LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL (CHAMPIONS LEAGUE)

[ynwa.tv]

Double Agents

 

Down Memory Lane

 

Meet the Referee

[Guest Snorky]

Referee from the same town as a former Gooner......

[Hassony]

how far does he live from Astrit Ajdarevic's house

[meepins]

We'll hoof it for the win - 12 hoofs to nil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sky will weep.

Edited April 6, 2008 by meepins

[Guest Prongsy]

IT's time for Fernando Torres to show the world what he's made of against the big teams in the big competitions.

 

We need him to have a top game and the same goes for Babel. We're at home, with the fans backing us. We need for our players to have some belief and pull it off in the big game.

Edited April 7, 2008 by Prongsy

[Bailo]

IT's time for Fernando Torres to show the world what he's made of against the big teams in the big competitions.

So goals against Inter Milan in the CL and against Ukraine in the World Cup haven't already?!

 

That's as bad as this "can't score away from home" s**** that's being peddled at the moment (IMO to ensure Ronaldo gets Player of the Year).

[Guest Prongsy]

I'm not saying he can't score in big games. Chelsea, Porto, Inter, Everton... they are big games. I'm saying it's time that he shows the world that he can score at this level, against the big teams - he's never played this level before and he was quiet against Arsenal in the first leg, We need him to be massive in this game.

 

I'm not having a go at him because he's never played this level before, so he needs to show people he can. He's got the potential to be the best striker in the world and to do that he needs to be the winning figure in games like this.

Edited April 7, 2008 by Prongsy

[Bailo]

I think you're quite, quite mad Prongsy

[Guest Prongsy]

That is quite possible.

 

He has been wonderful this year, we need him to be wonderful tomorrow night.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Was it his doppelganger who scored in the San Siro?

[Guest Prongsy]

Was it his doppelganger who scored in the San Siro?

 

"I'm not saying he can't score in big games. Chelsea, Porto, Inter, Everton... they are big games."

[San Diego Red]

If Crouch AND Torres play, the Arsenal back four will be clueless on what to do.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

pmt

[Gooner Spy]

If Crouch AND Torres play, the Arsenal back four will be clueless on what to do.

 

Is that likely though? If you were chasing the game, maybe, but I can't see it. I'm fully expecting Liverpool to hold pretty tight on what they have?

[Guest Prongsy]

...

Edited April 7, 2008 by Prongsy

[Guest Prongsy]

Is that likely though? If you were chasing the game, maybe, but I can't see it. I'm fully expecting Liverpool to hold pretty tight on what they have?

 

That won't happen, we'll pay a front 4, like we have done for ages and we'll go for it, big time.

 

Watch the first half of the Juve, Barca, Inter, Chelsea etc games, we come out like we're on crack.

 

Why would we defend what we've got? We are capable of getting much, much more.

[psl]

Is that likely though? If you were chasing the game, maybe, but I can't see it. I'm fully expecting Liverpool to hold pretty tight on what they have?

 

I don't understand why so many neutrals or Arsenal fans seem to be expecting this, has no one watched our European performances over the last few years?

[Guest Prongsy]

I don't understand why so many neutrals or Arsenal fans seem to be expecting this, has no one watched our European performances over the last few years?

 

We're just a negative, long ball team with no good players.

[San Diego Red]

We're just a negative, hoofing team with no good players.

[MFletcher]

We're just a negative, long ball team with no good players.

 

No, we have two good players. If they play of course. But they score all our goals and we're over reliant on them.

[Guest Prongsy]

No, we have two good players. If they play of course. But they score all our goals and we're over reliant on them.

Torres has scored a lot of goals for a players that is yet to play for us.

[Jarg Armani]

TONY BARRETT ON ARSENAL.COM

 

Before Liverpool kicked off their Champions League tie against Arsenal last week, Tony Barrett of the Liverpool Echo told Arsenal.com that "an away goal is more important than a clean sheet." Now, it's all about the clean sheet.

 

Fernando Torres and co are capable of scoring at Anfield but the bottom line is this: if Arsenal finish the second leg with a zero against their name, Rafa Benitez will have guided Liverpool to their third Semi-Final in four years. So don't expect an expansive approach from the Reds.

 

We caught up with Barrett once more to gauge the mood on Merseyside ahead of Tuesday night's decisive game. Read on for his views on Saturday's draw at the Emirates, Liverpool's tactics at Anfield, the freshness of their key players and the truth behind the 'Anfield factor'.

 

Tony, let's start with Saturday's League game. What did you make of it?

 

It was a very, very tight game. I thought Liverpool were the better side in the first half and Arsenal were on top in the second half. It shows just how close the two sides are at the moment, there's not a great deal between them. As a result it's very hard to pick a winner on Tuesday night. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it's another 1-1 draw.

 

Damien Plessis looked impressive on his debut, didn't he?

 

It was a strange situation for Liverpool to have a good Frenchman against Arsenal; it's usually the other way round! We've had quite a few who haven't been up to standard but on Saturday we saw the arrival of a player who I think will go on to be quite a force. I've seen him quite a few times for Liverpool's reserve team and he has stood out. He's very calm in possession, always has time on the ball, he tackles well and his engine means he gets around the pitch well. I think he's got all the attributes you need to make it in the English game and he seems to have a good attitude as well. What we saw on Saturday was just a start but if he carries on making the same progress there's no reason why he can't have a bright future in the game.

