Champions league final: post match thread

[Halmeister]

Yep, nobody really seems to address it.

It was obvious from the way we lined up at kick off that we intended to play direct and get that early goal. We got it - probably even earlier than we anticipated - and then we defended comfortably.

The game went exactly how we wanted it to. Nobody seems to be mentioning that.

 

[Portly]

The game went exactly how we wanted it to. Nobody seems to be mentioning that.

Probably not mentioning it because it isn't true. We wouldn't have wanted to spend most of the match hanging on to a 1-0 lead with Spurs constantly threatening an equalilser and Alisson keeping them out.

As Klopp said, the players were running on empty. We winged it.

 

[Halmeister]

Probably not mentioning it because it isn't true. We wouldn't have wanted to spend most of the match hanging on to a 1-0 lead with Spurs constantly threatening an equalilser and Alisson keeping them out.

As Klopp said, the players were running on empty. We winged it.

Absolutely no chance.

They didn't have a shot on target until the 75th minute, and even that was from 25 plus yards.

We did not wing it at all, and practically all of Alisson's saves were routine stops you'd expect him to make. They had a 2 minute flurry of efforts on goal, then we went up the other end and scored another.

Obviously we would've wanted to score more than one goal, but winged it is incredibly unfair. We were never fazed. We were comfortable. 3 Spurs players collapsed in a heap all at once at around 70 minutes in. They were fucked. We were fine.

"Winged it". Piss off.

 

[doctor_mac]

Probably not mentioning it because it isn't true. We wouldn't have wanted to spend most of the match hanging on to a 1-0 lead with Spurs constantly threatening an equalilser and Alisson keeping them out.

As Klopp said, the players were running on empty. We winged it.

I don't think we were hanging on Portly – up until the final 10 we had the better of chances created and shots, despite having little possession, but I do agree this couldn't have been the game plan. We certainly didn't mean to pass like a bunch of cloggers who had never met each other before, which we did for much of the game.

 

[juniormember]

I don't think we were hanging on JJ – up until the final 10 we had the better of chances created and shots, despite having little possession, but I do agree this couldn't have been the game plan. We certainly didn't mean to pass like a bunch of cloggers who had never met each other before, which we did for much of the game.

You're getting the oldies mixed up mate!

 

[Halmeister]

I've said earlier in this thread that we were poor in possession - obviously that wasn't the intention.

But the current narrative that we were lucky, Spurs dominated, and we were hanging on is utter tripe.

Football is about more than what you do with the ball. That's only half of it. We were magnificent without possession. Nobody is mentioning that. Spurs had absolutely no answer.

 

[doctor_mac]

You're getting the oldies mixed up mate!

Haha!

 

[rurikbird]

Yep, nobody really seems to address it.

It was obvious from the way we lined up at kick off that we intended to play direct and get that early goal. We got it - probably even earlier than we anticipated - and then we defended comfortably.

The game went exactly how we wanted it to. Nobody seems to be mentioning that.

I agree, it's clear Klopp's plan was to play on the counter in the this game rather than try to dominate the ball and let Spurs counter at pace. We didn't execute it perfectly, surely 35% possession was too little, but we nullified their threat almost Mourinho-style (which Jose himself pointed out) and created by far the better chances until their late spurt at 2:0.

Part of it was psychological too - Spurs were in their first final and playing as underdogs. They were mentally prepared to suffer and fight, but instead we let them have the ball, but shut down all routes to the goal, leaving them rather confused about their strategy. Klopp lost finals this way before and it's clear he's learned a thing or two from these experiences.

 

[King Binny]

Know it's still early but hey, we're defending Champions!

The teams in Pot 1 are now confirmed, while provisional pots can be drawn up for the others (though the teams in bold are guaranteed to be in that pot) based on the highest-ranked clubs progressing through qualifying.

POT 1: Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Manchester City, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Zenit St Petersburg

POT 2 (provisional): Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, FC Porto*, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Shakhtar Donetsk, Ajax*

POT 3 (provisional): Benfica, Dynamo Kiev*, Lyon, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Salzburg, Valencia, Inter Milan, Celtic*

POT 4 (provisional): FC Copenhagen*, Dinamo Zagreb*, Lokomotiv Moscow, Genk, Galatasaray, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, Lille

*denotes must go through qualifying

 

[JurgenKlopp]

 

[JurgenKlopp]

I'll take Ajax, Salzburg and Copenhagen now

 

[Shadey]

Absolutely no chance.

They didn't have a shot on target until the 75th minute, and even that was from 25 plus yards.

We did not wing it at all, and practically all of Alisson's saves were routine stops you'd expect him to make. They had a 2 minute flurry of efforts on goal, then we went up the other end and scored another.

Obviously we would've wanted to score more than one goal, but winged it is incredibly unfair. We were never fazed. We were comfortable. 3 Spurs players collapsed in a heap all at once at around 70 minutes in. They were fucked. We were fine.

