Pompey post match

[Baldemort]

Considering it was a totally new formation, i'm surprised we played so well. Hats off to Rafa. He got it absolutely bang on. If Babel hadn't have missed a chance even I could have scored before Pompey got their first, it would have been much more comfortable. We actually seemed quite fluid and showed a lot of movement today. Nice performance.

But please don't leave it so late next time.

[Shaggy]

Absolutely unbelievable. It's games like this - and **** we've had more than our fair share this season - that make you wonder if our name is somehow on the trophy. Unlikely I know but if anyone else kept doing it the way we do it'd be 'the hallmark of champions'.

Must start playing better though, and sharpish.

[MrMichael]

Considering it was a totally new formation, i'm surprised we played so well. Hats off to Rafa. He got it absolutely bang on. If Babel hadn't have missed a chance even I could have scored before Pompey got their first, it would have been much more comfortable. We actually seemed quite fluid and showed a lot of movement today. Nice performance.

But please don't leave it so late next time.

[wiw]

Considering it was a totally new formation, i'm surprised we played so well. Hats off to Rafa. He got it absolutely bang on. If Babel hadn't have missed a chance even I could have scored before Pompey got their first, it would have been much more comfortable. We actually seemed quite fluid and showed a lot of movement today. Nice performance.

But please don't leave it so late next time.

plus we should've been 2-1 up not 2-1 down

[RedSpartan]

Amazing finish...cements our place in second at least, especially over the chavs...though we played really well...Aurelio was awsome....I predict Dosenna to be a top player for us next year, can see he's starting to get used to the physicality.......

What can be said for Torres??? An absolute Legend......He can carry us to title glory...GET IN FERNANDO!!!!

[Shaggy]

Isn't Tim Sherwood an absolutely massive cunt.

And Burley. He said something along these lines twice:

"Torres needs to play every week, they can't afford to leave him out. They need to wrap him in cotton wool...."

WTF?

And the presenter bleating that Nando, Xabi and Dirk hadn't in fact been rested at all, because "they spent the whole game warming up" (FFS) and "they came on for the last 20 minutes..."

Hello?

[S-RED]

Rafa Benitez hailed his team's mental strength after a late 3-2 win over Portsmouth - but admitted Liverpool could not afford many more close calls.
Fernando Torres sealed the points in injury-time after Pompey twice took the lead.

Anything other than a win would have left Liverpool trailing Manchester United, who have two games in hand.

Instead, the Reds now lead by a point as Alex Ferguson's side prepare to face West Ham on Sunday.

Even so, Benitez knows there is now little room for error as the title race reaches its business end.

"I had confidence because the team was showing great character - they decided to win," said the boss, after goals from Fabio Aurelio, Dirk Kuyt and Torres secured victory.

"The team's mentality is very good and confidence is high, and these things will be very important for the rest of the season.

"We knew it could be difficult to stay at the top for a long time but we are there. If we are in this position in the last month, we'll be able to fight for the title.

"Every win is crucial. We have to win almost every game. We have won and we're trying to put pressure on them (United), but they also have experience and they know that they also have to win almost every game."

Liverpool went into the match with Torres, Xabi Alonso and Kuyt on the bench following the energy-sapping Cup defeat to Everton on Wednesday.

In came David Ngog and Ryan Babel, while Aurelio was selected in central midfield.

Benitez denied it was a gamble.

"Torres, Kuyt and Alonso were really tired," he said. "We had to play extra-time with 10 men in a Cup replay, and then come here two days later. They were so tired. I talked with the medical and technical staff and made the decision.

"It is not a gamble when you know they are tired. If you ask the players, all of them will say they are fit, but you have to decide based on all the information."

The boss added: "From the first minute we were playing really well, passing the ball and controlling the game.

"It was really disappointing to make a mistake to concede the goal, and after that another mistake. But we deserved to win because we worked hard and played well."

Torres, Albert Riera, Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina and Alvaro Arbeloa now head to Spain ahead of next week's friendly with England in Seville.

Benitez is hoping they all return fully fit.

He added: "We have five players going away with Spain. It will be interesting because there will be more players from the Premier League than Spain.

"We have talked to the coach and fitness coach of Spain and they know the situation. But they have to play."

[Le Chef]

Anyone got a link to the goals ?

[Joe King]

Isn't Tim Sherwood an absolutely massive cunt.

And Burley. He said something along these lines twice:

"Torres needs to play every week, they can't afford to leave him out. They need to wrap him in cotton wool...."

WTF?

And the presenter bleating that Nando, Xabi and Dirk hadn't in fact been rested at all, because "they spent the whole game warming up" (FFS) and "they came on for the last 20 minutes..."

Hello?

I wouldn't take much from what Tim Sherwood - the Arsenal fan - and that prick Angus Scott say. They make Sky Sports look credible.

[Shanks]

time for a reality check.

Liverpool are still right up there with us and are fully capable of beating us to the title.

Despite their recent blip i wouldnt be so foolish as to write them off.

So long as our challengers are in touching distance we should keep a level head.

Im glad the players and management do not have their heads in the clouds like some fans.

= a Manc!

[Aza]

I fkin hate watching games like that

Why can't we just go 2 up inside the first 15 minutes ffs

Angus Scott before the kick off...

"Liverpool can go top if they win this afternoon."

Swiftly, and I mean swiftly, followed by...

"But only temporarily!"

Fkin gob****e manc loving cunt

[MrMichael]

Anyone got a link to the goals ?

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/show...24#post1272524

[MrsB]

I fkin hate watching games like that

Why can't we just go 2 up inside the first 15 minutes ffs

Angus Scott before the kick off...

"Liverpool can go top if they win this afternoon."

Swiftly, and I mean swiftly, followed by...

"But only temporarily!"

Fkin gob****e manc loving cunt

As if there was a natural law for this.

[memzey]

I don't think anyone expects anything like that much from him.

I agree that he hasn't been helped by not getting a decent run in the side but this doesn't disguise the fact that he has no awareness and little footballing intelligence. He always picks the wrong option and has no sign of improving in this regard. The fact that a player in his position continues to have these problems is worrying.

The point is expectations are very high for the lad. Sometimes when he just does the simple things, people get frustrated. Then when he tries something different and it doesn't always come off, he's ****. He's a good player but we may have to wait till next season before we start to see the best of him.

I think he's been the victim of missing out on a proper pre-season and going to the Olympics. I think May 2010 will be a much better time to asses what he can really bring us. In the mean time, I prefer to say the glass is half full with his performances rather than half empty

[Robster007]

Considering it was a totally new formation, i'm surprised we played so well. Hats off to Rafa. He got it absolutely bang on. If Babel hadn't have missed a chance even I could have scored before Pompey got their first, it would have been much more comfortable. We actually seemed quite fluid and showed a lot of movement today. Nice performance.

But please don't leave it so late next time.

Good man.