11/21/24
May 06, 2012
Chelsea Beats Liverpool 2-1 to Win FA Cup: Chelsea defeated Liverpool 2-1 Saturday in England's FA Cup final. Didier Drogba's goal, which made him the first player to score in four finals, proved decisive. Second-half substitute Andy Carroll scored one goal for Liverpool and was centimeters from another, a screaming header that Chelsea goalie Peter Cech kept from fully crossing the line. Chelsea's road to victory in the oldest competition in club football went through Portsmouth, QPR, Birmingham City, Leicester, Tottenham Hotspur and finally Liverpool.
I was rooting for the meteor, but really enjoyed the last 30 minutes. Chelsea looked tired and their shape fell apart, and Liverpool cranked up a gear with some good substitutions. Made staying up late worth it.
posted by owlhouse at 08:46 PM on May 06, 2012
Chelsea's defense was impenetrable for the first 60 minutes. It was a drag seeing Liverpool bring the ball into a mass of defenders with almost no hope of getting through.
I haven't watched them play much this year, but Carroll sure looks like somebody who should be in there all the time. He created problems for Chelsea from the minute he stepped onto the pitch.
posted by rcade at 09:20 PM on May 06, 2012
Ah Liverpool.
The only decent 30 minutes by Andy Carroll since the transfer. The level of their ambition at kickoff? Jay Spearing and Jordan Henderson start in midfield.
posted by owlhouse at 10:31 PM on May 06, 2012
The only decent 30 minutes by Andy Carroll since the transfer.
Truer words never spoken. He seems disinterested bordering on lazy so often.
posted by scully at 08:57 AM on May 07, 2012
I haven't watched them play much this year, but Carroll sure looks like somebody who should be in there all the time
The latter statement definitely implies the former. Not that I've watched them a ton, but his year has certainly been enjoyable from the other side of the Mersey.
posted by yerfatma at 10:15 AM on May 07, 2012
The level of their ambition at kickoff? Jay Spearing and Jordan Henderson start in midfield.
Who would you've played, considering Lucas and Charlie Adams are not healthy? Jonjo Shelvey?
Carroll perhaps would've been more productive by now if Kenny had started him game in and game out until he got past whatever mental block was there but as it was, he hadn't earned a start. Kuyt is still my favorite player but 90 minutes against Chelsea seems a big ask, Rodriguez has been less consistent than Carroll and if anything I'd have played Maxi ahead of Stuart Downing.
Of course I'm gutted that Cech made the save on Andy's second try. De Matteo's park the bus strategy didn't bring out a bit more creativity from Gerrard or Downing and Suarez simply didn't get the ball in good positions.
But I am not one of those supporters calling for Kenny's head. A good summer of training and judicious buying and selling and next year can be better.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:11 PM on May 07, 2012
Of course I'm gutted that Cech made the save on Andy's second try.
Do you think Carroll and Suarez had a chance at knocking it in if they hadn't suffered premature celebration? The ball fell perilously close to the goal line and Kuyt (I think) made a frantic lunge that almost succeeded.
posted by rcade at 01:02 PM on May 07, 2012
Who would you've played, considering Lucas and Charlie Adams are not healthy? Jonjo Shelvey?
There's Liverpool's problem right there.
I don't blame Dalglish. The amount of money spent on underperformers is one thing for club management, but even if they were playing well, the Liverpool squad is unbalanced. Players are being played out of position, and this is why Championship quality midfielders (e.g. Shelvey, Spearing, and Henderson/Downing fifty per cent of the time) keep getting a run. Adams is an enigma.
posted by owlhouse at 09:07 PM on May 07, 2012
It's weird to hear the 34-year-old Drogba described so often as old. He was an active senior on that goal,