REAL MADRID 0 - LIVERPOOL 1 (TACTICALLY SPOT ON!)

1. LIVERPOOL 1 - REAL MADRID 0 at Bernabeu. Champions League. This is only 1st half. We have won it and we need to seal it at Anfield, in 2 weeks. CHERISH IT FOR NOW. Nothing feels better when you sacrifice your golden sleep in the raining night here in Malaysia. I only woke up at 11.30am just now. Will be going to work at 2pm. But I feel like to come in earlier because I just got a bragging rights. hahaha...
   
   
2. True to the core when Carragher said the team could win the game even without Stevie G and Torres, when Kuyt was wrestled to the ground by Heinze to enable the beautiful crossed from the ensuing free-kick by Aurelio which was connected by a heading by the smallest player in the penalty box... Yossi Benayoun.
   


3. This fella is a gem. He should be getting more playing time. The only reason that I can think of when Rafa didn't play him is because to protect him from the physical opponent. But again, that would be a terrible mistake since Benayoun is a clever player who can zigzag the fullbacks into foolbacks... Benayoun gets my vote for Best Player Of The Match. Not because of his goal only but overall performances. Salute.
   
   
4. And bro Zaidi, tak salah sokong Yahudi - yang main bola dengan team kesayangan kita. Yang salah, sokong zionis. hahaha....
   
   
5. Tactically, it was spot-on by Rafa. I didn't really worried when he played Torres alone at the front. Knowing very well, Rafa is on the defence mode and having wide players, one of the game plan is to stop that former Chelsea actor, Arjen Robben from penetrating the back. It worked quite well aside than a couple speculative kick from the bald man from Holland. It seems that Arjen is still playing very much like he was in Chelsea. Full of play-acting. Each time he was touched, he jumped like a scalded cat and then hobbled. Every time football's status as a contact sport was reaffirmed by Liverpool's tacklers, Robben turned it into a street crime. Surely he'll get a ``warm'' reception when he came to Anfield, soon.
   
   
6. Tactically also, the team was instructed to regroup ASAP. Thus stifled Real's most potent striker and supposedly a legend, Raul Gonzalez. He failed to kick a decent try to our goal post. And when counter-attacking, such set-pieces is the main agenda of the day to win the game. Rafa was spot-on. Though a goalless draw is not bad at all, considering Real Madrid fine form of 9 wins prior to last night meeting, while Liverpool was dejected by Man. City a few days ago.

No way in for Raul. Not when you have Carra to block every balls.