19 Feb 2020 00:29:09
Fair play to athletico Madrid they deserved the win, we were terrible. People saying their tactics were brilliant, I didn't see anything different from them tatic wise to say they r any different to the likes if Burnley ( no disrespect to Burnley) . Sean dyche plays that way and he's negative simone plays that way and he's a mastermind. Lol.


1.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 05:46:46
I wouldn’t say we were terrible. 75% possession in a champions league game. Atletico defended superbly and gave us nothing in the final third. I hate watching Atletico though, they always remind me of a Tony Pulis team with better players.


2.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 07:20:33
Agree thunderbird, I think we actually played very well over 80% of the pitch but we just lacked the killer pass/ finish and they defended well. What I really hate though is the way they tried to get Mane sent off and hence why he was subbed, that changed our game in the end. They also went rolling around the pitch whenever tackled. tactical masterclass to try level the playing field but it’s not pretty or worthy of respect no matter how good they are.


3.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 07:40:08
Possession means zip, unless you're Brendan Rodgers. We didn't have a shot on target! When was the last time that happened? Ref didn't help but he isn't fully to blame.


4.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 08:37:18
You can say 99% possession if you want. but not one shot on target is embarrassing how ever you want to look at it.
You can only pass backwards and side ways so meany times. It plays into there hands. I know they are very compact at the back but how meany times did we have an offside! I couldn’t see one of our front 3 play off the shoulder of the defensive. Straight balls up field from defence or midfield are to easy to defend. Put some diag balls in and mix it up. Bit More direct.
Just my view of course.

{Ed001's Note - we didn't have an offside because they were so deep, nothing to do with not playing diagonal balls. We played plenty of them.}


5.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 10:04:29
ed001 I hate watching Atletico they remind me so much of how Diego Simeone played fouled a lot then rolls on the floor all the time when hardly touched. And the ref fell for it every time I don't know how refs keep falling for it with his side, they much watch the games on the tv and think look at them so must be ready for them when they ref them.

{Ed001's Note - I love how they commit a foul and then go down like they are shot and the ref gives them the free kick. Oh no wait, I don't love it, I hate that kind of cheating. But it is the mentality he brings.}


6.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 10:21:49
Burnley on steroids mate.

When the draw was made my immediate thought was that this will be the ultimate test of our final progression from that team that blitzes teams on the counter to truly being able to beat all types of teams. It is fair to say that a weakness of our team, at least until the last 12 months, was that we'd struggle to break teams down. And Athletico present probably the most supreme version of parking the bus combined with all the professional acts of gamesmanship.

It is a great challenge for us and I'm glad we got them to be honest. Really keen to see how we rise to this challenge.


7.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 10:28:51
I don't think we played poorly at all. Had enough possession, controlled the ball, dictated the pace of the game. We just didn't create enough opportunities for the front 3 to be clinical and to do what they normally do best. It felt like we were playing the Spanish version of Crystal Palace. The kind of game we usually draw in the EPL. Except we let in a goal at the 4th minute and we were always playing catch up. The referee did not help by being conned so often. And it's not so easy to play in a packed stadium with howling, screaming supporters reacting to your every move (our players and ref, too) .

It was comical to see Simeone (much respect to him as a manager) jumping up and down. Next time someone should give him a skirt and pompoms so his cheerleading is more effective.

Like Klopp said, it's only half-time for the tie. It's not a big deal yet. PSG lost to Dortmund, at Dortmund, and it's not a disaster for them, either. That's how Champions League is.

I really hope Keita gets into some kind of good form soon. I think his ability to drive the ball up the middle (which is very difficult against Atletico) and glide past players, could be effective at Anfield, and could even be the key. Ox can do that too, but he's still trying to find his optimal form. And I hope extra time is spent on set pieces, in training, because once again corners, crosses and free kicks are not going past the first man. We had the tallest man on the pitch (by far) in VVD and we couldn't get the ball to his head on set pieces.


8.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 11:07:35
When Klopp does it it's passion. Another manager does it and he should be given a skirt and pompoms and called a cheerleader.


9.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 11:29:16
Yes, sure. Instruct your players to play anti-football, with play acting and negative tactics and then egg on the crowd to howl and scream should be rewarded with skirts and pompoms. And then to say "Liverpool is the best team in the World but we beat them tonight" (which means "hey, look at me, I'm a genius of a manager") entitles him to matching hair ribbons with the skirt and pompoms.


10.) 19 Feb 2020
19 Feb 2020 13:51:45
That's classy Yawn, dedicating your name to Ole's style of football.