Comments on: Unbelievable…

By: Caz

Caz — Mon, 30 May 2005 12:56:49 +0000

Amazing there was no protest by Milan against Dudek’s antics. Sorry, but from my point of view and all the Liverpool supporters I saw the match with, he was clearly off the line – at one stage it looked like 4 yards. Up til that point Liverpool had played fair and done very well for it. It was a shame.

By: foo

foo — Fri, 27 May 2005 12:52:32 +0000

Am I the only one who thought that maybe Gerrard took a bit of a dive in the box?

Still…. what a great comeback.

By: radek

radek — Thu, 26 May 2005 21:20:56 +0000

Dave, Dudek claims to have been inspired by Bruce Grobbelaar from twenty years hence.

By: Mrs Tilton

Mrs Tilton — Thu, 26 May 2005 15:43:51 +0000

Dominic,

I’m well aware of the achievement you describe; you will understand if I tell you it was scant comfort. In any event it pales before an even more astonishing achievement: FCB managed to make even those Germans who despise FCB (and that’s a lot of ‘em) feel sorry for FCB.

By: Mrs Tilton

Mrs Tilton — Thu, 26 May 2005 15:38:21 +0000

Dave,

Dudek’s nervous little dance was irritating, but (mostly) effective. However, it looked to me like he was on the line when he was supposed to be. Except the once; and even then he was barely off it. Presumably the ref called ‘em as he saw ‘em, and didn’t see that. In any event, Dudek’s behaviour didn’t really rise to the level of ‘outrage’, unless perhaps in an aesthetic sense.

By: stostosto

stostosto — Thu, 26 May 2005 15:36:59 +0000

>FC Bayern’s truly historic achievement in 1999, which was to make people feel sorry for a German football team.

Ha! And one featuring Lothar Matthäus to boot.

By: Dominic Murphy

Dominic Murphy — Thu, 26 May 2005 15:35:23 +0000

Ah but, what are the odds that the FA will let them defend the title next year, since they finished out of the top 4?

And Mrs Tilton forgets FC Bayern’s truly historic achievement in 1999, which was to make people feel sorry for a German football team.

By: radek

radek — Thu, 26 May 2005 14:18:44 +0000

I went to an Italian cafe this morning and the owner was engaged in a heated (though friendly) discussion with an older English gentleman. After the Briton had left, the owner stared off into space for a few moments, then said “Liverpool!” and banged his fist on the counter. Then stared off again for several seconds and followed with “Dudek!” (which sounds particularly funny when said with an Italian accent), banging his fist again.

By: gnat

gnat — Thu, 26 May 2005 13:44:03 +0000

Simstim, that’s what they WANT you to think.

It was an extraordinary match. I wonder how many Liverpool fans left the stadium at half time. And is there a technical term for being present at a crucial event without actually witnessing it?

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 26 May 2005 13:38:24 +0000

At the risk of being linched, is it just me who thinks Dudek’s behaviour in the shootout was outrageous? The keeper is meant to stay on the line until the ball is struck, not charge down the ball. Perhaps he suddenly thought he was in a game of rugby.

Amazing comeback though.

By: Simstim

Simstim — Thu, 26 May 2005 13:32:07 +0000

Gnat: isn’t it just the desire to always be on the winning side that’s going on?

By: gnat

gnat — Thu, 26 May 2005 13:15:31 +0000

Even more startling was the sudden transformation I witnessed where a Soho pubfull of braying Mockney Meedja Muffins suddenly turned into Passionate Kop-til-I-Die Insta-Scousers. If the first ten minutes of the second half can turn Southerners into Northerners, what are the implications for governmental regional funding, or genomal speciation? Is UEFA implicated in punctuated equilibrium? Somewhere, there’s a plot, and it’s thickening…

By: stostosto

stostosto — Thu, 26 May 2005 13:04:37 +0000

A pedantic correction: I just learned that Liverpool’s goalie Jerzy Dudek isn’t Czech as I thought, but actually Polish. Which of course further internationalises the starting line-up.

By: stostosto

stostosto — Thu, 26 May 2005 12:54:58 +0000

A truly fantastic match, and well done by Liverpool!
——
An interesting thing is how internationalised these national champion teams have become.

Liverpool’s starting line-up included all of two Englishmen to go with two Czechs, two Spaniards, a Frenchman, an Australian, an Irishman, a Finn, and a Norwegian. Of their seven substitutes, only one was English, the rest comprised two Spaniards, a Frenchman, a German, a Croatian, and a Czech. Of course, the team’s coach is Spanish.

Milan featured three Brazilians, two Dutchmen, an Argentinian and a Ukrainian in their starting line-up, making for a total of only four Italians. Among their seven subs, only two were Italians to go with a Portuguese, a Frenchman, a Georgian, a Brazilian and a Dane.

In sum, of the Italian team’s total 18 players, six were Italian, and out of the English team’s total just three were actually English.

It’s really quite amazing.

By: Joey

Joey — Thu, 26 May 2005 12:34:08 +0000

Wow! That sounds like a great game! Unfortunately, I was unable to watch it. Would anyone have a copy of it (or know where I could get one). I would certainly appreciate it.

-Joey