Champions League Final: AC Milan vs Liverpool (ALL-match comments)

One word: "Riconquistiamola"

I would love Pippo scoring

Originally Posted by Haroon

The preview is ready but the DAMN limit is set again! The limit is at 20,000 characters while the preview is over 25,000 characters! So can the administrator please increase the limit temporarily to 30,000 or so. If you don't increase the limit then no preview!

Basically it's down to: "If we score we win"

Read this amazing piece by Liverpool fan RUSHIAN on the Curva Sud singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" in the 1989 European Champions Cup semi-final with Real Madrid CF.

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/...c,66422.0.html


This is where our clubs' traditions lie and this is our solidarity as fans of great football clubs! I'd bet a good amount that YNWA will be sung again by the whole stadium come May 25, 2005. :shades:

Originally Posted by Diavolo

Basically it's down to: "If we score we win"

No comment.

Originally Posted by Ruffian
That was when Stam was injured. He can make great individual stops, but he's not fitting in. He can't run the defense and he can't cover for Cafu. Sorry, but I don't want to see him in Istanbul. Cafu - Nesta - Maldini - Kaladze, and Costacurta should be our sub in central defense, although I'm hoping we won't need one.

Originally Posted by Laudrup

That is an interesting point, Ruffian.

It has been my unfortunate experience to have reviewed the recent goals we have conceded, both vs Juve and Lecce, and IMO, Stam´s positioning left a lot to be desired, and lets just add the PSV game to that as well.

He is a good defender when tackling, robbing attackers who have the ball at their feet, yet when crosses are sent over, he seems to be conveniently 2 to 3 yards away from the attacker he should have been so close to, that they would have appeard to be sharing shirts.

This was a feature of Billy´s play recently as well, and though Paolo is not as good in terms of winning headers, his positional sense is better. So, for my 2 cents, Billy should move swiftly into coaching, or try out the left or right back positions, but certainly not central defense....unless he goes to Bolton or some team like that...let me hasten to add that I totally respect Costacurta, but his days as an effective defender at the top level are obviously over.

Maybe where Milan need major investment next terms is in defence, which may have been our strong point at various stages this season, but was our liability at the season´s start (set plays) and now as it draws to a close.

Baros and Cisse (though the latter maybe less so) are not fools in the air, and can score with a well placed header, and as Del Piero showed vs Parma, an unmarked leprechaun can score a header in the box.

This is my greatest concern, not our scoring, but our defending. In the game vs Lecce, Cafu was beaten for pace on one of the goals....this may not be so much of a concern for us vs Liverpool, but again, IMO suggests an age induced decline in our much regalled back four.

Nesta is an excellent, world class defender as is Paolo, but they cant do it alone.

Maybe what will happen (though honestly I doubt it) we will just have to outscore Liverpool....

I'm yet another Liverpool fan wanting to say a warm hello to my friends in the red half of Milano. Like so many Liverpool fans, I have felt a special bond with the Rossoneri since that special night back in 89 when van Basten, Baresi, Gullit and co. played the beautiful game at it's best, convincingly beating Madrid 5-0. The memories of that night when you all sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" and unfurled the "Sheffield: You'll Never Walk Alone" banner will be remembered by us forever.

It's a pleasure to be playing you in the Champion's League Final, although it will be a shame that one of us has to lose. I obviously believe that Liverpool will win although a lot will depend on which Liverpool team will turn up on the night. While our CL performances have been scintillating, due to injuries we have been unable to rotate our squad for the following league game, which has cost us dearly. Contrary to what the newspapers may say (please don't ever quote "The Sun" newspaper to a Liverpool fan) we are not confident, just genuine football fans who will give our team unconditional support at what will be a great spectacle. On paper your squad is formidable, but thankfully for us, football is played on grass and not paper.....

