Leo No.8

Absolutely. He looked like one of the three musketeers after he'd just stabbed his puppy instead of Cardinal Richelieu by accident...

Been a great player for Arsenal though - I've enjoyed watching him, even though at times he's been somewhat less than honest in his behaviour. Phenomenal goalscoring record from midfield as well - he always makes the game look easy. To be honest, I'd go as far as to say he's a loss to the English game; not a huge one, but a loss nonetheless...

Not sure about the story behind them, but I was sat next to a lad who had one at the semi-final against Chelsea. It is a very good replica - think he got sick of people grabbing it off him and parading round with it, but that was counter-balanced by the adulation and attention...

Very impressed again by Gonzales. He looked absolutely superb in the first half, and lively until about the hour mark but tired a little as the game went on. I can't help but be reminded of C.Ronaldo, but more because of his build, running style and white boots than anything. He looks like him when he moves round the pitch but they are quite different wingers. In actual fact he's less tricky than Ronaldo and more direct - which is actually a plus point in my book. Ronaldo tends to over-do it with all his step-overs, they are a bit pointless a lot of the time. Of course Gonzales isn't at Ronaldo's level yet - he has got to come over here and settle in to our league, but I think he has massive potential. A year or so under Rafa's guidance, the lad could be a superstar.

Kuyt and Bellamy would be my choices. I think those two would provide the pace, strength, aggression and goals we've been lacking from our forwards this season. They are certainly very different players, Bellamy being lightning quick and skilful, Kuyt powerful, strong and with an eye for goal. I actually think they'd play well together, and with Crouch and Fowler would make up a foursome of completely different striking options, enabling Rafa to tailor his strikeforce for each game. I think disregarding any other deficiencies, Morientes is too nice, and Cisse doesn't work hard enough or put pressure on opposition defences. Bellamy and Kuyt on the other hand share a combative nature, and would give us real edge we've been lacking up front. I know Bellamy is an @rsehole, but I'd trust Rafa to get the best out of him, and the lad's talent is unquestionable. Kuyt's attitude is fantastic - the fans would love him here I reckon. You've got to think 'if I was a defender who would I hate playing against', those two would be a nightmare for different reasons. We have a strong physical presence all through the defence and midfield - we certainly need some pace up front, but we also need a goalscorer and to make opposition defences work. Those two would tick more boxes than any other combo of players we are linked with. You could bring in Torres instead of Bellamy and retain the same balance, but you are paying 3 times as much and he isn't proven over here. The potential gains are outweighed by the huge risk.

I think idiots actually pop up here from time to time, but get embarrassed into leaving. The standard of posts is higher here in my opinion than anywhere else, and there are a few sharp tongues around who help keep it that way...

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Major trophy + highest ever league points total in the Premiership + Super Cup could surely only = an 'A' grade or above. Suppose you'd need to win the title for an A*, but a fantastic season regardless.

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I would imagine Sevilla would much rather sell Alves to a club outside Spain. As he seems to care about his current employers that may count in our favour...

Ribery is a cracking little player - I'd love to see him come the other way...

Cheers for pointing that out mate - edited accordingly...

I can't remember any of these excellent games Traore had in the Champions League and I went to most of them. In his entire Liverpool career I can remember Traore having one game which I'd class as 'excellent' or 'immense' by Liverpool Football Club standards, and that was at Anfield against Valencia when Rafa's team took us apart; he was the outstanding performer for us that day by a mile. The rest has been varying degrees of awfulness; in other words Traore playing exceptionally well would equate to an average game for anyone else.

Well there's one thing I can tick off the list of things I never thought I'd see before I died. The phrases 'Traore' and 'immense' being used in connection with each other in the same sentence...

Big Sam says 'You don't have to have experience in the Champions League to sign Traore, you just have to be a brilliant manager...'

I'd take £1.5m for Traore, £3m for Morientes, £2m for Dudek and £7m for Cisse - then spend the £13.5m on a top class striker. Easy this transfer business isn't it? Sack Parry - replace him with me.

Still mumbling angrily as someone has borrowed his pliers and not returned them...

Maldini is thinking about succuming to Dule's advances...

