coachpotato

I wouldn't call Vidic a great buy either, he gets away with all kinds of shit because of who he plays for, he's a thug. He and united are well suited.

I think Agger has all the makings of a top class Left Back. He can obviously carry the ball better than most defenders (well our defenders anyway!) and can defend adequately enough for a left back. Plus he's fairly quick, which is something Insua doesn't seem to be unfortunately. Sometimes he's looked a bit lightweight and easily beaten in the air at centre back and last night for instance, Benfica weren't the threat they were in Lisbon because Kyrgiakos took decent enough care of Cardoza, who'd given us trouble there. Tough call though.

That's why it's crap!

Barca are playing well. Probably too well for Madrid.

Exactly this.

If he decides to go, I don't think winning the Europa League will make any difference, it might strengthen his hand looking for a new position. If someone else decides he's going, then that decision might well be made by now anyway. If we make 4th, anything could happen, as not only will he have "delivered" on his promise of a CL qualifying place, we'd also be more attractive to a new coach/manager coming in. If we win the EL and qualify for the CL qualifying rounds then I think it'd be difficult for the hierarchy at the Club to sack Rafa as he'd have won more this season than Wenger and, hopefully, ferguson. It'd be interesting to know what the players really think.

I thought he had one of his better (best?) games for us last night. Maybe it was just me, but I could've sworn the ground went silent for a second when he went up against the keeper, but he took his chance very well. I don't mind eating a large slice of humble pie where Lucas is concerned, especially if this is the start of him having more positive influence over the team and how we play. All the players seemed genuinely made up for him when he scored as well, so he's obviously liked by the team. PS The chant for him is crap.

1. Kyrgiakos 2. Lucas (!) 3. Torres 4. The Crowd (much better tonight than recently)

Don't want to sound too negative, but more potential? I think we need to start seeing some of the potential becoming reality and pretty soon, given we aren't going to be able to go out and purchase proven class, as it stands.

Think it's called Himnos? It's their YNWA.

I think he supports the Manager as well. He made comments a couple of weeks ago saying that next season we should be back challenging for the title and the Champions League or Europa Cup. I'd think that suggests he's accepted this season is a write off and we'll have to go again come next season.

Many have posted on here that the reason Alonso went was down to the manager. Also that Sami would have stayed had he been offered a longer contract. I don't know if those statements are true, but Benitez could have made those decisions himself without the owners getting involved. As I said in my earlier post, it's all speculation unless you actually know the facts.

Funny how a ref has one or two questionable decisions and he's demoted almost straight away, and yet when managers, and ferguson is by far the worst, step out of line they are politely asked to explain their comments and nothing gets done. Respect? My arse.

But can Messi play left full back?

I don't believe for one minute that all of this is Rafa's fault, just as I don't believe he is totally blameless either. He has gone very quiet regarding the owners in the last season, despite us having a poorer season than when he was ever bitching about them before. That suggests to me that his new contract was a deal which gave him mostly what he wanted as long as he kept his mouth shut in public. Fernando Torres doesn't actually mention the owners nor does he mention the manager, but his comments can be construed as a dig at either depending on where you are coming from. It also suggests he's unhappy at how we fell apart at the first sign of trouble and it was evident to me that Rafa went into defensive mode very early this season despite us playing some wonderful stuff towards the end of last season. All suggestion without knowing the real truth. Does anybody really know what goes on behind the scenes at a club such as ours other than those who actually are involved?

Agree with Parker alongside Masch and with Gerrard forward, but would sooner have preferred 4-4-2 with Gerrard alongside Masch and a second, decent striker. Johnson is as big a diver as Pienaar but with more talent, don't like him, the lad from Wolves (Jarvis?) always seems to be able to get to the byline and cross. Old style I know, but hey, with our money (or lack of it!)? Noble might flourish in a decent team a la Benayoun.

