clangers

If that's the case I'd be desperate for the ref to tell Ferguson that he was sent off because he might have killed him. Hopefully Maureen can say that in the post match interview. I was chatting to a manc a couple of weeks ago who informed me that Slur whiskey nose was going to stay on until he'd won his third CL. Apparently a manager can't be considered to be truly great until they win three European Cups. I completely agreed with him.

God I'm enjoying this. They just don't seem to get quite the same rub of the green in Europe as they do in the Premiership? I'm hoping the ref blows up a minute early.

Still unlikely, if not impossible, we've probably left it a bit too late. I think probably Arsenal in 5th is realistic short of one of the above blowing up. As you say it hinges on Spurs next week.

Definitely will help in the long term. FFP even in it's flawed implementation is critical although it does look doomed to failure. It will be when the cartel for media funding comes under pressure e.g TV money that things will really change. At some point the big clubs will want to sell the rights to TV and online matches themselves obviously to ensure that they get all the proceeds. As damaging for football generally as that will be, given our huge international support we'd be one of the clubs that would significantly benefit.

Agreed, if he's able to establish us as consistent top 4 contenders he'll have done an excellent job. Personally I believe there's effectively a glass ceiling in place now with regard to winning the title. Given the current state of football finances I'd suggest that only United, City and Chelsea can realistically win the title on a regular basis at present. Teams such as Arsenal, Spurs or ourselves simply cannot compete financially at present.

Superb isn't he, great touch and vision, doesn't mind getting stuck in. With Sturridge missing today, along with Gerrard and Suarez we've finally got variety and a real threat going forward.

I'd have him back, great manager who genuinely understood our club, not without his flaws as are all managers.

OK call it stagnation, although in the 1930's the upper classes didn't suffer greatly either. It's only the poor who suffer in recessions.

Exactly, although it's not a triple dip it's actually a depression. We've had successive governments who have implemented failed counter cyclical economic policy. New Labour spent far too much, increasing debt levels during a lengthy period of economic growth, mismanaged the financial service sector and allowed our very own national credit and debt bubble to form. Followed by the Tories with their tired and largely discredited 'austerity'. You can't actually reduce deficit without growth. They assumed that the global and eurozone economies would bounce back offsetting their cuts. I get the impression that they are still hoping for the bounce before 2015, they are clearly bereft of any other ideas. i assume that once it sinks in that the economy is going to flat line for several years and isn't going to save them before the next election the coalition will turn on itself?

That's pretty much it, it's a team game and as a team they are exceptional. It's not dissimilar to our heyday, they have a couple of stars and then a team of hardworking players who complement each other. We focus on individual talent far too much, usually in the hope that it will make up for our team deficiencies.

Very nearly game over, a huge wembley pitch and Swansea's passing style is too much for them.

His record is very mixed, his reputation is for outlandish self-promotion and it's no wonder that novices like FSG fell for his patter. £35 million on Carroll and £20 million on Downing and in particular the very nature of the Carroll deal with Newcastle effectively pulling our pants down and us willingly bending over raise serious question marks regarding his judgement however much he wants to spin it.

Yep in reality that's probably true. I can't say I'm too bothered to be honest, I know I'm not supposed to say that. I thought it was a great performance against decent opposition. Now lets go on a real unbeaten run thumping a few sides in the process and see where that gets us.

Bastards, the mancs are going to win it.

I'm not so sure about that, they have a near £300 million a year turnover, are ideally located both financially and to attract players. You'd think they'd be able to compete, certainly if the mancs can they should be able to given far lower debt levels. They've paid off a huge portion of their stadium debt already. The wage bill at Arsenal baffles, at £143 million or 60% of turnover it's simply huge given that they can't apparently attract or keep big name players financially. They've also got over £150 million in the bank and are owned largely by two billionaires.

Poor signing, made of glass and showed practically nothing. I'm not expecting much just the odd flash of ability might be nice. Offload at the first opportunity before he becomes Aquilani mk 2.

He should be banned. Given Wenger's well known love of 'fair play' at least from the opposition I assume his first post match comment will be to address this injustice?

They are playing last years CL finalists and one of the best sides in Europe. They're on for a real hammering, surprised so many really thought they weren't risking a hiding.

No one deserves to be negged for such an outstanding nonsensical post, the phrase 'unexpected penis' is a work of genius. I'm only hoping he came over his girlfriend to talk everything Liverpool.

I'm not sure the performance against Arsenal was good the result was creditable. We we're good against City but then again Southampton took them apart a few days later which gave a bit of context to our performance. It was a good performance to watch against Swansea, when sides let us play we look like a very good side. If we can start imposing our play on better quality opposition who don't sit back we'll do well. That's where our manager has to concentrate his efforts now, composure when we're under pressure and an ability to impose ourselves.

We're a completely different proposition with Sturridge in the side, Coutinho looking class as well.

Agreed, it would help if our manager adopted this and stopped talking about finishing 2nd or 4th and describing defeats as 'terrific' or 'near perfect'. Equally winning one in five (or one in seven now) including being dumped out of the FA Cup by Oldham is not a 'great run'. He's been treated kindly by the media until recently but they are beginning to turn, he's definitely becoming a joke figure. He's going to rapidly reach his tipping point fairly shortly, I hope he develops a little more pragmatism about his role. Management especially football management requires delivery in the here and now rather than just trying to knock it into the future. Most managers realise they need to deliver results in the present to buy them enough time to implement their plans. A good run between now and the end of the season would do wonders for us supporters. We're really not looking for much, a couple of creditable draws against Arsenal and City recently lifted everyone. Rodgers needs to look at Kenny's first few months and how he lifted everyone with our performances over the last few months of the season before last despite having very little to play for.

Spot on....unfortunately. I shudder to think who'd they appoint next?

It all comes to down to a lack of experience for me and as a consequence he lacks a bit of credibility. The impression I get is of an inexperienced manager who has a very definite idea or 'philosophy' of how he wants a side to be setup and play. I don't think he yet has the operational skills or understanding to implement this from scratch at a big club. Putting my Graham Taylor hat we just don't appear to be doing the 'basics' that are common to all styles of football whether you're Stoke or Barcelona. Any reason why uniquely in global football we have given up pressing or closing down the opposition when we don't have the ball? If you watch Barcelona who are after all Rodgers blueprint they literally hound the opposition in packs to win the ball back. There appears to be very little positional discipline particularly with our defensive setup. Time and again we'll fail to pick up the opposition from corners or set pieces. We'll forget to leave any midfield defensive cover in place usually resulting in an opposition attacking player through one on one against our central defensive pairing. Our central defenders will often be far too far apart to provide effective cover. Watching us at the moment is I would say probably the most nervous I've been over the last fifteen years, even if we're two up it seems inevitable we're going to concede at least one.

Agreed, I have my doubts about their long term commitment, that's not knocking them, I just don't see them having the financial backing to be able to fund us and see any kind of return. They viewed us as a distressed asset and therefore a relatively cheap way to buy into a significant European sports franchise with all that potential revenue. We're meant to be a largely hands off self-sustaining investment that would grow organically with FFP protecting them from the need to invest substantial funding to compete. I wouldn't agree with Purslow on many things, his observations about FSG we're spot on. I'm not trying to suggest that their intentions are malevolent, they clearly want to generate profits through a successful club, I certainly don't think they are here to asset strip. It's just turning out to be a much bigger and more involved investment that they'd hoped I suspect. Once it becomes obvious that FFP is a fantasy they'll look to move on. Finding a buyer is another matter however.