Earl Hafler

I'm watching it now...hilarious Why, why, why, why, why do the continue to pick Helguera in defence ? Taken off after 40 minutes !

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Owen. If Palace don't come up then Johnson would be a good purchase as he has the ability to play off a main man and score goals. Would probably fit into Rafa's squad very nicely. Then there's a group of a dolzen or so strikers on the continent who've been mentioned on the forums at one stage or another. None of them, save maybe Berbatov or Villa ( impossible now, i.m.o ), stand out. Reinforcements at left back and the ever elusive right midfielder / forward - i'm beginning to think he must be living in the fortress of Krull - are a must.

Don't think you will get flamed. Many people were saying that, as much as we were playing well, it was down to the quality of opposition. Then there were those that said " Yes but we usually lose these games...we've learned our lesson ". Good form tied in with good CL results, Garcia, Xabi, Gerrard, Crouch, Morientes all playing well and a solid back 5 ( 4 defenders and keeper ). Then the early start to the season, Japan, the Christmas programme all probably took their toll. Gerrard, Xabi and Garcia have suffered a big dip in form ( Garcia has been injured aswell ) and the forwards have hit a barren spell. Sad thing is, Kewell is finally beginning to play the sort of football we'd been waiting for and everyone else begins to play like strangers. Maybe Cisse should be given a run in the centre ? Gerrard, Xabi, Didi / Sissoko in the middle with Kewell and Garcia / Morientes / Crouch playing off Cisse. I'm still stumped as to why Sinama was allowed to leave on loan as he was playing much better than most of the players who were starting and with Garcia having slight injury problems... Big, big game at the weekend and Cisse might just be able to shut a few people up - me included - if given a run.

That's the worst appreciation of the iambic pentameter i've ever seen.

I have no idea what games you're watching. Morientes' work rate at dropping off and bringing others into the game is usually first class ( Can't comment on onights game until i watch the highlights ) Do you watch French football ? Because with a comment like that i doubt it. Some very physical players over there.

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I think the CL will give us a lift but it's still possible we might be in a fight for 3rd or 4th..more CL games will mean more rearranged fixtures. However, i think we'll be alright. Was a time during the 90's when we'd top the mini-league of the top 5 teams...more recently we've struggled against those sides and dropped points in London. A draw at Spurs in the league, a draw at Chelsea in the CL...then there's been defeats at Chelsea, Charlton, Fulham and Palace ( think that's right ).

Very poor. Not travelled well to London this season.

We'll pick up in a week or so. Just need to ride this period out and hang on near second.

More football than he's used to. Was injured last season around this period and used to get a rest in Spain.

Game seems to be winding down to it's inevitable, awful conclusion. Defensive sub by Charlton. Come on, Reds...at least a goal.

Changing tactics is not always about taking off the worst player but i thought he might have kept Cisse on and pushed him into the middle.

I had a moan after we beat Portsmouth and got shouted at by Anny Rd

I think the CL might perk everyone up a bit. Most players - apart from Kewell and maybe Cisse - look " flat ". Kromkamp coming on for Cisse. Odd.

Riise coming on for Hyypia. 3 at the back. It's Istanbul time.

Well said. The CL raised some people's expectations and they now think they've been duped. Pathetic.

It's always extremes. When we were on our run Crouch was getting praise from people who'd previously slagged him off - now they've reverted to type. We were gonna win the league - now we're not going to finish 4th. Some of the reactions are very much like what you get elsewhere.

A few of us said it at the Everton game - this has been on the cards since we got back from Japan and the Christmas programme took it's toll.

Don't understand why Rafa has swapped leftbacks 2 games in a row.

Cisse goes past Spector again, good cross...comes back to Cisse but the ball goes out of play for a goalkick. More pressure.

Another free-kick for us...nothing. Robben scores for the Blues**t against the Blues**t.

Corner misses Sissoko and Hyypia...Charlton have it.

Passing it around through the defence, switching play...corner to us.

Alonso curls it in....nowt. Charlton goalkick. Same as Chelsea - pressure, free-kicks, corners but nothing to show for it yet.