matthew123

Please include me

I dare say if they had a poll today for Greatest ever Britain Jade Goody would be somewhere in the top 100.. but would Diana still be at number 2 like last time BBC did such a poll?.. Either way, it's very sad when this happens, even if I'm not a fan of trash TV

Good result against the Villa, never in doubt. I even predicted a 5-1 scoreline (50/1) pre-match, put ?1 on it! So, now we have a 2 week break - but who does it harm most? Liverpool now running at full steam OR United desperate to get back to winning ways? How will Villa respond in their next game at Old Trafford, surely they will be a harder nut to crack than at Anfield. I can't help but think that if Mike Riley had been in charge at Fulham he'd have tried to catch that throw from Rooney, rather than taking the no-nonsense approach of Phil Dowd.

Saw the 2nd half of the United game in the Vale and it was very tense - completely surrounded by Mancs when doing the infamous double punch and leap in the air for 2-0.... I do believe the wheels are coming off...

Yup, I'm going to make it from 5, for the Wales v Ireland Championship decider - as will have eyes on the afternoon football beforehand so will probably miss the England v Scotland wooden spoon decider.. As for food, they served what looked like half burgers & chips for last Saturday's double header if that is an indicator.. but of course I'd expect the EDT to be rammed tomorrow so maybe it'll just be crisps et al..

Alex Ferguson finally speaks, and gives credit where it's due in regard Liverpool thumping United last weekend, "It's hard to defend a 4-1 defeat and we have to be absolutely clear in our mind about the reasons why it happened, and we are clear about it. I think it was self-inflicted"

The United QF does look comfortable but they do play their 2nd leg away from home in both QF and SF. I think Arsenal will be in the Final. Liverpool's QF is going to be tough and my gut reaction is Chelsea will do us over.. We're likely to play Chelsea at home on the Wednesday following Fulham (as 2nd leg wld hv to be on the Tuesday to avoid Hillsborough anniversary). United play the Sunday before at home against Villa (before 1st leg), but I can't see United playing same night as the Liverpool/Chelsea 1st leg for TV reasons. Therefore Man U v Villa will have to be moved back to the Saturday - but will they as there is no free TV slot on Sky apart from that 4pm on Sunday for Sky, so we could have United only having 2 days to prepare for their Porto 1st leg... Even if it is played at 3pm on Saturday (no TV coverage which will pi$$ Sky off), Ferguson will be fuming as they have 1 day less to recover after the Internationals played in the days before their Villa PL match. Hope that makes sense!

Alex Ferguson said his biggest regret was not signing Paul Gascoigne - although he used to say John Barnes. Anyway Gazza, had the chance to join United or Spurs. Although, his favoured move back in 1988 (according to his autobiography) was to Anfield, but Liverpool never bid. I think Kenny told him to wait another year. Gazza told Sky News: "Maybe if I had joined United I would have still been there. Sir Alex Ferguson is someone who makes men out of boys." Obviously he'd have had more chance of winning trophies under Ferguson, but would it have him a fundamentally better person/role model had he joined United (or for that matter Liverpool 12 months later) than what we have today?

United bypass the midfield - so can play whoever they want when Rooney and Ronaldo are running the show. But, none of those United midfield boys would dislodge Lampard, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano or Essien. I'm just surprised that Ferguson says it's his best ever squad as I think they have a real weakness in the middle.

>> Scholes at his peak could have walked in to any team. We're talking about the current United midfield :) Not Scholes from a few years back but the hunched, slow, ineffective Scholes of today, that was the squad Ferguson was talking about, i.e. the vintage squad destroyed by Liverpool last week. >> How many of those players would want to get into the Chelsea or Liverpool team? I don't think any of them would want to feel inferior.

Interesting that Ferguson say's his current United squad is the best he has ever had - even with that midfield! How many of those players would get into the Chelsea or Liverpool team? Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson, Scholes, O'Shea, Hargreaves, JS Park anyone? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5014843/Manchester-United-manager-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-doesnt-rate-Rafa-Benitez.html

Anything which does not say brewed in Burton-on-Trent is always a good start.. In the off licences in near Anfield, Liverpool you can always get the Belgian brewed Stella, the Dutch brewed Grolsch, the French brewed Kronenburg... rather than the Burton brewed versions which always taste weird. But to answer the question, I'd say Efes from Istanbul which unfortunately I've only seen stocked in Weatherspoons.