"Hello Jose? Hi, how do you fancy a job that most would and have found impossible to fulfill in the recent past? I support a club that would have little money to spend on new players, that has dysfunctional owners, that has more press focus than any other in world football and which hasn't won a League Title in 20 years. Now that would put off most ordinary Managers, but as you are "The Special One" why wouldn't you fancy the challenge? On the plus side we have maybe 5 world class players to start with and several other international class players as well as quite a few excellent prospects in the reserves. All they need is direction and guidance to succeed. Something to build on then. You know, some say you were only special at Porto because you were in a two horse league and got lucky in Europe, that you were only special at Chelsea because of the money and some say you were only special at Inter because you took over an already succesful team. Well here you'd become immortal should you triumph. You would also be able to shove it right up Rafa Benitez and alex fergusons arses and naff them both off at the same time, and you would have the support of the most discerning, passionate and loyal fans in world football. And a brand new stadium in which to demonstrate your prowess and answer all your critics, you might even get the stadium named after you, so, what do you say Jose. Hmmmm?"

I'd love Capello to come here, I think he'd be made for us and vice versa. There could be a gamble on a relatively unknown, younger manager due to cost. Who, I don't know. Or it could come down to who is well known enough to be high profile enough, would take enough money, but not too much and be available after the World Cup. Step forwards 80-1 shot Sven Goran Eriksson.

The kid has had a poor season by comparison to what is expected. ALL the back four have had a bad season, some of the goals we've conceded have been abysmal, Ridgewells yesterday being typical. The thing that worries me is while some, including me, believe that young players need first team playing time to show whether they can cut it or not, Insua has played most of the season without showing much improvement in his game. Tiredness will contribute, but are we to assume we don't have anyone else who we can bring in from the ressies (Mavinga or Threlfall) to give him a rest, or even put Agger there for a game or two and allow Kyrgiakos a little run in the centre.

Didn't see the game, only heard the commentary on City and then MOTD2. From that it sounded/looked as though we pretty much outplayed Birmingham, and after Torres went off we had enough chances to take the game comfortably. Comes back to not having a good enough back up striker to give us the necessary when Torres is off the pitch....whatever the excuse or reason. I suppose Benitez has decided he can still get fourth even by gambling by taking Torres off, but he has one throw of the dice on Thursday for a European Trophy, so that's why the decision was made. I think the looks on the faces of Gerrard and Torres spoke massive volumes though. We didn't see the looks on any of the other players faces, but plainly Gerrard and Torres were, at best, bemused. It would appear then that this substitution wasn't planned at half time, or surely the manager would've told the players what to expect? If Rafa had this down to his ProZone stats and medical evidence then plainly he's not learned anything from the Reading game a couple of seasons back, which is disappointing. I hope that this won't cause disruption between the players and manager at a time when we need unity more than ever if we are to get fourth (I don't think we will) but from the expressions on the faces then I suspect it might.

Isn't Agger left footed? He can get forwards (we need as many going forwards as possible) and he can defend. Like most world class left backs. Kyrgiakos should stop that Cardoza (?) having a free night heading the ball, hopefully. Carra doesn't like playing at full back (allgedly). Johnson is a right back, not a left back. Unless Rafa is prepared to throw one of our promising youngsters in (which he won't) then Agger seems to be nailed on. Unless he plays Yossi, Riera or Masch there, which is probable.

Pako Ayesteran?

They'll dive and kick and shove next Thursday, and look for goals on the break as they did when they did us a couple of seasons back. I don't know who we are going to put at left back, but as some have already said, I think Agger is our best bet there, plus it'll give him the chance to get forwards more and that surely can't be a bad thing. They are a dangerous side from a footballing perspective, but if we get a goal it might just flatten them, I only hope it doesn't then result in us sitting on the away goal waiting for them to open up to a goal on the break from us. We need to hit them hard from the off and we also need a ref who is competent and doesn't allow the shit they are surely going to try.

The important thing about tonight was the away goal we scored, I think it'll prove crucial in the end. We shouldn't be surprised that we saw an inept refereeing performance and footballers diving, it's all too common these days, I only hope we get the same advantage at Anfield next week as they got at home tonight. Oh. and we'd better leave the flares at home next week or we'll get banned, whereas they'll get a £5000 fine and a slap on the wrists.

Can't remember how much Barca paid for Ibrahimovic, but Torres must be worth 5 times that, given he'd convert 5 times as many chances as him. Every Barca game would be like a kids Sunday League game, the Ref would be over at the Managers saying "I'm going to stop it at 12-0, ok?". Thank God he plays for us.