02 May 2019 15:20:41
As I tell my kids, things are never as bad as they seem and also never as good as you make out. A bit of perspective is required. You have negative posters, Walter and super positive ones, Salah. Both can be equally frustrating to some posters but in between you have perspective, a little bit of reality is needed. We played well enough and got chinned. We can only go out and try our best in the returning fixture. Reality is we should not get thru but we can still try to win and see what happens. It's not all doom and gloom folks, cheer up! 😉😁.

1.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 15:29:33
Totally agree Rover.

2.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 15:47:17
Fantastic post Rover :)

3.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 15:49:27
A 3-0 away defeat in a 2 leg semi final is about as bad as it gets. Invest all that time and effort to get to a semi and then throw it all away with negative tactics.

In football terms, how does it get worse? They let us down, more specifically Klopp let us all down.

4.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:04:17
Unfortunately I can't agree with you Ron. If Salah, Milner or Mane score their great chances. Does Klopp get it wrong then if its 3-2 or even 3-3? They scored their few chances, we didn't. It's bad luck or bad finishing if you want. I certainly don't think the players or Klopp let us down at all. Gini up front was a strange one, I agree but it didn't stop us creating, we just didn't score this time. It happens, not too often for this team.

5.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:14:44
Totally agree Rover, thanks for reminding us.

Ron, one of the few occasions that I disagree with you mate, and I mean totally disagree with you.

As Rover said, those people who say we got thrashed, and those who say we bossed them are both wrong. Both teams played really well - most commentators agree it was a pulsating and riveting game of football with two pretty evenly matched teams.

The stats back that up - we slightly edged the possession (53/ 47) and they edged shots on target (5/ 4). Stats can quite often be misleading, but in this case, they were an accurate reflection of the game that I watched.

What it comes down to is that they took their chances and we didn't. Even coming down to the woodwork - on another day, Salah's shot sneaks in, and Suarez's shot goes out for a GK - 2-1.

We're all still hurting from a bad night, don't let it cloud your judgement.

6.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:19:11
Who says klopp has the God given right to get it right everytime. No one does a better job than klopp and he has the right to get it wrong if at all he got it wrong. Last night.

Some really don't know how good we got it at the moment. Enjoy it.

He played a system yesterday that could and should have given us a far better return.

Had we got the penalty who knows what would have happened.

Lets put this into perspective. Teams do not go to Barcelona and play how we played last night. It don't happen. Just ask psg.

What I loved yesterday was how impressive it is to see how far we have come and then klopp assessment after the game.

And what I really love is we CAN give it a go at anfield. We have the manager and the players and the fans. How great is it to know we can on our day knock 3 past them easily and no one will think it a fluke. One our day we are one of the b3st teams in the world now.

We have demanded Barcelona respect us and they will.

And if we don't succeed, so what.

We have had a great great season.

Those expecting perfection should follow city as they have the finances to try and achieve it. Sorry that is harsh but pisses me off when we lose and the arrogant army comes out to play.

Do we really need reminding that we have only just got rid of the likes of markovic. No offense intended Marco.

That's how far we have come.

Enjoy it, get behind the team and let's give it em.

Let them work for it if they want it.

7.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:20:26
I haven't posted anything negative after the match as not to be told I am trying to wind people up.
Before the game I said 3-1 loss.

8.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:41:26
Ron, I know the defeat to Barcelona has hurt you but negative tactics? OK, Gomez in for TAA maybe but a lot of posters were calling for that extra bit of defensive assurance before the game. We attacked for most of the game, created 5 or 6 good chances but didn’t take them. Barcelona did less attacking and took their chances, fair play to them. Sometimes football just gives you a kick in the wotsits.

{Ed025's Note - i thought you were unlucky WW, it was never a 3-0 game mate..

9.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:41:44
Have to agree with Ron on this one, negative tactics against an aging side have left us with another trophyless season barring a miracle from somewhere.

10.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 16:53:05
Bmena-Red, I am confused by you and Ron. Can you explain what you mean by ‘negative tactics’ please? Cheers mate.

