BG

Let me start with a disclaimer or two. 1. I rate Rafa as our best manager since Paisley. 2. I think at times that all of Crouch, Morientes and Cisse have perfomed reasonably well for us and have merits. 3. I've not included Fowler becuase clearly it;s unfair to judge him yet. However off the top of my head here's a list of strikers in the Premiership I'd swap for any of them (disregarding their ages). Drogba Crespo Nistelroy Rooney Mido Keane Defoe Darren Bent Yakubu Andy Cole Shearer Owen Ashton Baros Heskey Playign with forwards who are erratic finishers AND never make their own chances does make life a LOT harder. Summer cannot come soon enough in that respect.

I quite rate Johnson. It happens that Simon Jordan is a member of the gym I go to. Chatted to him a few times - nice bloke. Think Johnson will only go if he really really pushes it and says he won't stay etc.

I thought he was very good for most of the first half. Agreed he's not the best passer ever and needs to be more disciplined. However I saw a stat a few weeks ago saying he had made 105 tackles for us this season. Next best was Gerrard - with 42. That's incredible given he's not played as many games as Gerrard. I rate him very highly. If Arsenal had him they wouldn't keep being bullied away.

Pepe could do with gettting along to the cinema a bit if he thinks Robben deserved an Oscar.

I am in the optimistic camp. Cannot believe the likes of Bascombe's report. Let's not forget they haven't lost a league game at home for a very long time, have a loathsome but very good manager and the most expensively constructeam team in history. In my opinion all that really separate the teams (not the squads) are the forwards (clearly we need more bite up front) and maybe a right winger. Given the restraints Rafa is operating under I definitely see a glass 3/4 full.

On the defending I'm not too worried - we'll get that sorted. On the strikers - could not agree more. I honestly think that with a Mido level player we would be much better as a side.

I agree - until the second goal we were the better side in the game. It's obvious we need to finish better/have a better finisher and a right winger to give us something a bit different. I was pleased with our approach though. We dominated them for long periods.

Ta.

Anyone know a good pub in central London which will NOT be full of Chelsea characters.

Personally, looking at our goals against column and given that JAR is quite good going forward, I think left back is a low priority. For me the real priority is a reliable finisher and a right sided winger/midfielder.

I've been on it about 12 years.

That was one of the things that made him so good and why I believe Reina is so good and will become better. I like goalkeepers best who think it's never their fault.

That's clever. Everyone wants to buy it so the club won't sell it.

I have to say I agree with something Strachan said about Steven Gerrard: not the best player he's seen in any particular position but the best player he has seen overall in England. The final was a brilliant example of this. Goes from an attacking midfielder who drags us back into the game and then goes in at right back against a fresh Serginho when by his own admission he 'had nothing left to give' and played him brilliantly. That plus the fact that he delivers in big games and inspires those around him makes him an UNBELIEVABLE player.

tobyashken@gmail.com ta