eat meat with peanuts, it's all sorts of wrong

[Hero]

Over 50 goals for 6 seasons in a row is just phenomenal from Ronaldo. Certainly better than Messi this season.

[Ent]

A win tonight and an average euros should see him lift wpoty again.

Happy whoever wins tonight, think atleti deserve it for the last few years and would like to see ronaldo win another.

[Duty281]

Over 50 goals for 6 seasons in a row is just phenomenal from Ronaldo. Certainly better than Messi this season.

He's always been better than the hugely overrated Argentine.

[Hero]

Over 50 goals for 6 seasons in a row is just phenomenal from Ronaldo. Certainly better than Messi this season.

He's always been better than the hugely overrated Argentine.

Concur, the Argentine just has a better PR agent.

[Ent]

Messi is a great player, hard to split the two of them.

[nadeem2099]

Come on Real. I hope Atletico don't park the bus from the get go but knowing them they prob will.

[Guest]

They're both incredible footballers. Enjoy them while they're around cos I doubt we'll see two that good come along at the same time again.

[Ent]

They're both incredible footballers. Enjoy them while they're around cos I doubt we'll see two that good come along at the same time again.

Agree.

They humanise each other, if only one of them was scoring 40-50 a season regularly everyone would think it was absolutely ridiculous.

[nadeem2099]

Alicia Keys digging the Marcelo afro here.

[Guest]

Alicia Keys singing (miming) New York in Milan, there.

[Ent]

Least she remembered her cue.

[Hero]

Getting fed up of this SuperBowl style pre show that's going on at matches nowadays.
A game in Italy between two Madrid sides yet they book an American to sing a song called New York.

[Ent]

Marketing, it's live on fox (standard network not sports) in us.

Memorial weekend also.

I'm not a fan of the big build up but she is a big star doing her most famous song and Europeans do like English speaking artists.

[Guest]

The Anfield Rap p!sses over all of this. YouTube that, Hero!

[nadeem2099]

Andrea Bocelli

[Ent]

More like it.

[Ent]

Predos?

Gonna go 2-1 real, james off bench to get winner.

[Guest]

1-1 FT. Atletico on pens.

[Hero]

The Anfield Rap p!sses over all of this. YouTube that, Hero!

Don't need to YouTube it, the memory is forever burned into my memory despite therapy.

[Ent]

Hope referee just ignores the cowpat and we get a decent game.

Pepe at it already.

[Hero]

If this game manages to end with eleven players on both teams I'll be amazed.

[Guest]

Early goal, nice.

[nadeem2099]

GET IN THERE RAMOS!!!

[kingraf]

People can bag on Ramos and his red cards all they like but the guy shows up on the big stage

[Ent]

Offside from bales flick?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

He's bundled a ball over from 3 yards out

What a big game player...

[Hero]

Was an offside goal, but Real certainly the better of the two so far.

[Sponsored content]