Billy Talbot

Indeed. I would be surprised if Rafa, or a least Rafa's agent hadn't held discussions with Juve. It wouldn't be in best his interest not to. I can't blame him either considering our off pitch shenanigans. What remains to be seen is if Juve have the same pulling power we had compared with Valencia back then. The Valencia fans were gutted and I would be too.

Agree. We need to play a higher line to get the best out of GJ. Otherwise the area he's asked to work - ie the whole length of the pitch is so large he's bound to look exposed - regardless of who's at RM.

Innit. Either : ------------- Kuyt ---------- Babel - Aquilani - Gerrard ----- Lucas --------- Masch Or ------------- Kuyt ---------- Babel - Aquilani - Maxi Gerrard ------ Masch They're the only 2 choices for me. N'Gog and Benayoun to play as subs. If we suffer any more injuries were really f***ed. That's it really isn't it? Our first team attack / midfield. f*** me we need players.

How many games was / is Babel banned for? Surely more than one considering it was "violent" conduct.

Why not just post what you think yerself! No, Portsmouth's appeal hasn't been heard and I don't reckon they'll let them in. It''d be a terrible precedent for UEFA to set - it's nowt to do with the FA or the FA Cup.

Rafa will get the best out of what's left of the squad in Europe. If we don't win it - we don't win it. We're obviously less likely to win it now with Torres out - and that's not Rafa's fault. In fact, he's done his best to avoid this - done his best recently to keep him fit and improve our chances at silverware at the sharp end of this most s***tiest of seasons. I'll be shocked if we don't qualify for Europe through the league. Even if we finish 8th there's a strong chance isn't there? Portsmouth rightly won't be allowed in. Even Moyes has got that right. That takes it to 7th place. And England are 3rd in the fair-play league which gives us an extra place isn't that down to 8th? Besides which, that's still a f***ing s*** attitude.

I'm with you on that. If you're looking to buy a football club, the last type you'd look for is one with high levels of debt, needing a successful new stadium to provide revenue to service that debt, with the owner(s) of said club looking to sell at an inflated price. It's nonsense. I'm sure in the Yanks' minds, the stadium got built ages ago. They certainly talk like it was. Whoever buys the club is taking on a risk - the price should reflect that. Not reflect the best case scenario.

Big up Soto. Not sure how he'd cope with 3 or 4 games in 10 days though. He really throws himself about. Agger was good tonight. Although a lot of it was line clearance.

telesales?

I concur about Rafa in Europe. I expect us to try to keep it tight and nick a goal. I really, really don't see the problem with Mascherano and Lucas starting. Masch to screen, Lucas / Kuyt / Gerrard to go hunting for the ball. I'm sort of expecting Babel to play ahead of Benayoun, although I'm not sure how long that will last. We'll need an away goal - they're well capable of scoring at Anfield when we do go toe to toe.

I'm afraid that's the level I've dropped down to to take part in this discussion.

Funny that innit. Apparently the manager is at fault for not selecting the right personnel in CM. He's been picking the Captain of Argentina and a young but experienced Brazilian ex footballer of the year. Instead he should have dropped Gerrard back there despite him not being fit. Or shouldn't have signed a young Italian international midfielder for £5m + add ons because he was injured (despite him only being cheap and available because he was injured) but instead should have either signed someone else (for £5m... hmmmm) to play centre mid (who might have also got injured in the first 45 minutes of his first game - Didi Hamann anyone?). But oh, no. The constant picking of Lucas and Mascherano have wrecked our season. And Benitez picked them to play so he must be stupid. He should have picked Gerrard there until Aquilani was fit. f***ing b******s. Gerrard has been poor this season. He's looked poor when he's played centrally too. Lucas has been good in patches. Mascherano has been hit and miss too. As has every player on our books. It's not been down to tactics either. It's been down to having a paper thin squad, injuries that have punched holes in that squad, some bad luck and some mistakes. That's it. I don't mind the "analysis" - but the "drop Lucas and everything is alright" crowd really f***ing annoy me.

Thank f*** someone else sees sense. Our season has been crap for many reasons, none of which is the manager has stubbornly stuck to playing Lucas and Mascherano home and away despite having better options - which seems to be the underlying feeling in the thread. Masch and Lucas are not the ideal midfield when picking from our fully fit squad. I think every f***** knows that. Regardless of who we're playing.

With gushing bowels. Someone needs to spike his drink with s*** yerself powder. Then make that Judas quote into a banner. That'll smite the little runt.

I've got a fiver on us finishing above Arsenal. It was looking an "OK" bet until we played them last. by OK I mean, one which I didn't feel like such a t*** for making when I was pissed up.

I never really used to read the papers until I turned 20 or so. In the last 15 years, the press and the TV have all been right c**** to us. And right up the Manc's collective a****** with their ever loving tongues. I hardly ever read the papers anymore. But the stuff I read on the web is just as bad. All the auld fellas I talk to about it say it's always been the same regardless of whose winning. The Mancs get brownosed because of Munich and f***ing George Best.

I think he'd a done that if he was allowed to buy another striker. And our injurys early doors all the way to mid / late season hadn't left Rafa firefighting with the squad and tactics rather than having the luxury of trying to create a formation which Aqualini would dovetail straight in. I'm still looking forward to seeing a few games with an on form Torres, Gerrard and Aquilani. If we can get some good movement to go with them we'd be looking good. Albeit looking good next season.

Been saying this for years. For me it's akin to not being more commercially aware in the 80s and 90s. Unpalatable, but a necessary evil as the other lot are doing it. A Manc mate of mine had the cheek to call me a "sore loser" the other day for asking him if he'd have enjoyed their win any more if they hadn't needed a bent ref. I don't care if I'm a sore loser. I'm not bothered about the dignity of being magnanimous in defeat. Not to them shower of s**** I'm not. There's more dignity in calling it like it is than being constantly shafted.

I agree with that. Just because they'd made money it doesn't necessarily follow that they're clever or that they'll ever make the sort of money they've made before again. It's conceivable that they're actually quite dim but got lucky and some other character trait rather than their wit and cunning were greater factors in their past success. The latter making more sense when put in the context of their behaviour since taking over Liverpool. The f***ing c**** they are.

This is true. But what we don't know is who was available at the price and terms and wages that Aquilani was. Rafa said when we bought him it wasn't for immediate impact, it was for the duration of his contract. I'd be surprised if he wasn't here and playing a bigger matchday role next season.

Isn't Pacheco on international duty? Or am I wrong? Or being wooshed. Or both.

That's the fella.

I thought their left back was quite good.

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The big greek.