THERE is something horrendous about going out like that. Stilettos and broken bottles all over the shop.
Let’s get it out of the way: The goalkeeper’s error is dreadful, it changes the game and costs Liverpool the tie.
He’s not a bad person, is a good second-choice keeper and has played his part this season. And he isn’t an idiot. However angry you are at him, he will be as angry in himself. He’ll be livid that this has happened and will be cut up about it.
You can’t avoid the fact that this game is entirely defined by his error. It’s an AD/BC moment. The world before and after are different places. It means that Liverpool have essentially lost Champions League ties in the last three seasons in a manner where poor goalkeeping is paramount. Loris Karius has company.
It’s a massive shame because prior to the error Liverpool are marvellous. Their only weakness is their final third decision making, and even that is broadly speaking alright.
Repeatedly Jan Oblak rides his luck, saving well but parrying into company. While the Roberto Firmino goal comes back off the post, it felt long overdue something dropped to a Liverpool player for them to tap home.
Sadio Mane attempts a couple of mad overhead kicks, the first of which he could bring over and swivel, Rush-like, and turn home. Andy Robertson hits the bar; he should probably nod home. But Liverpool keep their patience, their heads and marry relentlessness with calm. They allow it to take 120 minutes and the Firmino goal vindicates that decision.
It’s Firmino I feel for the most. He does the decent thing at Anfield after so, so long. And then he is outdone, subbed and shot. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Cometh it getting taken away.
In truth, this is a piece of writing that was going to speak of many heroes.
Eulogising about Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson. Loads of chat about leadership and dynamism and tempo. Loads of brilliance from Mo Salah, yet again being played against with his own rules. Loads of chat about Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain breaking past, probing and searching. Something about Gini Wijnaldum scoring massive goals, yet again grabbing a game.
But we can’t. We can’t feel that, feel that moment. Atletico Madrid crabbed their way through, the crustaceans that they are. I’m fine with it, I’ve watched it and lived it. I have been in their shoes. There isn’t a moral position here. There is winning and losing. Goals are scored because of one player doing something brilliant, two something very good or a mistake. They hung on and got the mistake.
Liverpool are dreadful straight after and the second Atletico goal drives you mad. They needed to get to 105 but had absolutely deflated. Collapsed. It happens but it hurts to happen here and now. On this night with everything in the air.
The uncertainty about in every sense. I wanted The Reds to set me free from all the concerns. They did that and it then came crashing down around. Spinning around in circles. I wanted bright tomorrows. I wanted our adventure to continue on together.
I was thinking of you, of us, of our lives and our journey. It isn’t good that matters have concluded here because of one mistake. But it had to stop somewhere. You can’t progress in Europe forever, though Liverpool gave it a pretty good go.
A season without a European final. But with a league title. A league title! They are all our boys. It’s the reality of the never walking alone thing. You have to live it. They are all our boys and are all our heroes. One mistake doesn’t change that.
They are the Champions Of Earth. Of Europe. And very soon of England.
Up The Reds.
United fans will gloat about their treble, Arsenal fans will gloat about the Invincibles. I couldn’t give a toss – they’re fighting for the cups they’ve been deriding or disrespecting for 20yrs. I’ve been waiting since I was 15 for Liverpool to win the League again…as Shankly always said, “This is our bread and butter.” When Hendo lifts that trophy in May (be it behind closed doors or not) it will make my year! YNWA!
Here you david. But that fxcking clearance from adrian is still irking me
Troll on a Discussion Forum about the game:
Finally you kops [sic] got what you deserved.
Scouser:
What the Premier League title? Cheers lad.
It was such a bone-headed decision, wasn’t it?
That there was the momentum-turner. All they needed was a goal with the home-leg lead behind them and that was it.
Klopp has a squad good enough to challenge for a major trophy every season, but not a squad deep enough to comfortably challenge for two. The last month or so has underlined that in the summer they need another Hendo type player, and now (arguably) a more reliable backup keeper than Adrian. Doesn’t need to be as brilliant as Allison, but needs to not be prone to the kind of thoughtless error that cost them so dearly this morning.
Sickening. The final scoreline is one of the biggest travesties in football history. Don’t get me wrong: I like Simeone, in a Al Pacino as Scarface way, but that’s not genius coaching. It’s outrageous good fortune, so absolutely maddening that his pre-match routine must have consisted of a satanic ritual, possibly a human sacrifice. It’s obscene that they not only go through, after being pummelled beyond belief, but that they actually win the match?! It’s a lie, basically, an epic mistruth.
I agree on the point about squad depth. Some guys are coming through and others will come good but while we have the best team in the world, the squad isn’t at the same level. If Hendo, VVD or Alisson get injured, well, we’ve seen it. I don’t want to pillory Adrián, he’s played his role this season, but what a moment to drop a series of clangers like that. Anyway, if there’s any justice, and there may not be, we’ll get to parade the league trophy in front of our fans and the millions in the street. It’s still an incredible season, one of the greatest ever. It’ll always stay that way. Number seven can come next year.
