TV Pundits

[mattster]

Andy Townsend and David Pleat gave us no credit at all tonight. Pleat, the curb-crawling wnaker, said Babel was "poor", Torres was "disappointing" and the general theme of his input dragged us down all evening. I Always expect us to win, I've never not fancied us to do well and I am unashamedly biased. However, that draw tonight was a very good result for Liverpool. Porto worked their socks off and, with Quaresma in their line-up, will be a match for any side in Europe at home.

Pre-match, Phil Thompson was saying on Sky that he'd have liked to have seen tonight's team line-up against Portsmouth on Saturday, and Saturday's team line-up against Porto tonight. Well, thank goodness he doesn't have any influence on Benitez, because we'd have come away with zero points tonight if Thommo had his way.

Another thing, let's stop going on about this rotation business, it's obvious from this hard-fought draw, when we were playing with what is arguably our Strongest 11 minus Agger (and eventually Pennant!), that we needed a class team on the pitch. Rafa knew this Porto side was going to take some stopping at home and now, with the benefit of hindsight, the gaffer has once again shown his class, not to mention an in-depth knowledge of foreign opposition - I'm reasonably happy with the result, and you can't seriously judge our performance too much, as we were down to 10 men for one third of the game - we did well.

Pleat is a complete waste of time, how he continues to get the nod for these gigs is beyond me, and Townsend's inclusion brings nothing extra to the table. In my opinion, they were both very poor this evening.

Edited September 18, 2007 by mattster

[McBain]

There was nothing positive in the game except a very lucky point

 

We were dogs***

[Tosh]

and... breathe

 

We got slated tonight and deservedly so. The result flatters the death out of us. They out fought and out chased us and should have created far more clear-cut chances than they did. Porto will consider it as 2 points dropped.

[realtarragona]

We were absolute s**** tonight so I don't know why you are surprised.

 

And I agree with Thompson actually.

[Guest Finnan3]

One of those games where you can't really expect praise. We dug in and got a point. But we were shocking. We'll say no more, let's move on.

[anfieldgaz]

Oh come on, nothing/no-one were worse than us tonight, commentators included!!!!!

[mattster]

Well, you are all entitled to an opinion, and I respect each and everyone, but by being so quick to dismiss our performance, you have given Porto no credit at all, and I thought they showed themselves to be a very decent outfit tonight.

[surf]

i think macca posted the stats for shots as 14-2 in their favour. tells its own story.

[Guest Finnan3]

Well, you are all entitled to an opinion, and I respect each and everyone, but by being so quick to dismiss our performance, you have given Porto no credit at all, and I thought they showed themselves to be a very decent outfit tonight.

 

Ya Porto were decent, but that doesn't change our performance?

 

We got away with a point. Can't complain with that.

[meepins]

Babel was poor considering the amount of hype there has been for him. I haven't bought it myself, he's just a kid. Torres was disappointing in an attacking sense but we didn't create any opportunities for him. He fought hard alongside Kuyt.

There was very little good apart from the defenders who managed mostly to keep Porto who used lots of width and stretched our defence.

[Sion]

Well, you are all entitled to an opinion, and I respect each and everyone, but by being so quick to dismiss our performance, you have given Porto no credit at all, and I thought they showed themselves to be a very decent outfit tonight.

 

They showed themselves to be a team we should have easily beaten had we played anywhere near our potential. They hardly troubled our goal, even less so when we had 10 men.

[dorgie]

Thought Townsend was ok tonight...didn't annoy me as much as usual. Worryingly though he started to use the term "we" at half time when referring to how Liverpool should be playing

[mattster]

Babel, like every other Liverpool player, was under constant pressure from a Porto side hellbent on making life hard for us, I don't think I've ever seen a Portugese side work so diligently.

[mattster]

Sion, I just can't agree with you on that. We are talking about a side with a decent European pedigree, and I guarantee they will shock a few people by doing well in this competition.

