Tonto

Similar in terms of what they did when they didn't have the ball alright. But I seem to remember that Valencia side tried to dominate posession in the opposition half, something which Rafa's Liverpool only did in fits and starts away from home. The first time I saw Rafa in action was in a game at the Bernebeu which finished 1-1 (Real got a shockingly dodgy penalty to equalise and I remember Rafa going absolutely ballistic afterwards) and I remember being amazed that a team could go away from home against that Real side and seemingly treat it as a home game. They played so high up the pitch, pinging the ball around the Real half like they were at home to a bottom of the table side. I don't think Rafa ever achieved that level at Liverpool over a consistent period.

Heard it last night. In the middle of the discussion about corruption among top managers in English football he said (paraphrasing here): Want to know why Liverpool are in such a state of decline? Look at the players their last two managers have bought and ask if they got much value for money.

Think you're right that it was Maxi. My memory is probably clouded by the ineptiude of Johnson yesterday.

There was little glimspe of what he could bring to the the side in one of his first touches. He took the ball up inside our half, ran with it, drew a couple of Brum players to him, laid it off to Johnson and then sprinted forward into the massive space that had just opened up in front of their defence while doing the arms-waving give-me-the-ball thing. Johnson just whacked it long in the general direction of Torries and we lost the ball. Just as the camera panned away you could see Meireles screaming at someone - presumably Johnson.

Sam Dalla Bona? Nicola Berti was at Spurs for a while wasn't he? Who was the striker Chelsea bought who got horribly crocked after a couple of games?

My stream froze on that last corner - could it have been a pen against (I think) Agger?

What a throw from Reina for the goal.

I just think it's a bit odd/lazy to describe it as disappointing when he played all but one game and won the bloody thing. Especially considering so many other 'stars' showed worse form and were dumped out unceremoniously. Anyway, back to the game....

Yes he really should hand back that medal.

Commentator says Torres had a disappointing World Cup. If finishing with a winner's medal is disappointing how would he describe Rooney's World Cup?

Not sure why anyone is expecting to be massively excited by a left back signing expecially given the money at Hodgson's disposal. Konchesky may or may not be good enough but from the little I've seen of him, he's a prozaic, solid defender. Possibly exactly what we need given our first choice right back is a non-defending full back. Konchesky might provide some balance by tucking in and forming a solid back three when Johnson goes on his attacking runs/forgets he's marking someone.

This ref is really starting to annoy me.

Dirk having one of those games. He is magnificent in situations like this in big games.

How far away from that Saturday evening at Craven Cottage last spring.

He's got a tweet to finish.

Reyes is still a big girl it seems.

What happened there? I wasn't paying enough attention in build up to the goal but you had Carra and Johnson both out wide and a man free in the middle. What was going on?

It's not complete madness given we conceded two ridiculously soft goals at Anfield from set pieces to freakin' Ivanovic that cost us the tie. Anyway, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

It was a class finish by Messi but Almunia is the complete opposite of Pepe in those situations. He seems to shrink. It's no fluke the amount of saves Pepe makes when the ball comes off his head in situations like that.

How did Ferdinand just get away with three consecutive fouls in as many seconds?

Neville's heading for a red card. Hopefully.

Yep I agree completely.

I think those two would pretty clearly fall under 'violent contact' in any sane person's interpretation no? When Torres gave Terry a cheeky pat on the cheek the day he scored his first goal at Anfield, he certainly raised his hands, but it was clearly not violent. I just posted that list up because some people seemed to be making the assumption that 'raising your hands' was somewhere in the rules as a red-cardable offence, not because I think Babel was hard done by.

There are seven things you can be sent off for none of which is 'raising your hands'. Sending-off Offences A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off if he commits any of the following seven offences: • serious foul play • violent conduct • spitting at an opponent or any other person • denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area) • denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick • using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures • receiving a second caution in the same match

Are they? A player can be sent off for one of seven offences, one of which is simply "violent conduct". Babel may also have been guilty of "using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures". But there is nothing in the rules of the game that comes close to "if you raise your hands.....". Having said that, Babel was very silly.