Spyin' Kop: PSV Eindhoven at home

Posted by -HH- on November 21, 2006, 01:59:09 pm

After the disappointment of more points dropped away from home in the Premiership there is the welcome distraction of another Euro night, with Liverpool and PSV fighting it out for top spot having both assured qualification for the knockout stages just 4 games into the group. Liverpool's weekend draw with Middlesborough sees the Mighty Reds still without an away league goal since the opening day of the season, and heaps more pressure on the attacking players to start proving their worth - although a more solid defensive display against Boro will hopefully go some way to improving confidence amongst our backline and give us a run of clean sheets akin to the middle of last season. With a Flag Day declared at Anfield, hopes for a cracking atmosphere wil be high in the lead up to the game, so let's not disappoint ourselves and our Dutch visitors.

For PSV's part they come into the game on the back of a comfortable 4-0 home win which sees them 3 points clear at the top of the Dutch league with just one defeat and one draw in the league this season, though they're still talking about the victory of Ajax last week. But with qualification already secured, just how much do they want to win the match? Some of the fans from forum.psv.nl answer our questions - a big thank you to them!




SK: Welcome to Spyin' Kop. How do you feel your season is shaping up so far?

Monsterkody: Great,we beat ajax last week. And are no.1 in the league.

HoogendroogopTT: Above expectation. We are #1 in the league, beat our rivals and we qualified with ease for the next round in the Champions league.

boetjekoe: Much better than last season, which was poor, even though we finished top of the league and reached the second round. there wasn't alot of conviction in our game then, but at present there is alot of confidence in the team, and even though the game still isn't up to par for the full 90 minutes, it is still a confidence which is justified, and I think our current record is proof of that.

SK: How popular is English football in Holland? What do you like or dislike about the English game?

Jan Mulder: I love the passion, the supporters and the tradition. I also think that the Premiership, along with La Liga is one of the strongest competitions in the world.

HoogendroogopTT: I love english football. The clubs, the atmosphere and also the great players and the tradition/history. I dislike teams like Chelsea because of Abramovic and his money.

boetjekoe: As far as I can tell it is quite popular here in Holland, Premier league gets airplay as far as I know. However, the Dutch are a sober people, so don't expect to see a frenzied craze about the English game here like you see for example in Asian countries.

The Tank: I think its really popular here. More than the Italian and the Spanish League. I like the audience and the football very very much.

SK: Have the PSV fans who are visiting been looking forward to visiting Anfield and seeing The Kop first hand?

Jan Mulder: Liverpool is famous for having having a great atmosphere, of course we are looking forward to it!

boetjekoe: Can't really tell, but as far as the comments on this MB go, fans indeed seem to look forward to it alot, given the rich history of the club and stadium.

SK: How seriously are you taking this game? Does it matter to finish top or would you rather rest players as you're already through?

boetjekoe: Pretty seriously, we would very much like to finish top of the group. As far as I'm concerned I would like to see PSV continue to manifest itself as a force to be reckoned with in europe.

Alex-gomes-kampioen: I think we should go for first place.

HoogendroogopTT: We are glad to go to the next round but we definatly want to win, of course.

SK: What sort of line-up would you expect PSV to field?

Jan Mulder: Gomes, Salcido, Alex, Kromkamp, Dacosta, Cocu, Simons, Mendez, Kone, Farfan, Affeley

Alex-gomes-kampioen:

Levyashin:

SK: Who are the Liverpool players you fear the most, and why?

HoogendroogopTT: Gerrard, he can make a difference always. Great player.

Levyashin: We fear nobody but Liverpool is a good mix of players with technique, skill and strength. When they are in shape they are one of the best teams in Europe.

monsterkody:  We don't fear them but I think Gerrard is a fantastic player.

boetjekoe: Gerrard, he can decide a game with one brilliant move, as he almost displayed in our home game vs. Liverpool. We also have to watch out for his shots from outside the box. Furthermore I'd say Luis Garcia, a very talented and creative player who no doubt will pose a big threat to our defense and also Crouch, a tall player with a nose for the goal. We will have to watch these players very carefully.

SK: Dirk Kuyt is proving a massive hit with our fans. Did you respect him even though he played for a rival or do PSV fans hate him?

boetjekoe: Personally I respect Kuyt, don't see any reason whatsoever to hate him. It should be known that Feyenoord and PSV are not so much at it with each other, in fact they tend to bond together against Ajax which fans of both clubs hate with a passion.

Levyashin: I think Dirk was and still is much appreciated in Holland. Personally I think he is a hard working striker who is prepared to rule himself out for the team benefit but sometimes that attitude makes him not the ultimate killing striker that most foreign clubs like to see. Therefore I think that Liverpool is the right club for him and I don't see him leaving for a long time!

The Tank: I don't hate him because he's a REAL player he always goes for the 110%. But when he scores

Alex-gomes-kampioen: Once a rival, always a rival eh?

SK: How far do you think you can go in the Champions League this season?

Jan Mulder: We might get kicked out in the 2nd round but we could win it as well, depends on who we draw, referees, luck etc...

boetjekoe: Hard to say, all the clubs that go into the second round have proven their worth so it's going to be very tough. In case of a fair draw and favorable circumstances there's hoping for a place in the quarter-finals/semi-finals.

The Tank: When the lottery is good for PSV semi final, when not quarter final.

SK: Do you have any memories of the one time PSV won the European Cup? Where were you? How did you celebrate?

Bacchus Chapter: I remember very well indeed! I watched the game with some friends in boarding school. We celebrated with a beer or two (which was not allowed at all so that made it even more special )

boetjekoe: I was 13 years old and celebrated by riding on a bicycle with a mate of mine and proclaiming the win loudly.

monsterkody: I was at my grandma's birthday,watching with my dad while all the other family were outside celebrating.

SK: Which PSV players should Liverpool be most afraid of?

monsterkody: gomes, alex, kone and farfan. Oh ... and of course COCU !!

HoegendroogopTT: Farfan and Koné extremely good strikers. Also we have Alex as a great defender to neutralize liverpool offense.

Levyashin: Koné is HOT at the moment. I think that together with Farfan we have a international classed striking duo.

boetjekoe: Alex, Farfan, Koné, Cocu.

SK: Are there any players you feel are particularly poor in the PSV side?

Levyashin: I don't mean to be arrogant when I say NO. The spine of the team is the strongest with players like Gomes, da Costa, Cocu, Simons and Farfan/Koné. We don't give many chances away but when we do it normally comes from the sides.

boetjekoe: There are some who haven't hit form or have a slight dip and there are a few substitutes that aren't up to par, but at present I think the whole squad is solid.

monsterkody: Yep, but fortunately they don't play.

SK: Finally, what do you think the score will be on Wednesday?

HoegendroogopTT: I think we can win so 0-1 for us.

Alex-gomes-kampioen: Make it a 1-2

boetjekoe: Even though Liverpool are struggling at the moment in the Premiership, it will be no run-over. These games are stand-alone matches, anything can happen. My gut feeling says that PSV could be in for a surprise 3-0 trashing, but I hope I'm going to be very wrong about that.

The Tank: I hope that PSV scores and don't lose the game. I think 1-1 or 0-1.

Thanks very much to the PSV fans for answering our questions - good luck for tomorrow night and for the future rounds.

© HH 2006

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