Liverpool Vs Milan the champions league final thread

im predicting this pierre and hope it happens

.................reina

finnan....carra....agger...riise

............mascha..xabi
..................gerrard
...pennant...............kewell
...................kuyt



mascha following kaka around and xabi, gerrard and the wingers working hard to track the fullbacks and seedorf. kuyt covers enough ground to pressurise from the front himself. it obviously hinges on kewell getting an acceptable level of fitness and performance before then but I think this will probably offer us our best chance of retaining possession and stopping milan

COTR wrote:im predicting this pierre and hope it happens

.................reina

finnan....carra....agger...riise

............mascha..xabi
..................gerrard
...pennant...............kewell
...................kuyt



mascha following kaka around and xabi, gerrard and the wingers working hard to track the fullbacks and seedorf. kuyt covers enough ground to pressurise from the front himself. it obviously hinges on kewell getting an acceptable level of fitness and performance before then but I think this will probably offer us our best chance of retaining possession and stopping milan

That would be a good team but are you serious about Kewell ?

I agree that playing wingers to keep Oddo and Jankulovski occupied is vital.

Milan don't have a centre forward that will truly scare Liverpool.

it doesn't really work with a less talented player on the left pierre.

it's a big ask relying on kewell but he has three weeks to impress and has been in training for months so should have the neccesary fitness. it's him or zenden and while zenden did well against chelsea kewell has the extra quality we'll need to hold the ball better

but who knows what rafa will do

Still think Rafa will do something that seems stupid on paper but turns out brilliant. Gonzo on the left or Kewell behind a lone striker (again! ) is my guess.

Milan probable starters:

-----------------Dida
Oddo --- Nesta --- Maldini --- Jankulovski
-----Gattuso -- Pirlo -- Ambrosini
-------------Kaka - Seedorf
------------------Gila

------------------Reina--------------
-Finnan--Carragher-Agger--Riise-
----------Mascerano-Alonso--------
-Gerrard--------------------Kewell-
------------Crouch---Kuyt----------

Feeling confident for Pool. Milan's lack of a decent striker may well prove costly.

Liverpool have a much more defensively strong midfield than Man Utd had and I doubt their two main men - Seedorf and Kaka, will be allowed as much space.

Compared to two years ago, Milan are pretty much the same IMO, but the Liverpool squad has made massive strides.

Agger is a better play than Hypia was back then, you also have a better left back.

In midfield you now have a truly classy DM in Masch. Up front you also have far better options.

Crouch>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cissé

Never thought I'd ever say that

Reina

Finnan, Carra, Agger, Riise

Gerrard, Masch, Alonso, Pennant/Zenden

Kuyt, Crouch

I reckon

Tweedle wrote:Feeling confident for Pool. Milan's lack of a decent striker may well prove costly.

Liverpool have a much more defensively strong midfield than Man Utd had and I doubt their two main men - Seedorf and Kaka, will be allowed as much space.

Compared to two years ago, Milan are pretty much the same IMO, but the Liverpool squad has made massive strides.

Agger is a better play than Hypia was back then, you also have a better left back.

In midfield you now have a truly classy DM in Masch. Up front you also have far better options.

Crouch>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cissé

Never thought I'd ever say that

Gilardino is a "decent" striker and so is Inzaghi even at his age. It's not like Liverpool are any better in this department.

Milan are the same? not really. Theyve completely changed their formation - Ancelotti much prefers playing the xmas tree formation. It allows Kaka and Seedorf more freedom (hence they are Milans 2 best players this season) and makes them more solid defensively since they have Gattuso and Ambrosini. Upfront theres no more Sheva and Crespo which is a big blow as these 2 were a constant thorn for Liverpool all night. Gila and Inzaghi simply arent as good. Defensively, Milan have 2 attacking fullbacks who compliment each other well as opposed to a 36 year old Maldini and a 35 year old Cafu. In the centre - Nesta - Maldini > Nesta - Stam.

It will be interesting to see if Inzaghi or Gila can knock in a couple of goals between now and the final... coz both have the quality, its the confidence they are lacking... a good strikers goal against ManU would ve given some confidence back to Gila, so I reckon he will start...

It will be a close game, both teams are stronger defensively since last time and Milan have started playing their best football of the season so they will go into this on form.

IMO Milan's best performance was against Bayern in Munich, and the game against ManU wasn't too far behind.

BoBo Vieri wrote:

Tweedle wrote:Feeling confident for Pool. Milan's lack of a decent striker may well prove costly.

