We don’t want your seconds.
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Ball boy Oakley Cannonier the unsung hero of Liverpool’s epic Champions League semi-final triumph over Barcelona[SCOTT GULLAN - May 9, 2019 7:48pm
Sometimes it’s the attention to detail that can produce something amazing.
And that’s what happened at Anfield with a 14-year-old ball boy named Oakley Cannonier now being hailed a hero for playing a crucial role in Liverpool’s shock comeback win over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final.
Cannonier’s speed in delivering the ball to Trent Alexander-Arnold for the corner kick which resulted in the winning goal by Divock Origi has been revealed as a part of plan instigated by the Liverpool coaching staff.
It turns out Liverpool’s match analysts had noticed in leg one at Camp Nou how Barcelona’s players moaned and became distracted whenever a free-kick, throw-in or corner was awarded against them, even if the decision was blatantly the correct one.
Manager Jurgen Klopp recognised the possibilities and filtered a message through the club which found its way to Carl Lancaster, a coaching mentor at the club’s academy, who also had the job of co-ordination of ball boys.
He told the boys to be as fast as possible for the Liverpool players and Cannonier certainly delivered in that historic moment.
The schoolboy is part of Liverpool’s academy and has apparently shown plenty of natural talent. Given his role in the one of the greatest moments in the club’s history, we’re tipping he will get every chance to wear the red shirt.
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Same. It has been annoying me for much of today. If you guys won the UCL before we did, that would be hard for me to come to terms with. Whilst we have the domestic dominance over you and the mostly recent (20 or so years) higher placed finishes this would be on a whole other plane.
It would give me a lot of long term hurt, to have not achieved something I covet after you guys were to do it. And it would not be relieved until we actually did win it. I have followed us when we won the league, the FA Cup and the Cup Winners Cup most of which Spurs have not done in my time of following Arsenal. To achieve what I consider the ultimate prize in the sport after Spurs, would suck.
Although I loathe the chavs and United more than Spurs, I have been able to put them winning the UCL to one side, I do not think I can do the same if Spurs do it.
I like most Aussie kids that had an awareness of the sport in the mid to late 80’s had a leaning towards Liverpool because of players like Craig Johnston. I fell out of love with the game in probably the late 80’s which coincided with the time in my life when I stopped playing soccer and started playing footy. I probably did not really get back in to it till the 1990 WC and probably only settled on Arsenal mostly because it had ■■■■ in the name. The beginning of the Premier League probably had a raised profile on the Australian sporting landscape and I got back in to the game about then. I loved watching Tony Yebaoh score screamers nearly every week for Leeds. Dalian Atkinson and Dean Saunders scoring for fun at Villa and those awesome Norwich home tops were things I liked watching on the highlight show on a Saturday afternoon on the ABC, which was a repeat from Monday night screening.
I also think now that the ban on English clubs probably hurt us when it comes to winning the Champions’ Cup/UCL now. I think for a couple of reasons, firstly only the top team from each league played in it so less opponents and secondly our side was probably built for a comp like that where a rock solid, and tight defensive unit could counter and nick a winner.
Anyway less Arsenal for this thread as we are not even in the comp and may the best team win it.
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In all seriousness I don’t mind who wins. My entire family is Liverpool though so I have a soft spot for them.
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Don’t leave this thread mate.
This game has nearly all of us who are regulars at least semi interested and I like reading your stuff even if we are enemies when it comes to the round ball.
I got to go to sleep.
Had a few beers tonight and
my team ■■■■■■ me over this morning by costing me an hours shuteye by going on to reach a Champions League final.
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If the shoe was on the other foot then who do you think I’d be going for?
It’s all good.
Let’s just not get ambushed by The Bloods tomorrow night.
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Arsenal through to EL final
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Chelsea and Eintracht into ET
No away goal rules in Europa?
both legs finished 1-1 so equal on away goals
It was 2-2 in the first leg I thought? Ok thanks.
Off to pens
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4 English clubs through to the finals of the 2 European competitions.
I doubt that’s ever happened before.
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The Europa League final apparently is to be played in Baku. As everyone knows, that’s in Azerbaijan. As everyone knows, Azerbaijan is on the Caspian Sea, next to Georgia (the Russian one, not the American state) and Armenia.
There are no scheduled flights from England to Baku in the week of the final. Yet.
Dozens of flights a day from other Euro ports so might just mean a transit through Moscow of Frankfurt for example.
What I have heard is most people will fly via Istanbul.
It’s the first time one country has provided all 4 finalists.
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Via Frankfurt would be the shortest route off the top of my head. Istanbul and Moscow would be more or less similar. Turkish Airlines probably the cheaper but watch them jack prices up for the time around the final. Might be a few road trips organised, nice 3 day drive each way 
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I have just a bit of an issue with these references I gotta say.
I’d say “One League” myself.
As I said to a mate the other day when a Pom Com suggested this possible scenario eventuating as 4 “English Teams” making both finals.
Really? I thought. English Clubs maybe, … but it would be lucky if 30% of the starting line ups are actually English, … know what I mean?
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