kop205

Pretty much my thoughts really, always thought he was used unfairly by some to gripe about Houllier. I remember a cup game against Man City in the Treble season which just about summed up his Liverpool career for me. He was tremendous in the first half, set up Heskey for goal with a great pass and scored a pen himself but didnlt reappear after half-time. Showed all aspects of his time at Liverpool in 45 minutes - capable of tremendous performances, albeit usually against the weaker opponents, but never able to sustain that level due to injuries and, for whatever reason, the occasional tendency to disappear.

I suppose looking at their respective career stats it is difficult to make a case for Flo being better than Cisse. What I will say though is that the flaws in Flo's games (lack of strength, not enough end product at times) are things that can be worked on and that coaching staff should be able to improve over time. I don't think his poor goals return is down to poor technique or being a bad finisher or not having any goal scoring instinct. The flaws in Cisse's game (abysmal first touch, inability to receive the ball played to feet or to keep possession with his back to goal, lack of basic work ethic) are to my mind harder to rectify and make him a much more limited player. So although I wouldn't necessarily claim that Flo is better at this stage, if it was a choice over which to keep, I would keep Flo for his wildcard value and on the basis of the player he might yet become. Flo at his best has, for me, more to offer than Cisse at his best. Maybe Flo won't evfer do it consistently but I'd love to see what Rafa could do with him as I think he has the raw materials of an outstanding footballer. I don't think Cisse does, to be honest.

Paul f***ing Parker?! Drajan Stojkovic on the other hand...now he could play.

Be fair like. It isn't as if he would scream out 'Ooooch, yoooo beuateeeeeeeee' at Gerrard lashing one in from 25 yards, now is it?

Yeah had wondered about heading up to The Albert or somewhere but was ideally thinking about somewhere in town. Cheers anyway.

Other than when I've been overseas, this is the first derby I've not been to for a while. Any tips on the best pubs in town to watch it in? Looking for somewhere likely to be fairly relaxed, with more reds than blues, if possible. There will be a group of us, including a few girls, so not really up for too much in the way of 'banter' with our blue chums - just somewhere to wacth the game. Usually watch any games in places like the One Four or Golf Bar, but reckon there will be too many blues there for my liking! Or do I just have to bite the bullet and accept that everywhere will be mixed and everywhere will be pretty tense?

First time for a while that I've not been going to the derby (other than when I've been out of town). What pubs in town are likely to be more red than blue? Looking for somewhere decent to watch it.

Reading that at the moment (Christmas present), interesting book. All that was really happening there though with Gerrard was that he was being treated the same as all of the other players which for whatever reason (ego, a need for reasurance, whatever) he didn't like - especially on the back of the way that Houllier supposedly fawned over him. I'd still say that most of the difficulties last year were in Gerrard's mind, but credit to him - he has responded well this season and actually talks and acts like a Liverpool captain should do now. I enjoyed seeing him go and sort Shearer out the other day after Bowyer's tackle - although it isn't the kind of thing I'd ideally want us getting involved in, once it had started it was good to see that he wasn't going to let Shearer go unchallenged (and also good to see JC taking our players away, which you need someone to do in that ind of situation). The only 'downside' of the book so far for me is the time spent raking up old faults of Houllier's. Say whatever you want about him, if he hadn't won the trophies he did in his time with us, we would have sunk so far off the radar that Benitez probably wouldn't have come.