Liverpool have a much more defensively strong midfield than Man Utd had and I doubt their two main men - Seedorf and Kaka, will be allowed as much space.

Compared to two years ago, Milan are pretty much the same IMO, but the Liverpool squad has made massive strides.

Agger is a better play than Hypia was back then, you also have a better left back.

In midfield you now have a truly classy DM in Masch. Up front you also have far better options.

Crouch>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cissé

Never thought I'd ever say that

Gilardino is a "decent" striker and so is Inzaghi even at his age. It's not like Liverpool are any better in this department.

Milan are the same? not really. Theyve completely changed their formation - Ancelotti much prefers playing the xmas tree formation. It allows Kaka and Seedorf more freedom (hence they are Milans 2 best players this season) and makes them more solid defensively since they have Gattuso and Ambrosini. Upfront theres no more Sheva and Crespo which is a big blow as these 2 were a constant thorn for Liverpool all night. Gila and Inzaghi simply arent as good. Defensively, Milan have 2 attacking fullbacks who compliment each other well as opposed to a 36 year old Maldini and a 35 year old Cafu. In the centre - Nesta - Maldini > Nesta - Stam.

Reina has a shoulder injury, lets hope its not too serious or it could be Dudek in goal again...

I hope everyone is fit... we want a good final...

I'll be in puerto rico at that time, hope they show the CL final there!!

Luis wrote:Reina has a shoulder injury, lets hope its not too serious or it could be Dudek in goal again...

bluenine wrote:I hope everyone is fit... we want a good final...

I'll be in puerto rico at that time, hope they show the CL final there!!

Luis wrote:Reina has a shoulder injury, lets hope its not too serious or it could be Dudek in goal again...

You may have to dedicate an entire day to finding a bar. Puerto Rico is hardly regarded for its love of football

Then I shall spend an entire day doing just that

Tweedle wrote:

bluenine wrote:I hope everyone is fit... we want a good final...

I'll be in puerto rico at that time, hope they show the CL final there!!

Luis wrote:Reina has a shoulder injury, lets hope its not too serious or it could be Dudek in goal again...

You may have to dedicate an entire day to finding a bar. Puerto Rico is hardly regarded for its love of football

I hope Milan realise Liverpool did a remarkable job in 2005 and just because we meet again it doesn't mean that we will win. Forget "revenge" lets be professional, play great football and win and celebrate if victorious.

Too many nonsense comments are coming from Milan players, talking about it is our turn etc. Focus first, play the game, play well!

Kaká wrote:I hope Milan realise Liverpool did a remarkable job in 2005 and just because we meet again it doesn't mean that we will win. Forget "revenge" lets be professional, play great football and win and celebrate if victorious.

Too many nonsense comments are coming from Milan players, talking about it is our turn etc. Focus first, play the game, play well!

it felt like it was chelsea's turn against us before the anfield game

that turned out to be nonsense

you obviously have the revenge card to play in the build up for the press and that's what most of your players will be talking about

our players will probably just have a low key run up to the game and focus on catching milan's record to become the joint second best side in europe of all time

Liverpool have a good chance to do the same thing as in 2005!

Milan are clearly the better side but their weakness is they can take it too easy at quite sometimes...

At Old Trafford Milan played Man U also off the pitch and still Man U won it because Rooney and co punished Milan when they took it too light! They clearly haven't learn from 2005.

Liverpool have a good chance to do the same thing as in 2005!

of course only this time we have a quailty team, not a patched up squad inherited from houllier

Milan are clearly the better side but their weakness is they can take it too easy at quite sometimes...

nope

At Old Trafford Milan played Man U also off the pitch and still Man U won it because Rooney and co punished Milan when they took it too light! They clearly haven't learn from 2005.

they will have to work a hell of a lot harder to get chances against us than they did against man u

barca can testify to this home and away

COTR wrote: they will have to work a hell of a lot harder to get chances against us than they did against man u

barca can testify to this home and away

While that's logical, if 2005 proved anything its that anything can happen. We could have a goalfest or a dull 0-0 and penalties.

I am inclined to agree with Ricardo, I think that Milan are a better side. If they play to their best they will probably beat us. Our game plan is as much about stopping them from playing the way they want to as it is creating goalscoring opportunities.

