Oh damn, there’s me just minding my own business on the net of inter, I click newsnow, jump in on a story about Emery using Lacazette and Auba together…
“If the ball is in play, you press. If play stops, you reposition yourself.”
“For me, the 4-1-4-1 is the system which facilitates that type of pressing. The 4-4-2 is designed more and more for zonal positioning. It’s less aggressive, but is more difficult to get past. That’s the case with Marcelino’s teams, Quique Sanchez Flores’ teams, Saint-Étienne when we last played them…
“I am not ruling out the possibility of a 4-4-2. That’s not the idea that I privilege, but if it allows me to be more competitive, then I’ll go towards it without hesitating. We sometimes used it in Sevilla. I would put Banega in a playmaker position, and have him move to the second striker position without the ball.
“With two strong, physical players behind him, it provided me with the necessary cohesion to press.
“In my case, the idea was not to win the ball back and counter as quickly as possible, but rather to equip ourselves once we had the ball. What Guardiola’s Barcelona did magnificently.
“We win the ball off of them, but those bastards always won it back. And Pep is doing it with City now. High pressure and win the ball back to start again once in position.”
Too far?
Please. We’ve been in solitary confinement for 10 years trying to make something out of stickmen illustrations. Emery has just dropped in with full-on Pixar like clarity.
I wrote at some point in the last 10 years that one of my challenges with Wenger was that he was never able to explain what went wrong, you’d get more clarity from him on Japanese philosophical musings about plant life than you would about why we couldn’t keep it tight in the second half against Newcastle away with a 4 goal cushion.
I always mused, if he can’t articulate what went wrong, how the fuck is he going to solve the issue?
Therein lay the problem. The manager didn’t know what the problem was, that’s why he always tried to fix it doing batshit crazy things.
The great things about Emery is he’s going to survey the wreckage of our squad and he’ll piece together a system that works for it. I’m very interested to see how quickly he can do that.
One of the things I’ve always been told about Arsenal is that the treatment of the players is next level, they are mollycoddled to the point of rolling out the cotton wall for a post-match wrap-up. I think there’s going to be a huge shock to the collective system in preseason.
Familiar faces gone, replaced with characters who know they don’t have 10 years and the protection of Wenger. The likelihood is that every single one of the staff entering in July will be gone within 5 years because that’s just the nature of the beast these days. If Emery fails, he’ll be shipped out sharpishly, if he bosses his tenure like a hero, he’ll jump back on the merry-go-round of European football.
That short-term view means there’s no time for feelings. Hard decisions will be made rapidly, new approaches will be implemented instantly, and we’ll see pretty quickly how the squad reacts to the new regime. The first year is a free pass, Emery will likely do a lot of experimenting. He’ll have to learn the pace of the league, he’ll gain first-hand experience what it’s like to play through the Christmas fixture list, and he’ll deal with playing in a league that has more than 4 good teams.
There might have to be some harsh decisions happen early without all the data needed. The transfer window shuts on August 9th this year, so there’s very little time to get to know the squad before he makes big decisions about who to move on.
My gut feeling is he’s going to sell at least one big name player, and I have a feeling that’ll be Aaron Ramsey. I’m not sure where we’re going to spend big, but I’d like to think it’s on a keeper. Or a holding midfielder. Or a centre back,
The club is already trying to give the mentality of the setup a lick of winnertivity. Apparently we’re close to signing Swiss veteran Stephan Lichtsteiner. The 34-year-old would be coming in at reserve right back. Sure, he’s old, but he’s not here to play 50 games next season. Hector Bellerin is almost never injured, but having a legend of the game sitting behind him to coach, mentor and step in for a few games is a smart move in my opinion. Also, having a reserve right back who is a right back would be nice. ALSO ALSO, he’s come from a regime that deals in complex ideas and strict dicipline. This move might be dull, but it’s shrewd.
Jack Wilshere is talking about new chapters on his Instagram feed, his agents are hawking him around Europe and the Premier League. As much as the love story with Jack is one I wanted to continue, the cold hard facts don’t paint him in the best light. He contributed very little this season, he’s often broken, you can’t build anything around him because he’s always a moment away from a year on the sidelines. Like Santi, it’s hard to not see that there’s better value to be had with other players. Jack will be wanting £110k a week. He clocked 2000 odd minutes this season, landed 6 assists and 2 goals. That’s a pretty poor return. So good luck to him, hopefully he finds his spark again.
