devilsadvocate wrote:Liverpool were BLOODY lucky to make it through with a last gasp effort (AGAIN - 3rd time in 3 matches) from Dirk Kuyt, courtesy of some Babel brilliance. Robbie Keane fluffed a great chance on 75, but Liverpool needed an extra half hour to move past Standard Liege into the draw for the Champions League group stages.
Liverpool look rubbish and will be a looooong way behind Chavski and Man USA this season.
Arsenal on the other hand, finished 5-0 on aggregate after a 3-0 win over FC Twente.
The draw for group stages takes place at 5pm GMT tomorrow. All 4 English sides will be in the draw.
Obviously I will always give a biased viewpoint when it comes to defending my own team but I have to say I disagree in part with your statement DA.
Yes, the football being played by Liverpool at the minute is pretty patchy to say the least but I believe this will improve as the season progresses. Gerrard isn't fit, the Spanish lads had a late start to pre-season training due to Euro 08, new players such as Keane and Dossena will take time to bed in and all in all it's been a stuttering start to the season. In 2007/08 they came out all guns blazing and were playing some great stuff yet couldn't sustain it. This season they are getting results whilst being average..... It's been a criticism of Liverpool sides that they can batter the opposition only to end up with a point, so I know what I would prefer.
Chelsea were second best at the JJB last weekend and nothing much has been made of that?
Liverpool, if they can continue to get results in the first few weeks of the season without being near their best, will certainly be in the mix in the new year AND playing the type of football they are capable of.
The other point that needs to be mentioned is Liege are a pretty capable side, are Belgian champions and went more than 30 games unbeaten in their league. Arsenal stuffed Twente but let's face it even Spurs in thier current form would have dispatched them with relative ease!
