Damian_de

Isn't the very top end of the market dominated by players who are almost guaranteed successes, hence the prices?

You have missed a bit of a trick there, Butts

Klopp started the Mainz project, too, so there is a bit more to him that flavour of the month. He's been improving over the last decade, albeit with some set backs to go with the progress. He is a serious candidate I think, at least 'the right type'.

Have wondered about that myself, whether we might actually respond, but just as likely to mope about feeling sorry for ourselves. Can't see many of the current squad getting really riled about it. You'd have to worry surely, with the worst point of lowering expectations going on right at this moment. We aren't even aiming for CL this year, so far as I can see.

I think last night we saw some results of all the hard work Roy's been getting the lads to do on the training ground. There were some lovely rigid banks of 4 in defence and midfield at times, and some of the football in both attack and defence was a joy to behold. BUT IN ALL f***ING SERIOUSNESS I wonder what Hodgson's ambition with LFC is? I'm pretty sure if we'd asked that last fella this the answer would have been about aiming to be the best side in the World. What the current fella is aiming for is anyone's guess. Personal survival? General acceptance that we played well? I dunno, but I'm sure as hell that he would not be able to say become the best side in the World without being struck down by some divine retribution, I don't think it's even on his radar, and that makes me think bad things about our manager.

I guess. They have Keita as well mind. The way that Barca deploy their dedicated defensive mid is well different to the way which Masch played for us, though. Masch has tended to play in place of Busquets whenever I've seen him this season, and that is almost as a third centre back when they are on the attack. In fact, Masch has often been the deepest player with both Puyol and Pique further forward. I still think it was a strange decision by them. Asking Masch to adapt his game a lot to fit their style, and buying a player when they have strong options in that position, and when it's up front where you could argue they are light - only really Bojan who has never quite proved himself to step in for one of the front 3.

but recently let it be known that his family were fine on Merseyside and he was angry that Purslow had used them as cover for the sale. other than that I agree with that, the question is not so much why has Mascher gone there, as it is why did Barca buy him?

That'd be nice. Real surely going to play for a draw?

To be fair about 95% of managers would be impressed with that record

He's one of us!

was pondering whether he is trying to oust roy by not trying too hard. fair play to the lad

f*** me, RH with an absolutely legendary level of insult to "his own" there. What an utter utter c***.

In his 4231 Rafa's 3 were pretty interchangeable though. It's not the same as right mid in a 442.

Not exactly filled the hole vacated by Oezil...

Is that Rocky Baptiste one for real? He doesn't even look half bothered and nor do his team mates.

Plus the fact that football is such a dynamic game that the stats of each player need to be related to the rest of the side and other factors, so that you basically need computers to churn the numbers

Well, he was on the up at the time...

I heard the same. Ultimately the Diouf summer looks a bit like Rafa with Keane and Aquilani. The reasons might are different, but in both cases the team looked like it just needed an extra 5% to take it to the top, and in neither case it arrived.

Except maybe they did, a teensy bit. He said he'd spent most of his recovery in France watching the french league on TV, and that's when he picked them out...

This bit in particular, and the concept in general sounds like it owes a nod towards Lobanovskyi an his team at Kiev.

Exactly. Man's a f***ing fraud if he thinks that's forgiveable. c***. We're 5-4-5 WDL, all hail the saviour.

3-0 didn't flatter, but West Ham were so incredibly appalling we didn't need to be any kind of good to score them. I agree with Wayne, they didn't even try, shocking and more shocking. We were making all kinds of individual and tactical errors, they just weren't interested in punishing us.

1) west ham are relegated - they are shockingly bad 2) kuyt and johnson work well as an attacking unit 3) we're 3-0 ahead, but I don't think we're playing that well (well enough, given the oppo, naturally) When we scored the 3rd and Hodgson jumped up and punched the air I couldn't help it but think "f*** off roy, that's my team that just scored, not yours". I'm buzzing we're gonna win, but gutted that he should get any credit, the s***house.

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I think the idea of fans thinking they can influence the clubs' decisions is worrying. That's on the one hand. On the other, if we're serious about fan representation at board level then there should be a channel for fans to have their input. The whole facebook/twitter warrior thing is a bit pathetic IMO, but with a proper process rather than just posting b******s on his Mrs' twitter page I'm definitely for it. Hopefully this RH thing will be the last example of fan pressure through the current channels.