the game at Anfield could be the best game of all the return legs this rounds.
Real will come at 'pool hard and direct.
Very unlikely. This tie is over. For all the criticism of Liverpool for their "unadventurous" tactics, if the other team doesn't make them pay for it you can't complain too much. I don't see Madrid pulling anything special out of the hat after last night's performance.
Huh?? First off I didn't hear anyone complaining...Secondly, when does one ever complain if they are able to defeat "unadventurous tactics"? In that event no one cares....I'm not following you. Complaints usually fly when you're unable to make the unadventurous team pay for stifling the game and you feel that the result of the game didn't reward the "better" team...
That said I think Liverpool put in a good shift. It was not the boring unadventurous shift that is often seen from teams that lack quality- Liverpool has quality, and it was purely a tactical move as opposed to an admission of inferiority...They were very disciplined, and even though they were on the back foot alot they were compact, maintainted their shaped and hence were hardly ever fully stretched or scrambling...and they created good chances of their own when the space opened up for them...as opposed to being content with just hoofing the ball out and waiting for the onslaught...
I don't think that the tie is over though...Advantage Liverpool no doubt (a strong advantage at that), but only a fool would write off the possibility of Madrid beating Liverpool in the return leg.... I don't think Madrid needs to pull anything "special" either- they just need to play their game and be patient... as they say in Trini: "pressha does buss pipe" Last night was no different...and that's where Juande Ramos messed up in bringing on Guti. He got impatient, and felt the need to bring on someone who can unlock the door with a magical pass....instead of trusting the more solid, and fitter players to continue wearing the game down until the dam cracked....and instead Guti ended up giving up the ball and creating more space in the middle of the field (because he doesn't defend)...for Liverpool to exploit. Not to mention, it unblanced the team taking off Marcelo- notice everything in the 2nd haf came down the right side....making it easier for Liverpool to adjust and gobble up......And after all that, in the end, it was a needless foul and poor marking on a set play that separated the two teams...Up until then Madrid looked like they could pick the lock if they kept up the constant pressure and stayed patient. Liverpool was getting more and more tired as the game went on (it's alot harder to play without the ball), and they were beginning to sit very deep- a sign of a tired team..... but the goal knocked the wind out of Madrid.
Despite sitting on a lead, I actually think Liverpool will play a little freer in the return leg- 1. because they will try to put the game away early, and 2. because they are at home and want to please the fans and get the atmosphere up... Atmosphere is the 12th man at Anfield. They will be very disciplined in their approach but I doubt they will just sit back and soak up pressure at home.... So I think it'd be an interesting return leg. The safer bet of course says L'Pool comes out of this round alive... but it ain't over.
