WHO can believe it. Those Reds. Those Tricky Reds. Liverpool were outplayed and outclassed. Someone needed to show them the way to go home.
I said to competition winner Tom that we didn’t want to score before half time. Once we were losing by two our best chance was to blitz them. Score goals ask questions later. But 3-1 down wasn’t in my plan…
We can debate starting elevens all day but it’s boring. Who wants to chat about Dietmar Hamann starting in Istanbul when you can talk about Jerzy Dudek’s saves?
I’d have gone different but Jürgen Klopp’s got more cups. One day I’ll ask him what’s wrong with Joe Allen. In the meantime, some scores.
Simon Mignolet: 7
Feel really sorry for him on the first, where makes a great save. Feel less sorry for him when he passes to Lucas with two men on him.
Nathaniel Clyne: 7
Put a belter cross in. Something happens for their third but haven’t seen it back. Plus Reus is boss.
Alberto Moreno: 7
Actually shows his class the higher the level goes. Couldn’t be faulted.
Mamadou Sakho: 7
I want a slide for their second, but I’m aware sometimes a little touch can actually set them up. But then he scores and starts on their ma so we’re all mates.
Dejan Lovren: 8
Gets himself in a mess for a potential 0-3 that Sakho bails him out of. But then he fucking scores the fucking winner.
James Milner: 6
Mad how he pretends to be shit at crossing until they’re not watching. Them corners though.
Emre Can: 8
LAD. Everyone else found it hard but he just walked through them. Maybe he knows the German footie cheat. Up, down, left, right, leg it.
Adam Lallana: 7
Thought he played great. Took up some terrific positions and controlled balls that were fizzed at him. Looked to supply Origi at every opportunity.
Philippe Coutinho: 7
Struggled to get into it, but it’s a lovely goal. Finds space where there’s none.
Roberto Firmino: 5
Seemed a bad shout and looked undercooked. But who wants to moan, really?
Divock Origi: 9
Thought he was great first half when we managed to break and then he scored. Crazy how clever he is and mad how quick he learns. He’s basically going to be Roy Race when he’s 24.
SUBS
Joe Allen: 8
Where do you come from, where do you go, how do you rate him Anfield Joe?
Daniel Sturridge: 7
Don’t underrate his role in the winner. Smarter than the average bear.
Lucas Leiva: 6
Giz a neck.
Roy Race when he’s 24.
G’wan Gibbo, great stuff as usual
Your prediction of Divock’s future is apposite. This was a Roy of the Rovers game. The newspaper headline at 85 minutes was ‘Liverpool Out,
Games don’t last 85 minutes.
Apparently they do at the Daily Mail!! The Guardian minute by minute had written us off too.
Fair play to you John, wouldn’t normally argue but just give them all a ten, it felt that good!!! No other team does drama like the Reds…
6 for Milner? That guy was immense tonight. He covered nearly every blade of grass on that pitch. 8.5 from me. Only his corner balls let him down.
Hate to point it out but I think he’s stood staring for the second goal when he should be getting close to their player. None of matters though. Firmino was shit but even that’s OK now.
Milner 6?
Can people not see what he does for the team?
There was a point where Jallen drove us up the pitch by forcing them to put it out for a throw and after that moment I completely understood why that fella felt the need to neck Origi at Villa. Sometimes it must just feel right.
If Joe gets sold in the summer I’m taking a flamethrower to this place. There’s probably a contingent of old fellas who still refuse to rate him and in all likelihood call the last manager ‘Brenda’. Throw these people from the truss.
I tell you what, they were a football team in that first half. They had the vast majority of their perfect technique and positioning shouted out of them in that second half by us mad pricks though.
Big Divvy is, like Emre Can, just progressing and growing into the possibility of a genuine world class footballer under Klopp. Pace, power, intelligence, desire and self belief all on show tonight. Made up for Sakho, he really loves it here doesn’t he? Even more made up for Lovren, what a torrid baptism he has had. I hope that is the making of him because he loves it here too and as Martin Fitz on FFF says – He’s capable of anything. Lil Joe surely, surely cannot be sold. I have said before that Jurgen thinks he’s a good footballer but has doubts over his physique. I hope that tonight’s performance ( another one ) has tipped the scales in his favour. And Milly.? He was a Free.!! He covers every blade of grass, can probably play in goal as well as everywhere else. But how the fuck can he cross so well but fail to beat the first man on corners every time ??? Can somebody just take them instead please?
Another thing I hope to emerge from last night is the idea of player redemption.
Louvren got massive stick last year. Massive. Stick. Rarely has a lad in a Red shirt received so much hostility from ‘fans’.
Despite years of service Skyrtle has been getting it too from the KOP and even the TAW lads, as well as our keeper.
Let that goal from Louvren be a lesson. We are LFC – more than shithouse fans. Players should know that win or lose, as long as they try then they will Never Walk Alone
I hope the naysayers and boo-boys begin to recant their criticisms of Migs and Captain Mad-Face, after last nights redemption of Louvren
We are LFC – we SUPPORT
Milner and those corners! Still 6 for a guy that has two genuine assists seems harsh. But who cares – I’m sure he doesn’t … what a match!
‘But then he fucking scores the fucking winner. ‘ – Best quote in your ratings ever !
I fucking love you Gibbo. Just that…. Am I awake? Did that happen?
How can you say don’t underrate Sturridge’s goal in the winner and then give him a 7? Milner plays a nice short pass, makes a good run and puts in a great cross, Milner to a T. Lovren gets in the right place and does the business.
