Ginu

The only reason I see Zenden playing (and he played well) is that Rafa didn't think Alvaro was table to cope on the left side against Chelsea.

I still don't understand the tactical advantage of using Zenden over Riise.

This has to be the hardest decision of the season. Alonso was dropped against Chelsea, and Momo would go buckwild on the Italians. IMO this is the match you play Momo but he's not on form. What does Rafa do? Gerrard has to be in the middle in the biggest game of the season but is Pennant good enough to start? He had a good game against Chelsea but it normally takes him a while to get into it. How do we fit Stevie, Maschy, Alonsy and Sissoky?! Kuyt and Crouch can't be dropped and we all know deep down Harry will start on the left

wasn't the score 1-0

i have a feeling we're wearing red like 2 years ago

okay i have the white/green in short sleeve and the yellow and red in short and long sleeve with printing... do we know for sure which strip we're wearing?

well from me but i'll have to ask around first before i can definitely tell you

Interesting. My how Ashley Cole has fallen from grace.

i'm in canada i can get it to you at your door within 2 weeks custom printed for $80

True, but a set play is different. Tactics extend over the entire 90 (and in our case 120) minutes.

Don't worry... that's exactly what Rafa wants. He made Mourinho eat his words, who looks like the small club now? Rafa will use those words to his advantage too.

What did Rafa do tactics-wise that was really unique this match? Other than Agger shadowing Drogba? To me we played a standard 4-4-2 and Zenden played a blinder. Did anybody see anything special that we did differently? P.S. Imagine if Fowler wins the Champions League. When he returned last January he must have been saying to himself, if only it was a year earlier. Now he has another chance. He must be livid right now!

best in the world surely... 10 goals in 11 CL games

does anybody know why Rafa played him? obviously what he did worked, but it had to be tactical because Riise could have played LM. just like rafa introduced arbeloa against ronaldinho, what was the reason for using zenden? or is it just down to the fact he did well in training? i find that hard to believe... zenden's a good professional and im sure he didn't slack off in training before

and so it begins... 1-0 Milan

i think he got out of us what he wanted, to me that explains his calmness... he didn't care if we won or lost because we gave it our all... you can tell he's thinking we couldn't have done anything better especially from his post match comments when he said he couldn't have expected more from us... WELL IN RAFA!

Dives to the left, dives to the right Never gives up without a fight PEPE REINA! PEPE REINA!

1. Reina 2. Mascherano 3. Agger 4. Kuyt you can't forget either of these 4 boys today

IMO this is the summer Rafa makes his squad and I don't think that has Gerrard playing on the right most of the time. Rafa also seems to really covet Alves but I agree Tevez is a good option to consider. But I don't see him as being bought as an alternative to Alves but rather Alves being bought because we need a right winger and Tevez to replace one of our current strikers. In my post I talked about bringing in one forward - that may be Tevez or Eto'o. Doesn't really matter who.

looks to me like Rafa is setting up for a 4-3-3 and 4-5-1 Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa Alves Mascherano Alonso Gerrard Crouch Simao or Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa Alves Mascherano Alonso Simao Gerrard Crouch Essentially the same if you ask me. Pennant/Alves/Finnan for the right side, Gerrard/Alonso/Mascherano/Sissoko for the centre and Simao/Riise/Aurelio/Harry for the left. Bring in a top class centre forward as well as Alves. We may only pick up one forward and get rid of two (Fowler, Bellamy) with Stevie also playing as a supporting striker. But somebody has to be sold in midfield if we buy Simao and Alves surely? Especially after picking up Mascherano in January. Simao for Zenden is a decent upgrade though.

i'm at a loss... i have a PhD exam tomorrow morning and the game is this afternoon!

Don't know about their players but Mourinho said this: http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...Jose+over+slurs

Reina Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa Pennant Mascherano Alonso Riise Gerrard Crouch We need to pack the midfield and Mascherano is enough of a ball winner to keep Sissoko on the bench, also because Gerrard needs to play in the center on Tuesday.

Villa and Benny McCarthy according to the Tripe.