Liverpool 1, Standard Liege 0 (aet): Have your say on the game
DIRK KUYT marked his 100th game for Liverpool with arguably the most important goal he has scored for the club so far.
His late, late goal came in the 117th minute - ending a night of torture for Liverpool fans.
Kuyt sidefooted in at the far post after a great cross from substitute Ryan Babel.
But while it was Kuyt's goal which ensured Liverpool go into the group stages of the Champions League, Pepe Reina was probably the real hero at Anfield
The keeper produced two superb saves early on against Leige, palming away Dieudonne Mbokani and Marouane Fellaini strikes.
Liverpool were denied a penalty in extra-time when Oguchi Onyewu brought down substitute Nabil El Zhar before Kuyt's goal.
Chances for the Reds were few and far between, often reduced to long-range efforts.
Xabi Alonso curled wide, and Yossi Benayoun, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres all went wide. Kuyt also headed wide in the first half.
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ALways so late. DOn't mind so much in a final, but a qualifier? WE have to get better, and fast.
I think Kuyt should be a striker, he does score important goals, he was bad today but you have to say that winger is not his position. on the right of 4-3-3 possibly but definitely not a RM on a 4-4-2. Rafa is meant to know all about football, why can he not see things that any fan can see? I am losing faith in him... I have always backed him but unless he changes quick.. God help us against villa this weekend!
on a positive note, El zahr looked really good! a big short though... Surely Rafa can see that it doesn't work continuing to play like that. I don't know how Mascherano and Lucas and Babel will feel had we have got knocked out of this cos they were selfish and wanted to play in that stupid amature olympics??
Yossi, Keane, babel and even Torres were absoultely rubbish. Yossi was awful. Everytime he touched the ball he lost it. Keane was no where to be seen. Babel came on and looked like he couldn't care less... His touches were poor, he did provide the cross but was useless! Even Torres were average, why does he tire so quickly? it's not the first time he gets tired, I don't normally see other strikers getting tired but towards the end of normal time, he could bearly run! We had a good balance playing 4-2-3-1 in the second half of last season, why change it? What was the point of getting Keane? If we were to play 4-4-2 then we need wingers.. My god! 4 games in a role now, when is it going to end??
Well done Kuyt. Amazing work rate and effort. He gives his all every time. Pretty embarassing though, reduced to not returning the ball when Standard put it out for an injury.
In 33 years as a Red fan no-ne would have ever convinced me even at gun point that I'd ever feel the way I'm feeling this morning. I feel embarrassed. The hero was, nowadays as usual, Reina. Over two legs he should be given the title of Sir by the Queen. Otherwise for me the other hero was the ever always slated Dirk Kuyt. I really admire this man. He always gives his all, never tires, runs all over the pitch literally (has seen him replace the last man!!!) and most importantly he has that sheer determination about him. He really has got a rock solid state of mind, it seems (luckily for us) that the more all slate him, and the more things go wrong for him, the more couragous and determined he becomes. Even our beloved and almost worshipped captain sometimes failes in this dept. The only oter two that can match this attitude are Jamie and Sami. One little advise to Rafa if I humbly can. Please do not sell ever Kuyt, Jamie or Sami. Make it a point that they stay at our club beyond their football years. They should be the backbone of our future backroom stuff. And I really mean it.
Start with the positives. As against Sunderland and Boro, a win is a win..
Yes we were lucky but if Utd, Arsenal or Chelsea had played as badly and won it would have been what champions are made of so am happy with the results. However, if we play that bad again I will take
my wife up on her offer of 'Ending Me' with a mallet over the head. My biggest quirk is with Rafa for buying such expensive tosh yet again, most of which was on show on Saturday and we have another on the way in Reira. It has been painfully obvious thus far that the team lack any balance on the left hand side and any invention in midfield. Rafa's made us go 'eh, why's he done that?' many times before, but he's also made us change our minds at times as well. I still have faith in the genial bearded one..
This is a worry. Yes at the end of the day its another win - but god it was awful football. I don't think the team - Kuyt aside - are fit enough, they don't seem sharp on the ball, and some don't seem overly interested. And who is this player called Keane? He seems to like giving interviews more than he likes getting stuck in on the field. He is invisible at times....I really hope things pick up quick style - we'll get beaten at Villa if we don't play way better than this.
True, Liverpool did - by no means - live up with expectations, but do not underestimate this Standard Liège. A very young and talented group of players, that is -generally speaking- in the same team since 3-4 years, and performs as a group of friends. Coached this year by the guy who made Porto win a European Cup, with a small budget, who won himself the Cup with Steau B., and who is a very sharp and intelligent man, this is not a coincidence. Maybe the Reds should consider inviting some of yesterday's Liège strongholders to Anfield R. Could save money and improve the team...
Its a pity things are going the way they are right now, but I'm still hopeful things will change for the better. I won't like to condemn Keane so much (though I agree he was too expensive) for he is still very new in the team and would need adjustment; dont forget that it took Crouch several matches before he got his 1st goal and besides we all agreed that he was a good buy. Maybe we should just cool our nerves, things will definitely pick up.