Pepe

[CaptainXabi]

Great goalkeeper and everything, but he's been beaten at the near post quite a bit this season. His positioning on the line is still generally f***ing ace though - makes a lot of saves look easier than they are.

[Knoxy]

Great goalkeeper and everything, but he's been beaten at the near post quite a bit this season. His positioning on the line is still generally f***ing ace though - makes a lot of saves look easier than they are.

 

He had no time to readjust after a full length safe, and Drogba's shot was like a bullett

 

Not his fault

[Hassony]

He was our best player last night!, Near post or not the two goals he conceded were almost unstopable

[CaptainXabi]

The 2nd Drogba one was unstoppable, that is for sure. The first one, I'm not so sure. Not as if Riise helped him at all though.

[Earl Hafler]

He had no time to readjust after a full length safe, and Drogba's shot was like a bullett

 

Not his fault

 

Looked to me like he was ready - just not near his post.

 

Yep, just watched it again and he was ready.

 

What the f*** is Riise doing for that goal ? Doesn't look round for an opponents position once. Just jogs back towards goal leaving Drogba in acres.

[Rich Gobey]

Pepe was superb last night, he couldn't possibly be blamed for any of the goals.

 

It's the post-match, knee-jerk, scape-goating that has to stop.

[honourablegeorge]

Wasn't at fault for either, to be fair. Riise's attempted block partially obscured his view of one of them too.

[Guest Ant]

As much as keeepers are meant to save at their near post, Drogba's shot was a bullett.

[Hassony]

Riise should have reacted better for the first one, Pepe just made an excellent save from Kallou and was just getting back into position.

[CaptainXabi]

Pepe was superb last night, he couldn't possibly be blamed for any of the goals.

 

It's the post-match, knee-jerk, scape-goating that has to stop.

I'm not scape-goating him or knee-jerking if you actually bothered to read the post.

[Hassony]

Looked to me like he was ready - just not near his post.

 

Yep, just watched it again and he was ready.

 

What the f*** is Riise doing for that goal ? Doesn't look round for an opponents position once. Just jogs back towards goal leaving Drogba in acres.

 

Riise was at fault for the first and third goals

 

hopefully he played his last liverpool game last night

[Guest Rafa's Receding Hairline]

Riise had to close Drogba down for the first goal, nothing Pepe could do.

 

The sooner we see the back of that ginger knob, the better.

[Rich Gobey]

I'm not scape-goating him or knee-jerking if you actually bothered to read the post.

 

I did.

 

You attributed one or more of their goals to a Pepe error.

 

He didn't make one.

[Guest Beano's Dad]

Wasn't at fault for either, to be fair. Riise's attempted block partially obscured his view of one of them too.

 

If only it was an attempted block. He trotted along. By the time he got anywhere near it was too late. If he had been as quick to the ball as Reina was from getting up from the first shot they would not have scored.

 

They popped a few long shots off last night and that was a wickedly wet pitch to stop balls on and he got behind all of them well.

[Dan]

Wasn't at fault for any last night.

 

Cech on the other hand.....

[CaptainXabi]

I did.

 

You attributed one or more of their goals to a Pepe error.

 

He didn't make one.

Well, I didn't say "we lost because of Pepe letting in a near post goal". I just think he could have been better positioned. It's also not based just on yesterday. The Diaby and Fabregas goals also stick out. I also say in the next sentence his positioning is generally excellent so I'm hardly asking him to be sold. Riise on the other hand...

[Earl Hafler]

They popped a few long shots off last night and that was a wickedly wet pitch to stop balls on and he got behind all of them well.

 

Another thing we didn't do.

 

Much better to hit 40 yard passes from your own half.

[Hassony]

Well, I didn't say "we lost because of Pepe letting in a near post goal". I just think he could have been better positioned. It's also not based just on yesterday. The Diaby and Fabregas goals also stick out. I also say in the next sentence his positioning is generally excellent so I'm hardly asking him to be sold. Riise on the other hand...

 

It a myth that Keepers are supposed to save everything on their near posts, sometimes you have to give credit to the attacker

[Kite]

They popped a few long shots off last night and that was a wickedly wet pitch to stop balls on and he got behind all of them well.

Total f***ing mystery to me why we didn't do that until 117 mins into the game.

[Duncan Disorderly]

He had no time to readjust after a full length safe, and Drogba's shot was like a bullett

 

Not his fault

Drogba was chisselling his intentions on tablets of stone by the time he reached the ball. He should have been closed down or hassled off the ball as soon as he got to it. I have lost all patience with Riise.

[Hassony]

Total f***ing mystery to me why we didn't do that until 117 mins into the game.

 

people often make fun of the fact that Lampard takes 20 shots per game, but it works!

[Guz]

Would have been nice if Riise had helped him out instead of spinning around in the penalty box clueless to Drogba's position.

 

First save was excellent but I think Pepe will think he can palm it out further than he did.

[D.Boon]

Thought Drogba's shot was too hard for him to get too. It was in the net before he had really had chance to get set.

 

Thought he did well last night. He palmed the ball to outside the area its not like it spilled in the 6 yard box.

[MFletcher]

He palmed the ball as far away as he could from the danger area. Riise, if he'd been alert, had sufficient time to get near it and hack it away. He didn't. Drogba then fired it in like a bullet at the near post whilst Pepe was scrambling about to reposition himself. I think he'd just about got himself set, but the shot was already past him by that stage.

 

He was brilliant last night. His handling was excellent in difficult conditions and he can't be blamed for any of the goals.

Edited May 1, 2008 by MFletcher

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

couldn't do anything about that goal. It was even harder than Diaby's.

 

 

What happened to him saving pens though? Useless c***. And why didn't Lampard do an impression of his England penalty in the WC? Lampard didn't turn up again, yet gets an 8/10 from the guardian