Hoddy

Just seen at least four posts in the top six dedicated to arguing amongst ourselves, and not even over footballing opinions. I learnt of this forum through the fanzine, and it, like the mag itself, used to be a breath of fresh air for a football fan wanting to read viewpoints that were a cut above the usual British press bullshit. But the last few days have been a chore to read, and it's sad because so much effort has obviously gone into getting this forum back on the road, and now it seems few have little to say about all matters Red. I don't post much, I mostly like to sit back and enjoy the reading, and I apologise if this has come across all holier and thou, I just thought it was a point worth making.

442 are just being wankers, and in doing so are displaying the complete horror state of British football journalism. It's sad, because a specialist footballing publication should be leading the way on how we view the game, not hanging on the coat tails of opinions of Robbie Earle, Ally Mcoist and the like. Yes, El Hadji Diouf and Igor Biscan did not perform up to the normal standards of Liverpool Football Club on a regular basis, but there were far, far worse players in the Premiership than these two last season. Anyone who actually watched our matches last year knew that Diouf was awesome in the first fifth of the campaign, and that Biscan was actually keeping Stephane Henchoz out of the first team on merit at one point. It just smacks of lazy journalism and a penchant for following public opinion rather than influencing it, and there's far too much of that in this country.

I have a good friend who's a Geordie, albeit not your stereotypical one, ie, has hair, wears a shirt over his man-tits, and can pretty much see beyond Sir Bobby and 'Shear-a' when it comes to supporting Newcastle. He's been saying that if Newcastle want to move forward as a team then they really need to get rid of Big Al. He still thinks Shearer's class but says there were times last year when the guy wouldn't move at all, and it's becoming detrimental to the team. Apparently he's barely mobile these days and, while he's still the best in the business at what he does, he struggles to get there to do it, which is understandable given his age.

Tuning in to Sky Sports News right now's a bit of a double-edged sword; on the one hand you have Georgie Thompson and that 'well-spoken but still dirty enough that Christina Aguilera calls her a whore' voice, but then again they keep showing Middlesborough's new right-back and his protruding mouth. Jesus, I never knew such a load of gums. I bet good-old beaver-teeth Ronaldo loves playing Holland or Barcelona, just for knowing for the first time in his life that he's the pretty one in that half of the pitch.

Young striker, plays for some team in England. What do people think?

The young left-back. Was impressed by him in the Dutch game, and he's showing himself again tonight. What do people think?

...................cynical.

Have to say that after the Liverpool-Yeovil game on BBC this year, I lost all respect for Barry Davies. He had such a hard-on for a Yeovil upset that it wasn't funny. And when we bored the pants of them, it was like we'd raped his mom or something similar.

Even The Times have got onto him now: "The commentator who will make sure you don't miss a move made by his favourite Manchester United boys" I don't know what it is in particular, but I just can't stand the guy. My question is, what do people (who dislike him) hate about him the most? For me it's got to be his constant wannabe-headline-grabbing catchphrases when a goal's been scored, eg, 'Remember the name - Wayne Rooney' Dick head.

Anyone remember Harry Kewell absolutely leave John Terry for dead on the first game of the season at Anfield? Anyone remember Milan Baros make Sol Campbell look like a fool to win a penalty last season at Highbury? Every defender has a moment where they are skinned, no-one is perfect. It's just selective memory, it's just complete bias. Unlike a lot of people who post, I am a huge England fan, and I will be so nervous on Sunday, but I can't go out to the pub to watch the game, cos I can't listening to the majority speak what they've read in the morning's papers or heard from the Sky Sports Panel. Just for the record, I think the two defenders mentioned above are class, but that everyone has their vices at some moments in time. The sad thing, if this was anyone else about to play in Euro 2004 after breaking his fucking leg and not playing until Christmas time, it would be the story of the season. Sad.

There's no one style that we need. We need an arsenal (so to speak) with a variation of play suited to circumstance. Too many times in the past couple of seasons we've had Plan A and when that's failed we've been fooked. Gerard Houllier was never going to win the title with us because he couldn't/wasn't willing to play a team that could break down defences at Anfield. We were ace going to Stamford Bridge/Old Trafford/Nou Camp shutting up shop and hoping to eek out a victory, but when you're the one of the top teams in the land, people will try and stop you. And that's why Arsenal are so fucking fantastic this year. Teams have come to try and stop them completing that unbeaten record, and they've STILL managed to win and draw every game. That's because they've got a sophisticated style and manager both able to veer from their basic formula. So when we're looking for a style of football, it's not going to be one definite style or manager to implement it, it's got to be someone who can think outside the box, and who has the kajones to change things according to the state of play.