11.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:04:16
Klopp got the tactics wrong with both Gini and Gomez but we can turn it around, although it’s going to be tough.

12.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:07:05
Gini as a false 9, I had to check if it was May 1st or April 1st.

{Ed025's Note - as false as they come mark..

13.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:12:37
I’ve just read the transcript of a post-match interview with Klopp on the official Liverpool FC website - I recommend it to all posters as it is a really good read. Klopp has got to be the most honest manager in football (at least in post-match interviews, eh Ed002). This is what he had to say in response to a question on whether Liverpool deserved more than they got from the game:

“I’m not sure if we deserved a lot more than we got; we played a really good football game but at the end they scored three and we didn’t score, so that’s easy to accept. In football you have different things as a manager you have to judge. For me, it’s very important how we played and I’m completely happy, I told the boys I’m proud of how we played. I think it was the best away game in the Champions League, not only this year, last year included. Against a side like this, playing this kind of football I was completely happy. We played between the lines, we didn’t play through, we were in the box, we had really good chances and caused them a lot of problems – that’s good.

The Champions League is now like this: if you lose away it’s not a massive problem, it can happen, as long as you score a goal. That’s the problem tonight, we didn’t score that goal, so that makes our life now not easy, to be honest. But from my point of view my boys gained a lot of respect again for the way they played, how they developed. I had so much fun, really, in that game but at the end we lost it and that’s now not really funny. But I’m long enough in the business that I had to learn to accept things like this and I do that obviously. That’s it. ”

Time for some of Klopp’s perspective for all of us.

{Ed025's Note - im not sure you know WW, being completely happy after a 3-0 defeat is a bit of a strange statement for me...mind you he is as mad as a box of frogs mate..

14.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:15:56
In a weird way it would have been better if we played Barcelona at anfield first. At least then we would have a leg to stand on in the return leg. This myth that away legs are better to play first have been well and truly dispelled the last couple years, we seem to do better playing at home first.

I think there was slight errors in the way we set up and the team we put out there, we should have gone for broke and risked firmino and stuck with Trent but Klopp seems to be a no risk manager when it comes to injuries and it hasn’t paid off once again. I won’t say tactics is the problem in this game specifically but in the biggest games Klopp seems to lack the cutting edge required to outsmart opponents in a final or a pressure situation, I think he approaches it exactly how he would in any other scenario and that for me is wrong. I think he’s proven he can evolve as a manager and this is something he’ll need to fix going forward if he will be remembered as one of the best. I can name 3 occasions this season where the pressure was on us to take charge of our own destiny and we faltered, once was against city to go 10 points clear, once was against Leicester to go 7 points clear with less games to go and last night was another. Remarkable season but we’re ultimately left empty handed and this is why some pessismists are actually the realists when it comes to us, we know what will eventually happen because 9/ 10 that’s what happens. It’s great to be an optimist but it’s been blind optimism at times saying certain results weren’t bad and that we can still do it, those guys have been proved wrong once again.

One or two of those goals go in for us and it’s a different game but it’s typical that they didn’t, CL is over and so is the league (although there’s slight hope of the league and I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for believing it’s still possible) . I’m not negative I’m just realistic. Personally I think we deserve to be PL winners because our hurdles have been harder to climb than cities but that’s subjective, in the CL we were lucky to get this far to be honest, definitely overachieved there.

15.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:20:42
Ww playing gomez there sent negative msg on field especially when all the space we were afforded in the flanks.

We didn't boss the game, that's how Barcelona plays now days. We needed taa and robo putting crosses after crosses after all both have something like 20/ 21 assists? and that's where our creativity comes from and would allow salah and mane to play more narrow rather then salah finding most of the times wider or running from half ground.

Whoever watches Barcelona week in week out will tell that's how they play.

They hardly dominate matches now days even small teams in laliga run rings around them but they only need 2/ 3 chances to kill you.

