Spudulike

Yep. Arsenal and Spurs note: Utd won an actual trophy.

BBC "breaking news" that JM is about to be appointed Utd manager: http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/36163462

I feel gutted after today. Feeling-wise, it's a premonition of how I'm going to feel at the Euros; the European refs will not let us be at all physical and we'll choke like Palace (just my personal fears, of course). I don't know about LVG - Utd are light years away from being like you'd expect but they are making progress (despite being hard to watch). For those of us who support the FA Cup as an important contest, it'll suck if Utd say '...you've "only" won the cup, off you go...'.

Yep. My stash of Arsenal memorabilia! :-)

Here it is. It doesn't look Arsenal-like. Edit: wrong pic!! Soz.

It is very devalued. It is sad and I am not sure what the answer is to be honest. It's now usual practice for clubs to place the FA cup behind league and European contests.At least tomorrow's final feels important as LVG's job, and the short term direction of Utd, may depend on the outcome. Edit: I hope Palace do it.

OMFG. He's started already: BR: "I can't wait to be in Paradise with our team and our fans as we all get to work." Can't he just say 'pleased to be here. There's a lot of work to do, etc...'

Ha ha. I'm very, very pleased he's back (unless, since leaving LFC, he's become taciturn).

Un-effing-believable. Win the cup and THEN plan the parade.

The league reform proposal 'headlines' seem sensible. I can't fault them tbh (though I need to read the full proposals). It's good to see some common sense being applied to the future of the game.

Blimey ...

Goodnight Scousers. I hope the fans don't kick off in Basle, post match, as they have been known to.

LFC are an easy target but that's pretty classless after the Hillsborough report.

Ah. Thanks for that news. Apparently, Joey Barton is on the verge of signing for Rangers (unless he has already). I look forward to his views on Rodgers, and vice versa.

You are clearly mistaken. LFC fans are peaceful ambassadors for the English game. If the Scouse ***** get us all ko'd from Europe again...

Have you heard the Rodgers to Celtic rumours, by the way?

Yep. Unbearable. I'm waiting for the first "And welcome to Basle. You'd be forgiven for thinking you were at Anfield as Liverpool fans have brought the special 'Anfield Atmosphere' to..." type comment from TV.

My feeling about LFC is based on a gut feeling about the mood of the team and the clear recent progress they've made. As the famous football pundit, William Shakespeare, said "There is a tide in the affairs of men that, taken at the flood..." etc, etc. We may not like it but LFC are getting better. Klopp may make them into a force.

She is not amused. Neither will some of us be if LFC win and get hyped to death.Edit. I think they can win, too.

That's the key issue BWH. We go abroad and abandon our style of play.

There's a good blend of youth and experience there. Good starting 11.

Rio Ferdinand was on Radio 5 yesterday and made the good (imo) point that we should regard the Euros as preparation for the next World Cup. I think he was making a point about managing our expectations. I don't think we'll win in the summer. Partly due to the same old issues (not playing our natural game, pressure to perform, other teams raising their game when they play us, etc) and partly due to the caution of Roy. I'd be happy to see us improve in the course of the tournament, however.

Damn. There go my hopes of modding the 'nearest and dearest' thread...:-) Fair play to the new mods as I am sure that modding takes time and commitment and is not something to be taken on lightly. Thanks to the present Mods too as they have done, and will continue to do I hope, very good work.

Plus there's something particularly stupid about taking to a major tournament players who are very often, and very easily, injured. Wilshire is too great a risk, in terms of how often he's injured, to include in the squad.

Thanks Gem. I know that's hard to say :-) There are two Gooners at work. They are cock-a-hoop; you'd think they'd actually won something :-(