Hector McDougal

Blues**** seem to think Johnson will be fit for the bench.

Aimar?

If he really wants to go then they probably won't be able to stop him. Hope Madrid drive a hard bargain as they're in the the driving seat and get him on the cheap.

Simon Kuper?

Rossi played for Parma at the weekend, his third club so far this season. Just checked up and I don't think that he actually played for Utd this season. Doh.

Souness was on rte during the world cup and was fantastic. The other pundits gave him a round of appleause on his last appearence. Glad they have him back on the premiership now and I hope that he might do some champions league too. RTE punditry is top class. Even when Dunphy goes on an insane rant it's usually entertaining even when he's talking through his hole. The fights between Dunphy and Brady are worth the liscence fee alone, not that I pay it.

Maybe Ayala might be brought in with a view to a coaching role in the future.

On Tuedays podcast Steven Cohen said that he met Kelvin McKenzie when he was in London. He said of him "a more kindred spirit I couldn't meet". Not surprising really.

Don't think that Pirlo makes too many takles. I know that he sits deep like Xabi and makes the passes but unlike xabi, he doesn't put his foot in, just lets Gatusso do it for him.

Posted in another thread that I think Ribery would be great for us. There is some speculation that Mancini at Roma might be on the move. He's class but he can only play on the right where we have Stevie. Ribery has the bonus of being able to play either side. Think that he could be our C Ronaldo.

I tend to go along with this. Two really creative and penetrating wide midfielders would enable us to score a lot more goals. Don't think that our strikers are the problems. Kuyt only has one less league goal this season than Rooney or Saha. Think that someone like Ribery would be perfect for us, can play on both flanks and has the skill to be our C Ronaldo. Maybe Mancini from Roma might be an option but he only plays on the right and I think we're more in need on the left. I often listen to Tim Vikery on the the bbc 5live world football phone in on a Fri night. When the two argies signed for West Ham, he said that he had reservations about Tevez's ability to adapt to england, unlike Mascherano.

I think that I can remember watching it live in Ireland but I was fairly young at the time so I can't be sure.

I have a lot of time for Sami but I'm surprised that he doesn't score more given his heading ability and the fact that he always comes forward for corners and frees.

Good news. I can see him being our first choice left back for the rest of the season given that Riise has been off form. Was against this move a few months back but now I think that we need him.

I wouldn't have anyone else. Rafa is boss.

On the subject of our fans Paul Doyle has a pretty stupid article in the guardian today. http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/01/...ey_deserve.html He suggests that we should have walked out at half timeas we were 4-1 down. Should we have done that in Istanbul too when we were also losing by 3 goals?

We've played a lot worse than that especially at the end of the Ged era. But our defence was particularly crap tonight. We really need a quality left back and Paletta doesn't look ready. There was some talk of us being linked with Ayala. Still a great defender as he showed in the world cup. Mightn't be a bad option on a short term deal.

I met Ryan Flynns Dad at the Chelsea home game last season. He's from Edinburgh. Always kept an eye out for him after that and was pleased to see him score in the youth cup final.

Would be surprised if we went for Navas. He's had mental problems and seems to be a real homebird, a bit like Reyes. I doubt that he would adapt to the premiership regardless of what club he were to join.

I listen to the show most nights and I do like Ken most of the time. He is a red by all accounts but was really anti Houllier and seemed to prefer us losing during his reign so that he could go on a rant about Ged. I don't think that he's too fond of Stevie either. I get the impression that the presenter, Eoin McDevitt is a manc. They've started podcasting the soccer show again. You can get an xml feed for it through iTunes or here. http://www.newstalk.ie/podcasting.html

How has Pongolle been doing there? Are we likely to get a decent fee for him in the summer?

Schooling.

Said that the education part increased from 1 day a week to 2.5 days later on. He's playing at Rotherham now. Ken Early, the soccer show pundit, hates Houllier and was critical of him not giving Richie a game at the time and buying players in his position.

Richie Partridge on newstalk 106 now talking about his experience in the academy and Rafas comments. Listen here. www.newstalk.ie

Didn't Viduka score 4 against us for Leeds? Might have been at Elland road.