We’ll also be needing some experience at centre back, because Koscielny is not going to be in good shape, Per Mertesacker has retired, Mustafi isn’t good enough, and we have a whole group of very inexperienced hopefuls behind him.
Lots to do, but back to my original point, finally someone who knows what they’re doing there to take care of it all.
Also, before I go, remember this: Emery sold Soldado to spurs for £30m. #NeverForget
I explained this earlier, having better players don’t guarantee you better season.
I seen that argument before Sanmi I seen that changing manager doesn’t guarantee success either shite. Why do anything then? Why not just bring back Wenger and never sign players because it’s all pointless really. So how would you improve us then Sanmi magic beans? Perhaps a 4 leaf clover?
Again Receding you are talking as if I have stated that Emery can’t bridge the gap.
I haven’t said anything of the sort.
All I have said is that there needs to be work done which involves catch up and bridging the gap.
That you take offence just at the notion of catch up is your issue not mine.
but am of the belief that sustainment of performance dictates whether one has “caught up”.
So Leicester once caught up with chelsea, arsenal, man utd, man city?
Ridiculous!!
Under Rodgers Liverpool was a one man team. Now look at the current Pool team – Mane, Salah and Firmino trio is up there with the very best attacks in the world. A potential midfield of Keita, Ox and Fekir – untested in the league but has the ability to become a great midfield. VVD has been very good since he has joined. Arnold and Robertson have been good as well. Clyne is a very handy fullback himself. A good GK and a good CB is all that’s lacking in their squad. So I don’t buy the theory they have… Read more »
Liverpool have a fantastic front three, probably the best in the league. Their midfield is bang average even more so without Can and the ox. Keita and possibly fekir should address that. Their young full backs look more and more impressive ably marshalled by VVD. They could do with another CB though. Dejan looks OK recently but is a calamity waiting to happen. Everybody knows Karius is shite. The CL final confirmed that they should sign a new GK and they probably will. If they sign Fekir and a CB on top of that, they’re IMO the best side in… Read more »
I Like the way the poster above you has just dismissed Niles and Iwobi
Not totally dismissed just dismissed the idea that we could challenge with them and not signings that improved our starting 11
@ Ishola
The thing here is i do not think there is much of a gap.
The only exceptional team in this average league is Man City, we are not catching them after a season, no matter who we buy.
The rest ..meh…i am not as wowed by them as you are so i beg to differ
And the way this Keita dude is already talked about…i hope he is all he is puffed up to be or i will not let anyone forget the hype. Just like everyone has gone into hiding over Morgan S.
I am not saying don’t improve or do better tactics, what I’m against is people telling us their is a catching up to do.
All that guarantees a good season is who wins most matches at the right time and momentum which has much to do with luck, now having better players could make that happen to you more frequently, but as u can see a bad game against wigan, can rubbish all man city’s work, causing Chelsea to win it. Imagine that happening in all competitions, it happened in 2 for city
Firmino, Mane, Salah, Keita,Robertson, Van Dijk, (possibly fekir).
Few teams in world football doing better business than Liverpool over last few years.
“Despite the league table, I think they’re the second best team in the PL.”
You know that’s not how league tables work , right ?
A good GK and a good CB is all that’s lacking in their squad. So I don’t buy the theory they have not really reached the next level.
I agree would probably add a ball winning midfielder especially if Can leaves but other than that their squad has slowly but surely been improved.
Ours though? Oh boy probably a new back 5 a new starting midfield we have no wingers in the team either. Some might say a bit of catching up to be done
Paulinho,
Only salah and VVD is elite, Firminho isnt, mane is just a better gervinho. The rest are unproven. This was the way you bigged up Bakayoko and he’s now a flop
“Mane, Salah and Firmino trio is up there with the very best attacks in the world.”
Yet some were suggesting the death penalty because Ramos took out just one of the great three. So the other two need the third to function or it’s back to being average
Real madrid played the whole game with Ronaldo as a passenger, they still found a way to win.
Wenger must have really shit the bed badly then Receding musn’t he if he finished so far behind these average teams this season.
Liverpool are not average. They just contested the biggest trophy on the planet with Real Madrid. They have weaknesses but they are not average.
In terms of the goalkeeper position, I think Klopp/Liverpool are doing what they did with the central defensive positon. Instead of spending decent money on mediocrity (Mustafi), they are waiting for a top goalie to become available and then they will spend big.
