It’s only halftime, but I want to get down a few thoughts about the game.
First, while I realize that the actual playing of entertaining matches can only do so much to counteract the widespread belief that this is a boring tie, we are in fact now on the fourth consecutive fairly thrilling Champions League game between these two clubs. There’s a reason I get excited about the matchup every year.
Second, Aurélio’s goal: As I was watching the ball scud toward the part of the goal toward which Petr Čech was unaccountably not moving, I thought to myself, “I bet I have time to take a cab to the airport, buy a ticket to London, catch the tube to Stamford Bridge, and stop that ball myself before it crosses the line.” In Čech’s defense, however, it actually went in sometime during the second in-flight movie.
Third, Xabi Alsono: If you were to hear the words, “Ladies and gentleman, the pilot has had a heart attack,” is there any other Premier League footballer you would rather have on the plane? The man is just calm-seeming. It would be eerie, maybe, if it weren’t already taking steps to reassure you about its own eerieness.
Read More: Champions League, Chelsea, Liverpool
by Brian Phillips · April 14, 2009
That game…
If only Liverpool hadn’t forgotten how to defend.
When they took Torres off, I was shocked. And then they scored within 30 seconds. I am not Rafa Benitez.
My favorite two moments from this match are:
-Drogba going down early in the first half, and writhing off the pitch. Play continues. Cameras cut back, and “oh now he’s on the pitch!”
-Drogba limping off with flanked by physios, then Liverpool win a corner. The camera whips to the box, and there’s Drogba jostling.
I don’t think Rafa knew whether or not to commit to this match, and I think it cost Liverpool. Not like I would know, either, though.
I thought at the time that Benitez had given up when he pulled Torres, and I’m still not convinced the opposite is true. Sure, there could be some underlying genius to it, but it did look like Torres being saved for the Arsenal, and ‘Pool just happening to score after that, and that the two were unrelated.
But yeah, I never won the Champions League either, so…
My first sign was that Gerrard wasn’t even on the bench. After Aurelio’s goal it didn’t matter, but at 0-2 I bet Rafa was wishing he’d still had the option, at least. Unless Stevie’s leg was going to fall off at the groin.
So agonizingly close. Oh well.