Champions League Final!

[Pubey]

Spirit of Istanbul? or boring stalemate????

I've put on a couple of cheeky bets... who else has?

Gerrard Score First 1-1 @ 55/1

Pirlo to Score and Milan win @ 10/1

Crouch to Score in both halves @ 33/1



terrible odds but thats bluesq for you!

 

[Mr Wooly]

Personally, I'm not sure Crouch will start. I was reading the Express today, and Crouch was saying that Benitez always picks his team one hour before kick-off, and he's usually none the wiser as to whether he's starting or sub. I've got a hunch he'll opt for Bellamy and Kuyt tomorrow, purely to try and utilise Bellamy's pace against Nesta and Maldini (if Maldini's fit). He did it in the Nou Camp, and I think he'll do it again.

For Liverpool to win however, they have to stop Kaka. Manure couldn't do it in the Semi's, and he destroyed them. Make no mistake, Liverpool's most important player tomorrow is Mascherano. If he can stop Kaka from having a suitable influence and prevent him getting free in the final third, then they can win. If he can't, then I think Milan will win comfortably.

Looking forward to it though. Barring the Juve/Milan final a few years back, recent finals have been crackers!

 

[Pubey]

i think they have to go man for man with both kaka and seedorf... IMO seedorf is just as destructive and as we saw against man utd, was absolutely amazing. if liverpool manage to stifle their game then they will have a chance, but sitting back and defending won't work. IMO liverpool have to play 442 and basically out fight and out battle milan, it is all about workrate and effort and if they can do that for 90 (or more likely 120) then i think they can do it

 

[Pubey]

i get your point about crouch, but maldini singled him out at liverpools biggest threat. if i was benitez then i would play crouch and kuyt and bellamy can come on and run at nesta and maldini when they are actually tired. pace for the first 60 won't really hurt milan because they are just too good at holding a line and cutting out the runs. in the end what do i know, but i reckon crouchy will be a hero tomorrow!

 

[BrettieAngell]

The reckons Gerrard might be playing behind Kuyt.

I would start with Crouch and Kuyt but Benitez rarely plays two strikers in Europe.

I think it will be a really tight game I honestly cant see another Istanbul, games like that are pretty rare especially in Champions League Finals!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

i think they have to go man for man with both kaka and seedorf... IMO seedorf is just as destructive and as we saw against man utd, was absolutely amazing. if liverpool manage to stifle their game then they will have a chance, but sitting back and defending won't work. IMO liverpool have to play 442 and basically out fight and out battle milan, it is all about workrate and effort and if they can do that for 90 (or more likely 120) then i think they can do it

They'll struggle to out fight and out battle Gattuso. He was the difference v Man U (although Man U lack legs in midfield, which is why they've been tracking Hargreaves) and he was a key reason why Italy won the world cup.

 

[BrettieAngell]

They'll struggle to out fight and out battle Gattuso. He was the difference v Man U (although Man U lack legs in midfield, which is why they've been tracking Hargreaves) and he was a key reason why Italy won the world cup.

Gerrard owns Gattuso!

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

What a load of **** it was, two very poor finals in a few days!!

Not a patch on the two corresponding finals of last season!!

 

[JoshC]

it wasn't as bad as chelsea although still very poor liverpool were awful in the second and that really cost them they needed to score earlier but i'll get over it. Crouchinho hit a good shot:)

 

[Pubey]

damn... i thought pirlo scored the first and my bet was looking good until inzahgi handballed it in!

liverpool played well but didn't have any luck and really didn't put a poor milan defence under any pressure.