Sorry to create a post about the Mancs, but was just wondering if anyone else saw the same game that was on my Sky Box the other day. I've read two newspapers (including 'The Times') and watched two recaps of the game, and not one person has even suggested that Ruud Van Nistelrooy dived to get Robert Huth sent off. Are the media this scared of Manchester United that they won't point out the blindingly obvious? If that would have been El Hadji Diouf or even Emile then they wouldn't have shut up about it. Even the normally excellent Andy Gray hurriedly rushed over the subject. Was it me? Or am I just so biased that I've convinced myself that he dived?

I think you've taken this the wrong way; from the quote it looks as though Sven was actually praising Gerrard, as he's so good that he can play out of position better than the aforementioned players. Scholes is not the complete player, and as good as Lampard's been this year, he's not dragged a mid-table-performing side into a possible CL spot, so Eriksson was really saying that Stevie G's the most complete midfielder England have got. Lampard wouldn't start in Eriksson's first choice midfield anyway.

He said it both on Talksport and then in 'The Game', that football supplement in 'The Times' on Mondays. I get that supplement every week, and to be fair it is quite a good read. But Cascarino's a crank. They always seem to get him to do the 'relevant' articles, such as players cheating on their wives (he's done that), players taking supplements (he's done that) and players gambling (actually he was the one who caused all the hooplah by revealing that Michael Owen had spent a specified amount on gambling. It seems to me that Cascarino takes pride in 'telling it like it is', as if a willingness to talk about anything makes up for a career of mediocrity. The guy seems to forget that his whole 'international' career is a complete joke, achieved only because he fabricated an Irish family member. He also seems to have something against Liverpool, as he's done a few articles against them this year.

At this stage of each man's career, Dyer is easily the better player. However, whether the baggage that he brings with him is worth it is another question. For some reason or another, Kieron Dyer is constantly surrounded by some sort of trouble, and whatever is splashed around about Gerard Houllier, he's kept this football club off the front pages ever since he got here.

PRESS RELEASE: End-Of-Season Review It's been another season of what ifs and if onlys at Anfield, but Gerard Houllier's men have still played football revealing glimpses from their glorious past and hinting at a promising future. With all the action and all the goals from matches against the likes of Spurs, Charlton and Fulham at home, this DVD is a must-have for all Liverpool fans, both match-going and 606-phoning. The Reds have fought hard this season to balance a Battle For 4th Place with four cup campaigns, which kicked off as far out as Amsterdam, and ended in France with Igor Biscan showing Marseille's strikers his personal preference of how a football shirt should be worn. The DVD has highlights from each of the cup games, plus some of the more memorable Premiership moments. Who can forget the first-half against Arsenal at Anfield, when Gerard Houllier showed his friend Arsene Wenger how his Arsenal team would have to play if they were going to win the championship? Or how about a Wednesday night at Molineux, when Liverpool mirrored their old selves in Barcelona and Rome, to stand firm against a 'very good' Wolves side before unluckily succumbing to an unfortunate last-gasp equaliser under a barrage of wolverine pressure. It's all captured on this release, along with special interactive features, including: Clubbing With Dioufy - El Hadji shows fans how to party like it's 1999 with his definitive guide to Merseyside nightspots. Catchphrase - Think you know your Houllier? Well here's your chance to find out with this multiple choice feature giving you the opportunity to match a selection of his excuses to the game about which he is talking. Watch out for games with one or more excuse. 'Stud Fiction' - A short film written and directed by DJ Spoony. A promising yet ultimately unfulfilling comedy drama recounting three overlapping stories centred around an incident involving an England striker who forgets to change his studs after a muddy European game. Critics may have rounded on the film, particularly at the performance of its lead actor, but Spoony has not swayed on his decision to cast the role, and the thespian in question has maintained 'As long as he is happy, then so am I'. Emile Heskey stars. Spot The Ball - A special touch screen feature allowing fans to guess the final destination of a football. As a participant gets more competent with their selections, the outcome of the ball becomes less obvious: Level One - Danny Murphy penalties. Level Two - Michael Owen penalties. Level Three - Bruno Cheyrou. 'When Alan Went Gardening With Michael's Agent' - Documentary, in which Alan Hansen spent six months with Michael Owen's agent, digging the dirt on the striker's contract negotiations, and trying to weed out suggestions that the starlet is paving his way out of Anfield in the summer. Features footage of the Chelsea Flower Show. Extras include: An Idiots Guide To Opta With Le Boss - For the first time on national television Mr Houllier proves how his Liverpool side are actually more attacking than both the 1970 Brazilian and the Cruuyf-starring Dutch side. Harry Redknapp: The Missing Comments - Gerard Houliier and Phil Thompson team up with Avid Merrion to reenact the interview that the Portsmouth manager should have given after his injury and confidence-riddled team dumped the Reds out of the FA Cup. The Road To Fratton Park - A chance to relive the Reds' FA Cup campaign. Too hot to handle for 3rd Division Yeovil, Liverpool were just one goal away from the chance of being publicly humiliated by Arsenal. You Too Can Be Bruno Cheyrou - Pop Idol meets Fash FC as one lucky Liverpool supporter gets the opportunity to join the Reds' squad for the season. Previous winners include Djimi Traore and Bruno Cheyrou, who actually plays from time to time and scored two goals in one match. Exclusive! - What Gerard Houllier was really doing at half-time against Marseille! On sale from the 1st July 2004, available from all good stores. All staff at Liverpool Football Club would advise any fans unsatisfied with the DVD that this is only an initial release, that the Deluxe version will go on sale in January, and that the quality of this product should only be judged after this time.

