schmuckdonald

This is all mixed up with that Hoffenheim guy leaving his post, isn't it?

This game showed the two different faces of 4-4-2. In the first half the players were too far away from each other to build cohesive attacking platforms as well as winding up so deep they were susceptible to just being bludgeoned to death. In the second half though, the team pushed higher up the pitch N'Gog and Torres finally got the better of Cahill and Knight causing space which the midfield could push forward into. I still think that on another day we could have still wound up losing, but we got the wind behind our sails and managed to get the win. Can see the major difference caused by having Agger and Aurelio in the team, especially when we pushed the team forward. I don't know why Bolton stopped pressing high up the pitch in the second half. In the first half they seemed to pin 3 players on Agger, Skrtel and Lucas meaning that we couldn't retain the ball at the back without playing quick football and given the fact they looked bereft of confidence we couldn't do it. It's not the right formation in the long term, it's not the right squad or manager in the long term, but it'll keep us stable for the season at least.

Has text person disappeared off the face of the planet? I want to know just how aggy I'm going to be today.

To be fair, as much as I ragged the fat little s***, Degen had a couple of *decent* games. Vog can jog on, mind.

Aye, gave 'em a ring this morning and it's all sorted. Ta.

Going to do that stereotypical s*it thing now of: got tickets for tomorrow but haven't got them through the post, just tried calling the ticket office but it's closed, will I be alright showing up on the day with ID and the card and collecting them there?

This is the first time I've managed to get to Anfield in 2 seasons. I am torn on how much I am looking forward to it.

The only logical reason I can think of putting Kuyt on the left wing and shifting the midfield about like he has is that he is worried about Jarvis against PFK.

Don't think Hodgson would have the b*llocks on him to do something so inventive.

It's only Wolves, and it's at Anfield, but: RFH.

People see that Comolli was apparently watching Southampton today? Supposed to have been watching Alec Chamberlain (is that his name?)

Seems bonafide, regardless of what SSN 'understand' (12 hours or so after the fact). Rafa, Comolli, proper investment and Hodgson and Kelly thrown into the river.

The only kind of protest against Hodgson I can think of wouldn't work because it'd disrespect the players at the same time, and for the most part I don't have any problem with them. But when the Stuttgart fans are unhappy they just turn their back to the pitch. Shame we can't just do it the dugout.

Blackpool will be cancelled and we'll win the other 3 (or maybe draw against Blackburn, depending on whether they get another manager in). Can see us magicking a result against United and then he'll be adored by the press. Not a chance of him being sacked before the Summer, unless we completely and utterly fall apart, which I can't see us doing.

One reason that I don't think we've mentioned yet: Rafa wouldn't have signed Christian Poulsen (even ran the rule over him and didn't sign him, according to reports), Brad Jones, Joe Cole or Paul Konchesky.

In his defence, he's had a crippled Inter squad and Moratti made the wrong decision in hiring a coach with a completely different ethos to the previous and the abilities of the playing squad. His last season at Liverpool wasn't anywhere near as good as previous seasons, but it was certainly a transitional year made all the more difficult by expectation and a lack of board room support. You can argue all you want about the expectation might have been fulfilled had Benitez not destroyed his relationship with Alonso etc., but he got Alonso's best career season out of him at the expense of losing him. Ho hum. All well trodden ground. I would love Benitez to come in as a new coach, but I fear the time has gone now. Although, we need a coach with a new ethos entirely who can completely re-constitute the squad and the way the club is run. A vast majority of our first teamers are in their prime or passing it, and we need a complete rebuild.

Get Big Sam and Big Kev in, doesn't get much more moneyball than that. If they're happy to settle for mediocrity, then he'll give a fair bang for their buck. Obviously not being serious, but this thought scares me by how much it suits them in a twisted way.

Ta.

Does anyone know what time this is on and if it's on anywhere? Surely Roy will take it seriously now we're in the knock out rounds? Would rather a run in Europe than the FA Cup.

Aurelio Jova Shelvey

Should be interesting to see how Skrtel takes to captaincy. Want to see him screaming at them.

I can't for the life of me understand how Eccleston is ahead of Pacheco. I know they're different types of player, but I just genuinely don't see anything in the lad bar a bit of pace. I will admit that I like the look of experience alongside youth through the middle of the pitch.

Would take Lichtsteiner in a heart beat, but he's basically an older version of Glen Johnson, so wouldn't make sense.

Strangely enough Stan Collymore says this is our line up tonight: Jones/Kelly Skrtel Wilson Aurelio/Cole Poulsen Shelvey Jovanovic/Eccleston Babel

Guess we better brace ourselves for a month of Torres to City stories.