Liverpool - Inter [R]

[Sevillista]

I have to laugh at those of you saying this match means EPL>Serie A. I'm not going to agree or disagree, but to say that this match is proof is just pure ignorance.

First of all, it's ONE match. And a match where Inter played with 10-men, at that.

Second of all, you are only comparing the leagues' top teams. Even if the EPL had the best four teams in the world (they don't), that doesn't mean the whole league is the best in the world. You could argue that La Liga and Serie A have better mid-table teams, and more balance, for example.

I'm not trying to start an EPL vs La Liga vs Serie A debate. Quite the opposite; I'm trying to say that this match proves nothing.

PS, who are CL reigning champs? And who did they beat in the final? hm.....

 

[adobe_sun]

you got a point there.
But there is only one real thing about football - ARE YOU REALLY PLAYING FOOTBALL OR YOU'RE ONLY TEASING THE BALL making the game a hard watch - what yesterday's game might have easily turned into after the red card, cos we all know what happens with an italian team then - 10 men aback and the games gets a total bore.

The Liverpool win proves nothing in terms quality. Plus Liverpool didn't qualify already with that win. They also might not have won it, in case Inter defended calmly till the end.

But the game proved something. And this is, that a team that hadn't lost 25+ games, 2-3 times champions whatever, barely crossed the center line in the second half, i cannot recall a single serious threat or some masterpiece done from Inter. Even with 10 men they could have done it. This is not the style and manner of a champions league winning contender. Its the style a team of the Artmedia Petrzalka calibre -no offense - would have played with 10 men at Anfield versus a very questionable Liverpool side that was torn apart a few days ago in the FA Cup.

 

[yoyo913]

Ummm... Liverpool didn't dominate(create chances) against Inter. Inter almost got the 0-0 draw (which would have been a nice result), they were down one man most of the match. Their defence proved why they are one of the top teams in the world. If you praise Liverpool so much how come they only had a few attacks and shots on goal. We will see how both teams play in the return leg, but overall I wasn't impressed with Liverpool considering they were playing at home and had a man up. All they did was keep posession.

 

[Filipower]

^^ rightest post in the thread if the Materazzi hadn't been scandalously sent off, Inter would have come out with a 0-0, who knows maybe even a win...I'm not saying it would have been fair, but liverpool wouldn't have managed to score, simple as that..

 

[adobe_sun]

...I'm not saying it would have been fair, but liverpool wouldn't have managed to score, simple as that..

if Materzzi wasn't sent off, the ref would have given the penalty for Vieira's handball. So Liverpool should have managed to score after all.

The thing is, even without showing special skills and thrilling action Liverpool outplayed Inter. Possession was something like 72 pool and 28 inter, Inter first corner 68th minute.This is laughable.
Everyone makes excuses for the italians, whilst they were purely outclassed by an english team in an average form with average skills and only 4-5 top quality players. This should force a lot of people to reconsider Inter's performances and their value.


I am not sure about the Seville guy saying the La Liga and Serie A having better mid-table teams. I am sure Spurs, Everton, Villa, Pompey and Man City can beat every non-CL team from Spain and Italy without exceptions.

 

[Sevillista]

if Materzzi wasn't sent off, the ref would have given the penalty for Vieira's handball. So Liverpool should have managed to score after all.

The thing is, even without showing special skills and thrilling action Liverpool outplayed Inter. Possession was something like 72 pool and 28 inter, Inter first corner 68th minute.This is laughable.
Everyone makes excuses for the italians, whilst they were purely outclassed by an english team in an average form with average skills and only 4-5 top quality players. This should force a lot of people to reconsider Inter's performances and their value.


I am not sure about the Seville guy saying the La Liga and Serie A having better mid-table teams. I am sure Spurs, Everton, Villa, Pompey and Man City can beat every non-CL team from Spain and Italy without exceptions.

Ignorant. I'll give you an "exception." The only matchup this year between the teams you listed and non-CL teams from Spain and Italy is the UEFA Cup match between Tottenham and Getafe. The Spaniards won 1-2 at White Hart Lane.

To say that those teams can "beat every non-CL team from Spain and Italy without exceptions" is to admit that you only watch the EPL.

 

[adobe_sun]

calling me ignorant won't push Getafe forward, and won't stop Tottenham to progress higher than them. You know very well this was a group phase fixture, which was unimportant. The same way you can say Celtic is better then Milan, because they knocked their heads off in Glasgow, but they aren't and we all know this.

Like you said it yourself, it's not worthy to compare the leagues. i just felt enforced to comment on that, because after all the italian numer one team got owned by the british number 5. which is still something.

