Leo No.8

Putting aside all the greats (I mean its obvious we 'miss' them but I didn't think that was what the question was asking) I miss Igor, just for his being Igor. I miss his Igoricicty...

I'll tell you exactly why Souness is still there, and it isn't Freddie Shepard's new found sense of loyalty. I'll give you a clue - it starts with '£5m', and ends with 'severance package'...

I actually changed him from 8 to 7, but when I think about it I'm not really sure why. You are absolutely right, he didn't put a foot wrong last night, won some towering headers and was brave in the face of flying feet a couple of times. Sami deserves his 8...

For me... Reina 8: Didn't have too much to do, but what he did he did well. I give him 8 for that save at the end - it was absolutely unbelievable, still don't know how he got it. Finnan 7: Excellent until he got caught trying to push on at the end, which eventually led to the goal. I believe he should take corners as his delivery is far better than anyone else's in the side. Riise 6: Difficult game against Pennant, but got forward well at times. Hyypia 7: Solid as ever, storming run down the right was a sight to behold! Agger 6: Some nervy moments early on, but looked classy and composed as the game progressed. Kewell 8: Another excellent performance by Harry, showed frightening pace and strength and was our main threat throughout. Gerrard 8: Typical strong performance from Stevie capped with the goal. I wouldn't have taken him off myself in all honesty. Hamann 5: Poor game by Didi's standards; gave the ball away more than usual and struggled to deal with Sutton aerially. Kept finding himself under the ball from goal-kicks and either letting the ball drop in dangerous areas or fouling to give Pennant the chance to put us under pressure with his delivery. Garcia 5: Dreadful in the first half, and despite a couple of really bright moments in the second overall disappointing. Crouch 6: Some nice touches and link play as ever, but not enough goal threat. Moreintes 5: Too much time spent on the floor, gave the ball away too often, not enough goal threat either. Like Garcia, every now and again in the second half he'd do something brilliant, but the overall contribution just isn't enough. Subs: Fowler, some great movement just needs fitness. Xabi, what were you thinking mate?! Nearly made up for it with the free-kick though - these things happen.

I think the sum quoted, which is about the same amount we paid for a young player who has increased his profile massively since coming here, should tell you enough about how much credibility this story should be given. If they'd said £20m, I might be slightly worried...

He reminds me of Beckham when he used to play on the right for United, in that although he is capable of going past his man, he doesn't actually need to his delivery is that good. He can bend the ball round the full-back and right into the danger area without actually having to get to the byeline. Crouchy must have been watching the balls he was putting into the area with some admiration. Not suprised of Rafa's view on the lad - I think we all feel the same way, worried about if we signed him would he go off the rails again. I think the boss would have to meet him, talk things through and be convinced, but last night he must have been very impressed indeed...

I actually thought he would, so I say the above whilst fully accepting I was wrong. The main thing for me is I thought he was much stronger than he actually is. I suppose that's just the difference between playing in Spain and England.

Yeah - I was thinking exactly the same thing! Fortunately he is a dyed-in-the-wool Red, so hopefully it won't make too much difference.

I thought Robbie looked as chubby as he has for about the last 7 years. Having said that though, his movement in the short time he was on absolutely put our other strikers to shame. There were a few times (Rafa alluded to the same), when his movement was so good he made himself loads of space, but he didn't have the pace to capitalise. If Rafa's team can work on him the way they have Kewell to get him an extra yard or two over the ground I believe he really could still be something like the Robbie of old...

Absolutely superb last night - his delivery caused us no end of problems; I've rarely seen a player cross the ball into dangerous areas so consistently. I don't think I can remember him putting a single bad ball in, and when the goal eventually came it was following his cross. He worked hard as well - wasn't just poncing about as some players with his quality feel they have the right to, he ran his balls off for his team. I'd love to see us sign him in the summer and last night was the clincher for me. The main thing is he seems to have sorted that attitude out; he has the demeanour of a lad who has got his head down now. Yes he had a little strop in the corner, but I like to see that kind of passion from a player. I'd probably put him as my number one choice to solve our right midfield problems; if Brum go down we'd probably get him cut price as well. I'd love to see him and the re-born Harry Kewell operating down each wing. Hope my mate is right and he's coming in the summer. Apparently we've got first refusal following the dicussions recently, and we're his first choice.

As it always seems to be with Moro, I thought he did a couple of good things, but in general was anonymous and failed to hold the ball up the way he is supposed to. He got caught in possession far too often, and spent a lot of time on the floor. Players coming in from foreign countries may be used to a different game, but after a full year they should have learned that over here you stick your a*** out, grab the centre-half's shirt and look to lay it off. When he feels any kind of contact from behind, Morientes is still hurling himself to the ground, and rarely being given free-kicks. In addition, he still hasn't learned his job when he's playing with Crouch is to play on the last man and pick up the pieces when the big man challenges for headers. If he used his head he could be scoring goals playing off Crouch, but instead he challenged for the same balls again and again, meaning when one of them won the knock-down there was no-one there to capitalise. The couple of nice moments he brings to each game isn't enough. When he throws off a defender with his body movement and lays the ball into someone's path you think 'great', but his overall conribution is totally unacceptable. Last night he may as well not have been on the pitch in the first half, all he did was get in Crouch's way and get caught in possession. He did a couple of good things in the second half including the pull-back for the goal, but I would replace him and Cisse in the summer - I just don't think either is cut out for England for different reasons. If we had a genuinely top-class striker, I think we'd be challenging Chelsea. The chances we have missed this season are quite shocking.

