RedRobMol

But at least we had an albeit self inflicted excuse. What was Liverpool's? After 10 Games ..................P.......W.......D.......L.......F.......A.......Pts Chelsea.....10.......8........1.......1......17......5.......25 Liverpool....10.......4........2.......4......12.....12......14 ive probably addressed this in my last post, but look at the goals against column, thats what hurt us, and split that into home and away and it hurts even more, it was only 1 away goal by that stage. Our approach away from home has cost us the chance of competing this year, we are as good as anyone at home.

to pick up on the general comments, we know that since last winning the league things have not been good. We also know why. Losing Kenny was the main reason, a phenominal man and a potentially great manager left for understandable reasons and the men we put in place after that were not up to the job. The other major point for me is the fact that we failed to capitalise on the sky generation reinvention of english football. Souness made sure we were not at the forefront when this sh*t kicked off and we have been playing catch up ever since. Of course it hurts not to challenge in the league and i generally thought that this year would be different, but too many of the men we brought in have either not stood up to the plate or needed more time to settle than we would have hoped. The signings were limited to what we could afford and I still beleive that Rafa will lead us to the title. He needs to stop showing sh*t teams too much respect away from home, that is, along with not winning enough of the big 4 head to heads, why we have failed to challenge. I dont think there are even too many united fans who thought they would have the season they have had though, and we should have been right up your arse really by now, so i dont think we need too much next year. More clinicalnes in front of goal, a quality winger (either wing will do, but we need better quality than we have from out wide) and i think we will be there. As for our cups to make the years less painful, that is fair, but look at the trophies we have won since we last won the league and it beats everyone apart from United and perhaps the arse. FA cup 92, 01, 06, CC Cup 95, 01, 03, Uefa Cup 01, CL 05. Thats 8 trophies, 5 of which are major trophies, its not bad in terms of consolation. We need the league (we being the fans) and the club knows that, but the bar has been raised without doubt.

to sum this one up, i thought he was a turd because he is always cheating, and the interview last year on motd when he admitted he dives. I can understand you lot thinking poorly of Stevie, i dont think too highly of him myself (apart from the fact that i think he is a phenominally good player). I think Stevie is an attrocious captain for the majority and i cringe when i see him dive, but i really dont think he does it as much as you lot would like to beleive. I dont think too badly of Scholes, in fact i think he is one of their better ones, Neville, Ronaldo, Rooney, Ferdinand, all come above scholes in the turd stakes. I think Giggs is the only one i respect more than Scholes in fact. As for not buying hubcaps from me, I have only ever had one thing stolen from my car, and it happened in London mate, not Liverpool.

Q: Does what happened to you in the Champion's League semi-final [in 2005] still bother you? A: They deserved to win it, that season was their season. So you can't be still thinking about the past. What's done is done. I don't care if the ball crossed the line or not. They won the Champion's League, so for me they deserved to win it that season, but I hope this season it'll be us. Q: Is it normal that it takes one or two seasons to get used to English football. Is English football so different? A: English football is different compared to what I knew before. For me it took me two seasons to do this now but maybe for someone else it is six months - like Dirk Kuyt, he's doing very well in Liverpool now. Q: Do you feel like you're the best striker in the world at the moment? A: No, I would never say that. It's not for me to say. I'm not watching my games to say I'm the best striker in the world. When I'm on the pitch I'm confident because I know I can try different things and sometimes it will work. My confidence is not about saying I'm the best striker in the world. My confidence is to say I know I can score. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature...pos2&cc=3 888 havent read the feature, i have to be honest, but this segment was posted on a liverpool board and it surprised me to see these comments coming from him, as i thought he was a turd.

i'm sure ive admitted before that i am neither score, nor witty. Anyway, still knew it would get a bite

thought you'd like it, not you specifically like, but someone at least!

