109_ultra

The only two ways that I can think of beating it (if we are at our best of course!) is by 1) doing it better - fight fire with fire if you like, much like Dortmund did in the first half at Anfield last season. It then becomes a case of who takes their chances, or another way, who has the better strikers. In the premier league I can only think of Spurs who might on their day be able to outwork us, but even then we've ran further in both Klopp's games against Pochettino; or 2) being ridiculously good in possession and passing around the first wave of press in your own third, probably needing a ball playing keeper and centre halves; meaning probably only city and arsenal have it in their locker to do. Even then though I'm liking those odds that we might pick their pocket once which is alls it could take. Otherwise it's really a case of hoping you catch us on an off day. Nobody will set out to "do a Burnley" and shut up shop if they have any serious designs of beating us, sure they might get lucky once in a while but in the grand scheme it's surrendering the initiative to us to go and win the game. In a nutshell it's hard as fuck to play against when executed correctly

Does anybody on here know how many tickets are beng made available in tomorrow's ballot by any chance? I'm guessing its about 4k tops which probably gives an entrant a 1 in 4/5 chance. Still absolutely fucking scandalous though not surprising that Uefa chose such a small venue for a final. Also can't believe that Hicks & Gillett continue to haunt us with their shit dealings.

I go along with this being a much bigger game than West Ham. Playing European football is part and parcel of playing for us, when a year out of Europe becomes 2, 3 and so on then before you know it we're on a crap co-efficient for future seeding, foreign players don't consider us and the reputation of the club declines. We need to maintain our presence on the European stage even if we arnt dining at the top table right now.

Haha, brilliant! This sums it up perfectly for me. Awful, awful film.....one to avoid if you havn't already seen it.

Take your word for it. Yes looking forward to Lucas' return. Allen isn't comfortable doing the role he's being asked at the moment, want to see what he can offer going forward.

When Rodgers first arrived he introduced a number of "general rules" to the players. One of these was that he expected his teams to win the ball back within 15 seconds of giving it away. The reason this isn't achievable at present is because the shape is all wrong when we lose the ball, only Allen is goalside of the ball when its lost in the final third and that results in (i) a lack of sustained pressure (ii) dangerous counter-attacks from the opposition.

I have to disagree about Suarez being isolated. I think we get more bodies in the box now as the midfield push on making a front 5, leaving only Allen deep. At times Allen has been left desperately isolated as a result, Rafa was notoriouly cautious and his cente mids and wide men sat very deep to protect the defence and full backs, offering little support to torres. Its the major reason why we have struggled to hold leads under Rodgers and until we learn to score more goals and/or change our style slightly when taking the lead its going to be a "roll of the dice" every game.

The formation isn't a problem, its not too different to what rafa had us playing. The problem is the shape of the team when we lose possession. Too many are being caught ahead of the ball when we lose it, so one pass takes the opposition from their own third straight onto our back line. Young boys late equaliser was typical of our lack of shape when the ball changes possession.

Its difficult trying to assess Kenny's reign without any bias such is the status of the man but i've tried to be neutral and summarise some of the main points as they appear to me. Positives: Sorted the Defence out and we no longer concede anything like the amount we did. Introduced a new possession game which is what i've been brought up on and like to see. Improved points return away from home and we are a threat now on our travels. Doesn't rotate unecessarily and "sacrifice" games. In touch with the fans and robustly defends the club in the media. Negatives: Can't seem to change a game as he sees it unfold before him - no Plan B. Shows in our home form, park the bus as an away side and you get a point. Too slow with the substitutions, summed up against arsenal at home when he brought carroll on in injury time and bellamy with 2 minutes to go. Transfer dealings open to question. Henderson was his top target and he had an overrated opinion of Carroll. Goal return simply isn't good enough. Form since turn of the year has been shocking. We've taken less points than Blackburn and are sliding down the table which is a slight worry. Above all i've enjoyed going to the match again since Kenny came back (but it could be a lot of that is due to the new ownership rather than manager) and I have genuinely enjoyed the style of play he has introduced. I'm not sure how much blame can be placed on Kenny for the profligacy in front of goal and you cant help but feel had we got a real talisman in then we'd be a lot higher in the table. On balance I think he's done enough to earn another year and I think he'll get it provided he addresses the slump in form. Notable that we have picked up far fewer points per game since the Lucas injury and I think that has been critical to our seasons fortunes but that doesnt mitigate everything he could do better. I think Kenny will have learnt a lot this season. About his new squad, what level we are at and there have been many lessons for him this year not least at home. I'm confident he can take us on to better things next year. The poor seasons arsenal and chelsea have had has made it feel like a missed opportunity but in truth, had they performed (which I appreciate is irrelevant) I think we would all be saying this current squad isnt good enough for top 4 in any event.

I liken Capello's defence of Terry to Kenny's of Suarez, which is the FA have no jurisdiction to act judge and jury on a mans innocence or otherwise. Yet again they've prejudiced a fair trial and I wouldnt be surprised to see this raised in Terry's defence. Italians are not racist. Fascist elements may remain ingrained within sections of their society though.

Games cant come quick enough when you hit a patch like this. They're shite, struggling for points and Kenny has managed the squad very well this last week. Johnson will come in after being rested on saturday.

Should have give him a death sentence.

Laughable that the media and some (alleged) reds are believing this guy was making a monkey gesture. Wake up to the propoganda before you fuckwits.

There is not a jury in the land would convict someone of racist abuse on the basis of that evidence. Straw clutching of the highest order. If they want to make an example of someone on their marvellous crusade of equality I suggest they look at "JT" and leave some arl' fella with an itchy armpit alone. Cockney journo twats driving an agenda to deflect attention from Chelsea, a racist club with known links to Lazio.

Some people need to get a serious fucking grip on themselves here. A fella scratching his side, no indication of what he is doing with his right hand either. If it was in motion and he was juping up an down fair do's, I went today and thank fuck nobody has took a screenshot of me coughing then saying he was making this noise or that. If thats the most they have got on us after today then a big pat on the back to all reds who went today, under intense provocation and abuse from six thousand mancs I might add. Fuck to the agenda.