Well. What a night of football. Credit has to go to Chelsea – and in particular to Didier Drogba – who have played some brilliant football. Drogba’s goal proved to be the winner in a match that literally hung in the balance at several points. From a personal point of view, I can’t not be disappointed not to be through to the third Champions League Final in four years.

However, I have to hold my head high and wish Chelsea luck for the Final. There’s not much I can say about the match itself. Liverpool showed the spirit that they’re infamous for, fighting until the bitter end – all I can say is that the cards weren’t quite right and that it wasn’t meant to be “our year”. To try and pick holes in each player’s performance wouldn’t be right. Some could sit and pick holes in performance, decisions, what-ifs and such for hours. However, we did what we could, and this year Chelsea had the luck.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say why I support Liverpool Football Club, despite my birth roots being in Essex and having no physical link with the north – let alone Liverpool – and my reasons are showcased beautifully in the match tonight. I support Liverpool because of what can only be described as their spirit; the grit, determination and “never say die” attitude has brought us back from 3 – 0 down in Istanbul in 2005, and equalised in the dying minutes of added time in Cardiff in 2006, and also the same attitude which almost took us through against Chelsea tonight. Liverpool is a club which intrinsically instils a genuine sense of belief and hope with everything that they do, and it isn’t just a football club, it’s a way of life – one you’re a Red, you’re always a Red.

That is why I support Liverpool Football Club, and it’s why I’m not actually feeling that annoyed about tonight’s result. The result itself is material; it’s something which can’t be changed and therefore should be accepted. I still believe in the club, I still believe in everything that it stands for and everything it has been, continues to be and will be – and, in my mind at least, that is all that matters.

You’ll Never Walk Alone!
Craig

Well, well well. I’ve watched some Liverpool matches over the years but this has to be one of the most thrilling I’ve ever seen – up there with Istanbul 2005 and Cardiff 2006. The occasion was the third match against Arsenal within a week – the second of two Champions League quarter-final legs sandwiching a Premier League clash. The first two matches were pretty drab and boring, but the final match was anything but.

It had everything. Goals, moments of brilliance (from both teams), controversy, grit and determination. We were awful in the first 25 minutes with possession, giving the ball away with stupid passes and not getting the tackles in and all credit to Arsenal, they deserved the opener.

The equaliser couldn’t have come from a more deserving player, I really do rate Sami Hyypia – his work-rate and loyalty to the club is awesome. The same goes for Dirk Kuyt, he was always down the right flank giving Arsenal problems. Fernando Torres (left), though, is completely out of this world. Skill, pace, youth, he’s worth every single penny of the £26 million. He’s got the Gerrard-esque ability to turn games around, and he did it again.

The last 20 minutes were probably the most edgy I’ve seen all season. End-to-end, literally. The penalty – in my opinion – was clear. Ryan Babel was brought down in the box by Kolo Toure (although the contact was only minimal) when he had a clear scoring opportunity, therefore it had to be a penalty. I do have a certain amount of sympathy for Arsenal because we were let off the hook big-time in the first leg. In the end though, I think we wanted it more and it showed.

After that, all I can say is this … bring on Chelsea!

You’ll Never Walk Alone!

Well, after watching Liverpool against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, I can safely say that I have now returned from Cloud Nine.

I said in my previous blog that it would be win-or-bust for Liverpool and Rafa Benitez against Inter, and in typical Liverpool style, we won – but only after 85 minutes. Inter’s defence and goalkeeper were brilliant, Fernando Torres forcing an excellent save from Julio Cesar and the makeshift Inter defence (centre-back Materazzi having been sent off after 30 minutes and Cordoba being stretchered off on 75) keeping Liverpool at arm’s length for the majority of the second half before Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard broke through.

For all my previous criticism of Benitez, he has an uncanny knack of pulling the proverbial rabbit from the hat on European nights when the pressure is on and the backs are against the wall. It seems like the Champions League is Liverpool’s competition. Ever since the disappointment early in the group stages, we’ve come out with scores of 8-0, 4-1, 4-0 and 2-0 against Besiktas, Porto, Marseilles and Inter respectively.

I read an article on BBC Sport’s 606 Message Board about why Liverpool supporters should actually expect to be challenging Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea for the Premier League title season after season, as we always seem to be scrapping around the fourth Champions League spot. It’s results like this that prove why we should be expecting to challenge for titles – because we deserve to, given performances like last night.

Whatever critics, newspapers and pundits say, Liverpool always has been and always will be a special club, giving it’s supporters special nights and special results. Jose Mourinho may have been “The Special One” but Liverpool are “The Special Ones”.

You’ll never walk alone!