JRC

That takes me back - was there that night, it was freezing. Could possibly find myself right behind the goal in the away end of the quality was better. Answers a question I had about which hat-trick had the shortest collective yardage, confirmed now as Kuyt vs Utd. Kenny was absolutely on it that night, iirc at one point he dummied a Wrexham player by feigning an injury as he was challenged from behind, then turning him and going away when the lad stopped. Reminder how good Clemence was as well - he even does well to get a hand to the shot for goal after being wrong footed in the mud - but some of the other saves are typically strong, without any showing off.

Agree that it was the mentality issue here as much as individuals, tactics etc. Them maintaining confidence that being 2-0 down and us flying was not an issue, then the control of the game they enforced when they got in front sucked the life out of us. That we didn't fly into them when we went 2 down was disappointing - but it soon became apparent what world-class, well coached, confident players can do when they have the upper hand. To some extent, all the timings and context broke for them - Allison's blunder (really not on board with getting on Gomez for that one, btw) was the more damaging of the two goalie errors - because they'd already made up for Courtois' mistake with their first, it was probably less expected in the flow of the game, closer to half time etc. Even so, I still went into that 2nd half with the expectation we could continue to go toe-to-toe with them, but those next 2 were sickeners, especially the deflection, and so close together. Even so, if the breaks had been different - the scramble gone in, or if we had got a spawny deflection rather than them, I can't convince myself that they wouldn't have just upped their game again. Tbh, they reminded me of us in the early 80's - the Mean Machine. Just ruthlessly efficient.

Definitely thought he was waiting for a word in his ear to look at the Ox penalty shout on the monitor.

They've clearly worked on Elliott's defensive responsibility, he was excellent tracking back today without compromising his positive contribution. Really mature performance

And got very spicy with a Talksport journo who asked some straight questions, and didn't buy the 'relegation favourites' nonsense. Amused that he disputed how much money was spent in Summer - resorted to net spend because Richarlison went, so in fact they were bottom of the spend table.

No one loves him more than this.... https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkylkfFIymG/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Massive cognitive dissonance going on over there. Only a week ago, 2 different pre-weekend radio round ups were waxing lyrical about the job he has done there. Tonight a fan called Talksport (pre-match) to complain the presenter wasn't positive enough and failed to recognise how much better things were now. Yet listen to most fans around and they reluctantly admit its pretty s***. He gets an easy ride from the media and the fans are - just about - still prepared to give him the non-Rafa benefit. Despite s*** teams beneath them, another relegation struggle cannot be ruled out - the WC break keeps him there until well into next year, but it could get very ugly very quickly, especially if the FA Cup goes like tonight did.

Like the look of Ramsay. His first touch as a Red was a Cruyff(ish) turn. That'll do for me. Hansenesque.

Yeah, should've let it go, apparently he told the managers etc. How many fouls did he award in the game? The "logic" from some pundits would have it that none should have been given. However, it would also have meant our goal wouldn't have happened, because it came from a nothing foul he blew up for on De Bruyne. (Nice to see the free kick called another pre-assist for him) Also - did Salah get a single foul awarded for fouls on him? And has Silva been cited for the snidey off the ball kick yet?

Ringer for the one Utd got at PSG, but as that became part of the myth that kept Solskjaer in place for far longer than was rational, not all bad.

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James was also poor defensively against Leeds a few weeks ago. His defensive failings just don't get the spotlight Trent's do; and he's a good step below Trent going forward, as are most others playing that position. But it should be noted that Southgate is now claiming Trippier has a better all round game than Trent as well, which is nonsense

During, in fact. When Thomas missed a penalty at 6-0. How they didn't refer to Jenas and Parker playing in the Newcastle midfield when Milner came on with Clark's dad 17 years ago I have no idea. Usually pick up those weird stats.

I don't know, Momo's ability to randomly launch the ball vertically was uncanny

Been parking on the road outside that school for 5 years now - no tickets issued at all. Always get a spot, and we rock up 30 minutes before kick off. Good for getting away as well, even if you are heading for the motorway, I guess, by swinging round through Bootle to Dunnings Bridge Rd/Switch Island/M57

This 100%. Not only was it only 7 weeks after Hillsborough, the complicit FA insisted on no League extension, forcing us to play 3 games in 6 days, one including extra time at a boiling, emotionally charged Wembley. We were brilliant against West Ham on the Tuesday, 4 goals establishing a GD lead over Arsenal (who hadn't played for 2 weeks, had benefitted from postponing games when their top scorer was unfit and had had a healthy lead in the table until we hunted them down relentlessly); but we were gassed that day as well and conceded a late one to Leroy Rosenior - that was the goal that made Arsenal's win possible. To get as close as we did before breaking was genuinely heroic.

