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It was good technique to get the shot on target and with power like he did. I also think it was a normal save, good height for the keeper and it wasn't as if Morientes rocketed the shot (although it was hit pretty well). So, in short, none of Kev's suggestions.

Athletes nowadays use scientific methods to analyse their body and fitness levels. They have specialised training regimes to help them improve areas of their athleticism. In other words, a good percentage of footballers are about as fit as humanly possible. Back in those days, by all accounts, you could have fatties who were getting pi$sed frequently, jokers that muck around at training during the week, yet still perform to a decent standard in the English game. The English game is still very fast paced and technically it's getting better, due to the top foreigners who have come into the game over the past 10 years. The English game has grown, and is still growing in its reputation. IMHO, the Spanish league is still the best, but the premiership is a very very close second. Back in their day, young foreign talent like Ronaldo, Essien and Alonso would have looked at the English game and said "not a chance in hell I'm going there". Therefore, with all respect to the older generation of players, I think they should shut the f*ck up when there is talk of players tiring and how they used to be able to "get on with it".

Hamann's passing is so underrated. He was excellent yesterday, but I think the pace (or lack) of the game suited him perfectly. I love the fella, he's a legend in my eyes. The most consistent big game player we've had in the past...don't know how long.

IMO Jenas is a very good player who will add to our squad. I've always thought of Defoe as a natural. Just watched last season's review, and in the league cup match agaisnt Spurs, he timed his run superbly for his goal. I think the game has changed, in that for a team to excel at the top level, you need (at least) one forward who is at least an 8/10 in his combined ability in and outside the box (each marked out of 5). The criteria I stated is pretty simple: the forward is either excellent in the box and good on the ball away from goal, the other way round, or very good on both (ie a 4/5 for build up play + finishing). Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea have strikers who fulfil the above: Henry is Henry, Van Nistelrooy and Rooney complement each other excellently, and Crespo is a top class penalty box striker in movement and finishing (5/5) who is decent (3/5) in play outside the box. The best we have is probably Crouch, who I'd rate a 4/5 in his link up play, but probably 2 or 2.5 in his finishing and movement in the box.

It seems like the popular choice, but... Owen is Owen, Anelka for the all round game he possesses (plus IMO he impressed when he was here), Crouch for me is the better player between him and Heskey, and Robbie offers the natural striker's instincts. Probably the most important factor is probably all four of them can play together (including Fowler+Owen) and each combination gives a slight variation in strengths. Followed by the fact that all four are intelligent footballers and are good (to excellent) on the ball as well as off it.

For all the talking down of Mourinho's coaching abilities compared to Rafa, he has done his homework well again, unlocking our defence with intelligent set piece play. That was a well worked goal.

Kewell and Garcia are both intelligent footballers who enjoy playing together on the pitch. The Monaco home match last season (long time ago yes) showed some excellent interplay between the both of them. And FFS, Kewell worked bloody hard against Man Utd. Even after getting his nose done early in the match. Some people are blinded by their bias against players.

Like when Houllier was sacked? And replaced by Rafa who won us the European Cup? Like the way we ditched the terrible football under GH and then reverted to good (attacking) possession football under Benitez?

What a f*cking load of w***. Kewell displayed excellent touches, and was very good in possession. Kept the ball and the passing going very well. Alonso was doing a shedload of work off the ball. On at least three separate occasions he was there to foil the danger, notably on the play which he got taken down by Evra in our box in the first half. Both were our two best players on the pitch.

True. So why spend so much time knocking people down for having certain views which are not abusive or unrealistically negative? (not aimed at you specifically or at all)

I love Pepe and the fact that he is such a presence. Because we can see that he is always helping them organise and consistently coming off his line to collect the ball or clear the danger, the workload of the defender is slightly lighter. In other words, they can depend on him. But Jerzy Dudek in his first season, is the best keeper I have ever seen play in the English game in the past 10 years (alongside Schmeichel). He was a rock, and although not as commanding as Pepe, you could not blame him for any goal he conceded (though I seem to remember people complaining about Duff's goal at Anfield being down to Dudek). Reina has decisively dropped a few crosses and spilled a few shots (off the top of my head Bolton and Brum), but Dudek's performances were flawless. And many a time won us matches we'd have otherwise drawn, with some world class saves.

Wrong. He actually tried to integrate everything in. If anything, he was guilty of putting a team out who tried to play football before earning the right to (read away nightmares last season). This season he has rectified that, and as it was against Spurs on the weekend, we got into the match after about 15-20 minutes, when our physical presence wore Spurs down slightly and gave us time and space to put our foot on the ball (though we were never close to our best).

Preach it brother...

