JohnBonham

If Torres is "rested" yet again against Wigan I will begin to wonder if Champions league is everything for Rafa and that it is enough for him that we qualify for the competition every year.

Even when praising another manager alcohol is what first springs to Slur Alex´s mind: "He was terrific for football and terrific for Chelsea. He brought something fresh and new to our game and I enjoyed the competition with him. I wish him well but I just don't know what I am going to do with my wine now."

The most important thing is that we are up for it. It might not be three easy points just because it´s Birmingham at home. Hard work beats talent if talent doesn´t work hard....

I agree. Against the better teams or in the away games Mascherano will be fine. But when it comes to home games against the lesser sides we´ll need someone who can bring the ball out of defence and start attacks with accurate passing. An anchor man in the destroyer mould should not be aquired. More a la John Barnes in his last seasons for us. Can Benayon do a job there? He played cm at West Ham, didn´t he? Although in a more attacking role...

Alonso and Agger will undergo scans today (foot injuries) according to Sky Sports News. Didn´t know that Agger was injured. Any info?

Don´t you know that critizising Carra on this forum is as accepted as drawing a cartoon of Mohamed in Afghanistan

Based on what, one game? They just played badly yesterday. These things do happen. I can not see any objective reason why the combination of Mascherano and Gerrard shouldn´t work.

"Rested" according to Teamtalk. Physioroom says "leg injury" and that he will be back this weekend. Haven´t found anything on other sites. A little odd methinks

Something in the way he moves attracts me like no other lover

Ivan Campo as fitness coach

Stevie G would be wasted there

Malouda has said that he wants to join Drogba at Chelski apparently...

Svens club record is very good: He won the UEFA cup with Gothenburg in 1982 with a team of part time footballers. He also won the league once and the cup twice in Sweden. He won the Cupwinners cup and the European Super cup in 1999. He won the Portuguese league three times 1983, 1984, 1991 and the Portuguese cup in 1983. He won the Italian league in 2000 and the Italian cup in 1986, 1994, 1998 and 2000. He will do well for City.

Nobby Stiles, Dave Mackay, Billy Bremner, Graeme Souness, Terry Hurlock, Vinnie Jones, Duncan Ferguson, Steve McMahon, Roy Keane and, for some continental flair, Claudio Gentile.

And now they´re getting support from Demento. He never misses an opportunity to have a dig at us, does he? Curbishley is aware he will face a United side packed with stars after Ferguson rested nearly all the big names responsible for this season's Premiership title triumph in the goalless draw at Chelsea. "We have to respect the position of the other teams at the bottom," said Ferguson. "Paul Jewell has done a fantastic job at Wigan, as has Neil Warnock at Sheffield United. I cannot be putting a team on the pitch that disrespects those teams. It has nothing to do with the fact that they've already won it...

That was after the game against Arsenal (2-0) at Anfield the same season. He said something like "I don´t think I would ever see an English team that plays like a continental team. Liverpool played different from Arsenal, they played with players who have good technique, like Barnes, Beardsley, Houghton." Both Finney´s and Platini´s quotes are on the video from Liverpools 87/88 season.

If I remember correctly he said something like "It was the finest exhibition of football I´ve ever seen. I´ve seen Brazil play but never with that kind of pace"

If I could wish: A winner from Robbie in extra time. What a way to say goodbye. It would bring back memories of another European cup final, Tommy Smiths header and "Ooh, what an end to a career"

The latest I´ve heard is that he will be out for two weeks with stretched ligaments in his right knee. He will have a scan today so we´ll have to wait and see....

It might be a good idea to play Hyypia against PSV as Alex, as he showed against the a***, is very good in the air...

We now have two well balanced pairings for cm, two holding and two more offensive (in Momos case maybe more "harassing" than "offensive"): Mascherano-Gerrard and Alonso-Sissoko. We could of course also play Mascherano-Sissoko and Alonso-Gerrard.

Spurs are without Dimitri Berbatov, Malbranque and Lennon apparently. Berbatov misses out with a groin problem while Malbranque and Lennon are sidelined with groin and knee injuries respectively.

I think Agger should play against Spurs and Galatasaray. We should replace him with Hyppia for the game against Bolton, when we are in for 90 minutes of aerial bombardment. Hyppia is still one of the best defensive headers in the premier league.

and yesterday they completed the signing of Glenn Hyséns son, left winger Tobias Hysén.