The Champions League Final: Liverbird vs. Cockerel

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
22,667
Just not enough in the final. Liverpool’s back four was outstanding and Spurs weren’t sharp enough to finish their chances. Spurs did a great job just making the final, can’t say I’m too upset with the end result. Congrats to Liverpool, they capitalized on their opportunities and played great all season.
 

coremiller

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Jul 14, 2005
5,846
It would have been nice if Spurs had played well enough to make Liverpool earn it rather than handing it to them on a silver platter.
 

Soxy

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Dec 1, 2008
6,095
Liverpool winning a European title on the back of their defense is something that seemed impossible in seasons past. The additions of Van Dijk and Allison were immense.
 

sheamonu

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Nov 11, 2004
1,342
Dublin, Ireland
Goalkeeping one of the keys for Liverpool tonight which, given the farce of last year, feels like a kind of justice. John Henry coming in for much praise on the Irish side of things - lots of Pool fans here.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
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Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
A huge tip of the cap to Joel Matip. From almost forgotten man with Gomez’s emergence to being as crucial as VVD in the final... take a bow sir

Also, shitty as his politics are, I love Alisson Becker with a Tim Thomas-esque unconditionality
 

Clears Cleaver

Lil' Bill
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Aug 1, 2001
11,370
Was watching with my son’s coach and he noticed nearly all of Spurs attempts on goal were with the off foot. Son best chances with left, Erickson the same. As was Kane’s only look.

Great fundamental defense
 

67YAZ

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Dec 1, 2000
8,729
Watched at a house party that was roughly 1/3 Liverpool, 1/3 Spurs, 1/3 neutral. 3 brothers were split between the two sides. Good fun.

Spurs had the right set up and plan. But VVD & Matip were outstanding and Kane was out of form after the long lay off. Same with a lot of guys, really.

What an incredible season for Origi. Football is a funny game sometimes.
 

McBride11

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Jul 15, 2005
22,109
Durham, NC
Had to watch on DVR. Not the most epic of matches, but fairly exciting at portions. Early stupid PK really hurt.
Spurs seemed to carry a lot of play from late first thru most of the second. No real great chances. OF course was this Liverpool sitting back or Spurs dominance?
Origi played a great tourney and made a fantastic goal. I was actually screaming alderweireld to slide. He had some Spurs MF or F assisting if he cut back, or could take him if he pushed wide to the line.

As an aside, never thought much about this. Handball in box is PK. But Sissoko caught that on his right chest to abnormally positioned right arm (wtf was he pointing at?) but it was a square ball. The cross was blocked by the chest. By the rule, 100% PK, but when you look at it, but should it be? Hand didn't directly affect scoring option (it was all ready blocked). Not the reason Spurs lost at all. Just some musings.
 

SoxFanInCali

has the rich, deep voice of a god
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Jun 3, 2005
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California. Duh.
Cool post-game moment. BT Sport about to interview Salah and Alexander-Arnold when all the Liverpool players start to run towards the fans to celebrate. The interviewer, Des Kelly, tells them to go, that they shouldn't miss that moment.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
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Sep 27, 2016
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Pittsburgh, PA
I hate simulation and exaggeration more than almost anyone here, but I think that Mane's actions are totally within-bounds for gamesmanship. I think the fault is with the current rule interpretation, which basically considers any contact with something resembling the shoulder or lower to automatically be handball. I think there needs to be a much wider definition of what is incidental contact, shoulders ought to be OK, a ball that would have hit your chest needs to be considered OK if it also happens to hit an arm by your side, and "natural position" needs to reflect what people's arms do when they are running or jumping. At least half of what I see called handball in the box in top-5 / UEFA competition, I'd prefer not be called.

None of which would have helped Sissoko, of course, since he stuck his arm out and left it there and got hit on it while it was extended from his body. If he's going to do that and Mane's going to aim for it (and risk the possession coming to naught if he misses), it's their own fault and credit, respectively. In terms of making a mockery of the game, it's roughly on par with the offsides trap in my mind. Oh, look, they're turning a law of the game into a tactic! Quelle horreur!
 

coremiller

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Jul 14, 2005
5,846
The only question I have about the Sissoko handball is that it looked to me like the ball hit his body first, and then ricocheted off his arm, which IMO makes it more marginal. I think it's silly to give the offense a .75 xG chance as a result of that kind of incidental conduct, but I also think defenders should be deterred from making themselves bigger and then claiming contact was "incidental" or "ball to hand." There's not really a good solution to this problem.
 

SocrManiac

Tommy Seebach’s mustache
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Apr 15, 2006
8,633
Somers, CT
I love the point in the article, however. Couldn't you argue it's a natural motion/position to point a teammate to an area? Isn't that as much a part of the game as a jumping motion?

They're trying to simplify the interpretation of the rule, which should always be the goal. However, in this case I think they're erring on the wrong side. This is footy's catch rule at this point. Everybody instinctively knows a catch (or a handball) when they see it, but you can't write the words to describe 100% of cases. You then legislate something you didn't intend that has a massive impact on how matches are played and results are won.