Yes collectively, but Torres/Gerrard is an entirely different story to, what if he'd signed it 3 months ago. Obviously with a fit Torres this season, there'd have collected more points. Nevertheless, in their first set of matches against Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal this season (2 wins and 1 draw) they had no Torres but still showed enough ability to dominate those Big 4 matches. For me it's not a lack of ability that failed to deliver Home wins over West Ham, Fulham, Hull, Man City, Stoke but unnecessary caution. Keeping a tight back 4 and 2 holding midfielders when the opposition only play 1 man upfront and keeping everyone else behind the ball is not going to help break the door down to score goals to win matches. It's no surprise to me but Liverpool's best football this season has been after going a goal down and throwing the cautious tactics out of the window and going for the jugular.

Well maybe it was the carrot of the new improved contract that made him finally turn on the power, against Real Madrid and Man U.. but seriously I don't think it would have had any impact signing 3 months ago, at end of day points have been lost like a burst water main, not because of depression or nerves from players worried about Rafa, but because of cautious football against tripe.

Rafa Benitez has put pen to paper on a new 5 year contract as Liverpool Manager.

Yup count me in Mr Palaeologus, I will use my forthcoming Rugby winnings this weekend, to fund myself an extra side dish

Phil Brown sure is cut from the same cloth as Big Sam with this sour, but hilarious, rant, he gave the BBC today, about Fabregas last night.. "One, being on the pitch after the game - whether there is a ruling against that I have no idea but he had no right to be there. Two, dressed in the manner in which he was dressed. Three, the pictures in the national papers verify the aggression he was showing towards players and staff after the game. I could go on but I'm not one for crying over spilt milk. I then witnessed him going down the tunnel and turning round and spitting at my assistant manager's feet. Whichever way you want to look at it, he addressed that spitting incident at my assistant manager who has managed probably 1200 games in his career. Disgraceful act. I'm not going to report it, I'm not going tittle-tattling to the FA - if they want to investigate that's their decision, if Brian Horton wants to take it further he'll get the full support of Hull City."

Phil Brown was Big Sam's assistant at Bolton for 6 years...

Well, I've read what it says on the BBC and read between the lines. It's just sour grapes from Hull City. Fabregas spitting at the Hull City assistant manager... yup right... Reminds me of a few years ago when Stephane Henchoz was clearing his throat and then a disgruntled Warnock, after losing semi final to Liverpool, accuses the Liverpool player of spitting at 'em. Absolute pathetic!

Wenger has had a good run - but I sense the knives are out for him. It's alright him building his empire but he needs to start buying winners. Wenger can bang on about manufacturing a team spirit and love for the club by buying very young players but it seems to me that every summer their only true bond is to money.

What would people say if Foxton's was to be turned into a McDonalds? No other choice either keep Foxton or have it as McDonalds. I've not got a problem with McDonalds food itself, as do like a sneaky cheese burger, but it is a bit of magnet.

LOL BBW - I thought I was paying the Pope and Gandhi the ultimate compliment ;-)

When I come out of Dulwich Park at Old College Gate, having burst my lungs running like an Olympic Champion, I see those big imposing houses just up from the mini-roundabout, and bet they are fully equipped with all the pleasures to aid recovery starting with a steam bath..

Interesting how after all the mind games it is Ferguson who is now portrayed as the man cracking up after his clinical excuses on MUTV. Prior to the game it was unnecessary of Ferguson to say he'd have to read some more Freud in regard Rafa's 'rant' - of course it wasn't widely reported but Rafa in his own press conference had responded to Fergie's cheap shot by saying he had completed his own reading of Freud at school and university..

Hmmmm it has me exactly at mid point between Pope Benedict XI and Gandhi Economic Left/Right: -3.75 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.31