BG

If Alonso is a threat around the other's team's box 2-3 times a game its pretty staggering how few goals he gets. As for Lucas I totally disagree: I think he does most things pretty well.

Personally I'm amazed that so many people are prepared to write Lucas off. Not all players who go to be really useful are anywhere near their full level at 22 (Lampard being one obvious example). I rate Lucas: played in two of our best performances this season (Old Trafford, St James'), does all the basics well and with a bit more confidence I think he has the potential to be a big asset.

Xabi was terrible even when he had space. Gave it away loads and overhit it all the time. He was also poor defensively (notably on the first goal). He's thankfully been a lot better this season than the last two but last night was not his night at all:as the senior midfielder yesterday he was very poor. More than any player we've had since Fowler it seems to me that some people like him as a player so much they are blind to it even when he's played poorly.

Is correct.

Times say he is.

Its 3600m (i.e. over 12000 ft)in La Paz. Having gone on a run the day after I arrived in Mexico City (2200m) I can vouch for the difficulty and how quickly you get knackered. No wonder Bolivia get these results sometimes - I seem to remember them thrashing Brazil in La Paz a few years ago.

That mag is, I think edited and/or published by Redknapp (J) which says quite a lot. I vaguely remember reading once that Rafa has a particular dislike for players who think they have made it and can rest on their laurels. Seems Keane fell into that category.

He also made a decent chance for Kuyt in the first half and had a big role in the move that put that sitter on a plate for Keane to miss.

Rafa did it with Kuyt for months, Crouch for months...

This content is not viewable to guests.

From the way he fell it looked like that was possible. The most concerning thing was his reaction immediately as often when the anterior cruciate ruptures the person feels a kind of 'pop' in the knee. Here's hoping it's not.

Made all the more depressing by the side being set-up defensively. Really really annoying.

Guardian

This content is not viewable to guests.

I agree. I'm no great fan of Xabi (in the league anyway) but thought he did well defensively today. I prefer it when he just gets it and plays simple balls and think he is a bit hit and miss when he starts playing what (the disgraced) Big Ron used to call Hollywood Balls. Especially early doors (a phrase I think Rafa may have picked up).

Snorky and Ant as Vladimir and Estragon, RP as Pozzo, Kaiser as Lucky.

This content is not viewable to guests.

If he still insists on going (even if not to us) his price will go down if the play him on Wednesday which is why they are worried about doing so.

Echo says deal on the rocks. Owners not sure about Barry...

Actually for any decent sized company who will advertise regularly in expensive media (e.g. TV) they very rarely do.

I always thought that that was what Everton were for but each to his own...

Babel: not a chance.

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

I'd love it if our next target was one A. Young.