 

[Sevillista]

calling me ignorant won't push Getafe forward, and won't stop Tottenham to progress higher than them. You know very well this was a group phase fixture, which was unimportant. The same way you can say Celtic is better then Milan, because they knocked their heads off in Glasgow, but they aren't and we all know this.

Like you said it yourself, it's not worthy to compare the leagues. i just felt enforced to comment on that, because after all the italian numer one team got owned by the british number 5. which is still something.

So unimportant that Tottenham sacked their manager? I think the match must have been important if it made up the management's mind.

I'm not saying Getafe are better than Tottenham or that they'll advance farther. I'm saying it's ignorant to say that the teams you listed before would beat all Spanish non-CL teams without exception. It's a bold bold statement with nothing to back it up except your EPl bias.

 

[adobe_sun]

By the way Tottenham sacked Jol because they started terribly in the EPL. I guess it was obvious they would progress from the uefa cup group, but they were hoping for a top 4 EPL finish too, so starting as bad as they did in the first EPL rounds enforced the owners to fire Jol.

 

[Yossarian]

I'm really sickened and distraught over this loss-----I don't really give a **** about the league title so long as we're able to secure a UCL spot, honestly. Nothing matters to me more than winning that UCL cup.

What pisses me off the most aside from that unjust and disgusting ejection is that we really didn't come into that match with the mindset and determination necessary to get the victory, you know? I mean, almost every away team in this sort of situation takes this approach of extreme conservatism and attempts to squeak by with the draw, right? I really despise this constricting and pussified strategy of confronting an away fixture like that.....it's really frustrating and embarrassing to watch your purported unbeatable team just meekly hold out for a tie----MAN, I don't care if you're playing in the manager of the opposition's backyard......always PLAY TO WIN!!!!

I haven't been watching as much soccer as I normally do this year, but boy was I looking forward to a positive result from this fixture. Just thinking about the return of the UCL games in the past couple of weeks was one of few things that was keeping me buoyed and in a really good mood, man, but now that we're pretty much out of it barring any miracles that defy the laws of shut-down-shop soccer from the kickoff.......we're ******* DOOMED!


what an absolute bummer......

 

[TheGrimSweeper]

Hey English fans get that stick out of your ass.

Dont you think theres a reason why the english national team never goes anywhere and why both Spanish and Italian teams enjoy much greater success in the champions league?

Italy Clubs - 25 Appearances in CL Finals
Spanish Clubs - 20 Appearances in CL Finals
Englis Clubs - 14 Appearances in CL Finals

 

[curswine]

Just discovered I am going to Milan for the 2nd leg, only problem is I have to sit in the Inter end.

Anyone else going to this match?

 

[Tom]

Hey English fans get that stick out of your ass.

Dont you think theres a reason why the english national team never goes anywhere and why both Spanish and Italian teams enjoy much greater success in the champions league?

Italy Clubs - 25 Appearances in CL Finals
Spanish Clubs - 20 Appearances in CL Finals
Englis Clubs - 14 Appearances in CL Finals

Liverpool - 5
Inter - 2

 

[TheGrimSweeper]

Liverpool - 5
Inter - 2

Inter doesn't count as an Italian team, we all know it

 

[adobe_sun]

offf, nobody argues here about national teams. Plus, if we were arguing about national teams - which we're clearly not doing-, we should have mentioned the 94th minute penalties and other controversies that usually help .. em some nations.. to secure a title or two. It's just like this and no one can argue the facts. Surely the english NT perform hilarious, but club teams aren't national teams.

Speaking of club footy, english clubs were band for some 5-6 years from Champions League - ex ECC- football, so that some mediocre clubs plus Milan two times can grab the title. Because beforehand even a one time english champion went on to a double european champion (Nottingham Forest).

As of spanish teams - Real Madrid's performances in 1997/98 + 2000-2003 were the only thing they managed throughout the last half of decade. These first 5 titles at the very beginning of the ECC existance can be accounted for another era of football which is long gone.
Anyway, all spanish clubs have always played beautiful and entertaining football, which hardly can be said for the most winning spaghetti sides.

 

[adobe_sun]

Inter doesn't count as an Italian team, we all know it

ok, then maybe:
Inter = Juventus = Nottingham Forest = 2 titles each?

 

[Xifio]

What pisses me off the most aside from that unjust and disgusting ejection is that we really didn't come into that match with the mindset and determination necessary to get the victory, you know?

Yoss, your passionate outburst ain't unjustified ... I reckon Inter came in thinking they'd already got the game in the bag ... then, when Liverpool took the attack to them, they were a bit shocked, and just sat back to absorb the pressure ...

but what changed the possibilities for the remainder of the game was the fact that Inter were reduced to 10 ... listen, people can say that Inter weren't doing much in that first half hour, and I completely agree ... but when has a match been decided in 30 minutes? Liverpool and Prem fans seem to have a fickle memory -- they were ripped to shreds in that UCL final in the first half ... but Rafa gave a stirring half-time talk, made the changes he wanted and needed to make, and the rest is history ... but do you think that could have been the case if Liverpool did not have XI on the field from the 30th minute?

