Damian_de

Fulham will get through

Lol. Did you read the article at all?

Just checking, Rafa and players before Owners? Is that what you said there?

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Very unhappy. Not because I have anything against him personally, but because it means Rafa isn't he manager.

Now now, that was actually a case of developing an innovative system to best accommodate the players, slightly helped by Greaves getting injured so his preferred 11 could play without the media freaking out. Also some damn fine players, who proved they could play possession game in Mexico 4 years later. The rest I pretty much think you are right, except for Germany being a better side than England currently. I think Capello's England would stuff them, tbh.

I'm not sure playing Lucas and Mascherano in the same midfield is any good. Does anyone else have an opinion on this?

I'm with Maldini on this one. I think Rafa massively improved every aspect of Gerrard's game. Not only that, I think he was not overly upset about the idea of Chelsea signing him for big money.

Blimey, Arsenal just totally got away with that. Fortunately Barca probably won't need defenders for the second leg. I love the way that Barca do that retain possession thing around the half way line before a clipped pass over the defence for the midfield runner. You NEVER see that in the Premier League.

Love the way any of the midfield can break forward suddenly for Barca, 'tis great to see I also thought that we'd not be 2-0 down to Barca the way they play. Arsenal have never believed they can play against these it seems.

First up, I quite like Martin O, I don't think he's evil, or classless, in fact I find him respectful towards us (quite something when you think who he played for), and I quite like his analysis of the game. But in terms of football at Villa, I have never seen that side set up to play anything other than defend deep and counter, even at home against Wolves, and last season against WBA, 2 of the worst sides in the league, at home, in derbies. This leads me to suspect that he's a pretty decent coach at what Michels summarised as the most basic approach to football. I have no reason to believe that he can evolve beyond that style, and you need to to win the big prizes, and to play the kind of football that most of us would like to see. Rafa's LFC at its best is a lovely example of controlled, aggressive, attacking football, as were his Valencia.

One of the worst performances by any player ever in that game last season

About Aquillani though.... I thought he was a bit slack yesterday (not for the 1st time), especially surrendering possession not through misplacing passes (which happens) but through dawdling on the ball. Think there are questions over him there - needs to improve. Not saying he won't, just saying I don't think we can just presume Masch - Aqui - Gerrard will work.

The Spaniard

f*** it, no excuses. If they win, they win.

If they win 19 before we do, and I have to say I think it is likely, then fair play to them. In my opinion that give us a target to aim for, to get back to the top of the pile. 20 years ago they were nowhere (yet massively hyped...), so there's no reason why we can't get back on top.

Who are you thinking of there? Graham Taylor?

And yet there are plenty around here who seem convinced we'll be spending, just like there was last summer.

go for it i'm not defending myself on this one

Blimey. At least I have a damn fine reason for mixing all that up

were we not playing everton, and one of the 4-3s was at St James'....?

Kewell also said when he signed that one of the things that impressed him about GH was he intended to use him on the right as well as the left.

Hammill (Barnsley) and Anderson (Forest) are playing pretty much every match as starters

However he scored the goals they were in the final, and he pulled out his best performance when it most mattered. He maybe didn't drag that team to the final, but they were set up to get the best from him, of that there's no doubt, and he absolutely dragged the 2006 team to the final, rolling back the years to play his best football for a while to get them there. I absolutely loved watching ZZ in 2006, he was on a different planet to every other player at that tournament.

Looks the most likely scenario. Beyond that all management bets are off IMHO.