MOTM to me is Masch.. he did a great job as RB.. gave some crucial tackles, hold up ball very well, and done a fantastic overlaped run..
the most important - never stop for chasing the ball...
congrats masch!!!

Some quick thoughts from the match, having missed the first 30 minutes. Good to see Torres back and on the scoresheet. Once again Reina saves our arse and keeps the 3 points. Very unlucky not to get a cleansheet imo, especially considering he jumped the right direction.

Maxi does look a lot better today and no surprise there as he's not being played out of position. Does very well linking up with players around him - Torres/Kuyt/Masch, one would wonder how much Johnson would benefit from him. I was hoping that Rafa would pull the trigger on Kuyt and actually tries Riera, Benayoun/Aquaman, Rodriguez around Torres but alas he didn't and fair play to him because Kuyt did a decent job tonight. Once again, credits to the former Alteti winger for the assist to his former teammate.

Gerrard is a little better but there are plenty of poor moments from the skipper. Pretty much sums up his season for me - inconsistent.

Defense is still a little shaky and unconvincing, especially Agger who of recent has been prone to mistakes - poor first touch and clearance. Not sure how much that has to do with protecting Insua, but he's usually calmer than this. Carra's just Carra, think it was poor communication with Agger to concede that hand-ball. Very unlucky. Mascherano is ok but he tends to be sucked into attackers, leaving space on the right.

Reina as I've said earlier saved our asses throughout the season does it again. Thought the shot was going in but that stretch was world class. Any milisecond delay and it's 2 points lost. Motm for me despite the commentators going on and on about him poor at crosses.

Not a convincing win but then again the penalty was a gift and Blackburn were lucky not to get 2 players sent off. In fact, I'm happy we won because it was a lack of class display from their players who seem to be more interested in injuring people. Speaking of injuries, Aurelio - how unlucky. I for one think he needs to be sold in the summer in return for a backup defensive LB, plus we have Mavinga, not sure about his progress in the reserves but is he ready for 3rd choice LB?

Good for you on saying the same thing in entire thread.

Aurelio needs to be sold? No way.. he's really good and I think he should start ahead of Insua. Well, he did, but his thigh... uuggghh

Insua, Lucas and Maxi have all improved. Torres had a pretty quiet game apart from the few runs he did in the first half, and the goal.

And Benny, wow, he backed Lucas's ass when that Inzazi or whatever he is messed with Lucas.

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Added on March 1, 2010, 1:23 amGet out of here..

This post has been edited by Playboy21: Mar 1 2010, 01:23 AM

maxi and torres were striking partners when they were playing at A Madrid
hence the goal and this game were their first starting game wif Liv
so expect more to come

footballocks didnt update their site..
any links for match highlight .. ??
all mamak showed the cup final ..

but he allowed Pedersen to do double strike toward Reina

I think Aurelio is in last year of his contract and dont forget he very good in set piece and score some brilliant goal against chelsea and manu.Just unlucky with the injury

Good
+ torres scored
+ maxi assist
+ lucas most improved player setup goal

Bad
- not a covincing win
- 2 games 2 injury
- should be better

Other thought
= unfair for babel & aquaman cz not in team sheet
= shuld be subs torres for aquaman instead of ngok
= poor lucas most improved player got hit by nzonzi
= hate to watch diouf
= kalinic face look similar to messi

Aurelio wont be sold....simply because his contract ends in summer.He will leave on free if there he wants to.

Interesting reply from Rafa after Big Sam claiming Rafa copied his Bolton.

This post has been edited by solstice818: Mar 1 2010, 07:02 AM

i love 4-4-2!!!...but only in the 1st half!



MOTM - pepe reina!

This post has been edited by leftist: Mar 1 2010, 08:42 AM

No contract talks with him? Guess he's leaving for free then. =/ I love Aurelio too and on form he is our best LB however he is too injury-prone and is pushing 30 already. We are only lucky because Insua has been fit all season. Dossena has already left, hence I would make a left back purchase a priority this summer. And if we could get a 3rd choice LB (Hopefully) in Mavinga, Aurelio would be a surplus.

blackburn dun play football

they are war mongers

l.u.c.a.s

Some of Blackburn's play was disgusting last night. And methinks 'Big' Sam himself is to blame for encouraging his players to do just that. Damned.

And for Casillas to be keeping Reina out of the Spainish first eleven must mean he is quite the keeper indeed. Reina will walk into any national team, in his sleep even.

Were they? Djibril Cisse scored 70 goals in 128 games for Auxerre before we signed him. Pretty decent if you ask me. Milan Baros was top scorer for the Czech Republic in the 2004 European Championships. We beat the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Barcelona and Ajax to the signature of Igor Biscan. Jerzy Dudek was Dutch goalkeeper of the year before we signed him, becoming the first foreign player to win the award. In his first season with us, he was nominated alongside Oliver Kahn and Gianluigi Buffon for UEFA Goalkeeper of the year. Yet Rafa made the right decision to let him go as he can't even get into the Polish setup now. My point? Well, most of them weren't crap before coming over, turning out good only after leaving.

