exactly. we were awful from the get go, played 10 men down for 30+ minutes, and still got a point from likely our hardest game. I'd look at the positives - Kuyt, Arbeloa, Mascherano, Carragher all running 90+ minutes. Gerrard holding possession - because no one else could. And not allowing the flopping free kicks to score.
A sobering thought. That's what I thought after 5 pints of Guinness, too. Especially as we didn't actually lose the match after playing so poorly. You waiting for when we lose? I'm simply waiting for when we don't win after playing beautiful football.
Hmmmm soooo thats the Quaresma Porto wants all that ridiculous money for? Anyways, I'm not disapointed with the result as much as many of you because 1) we played like shyte and could have actually lost had Porto played better, in the end we got a point on the road in arguably the toughest fixture in the group stage, and 2) had to play with 10 man because of an idiotic Pennant who I hope gets screamed at because he could have avoided being sent off. His temperament got the better of him because he wasn't effective. 3) Finally, After Internationals, whether its a league game or a european game, its always tough and players are still somewhat tired. That along with the fact that Stevie still doesn't seem fully fit makes the result a bit more acceptable.
I haven't seen the match yet, but that's my thought as well. Besides, we started off the group stage last year with a road draw to PSV, and it didn't keep us from making it all the way to the final. Hopefully it'll be back to business as usual this weekend against Birmingham.
I agree with Mat Clark's assessment. A draw in our hardest match (on paper) in the group is not a bad result. Porto played well but could not beat us despite being at home and having an early lead. Pennant got himself sent off. Rafa should not be blamed for that. No doubt he told Pennant to watch his tackles at half-time. Pennant made a bad decision to try and tackle in that position and made a bad tackle. Cannot really complain about the 2nd yellow or the penalty. The sending off limited Liverpool to defending the pt and playing on the counter-attack. With a man advantage for more than 30 minutes at home Porto should have won that match. They know it, as did their whistling fans. An opportunity lost for them. Reina is getting loads of penalty practice this season. Liverpool have good discipline and had zero red cards last season. I am sure that the yellows in this match are not typical of our team. Quaresma played well but could not fashion a second goal. Liverpool will be happy with the result given Pennant's red card. We will play better in other matches. I am not too concerned.
Re: CL Matchday 1 at Porto Don't take it from me. It's what I've always heard from Porto fans. Also, you do know that when an ok defender has two (now three) great games in a row, that doesn't make him a great defender? It means, at best, he's improving. Exactly. Exactly. At best, Quaresma is a maturing artist; at worse, he's a selfish and inconsequential show-off. I tend to see him as the latter.
Well I just got done watching from the Tivo. Kuyt MOTM by far. What a warrior, gotta love him. Great defending when down a man. Jermaine's gotta learn from this. Aurelio made a couple of good chances with decent passing in six minutes -- Glad to have him back I liked what I saw from Babel after he caught on to the speed of play. Fernando will step up soon. Still undefeated and haven't allowed a goal from the run of play. I think SG is a little worn out. In the end, it is a decent result for a first CL game away. I think Porto will be our opposition for winning the group. Bring on Brum.
Booooooooring...again the midfield was invisible - if we chose to play this way, we better start Crouch as he can actually get to some of those long balls Every Portuguese team - every single one - is full of divers...we have Torres and Kuyt did try PK-hunting once...the ref was a disaster. Porto is not as good as some make it out to be - they were very beatable today - it's a shame we didn't give it a good shot...no cohesion whatsoever. We could have played for another 90 minutes and Porto would not have scored a 2nd. Overall, 1-1 is not bad result for either team in this rather dull affair.
We didn't play all that well. The game was rather boring overall. The keeper did take him down, but wasn't that a bit harsh for a pen? That's my impression.
Just to be absolutely crystal clear about it, I don't think anyone is upset with the RESULT. The disappointment from most people stems from how we played. The result is an excellent one, no doubt, but it looks even better given how sloppy we looked with respect to our shaky opening half in defense, our difficulty in stringing passes, and Pennant's mental breakdown. It's all one big positive in the end, though, and I'm sure we all agree on that, but by the same token it is foolish to ignore the well-warranted criticisms.
wrong, you're talking about the Porto-Arsenal game where Porto was the only team playing (just like today). Quaresma even hit the post I think twice in that game...
