Post match thank you Bendtner thread

[Exiled_red]

he's just not mobile enough to play up front on his own

when you need someone to chase the opposition and pressure them like we needed against Arse crouch is defo not a good choice

i think he's off in the summer, he needs regular football, it's not going to happen at Liverpool. It's a shame, i've always liked Crouch, but that's football

But Voronin didn't do that either, considering he had fresh legs and only came on for last 10 mins he didn't do that much closing down, I remember one ball was about 2 yards away from him which he could have got and he didn't even run for it

[Vermilion]

Ah, back to reality. Some unbiased opinion, great. The anti LFC ****e on the air waves today is a piss take quite frankly, every time Arsenal get a bad result we end up with days of moaning & whining about Ref,s. Tossers.

Nice one Rafa, well done Dirky. (the runner).

[MattB]

It is not the knowledge but the phraseology that makes you a geek.

Said the man using the word phraseology...

Fair point tho

[Roboklopp]

Said the man using the word phraseology...

Fair point tho

Knew you'd get me on thattun.

[Kenneth]

Said the man using the word phraseology...

Fair point tho

Now that's irony.

[Kenneth]

But Voronin didn't do that either, considering he had fresh legs and only came on for last 10 mins he didn't do that much closing down, I remember one ball was about 2 yards away from him which he could have got and he didn't even run for it

It was a terrible pass and I don't think he could have reached it, but we like to see people chase lost causes all the same.

[Kenneth]

Lol cheers mate. It's incredible that I wasn't aware of this rule.

Not really.

[breffniboy]

All this talk about a great performance is wrong in my opinion we got our away goal and clung on for dear life. Arsenal will be disappointed by the result but will also be confident about getting at least a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

1-1 away in europe is a decent result but by the response on here I would think we had won 2-0.

I am by no means a pessimist but I think people are getting a bit ahead of themselves.

I am pleased with the result but to say we were fantastic is deluded in my opinion, which is backed up by the match statistics. I do not think we managed to stamp any authority on the game and were more reliant on them wasting chances than anything else.

Post of the thread so far.

The result is the supreme arbiter of reactions on here, as you'd expect, performance is largely nowhere in the reckoning. We were damn lucky to sneak a goal last night and had we not, alot of the comments on here about how solid and workmanlike we were would be quickly revised to outline how we simply couldn't keep hold of the ball, how Kuyt is supposed to be an offensive player but continually bails out the full back, how Torres was a victim of his own mercurial abilities in that he was left horribly isolated and expected to do the work of two strikers, how Stevie had one of his "strangely quiet" (nah, not really) nights and how Arsenal were all over us for the most part.

Once again we were all about stopping the opposition which is a fundamental admission from the get-go that we don't believe we're as good as them. I think it's a bit sad that our club is in precisely this same kow-towing position now as it was when Rafa took over, but to be practical, I guess I'm as happy as the next man with a 1-1 because we've a great chance of going through.

[Roboklopp]

Post of the thread so far.

The result is the supreme arbiter of reactions on here, as you'd expect, performance is largely nowhere in the reckoning. We were damn lucky to sneak a goal last night and had we not, alot of the comments on here about how solid and workmanlike we were would be quickly revised to outline how we simply couldn't keep hold of the ball, how Kuyt is supposed to be an offensive player but continually bails out the full back, how Torres was a victim of his own mercurial abilities in that he was left horribly isolated and expected to do the work of two strikers, how Stevie had one of his "strangely quiet" (nah, not really) nights and how Arsenal were all over us for the most part.

Once again we were all about stopping the opposition which is a fundamental admission from the get-go that we don't believe we're as good as them. I think it's a bit sad that our club is in precisely this same kow-towing position now as it was when Rafa took over, but to be practical, I guess I'm as happy as the next man with a 1-1 because we've a great chance of going through.

Nonsense. Whilst we were on the back foot a lot of the time, so were the Mancs in the league. They come away with a similar result after (admittedly more polished) counter-attacking & take the praise, yet we are condemned for it? Ask AC Milan how hard it is to go there & get a result.