a little late for a response, but better late than never. I thought your performance embarrassed british football and showed us up as long ball playing, hacking, diving thugs. There, i gave you credit although it was hard! [spoil]It was actually as good as any performance from an English side in the CL away from home against top class opposition as i can ever remember seeing. Well the second half anyway, didnt see the first but heard it was much more even. Great result.[/spoil]

some of that is fair, but some is ridiculous. To put yourself in as underdogs really confuses me. You are superior in the league, and the number of games played is not an excuse to be putting in this early surely. As your manager said very early this season, you started 10 games after everyone else because you were pimping your arses across the globe instead of preparing for the new season. This game has to have you as favourites, the fact that we can rest players in between doesnt change that for me. We can win, but you are definately favourites. Without doubt. Just as you were in 2005. The problem for us this year is that you lot might actually sing in the home leg of the semis, which might mean we might go into the second leg behind. If we do, i think you will win, if its even or we lead, we shall reach Athens, in my humble opinion. As for the 'The sheer drama of Istanbul will almost certainly never be topped by any team in any major final', i personally think that is fair. I doubt I will see anything like that again in my lifetime, no matter how many times we win the cup again.

Essien, Robben, Diarra, J.Cole and Drogba are suspended if booked. What about Liverpool?? Not sure, Dirk Kuyt picked up a booking (cleverly) in the final minutes so he's suspended for the second leg, Alonso was booked so presumably he is on a knife edge. There will no doubt be more but thats all i know for sure. Red Rob! Indeed the water is very warm and clear. Beautiful stuff. I'm so glad we could join you. I suppose you must be very hopeful of maintaining another bore draw at the Bridge followed by another dubious goal at Spamfield? Oh, and Essien is out for the first leg, so your wishes are well on their way to being fulfilled. Dish? Served? Cold? really looking forward to it. I wanted you out if i am honest as i would rather have faced valencia, but now its on, im defo excited about it. If we can get a bore draw at the bridge i'll be happy as i think we will win at anfield. Only problem is i might not get a ticket this year, i've not been able to make it to many CL games and you need the stubs. bring it on, as they say.

Just wanted to say a very well deserved 'well done'. great result, and from what i saw (all of the second half, some of the first) it was well deserved. I thought you'd both settled for extra time though so the goal was a surprise. Are you looking forward to the semi, i know i am. cant wait. any of your guys suspended?

I guess you will have seen the news item on the BBC sport website, with the Spanish police warning there will be a zero tolerence attitude towards policing, what are your thoughts on this? In my opinion it is the zero tolerence policing that causes the problems, almost giving the coppers a free licence to wade into anyone they like. I dont know if you lot agree but it seems to me that the spanish and italian authorities want there to be a perceived problem with the english fans again, perhaps because the english teams are beginning to dominate again (2 finalists in the last 2 years, 3 quarters this year etc) what are your thoughts. I hope to god nothing kicks off out there tonight because i can see some real problems coming our way if it does, what with the spurs and mancs fans having the same issues recently. anyway, best fo luck for the game.

Essien, Robben, Diarra, J.Cole and Drogba are suspended if booked. What about Liverpool?? Not sure, Dirk Kuyt picked up a booking (cleverly) in the final minutes so he's suspended for the second leg, Alonso was booked so presumably he is on a knife edge. There will no doubt be more but thats all i know for sure.

so whats the news on your squad then? Anyone sitting precariously on one yellow card going into the second leg? I dont think yesterdays result was a bad one for us. Both teams will really be scrapping til the death in the second leg so injuries and suspensions are a real possibility. I didnt see the game, was it good natured?

'Cause God forbid, you would want to win fair and square... Like your former lovable albino friend diving to make Xabi Alonso miss the second leg in 2005. I would wish for injuries but i want you to catch united in the league, so suspensions will do.

come and join us in the semi's, the water is lovely. I will be watching the scores tonight with real interest. I have absolutely no idea who i want to play in the semi's yet, but i am sure my gut instinct will tell me whenever i hear who has taken the lead. Best of luck, lets just hope you pick up some suspensions over these two legs.

it is a silly idea which will never and should never happen, but i think his point about the reserve league is a very good one. The amount of games they played prior to this season was not that many, but this season has been a joke. Something needs to be done to revise the reserve league, but his suggestion is a bad one.

you can understand them doing it, but its such a shame that football is so sterilised. I have no idea why you do it, and if away grounds confiscated it then that would be fair enough, but at home it is just pointless PC.

