HK

On the contrary, I tend to think that we are very predictable when we play Crouch. Mainly, aim the ball high at him. He is however a better finisher than Kyut.

That's not true. Movement is good today. Our approach play is varied and we created plenty of chances. It is our finishing that led us down. We played villa off the park. However, three shots from villa resulted in two goals plus Marlon Harewood scoring. You can't half make up this stuff.

I wonder how much of these clean sheets are down to the defenders shielding him. He is a great goalkeeper but I must say that I can't say I remember many matches that I have watched and went away thinking that he had single handedly kept us in the game.

Staements like this are just plain stupid and insensitive. You either have not been paying attention in history class or you should go get a life.

I'm sick to the core that each time we screwed up a game, Mourhino's name will be chanted like he is the fu*c*k*i*n*g best thing since sliced bread. For what is worth your above observation is right except for one assumption: That Mourhino will win the league for us. Here is why: 1) What he has won in Chelsea meant nothing to me. He won the league in his first two years there when he had all the money at his disposal. the moment Abramovich tightens the purse, he lost the league despite having a sqaud that is more talented than ours. Chelsea's result under Avam Grant is comparable to that under Mourhino just before he got sacked. That tells you how easy it is to obtain respectable result when you have a squad like theirs. 2) He lost all the key cup matches to us except for the league cup final, again with a squad that were better than ours. Rafa out-smarted him both in the mind games as well as on the pitch. 3) Alex fergusen recently said that the mark of a good manager is how he could turn things around when he is going through a rough patch. He is right and he has done it a few times throughout his career. Arsene Wenger has done it. Mourhino, in contrast, started to blamed everyone else and their dogs when he hit a bad patch since the second half of last season which got worse at the start of this season. To me it is a weakness in character. 4) After he is done blaming everyone else's dogs, he WILL blame the owner. I can't see Hicks taking any merde from him. Like it or not, a coach who is not in working terms with the board is less likely to succeed in the long term. You may be looking at changing a manager within 3 three years of his appointment. That can't be good. 5) And before anyone start to point to his records in Porto as proof of his brilliance: winning the league in Portugal with a club that has won it 22 times is not that big a deal (only Benfica has won it more often). As for the much talked abt Champions league cup, Porto was a minute away from being kicked out by ManU. After that the opponents were Olympic Lyonnaise, Deportiva and in the final, MONA-fcking-CO. Not exactly the Milans, Juventus and the barcelonas of football club are they? In his 2003 UEFA cup triumph, he had Polonia Warszawa, Austrian Wein, RC Lens, Deniliszpor, Panaithianikos, lazio and finally Celtic. I will say no more. I'm not writing this to support Rafa although I firmly believe that he should be given till end of next season. But for goodness sake, take off the blinkers and stop believing that he is our answer to our long wait for the league title. He is not as good as you, and above all, he himself make it out to be. Oh yes, last but not least, He is a TW*T.

This must be what it feels like to be in a gay's forum.

QUOTE(CarraLegend @ Nov 29 2007, 00:53) * Ronaldo was a teenager, Quaresma is 24. Ronaldo has been a success abroad, Quaresma was a failure. QUOTE(CarraLegend @ Nov 28 2007, 23:25) * Yep, teenagers generally are inconsistent hence the comparision with a 24 year old is ridiculous. ? it's perfectly understandable to be pissed drunk...

Yes. Your reference to Quaresma failing in Barcelona as a teenager is ridiculous.

I don't want to get into this argument. IMO, he is a good player. You can disagree. But to say that he is sh*t is just plain stupid. btw, ronaldo didn't exactly set the world on fire in his first season in UK. I wish ManU had dumped him as a good for nothing showboat.

when we play Crouch, we do go tend to boot the ball up to him when possible. The kind of football that we play in the first 20 minutes today with quick incisive passing would be difficult to acheive IMO if Crouch is playing. To play a really high tempo game, I do think you need two players who have great pace, albeit that one of them is playing the role of a link player. That is not to say that I don't want Crouch around. Horses for courses so to speak.

Where so you get the stats from? You should never try to beat Keiza in his game. Whether you like it or not, Quaresma is one of the top 5 or 6 wingers in the world. I distinctly remember many in this forum rubbished Ronaldo when he was first signed by Man U when it was obvious that he would become a great player.

It's harder to play a high tempo game and break with great pace with Crouch IMO. He is simply not quick enough. However, he offers something different from the rest of the strikers. The only duplication of style is Veronin and Kuyt; and between the two, I'll take Veronin because I see him as a better finisher.

This is getting silly. He is a very good player. The fact that Kaizer likes him doesn't make him sh*t. The way we are playing tonight, Ronaldo would have problem making an impact.

Second that.

Canal+ sports local time 2050HR

Of the above three, it's the 2nd one that I fear most...

Kaizerism

I blame it on his burning desire to play for England...

This is sad.

The only thing that Schevchenko has proven is that Mourhino's ego is bigger than his regards for Chelsea. Get him out of Chelsea and he will be the Schevchenko of old.

so you think it is good for a liverpool player, who was trying to break into the national team, to get sent off after twenty minutes which would likely cost him a place in the team and knock his confidence? This whole thing abt not wanting our players to participate in team is naive and stupid. You don't think you should respect the wish of the players? Most, if not all of them would like to play for their country. Of course, they can get injured while on national duty, well, that is life. Deal with it.

To be fair, that is a valid point.

If you are expecting Benayoun to be better than Pennant, I think you will be disappointed. They are very different player that will offer different options to our play.

Not sure who you are referring to. Simao is very much a winger in the same mould as Malouda. Quaresma is even more of a classical winger. Ditto Robben. Robinho is as much a winger as Babel is. Alves is as much a right back as he is a winger.

As opposed to Malouda who has never played in a foreign league before? One may argue that the previous failure can only make them better. I am not contesting your preference of Babel over Robinho as it is a matter of opinion. But I think it is fair to say that Robinho is the more established player of the two; having moved to a different continent at a young age, played in a more competitive league and had more international cap than Babel. As for Robben, read my text. I said theoretically. And no, I don't live in a world of make-believe, with flowers and bells and leprechauns but I do believe in magic frogs with funny little hats.