Gattuso gives Rafa his team talk 3 weeks before the final!

[alias75]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/...p;TEAMHD=soccer

 

AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has dismissed Champions League final opponents Liverpool as a "long ball" side.

 

Gattuso and his team-mates saw off Manchester United in the semi-finals this week to set up a repeat of the 2005 final, when Liverpool recovered from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties.

 

Of the two sides, former Rangers midfielder Gattuso believes United are the better team and accused Liverpool of using outdated tactics.

 

He said: "I feel there is a noticeable difference in talent between Manchester United and Liverpool and that we have beaten the better side of the two.

 

"United have far more technical players, who are quick and able to do things on the ball. Liverpool do not have those individuals.

 

"What they have is a way of playing as a team. They are like an Italian team of 10 years ago. All they try to do is defend together, with everybody behind the ball and just one striker. Every ball is a long ball."

[John am Rhein]

Must have missed those Italian teams playing a long ball game 10 years ago.

[RedNik]

It surprises me - the number of people who indict us of this.

 

Yes we do lack those flair players in the final third - there is no doubt about that. That being said, we are clearly about short passing, and a pass and move system.

 

Rarely do we play 1 striker up front - and in reality even Crouch isn't very well equipped to deal with hoofed up long balls.

[Guest Sabre]

He's a bit thick isn't he?

[Benitez]

"and just one striker"

 

'Footballers are thick' shocker.

[John am Rhein]

It surprises me - the number of people who indict us of this.

 

Yes we do lack those flair players in the final third - there is no doubt about that. That being said, we are clearly about short passing, and a pass and move system.

 

Rarely do we play 1 striker up front - and in reality even Crouch isn't very well equipped to deal with hoofed up long balls.

 

Surprises me even more that people persistently assume that there's something wrong or inferior about a 'long ball' game.

 

If opponents keep misunderstanding how we play because they make false assumptions about Peter Crouch because he's so tall then all the better for us.

 

Tend to think the manager of AC Milan might actually watch one or two videos of us playing, though - even if Gattuso doesn't.

[Stevie H]

he's the italian joey barton.

[alias75]

Theres a huge difference between a long punt downfield and a long pass, we can be a direct team sometimes but the long passes are usually on the money. Wonder if hes saying these things because he knows if we are direct with Crouch and Kuyt thats probably the last thing the Milan defence wants. Someone like Nesta has always struggled against tall forwards, i remember Hartson giving him a torrid time for Wales, i think Crouch's height really could trouble them.

[kacangpool]

The mancs making it easy for them actually did us a favour. Milan prolly think that we are easy meat, they tore us apart in Istanbul first half. This season, apart from our performance against Arsenal (in the PL) and Barca (away), we've not really shown all our cards. Mancs did that when they trashed Roma, and similarly with Milan trashing the mancs. I think they'll be in for a real surprise, we are just fecking hard to beat.

 

The manc didn't learn that without Gattuso they got to play better and actually win in their first leg 2nd half. Rafa learnt fast by putting Hamman in the 2nd half at Istanbul. Obviously, Ginsoak is thick for not realising that. I'm kinda glad that Milan seem a tad overconfident.

Edited May 4, 2007 by kacangpool

[RafaShanks]

He's a bit thick isn't he?

 

Ain't that the truth. They will be facing a far superior group of players than the class of 2005. We'll be facing virtually the same team but two years older. They should be cacking it.

[Guest]

Crouch to start then?

[McBain]

Utd are better than us. And we did play a lot of long balls in the semi 2nd leg. He, or the journo who wrote it up, is over simplifying things though

 

It's not all we can do, we're capable of a lot more than just a direct game

[Gilps]

So is he counting Kaka as an out-and-out striker then? Because the straight choice between Gilardino and Inzaghi looks a bit like playing one striker to me.

[tag]

The manc didn't learn that without Gattuso they got to play better and actually win in their first leg 2nd half. Rafa learnt fast by putting Hamman in the 2nd half at Istanbul. Obviously, Ginsoak is thick for not realising that. I'm kinda glad that Milan seem a tad overconfident.

 

 

Mascherano for the Hamann role then??

[John am Rhein]

So is he counting Kaka as an out-and-out striker then? Because the straight choice between Gilardino and Inzaghi looks a bit like playing one striker to me.

 

That probably comes down to what word they've decided to translate as 'striker'. I assume this interview wasn't given in English - although it could have been because Gattuso was in Glasgow and presumably speaks pretty good English - certainly enough to tell Paul Scholes where to get off anyway.

[RafaShanks]

Mascherano for the Hamann role then??

 

Does that mean Mascha will only play the 2nd half?

[Tosh]

Does that mean Mascha will only play the 2nd half?

 

By which time we have to be 3-0 down

[floyd]

Can see Steven giving the cvnt, as Racist Ron would say, an equaliser, early on, like he did Dacourt when we played Leeds.