"Winged it". Piss off.

This ^

 

[JurgenKlopp]

This ^

Winged it lol, what are you smoking? It was a shite game as most finals can be, but yet we we were pretty comfortable. As must pundits have said Matip and VVD were coasting for the large part. Yes they had more possession and had a few shots at goal in a short space of time towards the end, but they never looked like scoring.

 

[tombrown]

Can't quite believe we lost 3 of the 5 group games this season

This team that only lost one league match

7 games lost all season overall.

Can't quite believe we only played 5 group games. Maybe that's why we were the freshest team in the knockout stages, having played one game less than everyone else.

 

[the count]

the day of the match..................

 

[Modo]

Compare that to how the Dutch received VD and Gini.

 

[JurgenKlopp]

 

[localny]

Can't quite believe we only played 5 group games. Maybe that's why we were the freshest team in the knockout stages, having played one game less than everyone else.

There's always an assassin waiting in the tall grass!

 

[JurgenKlopp]

Love those inside anfield clips or in this case inside Madrid

 

[Woland]

I wasn't there, so "context", but that doesn't sound particularly affectionate

Not really mean either. Just a funny as fuck song that would get you lynched on Rawk

 

[moron]

Love it how we have this different view of the final. Truth is, it went the way it has happened in all our games against Spurs recently. Which is when they get going and start passing it around our midfield seem to get totally bypassed. The difference in the final was the loss of sharpness on their part on finishing, and as for us we had VVD and Matip on form to stop them. Klopp did as Mourinho point out seem to play with all 3 mids protecting the defence.

This has been the norm against spurs in our previous 4 encounters with them before the final.

 

[Hyena]

I must have been watching a different game from all of you, because I was furious at the break. I don't think playing defensively requires you to misplace simple passes, take speculative shots instead of working the ball, and allow the other side to pass around in your half!

I certainly don't think VVD or Robertson rescue us with a last minute tackle was part of a grand plan.

face it. We were shit.

 

[peterhague]

I must have been watching a different game from all of you, because I was furious at the break. I don't think playing defensively requires you to misplace simple passes, take speculative shots instead of working the ball, and allow the other side to pass around in your half!

I certainly don't think VVD or Robertson rescue us with a last minute tackle was part of a grand plan.

face it. We were shit.

Oh we were definitely shit, and playing like that obviously wasn't the plan.

But being set up to absorb that kind of performance - having the solid defence and the tactical discipline - is part of why great teams win the big matches.

That part of the win I find incredibly satisfying.

Of course, during the actual game I was fucking livid at our inability to keep the ball etc. But I never really expected them to score. It was a bit like how we often played under Rafa.

 

[manwithnoname]

Yep, nobody really seems to address it.

It was obvious from the way we lined up at kick off that we intended to play direct and get that early goal. We got it - probably even earlier than we anticipated - and then we defended comfortably.

The game went exactly how we wanted it to. Nobody seems to be mentioning that.

Did we plan to have the lowest pass completion rate of any game this year too?

I think it's risible to state that game went 'exactly how we wanted it to'

We played some terrible football

 

[Frogfish]

Probably not mentioning it because it isn't true. We wouldn't have wanted to spend most of the match hanging on to a 1-0 lead with Spurs constantly threatening an equalilser and Alisson keeping them out.

As Klopp said, the players were running on empty. We winged it.

Except they almost never threatened and Becker didn't have a single save to make in the first half

Also didn't Klopp say both teams were running empty? They had nothing more to give for the last 15 mins (from 80 mins on).

 

[Frogfish]

I don't think we were hanging on Portly – up until the final 10 we had the better of chances created and shots, despite having little possession, but I do agree this couldn't have been the game plan. We certainly didn't mean to pass like a bunch of cloggers who had never met each other before, which we did for much of the game.

And so did they. Those 3 weeks off fucked both teams up, neither was match sharp. I'll take it now though

 

[Frogfish]

I've said earlier in this thread that we were poor in possession - obviously that wasn't the intention.

But the current narrative that we were lucky, Spurs dominated, and we were hanging on is utter tripe.

Football is about more than what you do with the ball. That's only half of it. We were magnificent without possession. Nobody is mentioning that. Spurs had absolutely no answer.

Sky sports did, they have our players' ratings on an average of ca. 6.59 points to Spurs ' 5.59.

 

[doctor_mac]

Interesting video about pen storage solutions. Best watched with sound down.

 

[Y1]

It truly was horrible to watch us giving the ball away so easily. But hey, I take the win anyhow they come. Thank goodness that spurs was not that good either despite their possessions!

 

[Judge Jules]

I though it was obvious within the first few minutes that our approach had been planned from the start. I wasn't sure I liked the idea and we played like drains at times in the process, but that doesn't negate the fact that we did set out to rope-a-dope them - or that it worked.