Falconhoof

Maddest idea since Riise as centre midfielder.

He was on the bench against Benfica. Says a lot for how highly rated he is. But it will take something special for him to get past Finnan and Kromkamp for RB. If one of them gets injured he's very capable backup for now.

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Blues and Mancs bickering. Lovely start to the day.

we'll only 'secure' a champions league place if we finish 2nd. Its likely to be a fight to the wire for 2nd with the Mancs. So i can't see us having the luxury of a few meaningless games at the en of the season. having said that, if they are ready they will play. Rafa has been generous to the youngsters....Potter, Whitbread had chances. i just don't think its the right time for them yet.

This happens EVERY YEAR. Without fail there are rumours of incredible world class signings. 'rock the footballing world' 'scare the rest of the premiership' blah blah f***ing blah.

Its not even that he's on the downward spiral. He's never reached the heights that many claim as far as i'm concerned. My post might have warranted some of your hyperbole if i'd claimed he was anything short of a very good player. If you'd read what i'd posted then you'd see that i'm praising him, genuinely, but not dishing out ill fitting titles like 'best in the world' like evryone else.

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So given your honest assessment that he's not been outstanding for months. Couldn't that be a tiny bit of evidence that he's not quite developing as people expected. Very good player and yes of course he'd get in our side because we have no forwards doing the biz but that aside, is he the world class player that the media make out ?

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OK mate, i'm open minded on this. I'll ask the question again, since Englands game against Argentina, when has he pulled out a magnificent performance ? Wigan in the final doesn't count.

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his grandmother was Dutch

my sentiments exactly. I don't mind Arsenal, applauded them off the pitch when they pipped us to the title in 89, admire Wenger's eye for talented young players, enjoy watching Henry but I hope they never win the European cup and that goes for every other British team. Juve are a much stronger unit than Madrid. Far far tougher prospect.

You'll NEVER see Everton get to the knock out stages of the Champions League, i doubt your grandkids will. In fact i'd bet no Evertonian will, ever again. Thats quite a thought worth lurking around hey ?

i didn't, dunno, he is strong on the ball though and thats not something i'd noticed before. hard worker, Rafa type of player. Shame we missed out but there'll be other players.

Nah that strike was a bit of genius. If that was Ronaldinho, John Barnes, Gerrard, then we'd be talking about it for years. a f***ing top quality goal from a player I wish we'd signed. Sack Parry.

I think thats a fair assessment. I was very proud of the lads overall. You can't win them all and it wouldn't be a healthy environment to play in if we expected to win every big European tie at Anfield just because of the noise and adrenalin. Sometimes you need a bit more, sometimes you need a forward to produce a bit of genius, sometimes just to stick away one of the easier chances, sometimes for the ref to give us a decision, sometimes though you can give it your all and still not make it. We were the better side and a bit unlucky. Where are we overall though, improving and a force to be reckoned with but still light upfront and on the wings. Rafa will have the time to build the squad even further if he wants it.

Feels like the round when we lost to Bayer Leverkusen, who also knocked the mancs out that year. Hopefully things will turn out different, we were only a whisker away from getting past Leverkusen.

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Liverpool 9 Benfica 0 Traore (2), Garcia, Fowler (3), Anderson, Crouch, Gerrard

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