Which one's better, the Gerrard of tail end of 03/04 or the Gerrard of the first half of this season? Of course it's hard to make a fair comparison, mainly cause the players we have now are superior to those of that season. But Gerrard's weakest aspect of his game even up until last season was his 'football brain'. This season we are seeing a much more intelligent player, breaking into stride in the more advanced positions where it counts, making better choices in his passing, and also conserving his energy for use in the right areas of the pitch. That his head is finally aligned with his heart, is a big factor in his application. Those things have been coached into Stevie, for sure. Rafa has clearly taken his game up a notch; I'd say SG is Rafa's best example of his excellent coaching methods.

I seem to remember his first goal for Leeds, it was a scorcher. He was playing as a wingback then.

Solano's handball was from a corner too...

The way we play means the team is not overly dependant on strikers scoring because we have other players well capable. Of course life would be so much better if our strikers hit the target more often. But to say something like "our midfield can't keep bailing us out", is just plain ignorant IMO. Rafa has said that the idea is for all our players to get in amongst the goals. Not so long ago we used to be a "one man team". First with Owen, then for about a season and a half, with Gerrard.

There was a play earlier in the match (1st half) when Kewell got clipped after beating a man, but still tried to run on but went down 6 yards further forward because he couldn't keep his balance. In my opinion, no professional footballer who has any kind of self respect or pride would rather get an opponent sent off than to have a chance at the glory of scoring a goal for his team. To suggest he would purposely go down easily when he would probably have been clean through with one touch (if he hadn't been taken down) reflects the kind of impression most fans have of him.

Riise has been very good this season. The evidence in the goals conceded column suggests so. And this one's easy to pull apart, so I'll give it a go off the top of my head. 2 goals conceded against Brum - Warnock was LB 2 against Fulham - came from Josemi's side IIRC 4 against Chelsea - Bambi 1 against Everton - Warnock's side of the pitch 2 against Bolton - Pepe's mistake, and Sami's lack of pace, and JAR didn't even feature I'd say when Riise has featured at LB in the league, we've only conceded (I'm gonna check if he played against Fulham)...NO GOALS... And in the cups; 1 against Betis - Traore was LB 2 against Palace - Warnock was LB 3 against Luton - Sami clanger, Carra got turned and their equaliser was from a cross on the right side? I'll put the second one against Luton down to Riise partially, only cause the ball came in from his side of the pitch. Of course, sometimes in matches he looks lost, but on the whole whenever I've seen him play he's been solid. As for the initial post about him not progressing, a HUGE boll*cks to that. His defensive play has improved a couple notches. Evident in his better timing when going in for the ball, instead of rushing like a headless chicken. One example was last season in the semi at Anfield. Kezman got a long pass on their right flank, JAR held off and waited for him to take it down, and as soon as he saw the touch was a little loose, he charged in and made an excellent tackle. Previously, he would have closed in on the attacker, and then go in too early and leave it to chance. There have been occassions in recent games too, when he's made timely interceptions with clearing headers. Plays when he has actually displayed excellent reading of the game. For those who complain about his lack of a right foot, I share your sentiment. But if I can recall, Carra when playing at LB always shifted in to use his right. And everyone says Carra was an excellent left back. To put it simply, it is possible to be a good fullback even if you excessively favour using one foot over the other. Stats can be used in any way you want, and in this case I'm going to use it to disprove the theory that Traore and Warnock are better candidates at left back. Because in my opinion, they are not.

Waste the ball? You're on another f*cken planet. Kewell's passing game is stronger than most people care to realise. People like you who bark abuse at him at every opportunity because in the past he was never physically able to put in the hard yards as well as make the quick feet shifts and long strides to take on people. His possession game since his run of 7/8 matches in a row he's started has been solid, his use of the ball helping the flow of attacks. His crossing is a bit here and there sometimes I'll give you that, but on average in the past 10 matches he has been very econonical in his use of the ball.

Lampard lasted so long because he hardly runs in matches compared to Stevie Gerrard.

One time I remember Tim Flowers was sub keeper and got sent off even before he got on, probably for abusing the lino...

Aye...ain't no CD though, I'm a pirate!

According to my teacher (off a CD mind), in Spanish the letter 'v' is pronounced almost like a 'b'. Says it's a 'v' but with your lips closed as you say it. The sample word they used was reservation: pronounced as reserbacion. Hence, Xavi from Barca is pronounced like Xabi. Same name, just a different spelling. Bit like Desmund and Desmond. And the double 'l's in Villareal is pronounced as a 'y', if I'm not mistaken. And 'c' is only pronounced as a 'th' in Madrid (and a few other places?), it's known as Castillian. PRobably some dialect, maybe just the accent.

Tough call... Well we did do a good job on the pitch too. Was just talking to a mate last night about ref decisions, and he said "who's to know Abramovich isn't paying out the refs" in a joking manner. I then remembered the times when Man Utd used to get all the decisions go for them. The way Chelsea do. For the peno decisions at Anfield on NY day 05, think that free kick that Redders "gave away".