Gary Wolf

Yossi Reina N'Gog

Did he really have any beginning?

Agree with this absolutely. Was really surprised to see him in the role of a right FB, before I read here that Darby was injured. For playing at this position Mascherano lacks some skills which are essential there. Besides those already mentioned here, I would wonder about his ability to cross the ball into the box and unfortunately he cannot shoot. So the sooner he is in his usual element the better.

I know. And that was a natural decision, as it was pretty clear who's going to play left fullback since Cole's transfer to Chelsea became real. And they got rid of Del Horno, too, for that reason.

Ashley Cole came. It was clear Gallas was not going to be first choice any more.

Yes, we missed a lot of chances, but (1) we still conceded twice, (2) didn't create enough pressure to force Boro to make more defensive mistakes. Again our lack of ability to break down weaker opposition, so alarmingly discordant to our successful strategy of holding strong sides. I meant that if Rafa really can learn from his mistakes he should adapt at least one more effective strategy vs the likes of Boro, Wigan, Stoke etc. I agree with your estimation of the summer transfers. Still this year the gap between us and MU or Chelsea is not so great. We have fallen back not because of some outstanding performance of our rivals, but because our own mistakes. I'm absolutely positive we had a real chance to win the title this year, and what makes me really gutted is we wasted it ourselves, as well as wrapped the parcel with the trophey and sent it to SAF. Again, a good run in the CL for me in this situation (you aren't saying 'winning the CL') won't compensate. Three years without a single trophey depress me so much. To tell you the truth, I could have been crying outloud yesterday, had it not been for the guests in my house at the time of the game. The story of Liverpool being AMONG the best teams makes me fed up, as it tends to recur year after year without our actually progressing from 'one of the' to 'the one and only'. Taking 2nd place would be a step up, but I'm afraid it will take a different manager to lead us higher.

Time after time there's the same old tune about ordinary players who are not good enough etc. Are they so bad they should lose against Boro in such a disgraceful fashion? It seems that everyone is to blame except Rafa who remains untouchable. But yesterday he showed once more his inability to change his gameplan to fit the changing situation. His subs were absurd. The more I see the more I become sure Rafa is one of those people who have their theories and concepts, think them flawless and are never going to adapt them to the reality, even if they don't work. As Rafa's strategy is good for CL, it doesn't mean it should be automatically applicable to the premiership. If he hasn't got this idea after 5 years, I doubt he will.

Looks like this UEFA Cup will be between Russians and Ukranians. Would love Dinamo Kiev to win it, actually.

Have no right to blame anyone but for me it's always about remembering this "If you are first you are first. If you are second you are nothing." Bill Shankly and this "At Liverpool we never accept second best." Kenny Dalglish

Not sure about O'Neill, but Moyes may be quite capable of playing more attractive football, if given good players and not this rubbish he currently has.

Yes, twice equal if I'not mistaken, but never less. The first time they caught up was 1911 with 2 titles, then in 1967 with 7 each.

Probably GH would never have accomplished it, didn't mean that. Wanted to say that the main highlight of Rafa's Liverpool career was achieved with the team which he could not call HIS. Then he made numerous changes to build Liverpool according to his taste but still hasn't given us a comparable triumph. We may state a certain progress in the league, from the viewpoint of statistics, percentage of points etc. But looking at our final league positions it's not much better. The current team is not flawless but it's a lot stronger than it used to be. Of course, if we're satisfied with being in the big 4 in EPL, one of the 6 biggest in Europe, then it's ok. Rafa can provide that. But the goal is to be the best in the premiership, we need another manager. Everything is IMO.

Yes, there's. Achieved during his first year of management with GH's team plus Alonso. Will you say that Rafa's initial season in office was his peak achievement? Then what progress are we speaking about?

I'm not going to do this, as it was in a different league. Rafa can be omnipotent in Spain but we're discussing English football. Should I compare their parallel league records since 2004-2005? Again no advantage: Arsenal higher two times, we better once, equal points once. This year we're going to beat them to level the score. Yes, I did. The problem with Momo was he was young (still is) and has to learn. The degree to which he can be trained is evident here http://videos.sapo.pt/usemZP8MvNotQaTzlEiE I know Momo is not too popular among the fans but I really regret he's not here.

Wenger's transfer's for the last year http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/verein/11/f...uebersicht.html Our transfer's last year http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/verein/31/f...uebersicht.html And you may also look at the previous year with the same success. I agree they may be going to a disaster but that's to be seen next season. 1. We had Momo. 2. Wenger for the last six years champions 2004, Cup winners 2003, 2005. Benitez in Liverpool CL 2005, Cup winners 2006. It doesn't seem the difference is so huge.

I'm not disputing Fletcher's and Park's merits (though limited IMO). That is just to say that instead of bringing reliable squad players, we take Degens and Dossenas. Tevez is rated 30m, but are you sure mancs will buy him out? Honestly I'm not. Mascherano is a class player, but if we're so short of money, why buy someone who fits into the position considered to be our strongest one. A quality winger for the same money would be just fine. I agree Arsenal is declining. Probably they will finish sixth, but apart from Arshavin they are not spending. Wenger is trying to build a team from within and presently he's making the most of the team they have. Unlike Rafa.

Arsenal had some of their best players gone, some injured. Wenger plays with the kids. Scolari tried to make his team adapt to a new style, but was not given time. We have the strongest team for all these previous years, it's well balanced, with many key players performing together for a long time, but honestly I can't see we're playing better football. Perhaps mancs do have a better squad, but the gap is not so great. And speaking of their depth, they play the likes of Oshea, Park, Fletcher, Brown, who would never make the first team under Rafa and share Warnock's fate.

That was really something I was trying to explain myself. Never mind the mancs, just keep on taking your own points against the mediocre teams, and that would have been that.

In 2002 we were also second, which was presented as an enormous step forward by many. Besides, IMO not only Arsenal and Chelsea are underperforming, but the mancs are (or at least were) not at their best as well. That was a historical chance for us to win the title. To miss it is a capital crime.

That's another scary movie. When Jose was leaving Chelsea, everyone was saying the players like Drogba would follow him. But that never came to be. Most of them have long-term contracts. How on earth do you fancy them to leave? Just stand up, wave their hand and walk out of the door?

Not so sure. Watch out for some youngster, make a star out of him, it'll improve your squad cost enormously. And if we go by way of wage bills, what would you say of Man City?

The cost of the team is not only direct investments. That's how players progress and become more/less expensive, isn't it?

According to a rather reliable www.transfermarkt.de in 2004-2008 we spent 283.708.000 euro (Mascherano included) . Mancs - 260.750.000 euro for the same period of time.

Then I'll never be able to understand the logic behind selecting Dossena not Aurelio.

Noticed that myself. BTW it looked like he was going to shoot wide, but for Arbeloa's boot.