Football Focus

[mockney piers]

Was too tired to make it to pub but sounds like a great game of football. Come on you irons, Championship here we don't come. .... hopefully.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Brilliant Wednesday night, five a side with the chaps, and then home to watch highlights of The Arsenal. Heaven.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> WTF!! Rafa takes off Torres again with the job

> only half done. Lyon score. I feel for Liverpool

> fans.

Allegedly Torres has a groin strain which requires surgery and if the injury is made worse he could be out for a long spell, that is apparently what Senior B is saying.

[Sharon_H]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Firstly, I notice that united fans are still as

> obsessed as ever. First post back after 2 weeks

> away and they can't even mention their own team.

>

> MM - Rafa has one hand tied behind his back. Stop

> believing what SSN and the papers tell you.

>

> We have had a ridiculous amount of bad luck with

> injuries this season. Gerrard, Torres probably

> needs a hernia op, Carra and Skrtel smashed their

> heads together on the first day of the season,

> Kelly, Agger, Riera, El Zhar, Aurelio,Dossena,

> Cavalieri, N'Gog, Johnson, Aquilani comes back and

> gets a virus.

>

> So yeah, we should sack our manager......

> Not to mention the fact he's hardly competing on a

> level playing field. Rafa's net spend over the

> past 2 seasons is ?2.5 million. ?2.5 million?! He

> has spent on average ?20 million a season since

> he has been here and has totally reshaped the

> team. Not bad considering our squad now contains

> Torres, Mascherano, Benayoun, Reina, Skrtel,

> Johnson to name just a few.

>

> Our owners spent more in expenses than what they

> did on a single player last season. If they

> continue to place debt on our club, losing games

> at the start of the season will become the least

> of our worries.

I'm with you Anna.

Would type more but am suffering with acute tendonitis, very painful.

[Mick Mac]

I have to say I absolutely admire Liverpool fans. Every one that I have spoken to is supporting Rafa. (I just don't understand why thats all).

Hope you are feeling better soon Sharon.

[Annasfield]

Sorry to hear that Sharon, hope you feel better soon.

MM - Thats what makes Liverpool such a special club. Its about the bigger picture - I couldn't give a toss what any one else has to say about us. All the lads and lasses I go to the game with know the score and back Rafa and the team wholeheartedly.

[Sharon_H]

Cheers MM and Anna.

You take the rough with the smooth, Rafa has shown us some good times and when it gets a bit rough I am going to stick by him, everyone I know that supports Liverpool says the same.

[????]

Who do you believe, true supporters of a club or the media? It's not rocket science is it. I don't watch Liverpool day in day out and on the face of it (the media) it looks like Rafa's crap and got lucky, which would be my view however the support he gets from proper Liverpool supporters suggests otherwise and is far nearer the truth I'm sure.

[Sandperson]

Yay! Keep Rafa....suits us! Rafa in! Rafa in! etc. etc. ;-)

[Keef]

I'm not an active supporter like Anna anymore (haven't been for years now), but I also don't form my opinions based on the media. I believe Rafa is a good manager, and the owners are terrible for the club. However, I watch the matches, and I question his tactics. Rafa is fighting bad odds and I have sympathy. I do however feel that he is a very stubborn man, and will cut off his nose to spite his face at times.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Aston Villa 2 v Bolton 0

Blackburn 1 v Portsmouth 0

Man City 2 v Burnley 0

Tottenham 2 v Sunderland 1

Wolverhampton 0 v Arsenal 3

Chelsea 2 v Man Utd 0 (hope I'm wrong, could do with this being a draw)

Hull 1 v Stoke 2

West Ham 1 v Everton 1

Wigan 1 v Fulham 2

Barclays Premier League

Liverpool 2 v Birmingham 0

[Jah Lush]

Aston Villa 2 v Bolton 0

Blackburn 1 Portsmouth 2

Man City 3 Burnley 0

Tottenham 2 Sunderland 1

Wolverhampton 0 Arsenal 4

Chelsea 3 Man Utd 2

Hull 1 Stoke 2

West Ham 2 Everton 1

Wigan 1 Fulham 2

Liverpool 2 Birmingham 0

[Keef]

Aston Villa 2 v Bolton 0

Blackburn 1 Portsmouth 2

Man City 2 Burnley 1

Tottenham 2 Sunderland 3 (Bent hatrick surely!)