Still think they could’ve done way better than Karius as stop gap though. I think they thought he could be their De Gea in terms of age and style of keeping.
“Few teams in world football doing better business than Liverpool over last few years.”
Liverpool can win the transfer market
the others are okay with the trophies
Real Madrid are now three times winners in a row of the biggest trophy in the world yet Receding wants to slight them as well in his quest to slight Liverpool.
Well played.
All that guarantees a good season is who wins most matches at the right time and momentum which has much to do with luck
Luck doesn’t score goals luck doesn’t defend a one goal lead going into injury time. By your incredible statement we’re not that bad we’re just unlucky
Despite the league table, I think they’re the second best team in the PL.”
What does this even mean? So the table don’t matter?
Or the trophy doesn’t matter again?
What matters is who wins, it has plenty to do with more than just having the right players or tactics.
Otherwise, Madrid shouldn’t be winning the Champs lge. Bayern should be pummeling them, but goals at the right time, an injury to robben, a Lewandowski miss, changed all that.
Sanmi – I didn’t big up Bakayoko at all.
I said they were going for more energy with him replacing Matic. Never even mentioned Bakayoko apart from trying to work out Chelsea’s reasoning signing him.
Did they sustain it, Sanmi? No, therfore they did not catch up with the pack. You should read first before coming tour conclusions, saves from wasting time trying to explain a simple concept over and over.
“Wenger must have really shit the bed badly then Receding musn’t he if he finished so far behind these average teams this season.”
Hence why he is presently unemployed
Receding Hairline
.”Liverpool can win the transfer marketthe others are okay with the trophies”
What trophies like FA Cup and Europa League?
Eating in that side room again away from the top tables.
“Real Madrid are now three times winners in a row of the biggest trophy in the world yet Receding wants to slight them as well in his quest to slight Liverpool.”
They did not come out of second gear
Their best player was a passenger and they found a way to win
These are slights to you.
You are weird
“mane is just a better gervinho”
Now you’re just being foolish, Sanmi.
“Eating in that side room again away from the top tables.”
they finished fourth in the league and just took part in one of the poorest UCL finals in years against guys who were not even trying and still lost
Yes they are eating there alright….lol
No Receding
It’s the same boring childish so-called rivalry with these teams that make you want to slight Liverpool and brand them as average. And of course foolish pride in being blind to failings with the team you support.
We have seen it all before.
Marko
I explained what I meant by luck:
1. Goal at the right time.- wigan scoring at that late in the match against run of play, Marcelo scoring against run of play b4 half time against bayern.
2. Momentum: Leicester city coming from behind in 3 early season matches changed their season, and man utd losing to them after leading 3-1 by half time with a smalling stupidity and a penalty solidified thier belives.
3. An untimely injury to opponents and rivals determine matches: Salah yesterday. You imagine vardy getting injured that season, it would have derailed them
Sanmi providing us with some of the dumbest things ever written on this blog.
You hit the nail on the head Paulinho, they will bide their time and spend on a big goalkeeper, just as they did with VanDyke. Shame Arsenal havent done the same in far too many years.
Frankie:
Define your sustaining, if a season is not long enough to determine that, then it is a useless phenomenon because cups would have been decided beyond that
I would use the word “weak”, Bamford – but bang on.
They were at the top table Receding contesting the biggest trophy on the planet.
Meanwhile Arsenal will be contesting with second rate name teams in the second tier competition.
Embrace the gap atm Receding. Once you embrace then it makes it easier to try to bridge. Ignore and be in delusion and the bridge may not even be embarked upon.
Nothing to be ashamed of this gap atm. It’s solvable in time.
What part of year over year, season over season are you having difficulties with as part of sustainment, Sanmi? Im trying to be as polite as i possibly can, but you are not making this easy on yourself.
Only salah and VVD is elite, Firminho isnt, mane is just a better gervinho. The rest are unproven. This was the way you bigged up Bakayoko and he’s now a flop
Sanmi you’re an idiot. Talking up Maitland Niles as being good enough to start DM for us but then implying Firmino and Mane ain’t that good well I mean good luck to you
“Meanwhile Arsenal will be contesting with second rate name teams in the second tier competition.” Yes Arsenal, i like the fact you did not say we but just Arsenal, at least you are sincere with yourself “”Nothing to be ashamed of this gap atm. It’s solvable in time.” Shame is when u have a great season and have nothing to show for it but patronizing accolades. Or when h have not won your domestic league in more than 25 years . I sir will always be proud of my team even in league two. The premier league was average this… Read more »
Ishola
Exactly. The tribalistic approach to the game makes certain people incapable of objectivity.
