Liverpool is finished!

Early the next morning, newspapers across the UK were reporting on Liverpool's home defeat frantically, and almost all media came to a conclusion from this defeat, that is, Liverpool's Champions League journey this season will end in the quarterfinals.

Newspapers close to Liverpool, including the Times and the Daily Telegraph, also published comments, disappointed by Liverpool's defeat, and many of them pointed their fingers at Benitez.

In one game, I lost three corner kicks in a row, which is unreasonable.

Although Benitez had voluntarily admitted his mistakes in the locker room after the game and was forgiven by the players, he still had to take the blame for losing in front of the media and fans.

The Guardian, which has always been more serious and has a more neutral and objective position, also wrote an article to criticize Benitez this time, believing that the Liverpool coach should be responsible for this loss, especially in some of the more arrogant remarks before the game.

"Every time Benitez is a little arrogant, Liverpool will suffer a little, and the same is true for this game."

"Liverpool's start in this game very well. Yang Yang's six-minute goal scored a lead for Liverpool, but the missed person on the corner kick defense then made Yang Yang's hard-working goal completely waste."

However, the Guardian does not believe that the entire responsibility for losing is Benitez.

"It cannot be said that Liverpool is arrogant or Benitez has become proud. After all, Liverpool has been fighting continuously on multiple fronts this season, and it is a lot of pressure on four fronts, whether it is the head coach or the player."

"After many consecutive fierce battles, it is difficult for even Benitez to maintain meticulousness on the technical and tactical level."

"Regional defense combined with man-to-peer control is a complete defensive system tailored for Liverpool. It is very complex and meticulous. It can be said that this defensive system is the foundation for Benitez's solid defense since he coached Liverpool, and it is also a key factor in the team's outstanding results this season."

"But there is no perfection in this world at all. Liverpool's high defense loophole in set pieces was seized by Hiddink, who had a keen sense of smell. The famous Dutch coach unswervingly grabbed Liverpool's loophole and scored repeatedly."

Unlike other media who criticized Benitez's defensive system, the Guardian believes that Benitez's defensive system has no problem, and the key lies in people.

"From the various reactions to the game, Benitez obviously lacks enough understanding of Ivanovic's high ball attack power, which is very inappropriate, even if this player has never been the main player of Chelsea's first team in the past."

...

The Daily Mail launched a wave of flattery against Chelsea interim coach Hiddink, especially his arrangement in this game, with the focus on the corner kick offensive tactics.

This is not surprising, because apart from three corner kicks, Chelsea actually has few real threatening attacks, but on the defensive end, they did a pretty good job, including mid- and backcourt players such as Ivanovic and Essin, creating a tight defensive cage for Yang Yang and Gerald.

The Daily Mail did not forget to sarcastically make Liverpool, believing that the team had swear to win everything before the game, but ended up suffering a Waterloo at its home court and losing hope of winning the Champions League this season.

"With Chelsea's performance in this game, I believe that under the leadership of Hiddink, there is a great possibility that it will continue to strive for the Champions League!"

Not only is the front page headline of the Daily Mail, but also the famous columnist Martin Samuel also gave a very high evaluation of Chelsea's performance in this game in his own column articles.

"Liverpool was originally the most popular favorite among the Premier League Final Four teams, but now Hiddink leads the turbulent Chelsea and has won confidence in the Reds."

Martin Samuel believes that the most painful blow to Liverpool was not just one-to-three scores, but more importantly, the Champions League knockout round is now played, and Liverpool is a team that is determined to strive for the championship.

"In the past seventeen years of the Champions League restructuring, all the unbeaten results in the Champions League knockout stage are regarded as a symbol of the maturity and stability of a team, and the confidence and foundation for a team to strive for the Champions League championship."

"In the past few years, only one team has lost in the knockout round and finally won the championship, that is Real Madrid in 2002 and 2002. Under the leadership of head coach Boske, Real Madrid has lost in the knockout round in both Champions League championships."

"In the Champions League semi-finals in 2000, Real Madrid lost to the Bundesliga giants 1-2 away in the first leg when they beat Bayern Munich 2-0 at home, but in the end they eliminated their opponents with the total score. At that time, Boske took over a mess, and Real Madrid's overall strength was weaker than Bayern Munich."

