Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Milan - Liverpool
A half-day off of work; a packed Liverpool bar on the Bowery; a fairly good game in a rowdy atmosphere. The shocking thing wasn't that Milan proved victorious, but that Liverpool looked for almost any given stretch of the match like the team who wanted it more, the team destined for glory. It wasn't the best game ever played by either team (and it was far, far from the worst), but Liverpool put a lot of fire and energy in their performance. Milan, to my eyes, not so much. If I were Rafa Benitez I would have subbed in Crouch in the 60th minute, and maybe Fowler (for Kuyt) in the 80th. Congrats to Milan though.
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5 comments:
Hello Zach - I like your analysis. But I thought Liverpool seemed to accept that it wasn't there year very easily in the end. Was it fun watching it in New York? I was on a sofa in Brighton, UK :-)
Tamsin--it was pretty fun watching in New York, which may be the best soccer (er, football) city in the US ... but the team did seem gracious in defeat.
Well I am week late in posting my comments but this was a game that had captured my attention, so I feel I have to comment :)
I agree with you that Crouch should have been brought on earlier. I also think at the start of the second half, Rafa should have taken off Zenden and instead brought on Bellamy. Then he should have made Gerrard play back in midfield and feed the balls to the two attackers (Kuyt & Bellamy). That would have given the aging Milan defense something to worry about.
But one positive thing about Rafa. His plan for containing Milan was very good. Kaka, Pirlo & Seedorf were rendered ineffective. Overall, I was not bowled over by the game but at the same time, I was not bored either. I am curious to see what Liverpool's team next year will look like. Also, most of Milan's team could retire in the summer so they will also have some new faces next year.
In the end, the Champions League seems to ensure that plenty of us somehow disappear for 2 hour lunches on tuesdays & wednesdays :)
I, too, am late in leaving a comment. Getting up at 4:30am and watching the game wrapped up in my blanket on the couch has obviously wearied me.
As no-one else follows football, let alone Liverpool, in my house, containing my anguish, rage, happiness and disappointment (think Kuyt's disallowed extra-time goal in the semi-final) to silence and gesticulations at the screen makes each game a theatrical mime of a football supporter seperated from the crowd.
My thoughts on the game are posted on my blog, along with some good photos.
http://www.boytoworld.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html#5728547224964704406#5728547224964704406
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