Liverpool FC v AC Milan.....1989

[themn]

Suppose we hadn't been banned from Europe in the late 80s ?

Many of our fans say we'd have added another couple of European Cups in that period. Possibly so but we would have had to deal with the AC Milan side of that time ('88-'90) that weren't too shabby.

Let's suppose we had played them in the 1989 final.

How would we have faired ?

Steaua Bucharest were thrashed 4-0 by a Milan side that has been rated as the 4th greatest club side ever.

Could our great team of that period have taken them ?

AC Milan

G.Galii
Tassotti
Baresi (capt)
Costacurta
Maldini
Colombo
Rijkaard
Donadoni
Ancelotti
Gullit
Van Basten

Substitutes
Pietro Paolo Virdis 60' (For Gullit)
Filippo Galli 74' (For Costacurta)



Liverpool FC (FA Cup Final Side)

Bruce Grobbelaar
Gary Ablett
Steve Staunton
Steve Nicol
Ronnie Whelan
Alan Hansen
Peter Beardsley
John Aldridge
Ray Houghton
John Barnes
Steve McMahon

Substitutes:
Barry Venison 90' (For Staunton)
Ian Rush 73' (For Aldridge)


Who wins ?

FIGHT !

 

[Holle]

That Milan side was one of the greatest ever.

I reckon we would've won on penalties. 3-3 after 120 mins.

 

[Fabio]

great, now i have more name changes to get used to


*grumble*

 

[SaintGeorge67]

I think English teams were still a bit too fast for them at that time, so Liverpool.

I recall just after the ban Aston Villa completely destroying a vastly superior Inter Milan side, simply as Inter couldn't cope with the pace of it all.

 

[Oncy]

Its tough to say, but i think continental football had changed (and professionalised) a lot quicker than UK and i think they would have beaten us.
It took English teams a long time to catch up. I dont think its any great suprise that we lost to Juventus in 1985, i just think the continent had advanced in terms of diet, training etc and we were still getting pissed up in a big bath after the game.
Milan for me.

 

[LarryHagman]

European footy only overtook us coz we weren't tested but, still, that was an awesome side.

Us 4-3.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

Looking at the Milan team though it's fucking superb.

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=44750.msg1307787#msg1307787 date=1301487812]

European footy only overtook us coz we weren't tested but, still, that was an awesome side.

Us 4-3.


[/quote]No it didnt. We had a culture of boozing right up until the mid 90's.
The first team of professional athletes (with a few exceptions) in this country was the United team Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Neville etc. I think Fergie identified fitness and professionalism as two of the things he had to change (not hard when you start with Mcgrath, Whiteside, Hughes, Mclair, Robson etc) up until that point foreign players came over here and found it unbelievable that we would beer and kebab it up and claim to be elite.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

I know it was earlier on, but as Souness said to Gullit... we went out on the beer all night and would still beat you every time 🙂

 

[Holle]

In Euro 1988 England scored 2 goals in 3 matches and were bottom of their group without a single point.

Scotland, Wales and NI not qualified.

I know that it doesn't quite apply to club football but I fail to see the superior quality of British footballers at that time.

 

[LarryHagman]

[quote author=Holle link=topic=44750.msg1307798#msg1307798 date=1301488553]
In Euro 1988 England scored 2 goals in 3 matches and were bottom of their group without a single point.

Scotland, Wales and NI not qualified.

I know that it doesn't quite apply to club football but I fail to see the superior quality of British footballers at that time.
[/quote]

England didn't qualify for the WC in 78 but we still won the European Cup ever year, up to 82.

 

[themn]

[quote author=Fabio link=topic=44750.msg1307778#msg1307778 date=1301486909]
great, now i have more name changes to get used to


*grumble*
[/quote]

Someone's got that Wrong Threaditis.

 

[LarryHagman]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=44750.msg1307790#msg1307790 date=1301488134]
[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=44750.msg1307787#msg1307787 date=1301487812]

European footy only overtook us coz we weren't tested but, still, that was an awesome side.

Us 4-3.


[/quote]No it didnt. We had a culture of boozing right up until the mid 90's.
The first team of professional athletes (with a few exceptions) in this country was the United team Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Neville etc. I think Fergie identified fitness and professionalism as two of the things he had to change (not hard when you start with Mcgrath, Whiteside, Hughes, Mclair, Robson etc) up until that point foreign players came over here and found it unbelievable that we would beer and kebab it up and claim to be elite.

[/quote]

English teams played much more 'professional' teams all the time up to 84 and still beat them. The ban curtailed it, nothing else.

 

[Molbystwin]

I still believe to this day that the banned Liverpool teams in their pomp would have won Big ears a couple of more times, firtsly becasue we were on such a roll and teams were scared of us and secondly because we were fucking magic... how bout this for a true story... John Barnes in his prime was every bit as good a Ruud Gullit.

That Milan team is a legendary line up but in some part its legendary status was guaranteed because the English league suffered massively after the ban and all eyes turned to Italy. They would be considered slightly less glowingly if we had been given the opportunity to hand them their arse.

And we would have done.

just my opinion like..

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=44750.msg1307815#msg1307815 date=1301490404]
[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=44750.msg1307790#msg1307790 date=1301488134]
[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=44750.msg1307787#msg1307787 date=1301487812]

European footy only overtook us coz we weren't tested but, still, that was an awesome side.

Us 4-3.


[/quote]No it didnt. We had a culture of boozing right up until the mid 90's.
The first team of professional athletes (with a few exceptions) in this country was the United team Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Neville etc. I think Fergie identified fitness and professionalism as two of the things he had to change (not hard when you start with Mcgrath, Whiteside, Hughes, Mclair, Robson etc) up until that point foreign players came over here and found it unbelievable that we would beer and kebab it up and claim to be elite.

[/quote]

English teams played much more 'professional' teams all the time up to 84 and still beat them. The ban curtailed it, nothing else.


[/quote]Our 78 to 82 team would have beat that Milan side but our 89 side wouldnt.
I cant agree re-the ban. We were already falling behind by 85 and we were still playing pass the fucking quid in 1995. We werent unfit, lazy, drunk, fat and unprofessional because we werent in Europe. We were because that was the English way. It worked until European teams adapted and professionalised. That may have coincided with the ban, but it wasnt the reason for it.
We werent able to compete. It took years to change that and still in the 20 years since English sides have only won 3 European cups and 2 Uefa cups.

 

[Judge Jules]

If we played them twice I think you might well have found each side winning once. They were a very fine side indeed, and Van Basten in particular would have been a major handful, but I think they would have had at least as much trouble coping with Beardsley, Aldo and Barnes in their pomp, and (as others have said) with the pace and power we'd have brought on to the field with us.

That said, I agree our 78 side in particular was better overall. That side would have won both games IMO.