Tonto

Latest from the offal : Last Updated: 12 July, 2006 1:30 AM Latest Ticket News: FC Kaiserslautern v Liverpool Friendly at Sportplatz Eschen-Mauren, Liechtenstein Sold Out No tickets will be available from the Anfield box office for this fixture and all enquiries should be directed to the Sportplatz Eschen-Mauren at Eschen in Liechtenstein.

I've just seen a 'breaking news' item on figaro.fr from 20 mins ago saying that Zidane's cousin claims Zidane was called a 'terrorist'. Still no reported comments from Zidane himself or the players though.

I haven't seen anything in the three French papers I looked at that claimed to know what was said. What exactly is the point you're trying to make? I was just passing on what was and wasn't reported in the French papers, for anyone who's interested.

We were talking about what journalists might know and all they are reporting is that no one in the team has said anything to them. Neither has Zidane said anything that has been reported.

The French papers report that the French players are saying that they have no idea what happened to provoke it. Neither has Zidane said anything.

Zaccardo dropped.....that's a shock

Unless it wakes Sven up to the fact that even Dwight Yorke as a holding midfielder is better than no one.....

Staunton actually avoided answering questions about who is playing where. So it's pure guess work from journos that Kilbane will be left back....there are other plausible formations from that team.

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Does that then affect our seeding for the qualifier draw? Is seeding based on league position or the club's individual coefficient?

Nothing

Gonzales had an assist from a corner for Sociedad's goal in a 1-0 away win in La Coruna.

Well whaddaya know.....Hamann and Fowler on for Warnock and Morientes.

Looks like Cisse has gone to the right. We need to get Gerrard into the game...he's playing quite deep and looking to pick out Garcia, Crouch and Moro all of whom are playing poorly. We need Hamann on so that it's Gerrard who we're trying to pick out in advanced positions instead.

Cisse coming on .....for Kewell. Surprised it's not Garcia. Thought Kewell was doing ok.

You talking about the shot from outside the area that the keeper saved? I think the wide players and full backs aren't linking up like they usually do. Warnock isn't getting forward down the left (possibly because he's worried about covering for Traore) so Kewell is isolated. Finnan hasn't been as effective in attack as usual and he and Garcia haven't linked up at all. I guess there's a reason why the team functions better with Gerrard out wide. It's usually a major strength for us but hasn't been tonight.

That'll never happen, not at this level.

Problems tonight are a bit more fundamental than one of the strikers having a quiet game. Midfield isn't functioning properly.....actually, add the defence to that as well.

Hadn't thought of it that way....good point.

So why not keep Drogba on the pitch? He is a striker, is a big guy and can unsettle defenders with his strength and height (as well as finish reasonably well) instead of bringing on a defender to do a striker's job. He ended up, after three substitutions, with a defender playing as a striker in front of a striker (Gudjohnsen) playing as a midfielder.

If we go through tomorrow night it really hammers home the significance of our finishing ahead of them in theh group stage. Just in case we needed any extra motivation like....

Just look at his substitutions: E Gudjohnsen for D Duff (58) H Crespo for D Drogba (59) R Huth for J Cole (83) He brings on two strikers yet finishes with a lump of a centre half up front. One of his wingers (Duff) is having an off game, so instead of persisting with the tactic of attacking Barca's one weak spot, their full backs, by bringing on another winger, SWP, he sends on another central attacker to join Joe Cole. The one area where Barca stuggled slightly was with second balls from balls played up to Drogba. It would make a certain amount of sense if he brought Gudjohnsen on to play in behind Drogba, picking up those second balls, something he's excellent at. But no, within a minute of beinging on Gudjohnsen, he takes off his target man.....