fabfive

Seeing as how the Mancs are out of the Carling Cup, may get dumped out of the FA Cup this weekend, may not win the League again as Arsenal are in poll position, and they will be dumped out of the Champions League as they usually are.. What makes your crystal ball so good? We could win the League and another Champions League with Rafa in charge in the next 3 years as well.

Isn't the new stadium a go? That the only thing that needs to be sorted is the increased capacity beyond what the infrastructure can handle. Once the infrastructure can handle the 71,000 then they can use the full capacity. So even if there is some delay in the infrastructure, they can still build the stadium but only sell as many seats as approved by the City council. Which is 65,000 is it not?

How many do you expect to be there?

Wasn't it Gillett, or Foster Gillett the "soccer fan", who knew Klinsmann?

I think they did discuss the January transfer window with Rafa. Why do you think Rafa got stroppy? He wanted an answer now. They wanted to wait until a face to face meeting to discuss all things up for discussion. So they basically told Raf to get on with it. January transfers weren't going to make any difference to the teamsheet he had for the matches against Marseille or Man Utd or any other including Man City this weekend. After the meeting Rafa seems pleased and it looks like he is going to get Masch. He's probably going to get more, Only Rafa knows his targets. And transfer speculation will be rife like it always is.

Do you have proof of the debt being loaded on the club or just media speculation and semi-consensus of your mates? As the new loan doesn't even have the ink dry yet as it has not been done how can you state with authority that you know what the terms of the new loan are? Transfer dealings: Didn't Rafa get his targets except one, Heinze? Yet Rafa was/is frustrated as for January and that led to his outburst in the media. However, we have yet to even be in january and do not know if Rafa is going to go get someone or not. So once again jumping to conclusions as to whether or not Rafa is backed. He seems to think he will be. And G&H aren't playing Valencia and going out buying players FOR Rafa. Stadium: Well, we could have stayed with the Moores/Parry design. Maybe they did bite off more than they can chew. But as the final design hasn't been decided, why not wait until it is to then have a go at the owners. And as whatever design they choose it will fit the same footprint of the orignal approved design it is still possible to send in the JCB's before summer to start work without ordering the purple seats. As for me, it's more wait and see rather than rush to judgement based on tabloid journalism.

I'm only the messenger..lol There's a full chapter, well few pages, on the two Hicks sons going to the opening day match v Villa and watching with the local supporters. Now I don't know the in's and out's of the Hicks lads but I would wager they do have televisions in their homes and could afford Fox Soccer Channel to watch the match. They didn't have to go to the supporters gathering. Plus they also sing the songs, beside the FO one, as that was also part of the full chapter. I don't know how it is "spin" if someone who is a supporter is just relaying what happened when he was there. It's not off .tv.

Slowed down at work so here goes from Paul Tomkins book " Above Us Only Sky" page 117. Someone named Mel Abshier from the Texas chapter of Liverpool supporters is telling this story and Tomkins adds a few pages into his book about the Hicks lads coming to the Aston Villa match opening weekend where the Texas supporters gather. And this is the bit I remembered: "As we gathered about our great win in groups some of the supporters came up to Tom Jr and had a brief chat.While they were doing that Alex Hicks and I were chatting. He tells the story of the two of them being out one evening and seeing a big lad --mind you Tom Jr is about 6' 3' himself--with a Chelsea top on. Tom Jr. yells "f*** off Chlesea FC you ain't got no history..." and over the lad comes to find out who this idiot is. It turns out this lad had just finished his kickboxing workout. Alex tells me Tom thinks that's what you say to someone with a Chelsea shirt, as that's what they heard last season at the semi-final versus Chelsea at Anfield. Anyway, Tom Jr explains who he is and they share a laugh. Into a bar they go. Tom Jr gets the beers in. So things smoothed over easily. But we shared a laugh about that." I found that very revealing about the Hicks being more like supporters. Certainly more than the Glazers kids. So I think we're in good hands with people who care about the club. That's my take on reading the whole chapter.

