JRC

I must admit I wondered if there were some ulterior motive or reason for Skrtel at RB not Carra - especially when Carra went off early. He was also somewhat laboured for their 2nd goal - started deeper, didn't really seem able to get to Tuncay whilst Masch was bombing round trying to cover.

Thanks. I am reassured that everything will be fine - phew!

Whilst I'd never claim that Parry was an ideal CEO, I've rarely been convinced that many of the allegations highlighting his incompetence were well-founded. Continued repetition made them Internet and eventually public lore, but they often didn't hold up to close scrutiny - like the accusations about foreign shirt sale revenue, or dubious comparisons with rebuilding at OT (Industrial brownfield site, plenty of space) or Arsenal (Supportive council, valuable development plot for sale - although that is now causing them financial concern, apparently -, significantly greater individual wealth at Board level); even the Athens ticket fiasco to an extent - not handled well, but not as much his fault as widely claimed - imo. I know from a direct contact that he is very well-regarded in the game by other senior executives and owners - but admittedly perhaps as an administrator rather than as a commercially focused CEO. The long post quoted above, whilst certainly not favourable over all, highlights that his may have been a thankless, constrained task - and I understand that he is a generally decent and honourable man, and certainly a genuine Red. But he will always carry with him his role in bringing H&G here (offset somewhat by bringing Rafa in, though) The point is - we could do worse, much worse, and he could have done better, much better - and maybe would have in a less disfunctional working environment (even that before H&G). I'm not concerned about his replacement as I would be if Rafa left (although the new power balance and how that pans out is cause for twitchiness), but I think the unremitting ecstasy and joy experessed by some here is a little unrealistic. Imagine if Rafa sells Dossena and Leiva this summer, and H&G go? Who the hell are we supposed to aim brickbats at? Nightmare. Let's get a new person in quick, as there's a danger of a blame vacuum developing, and the fora might implode.

I remember my Dad writing Alan Hansen off as too casual - "He'll never make it here"

I like Evans a lot, he's a clear and passionate Red, but also a London-based journo; Note that he was calling Gerrard as a definite starter less than 24 hours ago, so his inside track is clearly a bit off-course.

Worse than ordinary - he couldn't believe how bad they were! Heaven forfend it should have anything to do with us playing well.

I suspect there is a similar analysis out there on the benefit of leaving 1 or more players upfield when defending a corner - as in the probability of conceding is significantly greater than the probability of gaining an offensive advantage if the ball is claimed or cleared; it's one of those popular and regular calls made by fans, but most top-flight coaches simply don't countenance it.

That end always seems to wind the away fans up, which is no bad thing

Row 29 - Near the back; Kop End, half way between the Penalty Area and the centre circle. * near where an old dear got escorted out yesterday, followed by 2 more people, one a long time regular. Not sure why. Sneaky ciggy, maybe.

Not only can't wait, don't wait. Lucas and Dossena were getting abused whilst shaking the City players hands.

We always have the farce of people clapping after the first 'verse' of YNWA, but I think yesterday the additional refrain didn't even get going as far as I could tell (I started singing then assumed I must have miscounted the verses, becasue it just went silent. But I don't think I did). As the previous home football was the dramatic late win vs Chelsea, I don't see that this apathy was caused by anything on the pitch The Moan Stand as a whole has become a disgrace to our heritage - round me at least. Too many loud mouth ignorant boors and smug, middle-aged ST Holders (in the main), eager to share their bilious disdain with their misanthropic mates. I plan to move next season if I can - I was waiting for the new ground, but will probably be dead by then. The bloke behind me - a corporate shill on a day out (Girobank or A&L seats, whatever) - spent most of his time lambasting Torres from the first minute, ffs.

Thing is, no-one had such a dominant lead at that time. Our 2 wins in the mid-60s put us to 7* ,where I think we joined Arsenal, leap-frogging Everton and ManU, then they caught us back up again - before Arsenal moved to 8 in 71 and we caught up again a year or so later; effectively it was neck and neck until we pulled away from 76 onwards. * which disproves the Bluenose lie that we were a no-mark club until Shankly came along. On our uppers maybe, but we still alreadyhad more League Titles than many so-called 'big' clubs have ever had, even now.

I caught some pundit on the Radio yesterday - not sure who, may have been the press guy who teams up with Kyle on Talksport - but he was extrememly strong in his dismissal of any suggestion that Wenger ought to go as 'lunacy', made some very strong points in his favour etc. I don't fundamentally disagree, but it contrasted so sharply with the dismissive contempt our manager receives from others of his ilk - and plenty on here as well.

As someone approaching nigh on 40 years with a ST, I'd say he's called it just about right. The level of bile, moaning, ignorance and mindless and moronic repetition of arsewise received wisdom passed of as 'insight' at the match is getting worse, and it's too often reflected on here - and I've increasingly restricted myself to here because it's probably the most reasoned and rational of the fora; God Help Us and our 'World's Best Supporters' delusion if that's the case.

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Rafa's offensive model - much admired on here when applied by Valencia - is the continued and opporessive application of 'crushing' pressure by controlling the ball, the play and field position. That's not 'shackles' (or even necessarily 'cautious') to me, but it certainly the case that he doesn't subscribe to hell-for-leather, kitchen-sink, Huth-up-front shock-and-awe while there is still an outside possibility of a result from his way of doing things.

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I can't say I felt about Gerrard as you did, but it would be remiss not to acknowledge that the point you make, and the associated attitude, was reasonably common on here at the time (if by no means a majority position). Evans is a pretty straight, fair and square red, so I don't think there's an agenda. I think he's misread, or at least 'overegged' the situation, and certainly is reflecting views about Gerrard which have mellowed significantly in the past 2-3 years - as you acknowledge in your own case. But there's a certain amount of 'French Collaboration' revisionist denial in some responses. For myself, I was briefly angry at Gerrrad and the world (Parry, agent, Mourinho, Media etc) when it looked like he was going, but immediately ecstatic when he didn't, and instantly forgot and moved on. But I have to admit that I sometimes give him a harder time at the match (in a frustrated 'Come On, Stevie' kind of way) than others, simply because if he ever does something not quite right, you know that he is capable of so much better, rather than me having any consistent complaint about him - although I do worry when he gets the 'Brian Robson' effect from fans and the media, i.e. MOM when he hasn't even played particularly well, but that's not his fault. I don't begrudge him off-games. At the end of the day, we remain privileged to have a true world great, one of our own, plying his trade for us, and for that we should be eternally grateful. Believe me, you'll tell your Grandkids you saw him play, and they'll be wide-eyed with awe at your stories.

? Do they still play the odd 2-pointer then? Let's hope they play some more before the season ends!

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