Klopp is a very good manager and is in no way to blame for yesterday’s defeat. He does need to improve their midfield, though.
Receding
Wenger is “presently unemployed”? Do you see him managing somewhere else and winning things?
And their goalkeeping, obviously.
No I would say Sanmi is dumb. He’s one of those types who make an argument against changing the manager because some bullshit says it doesn’t guarantee success. He makes an argument against signings because of some bullshit about how it doesn’t guarantee success. And now he’s making a case for luck being the contributing factor in being successful. We just need to be lucky not signing players or changing manager. I’m just glad he’s not talking about the refs and the biased media. These types are so easy to spot that and I’ve seen him over on untold. I… Read more »
Did anyone say Liverpool have caught up with Barca or Bayern? No. The only point anyone would have made is that they have improved and are improving, so much so they played in the CL final yesterday.
Arsenal under Wenger were headed in the opposite direction.
“Wenger is “presently unemployed”? Do you see him managing somewhere else and winning things?”
I really couldn’t care less what Wenger does going forward. He has paid the price for his careless approach to squad building and match preparation
The club has done right by him with the send off
Wenger does not feature on my radar anymore. He is just a name to me.
Bamford
A bit of a contradiction there I’m afraid..
They lost the game and only finished 4th in the league because.
A) .. Goalkeeper.. Weak
2nd… Midfield… Not good enough
3rd) squad not enough depth (weak bench yesterday)
So how is he “no way to blame yesterday”
Before Salah arrived, Mane was the best Liverpool attacker, I feel even now he is as good as Salah in terms of quality if not form. Better Gervinho? Haha
Firmino is a great technical player but he needs others around him to be effective. Not a solo juggernaut like Salah or Mane.
F coffeecakes
“running the clock down is part of the game”
Yeah, a shit part of the game and it is accepted as part of the game when it would be easy to rectify..
And only an idiot would say that it’s the referees job to add on the correct amount of time as they obviously never do.
Pierre
He isn’t to blame in the sense that his tactical approach was sound, Liverpool were well-organized, well-drilled and motivated.
His personal in certain spots does need improving. Absolutely. So I guess you can blame him for not replacing more of those players. However he’s only been there for two years; you can’t expect him to have replaced each and every weak link. Although perhaps he should have been more ruthless in how he has gone about rebuilding.
Perfectly sound gam plan yesterday, perfectly well-prepared team. They just faced a far better team.
Receding
Got it. I wasn’t sure what you might be implying by that. Cheers.
Wish we would go the Liverpool route of buying the best we can in defense even if it’s not all fixed in 1 window. Instead of buying Soyuncu and Sokratis for 55m combjned why not add the money necessary and get Koulibaly, compliment him with a free transfer like De Vrij or someone cheap like Evans, would give us time to assess the youngsters and see if we need to add someone else in a couple of seasons or not. I know the mooted price tag for Koulibaly is 100m but I don’t think it’s going to end up being… Read more »
Sammi is yet another low IQ akb buffoon.
But it is the referees job to add time correctly
There are supposed to be 30 seconds added for each sub in the half and it’s not uncommon for injury time to only be 2 mins even if 4 subs were made (implying zero other stoppages)
I don’t know why refs aren’t held accountable for proper time keeping. It’s wctually the very easiest part of what is a really tough job
Whatever Pierre. Speaking of idiots, you would be that guy, the only guy that wouldn’t know how to empty a boot filled with water – even if the instructions were on the bottom of said boot.
Honestly, you are the most useless tool in the box.
Who were the better team before Salah went off Bamford.
Wasn’t Real Madrid.
Liverpool were causing more problems defensively for Real Madrid than vice versa in the first half an hour.
Of course Liverpool could have run out of gas with Salah on the pitch and Madrid take control anyway but it was a great shame that a star player had to leave proceedings.
Sergio Ramos is the worst among the Spanish players who will go to any (low) level to win. To what extent was the judo throw could be deemed intended to get an influential player out ?
Time the referees pay “ special attention “ to Ramos to curb such foul play and serve as an example. Or Ramos to be put under Wenger who will make him a lamb in no time.
