schmuckdonald

Literally just woke up after obviously going to bed too early last night. Anyone fancy providing me with a succinct appraisal of events? Anyone know anything about these guys?

I fail to understand how people can complain about Rafa's way of playing after watching us under Hodgson, we're so static and awful. Although, if we play really well today then I never said this.

I'd like to think Gerrard and Meireles will interchange, also Cole/Maxi/Gerrard interchanging behind Torres. Here's hoping, anyway.

Reina/Johnson/Konchesky/Srtel/Carra/Maxi/Cole/Meireles/Poulsen/Gerrard/Torres. Jones/Agger/Kyrgan/Jova/Babel/Lucas/N'Gog Van Der Sar/O'Shea/Evans/Vidic/Evra/Nani/Scholes/Fletcher/Giggs/Berbatov/Rooney.

So, I'm guessing our new centre forward is Ryan Babel.

#LFC all The Way ...#ynwa !!!2 minutes ago via ÜberTwitterReplyRetweet[*]I'm going no where....3 minutes ago via ÜberTwitter [*]Guys guys guys ...3 minutes ago via ÜberTwitter F*ck off, Ryan.

babel staying

Looking forward to seeing Konchesky, Skrtel, Spearing and Shelvey play in a night game. Won't even need to use all the flood lights.

PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR! KONCHESKY IS HERE!

No it wouldn't.

SSN saying Babel on way to Spurs.

No tweets from Babel since that "sigh" on 19 hours ago. Maybe he is being shoved off.

That's just what Maddock said, who basically just spewed out all the different players we've been linked with and hoped for the best.

foreign windows close later.

that rumour was about earlier in the summer. good player him.

They play with one up top and Klose and Olic are higher in the pecking order. Top quality 30m euro signing, him. Only 25 though, even if he has stagnated a bit could be worth it. But ho hum, we'll probably sign Nevland or something.

More than a bag of crisps, so we won't be able to afford him. Really concerning how we've had to use make-weights in the Konchesky deal and, reputedly, won't get Mario Gomez because we won't pay a loan fee.

Don't know if this has already been posted but Dominic King said that we won't be signing Carlton Cole. That's a relief.

Depends entirely how you want the team to operate. I understand that you'll say that 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1 are just variations on 4-5-1, but they're immensely different. 4-4-1-1 is far more defensive and rigid, whereas 4-2-3-1 allows a lot more fluidity to play and retains defensive solidity. It's the differences in the bands of players. But fwiw, in a 5 you'd expect the wingers to push on to support a lone striker, have one or two midfielders license to roam forward and the other one or two to act as the defensive/quater back players.

4-2-3-1 is completely different to 4-5-1 and 4-4-1-1. And one teams 4-2-3-1 is different to anothers, so I get the point in saying that numerical systems are pointless but only to an extent. You can tell the difference a mile off when you see a band of 4 in midfield and us not being able to retain possession and us playing a 2-3 where we actually do keep the ball.

At Anfield I can't see Lucas or Poulsen coming under much pressure in the middle of the park so I'd imagine they'll have some degree of freedom. If West Brom sit back and park the bus then Jova and Kuyt will push higher up anyway, and Johnson will have more license to push forward. It's these kind of games we signed him for.

Makes sense, have Poulsen sit deep in front of back two, let Meireles (sp?) influence the game and have Konchesky and Johnson provide width. Cole tucks in to find space, Gerrard play his best role and Kuyt/Maxi can provide another option on the right too.

Considering Aurelio hasn't had a pre-season and needs easing into the season and Agger clearly isn't a fullback, I don't understand why Insua has been so firmly cast aside. Yeah, I get wanting to sell him, but seems to be cutting our noses off to spite our face. Otherwise, that team is pretty much as expected. Glad to see Gerrard back in his best position. Quite nervous about this game, we really need to come out and batter them.

Apparently the Porto coach has said that we've definitely got a deal in place for Meireles? Hope that's true. Also, Gokhan Inler is on his way to Napoli apparently. Think he was mooted as a possible Masch replacement.

Charles Insomnia