Real Madrid Galacticos

Why The Liverpool Defeat is not as Humiliating as it seems

Posted on 12. Mar, 2009 by Borris Becker in UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Let me just say this upfront that I believe that Liverpool played a magnificent match in their home game and clearly were the better side in both of the legs, there is no doubt that Real Madrid just could not handle Liverpool’s pace, high tempo and their physical superiority.

Liverpool fully deserve to go through the next round as Real Madrid were not able to score a single goal throughout the course of the two legs so even if can prove that Liverpool go lucky and all, still, Real Madrid just did not do enough to prove themselves.

But as I think most of you know, Liverpool deserve the victory but certainly not the manner in whch they got it. There is a reason that Liverpool beat Real Madrid away from home 0-1 on Thursday and then lost to Stoke City 2-0 on Saturday.

Lets analyze Liverpool goals throughout the course of the two legs.

1st Goal: Benyaoun’s Header

Throughout the game, Liverpool defended and did not create much. Real Madrid had the best of chances but could not convert. Finally, after 80th minute mark, Heinze gave away a needless free kick near the penalty area, Arbeloa took the free kick and wipped an in swinger at Casillas’s goal and guess what, the shortest man on the pitch scored with a header.

First, Heinze should had never committed that foul, there was no need for it. It was not counter attack from Liverpool and neither were Real Madrid defense stretched. There was plenty of cover for Heinze and he could have easily let the ball bounce and then could have decided what to do with it. Instead he gave a soft free kick and Rafa’s men got the only goal of the game by playing the most defensive football ever witnessed at the Bernabeu.

Secondly, Benyaoun was not marked properly, he got away from all the defenders and literally just had to head the ball for the goal. Surely, no other team would concede such soft goals against Liverpool in future.

2nd Goal: Torres’s Goal

If it was Chelsea or Barcelona, the situation of this goal would have never happened, let alone a threat or (in Real Madrid’s case) a goal from it. It was just a stupid lob in the middle of the pitch. Cannavaro let the ball bounce and it bounced over him. Talk about old age.

Torres and Kuyt were chasing the ball like hell, but Pepe stepped in with his pace and out runned them both but just as Pepe was about to strike the ball up into the air, Torres tugged him from behind and slightly put his studs on Pepe’s calves causing Pepe to loose his footing and not get a contact on the ball.

From that point on, it was 3 against Casillas, Kuyt squared the ball to Torres, who could not have wished for a simpler goal against Real Madrid. Some say that the tug was not enough for Pepe to go down. I say to them, have you ever played football? If you have, have you ever run at full speed in trying to clear a ball?.

For those who have, it is really a no brainer, because at the pace with which these players run, the slighestest of push or PULL can cause them to loose balance. Add to that, it was inside Real Madrid’s penalty area, where usually any foul is given as a foul due to the delicacy of the area.

Torres even looked behind for a minute or so, to see if the referee has responded to Real Madrid players claim and could not believe his luck.

3rd Goal: Gerrard’s penalty

If the previous foul was brutal then this one is really an atrocious decision from the linesman. There are two reasons for the linesman NOT TO GIVE THE FOUL LET ALONE A PENALTY. First, the ball clearly struck Heinze Shoulder rather than his arm. Secondly, he was so close to the liverpool player that he had no control of his arms even if had hit his arms which ofcourse it did not.

This is such a detrimental blow to the Real Madrid players, playing away from home and then getting these kind of decisions. After this goal, Real Madrid went for the broke really, all or nothing. Liverpool took full advantage of that situation and notched a couple more.

4rth Goal: Gerrard’s wonder strike

Probably, the only goal which was, LEGITIMATE AND NOT SCORED BY REAL MADRID THEMSELVES, as was the case in the previous 3 goals out of 5.

If it was Manchester United in place of Real Madrid. Ferguson would have let his feelings known to all the players. How the heck a player like Babel skipped past Sergio Ramos that easy, got a stupid cross in which was not intercepted by any defender and then ended up in Gerrard’s past, who ran into the penalty area without being tracked or marked.

But, because it is Real Madrid, their weakest link is their defence so Gerrard and Liverpool deserve this one.

5th Goal: A. Dossena goal on the 88th minute mark

What can I say about this. Real Madrid had all their playing attacking without any result or effectiveness and left huge gaps behind. Babel started a run in the middle of the park and got the attention of 3 players, neither of whom dared to put some sort of pressure on Babel who picked his pass to Macherano who provided a sharp low cross into the penalty area of Real Madrid to find Dossena one on one against Iker Casillas. He shot and still could not beat Casillas, instead Casillas stopped it and the ball went through his legs I think due to the deflection. Dossena’s shot packed alot of power and thus got lucky with that one.

So there you go. Out of  5, only 1 can be credited to Liverpool and that too against a Real Madrid defense, if it was Chelsea or Manchester United, fingers would have been pointed to the defense and the space Gerrard was able to utilize inside the penalty box without having any marker on him.

The thing is, Liverpool play the same tactics that a 2nd tier team employs against Real Madrid. Defend with 10 men and hit on the counter. Liverpool have got quality players who can really hurt you on the counter. Real Madrid is not the kind of team who would fall to such levels, as to defend with 10 men in such a big match. Real Madrid always try to score a goal rather than not concede one.

That is the reason why Liverpool have been so poor in their EPL campaign, because 2nd tier teams there like Stoke City and plenty more, employ the same tactics and then, Liverpool cannot hit them on the break and thus get alot of draws because Liverpool do not really have a attacking gameplan, they just go out there, bore the other team to death and then nick in a cheap goal in the end or sth.

So all Real Madrid fans, do not let this defeat get you down and just keep on believing, we still have La Liga to fight for.

HALA MADRID!!!