Tbf to Konate, I thought he did well to impose himself physically on Jimenez after that dodgy first 25 minutes or so

With Sammy on this. Ended as expected. We did our job - this magnificent team is no less magnificent because Villa couldn't hold City, just as everyone thought. Was in the ground, and got a little annoyed at the exuberance at them being 1-0 down when we were not winning against a stubborn and dangerous Wolves, so had somewhat zoned out from their scoreline, and hadn't really processed the 0-2 before someone confirmed they had 'got one back'. I was as sure at that point that they would get 3 as I was that we would go on to win, a fact confirmed a few minutes later; so went all zen, enjoying our win and hopeful as I was at 4:00 of an unexpected Villa-based twist. Massively proud of what these boys have done so far and cannot be down when we have ANOTHER CL final yet to come. Worth pointing out that Villa had to play Thursday, so that they collapsed before the end (with less than 30% of the ball at that point) was hardly unexpected - see also Newcastle and Wolves against City these past weeks; we both exhaust teams, and take advantage by the end. Mings and Olsen are obvious candidates for bemoaning Villain failings, but I've got an even bigger gripe with Watkins, who has been scrawpy as f*** against us but was Iheanacho squared yesterday against them. Ah Well. Consolation? Maybe a season ending thing, but whilst we have gone 1 goal down in our last 4 league games, they have gone 2 down when it really mattered in the last 2; added to which they had multi-goal capitulations in their 2 semi-finals, so there is a vulnerability that Haaland won't fix, and it's certainly not the case that they have been limited by a lack of goals. And don't forget that we bettered them by 7 points in the League since we added Diaz in January - Title winning form over a season. Onward and upward to Paris, with not one but 2 mad Left Backs in scoring form, always a good thing. Come on you Mighty Reds!!!

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I understand the disaffection with Adrian after Atletico in 2020, but he is clearly a really appreciated squad member - by Klopp and his team as well as the other players - , and this group is nothing if not a massively cohesive band of brothers (and sisters). Given the symmetry of all 3 keepers winning penalty shoot outs against Chelsea, I'm more than happy to see him participating in full (and in full kit) in the celebrations.

Didn't Paddy Power do one of their hilarious skits about Tsimikas for massively celebrating the League Cup win when he didn't get on? Karma, f***wits

Watched the highlights reluctantly - I had got it in my head that their goal came from the Konate header which went straight to one of their midfield and put them goal side of our defensive mids, but it wasn't. As has been noted, we were still all over the place from the previous corner, Trent making his way across from the left, but what probably threw us was that the ball had gone all the way back to Lloris. I don't think I have seen a team as committed as Spurs to playing out from as deep at the back as they did (and for which we were prepared, hence the relentless intensity of our press from the start), with them always aiming to go round the press rather than through it. On a risk-reward basis it was usually to our favour, but they did manage to release players dangerously a couple of times. Tbh, it was a fascinating match up between two top coaches and teams following the tactics. BUT - for their goal Lloris went long immediately, the Wing Backs were already pushed right up - no fannying about passing to Dier or Romero(?) on the goal line. Maybe we had just got lulled into a false sense of security that we would have 20 seconds or so to regain our shape, so when it was back in our half so quickly we were totally confused? Maybe that was always part of a Conte bait and switch (much as when we are away especially we often go long and wide from Virgil a lot early on to push their line back, before playing through the gaps in the middle)? Not usually one to analyse tactics, but there was definitiely something facinating about Saturday. 2 other points. 1 - Not having we were lucky with the deflection. You defend your area like that, it's always a possibility, so keep having a pop. 2 - sad that the one generally reliable Ref has dropped off a cliff. Second shocker from Oliver in a month, really, really poor

The BBC Sport website is execrable - it usually manages to show 3 or 4 different status updates for the game at any one time which don't appear co-ordinated - Front page, Live text, scores, match header - and even goes backward in time when you refresh sometimes. At 90 minutes last night it went absolutely mental as it oscillated between 0-1, 1-1 and 2-1 and then back again. I had to go on Twitter to check what had actually happened - and the timelines there were all screwed as well - by which time it was 3-1 irl. Was all rather disruptive fun, tbh.

Arsenal? Probably, less likely they reached the final

Tbf, Sheffield Wednesday reached both domestic Cup Finals in 93, I believe, but were not in any European competition - so technically played all the games they were qualified for at the outset