My point of contention is that if you look at all the player that Rafa has released, very few if any really turned out to be gems. You named Hyypia and Bellamy, neither of whom have made a marked improvement. Bellamy was always Bellamy except that he was occasionally played out of position and I think he was released more because of his temperament than his ability. Hyypia is in the twilight of his career and his best years will always have been at Liverpool, event if Bayer win the Bundesliga this season.

On last night's game against Blackburn, I was really surprised to see Mascherano played at right fullback despite Martin Kelly being fully fit. We clearly missed Masch's presence in front of the back four. Lucas is a hard worker, no doubt but the fact that Blackburn mustered 8 shots on goal to our 3, despite playing at Anfield shows that we lacked cover. Lucas had an almost disastrous first half, though one could argue that he was shoved off the ball when his loss of possession almost resulted in a goal against us. He did better in the second half. Was it he that threaded that sublime pass through to Torres, leading to our 2nd goal? Can't remember.

Thuggery
Alan Wiley was overly lenient if you ask me. Nzonzi should have been red carded for assault. The rules are simple really. You cannot raise your hands against an opponent and Nzonzi clearly threw Lucas to ground. Chimbonda himself should at least have been disciplined for kicking Maxi in the chest. Sam Allardyce's tactics were clear. They came to impose themselves physically and unsettle us, and it almost worked. Forget that Gerrard's goal came after a well worked move, and Torres' goal was the result of a sublime pass even before the ball rebounded to Maxi, we were outplayed for much of the match. At each opportunity, Blackburn would throw Samba, who is used as a utility striker, forward. I've lost count the number of times Blackburn pushed everyone in front of our goal even if it was a goalkick.

Passive
It's really frustrating to have to watch your side sit back after going ahead, resulting in a nail-biting finish to the game. After going for the jugular against Unirea, we simply let Blackburn play in the 2nd half, sitting deep, too deep in fact. If not for Reina, we could have lost the game. Each time there was a setpiece, I held my breath. I know it has worked for us in the past but when you see the likes of Insua and Gerrard having to defend corners or setpieces against someone like Christopher Samba, you have to ask what's wrong with the picture?

Dirk Kuyt
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. He plays his best football for us when he is pushed further forward. On the wings, his lack of pace and skill is exposed. When he's in the opposition box, he doesn't need a great degree of pace. All he needs is a couple of touches to get himself into space to get a shot off. Pity he didn't score with an overhead kick after setting himself up so well. For those that remember, he was played further forward at the beginning of last season and he flourished there being our top scorer in that time.

MOM for me? Either Pepe Reina or Dirk Kuyt. I felt the former commanded his area pretty well despite a few dodgy decisions coming off his line. His save at the end of the game was top class. Kuyt may not have scored but he worked tirelessly up front, showing some good touches and closing down defenders at any given opportunity. Afterall, you should start defending up front.

On a side note, good to see Torres back. He showed some good touches. There was on occasion he showed some nifty footwork to ghost past Samba and someone else and they could only stop him by bringing him down. Good also to see Agger marshalling the backline. He is as vocal as Carra and you need that sort of player on the pitch. Stevie is our captain, but Carra's the one always barking instructions. It's similar to what Rafa had at Valencia in Roberto Ayala, when Rubens Baraja was captain.

This post has been edited by Duke Red: Mar 1 2010, 11:09 AM

i hav to say, idont think that pass from lucas was meant for torres to chase, it was for maxi if im not mistaken but maxi let the ball roll forwards

i love this formation 4-4-2.. although we look albeit slow during 2nd half, but we look so lively on 1st half..
gerrard done well as CM although..
kuyt also played well as a 2nd striker behind Torres..
maxi also can prove to us that he can play better and better after this..
Lucas can play better but i still hope rafa can give the equal chance to Aqua as well n then will look which is better between both Lucas n Aqua...
hopefully rafa can maintain this formation becos we look aggresive with this formation..

Big Sam could mould a bunch of sissies into thugs. Shudder to think what will happens if he's England coach.

Casillas & Reina both enter the scene at almost the same time as teenager. Being custodian to Spanish behemoths RM & Barca respectively. Truth to be told, Reina doesn't impressed much during that time while Casillas takes all the plaudit with those breath taking saves. For these past few seasons, Reina certainly can be held in the same regard as Casillas. Both are excellent short stopper but seems the managers always go with the safer choice. Same like the time when Shilton & Clemence both vie for England no 1.

for maxi to chase??
no doubt that pass is for torres to chase..

u just watch football yesterday aar? Sam allydyce always play rough against anyone. his team usually consisted of thugs rather than footballer. that's why if you can move faster than the tackle flying in, you'll catch his team on at least 2 goals. Arsenal has been at the receiving end of Sammy's team for the past 6 years. AW bemoans whenever we need to face sammy's team, be it bolton, newcastle or blackburn.

beat 2 defender then beat keeper?.
he IS TORRES!

"His armband proved
he was a red
Torres Torres
You'll never walk alone it said
Torres Torres
We bought the lad from sunny Spain
He gets the ball
He scores again
Fernando Torres
Liverpool's # 9"