I understand. We all want whats best for the club. And I probably didn't word that right about Hicks Jr. What I should have said is there is a chapter in Tomkins book about Hicks and his kids. In that there is the story of Tom Jr. singing F O Chelsea FC to someone wearing a Chelsea shirt. It wasn't the whole chapter about that. have to go reread it now. But I do remember that bit of it and found it interesting. I'll give you the page number like.

Unless i'm mistaken they have ad their own money invested in every stadium they have needed for their teams. Yes, they were not totally financed by G or H, but they had exposure just the same. Gillett Jr. is permantly at LFC now. Has his own office there and a place down on the docks. Both G&H have made regular visits to oversee things and Hicks lads have been to a number of matches. So yes indeed, they can be classified as supporters. Read Tomkins latest book Above Us only Sky and there's a chapter in there on Tom Hicks Jr. singing FO Chelsea FC to a Chelsea supporter in Dallas. Bet Glazers sons aren't singers..and my naivety is just fine thank you.

petelfc How many stadiums have Gillett and Hicks between them built? How many have gone t*** up? I think they know how not to lose their a*** on building stadiums. Further, I think they have become supporters of the club in their short time with us and enjoy going to matches. How often has Glazer been to OT to see his team?

Success overall. Left with dignity in spite of some of the vile things happening at the end of his term with us. Always has said nice things about us since. Continues to honour Liverpool every chance he gets. Always welcome back. Wouldn't want him as manager again mind, but welcomed back anytime.

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About as often as our corner kicks and free kicks.. Pepe's distribution is but one part of our attacking options.

And Fowler, let's not forget his goals after January when he came. One Pepe Two Pepe Three Pepe Reina Ohhh Pepe Reina. I think it's getting to the point when the other team scores Rafa looks bemused as to how the hell did they do that. So much confidence in Pepe and the defense.

My 2p worth. The difference between Ged and Rafa when it comes to overlapping fullback is Rafa utilizes two defensive midfielders, Ged didn't. V Besiktas it was Gerrard and Masch, with Benayoun, Voronin, and Riise the three in front of them and Crouch as the lone striker. Usually when fit it will be Mascherano and Alonso like V Arsenal. With Gerrard in the hole behind Torres ( or Crouch). So with the two defensive midfielders willing to drop back, then our two fullbacks can attack. Rafa's onto something there...

As long as the owners are discussing long term plans with Rafa he's going to be here. There isn't a "perfect" manager around. Yet, people want perfection out of 11 individuals on the pitch and the manager. Rafa is slowly intergrating his style with the players. He couldn't just jump in and change things with the holdovers he had. We--He--- didn't have 200 mil off of Moores to revamp the side. So it will take Rafa until his 4th or 5th year before he's cleaned out the closet and brought in who he wants to play his style of footy. Until then we haven't seen the real Rafa and we haven't seen the real football Rafa will have us play.

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Maybe if those inside Anfield were singing instead of it being a library Those announcements wouldn't bother people...

As it is now awhile after the match and some cooler heads... Wasn't this the same Rafa and Pako combination that got us off to such a slow start last season? So how can our performances of late be blamed on Pako leaving when it was just a year a go we were s***e with the both of them running the show in August and September. And for the record I am 100% behind Rafa... As for Marseille, the players let Rafa down and us supporters down. They have to know that by now as their performance was abject crap...Pepe not withstanding. One thing about Rafa is he definately analyzes things. He will analyze that performance and learn from it as well as adjust things. players will be told, and Rafa shows little favoritism as he's offloaded some of the under performers in the past. So there is some hope for the future. I just hope we beat Spurs and kick on from there. It may not be amazing play that gets us these wins, But wins builds confidence. Time for some confidence building.

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So we have an England International who was our top goal scorer last season in all competitions and this = no chance if Torres doesn't play. First off, Torres will be rested. Second, what happens if Torres gets injured at some point in this season either playing for us or Spain? ( of coruse fingers crossed he doesn't) I doubt Rafa will pay Fernando 60 matches this season so there better be plan B and plan C.

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To bad about his injury. Seems like he gets started and then gets a knock again. Shame.