I could easily see Mancini being able to shout some sense into his team at half time if he had his full team out there ... bringing on someone like a Figo to be a playmaker and connect the midfield and attack better could have seen a completely different story ... instead he had to bring on Vieira, to sure up the midfield, and took off Cruz to leave Zlatan completely isolated ... even Zlatan can't work that big a miracle without any service ... Vieira sucked, and Stankovic had a real off day and went missing -- which is doubly difficult when your team is playing with 10 ... can you blame the team for shutting up shop and trying to play on the counter? and when it became clear that counter was less likely to happen, why shouldn't they keep what they have and live to fight another day? that's exactly what Milan did in London ... but the luck did not last, as a brave Julio Cesar was finally beaten off a deflected effort ... that seemed to tangibly deflate the side ... then Gerrard's shot sneaked through a forest of flailing legs to find the far bottom corner ... once in a while those go in, and the final score flattered Liverpool ...

I don't blame your maudlin approach to the 2nd leg, but there's no need for doom and gloom just yet ... all these Prem fans here are criticizing any defensive attitude, but I doubt Liverpool will come to the San Siro with any different a plan (they did it before at the Delle Alpi) ... but that result will be a shock to Inter's system ... whatever anyone says, you can't remove the quality that these players possess, and they know it more than anyone ... I expect you'll see a hungrier Inter side, and if they play to just about 75% potential, I wouldn't put 4 or 5 goals out of their reach -- no matter what Liverpool do ... heck, Inter could even afford to concede 1 or 2 away goals by that point ...

so don't fret ... it's all still to play for ...



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RE: the bigger league v league argument


this discussion is becoming pointless ... you can throw up all the statistics you want, and people will find arguments to support it or to brush it away ...

i think the fundamental point is that comparing the type of football and style of football teams from different leagues is like comparing apples, oranges, and bananas ... ye, they're all fruits, but there's no way you can say one is "better" than the other ... you're going to get different opinions based on a taste standpoint, a nutrition standpoint, etc. ...

in football terms, some supporters will say that winning is everything no matter how you do it, some supporters say that entertainment along with winning is crucial, and others will point out that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so what's entertainment for one is boredom for another ...

you like the prem more than the serie a? fine ... you dislike the serie a? fine ... you're going to say the prem is better and the serie a sucks? that's offensive, but fine, if that's how you want to portray yourself ... just don't expect others to take it lying down ...

sure you can have an opinion, but just remember that you ain't going to convince anyone that you're right and they're wrong, especially if you remember the fact that you yourself aren't going to be swayed from the opinion you hold ...

 

[adobe_sun]

Good post Xifio. I am not trying to convince anybody, i just got somehow upset by the milan fan trying to brush out the whole english football simply because their NT is weak, which is pathetic thing to say.

As of Liverpool -Inter.
Inter were not overconfident and they didn't underestimate the game versus Pool at Anfield. Maybe Real or Barcelona or Milan may underestimate a game like this. Every other team, that hasn't performed good in the CL lately, which is the case of Inter, simply don't have the right to put themselves higher on the rank and convince themselves an away tie at Anfield is peanuts.
Inter have a good squad, but Mancini did 2 big mistakes - A. the starting XI with 6 defenders, one def mid .. this is way too defensive. Inter are not Milan, so it's not likely winning this way. B. the substitutes - Vieira!? how come? and Figo.. These players should be either in SaudiArabia/bahrain/.. or in the MLS by now..
Vieira was clearly off-form, he gave bad passes, he caused a penalty (almost) with his handball..

Why not play Maniche and play 6 defenders? this is ridiculous. That's why Inter lost. Even if they wanted to attack and to get back into the game they couldn't. Stankovic is not enough to build up the attacks.

 

[Tom]

You guys are reading way too much into this. Inter came to Anfield as a normal away team, looking for a win but happy with a draw. When you lose a man away from home you pack everyone behind the ball and go for the draw. Then all it comes down to is if you can maintain that draw, grab a winner OR finally succumb to endless pressure.

Inter were just unlucky, a fortunate deflection gave Kuyt's shot extra quality and then there was the Gerrard factor.

Stop reading so much into it and talk about the second leg instead.

 

[adobe_sun]

The second leg would be an Inter win. Maybe not enough to see them through, because 2-0 is a perfect result for Liverpool. But i'd put my money on Inter for the second leg.