After The Match

                                                                                    

Liverpool-Basel 

 

 

 

Champions League               Wednesday Sep 25th           Kick-off: 20.45cet


Result: 1-1 (1-1)
Goals: Baros (34)   Rossi (43)
LFC Team:

 Dudek
Carragher Henchoz  Hyypia  Riise
Murphy Gerrard  Cheyrou Heskey
Baros  Owen

Subs: Diouf (Heskey 70), Berger (Owen 78)
Not used: Kirkland, Babbel, Traore, Biscan, Diao
Booked: Diouf (87)           Haas (65)
Sent off: None
Referee: Dick Van Egmond (Holland)
Attendance: 37.634

TEAM STATS

Possession:
On target:
Off target:
Blocked shots:
Corners:
Fouls:
Offsides:   
 
 

SEPTEMBER 26
Milan will be great

By Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo

Emile Heskey tipped Milan Baros to plunder 20 goals in his first full season after watching the youngster produce another sparkling display at Anfield.

Baros struck his fourth goal in three starts for the Reds but Liverpool endured another frustrating night with a 1-1 draw against Basle.

The Czech's single goal was a scant reward for the Reds' domination, but the players were purring with praise for the 20-year-old rookie who's had such a dramatic impact since his introduction.

Having played with most of England's top marksmen, Heskey says Baros is on course to be one of Europe's most prolific goalscorers.

Heskey said: "It's hard to compare him to other strikers. I've played with a finisher like Robbie Fowler, for example, and he was a one-off so it would be unfair to say he's that good yet.

"But I think Milan is definitely capable of scoring 20 goals every season and I think he will. He's a brilliant forward with a great future. The fact he's so young makes him even more exciting.

"I'm not surprised by how well Milan has done. I saw it in him when he first came to the club.

"He was a bit shy when he joined because it's never easy when you come to a country where you don't speak the language. Once he settled down he became one of the lads and is now doing really well."

Skipper Sami Hyypia joined the applause for Baros who could have registered a hat-trick but for the crossbar and some last ditch Swiss defending.

Hyypia said: "I know a lot of people were surprised by how good he's become, but he hasn't surprised me because I could see he was very quick and a good goalscorer.

"Not only is he doing it in matches, but Milan has been good in training as well and he was excellent in pre-season. It's always hard for a young boy when he first comes to a new country and a different environment.

"It takes time to settle. I think he'd been on holiday for a long time before he came here so he wasn't fit. But now he is in the right shape he is doing very well.

"He is still a young lad with a lot to learn, but he's definitely on the right track to becoming a prolific striker."

Liverpool know they must now win at least three of their four remaining Group B games to qualify for phase two. That has to include three points against Spartak Moscow next week.

As far as Hyypia concerned, a draw was an unjust scoreline last night.

"It is frustrating for us when you play like that but the result isn't there," he said.

"I thought someone would grab the winner in the second half, but it wasn't to be.

"It's a big game next week now. We have one point from two games and we can't be happy with that.

"You always have a hard period at some point and that's when you have to be mentally strong and get over it. There was nothing wrong with us apart from the result.

"They had just two chances and scored one goal. It's been like that for us all season. It's frustrating but if we keep playing like that the goals will come."
 


SEPTEMBER 25
Houllier salutes Reds stars

By Nick Peet - Liverpool Echo

Gerard Houllier praised his "brilliant" players last night, but confessed to feeling disappointed after coming away with just one point.

Milan Baros gave the Reds the lead after 34 minutes, but Basle hit back with a goal just before the break from Argentinian striker Julio Rossi.

And dismayed Houllier said afterwards: "This was the type of game you feel extremely frustrated and disappointed for the players.

"They gave everything out there, they tried everything and played some fantastic stuff.

"We created at least eight chances if not more and no one would have complained if we had won because we deserved to win.

"We should have been 3-1 up at half time. Without taking any credit away from the opposition, as they are a good side and worked well, but it should have been 3-1 at the interval."

He added: "It was unfortunate to concede a goal just before half time. We never deserved that."

The Reds boss also felt Liverpool were denied a blatant penalty in the second half when Danny Murphy's free-kick was punched away by the Basle wall.

