reniformis

In the black or in the red? They're not going to be happy either way are they?

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It's a great point. We need a weapon (insert your own joke here) that 99% of teams find it difficult to play against. The mancs have the 'free roles' and movement of Ronaldo/Rooney/Tevez. Chelsea have a high work rate and great technical ability from every single one of the 11 on the pitch, eventually wearing down the opposition for a series of 1-0 wins. Arsenal have their short passing game. Maybe ours will be the movement between the central and wide midfielders. When we're attacking, Kuyt and/or Babel move inside from the flanks to support Torres, Barry and Gerrard can go left and right, Mash can cover and whoever the second striker is can drop into the 'hole'. Or something.

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Also from todays Sunday People: » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «ROONEYS' RAGE AT RIO WEDDING NO-SHOWWayne Rooney EXCLUSIVE By Tom Carlin Wayne Rooney and new bride Coleen are angrily demanding to know why team-mate Rio Ferdinand mysteriously snubbed their wedding. The couple sent a car to take Rio and lover Rebecca Ellison to the airport to fly to Italy for the £5million bash. Manchester United defender Rio - once banned from the game for forgetting to take a drugs test - had even been fitted for a suit for the ceremony. But he and Rebecca pulled out at the last minute, leaving two empty seats at the £50,000-a-head celebrations. And England heroes Rio and Rooney haven't spoken since. A friend said: "Very, very late on it was apparent Rio was not turning up. "If Wayne and Coleen had known two people weren't going to come there were loads of other people they could have invited instead." The pal added: "It was furiously late. There's been no conversation since between Wayne and Rio." Ferdinand had earlier told Rooney and Coleen, both 22, he would be there even though Rebecca is seven months pregnant with their second child. But when Wayne sent a car to whisk them to the airport, Rio, 29, and his lover were not at home. And by that time it was too late to find replacements. An insider said: "It's bizarre. Rio isn't known for having the best memory but surely he couldn't forget about the wedding. "He hasn't even called to apologise or explain why he didn't attend. "He accepted the invite months ago and they were expected to be there for the full week of celebrations. "But they didn't show - so that was a waste of about £100,000. "It's not the money that matters, it's the principle." Ferdinand also missed Wayne's stag party in Ibiza earlier this month. Rio, who has twice been caught driving with an out-of-date tax disc, spent the week before the wedding doing charity work in Nigeria. Organisers said he cut short the trip to get back in time for the bash. But days after his no-show in Italy, Rio was seen partying at a nightclub in Israel with his brother Anton and former Leeds player Jody Morris. A source said: "Rio didn't go to Wayne's stag do because he was worried he'd be criticised for enjoying himself while the European championships were on and England were stuck at home after failing to qualify. "He is very PR-conscious because he is desperate to get his hands on the England captaincy and Wayne does understand that. Then he's pictured in a club a few days later. "He can't go to Ibiza or Italy because Rebecca's pregnant or he's worried about his image - but he CAN go on a boys' trip to Israel. It makes no sense. "Wayne is disappointed and wants an explanation." A spokesman for Wayne and Coleen said: "It was a fantastic wedding which everybody present massively enjoyed." Rio was unavailable for comment last night. HOLD ON, MAYBE HE JUST FORGOT. IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME AFTER ALL! 'Rio was invited. Very, very late on it was apparent he was not turning up. There has been no conversation since between Wayne & Rio. The decision was furiously late. Other people could have been invited had we known' Nice bloke.

