Were we too cocky? Overconfident?

[_00_deathscar]

I said it in here a while earlier in a thread, NOT to underestimate Benfica regardless of their apparently poor league form - when some people were saying 'We'll hammer this lot - they're s****'.

 

I realised that at this stage of European competition, there ARE NO s*** TEAMS left and this is EXACTLY the sort of stuff fans of opposing teams last year were saying about us - and it helped us in that the opposition felt they would win comfortably by not putting in 100%.

[Nebraska Red]

On paper, and on the web,we were right to think we were the better team of the 2 before a ball was kicked.

 

Over the 2 games, we proved that our inability to convert early chances into goals has become our achilles heel.

 

Every minute that we fail to score, despite being all over the opposition, raises their confidence and the thoughts that they can sneak a goal or force a draw.

 

We have seen it many times and it bit us where it hurts in 2 games against a decent, not spectacular, Benfica side. In Lisbon, 1 goal from us changes the course of the game, and it was the same tonight.

 

As the first half went on, you could see the confidence growing in their side as they realised we were vulnerable at the back and getting nothing up front.

 

As fans, we were right to feel confident about winning this tie. We were not counting on forwards shooting blanks for 180 minutes, or lady luck taking a long hike away from the Liverpool team.

[_00_deathscar]

Precisely.

 

If a team can't score A GOAL in 180 minutes of football, they don't deserve to go through - we didn't, and we don't deserve to go through.

 

I think what hurt us the most was Crouch's horrendous miss personally.

[Nebraska Red]

Precisely.

 

If a team can't score A GOAL in 180 minutes of football, they don't deserve to go through - we didn't, and we don't deserve to go through.

 

I think what hurt us the most was Crouch's horrendous miss personally.

 

the first game killed us. we had chances to score and take over control of the tie. we went to sleep for 1 free kick and that was it.

 

i,m off to bed, still fed up though.

[_00_deathscar]

Likewise.

 

I'm more depressed than fed up.

 

I've had a horrible year in the States so far and Liverpool's European run was supposed to be my silver lining

[Owen1978]

Before the game started today, after chelsea got knocked out, i found it laughable that many of you were just full of glee seeing them get knocked and many automatically assumed that we were going to beat benfica!

 

I was dreading this, i had a gut feeling that we were out as soon as lusaio scored the goal, it put the onus on us and with our strike rate we didnt have a chance.

 

Im gutted but not suprised, roll on next year and hope rafa's still here in the summer.

[Poolfrog]

I said it in here a while earlier in a thread, NOT to underestimate Benfica regardless of their apparently poor league form - when some people were saying 'We'll hammer this lot - they're s****'.

 

I realised that at this stage of European competition, there ARE NO s*** TEAMS left and this is EXACTLY the sort of stuff fans of opposing teams last year were saying about us - and it helped us in that the opposition felt they would win comfortably by not putting in 100%.

 

I would disagree. Benfica are poor. Any other team left in would have turned them over last night. They scarcely threatened our goal over two games but scored 3 goals. We should have scored 4 in the first half alone. We lost through our incompetence rather than their brilliance and I have no doubt at all that whoever they get in the next round they will get knocked out

[Mike]

they were a good team, well organised and quick on the break.

we had more than enough chances to win the tie and then some.

we can't score.

the end.

[realtarragona]

Crouch missing sitters and Traore being a nervous wreck have nothing to do with us under-estimating them.