Guy_Incognito

f*** it. If it's anything like Istanbul, just treat it as going to catch a bus. Just turn up and wait for the next one. To anywhere in the UK.

This is a nice little piece from football365: - Monster Masch Will Eat Pirlo Alive Posted 22/05/07 09:43EmailPrintSave The average Italian football fan loves a bit of history to aid their pre-match predictions and, being particularly superstitious, any lucky coincidental quirk of history always goes down well. When the entire semi-final line-up for the World Cup was made up of European sides last summer, the Italian press got very excited because the last time that happened was in 1982. Back then Italy won the competition, and lo and behold they did it again last year. This is one example of using a spooky parallel from the past to foresee the future and calm nerves. Another, very apt one, regards the 1994 Champions League Final. Against all the odds, an AC Milan side with a defence decimated by suspensions managed to absolutely destroy their much-vaunted opponents Barcelona. The great and good of football writers had written off the Italian club's chances and were all in love with the Catalans' swashbuckling style of play and crafty striker Romario. It was almost a forgone conclusion - the 'Dream Team' were going to take the trophy back to the Camp Nou. But it became a Blaugrana 'mare as Fabio Capello's team humiliated Barca 4-0. No one, not even Mystic Meg predicted that, let alone Russell Grant and Johan Cruyff. Memories, anecdotes and pictures of that Athens masterclass from the Rossoneri are now being dragged back out, and it is a nice little omen for the Italians to believe in. Same city, same sparkling all-white kit on Wednesday. But they would do well to remember another game in the Greek capital, a full ten years after that final, which contained a monumental display of man-marking. August 24 2004 might mean very little to most Milan and Liverpool fans, but it was the day that Javier Mascherano ate Andrea Pirlo. And if he is selected tomorrow, he will relish the chance to not only snuff out fancy-feet Kaka, but also dominate the floppy-haired playmaker once again. It was the Olympic football tournament semi-final, and scoff if you like, but the Italy XI had a certain Alberto Gilardino and Daniele De Rossi in the side and they were taking it very seriously. The Argies themselves were also there to do the business and they actually went on to win the final and the gold medal without conceding a goal in the entire competition. In the pre-match build-up to that semi in the Karaiskaki Stadium in Athens, all the talk had been about the impressive Pirlo and how he was the player of the Olympics so far. He was expected to dictate this match and impose his style on the Argentines. But young Javier decided that wasn't going to happen, and he gave the sleepy-eyed schemer the kind of attention that he didn't want. 'Masche' was a constant thorn in his opponent's side and stopped him from having any genuine impact on the tie. Whenever Pirlo's youthful teammates gave him the ball hoping he could conjure up a killer through ball or coax a chance for the strikers, the then River Plate midfielder snapped into him crisply and fairly, robbing him of the ball or sending him to the deck. On that boiling afternoon this latest, least expected Kop hero suffocated his illustrious prey and laid the foundations on which his nation tamed, and then massacred the much-fancied Azzurri. Obviously there are several significant differences this time, and it isn't a cert that the Argentine anchor will start, but if he does, and Rafa seems to be putting a lot of faith in the once Unhappy Hammer, he will not be intimidated or afraid of Milan's number 21. Granted, he will also need to keep an eye on Ricky Kaka too, but one feels that unlike most people, Pirlo won't have forgotten that other, crucial match in Athens three seasons ago. The Reds couldn't have a better man for the job of stewarding and crunching Milan's dangermen, and Xabi Alonso, himself a wonderful player, has a right to feel very unfortunate to have had his glorious Anfield career somewhat disrupted by the South American fella. In his own way, the serious, Diego Simeone-admiring 22-year old who played with such maturity and bite in the top flights in Argentina and Brazil and the World Cup, before spending far too much time feeling miserable in West Ham's training kit before Christmas, may be about to become a surprise protagonists in another Greek fable. Sheridan Bird

Great article, that. Can't really add more than that's been put before. YNWA

I knew you'd come up with the goods

GOOD LAD AL!

It's actually happening!!

Getting shi'tted in a boozer that my non-Istanbul-going mates went to in 2005, and should therefore be lucky for me. Got Thursday off as well.

A mate of a lass at work works for a champagne company who supply the club with loads of Champers - she's only on the fecking plane with the team! She was under the impression that she'll be staying in the same hotel as well, but as she's staying in a 3 star, she feels that she's been misinformed somewhat. I've passed on a shirt and asked that it could be signed for me by as many players as possible.

Had a dream last night that we won 5-1 Kaka scored our 5th, however, and Fowler was playing, but in a white strip while all our other players were in red. Take what you want from that.

I was fine. Thought I'd got away with it, but then I woke up at 4am yesterday and couldn't get to sleep for hours. Just constantly thinking about the game, and in particular Mascherano vs Kaka. It's bad, I know that, but I dunno if it's worse than Istanbul. I don't think I've ever experienced anything like the PMT for that.

I've just had a goose and they are class. You can get them from here but I dunno if anything goes to the HC when you do

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

Wasn't that against Southampton? Taibi made his debut against us and played an absolute blinder, as far as I can remember. Pretty much single handedly stopped us winning that game. Definitely should keep the applauding of the oppo keeper. It's something that sets us apart from "the rest"

That fat fella who writes in the News of the World made some comment about how all the Scousers complaining wouldn't have far to go to get black market tickets "judging from the accents he heard touting tickets last year in Paris" or something

Was just about to post the same. Apparently if we win then they are going to make some more. If we do and they do they'd best be ready for me to wear to work on the Friday, dagnabit.

Can we still smoke on here?

RIP

Surely the proportion that went to Corporate was roughly the same for Istanbul, though? And I don't know anyone who'd been to enough games who didn't get tickets for that. There appeared to be an influx of fans since then (getting tickets since has been far harder for any games in my experience) so I would have thought that increasing the required loyalty back over previous seasons possibly would have ensured that the "more deserving" definitely got tickets. Including Haifa I'm sure would have got rid of a few folk as well. I really can't see the logic in not including that.

Just done a quick count on the people who've posted on here: - 9 tickets, 59 rejections. Perhaps this site is disproportionately unlucky...

Me and the 3 lads that I go with have all missed out. Right then, next up - which boozer is everyone watching it? EDIT: another fella who's got a season ticket hasn't got a ticket, and nor has his missus. Out of 6 people, none has got a ticket!

I have to say I agree. We took 50,000 to Istanbul, can you imagine if it was in Paris? There'd be about 200,000 fecking Scousers there!