Delighted the bin dippers lost made my week
Yeah I’d honestly prefer a Koulibaly to 55 million on Coglar and Sokratis. Can’t believe that we’re not busting a gut to nab DeVrij on a free either
Just read a fantastic in depth interview with Emery, linked on today’s Arseblog. He comes across as very thoughtful, flexible in his thinking. Trying to keep my expectations in check but becoming difficult.
Can’t wait for next season already. Best pay for my ST!
De bring has signed for inter they can’t announce it until June 1st
Tick tock the clock has stopped.
Let’s also introduce 4 quarter halves extra water breaks and a mascot called billy.
Ishola
That’s a good point. While Salah was in the match, Liverpool looked like they might win the game. My point was simply that Liverpool because Madrid have more quality, not because Klopp didn’t prepare or coach them properly.
Oh, and Ramos is an arsehole of epic proportions. No qualms about cynical fouls, when he gets ‘brushed’ he reacts in the most pathetic ways.
A winner but a complete tosser!
If it’s true that De Vrij is going to Inter I see no reason we can’t blow them out of the water, we’re a much bigger club than them.
* lost
On last night’s match, the deciding factor was personnel as it nearly always is.
Liverpool were excellent for the first 20 minutes but after salah went off they didn’t have enough individual quality to win the game. They needed a full strength XI to stand any real chance, and a bit of luck.
They got neither.
The substitutions summed it up for me. Madrid brought on Bale and Liverpool brought on lallana.
Spot on Alexander.
Yes, Klopp’s approach, tactics, preparation are all perfect. That’s why he’s got the amazing record of 6 straight losses in Finals.
LOL
Maybe in the future we should get Robots to go in goal.
China
“I don’t know why refs aren’t held accountable for proper time keeping. It’s wctually the very easiest part of what is a really tough job”
Correct China or better still have a stop clock for the last ten minutes and take it out of the referees hands….
Pierre
All that would achieve is teams starting to time waste earlier. Seen some teams doing it in the first half against us already, it’s just going to be even more common.
“Sanmi providing us with some of the dumbest things ever written on this blog.”
Could be said roughly of 85% of all posts/ posters. Mind you, about 99% of the dribble comes from the Wenger deadbeats.
“better still have a stop clock for the last ten minutes and take it out of the referees hands….”
Why have referees at all then, by your intent?
@Freddie Ljungberg
“If it’s true that De Vrij is going to Inter I see no reason we can’t blow them out of the water, we’re a much bigger club than them.”
___
Are we? They have won their domestic league 18 times. Arsenal have won theirs 14. They have won the European cup/CL three times as well as winning the Cup winners cup/UEFA cup/Europa League three times whilst Arsenal have only won the Cup winners cup/UEFA cup/Europa League once.
Coffeecakes
Whatever…
“Time the referees pay “ special attention “ to Ramos to curb such foul play and serve as an example.” He has a ton of Red Cards to his name already, S Asoa. He’s the master of the stealth art of dark defending, a true pantomime villain if ever there was. But he’s also the kind of guy you’d want anchoring your defence. As innocent looking a play as it appeared, it had a perfection about it that will allow him to get away with it. I sincerely doubt any referee would have done much about it, it was so… Read more »
Your Commjent Here
Rambo
‘Yes, Klopp’s approach, tactics, preparation are all perfect. That’s why he’s got the amazing record of 6 straight losses in Finals.’
I haven’t managed a football game in my life but I guess in training Klopp wouldn’t have prepared for losing his talisman in the first quarter of the game.
Steve
I never said we have won more historically than Inter, I said we are a bigger team, which we are.
Stadium, fanbase, budget but also our potential if we ever get serious about competing.
Or he can move to Ajax or Red Star Belgrade because they used to win things back in the day.
What a great day may the 26th is
Arsenal 1989
Fulham 2018
Inter a pretty big themselves though.
Their average attendance is roughly the same as Arsenal but they have a bigger stadium.
Inter still get the biggest average attendances in Serie A and they have been average for a good while just like Arsenal.
You mean the decrepit san siro/guiseppe meazza that they have to share with Ac Milan? Yeha, pretty sure we beat them on that front.
Point is if we are serious about competing we can blow them out of the water on wages and convince him we have a vision for the club again.
Inter used to be my favorite team to watch in the 90s when Serie A was worth watching, they’re far from that now.