Not really one decent season in Allardyce's case. Without wanting to sound like a preponent of his, it's been a gradually superb job in dragging Bolton from First Division mediocrity through Premiership fodder material to mainstays.

Fair enough, I see your point, but it was only an afterthought, not the belly of the argument. What do you actually think of Mr Allardyce as manager?

Tony Cascarino recently put Harry Kewell top of his list of signed flops for the season. Was this harsh for a player who was playing well before injury? And for a player who's come into a team with no confidence and little attacking intent? Would the 'lazy' jibes really be happening at Arsenal, where he'd be so busy jizzing over some of the football he was playing, that he'd have little time to even think about showing Ashley Cole how to attempt a tackle?

What's wrong with Sam Allardyce? Good, technical English manager who's shown he can blend big-name foreign imports with local-based talents. The only issue is how he would handle big money. But for the best way to show Houllier how he really fucked up, how about replacing him with a guy whose name he sneered at just a few months ago?

Ignore the last post, I've just noticed a few errors... Ok, the one I meant to post... I've noticed in the fanzine and on the forum here, a particular anti-England sentiment, especially relating to the football team. Now, I was just wondering why this was? I've always considered myself a Liverpool fan and an England fan at the same time, but alas I don't actually come from Liverpool. Is it something to do with being so ingrained in the area that anything else comes second? Is it that people are fed up with the hype and the media idiocy that follows everything the national team do? Or have everyone just had enough of those running the game such as the FA suits or Gay Gay Gordon Taylor? Obviously if you're not English you don't need to state your case (saved myself a lot of comments with that disclaimer!)

I've noticed in the fanzine and on the forum here, a particular anti-England sentiment, especially relating to the football team. Now, I was just wondering why this was? I've always considered myself a Liverpool fan and and England fan at the same time, but alas I don't actually come from Liverpool. Is it something to do with being so ingrained in the area that anything else comes first? Is it that people are fed up with the hype and the media idiocy that follows everything the national team do? Or have everyone just had enough of those running the game such as the FA suits or Gay Gay Gordon Taylor? Obviously if you're not English you don't need to state your case (saved myself a lot of comments with that disclaimer!)

So how've Arsenal got one of the best defences in the country? Lauren and Ashley Cole are not exactly stalwarts, and Toure's not that good that he's kept everything out on his own. I think Sol Campbell deserves a lot of credit, particularly for the way he's allowed everyone to forget about Tony Adams. And because Arsenal basically lost the league last year when he was suspended.

Ashley Cole is absolutely minging. Loved the way he went to celebrate with Henry to the fans yesterday, as if he did anything at all to win them the league. People talk about how good he is going forward, but his final ball is worse than if Diouf and Finnan took each other's non-kicking foot and started pinging balls into the box. Honestly, I love my mom and everything but she's shite at football, and even SHE would do well playing in a 'defensive' left hand side position, with Pires and Henry in front of her.

Totally agree. Young, English, and can play both through the middle and out wide.