Tonto

It's an interesting post. I've often thought that Lucas would slot into Arsenal's style quite well; likes to play quick, short passes off both feet and has good movement off the ball. Does anyone really think other players don't give him the ball when he's well placed because they don't trust him?

Watching a Spanish stream. Fantastic stuff. They love 'Nino Torres'.

Hard to make out on my stream but did it take a deflection before Lucas headed it?

True, but that time he kept his cool and it was Terry who was wound up.

At least Ngog displays the instincts of a striker. He looks like a player that wants to score. He tries to find space and for some reason I have reasonable amount of confidence that, given a decent chance, he'll take it and score. It might just be his youthful enthousiasm but I'd take that over the Vog's morose lumberings. Problem with Ngog is that I think he'll always need a partner up front and therefore is never going to be an adequate understudy to Torres.

Old Trafford emptying already.

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How is that a yellow for Ferdinand yet not a freekick?

That's a common failing for us though. We don't usually concede a freak goal like that, but if, after a bright start we don't score, we do tend to lose belief. We had an hour to respond to the goal and instead of stepping up, we retreated even more into our shells.

At least Spurs were fired up for that one. The worst thing about this is that not only are Boro crap, but they haven't even been all that up for it either.

I might be wrong, but I thought against Portsmouth the back three was (l to r) Agger, Carra, Skrtel?

I think the Finnan playing left back thing was a bit overstated. He played there for Ireland, a couple of times because of injuries and a few more times because Staunton seemed to have been befuddled when it came to his players' positions. He never really looked comfortable on the left. Having said that, he never looked 100% comfortable playing for Ireland under Kerr or Staunton.

This stuff on RTE is beyond belief.

I enjoyed that, but you can see the idiots on Soccer Saturday and like sniggering about it and saying 'You don't need to go coaching school to see Rafa was got wrong and got out of jail. Anyone who's ever played the game knows it's common sense innit?'

Fixed

Yes, he played for Galway, Pat's and Rovers. He started out as a youth player at Arsenal although I don't think he ever got past reserve level.

Almost as bad as the discussion on Soccer Saturday about the Keane transfer. Stelling poses the question that maybe Keane didn't have what it takes to step up to a big club. Who steps in to dismiss the notion, no doubt drawing on his wealth of experience at big clubs? Matt Le feckin Tissier. Of all people.

Clearly we had been cast in the role of Goliath to their David. When our players committed fouls we were petulant. When we protested we were 'engaging in histrionics' (as when Arbeloa complained about Cahill's elbow). Liverpool and Rafa had lost the plot, selling Keane, leaving 'limping', hobbling' Torres on the pitch as a result. Gerrard getting injured was also somehow someone's mistake, probably Rafa's. Everton, on the other hand, were plucky and courageous, battling through fatigue, passionate and resolute. They obviously decide on a narrative for the game beforehand and then try and make the events fit into it.

They grow up fast these days, don't they?

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It worked handily enough against Newcastle.

And Stevie and Yossi and Skrtel

Unbelievable that one. It wasn't even a freekick, should have certainly been a yellow card.

Did Benayoun come back out after half-time?

To Madeira Stefan Selakovic