RedNik

Yep. Voronin would serve as a versatile option as he can drop deep and play well. Eto'o and Tevez would be the sort of players we lacked today. Pacy, incisive and capable of creating/scoring goals. Not sure where Lucas fits in next year, but surely there'll be some exits in central midfield. Too many quality players at a similar age.

Yup, Pennant was great today. He showed that he CAN be our long term right MID. I say mid and not winger because he tracked back wonderfully - and was always there to put Seedorf under pressure. Additionally he made a number of cracking tackles. He held up posession well and cut in decently too. Our MOM next to Masher for me.

Yup definitely - 3 shots on target was it, goal included? Not good enough. Second half, we had to pepper the goal with shots.

Please stop comparing Pennant to placcy though.

I thought we were only down 1 at that point

I thought it was. Of course the handball rule, just like the offside rule, is wildly open to interpretation. It came off his arm, and no doubt was a significant deflection. I don't really know what the rule is. IMO you don't call that if it merely changes posession, but when it leads to a goal, you have to. Thing is linesman couldn't've seen it so it was up to the ref (and im not sure what his positioning was like).

Goal scoring chances - his shot, stevies shot over( which should have been played in to kuyt imo). Fact was there were rarely enough options in the second half. Milan had some 8 players behind the ball and unless we countered, we were desperately outnumbered. Add that Kuyt was working his a*** off and consequently all over the place.

How can you say that? He found gerrard in acres of space in the first half, but gerrard volleyed over. He crossed for Gerrard a few minutes later but the chance was wasted as Stevie attempted a very difficult left foot volley. Pennant was a great outlet throughout the match, and had our first shot on goal - and it was well placed too.

Pennant didn't produce 1 decent pass or cross all night? Not true sir. Not true.

I don't even think his final ball was all that poor. I can recall twice in the first half that he picked out Stevie G, who cocked it up (although the left foot volley was really difficult). More often than not, in the second half, Pennant would check and cut back - simply because there weren't in the box options. Crouch really should have started. IMO, if Rafa wanted to go with 1 striker, Kuyt is not that player and never will be. We were far better with Crouch up front, winning more 50-50's and he brought the others more into play.

We don't have the players to score a goal like Milans - IMO. Bellamy is really our only striker who plays on the shoulder of defenders. Crouch and Kuyt just don't. Secondly, we don't have that Kaka like player who can create in the final 1/3 of the pitch. Gerrard has that ability to an extent, but nobody else really. We really don't need to change our approach - that is ridiculous. Rafa's game is about controlling the opposition, and quick passing and moving when in posession. If we can add 2 players, that could help us create better and finish better, we will be set.

If Xabi isn't going to help us win the game more than Masher, then Xabi should be the one taken off. If for this reason, he chooses to go to spain, then so be it. I truly doubt Rafa thought Xabi might get the wrong message if taken off.

Zenden is slow. Though I agree, he did look a little less sharp.

hangover from 2005 - what are you talking about?

I thought he was great, and jankulovski was scared s***less. Final ball was a little poor, and he maybe didn't try to get it in enough - but that was probably because there weren't many of our players in the box at any given time.

Second half was when we really had the problem. First half, we had a fair few I thought. Second half - clear cut chances, Stevies effort, the goal ... couple of long range efforts - thats about it though.

I think our tactics for the first half were sound. Its more the second half, having conceded a goal, that I was disappointed with.

Beyond a goalscorer, we need more creativity - i feel. You need chances first to squander them. We didnt create enough, and our quality in the final 3rd, especially in the second half was lacking. I thought Rafa was a bit defensive in his tactics, which is ok - but Gerrard really isnt at his best when he has to play as the shadow striker. I would have even preferred him at left mid, instead of Bolo who was absolutely attrocious. Kuyt is in no way a striker who can play up on his own. Atleast 3 or 4 times, he was the one with the ball on the wing, looking for someone to cross to. Additionally, his clever interplay with others is lost, when he is up on his own.

Tbh the reffing was just awful. We were on the wrong side of a lot of calls, but at the same time our goal was offside imo. It was just bad, and a let down for what is supposed to be the biggest game in European football.

Kaka will be on a free role pretty much I reckon. Our wing backs wont be facing to much defensively though (as Milan doesn't bomb down the wings), so they should be able to pick him up, should he slip wide. I don't think he'll go to far wide because it sort of isolates their other striker. It obviously depends on how we set up, but I could see Mash marking seedorf and not Kaka. We could even apporoach Kaka like a striker.

The thing is 2 years ago, for me, it was a completely unknown feeling. Just being in the final was a huge achievement. Now, having won it (and almost lost it too), I know what it feels like. I think this is why I'm more antsy/nervous about the game.

Oh i hate this anticipation. I'm about to do a complete flip flop and say that Rafa will start both Crouch and Kuyt. That way when we defend, there'll be 5 in midfield but still 2 strikers. Of course this side would really lack pace - with Gerrard being the only one capable of a brisk counterattack (maybe Kewell too, if he starts) ... so maybe it'll be Bellamy ... Wow I just can't handle this - the nerves have officially hit me.

Alternatively, you could argue that because Milan stack the middle of the pitch - we would be best served by wingers on all out attack mode. Pennant and Kewell wouldn't be needed as much on the defensive end and could be effective. With regard to strikers - it seems to me that Rafa has gone in favour of Bellamy over Crouch numerous times, even when Crouch has been in form. Memory may just be serving me wrong though...

Obviously I meant that they don't play together all that often. Rafa seems to prefer playing Bellers or Gerrard off of one of them - probably for a different dimension.

Rafa doesnt play Crouch and Kuyt together, and to be honest - they aren't the most lethal partnership. By that, I mean, they don't really seem to complement each others' games that much.