chliverpool7

So wouldn't he be playing same role that his playing now for Barca for us instead??? Wouldn't make much sense to move now would it.......

who????? Ibrahimovich is all class...his first touch and movement is magic. His more of a linking striker that drops deep then a goal poaching striker. Sort of like a berbatov. Top Player

To be fair his cut down alot of the play-acting/ cheating/ dissent and diving around since he first got here...He doesnt do it anywhere near the level like he used too...if not at all. His a world class talent and we'd all want him on our side if we could.

No doubt in my mind that we would have lost last night if he wasnt in goal. The first save from Cruz was unbelievable but the second from Ibrahimovich's backheel was nearly the best save Ive seen from him all season!!!! His reaction was top draw. I think his proven himself to be better then Cech. H

Thanks for tarnishing our whole reputation as Australians on this board mate!!! or did harry kewell already do that???

Blah Blah Blah Blah its more ridiculous English paper talk. Its more then likely that Rafa and Alonso are on fine terms....rafa just didnt want a player in the squad thats mind wasn't 100% focused on the job. And to be fair, if his mind isn't 100% on the job then he shouldnt be in the sqaud. For most players family comes first, if it was anyone else nearly the same thing would be happening.

I think the key for me was always alonso. We've badly missed him...and its not as if his getting back to his best...but a 70% alonso is still massively important to the way we play...his ball distribution for one is so Key...and i think Rafa has got it totally right in playing him and masch with Gerrard roaming around where he wants. It works. I hope he sticks with it. The emergence of Babel's progression was always just a matter of time and even though i dont believe Kuyt is the answer at right mid...you cant really question his contribution for the last few weeks.

Agree with this...still dont know why benayoun isnt starting out there. To be fair kuyt has had a few good games on the spin now...don't know how long it will continue

way to stay positive buddy....Inter Milan were up there as one of the favourites to go very far into the compition this season. Our record in the cl under rafa is unbelievable...we have every chance to win it this year and to suggest otherwise is whats crazy!

HA!!! Technically English players are of a way lesser standard then foreigners, Its been proven. Hence why rafa has brought in so many foreigners into the youth/reserve teams

Doubt it was becasue of the foreign influence. Talent can usually speak for itself...and his wasn't at a high enough level. To be fair the best player should play regardless of being foreign or English. A majority of the time the foreigner will win.

Will be tight but i still dont think they'll make 70. The likes of Sunderland, Fullham, Birmingham will be fighting for there lives...and the deeper they get into the uefa cup the harder it will get for them to make a claim to fourth. The same could be said for us...but our squad overall is alot stronger then theres. v-important that we do them when they come to anfield

Cate Blanchet is pregnant by the way

I think lescott has had a very good season this year...coming over a decent half season last season...but in the big games his played poor for them. Remember Riise was fantastic his first year......and his more a CB then a left back. Can you see lescott bombing forward to help the attack?? hardly....and u can play babel on the left. If we played arteta and cahill left and right we'd get no width..it would be a nightmare. Cause they're not natural wide players. So if your wide players are tucked in it means your right and left backs should get furthur forward. Again lescott attacking down the left and swinging in crosses???? Traore does it better..... reina finnan-carra-agger-aurelio gerrard/benayoun-alonso/gerrard-masch-babel yakubu-torres

I think maybe yakubu only could make a claim...the rest i dont think are good enough to make our strongest eleven. Cahill is a goal-scoring midfielder much like Gerrard, but not as good. Dont know where arteta would fit in and lescotts defending vs croatia spoke for itself

Everton still need to play us, arsenal and chelsea. As well as West Ham, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Villa. No chance they'll get to 70. Can't believe anyone on here is saying there going to get 4th over us!! What Everton have done well this season is get results vs bottom half teams. A question for anyone who believes they'll get 4th...how many everton players would make our strongest 11?? 0 in my opinion. They get results becasue they play well AS a team. If we play like we should then 4th should not be a problem....

totally gutted if he leaves....a world class talent. Really we cant afford to let him go unless we have a suitable replacement...and theres not much out there without spending big money

Good post. Totally agree. His touch is exagerrated as poor...i think his consistancy is the problem. He'll play a really good game where his touch is near perfect, and then a week later his touch will be awfull.But totally correct in saying how can anyone knock the man...he gives it his all, and he keeps offering for the ball. All players go through slumps...his starting to come out of his. I have no doubt that if he was played as an out an out striker..meaning playing on the last man...much like he did in Holland...he would score a whole lot of goals for us. Ever since his signed for us he works so hard most games that he drops deep 90% of the time instead of playing right up front like he should. Maybe rafa asks him too. We charge down field on a counter and need people in the box....his usually running from half field with the midfielders cause he drops so deep!!!

Its far far far to early to be judging lucas yet, he seems to be progressing nicely.....who knows one day he may be in the fabregas, essien, scholes category. He needs time like all those three had. He can obviously score goals when given the chance as well. Still think unless a fully fit and in form alonso gets sold he may be second choice behind him for the time being

HE should be given more time regardless of this result. Should rafa be given more time? he always should have. The knee-jerkers will quiet down for the time being...and now rafa will be there hero until we lose our next game and then of course he should be sacked. Another tactical masterclass last night by rafa..defensively anyway. Everytime inter passed half way (which wasn't often) 3 or 4 red shirts hassled the ball player till they gave it away. Fantastic. I expect more of the same in the second leg. I do however think our creative play for 20minutes before our goal was poor.....bolton-esque!!!

totally agree.....he was fantastic last night. His best game in a long time. A candidate for man of the match..... cant say much for aurelio on the other side...he should have been doing the same thing

Defense has never been a problem. For the last few seasons our defensive has been very hard to crack....and if you take away pens from this season our goals conceded tally would look ridiculously low. Its bleedingly obvious that the attack needs to be shakin up. If you watch arsenal there always moving off the ball. Theres always more then one option when there going forward. And there imaginative!!! we have little or no imagination.....its either spread it wide and ping in a cross, or we try and pass through the opposition, something, that quite frankly, we dont have the players for. When we go forward everyones just static, and it seems obvious that all our players on the pitch are just going through the motions and waiting/wanting someone else to do something to make the difference, instead of getting in there and doing it themselves. This is why benayoun should be on the teamsheet every week for one. We NEED more creative minded players

Good post. Totally agree. Too many players right now taking the easy option and looking for someone to blame. The rot has well and truely set it. Can Rafa be blamed for this? Hardly. As stated above it comes down to professionalism....both collectively and individually.

Totally agree

agreed....arsenal this season realised there short-comings of last season. They were bullied away from home last season, hightlighted with away losses to portsmouth, bolton, newcaslte.....also think confidence breeds confidence...they've just gone from strength to strength....it will be interesting to see what happens in the next few days now.....they were totally bullied by man u on saturday, given no time/space on the ball and there famed passing went to s***. There season could still fall apart