Leo No.8

Bloody OOTers

Marseilles have been keen on him for a while, so fingers crossed they are still up for it. I'm just worried that him being dropped from the international squad may reduce his value over in France as well.

If you had £8m to spend would you spend it on Cisse though Anders / Stuff? I know I wouldn't; I'm totally serious when I say we'll do well to get £5m, his reputation must be in bits, particularly now he's been dropped from the France squad.

I'm confident about Wednesday - The Kop will suck that ball into the net a few times even if our strikers can't hit the target, it'll go in one way or another. The word on the streets however, is that Kev is said to be 'very worried' about Wednesday. He's also presently worrying about Rafa leaving, Garcia leaving, bird flu, Al Qaeda, the recent hike in gas prices, Brokeback Mountain missing out on 5 out of 8 categories for which it was nominated and the resulting effect on the gay community, whether joe Calzaghe will go up a weight or stay in the same category, the lack of adherence to the ban on fox-hunting and a nasty little spot on his chin. A full list of Kev's worries can be found at 'imworriedabouteverything.com' or alternatively email for a copy to kev@sh1ttingmyself.com...

He did alright on Saturday, but lets not go over the top now...

Done - I'll recognise that shower straight away...

I'd pretty much go along with that team myself. However, I think the team he'll actually start will involve Morientes who was rested on Saturday presumably with Wednesday in mind, and Robbie having played the full game will start on the bench. Like I said in another thread, possibly Rafa didn't play Crouch out there because Luizao could dominate him being nearly as tall and much stronger. Be interesting to see how that battle develops if he starts this time. PS Kronenkamp is cup-tied so I'd have Traore on the bench as defensive cover.

Question is - how the feck will I recognise anyone...

Chromelamp looks superb to me - gets forward well, comfortable defensively and likes to avoid booting it out whenever possible. He looks quick, strong and seems to have excellent technique; a good example was the cross he put in when Cisse ended up having his header pushed wide during the first half, as the way the ball was bouncing it was very difficult to control but he did it brilliantly. We've now got two right-backs who'd improve just about any Premier League team.

He doesn't want the son to set on his international career...

What happened to the famous Oakfield tradition, spoken of in hushed tones, in which a secret initiation involving all the regulars buying new visitors a pint takes place? It's sad to see such a great tradition go by the wayside, particularly after I've just gone to all the trouble of making it up...

Totally agree with the original post - I've been one of his biggest critics but he did well on Saturday, particularly as the game went on. It's a start - now try and keep it up son...

Wednesday seems a good day to make my first visit to the Oakie as well mate, so I'll be there. I work in Manchester, so I'm going to see if I can knock off a bit early to get myself there in decent time. Portly, Vlad's Quiff and Vlad's Quiff Jnr will be going separately to me, but I'll see if they can make it as well...

Robbie has done well so far - just thought he was a bit lax with his passing on Saturday, but if the linesman was anything like competent then he'd have scored the winner and we'd all have been made up with him. However, I'd say it's unlikely that Fowler, at this stage of his fitness progression, will start again on Wednesday after playing the full 90 minutes on Saturday. It'll be interesting to see who plays up front. He may not have played Crouch in the first leg because he felt he wouldn't get much change out of Luizao, who is almost as tall and far stronger. I'd be surprised if Cisse starts up front as well, leaving Morientes in my opinion as the only definite starter, having been rested for most of the Charlton game...

He can't half shift - he's raw still but has the potential to be top class. Expect similar pace when Gonzales arrives as well...

Pongolle is definitely benefitting from a run of games - he looked superb yesterday, very lively. FSP will come back a better player without a doubt, although personally I'd have preferred him to be getting his games with us. The lad has a great touch, unlike a certain forward we kept hold of whom I would have loaned out and continued to pay half his wages as a sweetener, just to get him out of the way. But lets get one thing straight - Rafa has decided to let Pongolle go out on loan instead of the others as a football decision, either because he's rather have kept Cisse or there were no takers. What people are saying above about wages doesn't make sense; after all if it was Cisse we wanted to loan out, couldn't we just whoever wanted him to pay the same as Blackburn are for Pongolle, and we'd pay the rest? It adds up to us saving the same amount of money and them paying the same amount of money doesn't it? I think it's possible that no-one wanted Cisse. I reckon we'll be lucky to get £5m for him when he goes. But he the boss was favouring Cisse anyway when he had both players at his disposal.

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Apparently he wants Del Bosque back - I'd take my hat off to the new president if he did that. Them getting rid of him was not only idiotic from the point of view they've gone downhill rapidly since, but it showed an appalling lack of loyalty to a man who had given them so much good service. I've disliked them since that - Madrid are the opposite everything Liverpool stand for...

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I understand what you're saying mate, just think to state he's got no emotional ties with us is plain wrong. Listen to the man speak, and its clear what he feels for Liverpool Football Club, thats all I'm saying...

I actually feel a bit sorry for him now. He's achieved every young lad's dream of becoming a professional footballer in one of the country's most succesful sides. Yet still he's a complete gimp - if the Premier League were a school he'd probably get his lunch money nicked in the yard. Imagine having all that money and fame but still being a total loser. Even his Mrs f*cked off with his cash.

Spot on - exactly how I see it. In the words of his mate at the end of Gladiator: 'Madrid will see him again, but not yet, not yet...'

Absolutely - I've never known a player lose the ability to finish the way he has. At Madrid and for the Spanish national team he used to be lethal.