 

mirror link

GATT FIGHT

'Kitty' Gattuso vows to settle score with bitter rival Gerrard in Athens final

By David Anderson 04/05/2007

 

 

MILAN midfielder Gennaro Gattuso last night began the Champions League war of words as he branded Liverpool a one-dimensional time-warp team and vowed to make Steven Gerrard eat his words.

 

Gerrard dubbed the Italy midfielder "The Smirk" for his premature half-time celebrations before the Anfield outfit pulled off their amazing Istanbul comeback in 2005.

 

The Liverpool skipper mocked Gattuso as "all mouth", adding: "He looks aggressive, but he is as scary as a kitten."

 

But as Gattuso and Milan head for Athens vowing to avenge the most bitter night of their lives, the midfielder attempted to wind up Rafa Benitez's Reds as he lambasted their style and claimed England's best team had already been put to the San Siro sword in the semi-final.

 

Gattuso, the snarling bulldog of Carlo Ancelotti's team, said: "The word for me is destiny. Maybe this time it is our destiny. I do not know but we will see in Athens.

 

"I'm just very happy because we played so well and beat United. This time last week, it seems everybody was saying 'Manchester United are the best team in Europe'. It was all we heard or saw - and we beat them.

 

"I feel there is a difference between United and Liverpool and we beat the best side of the two. United, at this moment, have far more technical players, players who are quick and able to do things on the ball.

 

"Liverpool do not have those individuals at all. They do not have that. What they have is a way of playing together, of playing as a team.

 

"But they are more like an Italian team of 10 years ago. That is the way they play. All they try to do is defend together, with everybody behind the ball and just one striker.

 

"With Liverpool all they can do is play long balls, every ball is a long ball. It is very different to Manchester, who are a footballing team."

 

The grudge clash between Gattuso and Gerrard is already likely to be a key part on May 23, and while the former Rangers midfielder did not seek out another confrontation with the Reds skipper, he did not back down either.

 

Wearing a black bobble hat bearing the legend 'Rino is now' - a reference to himself and his nickname - he said: "For me it's not about Gattuso against Gerrard, despite what he said.

 

"Gerrard is the best player in England. He is a technical player, who plays very hard and with his heart. He is a legend for his club and the best player they've got.

 

"I have more respect for him because I remember that final in Istanbul. We had won it but then he played a great game and changed everything. Then against Chelsea in the second leg on Tuesday he was amazing, unbelievable.

 

"But if he wants to say bad things about me to get me going, I am very happy. I now have 20 days to prepare to play against him again.

 

"I still say I have respect for him and like the way he plays. I am looking forward to playing against him again and looking him in the eye before it starts. Then we will see who can play."

 

Gattuso added: "We need to put the record straight. It will be different from two years ago. That I promise.

 

"On that night we were winning 3-0 and in six minutes it all turned around and from the position we were in it was suddenly 3-3. That was hard to believe.

 

"But even then we had the chances. I remember towards the end we could have finished the game off. Andriy Shevchenko had a great double chance but he couldn't score and if he had it was over.

 

"This will be a different game. Liverpool have changed their players and so have we. It will be a different story. It's impossible for it to be the same this time." The same message came from Brazilian superstar Kaka, who destroyed United over both legs and has now scored 10 goals in the Champions League campaign.

 

"It's a great chance to win a match we should have won two years ago," said the South American.

 

"I'm not after revenge, just a chance to make up for that day in Istanbul.

 

"Now there is just a final step to write ourselves into history one more time and we need our fans to be the way they were against United, to be our 12th man.

 

"I am not at the top of my game yet. I'm better than last season, but I have many more areas to improve upon. I need to learn, improve, adapt and figure out the kind of things that forwards do so I can become a more complete player.

 

"But if I can score two in the final, and equal Ruud van Nistelrooy's record for a season, that would be incredible. That is my aim."

[Rich Gobey]

Joey Bartonio

[Stevie H]

he's going to get sent off in the final.

[Rich Gobey]

he's going to get sent off in the final.

 

or suffer one of those opening minute, gerrard specials, like the tackle he put in on batty a few years ago against leeds in the fa cup. no one in their midfield wanted to go anywhere near him after that.

 

stick the maschine on kaka and they resort to the long ball for the rest of the game.

 

poet justice served.

[Boca]

The great thing about this is that Milan actually believe this "six minutes of madness" nonsense. They are looking back on that final as a game they dominated and so are still underestimating us.

[Huyton_Red]

These f'ckin idiots never learn do they

 

They always disrespect us and rip us to shreds before we play them and look like complete tw'ats when we beat them

 

You wont be playing against fletcher, scholes and carrick in three weeks you little f'cker, if gerrard. alonso and mascerano don't kick your f'ckin ass again you will come up against momo sissoko and then we will see how cocky you are

[kacangpool]

[PhilM]

By which time we have to be 3-0 down

 

 

But what sort of useless s****hawks can't come back from 3-0 down against Milan.....