honourablegeorge

Nice piece, Leo. I do remember Ballague saying on Sky that he didn't think Moro would cut it in england, he's proved to be correct, the smug beardy git. I'd have preferred Anelka myself, but purely 'cause I liked him so much when he was here on loan. Morientes was the strong, good-in-the-air type that Rafa seemed to want, though, and I was as delighted as anyone when he arrived. You hit the nail on the head with the speed thing. 10% too slow, and 10% too weak. You could see the ability in the lad, but he just couldn;t put it together quick enough. He seemed to have plenty pace at Monaco too, but that's also gone. That goal he scored early on, Garcia crossed from the right (was it against Charlton) when he scored with an absolute PEACH of a header, I thought he was away then, and the goals would start to flow. Sadly it never happened. It's the reverse Fowler effect, I guess - playing for the club he loved made all the difference.

Just a thought, but Aurelio & Alves - Wing backs. Agger, Hyppia Carra - 3 at the back. Momo, Alonso, Gerrard - 3 in midfield. 2 strikers. That's a 3-5-2 right there.

I'd play Cisse, even though he's RUBBISH. Crouch and Morientes has NEVER worked.

"Benitez is expecting to parade at least seven new faces when he welcomes his squad back to Melwood in July" Echo Link (Second Page of the story) Who're the seven? Aurelio, Paletta, & Gonzalez are the ones that are more or less confirmed. Pennant strongly linked. Who else? Two strikers? A new right back?

From holymoly.co.uk: "Recent reports that Everton player Tim Cahill had a bottle lobbed at him by an angry Liverpool FC fan in the Newz bar (in Liverpool) are not quite correct. Tim was actually smashed over the head by Tony Richardson, Jennifer Ellison's on/off partner after Cahill had grabbed her a***. This prompted a mass brawl involving bouncers and St Helen's rugger boys. It ended up with two bouncers dragging a Tonga rugby star round the back and pummeling him."

Aye, not clever at all. I mean, who the f*ck drinks Budweiser?

Not as bad as this.... http://www.unitedrant.co.uk/archives/2006/...e_b******s.html

Show him a pic of Mark Gonzalez.....

I didn't like "Powder" at all, and I've been reluctant to read any more Sampson since, but everyone tells me Awaydays is brilliant.

I'd avoid Lloret's book, it really is a dull affair. Not as much as I'd avoid Stephen F Kelly's Shankly biog, though - that's incredibly bad. "A Season With Verona" by Tim Parks is excellent, it's much like "The Miracle Of Castel Di Sangro", but possibly better. "Football Against The Enemy" by Simon Kuper is good too. "Broken Dreams" by Tom Bower (I may have his name wrong) is good - insight into football corruption in England. (There's 3 chapterson Terry Venables....)

Italians are funny - I watched the final in a bar in Sicily, and after ended up with a load sof Juve fans, celecrating on the streets, hanging onto speeding Puntos racing down the streets twirling scarves. They really take pleasure in their rival's misfortunes.

Aimar - Not at the Henry/Ronaldinho level, but a realistic option, if an expensive one. VDV - Don't think he'll ever fulfill his early potential. Wouldn't have him. Kaka - Way, way out of reach, Diego - Isn't he a bit parter at Porto now? Zidane - Past it, sadly. Juninho - Good player, but not a great one. Valeron - Past it, was never all that good anyhow. Riquelme - Good, but ponderously slow, and needs the whoel team set up around him.

Saha's got to be ahead of Cisse.

Yep, word for word.

For a lad who's had TWO Cisse-style leg breaks, he's not afraid of a tackle. I thought wing back suited him a bit better, let him get forward, with less emphassi on hsi defensive frailties.

Especially when SKy made their ham-fisted attempt - showing Kromkamp right wing, with Carra right back, and Agger to Sami's right. 3-5-2 never occurred to me, i was thinkingn Warnock left mid, Agger lef tback, Kromkamp right back.

Heh. Right, I'm away home to watch Jeff Stelling laughing as Thommo jumps out of his seat for each of Liverpool's six goals.

Bedside lamp? Flash git......

Mebbe he's Simon senior.

This is him. Used write regularly for the Guardian.

Aye, Kuper I was thinking of.

Is your Uncle Simon a well known journalist on European football matters? If he is, then fair play. He writes a good book, your Uncle.

Whoring about on various forums, as I do, I get the distinct impression that Owen, Kuyt and Simao are being lined up.

I can't remember Carra making a mistake like that for a long, long time.

Still waiting on that apology....