We’re a much bigger draw atm even without CL
Agreed with Freddie above. Sokratis almost 30. Soyunco could be something but getting a single more class player and partnering him with what we got this next year to see how it goes would be my wish. Maybe just maybe Mustafi with Koulibaly could be the late season Lovren to VVD. Plus there’s Mavro and the other kids.
We’ll see. It’ll all be pretty bland if they bring in sokratis Evans and licht. Fuck off with that trio
Klopp is a victim of his own success.
No one expected Liverpool to get to a Champions league Final let alone win it.
To be brutal Emery choked more with PSG than Klopp did with Liverpool.
We would have to sell Mustafi and Chambers to be able to afford Koulibaly, can get between 40-50 mil for those 2. That’s we would have to get 1 CB on the cheap or free.
But yeah, that’s basically my thinking, Sokratis is not world class and never will be, Soyuncu has potential but we have several young CBs already, get a world class CB in and one freebie in and see where we stand with the youth in a season or two.
The Europa league and FA Cup are Mickey Mouse and should be regarded as such when discussing trophies.
“Stadium, fanbase, budget but also our potential if we ever get serious about competing.”
___
Stadium? Nope. Fanbase? Maybe. Budget? Doubtful. Inter just got into CL. I’d say they have a bigger budget right now.
Four things came out of last nights ECL Final.
1. The Liverpool fans were fantastic.
2. Once Saleh went off and was replaced by Lalana, Liverpool’s chances evaporated.
3. You can’t compensate for diabolical goalkeeping.
4. Ramos, although being a quality player, is a little shite.
Opponents Liverpool faced in CL
Sevilla, Spartak, Maribor in groupstages
Porto, Manchester City, Roma
Manchester City the only top opponent and they have no European pedigree to speak of themselves.
Steve
Shouldn’t you be celebrating the Fa cup with the other chavs?
Stadium, yes. We own our relatively new, modern stadium. They rent an old, running tracks having dumpster from the city and share it with another team.
Serie A was popular in the 90s, no one cares about it now outside Italy, whereas the PL is the most watched league in the world and we have an enormous fan base worldwide.
Even with Inter in the CL we can still spend more than them if we want to. More importantly in this case our wage budget dwarfs theirs.
Reaching a Champions league Final is more noteworthy than winning 3 FA Cups which is a sad indictment on the state of our game.
Opponents Real faced in CL
Tottencunts,Dortmund, Apoel in groupstages.
PSG,Juventus,Bayern
Madrid’s road to finals was as hard as it gets. That’s why I don’t like this ‘fluke’ bs arguments.
The Champions league needs a revamp as it’s there only to serve the rich clubs.
Zidane is managing a bunch of super talented prima donnas in Madrid and has won 3 ECL on the trot. Emery was managing super talented prima donnas at PSG and was humiliated twice in the ECL.
“That short-term view means there’s no time for feelings. ”
No time for feelings… thank God, it’s about fucking time!!
In other news, I heard that Karius has spend a very harsh night.
I hope he’s got the full “mental strength” (lol), or his career could be over.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11384046/arsenal-striker-pierre-emerick-aubameyang-says-the-club-have-stalled-in-recent-years
“To speak the truth, over the last few seasons the team has stagnated a little bit”
PEA, the right word is “regressed”, not “stagnated”.
Ramos must now realise he can no longer live a normal life. He is a marked man.
Every scouser and every Muslim will make sure of that.
Tough luck Sergio.
If Karius is such s liability why did no one mention him as a weak.link before the Final.
HighburyLege
Kudos to PEA for saying what he did.
We saw it for years, as did the rest of the footballing world. Auba knew, before arriving at Arsenal, Wenger’s days were numbered.
That’s why he came.
dunno why people are making such a big issue about the game
it was pretty equal apart from 2 fuck ups by the keeper
Theres very few keepers who are 99% reliable, and even less available ones
While it is 0-0 and 2-1 you are always in the game but when your own keeper GIFTS your opponent two goals you have next to no chance of winning.
I wanted Liverpool to win and I like them in general (this goes back to the late 70s…), but I felt that Madrid were the better team, technically and tactically superior. Ronaldo was largely anonymous and Madrid were on the whole average. But it was clear from the start that bar a freak accident, they would win this final.
Salah and blunder keeper were the reasons Real Madrid won not technical ability.