Bloody good game between Atletico and Liverpool last night, looked like both sides could nick it at several points. I thought the red card was harsh but can't really argue with it, although it's hard to say it was dangerous when he didn't know the guy was there, surely any header or overhead kick etc is dangerous if somebody is next to the ball! And I was very pleased that Suarez didn't get his penalty
Yup, some game. Must have been brilliant for the neutral. I hated every second of it. I don't enjoy games against Atleti (or Utd TBH) I endure them.
Unless Pool are 3/4 up and cruising, obv.
Not sure where to start. Brilliant first 20 mins by Pool, who then totally switched off and let Atleti back in. Keita piss poor defending for the first, beaten far far to easily out side the box. I also thought they were lucky that goal stood, Lemar is right in Matip's line of sight. Granted he may not have reacted in time to clear it, but Lemar is still there and impeding him. The fact Lemar is offside means surely he is interfering with play and it shouldn't have stood? Jeoleon (spelling) Lescott pretty much said the same. The fact BT's resident ref thought it was fine to stand backs up my point. Peter whatever he is called is wrong more often than he's right.
Big Virg was rusty as hell for that second goal as well. But he is coming back from a serious injury and has a tiny bit of credit in the bank.
I agree on the red card for the greasyfella (no mission of me spelling that name). It is harsh, there is no intent, he has no ides Firmino is that close, BUT it is a boot to the head, and the law says that is a red. Mane got one the same away to City a few years ago and I was raging about that because you never see them given as red cards. Nine times out of ten it's a yellow. Indeed, that was the first other red I can think of, which sums up my frustration with it. I do feel sorry for Greasyfella, but them's the rules, and Pool have been shafted by that exact rule before.
No arguments on Pool's penalty, that was a pen all day long. Atleti's one was soft as ****. Yes, there is contact, but as I have said before, it's a contact sport, you are allowed to touch members of the other team with out it being a foul. The hint is in the name 'contact sport'. Saying that, I have seen them given, especially in Europe, and I was amazed when yer man over turned it. Fair play. The theatrical dive may have counted against yer Atleti boy, or maybe the Ref just realised the contact was minimal. Either way, nice to see Pool get a VAR decision. I was sounding like a broken record last year harping on about how many times VAR went against them.
A draw may well have been a fair result, both teams were brilliant and ***** at various points in the game, but I'll happily take 3 points to slap it right up Simeone and his hateful club.
I freely admit to not liking Atleti and their style of play and last night did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to change that. They are quite happy to fly into full blooded tackles and if a free is given against them they look utterly dumb founded, yet the second anyone even touches them they dive and scream while their team mates and Simeone hound the ref and demand a card. The booking for Milner summed them up. He is using his body to try and shield the ball, his arm is out at chest height, in a totally natural position, Trippier RUNS INTO HIM, grabs his face (Milner's arm hit Trippier's chest), screams like a bitch, rolls about the ground, and every Atelti player within 20 yards descends on the ref to demand a red card for an elbow. Simeone and his bench, who were 5 yards away also go buck daft. The fact the camera even showed Trippier jumping up after Milner was booked and looking at Milner and laughing/smiling/winking says it all. Needless to say the media won't mention it as Trippier is English. Had he been a dirty foreigner he would have been, rightly, slatted for it.
Not only that but Atleti play horrible horrible hoof ball. I saw someone describe them as an expensively assembled Burnley. It's hard to argue with that. Burnley at least have the excuse of a shoestring budget (in relative PL terms).
There really is NOTHING to like about that club. The only 'positive' thing I can say is that Oblak is a great keeper. That's it.
I'm not looking forward to the return leg. They are just a horrible shower of ***** (swear checking may well pick that one up).
How anyone can watch a Tony Pulis side and think "Yeah, that's a promising idea, but what you need to do is add Jose Mourinho levels of shot-house-ary" I will never know. Truly a hateful horrible club.
8 goals behind Brentford on Goal Difference, that's shocking when we supposedly have one of the best strikers.