Of course we rode our luck, but then other teams have against us & it is about time we had some.

We did what was required & that was a lot. We weren't brilliant, but we didnt allow them to be either. No more, no less. A typically professional away Euro performance by us- the likes of which have seen us to 2 finals in 3 years.

[Vermilion]

Nonsense. Whilst we were on the back foot a lot of the time, so were the Mancs in the league. They come away with a similar result after (admittedly more polished) counter-attacking & take the praise, yet we are condemned for it? Ask AC Milan how hard it is to go there & get a result.

Of course we rode our luck, but then other teams have against us & it is about time we had some.

We did what was required & that was a lot. We weren't brilliant, but we didnt allow them to be either. No more, no less. A typically professional away Euro performance by us- the likes of which have seen us to 2 finals in 3 years.

Must agree. As an Away performance at this stage of the comp, & against them, very satisfying. First stage...Job Done. Arsenal moaning, Wenger EVEN Saw It, Feelin hard done by, Inside their heads.....now finish them off at ANFIELD.

[Slim]

There has to be two defenders between the player and the goal. Under normal circumstances the second defender would be the keeper, but he was ahead of the play. Ipso facto there was only one and he was offside

I know that because I asked the same question last night, not because I'm some kind of offside rule geek

The amount of dickheads I work with who don't know the offiside rule is amazing. All morning they've been going on about how lucky we were when Bendtner was clearly offside FFS.

[breffniboy]

Yes, the goal alters all perceptions

I'm happy with the result, I genuinely am, I just think how we play is not in keeping with the traditions of the club or something. We play a very precarious game of roulette by setting up like this - one slip at the back, we're 1-0 down and as good as goosed nine times out of ten - so I guess I'm fearful we can't keep doing it.

You can't argue with two finals in three years, you're right there of course, but I always feel we're pushing whatever little luck we get. And defensively, we don't look as solid as we once did, so predicating your entire gameplan on a platform of not conceding/scoring first might be foolhardy.

But let's wait and see.

[tomasjj]

While we could have lost by one or two goals easily, I do not think that it was unfair that we got one goal. Looking back at the first half, we did manage to create 3 or so ok chances.

[Roboklopp]

Yes, the goal alters all perceptions

I'm happy with the result, I genuinely am, I just think how we play is not in keeping with the traditions of the club or something. We play a very precarious game of roulette by setting up like this - one slip at the back, we're 1-0 down and as good as goosed nine times out of ten - so I guess I'm fearful we can't keep doing it.

You can't argue with two finals in three years, you're right there of course, but I always feel we're pushing whatever little luck we get. And defensively, we don't look as solid as we once did, so predicating your entire gameplan on a platform of not conceding/scoring first might be foolhardy.

But let's wait and see.

We have had injuries, aging & the integration of new personnel to cope with which has unsettled our defence. I expect next year when Skrtel is more settled & Agger back to see that improve significantly.

I agree that it's a fine margin (& football often is at the highest level) & that we are a little defensive as present. However I think we have the basicas of a great side. Over the summer I am hoping for the arrival of at least 2 out of 4 1st team players for the FB positions & wide positions that will fit into our current 4231 formation so that SG & Torres get a lot more support up top & the switch between defense & attack is significantly more fluid & effective. It will mean we are more likely to get 2 ahead & will also mean that teams will be more careful about throwing everyone up against us due to the increased threat we represent.

Only with these players will we then be able to replicate the more balanced way Valencia were in their whole team unit attack & defence approach. Now we defend as a unit, but dont really attack as one (like Scum & the Gooners do).

These players need to be top drawer, but I think we finally have the squad to bed them in. Reading that interview with Rafa also reassures me he feels the same.

[MattB]

The amount of dickheads I work with who don't know the offiside rule is amazing. All morning they've been going on about how lucky we were when Bendtner was clearly offside FFS.

To be fair, I was one of those 'dickheads' until someone explained it to me last night. No excuse for the telegraph though

As it happens the goal would not have stood as the linesman had flagged thinking - incorrectly as Sami Hyypia was on the goal-line too - that Bendtner was in an offside position