Houllier said: "There was a blatant penalty at the end when the defender handled from Danny Murphy's free-kick. I've seen it on the replay and it was an intentional hand ball, a blatant penalty. It was clear.

"This is one of those games where you are disappointed, but I'm proud of my players' performance. We also hit the bar three times, twice through Riise and then Baros.

"At half time we should have been 3-1 up and their keeper made some very good saves.

"I just said to the boys at the end 'you were brilliant and if you keep playing like that and the goals and the points will come."
 


SEPTEMBER 25
Gerrard: Missed chances cost us dearly

Ananova

Steven Gerrard bemoaned Liverpool's inability to kill off Basle in the first half of their frustrating 1-1 Champions League draw at Anfield.

Czech striker Milan Baros opened the scoring in the first half and also saw a shot hit the angle of post and crossbar and bounce out.

John Arne Riise also had two strikes crash back off the crossbar and then just before half-time Julio Rossi snatched an equaliser.

"It was disappointing in the end. I thought we deserved three points," said Gerrard.

"The lads have worked hard. We have hit the bar three times and been close with a couple of shots and you can't do more than that.

"I think we put a lot into the first half and we should have been three or four up in the first half.

"We were 1-0 up and cruising but credit to Basle they scored a goal at the Kop end."
 


SEPTEMBER 25
Liverpool frustrated by woodwork in Basle draw

Ananova

Liverpool were frustrated by poor luck, poor finishing and a battling Basle rearguard as they could only draw 1-1 to register their first Champions League point.

The Reds went one up thanks to Milan Baros, hit the woodwork three times and wasted an array of first-half chances.

But they were mugged before the break when Basle scored from their only serious effort of the night by Argentinian striker Julio Rossi.

Liverpool seemed to suffer a hangover from the experience and never got to grips in the second period as the game petered out into a frustrating stalemate for Gerard Houllier.

His side now have to win three of their final four games to be sure of qualification for the second stage.

Baros' pace was a constant threat to the Swiss double winners and he scored for the third game in succession when Emile Heskey robbed former Sunderland full-back Bernt Haas on the halfway line and stormed down the left before laying the ball back for Baros to coolly drill home.

Chances rained in on goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuhler and it was a minor miracle Liverpool took 33 minutes to break the deadlock.

What had gone on before was akin to a fairground shooting gallery. John Arne Riise's first effort against the woodwork came after just 70 seconds. On nine minutes, the Norwegian smashed a 20-yard effort goalward after being teed up by Baros only to see Zuberbuhler tip the ball on to the woodwork.

Owen's first sight of goal came on 25 minutes and summed up his luck this season. Bruno Cheyrou found the striker all on his own with a quick ball from defence and Owen surged forward, teased Murat Yakin into a stumble and took a pace to his right before driving a low shot just wide.

Baros, Cheyrou, Gerrard, Heskey and Danny Murphy all went close before Liverpool's goal finally arrived thanks to the Czech youngster.

But after all that pressure and chances, Basle levelled on 41 minutes. Yakin's ball down the left was cleverly controlled by Rossi, and he spun to squeeze his shot inside Jerzy Dudek's near post.

Liverpool responded with another effort against the woodwork. This time Baros spun, 10 yards out, and saw his shot come out off the inside of the far post. Owen tried to force in the rebound, but his shot was blocked by Zuberbuhler's legs.

Liverpool's assault continued after the break. Jamie Carragher came close with a low shot wide and Heskey's effort cannoned clear off Zuberbuhler.

But the danger signs were now obvious as Basle grew in composure and chances became fewer. So many chances had been missed and Liverpool were still not in control.

The tension was not helped when Atouba somehow hurled himself in the way of a Baros drive almost on the goal line.

El Hadji Diouf was thrown into the fray on 71 minutes in place of Heskey and he forced a superb flying save from Zuberbuhler a minute later.

Patrik Berger was next on, replacing Owen who had run himself ragged for the cause but with no luck whatsoever.

Liverpool kept hammering away, Sami Hyypia's header from Gerrard's free-kick sailed over and Diouf was booked for diving, but the Swiss hung on.
 




Thor Zakariassen ©