 

Peter Crouch was many people's man of the match. Has he done enough to earn a start on Tuesday night?

 

I don't know. The problem with Peter is not so much his performance, it's the system which Benitez has settled on in recent weeks with just one man up front and three men supporting Torres. If Liverpool do go with a lone striker it will always be Torres. But if Benitez thought that Crouch gave Gallas and Toure problems then maybe he'll switch the system for this one. So there could be a role for Crouch.

 

Benitez made eight changes for the League game. So how fresh will Liverpool be at Anfield?

 

I think they will be very fresh and I put that down to Benitez's rotation policy. A lot of people fault it and it may not work for the Premier League but in terms of cup competitions it serves Liverpool well because, come April and May, they get stronger while other teams tend to get jaded. Liverpool have looked physically fitter than a lot of their opponents and that could play an important role on Tuesday, particularly if it goes to extra time. I was surprised that Fabregas played 90 minutes on Saturday and he looked a bit tired. I'm a big fan of Fabregas, he's one of the best midfielders around, and he looked jaded. He wasn't at his best but, come Tuesday night, I'm sure he want be found wanting.

 

Moving on to Tuesday night, what are the key battles for you?

 

I think the midfield's the key. I always think that, especially in Europe, because whoever controls the midfield controls the game. Fabregas made an interesting comment about Javier Mascherano, saying how impressed he was by him in the first leg. Fabregas said he could feel Mascherano's breath on his neck wherever he was on the pitch. Mascherano will give everything to the cause on Tuesday and if Liverpool are to win the game he will need to keep the likes of Fabregas quiet. Obviously Alonso comes into that equation too and if they can give Liverpool a solid foundation, Liverpool can win the game.

 

Obviously, Adebayor has proved himself this season and Liverpool will need to keep him quiet. That will be a tough test. At the other end, Torres has been on fire at Anfield with 19 goals this season, that's an incredible record, so Gallas or Senderos or Toure will have to stop him.

 

What's the mood like in Liverpool at the moment?

 

It's the usual excitement that you get here the day before or the day of a big European game like this. The excitement is incredible here before European games and it has been like that in Liverpool's history, the people really go in for these games. They sense Liverpool can beat whoever is put in front of them, whether it's Barcelona, Chelsea or Inter Milan. The names and reputations don't matter, the fans genuinely believe that on a European night they can win any game. Recent history has shown that.

 

Liverpool don't have to force the issue having got the away goal but how easy is it to sit back when the Anfield crowd is getting behind them?

 

It is tough you know but last year Liverpool went to the Nou Camp and beat Barcelona 2-1. Obviously they didn’t need to do anything in the home tie. Keep a clean sheet or lose 1-0, everything was fine. That didn’t change the way the team played, tactically it was very, very solid with two banks of four and the challenge was for Barca to try and play through that. Liverpool still created lots of chances, but didn’t take any. Barca eventually took the lead and ended up winning 1-0 but I thought, and it was interesting, that the crowd didn’t the force the team into pushing forward. The team kept their shape and showed that they have a real discipline when they play in Europe — I expect it to be the same on Tuesday night.

 

Can you quantify the 'Anfield effect'? How much does it bother visiting teams?

 

I am not so sure of the effect on other teams. You will have to speak to someone who has played there to get an idea of that. For me it is more about the effect it has on the Liverpool players. I have spoken to several of them in the days leading up to this game and they have all said the same thing. They feel you can do anything with that crowd backing them.

 

The noise is incredible and unless you have experienced it you can’t imagine it. Anfield is a very tight space, an old-fashioned English ground and generally it’s a wonderful noise. The fans are like the team, they are different on European nights compared to Premier League nights. You feel it is already building within the city. I don’t think Arsenal will wilt under the pressure, because they have gone to Milan and won 2-0. If you can go there and do that you shouldn’t be too intimidated by anything. It is more about the boost it gives the Liverpool players than what it does to the opposition.

 

Finally Tony, what's your prediction?

 

I think Liverpool will do it, the Anfield factor will be huge. It will be very tight but I just think Liverpool will do it.

[Bo Benn]

I dare to predict a pretty much unchanged XI from the first game

[Tyler]

will be surprised if crouch starts

think he will be brought on if we need a goal

 

i am expecting same team as first leg with maybe benayoun for babel

[beejay]

Wenger will not make the same mistake as the 1st leg. He will play Eboue right back with Toure partnering Gallas and Walcott on the right.

 

We will go for it in the first 20 mins, they will play on the break. The longer the game goes on with us holding the advantage, the more the roles will reverse and we will play on the break.

 

This could be one of those games where Gerrard plays in several different positions. He will start in his new role off Torres, but will move back if we are defending a lead late on.

 

Rafa's tactics will be to get a goal up, drop back then finish them off with a 2nd on the counter. If not it will be equally as tense as the 2 Chelsea semis.