COTR wrote:

Liverpool have a good chance to do the same thing as in 2005!

of course only this time we have a quailty team, not a patched up squad inherited from houllier

Milan are clearly the better side but their weakness is they can take it too easy at quite sometimes...

nope

At Old Trafford Milan played Man U also off the pitch and still Man U won it because Rooney and co punished Milan when they took it too light! They clearly haven't learn from 2005.

they will have to work a hell of a lot harder to get chances against us than they did against man u

barca can testify to this home and away

You can't be serious COTR! I am really shocked about your ignorance... Milan is on every position the better team....

It will be more difficult to play against a team that park a bus in front of their own goal, with a strong defensive midfield and defensive attackers in the team... But based on quality Milan should win it though!

Barcelona played much better than Liverpool in the first 20 minutes but after that stupid mistake of Valdes they lost the plot. I can't see that to happen with Milan. Milan can make a stupid error in the beginning but they won't lose their minds. But, if that happens Milan will get a tough game indeed.

However, the biggest danger for Milan is they forget: You'd never beaten the English until the last whistle!

they are not clearly a much better side, however they do have the best player in the world at the minute

it should be fascinating battle

agger, carra and mascha against kaka

gerrard, xabi and mascha against pirlo, seedorf and gattuso

reina vrs dida

both teams are relatively well matched and play similar tight formations

but rafa will come up with the neccessary gameplan to win

the first half in istanbul and the united games will have given him a mountain of info on how to play and how not to play against milan. we can go into this very confident

You can't be serious COTR! I am really shocked about your ignorance... Milan is on every position the better team....

the hypocrisy inherent in this very quote is startling

It will be more difficult to play against a team that park a bus in front of their own goal, with a strong defensive midfield and defensive attackers in the team... But based on quality Milan should win it though!

there are only so many of these park the bus statements you can read without worrying about the sanity of the people who write it

just how many games have we actually parked the bus in this year? I really would love to know

defensive quailities are just as important as attacking qualities ricardo. football is not all about attack

Barcelona played much better than Liverpool in the first 20 minutes but after that stupid mistake of Valdes they lost the plot. I can't see that to happen with Milan. Milan can make a stupid error in the beginning but they won't lose their minds. But, if that happens Milan will get a tough game indeed.

you can't see milan losing the plot after say dida makes a mistake??

istanbul???

it prob won't happen again but to write our win against barca off because they 'lost the plot' displays more of your ignorance towards us

However, the biggest danger for Milan is they forget: You'd never beaten the English until the last whistle!

wrong. the biggest danger is th fact they are playing a brilliant team with a brilliant manager conducting them

You will try to break Milan's midfield with your midfield and attackers.... You won't play too much in your own box that's true...

In Istanbul Milan lost the plot that's right! but, if you read my thread, I said, in the beginning... 1-0 down won't make them as nervous as Barcelona....

Milan are not superior in every position

Some serious overhype there. For a start, Crouch>Gila.

Gerrard would get in the Milan squad somehow.

Also Carragher ahead of Maldini.

Reina>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dida

Yep. I agree Tweedle (except for Carra > Maldini).

Milan are the better team though, and I'll be very disappointed if they get complacent again (which was the only reason they lost the first game).

The type of fans we have today, are very hard to please COTR

Unless we have someone who can show tricks, or have a player who's ridiculously hyped up, we will always be labelled a long ball team, or boring/lucky - even if we were to win 10 CL trophys

They dont watch us play week in week out - so they just go along with what Andy Gray says - we're boring - we park the bus - we're lucky...

Tweedle wrote:Milan are not superior in every position

Some serious overhype there. For a start, Crouch>Gila.

Gerrard would get in the Milan squad somehow.

Also Carragher ahead of Maldini.

Reina>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dida

Maldini ahead of Carragher.

But perhaps Finnan ahead of Oddo since his positional play is still a bit dodgy.

Gerrard ahead of Seedorf/Kaka?

we all know maldini is obviously a better player than carragher

but currently surely it is an insult to suggest he is better than carragher who has been nothing short of exceptional for the past 2 or 3 years

if we are going to do the nonsense that is player comparisons then

Reina >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dida
finnan = oddo (don't know enough about oddo)
carra >>> maldini
nesta >>> agger
janko >>> riise

both defences are fairly equal

mascha = gattuso
pirlo > alonso - olny slightly. the effect is marginal
gerrard > seedorf - both can be better on any given day though
pennant = ambrosini - don't really know enough to make this comparison

milan probably have a greater possesional ability but our midfield is also powerful strong and produces goals

kaka >>>>>>>>>>> kuyt

crouch >>> gilardino

kaka obviously gives milan a massive edge over the attacking potential of the teams. but if the supply to crouch is good then he can be just as hard to defend against