Are Liverpool and Chelsea fans happy with this result?

nope, i have to say as soon as i saw the team sheet i just thought Rafa got it all wrong!

To start with Zenden, a player not good enough for a team in the top half of the table, in a Champions League semi final is criminal. Chelsea's worst player and weakest link is Ferrera. This should be exploited, which would be our best way of getting at Chelsea. Yet what do we do, even it out by playing someone equally as bad, that can offer nothing. He doesnt pass well, cant beat a man, is slow. I really dont see the point. Its not Zenden's fault he isnt good enough, Rafa quite clearly should not have played him.

Playing Zenden, along side Mascaranho and Xabi Alonso means there is no penetration from midfield, and no push. Its very negative as these are not quick players. Our only quick player supporting the forwards was Gerrard, who in the first half spent most of the time in the middle, creating less space and no width.

I think Arbeloa had his worst game in a Liverpool shirt tonight. We just looked second best for most things. Our 2nd half performance improved, but with such a slow starting 11 we had no threat. Pennant should have played, and Gerrard as per usual should have been in the middle or supporting a loan striker! Our main effort was a quality volley from gerrard creating a great save from Cech.

Fair result i think, its going to be very hard for us to go through now, but hopefully Anfield can inspire us to victory!!

great goal from Chelsea. i dont really care who goes through out of these two, as long as an english team wins overall.

Quality post there, Ben!

Rafa seems way too over-cautious in picking his sides. He tends to go with the safe option rather than the one that could be most effective. It really got to me when Fergie was doing this a few years ago.

Must be very frustrating.

You pretty much summed up what I was about to say. Zenden probed down the left all night wothout getting any quality crosses in, any left sided player could have done that... appart from Mark Gonzalez maybe.

I agree about Arbeloa aswell, he was giving the ball away, making rash tackles and genarally playing poor. He should have tracked Cole better when he scored.

We had some good possession without creating any chances which was hugely disappointing. The play always seemed to break up once we were around their area, like when they scored the goal. We were attacking and it broke up, Carvalho came out with the ball and passed it to Drogba who totally skinned Agger.

This result could be disastrous now, if Chelsea score at our place we need to win 3-1. Lets just hope we can do it.

Totally agree. Was saying that earlier to my. Would have liked to see Bellamy get at him a bit more.

well, Benraul just said it all about the game.

know it will be difficult for us in the return leg.
but we got the kop behind us.
Anfield will be rocking like two years ago!
come on the redmen!

i hope Liverpool can win 2-0 or 3-1 against Chelsea in the 2nd leg. They will do much better in anfield, i believe.

he didn't have choice.
if Finnan was fit, i think Rafa would probably play Arbeloa on the left-back and push Riise forward. or Aurelio (if he was fit) on the wing.
but because of Finnan's injury, he could only choose Zenden or Gonzalez on the left midfield.
well..watched Gonzalez playing full 90 minutes last Saturday against Wigan, and i don't think he would make big difference there. plus Zenden is better in defence and got more experience.

yeah i was surprised to see Zenden in the starting 11 but after thinking it throughly, i can see the point. though i agree that he's not good enough.

(missing Garcia and Kewell.... )

Raffa played the team he thought was best to get a result. In their interviews before the game Gerrard and Terry both said how well the two teams new each other.Maybe give credit were credit is due and say Chelsea did well, but no it's Raffas fault you lost the game.
Silly

It is very frustrating forev. He said before the game we were going to attack, but his actions hardly lived up to his words. I trust and respect Rafa hugely, but i just think he got it all wrong here. If we end up going through, and not letting in a goal, you could argue he didnt do to badly, but we didnt play well and at the moment it clearly looks like an error.

Amy i see what you are getting at, we have had a lot of trouble down that left hand side this season with injuries and what not. But what i would have probably done, is if he didnt want to play Gonzalez, play Bellamy down the left to exploit Ferrera's vunrability. I know he is not a left midfield player, but we just needed some penetration, as we lacked ballance and pace from midfield. Gonzalez, although not the best of players might have been able to stretch Chelsea a bit. When ever we tried to break we never had any pace to allow us to do so.

One thing i will add though is how much of a twit did Mourinho make himself look after the game!!!! "it was a blatant penalty" "why dont we get penalties?"! take a look at the game Jose and you will quite clearly see the ball is OUT of the box! free kick not penalty! MUG!

i understand what you are saying. By saying Rafa got it wrong, i am not trying to take anything away from Chelsea. You were the better team, and the result reflects that. It is just annoying, as we knew we had a genuine chance of getting a good result last night, yet i feel Rafa's selection let us down a bit.

Fair point, the tie is far from over though, at your place it's going to be harder than last night.Hope Zenden plays in the second leg

Zenden is the worst player I ever seen play professional football..Sh!tebag. Wouldnt make it into r Sunday morning side

I was watching Chelsea tv after the match. They interviewed Jose 'god' Mourinho and he admitted he got it wrong... But oh what a surprise, the press didnt show that clip!

he never said he got it wrong, he just said it was a handball, without mentioning the penalty bit

I forgot to mention Drogba, his rolling around was a Disgrace Last night... amusing at times though. Drogba should watch this before doing it next time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAPXGuRIXsA

it was bang out of order! he did it at one point when Kuyt was attacking who had to stop.

And another time he was lying right next to the touch line with Mourinho on the pitch checking on him. Disgrace.

I would also like to point out J Cole should have been booked for diving therfor meaning he would be out the 2nd leg.

lmao just listen to them,,,, and Chelsea have only won the first leg.

Imagine if Chelsea go through.

what do you mean listen to them? we have quite clearly stated Chelsea deserved the win. you are just trying to stir things. Drogba's behaviour was just like his managers, laughable.