dont get me wrong, i know too well that what you are saying is true, i was merely pointing out that i dont beleive his celebrations to be whole heartedly genuine. I dont mind Benitez criticising Robben because he is a f**king disgrace, and i dont mind him defending Gerrard because i am a hypocrite who feels very comfortable in these rose tinted spectacles. He did also criticise Luis Garcia for diving to get that west ham players sent off at upton park in the league last season, to give him credit.

and you dont think he plays up to it? As i said, he is genuinely emotional, but f**k he plays up to it. even that sh*te he came up with about not speaking to the media again this season is all about the attention. I think its got some reason behind it, deflecting attention away from his players, but i dont like to watch it, it is often cringeworthy.

do you think those reactions are wholly genuine? It always appears to me that he's just trying to get attention. I dont doubt that he's pleased but it appears incredibly contrived. You dont half talk some bolox sometimes - why dont you go and try to wind up some mankers instead i'm not trying to wind anyone up, and there are people who are agreeing with me. I dont doubt he has a strong emotional link with you now, but he definately wants the attention with those celebrations, without doubt. I think he will leave, personal opinion. i also think him leaving is a bad thing for us, as a new manager will be even better supported in the transfer market, and i seriously rate hiddink who is favourite is most peoples eyes.

do you think those reactions are wholly genuine? It always appears to me that he's just trying to get attention. I dont doubt that he's pleased but it appears incredibly contrived.

I'm not saying i beleive all the sh*t in the papers, but it would seem that there is tension somewhere in the ranks, and i can see him moving on at the end of the season. If he were to win the CL there is nothing left to prove so might walk, if he doesnt then he might get the chop, but all that aside, IF he went, what players do you think he would take with him, or would want to bail out? I could imagine him taking, or at least wanting to take, Terry, Lampard and Drogba whereever it is he would go.

yes Loz, i do. I am only speaking about recent history. I know we are not the strongest side in the competition, man for man, but we werent in 2005 either, in fact we were weaker than we are now in my opinion, but it is the results in RECENT history that makes other clubs wary of us, especially clubs from abroad. I genuinely think most of the clubs left would have wanted to avoid all three remaining english clubs because there is a great respect for our league, but i know that other teams (maybe Valencia aside, for the rivalry with Benitez) would want to avoid us. that is the best place foe his bollock, he was sh*te. I was at that game and f**king hell did I wince.

not as simple as you would like to believe.Not related to your club????? why was he there? perhaps to watch your club? or is the connection to obvious? Perhaps he was hoilday and without knowing, his favourite team happened to be in town and playing in a Champions League Final...what a stroke of luck. do me a favour. he is a supporter of your club, at a venue, city, wher your club were playing, how can that not be related? anyway, it's all history now. i dont want to patronise you, but perhaps you should look at the facts before you posted. The fact that he is in a Bulgarian prison might be one fact worth looking into. As for what our board said, i cannot comment. I will not argue against you, and i can't really say much more than i already have, but yes, it is in the past and should be remembered but not replayed daily.

I know i spend a lot of time on here defending my fellow fans, something i should possibly give up on as it is a massive battle, but my honest opinion is that we have very little scumbag following. Thats the experience i have anyhow. I have only ever seen one bit of trouble at anfield (i am only 25, and have only been a real regular for 8 years). I dont go away much, but i know people who do and there are plenty of w**kers by all accounts (a social problem, rather than a football one) but no real football scumbags. I will never condone what happened in Hysel, although i am sure i will be assumed to be by some of you. I dont know enough about it to castigate either way but from what i do know, we have to accept a large slice of the blame and hang our heads. But that was then, at a time when it was a case of when not if a tragedy happened like this involving English fans. Today it is different. I think Dortmund and Istanbul are important highlights of that point. Michael Shields is a difficult one, as he (in my opinion) is probably guilty, or at least is in association with who was, but was not related to our club in my eyes. The fact that he had been to the CL final in my view is irrelevant. The fella who came out with a confession over here, his mate, was an Evertonian. They were english w**kers, being w**kers, pissed, on holiday. Nothing to do with Football violence, just w**kers being w**kers.