Cam

If they start, and it seems they will, then Spurs ought to have 3 points deducted for their attempted fraud. Still, it's not the greatest prep is it? Great genius shown by Spurs once again: "no you're not well enough to play, we'll get hammered, we'll call it off.... er, you have to play, I'm sure we'll be fine". I predict a 4-0 loss As an aside - lump your money on Sinama to score first for Blackburn v Citeh. 2 cars have just collided right outside my window, both reg plates end in FSP. It's a sign from God, I tell thee.

It's a 2nd rate job. How often have the managers of Liverpool, Man Utd & Arsenal left for the role? Would Mourinho leave the cash-rich Chelsea? The best England can hope for is an average manager from a mid-table club. Sven was tempted by the money & tabloid-star lifestyle and that should have set alarm bells ringing at the FA early on. The top club managers are workaholics who like driving themselves on for 20 hours a day, 7 days a week and they'd never give it up. They like having their players for 10 months a year. They love the constant competition in the league and Europe. I'd have preferred Peter Taylor but McClaren, Curbishley, Allardyce would all have done similar jobs. England have some great players but other countries have better ones. Despite the hype of being "1 of a few who COULD win" a tournament there's always going to be 4 or 5 better teams in the competition. England are always destined for an unlucky exit and McClaren won't change that and bring glory. Nor should he be punished for it. Hopefully he'll make full use of the U21s and bring a few younger players through. I also think it's now a cert that Downing will be going to the WC as preparation for his September role as 'left-wing saviour'. McClaren ain't an exciting choice but why is Barwick getting so much stick. Dein was quick to hog the headlines when it looked like they'd convinced Scholari, surely he should be getting the flak now.

I still want Garcia to play up front so anyone to play alongside him would be my pick. An old-fashioned, goal-scoring centre-forward who can hold the ball up and is deadly with the finish. A 22-year-old Alan Shearer would be ideal.

I'm pleased he's staying. He's not what he was but he's shown more since January than the other strikers have put together. If he's banging them in and is first choice next season then great, if his form & fitness is off and he's 4th choice then great - at least we'll know he'll try & will show some willing and intelligence when he plays. More than the rest can guarantee. I still believe the initial signing was designed to pull the wool over the eyes of the fans after a disappointing transfer window, particularly after Gerrard's comments. Maybe it hints at a disappointing summer - but that won't be for the lack of money, not if Cisse & Moro go.

We need a 'Thank Parry' smiley.

We need Citeh to win. Then Sky may just show the battle for 2nd rather than the (then dead) fight for 4th.

A little part of me still thinks Cheyrou can do a job for us. He was wonderful for Lille in central midfield: strong, flair, goalscorer, creative, tracked back. Everything we needed at the time. If we can get *that* Bruno back he'd fit in fine. Never gonna happen, though. He just seemed 100% different with us.

Yes, 17. More than some, less than others. But enough for me to consider myself an authority on everything. I didn't put anything for a reaction. My considered opinion is that he's struggled at times and overall look poor. Rather than simply say that I went a touch further and mentioned some of his weak points. He's probably a better player than we've seen so far and he must learn something with the coaches & players around him. He's a cult but so was Igor. Simply to follow the Crouchmania hype and see that all is rosy is silly and shows complete ignorance. We have to accept that we do have poor players in the squad. Another season like this and he'll have shown himself to be of insufficient quality.

Sorry, I forgot myself for a moment. He's ace, the greatest player ever. Except for Traore, obviously. FFS. We ALL said he was crap before he was linked with us and (ignoring those who have no opinion or dare not criticise a Red) at best he's done okay. He has severe limitations and you can't compete against a £300m Chelsea squad or against Europes best with them. If Rafa sold him this summer would we miss him?

E+. Must do better or face an F next term. And expulsion. He hasn't socred enough nor made himself enough of a threat and got into the positions. His finishing hasn't improved and he doesn't appear to have learnt a thing, particularly about using power with headers. Rafa seemed to think he'd change the way we play - that doesn't seem to have happened. He's actually very poor at holding the ball up, moves break down. He's not brave enough and I've never seen a Liverpool player so slow, not just physically but mentally. His reading of situations, movement and reactions are shocking. Even Heskey would get on the end of bobbling balls banging around the penalty area, Crouch's delayed vision would mean he wouldn't see the opportunities until he was driving home - flashbacks! The speed of reaction is so alarming that I do genuinely wonder how he managed to ever get a pro contract to start with. And he seems to have settled for a well-used, fan-appeasing attempt to react or win the ball when it's long gone with a little look up to the sky as if to say "ooh, nearly". But I accept I'm the only one who'd give Momo a C so what the hell do I know.

Diao is surplus to requirements? No!!!! I refuse to believe it until Elisha confirms.

Oh please let that happen, I'd wet myself laughing. But next seasons team consisting of Friedel, Matteo, Hyypia, Fowler, Sinama & Heskey.

for Misty. Feck him. Still think he'll end up there, 60% fit and useless but depriving someone else of the chance. Hope it puts him back for the start of the season.

Pearce 'officially' supports Bristol City in the way Green 'officially' chose Macc as the small, harmless club to tie his allegence to and hide his true love from potential employers & critics. Pearce was a boyhood West Ham fan and his father took him to Leeds for many years. Green kept banging on about supporting England again today. But I've also noticed he appears to be watering down his accent yet further just in time for the WC.....

He had a poor game today - made some bad decisions and some poor touches. Each of which brought the expected moaning & slating from the stands. But he was involved, he never hid. He delivered some interest to the game, even a wee bit of excitement. Crouch meanwhile stole a living today, completely anonymous. Yet he's backed to the hilt.

Then there's the Sheff Utd "playing on" incident. As for Wenger saying Jol "lied" about not seeing it.... I just hope some brave reporter pulls Wenger up about it next time he uses it. 'Tis why I want Paxman to work for Sky Sports.

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Reportedly out of the game tomorrow, torn abductor muscle or summat.

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Gary McSheffrey at Coventry was going to be a real superstar. I was certain - he's impressed me more than anyone at this level. But it's only this year that his club form is catching up very slightly on the hype.

He said it last year. He said it the year before. Maybe I'm too negative & pessimistic ("noooo!") but sounds to me like he won't repeat the mistakes of the last 2 years, ask for a move and get all the abuse. He's learnt his lesson. He'll just very willingly let Rafa ship him out.

He cancelled out the Westerveld/Carragher own goal debacle. I quite like him. He makes a number of small inept decisions plus usually one huge one per game but it seems balanced across all teams. You kinda know where you are with him - he's not corrupt, just crap.

SWP? Finally the replacement for McManaman we've all wanted for so long. I miss having a headless eejit on the right wing running down blind alleys. I mean Baros tried his best but it was never the same.

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From todays Lancs Evening Telegraph: http://www.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.u...s_pain_game.php "He's had his critics, rightly or wrongly, but I think he's rehabilitated himself at Blackburn," said Hughes. "He's playing some great stuff and enjoying his football. He's always been the same in my view, he's very demanding and he's demanding of his team-mates and I think you need that in the dressing room. I don't have a problem with that, you have to have that on a day to day basis because he's a winner, he wants to be the best he can be and he drives other people on as well." Bellamy, in rejecting suggestions his personality had an adverse effect at Newcastle, said: "I was part of a team that had done a fair old job the previous season, which I thought was a good one for me. If you look at the three previous seasons we had finished third, fourth and fifth with me there and look where we are now with Blackburn. This disruptive influence has obviously got a real problem with teams, hasn't it?"