Liverpool V Portsmouth Match Thread

[Lecter]

My Eye, please open your other one.

and he should also stop talking out of his arse

[Kenneth]

The stop moaning posts are as predictable as the moaning ones. In fact, there are more stop moaning posts than there are moaning ones.

[bazza76]

and he should also stop talking out of his arse

[MyEye]

[QUOTE=Lecter;594422]Cant say I'm that enamoured with the Torres signing anyway


Neither am i mate. But he's better than Kuyt.

[Mattshark]

Oh dear. At what may I ask?

Well his passing was very good for the most part he was everywhere and in that heat and humidity that was impressive, he was clearly the best player on the pitch today, your just blinded by your dislike of him.

[Rich]

People have to understand though, Rafa doesn't want a team of 11 players who will start week in week out. He wants options, that is what the likes of Babel, The Crow and Yossi give us. Rafa is happy with these options, then so am I, I trust Rafa as a manager, and realise we are lucky to have him, his technical ability has brought us to two champions league finals in three seasons, and people still think he does not know what he is doing

I agree Bazza; my nagging doubt with this is (and it is in no way based on todays game) whether you can win the Premiership with having 7/8 players that can essentially interchange positions. I guess we'll see this season.

[bazza76]

The stop moaning posts are as predictable as the moaning ones. In fact, there are more stop moaning posts than there are moaning ones.

Stop moaning about the stop moaning posts please, then I can stop moaning to you about moaning, about the stop moaning about the moaning posts

[MyEye]

and he should also stop talking out of his arse

[Lecter]

[QUOTE=MyEye;594435]

Cant say I'm that enamoured with the Torres signing anyway


Neither am i mate. But he's better than Kuyt.

Torres will struggle to outscore Kuyt imo

[Slim]

I do, and I suspect the thousands of liverpool fans who paid to see do. Yes, it's not a particularly important game, but no caring isn't normal for a fan.

I musn't be a normal fan then because I'm not that bothered. Yes I want us to win every single game we play, but I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist over the result of a pre-season friendly. Anyway it was 0-0 draw technically we didn't lose the actually match itself

[bazza76]

I agree Bazza; my nagging doubt with this is (and it is in no way based on todays game) whether you can win the Premiership with having 7/8 players that can essentially interchange positions. I guess we'll see this season.

I understand your concerns, I share them too. We don't know if this approach can bring us the league title, remains to be seen I guess.

[Kenneth]

Stop moaning about the stop moaning posts please, then I can stop moaning to you about moaning, about the stop moaning about the moaning posts

[Lecter]

Yeah, it's not an important game, but we should not be losing to a team as bad as that, who were playing below their usual **** level. Goody, nobody is injured, which is important, but ffs, that was dismal. Doesn't say much about the coming season, but let's have some pride, we can't completely ignore the fact that we lost in front of thousands of our fans.

When Paisley and Fagan were in charge a poor pre-season was quite frequent

So stop being negative

Its a friendly

[Kenneth]

Well his passing was very good for the most part he was everywhere and in that heat and humidity that was impressive, he was clearly the best player on the pitch today, your just blinded by your dislike of him.

My dislike of him takes over my entire being. But at least you can acknowledge that he is a diving **** at times, and they're not even vaguely convincing. Worst diver in our squad.

[kurtangle01]

Pompey fans matchreport.

Pompey triumph in penalty drama to lift trophy

By Pompey-fans.com
Date: 27/7/2007

Pompey beat Liverpool 4-2 on penalties to lift the Asia Trophy in Hong Kong - and take revenge for 1992. Niko Kranjcr scored the winning spot kick after Matt Taylor, Lomana Lualua and Hermann Hreidarsson had scored theirs. David James made stunning saves from Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun.


Pompey are the Barclays Asia Trophy holders after gaining revenge for their FA Cup semi-final defeat of 1992 by beating Liverpool on penalties in the searing heat of the Hong Kong stadium.

David James was Pompey's hero during the 90 minutes and in the shootout, which came immediately after the end of normal time, the tired players spared having to put in an extra 30 minutes.

The penalties got off to a bad start for Pompey when John Utaka, after his first 45 minutes in a Blues shirt, put his kick wide.

Steve Gerrard, who played only the final few minutes of the game, put his penalty past James to put all the pressure on James.

Matt Taylor and Lomana Lualua then scored for Pompey and Dirk Kuyt kept the Reds ahead in between - but then the momentum swung towards Pompey as James brilliantly saved debut-making Fernando Torres spot kick.

Hermann Hreidarsson put Pompey in front for the first time and when James saved from Liverpool's other new signing, Yossi Benayoun, Pompey were on the verge of a famous victory - and of course revenge.

Niko Kranjcar sent the Pompey players and travelling Blues fans into delirium when he put his kick past Pepe Reina - ironically it was his first touch after coming on as a late substitute.

It is a fantastic end to asuccessful Hong Kong tour for Pompey, who can now look ahead to the Premier League kick-off two weeks tomorrow with great optimism.

And every fan who was at Villa Park on April 13, 1992, can be forgiven for gloating a little - for the next 15 years, probably.

The drama of the finale was a far cry from the 90 minutes, which suffered through the heat - neither side able to produce football of any great entertainment value.

Martin Cranie started at right-back, while Djimi Traore came in at left-back. Matt Taylor replaced Niko Kranjcar in left midfield and Sol Campbell was given the skipper's armband.

John Arne Riise had the first shot on target but it was easily saved by James.

David Nugent beat the offisde trap on 19 minutes to go clear down the left, but his pass to Benjani was cut out.

Kuyt volleyed one high over the bar for Liverpool, before the Dutchman brought a full-length save from James after being put through.

James was caught in possession on the edge of his area by the pacy Babel, but Cranie rescued him.

Liverpool were having the better of it but Gary O'Neil wasted a golden chance to put Pompey ahead when put in the clear by Sulley Muntari. Pepe Reina saved his shot.

The second half was a familiar story with Liverpool enjoying most of the possession, but finding no way past James when they did get that far.

John Utaka, on as a substitute, gave Pompey an extra option in attack and his pace gave the Liverpool back line one or two uncomfortable moments.

Other subs used by Pompey included Hreidarsson and Lualua as first-half legs tired - but the longer the game went on, the more likely penalties looked.

And by the time it was all over, weren't Pompey glad about that.

Pompey: James, Cranie, Campbell, Distin, Traore, O'Neil, Mendes, Muntari, Taylor, Nugent, Benjani.

Liverpool: Reina, Agger, Hyypia, Riise, Finnan, Alonso, Kewell, Sissoko, Pennant, Kuyt, Babel.

Ref: Mark Clattenburg