Billy Talbot

Was AT LEAST a definite yellow in my eyes, Terry's intention was to deny a goalscoring opportunity, so I think red. However, two things - why isn't the rule changed to "last man"? that would clear this sort of debate up. Rather like a reverse offside. Secondly - why the f*** can't the / shouldn't the FA be able to downgrade a red to a yellow? I can understand the refusal to rescind yellows, that would be silly and bureaucratic, but a red card? a three match ban? why shouldn't they say it's only a yellow? makes no sense to me...

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Are we nearly there yet?

I have that sneaky feeling too. Probably due to skiving off work.

Both Carrick and Hargreaves we're younger. Hargreaves for me is a better player than Barry.

Please Mr. Kenwright, don't sell. Please don't sell. Don't sell up please Mr. Kenwright... It's a shame cos whoever comes in next is BOUND to be better than they've got.

looking like it'll be on a good 450k picture. At least Keane should sound the same in Chinese.

Can you not buy steel futures?

I think Skrtle & Agger will be our best pairing but they're along way off it yet in terms of experience and playing time. If they can get a good partnership going they sould end up being the best we've had since H&H - probably better.

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So who are we signing then? I want Jan Molby back. Sell Xabi if we have to. Bring back Big Jan.

Moyes mentioned it at the end didn't he? At least he said he was over it now

I was thinking exactly the same thing this morning. The thing is - Even sandwiched between the two cup semis, we'll put out a side that'll beat Birmingham at St. Andrews, giving Wigan a bit more of a cushion.

I'd love us to have a 2+ goal cushion - but I expect us to play for a clean sheet. I think we'll be hoping to score on the counter or from a set piece. Much like them. I think us scoring 2 or more, if we do, is likely to be in response to them scoring. 0-0 fine, 2-1 better, 1-0 great, winning by 2 goals fantastic, winning by more than 3, ecstatic. Anything else and we'll be up s***e creek. We need to take something down there.

I think the yellow card thing can be a bit s***ty. They should wipe em clean for the Semi - and make it a yellow in each to miss the final.

Good point. Would have given more credence to the ref being Kuyt's love child though.

A manc - the bar manager in the pub I watched it in. He said it was a tug, but he went down like a sack of s***, and he was slipping anyway before kuyt pulled him. To be fair, it's the sort of pen Gerrard gets quite often. But - Gerrard did play for one up by their corner flag towards the end, the ref didn't give that either. You see them given, you see them not - I don't think it was a obvious a pen as some are saying. There is some doubt - esp. concerning the amount of interference from Kuyt. Hleb obviously exaggerated it.

Lucas & Babel are both good players who will get better & look better each game. "Tarmac" and "Black Heighway" are not racist terms. Blah Blah woolly sheep That's all.

Word. Although Rafa needs to start getting the best out of his squad regardless. If this is the best he can do under these conditions - he's got no chance.

Are you sewing the emperor's new clothes?

He tries to do too much. Which puts pressure on him when he eventually does get chances. It's this that's eaten away at his confidence, so much now that his touch and control are suffering. He's also lost for the most part the extra half yard he had from his good movement, which is also on the wane. There's my cod psychology on Dirik Kuijt.

That stuff about journal - "I must protect my other source" - lists is hilarious.

Seems to me like there are two very different camps on these matters. One camp is convinced that this will all blow over once they've all had a jolly chat. The other camp thinks the board are simply looking for a reasons to sack Rafa which might seem acceptable to the fan base. Results are the most important thing here I think - if we keep winning, Rafa stays, if start losing, Rafa goes. Rafa's only excuse for bringing the possibility of his sacking closer (in terms of the ethereal number of defeats away from the sack) to reality is that he thinks this way he's more likely to get his transfer targets.

Who started the whole steel price thing? I want a witch-hunt. I don't really understand the problem with the exchange rates either. They're borrowing the money by mortgaging the club aren't they? WTF has that got to do with the price of the Dollar? I think if we sign a CB who can play left back, it will be interesting to see if we keep Riise.

Yep - and if we had won it would have been "that's the sign of champions"... Ground out a result etc etc. We created far more chances (the quality of which were dubious) and had far greater possession. As much as it is nonsense to say that the decisions cost us the game, it's a nonsense to ignore them. I thought we had 2 stonewall pens, and was stunned that neither was given. Especially with referees' usual tendency to try and even things up. Their first was a b******s. And their second I thought was handball - although I think the f***** was already going in - Doyle claimed it - and it clearly seemed to roll down his arm, not off his head.