firelightez

You know somethings not right when this whole handshakegate shit is breaking news in major news channels all over the world. As Jamie redknapp rightly pointed out, this whole handshake thing is a farce anyway and if you dont like the guy then dont shake his hand. simple. We need to bounce back from this. I just dont know how.

-------------------Reina------------------- Johnson-----Skrtel--------Agger--------Enrique --------Spearing---------Adam----------------- Bellamy-----------Gerrard---------------Maxi/Downing -------------------Suarez-------------------- My rationale for this team is simple. We need gerrard to get on his lung bursting runs against a shoddy manc midfield, and we need a good midfield presence to impose ourselves on the game. I think the best way to counteract their strong wing-play is to have some pace in the team, and that can be provided by bellamy, suarez and downing/maxi. I remember the chelsea game where bellamy and suarez's constant running and nippy movement tormented their centre-halves, and i think that with vidic out and smalling still a bit shit, we can capitalise. Adam really did well from the deep that game and if spearo can give him cover then he will play much better. It was a toss up between carroll and suarez but i think that suarez will be egged on by the injustice of the past month and will really shine. If we can stop nani and valencia, and if we can marshal rooney and scholes, then were a shoe-in to win this. Mancs 0 Liverpool 2

Jesus Christ that was an inept referring performance, no one can deny that he has some shifty things going on with fergie....

Just asking - hows the weather situation down in liverpool? Is there a chance of the cold and snow affecting the timing of the match?

the press would never report this like they did with us, because they wouldnt want to upset the hand that feeds them, aye?

-------------------Reina--------------------------- Kelly------Skrtel-----------Dagger------------Enrique -----------------Spearing--------------------------- Bellamy----------Gerrard---------------------Kuyt --------Carroll---------------Luis------------------- Id choose kelly over johnson simply due to kelly's better defensive skills. I think that if bellamy and kelly can contain bale, then we'll stop a major part of their offensive play. Bellamy's a great at tracking back so he and kelly can marshall bale. i think kuyt also deserves to start, becuase hes ace in these big games and when he gets on a goal scoring run, he doesnt stop for quite a while. Dunno if luis will start, but if he does he can partner carroll, who in my opinion needs to start to keep building his confidence. Spearing has a big job to do in shielding the back four and stopping VDV and modric but i think hes up to it. Gerrard needs to provide the impetus from midfield, and if hes on form he can really provide those effective passes. Id take out adam, he had a stinker against them last time, and i think downing wont be effective - hes still low on confidence, and it wont help if he fails in a potential 4th place decider in this game.

Hes a top bloke, even though i despise sky, hes quite professional and speaks well of his former club.

Carroll Adam Agger

Losing or drawing this would be an absolute sucker punch after the fantastic week we just had. I really hope kenny tells the lads to never, ever, disrespect the opposition. If we play to the standards that we did against city, we should be fine.

love these match reports, brilliant stuff dave!

Skrtel Carroll Agger

anybody except spurs, they scare me

It was a pretty shit game, but i dont care. The lads played really well, considering that they had a sapping semi against city 3 days before. Made up for carroll and kuyt, they were awesome in the last 20min. Time to give my bandwagon united mates some banter - unless theyve changed alliances already...

heading out to Churchills in randwick, closer anyway. Cant wait for the game to start

bollocks, restricted to the UK

Mind you, i am saving up for a trip to anfield - hopefully in the next year or so

damn u got setanta fired up, i have to make do with internet streams #austvisshit

Theres really good sopcast streamer by the name of 'bloodzeed'. His streams are high definition, really good if you have a good computer/tv wwhich can support such streaming. I think he would be streaming this match, in the context of the importance of the match.

Really like that forlan song, hope the kop sing it in full voice, teach that liar a lesson

Watching this at 11.45pm today in aus, cant wait to see us win so i can give a decent ribbing to my bandwagon united mates

Ive read quite a few city player interviews, and all of them seem to agree that mancini doesnt say much, if at all, at training. I always wonder how he ever gets his ideas across...maybe hires a translator

whether it be the carling cup or the champions league, a trophy is a trophy. The fact that we havent one one since 2006, and all the shite we went through in the past 2 years, i think the reaction to our progression to our final is completely appropriate. Anyway, what a performance from Bellamy, hope his knees can recover quick enough to face united. Great start to Australia day.

Bellamy Kuyt Henderson

God, if adam plays again im gonna spew. He needs a few weeks off to think about how to make a tackle, and how to track a player's run. really want to see shelvey play in this one, at least he gives some forward impetus.

Shelvey should start, he played pretty well against oldham. Better than adam considering his current form.