[Gunga Din]

Babel, like every other Liverpool player, was under constant pressure from a Porto side hellbent on making life hard for us, I don't think I've ever seen a Portugese side work so diligently.

 

 

Porto played very well tonight, and worked hard. we struggled to string 3 passes together and played like 11 lads who had never met each other before.

[lfc003]

the anti liverpool bias is from pundits is shocking

[Guest Snorky]

I like it when we don't get the credit, makes it all the sweeter at the end of the season.

 

GAME OVER, GAME WELL AND TRULY OVER

[pjwy]

Andy Townsend and David Pleat gave us no credit at all tonight. Pleat, the curb-crawling wnaker, said Babel was "poor", Torres was "disappointing" and the general theme of his input dragged us down all evening. I Always expect us to win, I've never not fancied us to do well and I am unashamedly biased. However, that draw tonight was a very good result for Liverpool. Porto worked their socks off and, with Quaresma in their line-up, will be a match for any side in Europe at home.

Pre-match, Phil Thompson was saying on Sky that he'd have liked to have seen tonight's team line-up against Portsmouth on Saturday, and Saturday's team line-up against Porto tonight. Well, thank goodness he doesn't have any influence on Benitez, because we'd have come away with zero points tonight if Thommo had his way.

Another thing, let's stop going on about this rotation business, it's obvious from this hard-fought draw, when we were playing with what is arguably our Strongest 11 minus Agger (and eventually Pennant!), that we needed a class team on the pitch. Rafa knew this Porto side was going to take some stopping at home and now, with the benefit of hindsight, the gaffer has once again shown his class, not to mention an in-depth knowledge of foreign opposition - I'm reasonably happy with the result, and you can't seriously judge our performance too much, as we were down to 10 men for one third of the game - we did well.

Pleat is a complete waste of time, how he continues to get the nod for these gigs is beyond me, and Townsend's inclusion brings nothing extra to the table. In my opinion, they were both very poor this evening.

 

 

 

Much as I dont like either Townsend or Pleat,I have to say they were pretty much spot on imho.

 

We were absolutely s**** tonight.

 

Our lads could'nt even manage to pass the ball to a red shirt and resorted to hoofing the ball for most of the match.

 

Is it any wonder we get accused of playing 'ugly' in some quarters?

 

But we got a point so let's be thankful at least for that.

[Guest RedLegend]

Thought we were awful.

 

Porto decent but no more than that.

 

Bad performance. Good point in the circumstances.

[jfogarty]

Not sure why people are bothered about what other people say tbh. I have my own views and they won't change after listening to some washed-up ex footballer.

[shanks59]

Decent result all things concerned!!! 30mins to go down to 10 men think we would all have taken a point at that stage.

[Elisha_Scott]

We were dreadful, the only exception being Dirk, who I thought did OK. I have never seen Steve Finnan look so shaky, hope its just a one off. We started terribly and never recovered, good point in the end.

I though Townsend was OK as well.

[Coyler]

We were dreadful, the only exception being Dirk, who I thought did OK. I have never seen Steve Finnan look so shaky, hope its just a one off. We started terribly and never recovered, good point in the end.

I though Townsend was OK as well.

That mistake at the very start (and your man came up behind him like a light) put the s***s up everyone, I'd say. Reckon they thought it was going to be a crap night. Finnan recovered very well personally, though.

 

Delighted and proud we came straight back and equalized on a night when by rights we should not have scored at all.

[deacon]

The pundits were spot on, we were very poor tonight, that's the most wasteful we've been in possession in a long time. I agree that Finnan looked really shaky, I think that early mistake he made must have rattled him.

 

I didn't think Hyypia had any pace to lose, but my god, it looked like he was running in slow motion when tracking back for the move that created the penalty.

[Nebraska Red]

the media have done their job. they will have built us up based on our decent start and will have been rubbibg their hands with glee as we struggled tonight.

 

who cares? it's game 1 of 6 and we have 5 more games to ensure we qualify and hopefully win the group.

 

as usual, the jerks on TV make way too much out of a result at an early stage result.