If you can't see what Can brings to the midfield, you never will. To come straight back into the team after a 'serious' injury and playing in a pivotal game and then to put in that level of performance is remarkable. Apparently he's crap @Diego
Good look in the final I will now have to go make some more anti Liverpool threads to cheer myself up
A roar ripped through Anfield at the final whistle. The giant has been reawakened. Liverpool's remarkable season will reach a thrilling crescendo in the Europa League final against Sevilla at Basel's St Jakob-Park on May 18. There was no late drama this time. No thrilling European fightback to tell the grandkids about. Instead the Reds booked their trip to the land of cheese and chocolate with glorious ease as Villarreal were ruthlessly brushed aside. A first European trophy for 11 years and a golden ticket into next season's Champions League is now just 90 minutes away. How fitting that a beaming Jurgen Klopp should take on the role of conductor as he accepted the acclaim from the stands. The Kop chanted his name vociferously and rightly so. This was his triumph. Here was the fruits of his labour over the past seven months. The spirit, the unity, the organisation, the belief and the tactical nous he has instilled within the squad he inherited. Klopp has proved a master at harnessing the most powerful support in football and on nights like this it makes Liverpool an irresistible force. How lucky the Reds were to secure the services of a man capable of making the hopes and dreams of Kopites come true. He has energised both the stands and the dressing room. There was no pressure he told his players pre-match, simply an opportunity to achieve something special. To a man they grasped that chance with a show of force which made a mockery of Villarreal's premature celebrations after the first leg. Bruno Soriano's early own goal was followed by second-half strikes from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana. The Reds' cause was aided by the dismissal of Victor Ruiz but by then they were already cruising. When Klopp arrived back in October, Anfield was a place where the expectation weighed heavily on players' shoulders. Now it only strikes fear into opponents. It was a night laced with emotion. From the bedlam on Anfield Road which greeted the arrival of the team coaches to the spine-tingling rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone as mosaics in memory of the 96 read: 'The Greatest Football Family'. Marcelino had insisted his players would be galvanised rather than intimidated by the atmosphere. The Villarreal boss was wide of the mark. During a frenetic opening period it was Liverpool who grasped the initiative, while those in yellow resembled rabbits caught in headlights. Liverpool started at a tempo and an intensity the rattled La Liga outfit simply couldn't handle. They were first to everything and they led inside seven minutes. Alphonse Areola palmed Nathaniel Clyne's low cross into the path of Roberto Firmino, who expertly turned it back across goal. As Sturridge challenged, the ball bounced in off Soriano from close range. Anfield erupted. Adrian Lopez's late strike in the first leg had been swiftly cancelled out. Klopp was bold with his team selection – starting both Sturridge and Firmino and it paid off handsomely as each of them excelled. Firmino was outstanding. Combining breathtaking skill with workrate, there were shades of Luis Suarez about him. Not since the Uruguayan was lighting up Anfield have Kopites seen a performance combining such inspiration and perspiration . Liverpool continued to boss proceedings. Philippe Coutinho was forced off with a sickness bug at El Madrigal, this time he just made Villarreal feel queasy as he weaved his magic. Lallana, Firmino and James Milner buzzed around with intent behind Sturridge. They helped set the tone with their relentless pressing as Marcelino's men were never allowed to settle. Lallana was just inches away from converting Milner's cross, while Dejan Lovren's header was kept out by Areola. Lovren, the hero against Dortmund, was a rock once again and his perfectly timed tackle on dangerman Cedric Bakambu was greeted by the sight of Klopp punching the air in delight. The only time Bakambu stole half a yard on the Croatian all night, Villarreal's 22-goal top scorer scuffed tamely at Simon Mignolet. Outfought and outplayed, the Spaniards lost their discipline. The play-acting and the theatrics were unseemly as was the manner in which they harangued Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai. Roberto Soldado, fortunate not to be carded for a whack on Lovren, finally followed Ruiz into the book after a petulant swipe at Coutinho. Amidst the mayhem, there was ice cool Emre Can – a picture of composure on his return to the side. The German midfielder, who hadn't kicked a ball in anger for three weeks, slotted straight back in. Can oozed class as he gave Liverpool a platform to dominate. The second half brought more of the same with the Reds on the front foot and Villarreal camped inside their own half. It was defence against attack. Coutinho's strike was beaten away by Areola before Milner fired tamely at the keeper. The only scare came when Soldado nodded wide having conned a free-kick by backing into the impressive Kolo Toure and taking a tumble. On the rare occasions Villarreal committed players forward, Liverpool dealt with the danger and then hit them at pace on the counter. Lallana's through ball released Sturridge, who darted past Mateo Musacchio but was thwarted by Areola. Something special was required and it arrived just past the hour mark. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...ews/liverpool-3-0-villarreal-verdict-11291787