Kewell was superb last night - he looks so quick and strong, Melchiot was soiling himself every time he ran at him, and the Dutchman isn't the slowest defender in the Premier League. People talk about Fowler being God - I genuinely thought only divine intervention could make Harry Kewell move as quickly as he used to again, but somehow Rafa and his team have helped him get there. With that pace back, he is as good as anyone - delighted to see him doing so well (as I predicted at the start of the season ).

'Due to arrest' - has Djibs been at the Mrs again?!

Beckham shmeckham - give me a few more examples. You'll probably struggle because the simple fact is that most players who have the kind of quality we are looking for are involved with the first team by the age of 18. So don't over-do the caution; giving a player 15 minutes at the end of a first team game isn't going to kill him. Much less likely than sticking him in those crappy reserve games for 18 months anyway...

There are more of us than you think...

Absolutely - Souness would batter Hasselbaink...

Windows XA!

Beckham is a great example - he wasn't doing that much for the reserves, went on loan to Preston and was a success, then made his name at United when he came back. This is my point - if players like Anderson aren't ready for our first team they should be going out on loan next season to play competitive football. More than 6 months of reserve team football, I believe can ruin a young player. They get used to that low-key atmosphere. I wouldn't want to see a kid with Anderson's potential still plodding along in the reserves in 12 months time.

I'd ask this question to add to the debate - how many genuinely top players spent more than 6 months in the reserves? Carra, Gerrard, Macca, Fowler, Owen - none of them spent much time in the ressies...

There really are two ways of looking at this. I watched the reserves a lot last season, but quite clearly none of that crop of young players were ever going to be good enough. You'd hear people call for Welsh to get a game in the first team, when you'd seen him fail regularly to stand out in reserve games, despite the fact he'd always give 100%. He just wasn't good enough. This year there are a few who may have what it takes to make it, but its so hard to judge from reserve matches. I'd agree of course that a lot of the promising young lads won't make it, and some who may aren't ready for regular first team involvement yet. However, I don't agree that because Anderson is slight it means he can't be given some time off the bench, perhaps even before the end of this season. I'd be interested to know how many times Giggs played for United's reserves? Very few I'd imagine, even though he wouldn't have been a dis-similar build to Anderson when he was his age. See, its all very well preaching caution, but caution can kill young players as well. Whilst making the case for delaying the introduction of youngsters Cardinal Fang, you said people should try attending a few reserve games, and I completely agree. But as well as looking for themselves at what the players can do, they should go to taste the atmosphere, or lack of, and see what playing in the reserves week-in, week-out could do to a young player. It is a terrible scene for a young footballer; usually there are a couple of first teamers strolling round not giving a toss and there are so few people in the ground you can hear the hum of the floodlights and the rustle of crisp packets. The games tend to be fairly scrappy affairs, as the line-ups are changed so often to accomodate first-teamers returning from injury, young players being given a go etc. I personally believe that a young player needs to be given a taste of real football, whether that be on loan to a championship side or from the bench in our first team if they are a top-class prospect. Some young players take immediately to top-flight football, but you never know if they aren't given a go. Would it really hurt to have one of our most promising young players on the bench in a game like tonight? Give him a run-out for 15 minutes just to taste the atmopshere, and see if he has the balls to run at a Premier League defender in front of 45,000 people in that time. I actually think both Neil Mellor and Ritchie Patridge could have been far better players had they been given more of a taste of the first team at a younger age. Instead they played game after game in the reserves whilst mediocre foreign players sat on the bench. Baros looked dreadful in the reserves, but he just wasn't motivated to perform at his best at that level - he had to be chucked into the first team despite his poor reserve form to actually find out what he could do. I agree there has to be a level of caution, but bear in mind also that over-caution and reserve team football can dull a young players talent, and a taste of the first team can give them the fire they need to become the best that they can be.

Apparently Boro are in a right state behind the scenes. Amongst other incidents McLaren is supposed to have had a fight with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the training ground, and the 'senior pros' want Southgate to take over as manager. Can't say I'd be all that sorry if they ended up going down - not a particularly pleasant club and a horrible away trip...

Torres for me would be a gigantic risk as that price. Very, very talented, but not really made for English football. In my opinion only Chelsea have got enough money to take a chance on him and recover if he flops.

If D'Alessandro comes over here to Portsmouth and can take to the English game, I reckon he'll be moving again to a bigger club in the summer for twice the fee. He really is a great talent - loads of ability on the ball and scores goals from midfield; just seems to have made the wrong choices so far; badly advised perhaps? None of the big clubs followed up their interest, and it seemed like he took the first move that came up to Europe. I actually thought he was doing well in Germany, certainly last season I thought he was performing superbly - whats happened to him since then? Rafa knows the South American market well though, so I'm sure he's aware of what he can and can't do I suppose. PS Ortega was brilliant - sublime skills. Never quite achieved as much as he should in the game.

Usually there are conflicting views on young players, but I'd say the verdict has been pretty unanimous so far from supporters, people within the club etc that Anderson has the ability to become a top-class player. Exciting to see a talented young winger coming through - its been a long time...

I realise that - I think half of it was St John's vitriolic delivery of the phrase though.