nrkintheuk

Agree with this but I also think he often lacks aggression when the balls on the floor too, and to a much greater extent last season. He seems to wait for stuff to happen rather than getting in there and sorting it out himself.

I did too but I could see the point of it and what was trying to be achieved. With hindsight I think i was giving Rafa the - well earned - benefit of the doubt but even when his form was patchy I never wanted to see a Liverpool team without Alonso in it and my heart sank a bit when he was out, especially if he was fit at the time.

Was thinking of Valeron when Riquelme was first mentioned. He was a bit of a favourite of mine and I think you're being a bit harsh putting him in that group who seem to lack something mentally to me. Don't think that was ever Valeron's problem just think he lacked a bit of pace and/or power. Fantastic player to watch though, made it all look very easy.

That's what I was trying to say. You can see some players tense up when the crowd gets on them Lucas being one. Momo another, Danny Murphy perhaps. For those who like to look further back Staunton always looked more relaxed playing for Villa than he did here. I can remember Carra saying he'd rather get the stick than have others get it because he could handle it. Obvious implying that it affected some players and thus the team and results.

Do the people who think fans can't contribute to a defeat also think that they can't affect the form of an individual player? Because its effectively the same thing is it not?

Lets just hope one day he can come back to lead us to better times

Back on thread - Kenny out of those 2 but only because he wants it. He was on the Liverpool-Euston train this a.m. - looked very happy with the world. When he got in he hugged some bloke who looked like a fatter, balder version of Steve Heighway. Not sure if this was who he was meeting or if he just bumped into him. I'm now off to apply for a job as a baggage handler.

Always found it interesting that Raul chose to wear 7. Is that a Liverpool influence? you'd generally expect him to be a 9 or, at a push, a 10?

And the scouse number - 23

Got four but one's a maybe... Gerrard, Fowler, Dudek & Smicer. I deffo remember Jerzy swapping back to 1 after Westerveld left & pretty sure Vlad went from 7 to 11 when Kewell arrived?

I know this is an oldies debate but I reckon for the next lot Gerrard's taken number 8 and turned it into something. Its not Craig Johnston & Ray Houghton any more.

That's what we are looking at isn't it - administration, lose the big names, create a tight unit from a small squad. I'd love their boardroom situation (Kirkby aside) right now. And I'd love to be able to just talk about footy after the game but every conversation has a massive BUT hanging over it and you just end up thinking what's the point until the bigger issues are resolved. On the matchgoing thing. I've a feeling our brand loyalty is about the same as theirs. The City feels about 50/50 to me and I think the OOT level will drop massively.

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Doesn't Torres mean Towers in Spanish? Are they both living in Fernando? Cue forum homo-envy... Actually the place where they live does have actual towers. Think I heard Yossi lives there too.

Without paying down any capital - in fact just the opposite.

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Starting to come around to the idea that the sooner we go into administration the better. Start again from the ground up. We lose our good players and hope a combination of a player or 2 doing a Di Livio (Carra most likely) and a few old pros plus kids - Thommo as manager - can keep us in the top flight. Do that til we get some cash built up, after a few seasons we hit the blues****s level and take it from there.10 years time its an Oscar winning feel good film starring Matt Damon as Carra and Clint Eastwood as Thommo. Hick & Gillet are Christopher Walken and Kevin Spacey.

They tweet these days don't you know!

For another year too. I can't imagine Danny Gabbidon will be on £50k a week for much longer...

Was just thinking the same - we need someone who thrives in the conflict. Unfortunately we also need someone who can motivate everyone & get an us against them thing going. Unfortunately the blues**** might be the model we have to follow from a playing perspective, with a bit of added quality up top.

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Someone Someone's Something & Something Army repeated ad nauseum. Play Up Pompey is awful Whoever said 'I'm for Ever Blowing Bubbles' is way off the mark. Quality club song that one, as is Charlton's 'When the Red, Red Robin...'. Onto something those East Londoners.

They've always made exceptions for keepers - even going back 30 years. Its certainly not unprecedented and I'd be more surprised if it wasn't allowed.