Not seen scenes like this outside the ground since the run-in to season we nearly won the PL ... let's hope there's a pot to parade after it all this time
Liverpool FC legend Luis Suarez took to social media after the Reds beat Villarreal to post a message to his former team-mates. The Barcelona star watched as the Reds dismantled the Spanish outfit to book their place in the Europa League final in Basel on May 19. Suarez tweeted: "Congratulations to all at LFC for moving to the final !! Congratulations friends !!" Felicitaciones a todo el @LFC por pasar a la final!! Enhorabuena amigos!! #MartinSkrtel @Phil_Coutinho! — Luis Suarez (@LuisSuarez9) May 5, 2016 The 29-year-old Uruguayan, who scored 82 goals in 133 games for the Reds, made special mention of his former team-mates Philippe Coutinho and Martin Skrtel in his tweet. Liverpool overturned a 1-0 deficit from the first leg with an accomplished performance in another brilliant night at Anfield. An own-goal from Bruno Soriano set the Reds on their way before Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana secured the victory.
Just a comment for villareal fans (who will never read it) they were class last night really. their team couldn't cope but they I hope enjoyed the prematch stuff at least....
That went well... Privileged to be there last night.. To a man, the team was superb, Klopp tactics and in-game subtle changes were spot on and the fans didn't stop all game. Can, came of age yesterday, that is the level of performance he needs to put in week in week out, the guy bossed the midfield, but he was assisted by Milner who was great last night, the 3 ahead of them with their movement and closing down didn't give Villareal a minutes rest and Studge, yeah me shanked the odd shot, but he grew into the game and was superb too.. fortunate to be right behind the goal when he scored, was a great touch and finish.
Agreed, if their team was as classy as them, we may have been in trouble.. Also, read up on their managers post match comments, bitter much?
Klopp got in his head before this game and was on his case all game on the touchline...I was laughing at the antics. the whole bench were at it. I think he lost it and then his players lost it too. Just another side of klopp... he can play the mind games. klopp gave him both barells after and all. Klopp is who he is," the Villarreal coach said after the game. "A great coach, but in the regards to the rest, I won't keep it to myself -- I wouldn't want to be like him. Today, he went too far with his celebrations." Klopp hit back in his own postgame news conference by saying: "I would not be like him one second in my life -- and he is a great manager."
Aye, whenever I've been up since Klopp took over, I do spend the odd moment on Klopp "watch" and could see he was having a pop at their coach from time to time.. If you can't play the mind games then don't try to take someone like Klopp on who's very skilled in that art form!
Deffo another side to klopp there. The officials seem to let him away with murder and then he seems to size up his opponent. The friendly **** if they are that sort to distract them or this stuff. He was messing with the 4th officials board at one point.
He gets away with it because he lets out a cheeky laugh, smile, then gives the fourth official a Klopp hug, the mans ****ing brilliant..
He is, however he will also go nuts now and then and get in trouble. We're going to see the nasty side at times when he's there for a full season.
I'd love to be able to hate him, but I just can't. I liked him at Dortmund and I still like him now, he's a cracking manager and very charismatic with it. Your board made their best decision since taking over launching Todgers and landing this fella, as he's class.
BTW. .. if we win we will be in top 30 of clubs ranking and England will be 7/8 poi to clear of Italy in rankings too. If we get to cl then we might be 3rd seeds? This is the reality of doing poorly for years. We must fight out of group if we do get there but it's not bad thing... it's simply a fact that we ha e to pay our dues or punch above our weight to get higher in rankings. This is why every game counts in Europe. Draws are half points so not taking it seriously does hurt coefficients. Spurs are ranked 23rd having just been in europa consistently they might still be 3rd seeds. It should be interesting cl next year. City... arsenal.. second seeds. Leicester 1st seeds.
You can see it now.. We were 3-0, a man up and he was laying into a couple of our lads for not closing down quicker and not getting back into the proper defensive shape when we didn't have the ball! The man will love you if you do what he wants but you don't ever want to get on his wrong side!