But Sturridge. When Milner lines up the free, it looks like Hail Mary time. But no. Sturridge creates a ball, draws, 3 men, i.e 30% of their defence and is then on the verge of a game ending loss of control. But does he panic? Not Daniel. Daniel doesn’t do panic. Daniel does somehow threading the ball through to Milner who is now in a bit of space – taking 3 men out of play will do that. The winner, the possibility of CL, the continuation of our season – that is down to Sturridge. In order not to underrate that you need to give him at least a 162.
hear hear!
Lovren and Sakho were shocking as a defensive unit but I won’t hear a word against them..Not like Walter to miss a chance to big up Joe. Can you send someone round to see if he’s ok?
I reckon Lovren and Sakho would find it easier as a defensive unit if we played with a left back. I think we should just give Moreno a free role – he is a one-man gegenpress.
Ah the classic 3-(1)-2-3-1 with the 1 a free role FB.
Honestly, I’ve been in a daze since it all happened. Still not fully out of it, but enough to finally read the afters.
That little Welshman, though.
Can was magnificent. Pretty much operated alone in the middle of the pitch for the whole first half. Becoming a great player.
Agreed Paul. Milly was everywhere but in the middle infront of the back 4. unbelievable amount of space for arguably the best counter-attacking team on the planet. That is not to knock Milly, but i was just surprised that Kloppo picked him in a two as he did. I was worried when i saw the team sheet. But it also raises an interesting point on hendo. Hendo is getting a bit of stick for not making as many runs into the box/scoring enough, but tonight in some ways highlighted why. He and Can have become quite disciplined which has given us a decent spine/solidity.
but what a fucking night. And Kloppo is right. You could sense it. I wasn’t there, but even in the pub in London watching on the TV, you could sense it. Even before half time i had a feeling. The fact we were making so many chances and looking so composed (after the initial 10 minutes disaster) gave me hope. As someone said on the Pink, all we needed was to be level with 10 to go.
We fucking did it. Great lads. Up the Ilogical Reds.
Sakho should get an extra point for declaring the Republic of Liverpool
Joe Allen needs a new contract.. today. Ignore the last few weeks. Just for last night alone. Milner was everywhere, the engine on the lad, just keep him away from the corner flag.
1. Divvy’s got to be the preferred number 9 moving forward.
2. Surely we’ve seen enough to warrant an Origi Sturridge pairing up front.
3. Can was boss. If he can deliver consistently he’s going to be WC.
4. Joe Allen deserves a run of games?
5. Still lusting over a top, top keeper.
Don’t think Mignolet could have done anything about the goals tonight. Two classy finishes and beaten once on the follow up after a good first stop.
I know everyone has made their mind up about him and he still needs to work on some things but he seems to be getting there gradually. Everyone was going on last season about how his kicking was terrible as if it was the most important job a keeper does, but this season it has been fine (not Reina-like but at least okay). Likewise he comes for more crosses and is much quicker off his line than when he arrived.
Don’t underestimate the value of a great save either (as De Gea has proved this season), they are equivalent to a goal. I was certain Eriksons shot was a goal when it left his boot the other day, and it would have won them the game almost certainly.
Sure if De Gea wanted to come to us then I think Mingolet would be relegated to the bench. But be careful what you wish for, I for one thought Weidenfeller looked pretty ordinary during the tie (except for Coutinho’s shot in the first leg, which was actually a bit closer to him than it looked)
Hang on, Coutinho struggled to wha? He was so boss they just fouled him every time the ball came to him. Asked myself about the 85th minute who I thought was MoM. Can? Origi. Milner? Coutinho. Just give it to them all they were fantastic, what a night, what a night…
For me, James Milner gave not only a MOTM performance, but one of the best all around performances I’ve seen in awhile re belief/drive/determination. A classic captain’s performance. He drove the team on. The corners were an elaborate ruse ;)
Milner was ‘ Luther van ‘ apart from his two quality assists. His other assist was another shit corner technically speaking. Good on the bloke for keeping going though. I admire his effort and fight but he lacks quality. It’s like he’s got a fifty pence piece stuck on the end of his boot at times. As long as Klopp sticks by him though, I will as well. Great performance. Joe Allen, the Welsh Pirlo GREAT IMPACT
I think that’s a little harsh on him, imo. His contributions to the side this season have been more than meets the eye, but he’s also scored and assisted a lot to boot. Sure, he’s not the player, but rather the holder of the piano, as is so often said. I wouldn’t want another to do that job for this club right now. Last night he won me over for good.
Yeah. Deffo harsh on Milner. Although his corners were shit, the slagging off wouldn’t have helped and the manager even referenced that. But still legs it 40 yards in the 91st minute to take the one two and dig out a peach of a cross to set up the winner. At least a 7!?!
Sorry guys, you have it all wrong..
Simon Mignolet: 10
Nathaniel Clyne: 10
Alberto Moreno: 10
Mamadou Sakho: 11
Dejan Lovren: 11
James Milner: 10
Emre Can: 10
Adam Lallana: 10
Philippe Coutinho: 10
Roberto Firmino: 10ish
Divock Origi: 11
SUBS
Joe Allen: All the way up to 11
Daniel Sturridge: 10
Lucas Leiva: 10
And on a personal note.
Joe Fox (me – self praise is no praise but its Sunday, Im back in Belfast and I still cant speak): 10
Jim Fox (for saying we should go for the auto cup scheme for the Europa League and see how far we get): 10
I was at Anfield for the second of the Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3. I was in Ibaraki when Robbie Keane equalised against the Germans with possibly the last kick of the ball but now I have a new game that will never be topped….