Yes he did, in his final season. Roy Evans also played him there with Matteo for a while. Whilst Rafa has implemented many new ideas since he has been here, playing Jamie at centre back was not one of them. As for Ged, people saying it was basically his team that won the European Cup is more like damnation than praise. Rafa came in, added a couple of signings, coached the team differently and won it. When Wenger arrived at Arsenal he did the same and won the double but you don't see anyone saying 'but it was Rioch's team!'. When we were on the cusp of something big after 2001, many, including Ged, believed that a couple of top quality forward players would allow us to play a more expansive game and really challenge for the big prizes. Then came the Summer of Spam. Diouf, Diao and Cheyrou. When we tried to play a more attacking game, with a midfield of Gerrard holding and Smicer, Kewell and Diouf supporting Heskey and Owen, we had some really encouraging performances. I was at Blackburn away during that period and we ripped them a new one in the second half. I remember thinking that maybe we were onto something here, but Ged obviously didn't have the courage of his convictions and a couple of setbacks later he reverted to plan A of two banks of four and the ball over the top to Owen, an already stale and predictable idea. The opportunity was gone and we went backwards from that point on. Probably not Ged's fault, he's always been a safety-first kind of manager and we always knew that. I'll still always be grateful for 2001. I reckon if we're going to win the league in the forseeable future then someone, the manager or the owners, is going to have to take a gamble and hope it pays off. More money or a more risky style of play. Houllier tried and came up short, I hope Rafa tries. Percentage football and limited spending will make it almost impossible to take that final step. IMO of course

I take all those points, I'm not going to disagree because frankly I don't know enough about it. However is there any mileage in the idea that Hicks could be f***ed if the build hasn't begun when the loans need refinancing? In itself that would be a reason for delaying the stadium on Gilletts part, given that his potential losses could be cushioned by DIC whereas Hicks could be screwed into the ground. Depends on whether DIC can negotiate for each 50% seperately at that time I guess.

If it is true that Hicks wants to give the contracts for the build to his and his mates other companies (he's got a steel company hasn't he?) and probably overcharging us for it then maybe DIC could get it built cheaper with their own contacts. A years delay costing us £30m may be nothing if a DIC-run build saves us £60m or whatever. Especially if Hicks' refinancing in a years time relies on the project being underway. Years delay could equal Hicks forced to sell up and Stadium built cheaper?

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I don't ever want to see an LFC v Mancs final in my lifetime. Unless its in this country. It would be a f***ing horrible occasion, never mind the game itself. Pissed-up fans of both sides flying out on the same days on the same planes to the same destinations. There'd be f***ing murder before we even left the country. No thanks.

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Totally agree. Whilst we all know the problems of the daytripper, some of the most miserable moaning lifeless fans I've ever met are the 10 year + season ticket lot with their 'I've paid me dues, its up to someone else to create an atmosphere' attitude. Seriously, what would happen if the club jibbed season tickets altogether and made people who want to go the game jump through a few hoops by getting tickets on a game by game basis, like they have to in the cups? Would it improve the atmosphere? Never going to happen, like.

Erm, I may be being over-critical here but Burns originally stated that the Hillsborough was caused by ticketless Liverpool fans. In his 'apology ' he says he shouldn't have used the word 'ticketless'. What about the word 'fans' as well you c***.

Actually, they'll just put the price of season tickets up to cover the shortfall knowing they'll still sell them all won't they? Bugger.

The reason the boycott of the S*n has been so successful is that it was specific and not diluted by expecting people to also boycott Sky, Talksport, The Times and the like. We need to do the same now, something that can be sustained over months and years if necessary although I hope to God it isn't. For me it is specifically LFC merchandise. And that's it. No boycotting games, handing back season tickets or other stuff that many people are rightly unwilling to do. So next home game, don't spend any money in the ground. If you need to read something at half-time, buy a fanzine on the way in, don't buy a program. Take food in your pockets, don't buy from the club. Continue the protests. Don't wear a replica shirt. Don't buy the new kit when it comes out this summer. Cancel the e-season. Don't even visit the official site and get their hits up. Basically don't give any money directly to LFC other then to sit in the ground. It can be done, it is sustainable and it doesn't massively impact the match-going experience. Maximum impact, minimum disruption. We have a cancer at the club and we need to remove it with a scalpel not a hammer.