Wolverhampton 0 Arsenal 2

Chelsea 2 Man Utd 2

Hull 0 Stoke 0

West Ham 2 Everton 1

Wigan 1 Fulham 2

Liverpool 3 Birmingham 2 (Veronin hatrick.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Mick Mac]

Is this Mrs Quids or Mrs Mockney?

http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/galleries/music/katyperrymtv/06-perry-west-ham.jpg

[Brendan]

Nah that's just Quids.

[????]

..before the beard

[Mick Mac]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Is this Mrs Quids or Mrs Mockney?

http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/galleries/music/katyperrymtv/06-perry-west-ham.jpg

Had to roll that one over to new page - disappeared far too quickly.

[ratty]

Anyone remember "West Ham Lass?"

Filthy Beasts! If you google her then rememebr it is NSFW!

[????]

Indeed!

[Annasfield]

Given that you are in the same boat, I?m surprised that you chose to mock us for our situation Sandperson. In fact, your debt problems are far worse than ours. United don?t look the same without Ronaldo and it?s my understanding that the money you received from him went straight to pay off your debt. Will be interesting to see what happens at Old Trafford over the next few seasons.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Given that you are in the same boat, I?m surprised

> that you chose to mock us for our situation

> Sandperson. In fact, your debt problems are far

> worse than ours. United don?t look the same

> without Ronaldo and it?s my understanding that the

> money you received from him went straight to pay

> off your debt. Will be interesting to see what

> happens at Old Trafford over the next few seasons.

Anna dear Lady, don't let a supporter of the forces of darkness get under your skin. Rise above it and keep a dignified silence.

[Sandperson]

I think we'll be ok Anna. It was light hearted joking, sorry if it upset you.

The truth is you gave us a scare last season and it's a relief that (at this point in the season) you don't look like you are going to run us so close. My father-in-law can't be a real fan as he has been saying for a while that he wants rid of Rafa.

I didn't actually mention money and I know we are in a lot of debt but we consistently perform better that Liverpool. How much would not getting to the next phase of the CL cost you for instance? I think we have a better purchasing policy and, I think this is crucial, we blood more young players than you. It's not all about money I'm afraid.

[Keef]

Chelsea transfer ban suspended for the time being.

Not that they're particularly in need of players just now.

I'm no fan of the club, but it is nice to see Joe Cole back, and playing some great stuff too. Has to be good for England!

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think the cost is ?10 million, but I suspect the damage would be far worse than that. If Liverpool (or Arsenal - we haven't qualified yet) were to not reach the first knockout stages, the demoralising effect on the rest of the season is what I would worry about most

All too easy to imagine form dropping, not making a top 4 slot and missing out on next years competition. Goodbye to big name talent in the summer and a downward spiral to mediocraty

[matthew123]

I spoke to a lot of people in Lyon and everyone agreed that Liverpool's problem is cautious football. Injuries and lack of money does not help but what we can do to help ourselves is to play with more adventure - and part of that contract is not playing just one up front and having two holding midfielders.

On another note it was nice of Rafa to think of Torres welfare by bringing him off after an hour at Fulham but I've not yet read the reason to how he was able play almost 90 minutes against Lyon. Hmmm yes answers on a postcard.

One win in 8 says to me that the Manager has to take at least some of the responsibility for recent results, I think it has to be recognised that bad luck and ill fortune is not entirely to blame. Before anyone asks should Rafa be sacked, I still have faith, I just hope going forward Rafa trusts the Red shirt more to those with talent than his stable of workhorses.