"Two years later, Real Madrid is already a world-famous Galaxy battleship, gathering superstars such as Figo and Zidane. In the first round of the quarterfinals knockout match, they lost to Bayern Munich one-two, but in the next second home game, they reversed their opponents with goals from Elgra and Guti."

Martin Samuel gave these two cases and analyzed it, believing that the reason why Real Madrid could lose twice but still laughed to the end was because he both lost away games, and both times they met Bayern Munich, the strongest European team at that time.

"But Liverpool this time is obviously different. The Reds lost to Chelsea at home, and the score was one-to-three. Whether from the score or the situation, it is difficult for Liverpool to reverse the situation than Real Madrid in that year."

"And don't forget that since 2002, there has never been any team again. In the case of losing the knockout stage, they can still win the Champions League, and there are even fewer teams that have reached the finals."

Martin Samuel gave a lot of data and cases, and the final conclusion was that in the case of a 1-3 home defeat, the possibility of Liverpool's reversal of Chelsea was almost zero.

"Liverpool is finished!"

"Maybe, Liverpool can continue to compete in the Premier League and the FA Cup this season, but in the Champions League, they are destined to be able to stop in the quarterfinals."

"Drogba's goal made Benitez's team completely desperate!"

...

If it is just a media statement, it can be said to be an attack, but if most media say so, even if the media that are most optimistic about Liverpool are pessimistic about the results, then it goes without saying that Liverpool is really going to be cold.

The media and fans outside know how to analyze, but why don’t the players in Liverpool understand?

Liverpool players themselves know all this, but no one is willing to admit it.

When Yang Yang ran home from Sefton Park the next morning, sat in the restaurant for breakfast, and saw these newspapers, the first thought that popped up in his mind was...

"We need a big win now!"

Su Ye sat opposite Yang Yang. When he heard his sudden words, he was a little unnoticed and asked, "What did you say?"

"We need a big victory to rebuild our confidence," Yang Yang repeated.

Confidence is strange. It accumulates slowly, but it is easy to destroy it.

For example, in the Premier League, Manchester United has completely lost confidence in winning the championship. This is not only because of the 1-6 defeat, but also because Manchester United lost to Fulham 0-2 again, which has led to the despair of Manchester United.

How similar is Liverpool's current situation to Manchester United?

Ferguson was big, so he lost 1-6 at home; Benitez and Liverpool also got big, and he lost 1-3 at home.

Manchester United lost the Premier League, and now everyone feels that Liverpool has lost the future of the Champions League.

But one thing is that the Champions League quarter-finals knockout match is two-legged, and it is not impossible for Liverpool to win three goals away from home.

Although this is very, very difficult, no matter how difficult it is, there is a glimmer of hope.

Manchester United's experience is a lesson for Liverpool.

So, next, for Liverpool, the most important thing is to avoid losing to opponents like Manchester United.

More importantly, the second leg of the Champions League is a week later, so it is very important to play Blackburn on this weekend.

"What are you going to do?" Su Ye asked with concern.

After hearing this, Yang Yang smiled, "I don't need to think too much, Benitez must have thought about it."

"He?" Su Ye was a little disbelieved.

When it comes to taking the blame, Benitez took more blame than anyone else, and was under greater public pressure. Almost everyone pointed the finger at him.

"He has never had much affection, and naturally he is not emotional. I dare to conclude that he has started to study how to play against Blackburn and Chelsea last night." Yang Yang said confidently.

Su Ye shook her head and smiled. She didn't understand these ideas about men.

It was as if she couldn't understand no matter what, how could Benitez put everything into football without any other hobbies?

Sometimes she even really feels that Yang Yang and Benitez still resonate, because both of them are obsessed with football.

"The most troublesome thing now is the locker room." Yang Yang frowned and said worriedly.

He was confident in Benitez's willpower, and he believed that after a lesson learned, people like Benitez would only become more vigilant and stronger, and would never make the same mistake again.

The key is whether the players in the locker room can be so powerful?

After losing to Chelsea by 1-3, even the strongest Gerald almost lost his composure. It is conceivable how much this game will hit other players, and will they be able to regroup in a short period of time?

Su Ye couldn't help with football, but she reached out and grabbed Yang Yang's hand hard.

"Just let go and do it, I believe in you!" Su Ye encouraged.

Yang Yang felt warm in his heart and smiled at her.

Sometimes, just one word from her makes him full of fighting spirit and strength.
Chapter completed!