1. Give Porto's midfield credit, specially P. Assuncao who dominated the midfield (Gerrard) as he did to Chelsea (Lampard) and the whole Arsenal midfield last year... 2. Give it up with the diving already! 5 Yellow cards for Liverpool proves you wrong. Pennant should have been sent off earlier and Mascherano was lucky to get only a late yellow. All I saw was Torres on the ground like a little cow grazing for grass, what a wuss! 3. Who made Porto out to be good? Perhaps Liverpool was surprised Porto is better than they thought. It's not as though you haven't learned an important lesson from another Portuguese team in the recent past... And if Porto wasn't as good how come Liverpool could only muster 1 shot on goal the whole game???!!! http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/fixturesresults/round=15105/match=301168/report=st.html
I'm not sure saying either team did more diving or free kick hunting is correct. Both teams were at it. I don't know what makes me more mad, players diving or players reacting like they have been shot. You can't tell me that the reactions of the Porto player didn't help Pennant get sent off (even though he did deserve it). Mascherano was hardly that bad. However, I feel like I have to apologize for Pennant's display. He was like a 16 year old who just learned that you can complain to the refs and go late into some tackles. He was ridiculous and how Rafa did not see that he was a problem is beyond me. As for the referee, I really don't think he had that bad of a game. Sure the penalty was just a little harsh, but other than that and the yellow he gave to the Porto player in the first half I thought he had an alright game.
A point and an away goal = a tidy piece of business. I am not at all surprised Pennant was sent off as he has had a couple of close calls in the EPL already this season. I love the guy’s passion and fire but he has to be careful to channel his energy in ways that don’t produce cards. Porto played well at home but they still have to come to Anfield where I have a feeling we’ll play sight better. KUYT!!!!!!
I think thats more to do with Liverpool playing badly than Porto being good. I'll take the away draw, but it still doesnt mean that I can be happy with how we got it.
Is this the start of playing badly and getting a result? Something that has always eluded Liverpool in the last 19 years? Might be a bit much to read too much into one game, but this was most definitely a game Liverpool would have lost in previous seasons. Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal all have had that play-badly-but-get-a-result factor to their game when they were/are winners. Maybe the worm is turning for Liverpool?
Sure Porto were better in the midfield today but this skipping over the midfield is nothing new to us Liverpool fans - it is still frustrating, however... And about the diving - you're saying your guys did not dive!? Every single time Quaresma loses the ball there's a scream and a tumble...the guy who fell over when Pennant got red carded - that was not acting? Or the dude that fell and rolled around pretending that Babel elbowed him in the ribs...or at least 6, 7 other instances - you noticed Torres' diving but not Porto's - they might be your team but buddy, open your eyes...I'm just glad we equalized quickly or there would have been waay more diving...
Ah you're right, it was Arsenal. I know that they hit the post in the first half, but once the Moscow-Hamburg result found its way into the stadium, the teams played kick-about for the last ten or fifteen minutes.
1. No. I give them nothing. 2. Portuguese are well known for their diving. Queres was all over that pitch crying today. Which fact are you trying to deny here? 3. No one made Porto out to be good. That's precisely the point. You got a draw today because we played bad, not because you played well. That's all there is to it.
Agree, but I mainly picture Chelsea when I picture "winning ugly" in my head And thats not just from the football being played
Cracking Result we were totally donkey sh*t, and they still couldnt beat us, Porto will be crushed at anfield, as we will never play that crap again.
1. Porto is a top team, if you are too blind to see that, then you don't know nothing because in the last 5 years Porto qualified 4 times to the knockout stages of the Champions League, including winning CL in 2003/2004. Porto is also the record co-holder of CL appearances with Manchester United. 2. And Gerrard is also known for diving, and Kjuyt dived against Porto. So what? Portuguese players are no worse than Italian, Spanish, South-american, whatever... 3. So Porto must be always lucky because they NEVER LOST AT HOME AGAINST ENGLISH TEAMS.
Before the game I said I'd be happy with a draw. I don't know why Sami was chosen ahead of Agger in the toughest game of the group? Why Reina came out when he fouled their player isbeyond me. Sami was on him and Carra was covering. Should have been 1-0 to us. If we can get a decent right winger I think Pennant will be lucky to last the season. On the bright side, we still haven't conceded a goal from open play. I pity Birmingham for I fear we will vent our frustrations on them this weekend.