Tyler

yes - they give up trying to kick you if you match them physically not that they give up watch arsenal away from home at some of these teams - arsenal have a reputation as not liking the physical stuff and these teams will up the physical part of their game to upset arsenal and it seems to work

I don't think he is saying that they give up but rather that you need to match them physically and then win through better ability

Article from today's Irish Independent PEOPLE are asking Rafa Benitez the wrong questions in their bid to get to the bottom of Liverpool's current lack of form. They're asking him if rotating his squad so frequently is doing more harm than good. I'm not sure if it's too relevant an issue. The real problem is that the players he has just aren't good enough. Rightly or wrongly, any Liverpool team will always be compared with the legendary league winning selections of the past. And I honestly believe that from the current squad it's only Steven Gerrard that would have figured in the great sides that I was lucky to be a part of. Of the rest, I'd say the only one to come close would be another Scouser in the shape of Jamie Carragher and while Xabi Alonso was very impressive last season, he's been a shadow of himself since the World Cup. His season hasn't even started yet. A lot of the other players haven't been playing well this season but the issue could simple be that they're just not good enough in the first place. Certainly, the summer signings don't appear to have made Liverpool the serious title contenders that some believed they would be at the start of August. Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt works hard and perhaps it's too early to be judging him. And you could say the same about Craig Bellamy but from what we've seen you would be sceptical about considering him a really top player. It's the same with Jermaine Pennant, Mark Gonzalez and some of the other new faces. Last weekend's dismal showing against Manchester United was depressing. I really couldn't believe how many times Liverpool were softly giving away possession in the centre of the park. When I came to Liverpool first, the simplest message we got, which came down from Bill Shankly, was that when we got the ball, all we have to do is make sure we get it to a red shirt. Sure, Liverpool were doing plenty of that last Sunday but the only problem was that Manchester United were wearing red. It's the lack of real football brains in the current squad that Benitez has assembled which would worry me. I can not understand why he keeps playing Luis Garcia away from home. He doesn't have strength and he doesn't have passing ability. The Spaniard is a liability for such tough games. Just look at the situation now - down in 11th place needing a miracle to get back into the picture, with the title already out of the equation. In 1981-82 we were 12th at Christmas and still managed to win the league. But that was a dressing room which included guys like Phil Neal, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Graeme Souness and Kenny Dalglish. There's no one of that calibre to drag them out of their current mire. We could go away from home in games, to places like Bolton and Blackburn, and come up against sides that would try and kick us for the first 60 minutes. The difference was we had the fight to get through that and eventually they would give up. Then our ability would come through and we would win the game. This Liverpool side doesn't have the fortitude to cope with that 60 minutes and that's why they haven't a chance of winning the league with this squad. In his defence, Benitez says that they had a worse start last season and they came back to qualify for the Champions League and win the cup. And that's fair enough. But already we're at a situation when that's probably the most they can achieve again unless they produce something special in Europe. In any top club, they look for progress from year to year but Liverpool appear to have stalled. They've spent a fortune in the summer but they're still where they were this time last year. They might have players who are good enough to produce it for the odd big occasion. Collectively, however, they don't have the strength to make that last over the course of the season. He can rotate the squad because they've got quantity. It's the quality that they're missing. Ronnie Whelan

comes with the territory of being a manager of a top club can't see it worrying rafa unduly this time last season united and ferguson were being written off papers don't refuse ink and all that

so you're not really a supporter then oran if rafa thought he could do a job and signed him we would take to him just as easily as we have taken to bellamy he might be a w*nker but he would be our w*nker i think beckham could (if he is still motivated) be a good signing and kuyt and crouch would benefit

If Beckham becomes available do you think we will try and sign him? Think he could do a job for us.

That is the first time we have scored from a corner for a while. Bellamy should take corners from now on - some good ones last night. We have a big team (plus Garcia who is good in the air for a man of his stature) and it really annoys me to see short corners or the ball not clearing the first defender. Something for the training ground?

On Setanta Sports in Ireland

I'd like to have seen Hamann stay on as a player and then move into a coaching role. I think the problem we are having this season is that we are trying to play a more expansive attacking game with wide players and that is leaving our defence exposed. Our defence plays very narrowly and if the wide players do not track back then opposition have a lot of time and space to get balls into the box.

how many tickets do Liverpool get for this fixture. Do we take them all up? Is it dangerous or can you enjoy it there?

I presume momo is still injured and that zenden will partner alonso in centre midfield can see us playing five in midfield pennant zenden alonso aurelio garcia with crouch up front on his own any news on when kuyt is due back

He is entitled to go along to the game if he wants. He is entitled to refuse to sign autographs if he wants. Problem famous people have is that if he signs something 99 times out of a hundred the one time that he refuses to sign people come on and give out about it. We all have our bad days but the problem is that unless your famous nobody judges you based on one experience of meeting you. If you are famous and are an *sshole to somebody then they will go and tell the story of when they met "x" and he was an *sshole.

Last season after the Sunderland game myself and my two mates were in a bar on the Docks (Baby Blue I think) Gerrard came in with a friend. One of my mates went over for an autograph (his younger sister is a really big fan) and Gerrard obliged and asked what her name was. My other mate went over and also got an autograph for his brother. We were reluctant to approach him as don't want to be annoying people who are entitled to their own space. This story is just to balance out the story above. I'm sure we all have times when we just want to be left alone etc

hyppia is very good at organising the defence hyppia is obviously getting on and is not as consistently good as he once was but when he doesn't play we miss his organisational skills carra looks a much better player for having hyppia beside him as he can just concentrate on defending and doing what he does best we need carra and/or agger to take up this role if we are to move on without sami

I think we are trying to play a more expansive game and have not yet found the balance (Rafa's two months comments to me point to this) Last year the buzzword was zonal defence and this year it is rotation am confident we will come good but I think we may lack consistency needed to win the league

Will the Everton game be on in any bars? Will it be on Fox Sports Channel?

They didn't look comfortable when our wingers starting crossing the ball so I expect that we will approach the game on that basis. Pennant on the left and Gerrard on the right with Alonso and Momo in the middle. Crouch and Bellamy up front. Gonzalez and Garcia to be introduced if we need a goal. Going to be nervy if we don't score. Hopefully we score early and can then kill off this tie quickly. Game we should win but at this stage of the season you can never be 100% confident

Not having seen him play (apart from World Cup) question to those who have seen him How do you rate him?

Do you think we will see Hyypia eased out this season so that we will have a new CB pairing by Christmas? He was great last season but I keep expecting time to catch up on him one of these days?

yes fourth official spoke to the linesman he doesn't have a tv monitor but fifth official does and aren't they all linked up through head sets

Comment from Niall Quinn today in the papers re talking to Irish players who joined Liverpool in the 1980s and they realised when they joined how nothing up until then had mattered and how they never had to work before etc etc and how he wanted players joining Sunderland to feel that way Don't have the exact quote but that is the kind of spirit in the club that made us successful and that Rafa has rekindled

i just don't like the crest i think its the green in it crest would be ok if it was just red and white

If it goes to extra time do you reckon we could see "penalty specialist" Reina make an appearance?

Has he "lost" his pace through these injuries and if so can he adapt his game still a great finisher - but if we were looking to buy a player - his injury record would be something to take into account

got them at 14-1 at lunchtime today stuck 20 on them five on villa top scorer at 25-1 had luis to score first goal - 5 at 9-1 - thought I had that one but not to worry have to pick up a spanish shirt and some sangria for the next game