Valverde plays defensive footy like benitez or mourinho not progressing footy like klopp or pep in fact most of the times they're happy playing counter attacking style

We needed shakiri there upfront then wiji playing over 70 minutes as false 9 there.

anyways we need to move on and focus on Newcastle then Barcelona coz any early goal and we can tear barca.

Tbh Ron we made barca's defence look good w/ our conservative style. They're prone to collapse w/ just Lil bit of pressure. I hope and pray on Tuesday we come out attacking them like last season how we attacked teams w/ pace and power
instead of getting worried they might score.

16.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:27:19
Ed025, Klopp was completely happy with the kind of football we played, not the result. He might be mad but not that mad!

{Ed025's Note - its the completely bit that confused me WW, i would only ever be completely happy if i won mate....and he is as nutty as a squirrels fart by the way..

17.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:26:55
When things get tough people show their true colours. We all know who the whiners are now.

18.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:41:41
90% of what Klopp has done for LFC has to be really appreciated, he has improved us a huge amount. But last night he got it wrong on the pitch and what he said afterwards is not right either. Klopp says that is the best we have played for 2 years in the cl away. We were better v Bayern, Porto, hoffenheim.

We played well last night but which player got a 9 or even an 8? I don't think any player played at the top of their game. As an example Salah played well overall but around the box he was poor. Robertson defended well, covered loads of ground but let down by his final ball.

19.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 17:55:01
Personally, I think we were a little bit unlucky last night. We could have got 1 or 2 away goals but we always do things the hard way don't we?

We did it in the CL final against AC Milan, we did it against West Ham in the FA Cup final in 06, even in the treble season in 01, we needed an own goal in ET to win vs Alavez and we needed penalties against Birmingham. In the 2012 League Cup final against Cardiff we needed penalties and against Dortmund in 2016 we needed a last minute winner to advance 5-4 to the Semi Finals of the Europa League. Then more recently (last season) we had the semi final vs Roma, which nearly got away from us.

I believe we can do it, I believe we can win the league this season too.

20.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 19:00:36
A very wise post, refreshing to see these days! nice one mate.

21.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 19:13:01
People need to look at it this way, we have come up against 2 things that may stop us winning a trophy,

1. The best player in the world on one of his best days.

2. A record breaking man city team who have a bottomless pit of money.

A bit a perspective is needed here.

22.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 19:27:12
Sorry Ron BUT you are wrong regarding Klopp and "negative tactics". How could LFC have put Barcelona under severe pressure, created a host of clear chances to score at least two goals, make Barcelona fans boo their own team etc, by playing your so-called "negative tactics"? Utterly ridiculous.

I know you and many of us are frustrated with the result and how we could/ should have gotten something from the game BUT let's not go around blaming Klopp based on unfounded dross, ok?

Also, you said we "threw the game away". Again, where do you get this stuff from? What game did we throw away? Did we have the lead? How can you throw away something you never had? I know a 3-0 defeat is a 3-0 defeat and I am not for one second, trying to whitewash that fact.

What I am saying is that two things can be correct at the same time. We bossed Barcelona on their own patch and did not take our chances. They did. They punished our mistakes. We did not punish theirs. End of story. That is in essence what games at this level, are decided by. Cheers, mate.

23.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 19:41:17
Piffmunda, that’s all well and true but what about in the past, did those factors exist then as well? That’s the reason people have become pessimistic because it doesn’t matter what the scenario is, we fail to get over the line at the most crucial times. We’ve lost almost as many finals in cup competitions as we’ve won in the premier league era and I’m not even counting second place finishes, eventually it becomes frustraiting.

24.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 19:51:56
Wolf -
1) Negative tactics - it’s called an opinion, I’m entitled to it and a lot of posters think along the same lines. Lack of width on the right and a lack of Firmino
2) “throw a game” - it’s a turn of phrase which basically means he gave up on the game and didn’t try to win.
3) Boss the game? I hate to break it to you but you sound like your mate Rogers. He used to say “we controlled the game” when we got stuffed. Control the game vs control the result. I know which I prefer.