For Liverpool to win we must play a pressing game, like PSV did. Give Pirlo and Kaka time on the ball, and you will get scoring opportunities so we will play with 5 midfielders with Gerrard making a nuisance of himself, Alonso spraying the ball round for fun, Hamann protecting the back 4 and Garcia and Riise getting forward when possible to support Cisse. Carragher & Hyypia are excellent defenders, but like Maldini, Stam and Nesta, they do not have great pace. While Shevchenko is probably the best striker in the world, pace is not one of his finest attributes. It's debatable whether he should be playing after the head butt on Materazzi ;-) . Personally, I will feel privileged to see him for the second time after a visit last season to the San Siro where I stood with pride in the Curva Sud.

I hope to meet you all in Istanbul, perhaps even to exchange a scarf or shirt. From what I have read we have great respect for each other so hopefully we can continue our discussions over a beer or two.

On behalf of Liverpool fans everywhere may I wish you a safe trip to Turkey!



<<< You'll Never Walk Alone >>>



Ringo

Now ready for Haroon's preview

Cissé not expecting Milan start
Djibril Cissé says he is not expecting to start the Champions’ League Final against Milan next week, despite scoring twice for Liverpool on Sunday.
The fit-again France international replaced an out-of-touch Milan Baros in the starting XI against Aston Villa and seized his chance by netting both goals in the 2-1 win.
But he insisted he is not yet fully fit after returning from a double leg fracture last month.
"I’m not thinking about starting against Milan," said the former Auxerre striker. "That’s a decision for the Coach to make.
"I feel good but I am only playing at 70 or 80 percent of my top form," he added.
Coach Rafael Benitez said he would consider playing the 23-year-old from the start.
"Djibril’s performance against Villa has given me more options. I could start with him, or Baros, or play with two strikers," said the Spaniard.
channel4.com


FORZA MILAN

Welcome Ringo!!!

That is a cool name, in Jamaica, we had a very famous rapper named Johnny Ringo..who was quite good actually.

Welcome to milanmania, that was an excellent post.

Why aren't the images showing properly? I saw the preview of the post and the links are shown but not the images. Damn!! Come on Reza ... make an exception here. Enable the images just for this post and then remove the privilege. It will be worth it every cent. I promise you.

Welcome to MM Ringo!

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

Welcome Ringo!!!

That is a cool name, in Jamaica, we had a very famous rapper named Johnny Ringo..who was quite good actually.

Welcome to milanmania, that was an excellent post.

probably " ringo " is becouse of ringo star from the beatles, from liverpool. Anyway ringo welcome and I hope we can all sing together " You'll never walk alone " in the beggining of the game, and then later on rossoneri will go on with " we are the champions, my friends..."

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. I was named after the drummer in the Beatles, another part of Liverpool's proud heritage.

Despite Cisse only being 70% fit, most Liverpool fans would rather start with him, as opposed to Baros. Even at 70% he is very fast and will cause your ageing defence a few problems. His first touch though is not good (he would have trouble to control a bag of cement) but even so, he offers more than Baros, who is not a team player. He rarely passes or looks up to find a team mate, which has cost us dearly, as has the fact that he has only scored 2 goals since November.

Can I ask how many of you are actually travelling to the game? It's cost the Liverpool fans an absolute fortune. My one night's hotel and flight cost me Euros 850 + match ticket of Euros 120. To make matters worse, and to show you how little chance I thought that we had of making the final, I booked to go to Spain with my wife and we go on Friday morning. Now that we are in the final I am flying home on Tuesday night leaving my wife in Spain so that I can catch the plane with the lads to Istanbul on Wednesday morning. She will return on her own on Thursday night. I explained to her that I can go on holiday with her anytime, but I have waited 20 long years to see Liverpool in a Champions League/ European Cup Final.

Ahh Ringo, a man of my own heart! Not that my wife would be that understanding though!!!!!

Originally Posted by Haroon

Enable the images just for this post and then remove the privilege. It will be worth it every cent. I promise you.

I'll do that as long as you are giving my team a good write up