super storm

Chapter 729 Liverpool is over!
Liverpool is over!
Early the next morning, newspapers all over the UK were frantically reporting Liverpool's home defeat. Almost all the media drew a conclusion from this defeat, that is, Liverpool's Champions League trip this season will stop at the quarter-finals.

Newspapers close to Liverpool, including The Times and The Daily Telegraph, also posted comments one after another, disappointed by Liverpool's defeat, and many of them pointed the finger at Benitez.

Conceding three corner kicks in one game is unreasonable anyway.

Although Benitez had voluntarily admitted his mistakes in the locker room after the game and was forgiven by the players, he still had to take the blame for the loss in front of the media and fans.

The Guardian, which has always been more serious and has a more neutral and objective stand, also wrote an article criticizing Benitez this time, thinking that the Liverpool coach should be responsible for this loss, especially in some of the more insane remarks before the game.

"Every time Benitez gets a little crazy, Liverpool will suffer a little bit, and it's the same in this game."

"Liverpool started this game quite well. Yang Yang's goal in 6 minutes gave Liverpool the lead, but then three missed corner kicks made Yang Yang's hard-working goals completely in vain."

However, the Guardian does not believe that all the responsibility for the loss is on Benitez.

"It cannot be said that Liverpool is arrogant, or that Benitez has become proud. After all, this season, Liverpool has fought on multiple fronts and has been on four fronts. Whether it is the head coach or the players, the pressure is very high."

"After many consecutive fierce battles, it is difficult for even Benitez to maintain meticulous technical and tactical levels."

"Zone defense combined with man-to-man. This is a complete defensive system tailored by Benitez for Liverpool. It is very complex and meticulous. It can be said that this defensive system is the foundation of the team's solid defense since Benitez coached Liverpool. It is also a key factor for the team to achieve outstanding results this season."

"But there is no perfection in this world. Liverpool's high-defense loophole in set-pieces was seized by Hiddink with a keen sense of smell. The Dutch coach steadfastly grasped this loophole in Liverpool and scored goals repeatedly."

Unlike other media who have all criticized Benitez's defensive system, the Guardian believes that there is no problem with Benitez's defensive system, the key lies in people.

"Judging from the various reactions of the game, Benitez obviously lacks sufficient understanding of Ivanovic's high-ball attack power. This is very unreasonable, even if this player has not been the main force of Chelsea's first team in the past."

……

The Daily Mail launched a wave of praise for Chelsea's interim coach Guus Hiddink, especially for his formation in this game, with the emphasis on corner kick tactics.

This is not surprising, because apart from the three corner kicks, Chelsea actually had very few offensive threats. On the contrary, they did quite well on the defensive end, including Ivanovic, Essien and other midfielders, creating a tight defensive cage for Yang Yang and Gerrard.

The Daily Mail did not forget to ridicule Liverpool, thinking that this team vowed to win everything before the game, but in the end they suffered a tragic defeat at their home court, losing their hope of hitting the Champions League this season.

"Based on Chelsea's performance in this game, I believe that under Hiddink's leadership, the possibility of continuing to hit the Champions League is very high!"

Not only is the headline on the front page of the Daily Mail, but even the famous columnist Martin Samuel also gave a very high evaluation of Chelsea's performance in this game in his column.

"Liverpool was originally the most popular favorite among the top four teams in the Premier League, but now, Hiddink leads the turbulent Chelsea and has won confidence in the Red Army."

Martin Samuel believes that the most painful blow to Liverpool from this defeat is not only the score of [-] to [-], but more importantly, it is the knockout round of the Champions League, and Liverpool is a team that aims to hit the championship.

"In the 17 years since the restructuring of the Champions League, the unbeaten results in the knockout rounds of the Champions League have been regarded as a sign of a mature and stable team, and it is the confidence and foundation for a team to win the Champions League."

"In the past few years, only one team lost in the knockout rounds and was able to win the championship in the end. That is Real Madrid in 2000 and [-]. Under the leadership of head coach Del Bosque, Real Madrid won the Champions League twice. Lost in the knockout rounds."

"In the UEFA Champions League semi-final in [-], Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich [-]-[-] at home in the first leg, and lost [-]-[-] away to the Bundesliga giants, but in the end they eliminated their opponents with a total score. At that time, Bosque took over a mess. Real Madrid's overall strength is weaker than Bayern Munich."

"Two years later, Real Madrid has become a world-famous galaxy battleship, gathering superstars such as Figo and Zidane. In the first round of the quarter-finals, they lost [-]-[-] to Bayern Munich. However, in the second round of the home game, with the goals of Elguera and Guti, they reversed their opponents."

