goodrobotusses

Blanc would have been an interesting shout, but he's only just started with the French. Loew I'd take, definitely, but would he leave Germany?

Stop this. Everyone knows we're a two-man team.

Thanks!

It was written by me.

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Still my favourite player.

Said as much to my brother earlier. Positive early signs it seems, but VERY early signs. Will be interesting to see how he and Mainz progress, especially if they do reach Europe. Sounds like a forward-thinking, progressive coach though. Exciting.

Rafael Honigstein's article on Thomas Tuchel is interesting (linked in the ZM piece). Sounds like the Mainz boss is one to keep an eye on... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/sep/23/thomas-tuchel-mainz-bundesliga

Sent.

Laudrup would be interesting. Pellegrini was the best available when we dumped Rafa (still is). Wouldn't mind having a go at poaching Joachim Loew, though I don't know if he'd want to leave the German national team. Unai Emery is worth keeping an eye on - still young, and doing a good job with one hand tied behind his back financially.

Montenegro's Mirko Vucinic gets booked for celebrating in style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsYnbpxuKQ0

I'd love him to come back, but not in the near future. I adore the man, but any suggested rifts between Rafa and other people at the club would make going back in the near future the wrong move. I do worry about a Real Madrid Raul/Guti/Marca level of influence at the club between certain members of the playing staff, certain members of the club's administration, and the English media. No evidence of it, of course - just concerned. And maybe a bit paranoid.

Cheers for the feedback, mate - appreciated.

I wrote a really, really long take on this. Excuse some of the wording, I was trying (and failing) to write as though I weren't a fan... http://inthemixer.tumblr.com/post/1258885096/the-new-submissive-liverpool-fc-under-roy-hodgson

Hopefully no-one, if by some cruel twist of fate Hodgson is still manager then.

Lawton used to be good, but somewhere in the past couple of years his writing has just descended into fruity paeans to Wenger's Arsenal side.

The mind truly boggles.

Exactly how I feel. I didn't support Rafa's sacking, and thought Roy was the wrong choice to replace him, but never felt I wouldn't do my duty as a supporter and actually support the manager. But I really can't support this guy - he just doesn't get it at all. Nice bloke though he is, he's about as far away from being a Liverpool manager as I can imagine. In terms of Maldini's initial post - I'm supportive of that. Don't like the idea of Kenny in that snakepit, and don't think he could be a long-term bet. But in the interim, at least ALL supporters would be united behind him because he is universally adored by fans. Even if we continued to struggle throughout the season, I think there would be a lot more unity behind Kenny because he is Kenny. Roy has no ties to or understanding of this club, and it shows. That said, I wouldn't want Thommo - love the guy, but I'm worried he'd be a divisive figure in the dressing room.

He got Ayala on the wrong side of the CB pairing. Sack him from his own website.

"I suppose some people would find it entirely justifyable hitting me with microphones, and those people are entirely welcome to that point of view. However, I feel that expectations of how a microphone would sound as it struck me on the head are neither fair nor necessary at this early stage. We should caress the microphone with the forehead, and take babysteps as we strive to reach our goal of a full-blooded "BOP"."

Jesus wept. Can we please stop putting microphones in front of the man?

Some of the best football we ever played under Rafa, that. Was a beacon in a dire, dark season.

This. People seem to be annoyed by the fact he's not a flying winger or a trickster, but he's never been either of those.

Xabi's a Dexter fan. It's like finding out your ex went to see your favourite band and you had to miss the show because you were working late. Or something.

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