Surely having the Chesterfield manager on the panel would make a complete farce of the whole thing. I can only assume more sensible reasoning such as picking a load of people called Duncan was applied. As well as him the panel consisted of Peter Duncan the Blue Peter presenter, Dunc Kirk, Duncan McLeod (Highlander) and Duncan doughnuts...

I was one of a tiny minority who wanted us to sign Eto'o when Houllier was interested. Most people on here and other sites seemed to think he would fail in England. Sometimes you're right sometimes you're wrong, but in hindsight I don't think there's much doubt he would have succeeded massively here. I think he's as good as any out and out striker in the world; his style isn't as easy on the eye as Henry or Shevchenko - there's something less graceful in the way he moves than them - but he's just as effective and just as good in his own way. Eto'o is pure power and pace, but has a fantastic touch as well and great composure in front of goal. Not only that, but he's a team player as well; he moves out wide all the time to cause problems for the opposition by dragging centre-halves out of position, for the likes of Ronaldinho, Messi and Giuly to make runs from deep into the space they leave. He plays with his heart as well - I think he's brilliant to watch. Madrid must have been insane sending him out on loan then letting him go...

Raul? Incredible - just how long can your reputation keep you in the side...

Foy would come up with a nice trick every now and again and you couldn't fault his effort, but in general was a funny little fella with a ridiculous tan who was always going to be too lightweight to make it...

Zidane has looked desperately past it this season. I actually hope he finds the old Zizou for one big last tournament - it'd be a shame to see one of the greatest players of a generation finish with a whimper...

Moro has a lovely touch, great movement and a fantastic football brain. He is also a great header of the ball. That sounds like it adds up to a great striker - exactly what we need in fact. Sad fact is though, everyone who has watched him play here for the last year and a half can see the sums don't add up. Out of this equation we are missing two key qualities; pace, and strength, both mental and physical. I think if Moro was stronger mentally he'd have been a success here. The game is so fast, he needed time to settle and adapt his game; problem is, during that 'settling in' period, his confidence sunk so low he's never recovered. Nowadays, people say he isn't the same player, but his abilities are no different than they were, and his qualities are still those which looked so suitable when he arrived. He's never been the quickest, but instead of understanding he'll always be closed down quicker here and at times the game will pass him by, and adapting to that, he seems to have pretty much given up. Lack of confidence has turned him into a nervous finisher - which makes all the difference; if he'd have scored 15 goals this season he'd be a different player. Bloody hell he's missed some sitters, ones he'd never have missed at Madrid when he believed in himself, and that has seen him sink that low, that even when he's done something really good (goals against Bruges / Boro), it still hasn't been enough to drag his confidence to a level at which he'd realise his potential. He used to be phenomenal attacking the ball crossed into the area, now it's almost half-hearted. Then when does connect he tries to put it right in the corner when all he needs to do is make decent contact and it'll go in (Blackburn away is a great example, but there have been loads you could pick out). Also I thought he was stronger on the ball; he is pushed off the ball too easily over here to fall into the 'holding up the ball' category of striker. He used to look more powerful at Madrid to me which I find a bit of a mystery; I suppose it just must be the nature of the English game. This interview is a good insight; he isn't the ballsiest bloke, he almost seems a bit too nice. In retrospect I don't think he has what it takes to play in England in terms of mental strength, but I wanted him here as much as anyone; sometimes you just don't know how a person will adapt - after all these guys aren't just footballers they are human beings as well, who are unpredictable. If anything Morientes' failure in England should be a good lesson as to just how tough dealing in the transfer market is, and how risky spending vast sums of money on a person, who is more likely to underperform, go wrong in a way you can't fix or break down completely than any car or appliance can be. Everyone wanted Morientes - everyone was wrong. We spent £6.3m, a good chunk of which we'll recoup, so it's not the end of the world. People post about us spending more and more money and bringing in 'high profile' players, but every time you do that it is like spinning the wheel and hoping your number comes up. A good manager can greatly increase your chances of success of course, but even when it looks a good bet, sometimes you just don't know. Moro hasn't worked, and he isn't going to. I'm quite gutted about that really, but it's a fact and I think Rafa knows it too. I'd genuinely just wish the lad thanks for his contribution, all the best for the future, and good luck wherever he goes. I hope things work out better for him at his next club.