Epic Swindle

Playing ok, still not a lot of quality and the service from midfield is poor.

Good play.

Mindless from Kuyt. He really is out of sorts and limiting our attacking options so much.

Decent tempo but not much quality yet. Insua is getting ripped to shreds.

I'd say a good 9, especially after reading Rafa's recent comments about match fitness. Tonight is the ideal opportunity to get him integrated into the side.

We'll batter these.

Just seen this on Sky. Why do they keep refering to Rafa talking about Blackburn's over physical style, when it was Allardyce who ignited it all in the build up to the game by criticising our approach.

I agree about his body language at times but it can't be easy constantly trying to lift yourself when there's so much responsibility on his shoulders, and when the lack of quality and adventure is glaring. He was poor against Wigan but there's countless other examples where he just hasn't had any type of service. I don't think Rafa wants him shouting and bawling anyway. He prefers him to conserve his energy.

I'm struggling to remember one instance of him acting like a spoilt child. Is he immune from being frustrated with poor players who aren't fit to wear the same shirt, rubbish football and bad results just because he's the captain? If anything I wish he'd lay into some of them a bit more and we might see a reaction, but I doubt it. Too many are content to disappear when Gerrard is not at his best.

I've never subscribed to this notion to be honest. He's a good, hard working manager who is obsessed with details and finding weakness in the opposition but that doesn't make him a genius. He's in his element in Europe where caution is an effective tactic, but a lot our of success has also been down to good players rising to the occasion and playing with an intensity that they struggle to re-create in the bread and butter of the league. Whether that's down to attitude, motivation or approach I'm still not sure.

I read that Tompkins piece and thought it was a rather tasteless hatchet job on two of our most loyal servants, both of whom have given everything under Rafa and are probably hurting like the rest of us. Their form has been iffy but I doubt it's got anything to do with any tabloid style conspiracy. Tompkins has found his niche and good luck to him, but the lack of objectivity make his views pretty redundant.