25.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 20:23:03
Ron, I respect your opinion as always but I think if you were to watch the match again you might not be as critical of Klopp and the performance. Liverpool were positive from start to last. Neither Klopp nor the players gave up on the game even at 3-0. While I agree that WITH HINDSIGHT Gomez at RB and Wijnaldum at CF didn’t work out, there was a sound logic for those selections. For me, we lost 3-0 simply because we did not take our chances and Barcelona did (including an unstoppable free kick from Messi) . Team selection, tactics, etc are all secondary to that simple fact.

26.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 20:32:18
WW. On the match chat, before KO I wasn’t positive, I saw no Bobby and knew we were in for a bad night. Tsk about chances all you like, 3-0 is a pasting.
There was no hindsight and my mates watching all agreed Klopp has set up for a draw.
These lads go to all the home games every week and many away for decades, they know all about the team. One of them posts on here too.

27.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 20:42:25
Gini has never played that position for Liverpool and he won't again. Gomez injured for 4 months played 10 minutes, then starts away to Barcelona in not his best position. Not sure I need hindsight I said the same the second I saw the line up.

I am not sure why we can't praise when they deserve (which has been most of the season) but when mistakes are clearly made there is no point pretending otherwise. We shouldn't just bury our head in the sand. For the record I thought we played quite well but we need to be better. That free kick was just out of this world btw.

28.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 20:44:58
Ron, fair enough, we will have to disagree on this one. Keep the faith mate, it ain’t over until . we’ll, you know the rest. YNWA.

29.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 21:11:40
Wirral mate what logic was there to play wiji as false 9?

{Ed001's Note - that neither Sturridge or Origi had worked up top when starting so he was trying someone else instead of sticking with what did not work?}

30.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 21:32:10
That neither Sturridge or Origi had worked up top when starting so he was trying someone else instead of sticking with what did not work. 😉.

{Ed025's Note - but is a european cup semi-final really the place for experimentation WW?, bobby was on the bench so i presume he was fit so maybe it was a tactical move by klopp that backfired mate..

31.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 21:41:49
Fit to be in the bench = fit to start (unless you’re coming back from a long term lay off)

If you’re on the bench, presumably you’re able to come on if, heaven forbid, a player sustains a broken leg in the first minute.

{Ed025's Note - i would be very surprised if bobby was on the bench and not fully fit ron, that would be as bad as playing a non-scoring midfielder as a false No 9 mate..

32.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 21:48:02
People underplaying our potential imo.
I *expected* us to go out there and give them a game. Let’s not pat ourselves on the back too much for that, we were more than capable.
Did we do as well as we could?
No, it could have been better. It’s frustrating because that wasn’t the true Liverpool out there.
And you’re dead right Ed025, the semi final is not the time for trying to be clever and experimenting. Badly backfired.

33.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 21:49:40
but is a european cup semi-final really the place for experimentation WW?, bobby was on the bench so i presume he was fit so maybe it was a tactical move by klopp that backfired mate. 😄.

34.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 21:59:51
Ed0025, there must have been a question mark over Bobby’s fitness to start and complete the game otherwise he would have been selected. I don’t think it was a tactical move to leave him out although it was a tactical move to select Wijnaldum in his place. Yes, it was a gamble but he has played very well in a number of positions this season. Would it have been any less of a gamble to play Origi or Sturridge when neither has been convincing as a starter recently? And, after all, Klopp, Ed001 and Wirral Wonder can’t all be wrong can we?

{Ed025's Note - i think you are all giving klopp a get out of jail free card WW, you are liverpool supporters trying to put a positive spin on things and thats fine by me mate, i actually thought you played very well and were a tad unlucky to be honest..

35.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 22:04:40
But we all said before the game, play Origi wide and Mane as the centre forward they could inter change. I am not sure what people mean playing Origi up top doesn't work, I don't remember him playing there this season.

Watford at home he played wide left had a decent game. It seems the same people who said Origi should stay now don't want him to play. What's the point in him staying if we have injuries and he still doesn't play. I will never accept that Gini as a false 9 could ever be even considered a viable option.

