Champions League/Europa League 2021/22

[Silver Fox]

Adel Taarabt is still only 32.

Liverpool easily better than Benfica over the course of the game last night, without really getting out of second gear. Bayern in the semis will be a huge test.

Some ridiculous passes by TAA on this return to the side, his vision is exemplary. And he still has only 16 England caps.

Embarassingly one sided in the first half but then Liverpool took their foot of the gas, as is their wont, and it got a bit tricky. Nice to be able to give Mo and Mane a bit of a rest before Sunday, not that the former is exactly pulling up any trees of late

[NathStPaul]

Adel Taarabt is still only 32.

Liverpool easily better than Benfica over the course of the game last night, without really getting out of second gear. Bayern in the semis will be a huge test.

Some ridiculous passes by TAA on this return to the side, his vision is exemplary. And he still has only 16 England caps.

I have always got the impression Southgate is desperate for TAA to become a midfielder. Certainly think he has the ability to be one but then you lose him out wide delivering crosses.

[Whore Jackie]

Just don't see TAA ever having the time to develop as a midfielder. Not a chance Klopp would play him there, he was pretty scathing when Southgate experimented with him in midfield last year.

Shame that he's only got 16 England caps. Think he's one of those players that looks far better for his club than country. Liverpool have got quite a few of those, though there's not many International teams that would match Liverpool for their team, manager and togetherness. Also England have been pretty blessed with right-backs, Trippier and Walker have been standouts for years, and if Southgate was looking for a younger model, reckon Reece James would be Gareth's pick.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Injuries have cost him a fair few caps but you have to play a certain way to get the best out of TAA, England don't really setup that way and I can see why Southgate favours a better defensive full back at times. Martinelli gave him the run around the other week. Given the front three we can play though you'd think they'd love getting on the end of his passes, Kane might even stop dropping too deep trying to get the ball. He'd be in my team.

[Loafer]

Taarabt has seemed to have about forever

Such an example of why you can have all the talent and skill but a shit attitude gets you nowhere

[Franchise FC]

Adel Taarabt is still only 32.

Liverpool easily better than Benfica over the course of the game last night, without really getting out of second gear. Bayern in the semis will be a huge test.

Some ridiculous passes by TAA on this return to the side, his vision is exemplary. And he still has only 16 England caps.

Because he can't defend
Play him as a wide midfielder but without the defensive duties, but then he's competing with Grealish, Foden, Sancho (?), even Sterling
With the likes of Reece James (for example) you get a real defender who isn't going to be 100% of TAA going forward but maybe gets to 90%
Discuss

[Sanguine]

He can defend, he's just not Lilian Thuram.
I mean, Liverpool have conceded 5 goals in their last 18 games, and for a long time have had a great defensive record. The notion that you can achieve that with a right-back who can't defend is a bit silly.

[Franchise FC]

He can defend, he's just not Lilian Thuram.
I mean, Liverpool have conceded 5 goals in their last 18 games, and for a long time have had a great defensive record. The notion that you can achieve that with a right-back who can't defend is a bit silly.

Agreed, but Liverpool have VVD and that means they can play with TAA and cope with someone who is not so good at the back
As far as his England caps are concerned, the fact that he's not so good at defending can't be covered by Maguire, Stones, Mings, etc. because they're not VVD

Your turn

[Sanguine]

He can defend, he's just not Lilian Thuram.
I mean, Liverpool have conceded 5 goals in their last 18 games, and for a long time have had a great defensive record. The notion that you can achieve that with a right-back who can't defend is a bit silly.

Agreed, but Liverpool have VVD and that means they can play with TAA and cope with someone who is not so good at the back
As far as his England caps are concerned, the fact that he's not so good at defending can't be covered by Maguire, Stones, Mings, etc. because they're not VVD

Your turn

1 - Maguire and Stones not being able to defend isn't reason enough not to select a 'generational' football player.
2 - we've gone from 'can't defend' to 'not so good at the back'
3 - because I'm about to log off for the day I declare myself the winner.

[From Despair To Where?]

Atletico Madrid are such a shithouse team. Quite funny to watch though.

I would expect nothing less from a team managed by Diego Simeone.

[Franchise FC]

He can defend, he's just not Lilian Thuram.
I mean, Liverpool have conceded 5 goals in their last 18 games, and for a long time have had a great defensive record. The notion that you can achieve that with a right-back who can't defend is a bit silly.

Agreed, but Liverpool have VVD and that means they can play with TAA and cope with someone who is not so good at the back
As far as his England caps are concerned, the fact that he's not so good at defending can't be covered by Maguire, Stones, Mings, etc. because they're not VVD

Your turn

1 - Maguire and Stones not being able to defend isn't reason enough not to select a 'generational' football player.
2 - we've gone from 'can't defend' to 'not so good at the back'
3 - because I'm about to log off for the day I declare myself the winner.

On 1, as a manager one would have to pick what’s best for the team, not an individual, so the fact that England need more defensive ability is exactly the reason not to pick him
On 2, I’ll give you that one
On 3, night night - see you tomorrow

[NathStPaul]

Benzema is such a good striker, aged like a fine wine.

[Weymouth Royal]

That should be Chelsea out. And Bayern have it all to do in the second leg. Liverpool will be happy with that.

[Hendo]

Seen Benzema's goals from last night. The first 2 are absolutely quality. The header for the first and the cross for the second.

The third, what a cock-up

[Ascotexgunner]

Adel Taarabt is still only 32.

Liverpool easily better than Benfica over the course of the game last night, without really getting out of second gear. Bayern in the semis will be a huge test.

Some ridiculous passes by TAA on this return to the side, his vision is exemplary. And he still has only 16 England caps.

Because he can't defend
Play him as a wide midfielder but without the defensive duties, but then he's competing with Grealish, Foden, Sancho (?), even Sterling
With the likes of Reece James (for example) you get a real defender who isn't going to be 100% of TAA going forward but maybe gets to 90%
Discuss

Ah....you said exactly what I was gonna say. His defending is average at best.
I watched him recently playing Arsenal and although Liverpool won because Arsenal couldn't score for toffee, Martinelli just ghosted past him on several occasions and he was terrible with dealing with balls over the top.

[URZZZZ]

You wonder sometimes why footballers get the reputation they get and then you look at Dembele throwing himself to the floor before winking to the camera

Guess in some ways you can’t fully blame him - until the game finds techniques to support honesty and penalise cheating, players will keep doing it

On the actual decision itself - could have gone either way even if contact was minimal, don’t think Zouma was covering close enough but there was a clear foul on Bowen just 20 seconds before the red card - abysmal officiating

[Winston Biscuit]

[NathStPaul]

Not sure what the debate is about the Alonso handball. Hit his hand, end of discussion.

[NathStPaul]

Chelsea have been fantastic.

Werner looking like the player I saw at Leipzig.

[NathStPaul]

What a game this is! Extra time please!