de Tocqueville

Have to agree as well. However, signing a player like Hugo Rodellaga (for something like £9m) would go some way to lessen the burden on Suárez in the final third to provide some pace, trickery, and a goal threat. We desperately need a reliable third option in attack, a player with pace...

Top post that. Finally someone speaking a little sense. A lot of sense, actually.

Been very, very impressed with him. He seems incredibly dedicated, well-prepared, hungry - and he has a clear concept of play, an idea of how he wants his team to play. Deffo one to watch despite his lack of experience as a manager. One major plus would be that he has excellent knowledge of English football and the English language.

1. Pelé. King of Brazil when the league over there was the strongest in the world along with that of Italy. Much lesser Brazilians players starred in Italy and other European leagues during that era so it's laughable to suggest that he too wouldn't have ruled in Europe. Won three World Cups. Unplayable and changed the world of football forever. 2. Diego Maradona. 3. Alfredo Di Stefano. 4. Johan Cruyff. 5. Mané Garrincha.

1. Deschamps. 2. Hiddink. 3. Pellegrini.

Just had a look at Red Café (yeah, I know...) and they all seem absolutely gutted that we're appointing Hodgson as our manager. He seems to be well-respected over there... interesting, no? New Liverpool manager? - RedCafe.net

Maybe the board have had a word with Pepe who played (and excelled) for Pellegrini during the 2004/05 at Villarreal...

What type of full back is he? Is he a defense first type of defender or more offensive minded?

The songs are generally being sung way too quick on The Kop. Sounds shite. And what's the fucking rush anyway?

I sense a great deal of hypocrisy on this thread. We're all disillusioned mainly because we're PERFORMING POORLY this season. Results and general play have been horrible. I bet few of you were considering giving up supporting the club or following football last spring when we played Real Madrid and Manchester United off the park and were in the title hunt, playing one exciting game after another and fighting as a team to the very last second of every single game. Of course the Yanks need to go. They are obviously damaging the club big time. No disagreement there. However, as long as we're playing good football, winning and keeping hold of our best players while adding new talent (much like last season), threads like this do not exist.

In Rafa We Trust. Or, at least, I do. We didn't become a bad team overnight. We had a great league campaign last season and things will come good. Our top 7-8 players are in my opinion at least as good as that of any other club in England - and, with the exception of Barca and possibly Madrid, the world. Now, we obviously need (much) more strength in depth. This is where the lack of financial support back from the owners comes into play. Granted, Rafa has made mistakes in the transfer market with the Babel signing the clearest example of this. But every manager makes wasteful signings. The problem is that Rafa has fewer attempts to get things right than Ferguson or Ancelotti. Now go get those damn Yanks out of here.

Okay. Maybe so. He's just a much more natural finisher than N'Gog. Reminds me a lot of Robbie. And we need more finishers in the 1st team.

Incredible match. Gulasci looks the part, Nemeth was pure class. Won a penalty and scored two well-taken goals. This should give him more confidence and match fitness. Hope Rafa will give him a chance at some point. For how long is he loaned out to AEK by the way?

I watch Fluminense's matches live online whenever I can. I've definitely developed a soft spot for them over the last few years. In Europe I've always liked Atlético Madrid a lot and watched a few games in Madrid.

Europe: Atletico Madrid. South America: Fluminense