As ed025 says it was a European cup semi final away to Barcelona and we experiment with a line up the most we have all season.

36.) 02 May 2019
02 May 2019 22:18:54
Ron, let me disect your points in your last post:

1) Negative tactics - it’s called an opinion, I’m entitled to it and a lot of posters think along the same lines. Lack of width on the right and a lack of Firmino.

Bobbie was injured so what were you expecting? U talk as if Bobbie could play BUT Klopp chose not to start him. Klopp played the hand he was dealt and the tactics for the most part worked even tho we had to cope with Naby getting subbed off. We still did not skip a beat with Hendo. That is not an opinion. That is a fact.

2) “throw a game” - it’s a turn of phrase which basically means he gave up on the game and didn’t try to win.

He gave up on the game and did not try to win? Utter dross, gain. How do you not try to win a game where you created enuff chances to score two goals? Again, ridiculousness at it's finest.

3) Boss the game? I hate to break it to you but you sound like your mate Rogers. He used to say “we controlled the game” when we got stuffed. Control the game vs control the result. I know which I prefer.

Again, you fail to grasp context. We DID control the game for long spells to the point that Valverde had to take off Cou and bring in a defender to push Sergi Roberto into midfield cos AGAIN, they were getting bossed as they could not get out of their own half in the second half where in the first 20 mins, we had 3 chances to score and they had, NONE.

All I have mentioned is that we did lose 3-0 and that is what it is BUT that was NEVER a 3-0 game based on what we all saw. The game came down to who made more mistakes and we made too many of them and you can't overcome that many ESP. if you fail to punish theirs. IMO, you sound petulant and pissed cos Klopp did not do what you wanted hence cos we lost, everything went wrong. That is too simplistic even for you.

Unlike you, I don't want Klopp to do what I want. I want him to be coherent in his thinking to the point that I may not agree with what he does BUT at least I can understand it and I fully understand what he tried to do here and I'm fine with it, result nothwitstanding.

37.) 03 May 2019
02 May 2019 22:26:25
Kopitef, I see what you did there and I love it! Now, I have been posting all day and I am not really match fit for that and my game is more suited to occasional rather than continuous posting. It has left me physically and emotionally drained so I am signing off, having a good night’s sleep (unlike last night) and will start preparing for the Newcastle match tomorrow.

38.) 03 May 2019
02 May 2019 22:34:42
Wolf - like ed025 suggested you are giving Klopp a get out of jail free card.
He’s human, he makes mistakes. I’m sorry, but that is a fact you are going to have to deal with sooner or later.

He messed up last night. You don’t put injured players on the bench in a CL semi final. If he did then it is yet more evidence of his failure last night.

I love Klopp as our manager but he makes occasional clangers at crucial defining times and last night was an example.

39.) 03 May 2019
02 May 2019 22:21:55
Excellent and honest reply ed25 mate "trying to put a spin" love it 👏👏🙏🙏.

40.) 03 May 2019
02 May 2019 23:54:27
Who else other than Gini would equal the work rate of bobby in that position? I thought he pressed well and considering he hadn’t played there before did ok. He played more than any players on the bench this season and therefore has a better understanding of the system and his team mates. I think that’s why he played there. Bobby obviously wasn’t fit enough to start but was on the bench for an emergency which was how he was used. Irresponsible? Maybe but who would of moaned if Klopp admitted that and bobby had got an away goal? Not me and not any of you. I agree we could of tried TAA down the right but Gomez was obviously selected to counter the threat of Alba and allow Robertson a bit more freedom to get forward but unfortunately he couldn’t cross to save his life last night. It did mean he occupied more of the defenders attention which allowed Mane the space to run riot but did not result in a goal. Klopps plan was a good one I think but it didn’t work this time. Time to move on and keep the pressure on city. This will all be forgotten if we win the league or tank Barcelona 4-0 next week.

41.) 03 May 2019
03 May 2019 05:09:57
Have a great sleep WW mate.