Is very obvious that we try all our best but the best wasn’t enough. Is a night full of tears,unbelievable because we have already have the league at hand. The mistakes is very obvious within five minutes we conceived two goals.
It’s not something to talk about. We the Liverpool fans in Nigeria you’re very bittered.
This Adrian thing. He had 4 shots at him last night and was right up there with the human hologram, old smoke hands Karius with how he dealt with them; he picked all 4 out of the net.
His best pass of the night, true like an arrow hitting the bullseye, complete cruise middle of a pass, straight to their lad and then just watched more or less as he lashes it past him. For the second he is like a shop dummy, rooted to the spot and then a flop.
All season long this lad has made mistakes, such as Southampton, Brighton, Chelsea. On the main we criticise others and we except he is a ressie keeper. But sorry we have a squad of players and others get shit when they’re not good enough but not this lad. Well after last night I am going to call it, whether he feels cut up, because that fucking pass is brain fart stuff and from then on in he goes to shit. He didn’t even have to be the hero last night but he certainly wrestled defeat from the bowels, never mind the jaws of victory.
People at the Club will be more ruthless than my words, just ask Loris, Bogdan and Mignolet.
It was so, so cruel last night, undeserved but worst of all it was done by one of our own, someone who had fuck all to do and yet he truly grabbed the fucking spotlight in stunning circumstances when he got the chance.
For me if he feels the need to do something of this magnitude in future, at least karate kick Simone or wear a mankini or some shit, however only he will know how he managed to pick out their only player amongst a sea of red options all so easy to pass to, but he pulled the peach out of the bag with that pass. Thing is he couldn’t do it if his life depended on it to one of his team mates and that’s what fucking gauls me. As for the rest of the team, this one will sting at levels we can’t imagine… well actually I can because I am cut up as fuck about last night.
Cruise missile not middle. Fucking stupid bastard autocorrect shit
Beautifully put, Neil.
I only slept an hour in the night after that. Stared at the ceiling. This one was so hard to take. It was an exceptionally heroic performance, undone by a massive blackout by our 2nd choice keeper.
Well, we all know that to conquer Europe you need a world class keeper. Shame ours got injured at the wrong time.
We will go again next year. Hopefully with an improved squad and no major outgoings.
Yes Adrian wasted the last few minutes of glory and missing the ties. While the rest were superb form and l was hoping that they do the triple and keep the game on and on….
Anyway YNWA and Epl is the focus
If we were not reigning Champions of Europe and the Planet, if we were not Champions Elect of England, this would have hurt so much more.
It hurts.
It hurts, but I can’t find myself angry (not now, at least, I was proper fuming at the time). The side did themselves proud and went out like warriors. And I love ’em like my own family.
YNWA
the first team to expose weaknesses in VVD’s game, and punish them last evening…
Not all the fault of the keeper.
Gutted..but we had quite a few players out there who could have helped out…for nearly 100 min we annihilated them..pummeled into the ground, how we didnt get 5 or 6 I’ll never know. Adrian has been class this season and no doubt he’s distraught. Give the man a break! YNWA forever
Adrian didn’t cost liverpool the game. His poor pass cost them the goal in that moment. Let’s not fool ourselves though. Everyone loves a scapegoat but it’s impossible to pin it all on one player when so many shots don’t go in. And that’s not only because of Oblak either.
I love Bobby but he missed a sitter. Mo should score at least one of his chances. Robertson’s header. Sadios other chances.
Even after Madrids goal there is loads of time. For some strange reason the liverpool defence just falls asleep for their second.
The truth is that the game should never get to extra time. And despite an amazing performance from Liverpool the finishing was not enough.
I don’t understand why one blatant mistake from the keeper eclipses the many other errors in front of goal. It don’t make sense.
That being said, if Alison was in goal we go through.
Don’t agree with Capt Hendo saying Reds deserved to go through in overall performance. We conceded 3 at home so under no circumstances can He claim that. Over both games LFC 11 shots on target. Scored 2. 146% possession. Athletico 8 shots on target. Scored 4. 46% possession
Stevie C, I read your comments above and whilst I have been critical of Adrián performance because there was not one thing he did well on the night, I wouldn’t have gone as far to describe his error(s) as blatant. Yes he had a truly awful performance on the night and has had numerous occasions when he’s been poor for other goals and put us under unnecessary pressure but I put this down to him being average not down to wishing to throw a game, which the use of blatant would seemingly accuse him of doing.
You can fall or stumble. Take it on the chin, and move on.
Outstanding team look at what was before look at what will come.
Twice in the final.
Ride on, exciting times ahead.
We all thought the season was essentially over with this result, bar the shouting.
We didn’t know how right we were..