OK, maybe the team selection thing is off but I believe the second point stands. Lets face it Rafa made baffling team selections even before all this chaos. The point I was trying to make was that the retirement thing caused the kind of uncertainty that led to their players underperforming. Ours seem to be doing the same, but worse given that we were worse to begin with.

Different circumstances, but look at the mancs when Ferguson announced he was retiring. Baffling team selections and the players looking like they didn't give a s***. Since he decided to stay on indefinately and end the uncertainty things got a lot better for them, no?

I'm really really confused with this. Hicks may act like a fat blundering oaf, but he's a successful businessman. He seems to our eyes to be hell bent on running the club into the ground. It just doesn't add up. If he stays and carries out his plan, the club could be worthless in five years. Why would he do that? Is there some sneaky business technique I've not yet heard of? I could understand why he'd want to siphon off money to his other businesses but to siphon it off to give to the banks then be left with a financially f***ed investment? What's that about? Unless he owns the banks, of course. On the other hand his plans may be to bring in extra revenue to the club to help pay off these loans eg from his other businesses (unlikely judging by his current actions), new revenue streams (eg selling the naming rights for Anfield immediately or some other sponsorship), putting ticket prices up or selling players (shudder) which I guess he could achieve by having a smaller squad and a manager who doesn't subscribe to rotation to the degree Rafa does? Lets face it, shipping say five squad players on 40 grand a week out = £10m a year saved on wages, not to mention any transfer fees they may bring in. Rafa won't change his methods though. I personally don't believe Hicks will sell up. If the stories about him wanting out are true then why sign Skrtl, why bother paying millions for the stadium plans to be redrawn? Either this is brinksmanship for a sale, which we all hope, or he intends to see this through but has something else up his sleeve. He must have, because his actions thus far make no financial sense whatsoever. I reckon the fans will end up paying with higher ticket prices, or one of those schemes like the mancs have where you can't renew your season ticket without paying in advance for cup tickets as well. They know that as long as the team isn't in freefall at the same time, then people will still buy them. They'll moan, but they'll pay if they can afford it. If they can't, someone else will. This is the only ace they hold whilst we still have a ground that can't accommodate everybody that wants to go, and you can bet they'll use it.

To be honest, I like the idea of the home kit. Nice and simple, no stupid white lines on the front and no collar. Third kit looks s****. More like a goalie top.

They'll get battered They better hurry up with their soleless new stadium Wrong time, wrong plaice They've always been In-haddock-quate It was bound to happen, its cod's law If they win after this it'll be a mackerel I hope there was a doctor present. Or a sturgeon. I've no fish to embarass them further, I'll see myself trout. etc.

There again we can't definately assume that 442 is Rafas preferred option anyway. Alonso and Agger's injuries may have forced his hand. I can see a team of Reina Arbeloa Carra Agger Aurelio Babel Gerrard Alonso Mascherano Kewell Torres which could play 451, 4231, 433, 343, 352 and 442 all in the same game without changing the personnel. Might not be very good, like.

I agree that attacking-wise, what we need more than anything is a No. 10. We have options everywhere else and, whilst not maybe the best in the world, they can be incredibly effective when picked against the right opposition. This has always been Rafa's philosophy rather than a regular starting 11 full of top-line players, and he's not going to change his methods anytime soon. But the one option we don't have yet is the Dalglish-type. From midfield on we have: Defensive Mid: Mash Midfield 'metronome': Alonso, Lucas Box-to-box: Gerrard, Sissoko Wingers: Kewell, Pennant, Babel (?) Wide midfielders: Benayoun, Riise, Gerrard, Aurelio Creative striker: None Hard-working pest of a striker: Kuyt, Voronin Rapier: Torres, Babel (?) Target man: Crouch Kewell has played there before but didn't pull up any trees, Benayoun might be an option but that's it. And they're needed elsewhere first. Argentina and Brazil seem to produce these types by the bucketload, lets have a look there.

Surprised no-one's mentioned Arbeloa. Model of conistency made more impressive by the fact that he never seems to play in the same position more than a couple of games running.