honourablegeorge

I dunno what the word is for what we're missing in the league - but it's that thing that makes you draw a breath when the likes of Rooney or Ronaldo get the ball - the "Oh s***, what's he going to do?" feeling. We simply don't have that unpredictability, pace, excitement, whatever. That's what costs us. Our two wingers last night - you never REALLY thought they were going to tear someone apart. We don't get teams backpedalling, panicking, etc. Maybe that's the word - panic. We need to start casuing a bit of it.

I've been very critical of Pennant, but I thought he started to show signs last night. Typical of our luck, now he's inured.

I'm always wary of writing Hypia off - he's been written off in the past, and come back and had fantastic seasons. I'm all for Neill coming in, but very wary of being without Sami. I'd like to have him here while Agger beds in for a season. Be a sad day when he does leave, though.

As long as it involves him going home defeated.

Can't paste, I'm afraid - and it won't work in firefox, and you have to register to actrually read it...erm....hang on

Phil Thompson's written an article on the back page of this paper about how good the Dubai bid would be for the club. How well informed is he, I wonder? http://www.emiratestodayonline.com/

Jazus, everyone's miserable on here. We got a point away from home, and a clean sheet. We stopped the defensive rot, we can build on it. We've been f***in' brilliant at home in our last few games.

I liekd the 3-5-2 we played away to Newcastle last year, we looked great. And now we have Agger instread of Traore, and whatever two we have up front is also better.

You can start with Zenden. That said, what are the odds he'll score a BELTER against 'Boro?

Two weeks ago, we tore Aston Villa to shreds with GLORIOUS passing football. I'm f***in' BAFFLED as to why we can't do that away. We're a good team. We won't win the league, but we've got to show some kind of constent form, and quick, so that the season isn't a disaster. At least all our really awkward away games are done with.

I've seen it suggested that Zenden might be used in a swap. Two birds, etc.

Aye, because he never scores against Chelsea. Oh.

The press are f***in' determined, so they are. Andy Gray parrotting on with his "Gerrards CLEARLY not happy" s****. He was doing the same about Cisse last season, who for all his many faults, never once complained about playign wide, yet Gray is going on with "that right side that he HATES so much". That, zonal marking, rotation - they're continuously lookign for sticks to beat us with. f*** them. Rafa's great.

Een the merest hint of the possibility that Xabi might go makes me all afraid in my pants.

Is Xabi down to one year on his contract this summer? It'll be three years since Xabi and Garcia arrived, come July/August, won't it?

There you go - "White Angels" indeed.

Heh. Quality.

No, but Carlin's whole life s Real Madrid. If he's writing anything at all, it's with a Real Madrid slant.

John Carlin has never been an expert on anything other than brownnosing Real Madrid. Most of what he writes is so far up the galactico's backsides as to be creepy. And it woudn't surprise me if his mates in Madrid have asked him to do what he can to destabilise Gerrard.

Was just thinking about that at the weekend - I was watchign the CL final on ESPN Classic (again...) and his headed goal really was a beauty. For such a big lad, he scores very few of them of late - I gues sit's down to him prowling the edge of the box at corners or takign them himself, instead of attacking the ball in the box.

You can hardly say that Alonso is "dedicated to protecting the back four". He's no Paul Scholes type goalscorer, but he contributes massivly to our attack. Sissoko's going to score soon too, that was a cracking volley he hit the other night. Now that he has a shot on target, there'll be no stopping him.

It's yer London-based London Club-supporting media, basically. Plus the fact that they're afraid to criticise Ferguson, because he stops talking to them.

It's like listening to Cisse, except for the fact that he goes out on the pitch and follows it all up.

Larf. "Right lads, who's got the biggest fingers?"

The club have had a right old go, there's three separate articles on the Echo site. Rightly so, too. Is there really anyone with half a brain that wants Benitez out?