Martin Samuel gave these two cases and analyzed them. He believed that the reason why Real Madrid was able to lose twice, but still had the last laugh, was because he lost away games, and both times they met Bayern Munich, the strongest in Europe at the time.

"But Liverpool is obviously different this time. The Red Army lost to Chelsea at home, and the score was one to three. Whether it is from the score or the situation, the difficulty of Liverpool's reversal is far more difficult than that of Real Madrid."

"And don't forget that since [-], no team has been able to win the Champions League after losing in the knockout rounds, and even very few teams have reached the final."

Martin Samuel gave a lot of data and cases, and finally came to a conclusion that, in the case of a [-]-[-] home defeat, the possibility of Liverpool wanting to reverse Chelsea is almost zero.

"Liverpool is over!"

"Perhaps, Liverpool can continue to hit the Premier League and the FA Cup this season, but in the Champions League, they are destined to stop at the quarter-finals."

"Drogba's goal made Benitez's team completely desperate!"

……

If it is just the words of one media, it can be said to be an attack, but if the vast majority of the media say this, and even the few media that are most optimistic about Liverpool are pessimistic about the results, then it goes without saying that Liverpool is really going to be cold.

The outside media and fans know how to analyze, so why don't the players in the Liverpool team not understand?

All of this, Liverpool players themselves are well aware, but no one is willing to admit it.

When Yang Yang ran home from Sefton Park the next morning, sat in the dining room and had breakfast, and saw these newspapers, the first thought that popped into his mind was...

"We need a big win now!"

Su Ye was sitting opposite Yang Yang, and when he heard his sudden words, he didn't pay attention, and asked, "What did you say?"

"We need a big victory to rebuild our confidence." Yang Yang repeated.

Confidence is a strange thing. It is slow to build up, but easy to destroy.

For example, in the Premier League, Manchester United has now completely lost confidence in winning the championship. This is not only because of the [-]-[-] disastrous defeat, but also because Manchester United lost [-]-[-] to Fulham, which led to Manchester United's despair.

How similar is Liverpool's current situation to Manchester United's?

Ferguson played big, so they lost [-]-[-] at home; Benitez and Liverpool also played big, and lost [-]-[-] at home.

Manchester United lost the Premier League, and now everyone feels that Liverpool have lost their Champions League prospects.

But there is one thing, that is, the knockout round of the Champions League quarter-finals is a two-round match, and it is not impossible for Liverpool to score three goals in an away game.

Although it is very, very difficult, there is still a chance of life no matter how difficult it is.

Manchester United's experience is a lesson for Liverpool.

Therefore, next, for Liverpool, the most important thing is to avoid losing to their opponents like Manchester United.

More importantly, the second leg of the Champions League is a week later, so playing Blackburn this weekend is very important.

"What are you going to do?" Su Ye asked with concern.

After hearing this, Yang Yang smiled, "I don't need to think too much, Benitez must have already thought about it."

"Him?" Su Ye couldn't believe it.

In terms of blame, Benitez has memorized more than anyone else, and he has been under greater pressure from public opinion. Almost everyone pointed the finger at him for the defeat.

"He has never been very emotional, and naturally he will not act emotionally. I'm sure that he has already started to study how to beat Blackburn and Chelsea last night." Yang Yang said firmly.

Su Ye shook her head and smiled, she couldn't understand these thoughts of men.

It's as if she can't understand anyway, how can Benitez devote everything to football and have no other hobbies at all?

Sometimes she really felt that Yang Yang and Benitez still resonated, because they were both obsessed with football.

"The most troublesome thing now is the locker room." Yang Yang frowned and said worriedly.

He has confidence in Benitez's willpower, and he believes that after a person like Benitez has learned a lesson, he will only become more vigilant and stronger, and will never make the same mistake again.

The key is whether the players in the locker room can also be so strong?

After losing to Chelsea [-]-[-], Gerrard almost lost his composure. It is conceivable how much this game has hit other players, and can they recover in a short period of time?
Su Ye couldn't help at all with regards to playing football, but she stretched out her hand and grabbed Yang Yang's hand firmly.

"Go ahead and do it, I believe in you!" Su Ye encouraged.

Yang Yang's heart warmed, and he smiled slightly at her.

Sometimes her words filled him with fighting spirit and strength.

It's like who said a word, women are born to be the source of motivation for men to fight.

(End of this chapter)