Guz

Eight bells is usually full of reds, opposite putney bridge station I think. Anyone going? We were in Zulu bar last year (on the corner of fulham palace rd and fulham rd), was ok but not very busy. Blue Anchor - is that the pub by the river, just down from the dove?? (Don't worry I wont be gatecrashing )

Exactly. We're reaching breaking point soon and at the moment that breaking point is Rafa walking if his plans for next season are hindered because of infighting. I have no inside information etc. but I just can't see any other "resolution" to this saga other than DIC coming in and buying Gillet's shares at the first possible stage and Hicks/DIC pulling together in the same direction for the short-medium term and DIC hoping to buyout Hicks at a later date. Hicks is showing no sign of budging or ability to buy out his partner, Gillet obviously wants out, DIC want in - it's the only possible step for this farcical situation surely? edit- suppose the only other situation is this carrying on well into the summer and one can only suspect that Rafa won't want to hang around for that

I know it's all a media face but it really doesnt look like Hicks is going anywhere anytime soon does it? Whereas Gillet wants to get out asap. I cant help but think we're just going to have to accept that the next step in this saga is Gillet selling to DIC with they and Hicks pulling in the same direction in the short/medium term before Hicks f***s off. If stalemate continues then surely Rafa will walk, also.

Rafa's situation isn't untenable yet. It will become so if in a few weeks time this mess has still not been sorted out (or moved on a pace) and he isn't allowed to prepare for next season. If his job is restricted in the summer he will walk, surely. Till then he is in a no lose situation but we are getting closer to breaking point for Rafa because we all know he wants to work quickly and efficiently over the summer.

"And with such simplicity, surely now the European cup is won" Think that's right.

The same came into my mind aswell. The side that ended the game definitley had some very average players playing. The key though is to get them contributing at various stages through the season though in the way Yossi did today and helped change the game. Dont think Gerrard dived today to be honest. Dont think they were penalties either though

Thought Babel was poor and wasted some good positions. Aurelio wastful on the ball, Kuyt and Gerrard pretty good. Torres living on scraps for most of the game, Lucas ok, Xabi hit and miss, Yossi excellent and the others were alright. It was a scrappy game where we didn't really get going at all but did enough and kept our composure for an important 3 points. Hopefully Chelsea will win on Thursday giving us a chance of an 8 point gap on Saturday. Here's hoping. Btw, didn't think either of Gerrard's appeals were a penalty but dont think they were dives either.

Did alright again today. Think he sometimes needs to be a bit more agressive. Seems too passive at times but plays best when it's one touch passing or looking for early balls.

Obviously Parry was involved in those meetings ffs. He is the chief executive and at the time was Hicks and Gillet's personal bitch. He's out of the loop now by the looks of things but was right in it back in October/November. Rafa's just learnt this week that Hicks wants Parry gone and wants to bring his own team in. It's at a time of the season where we should be looking at transfers for next season so it's hardly a surprise Rafa wants clarification and to tell those c**** to shut the f*** up and f*** off from our club.

Can see why Rafa would want to walk after the powers that be around him have disintegrated over the past 8 months and the man who, until now, was getting constant flak in the media and sometimes his own fans was the manager himself despite having to work in the most farcical of situations. But at the moment he is unsackable, be it Hicks/Gillet or DIC. Whoever owns the club knows that they have to give Rafa funds or he walks and the fans cause more uproar. Rafa is the glue holding the club together at the moment and he knows that and surely knows that we think that too. Hopefully.

Isn't November the new target for work to begin? That's if Hicks is still here by then which hopefully he won't. Who knows what DIC have in store for the stadium. It'd be nice to have a unique stadium but wouldn't surprise me if they went back to a Parrybowl-esque design with the idea of getting a stadium built asap

Macca reckons it's ok he makes mistakes because at least he gets in the position to make them I think he's a better keeper than he was with us but just seems to have an error or two in him. That's not to say every other keeper is perfect cos that's obviously not true but think James is still prone a bit. Much improved though and having an excellent season so fair play.

It's a decent article to highlight some of the good things about Rafa for which he sometimes doesn't get much praise but it's a bit silly to use that to criticise a man who has won 3 league titles in England so far including one where his side never lost a game. Arsenal aren't the finish product by any means and need to improve, but just like us, are on the right track to getting back to where they want to be.

Are you sure? We (the club as a collective) went chasing for more money, didn't do our research properly, brought these two clowns in with a fanfare and have slowly watched everything disintegrate over the last 12+ months. You're right Hicks (and to an extent Gillet) name is being dragged through mud and surely his time in English football is nearing an end hopefully but i'm embarassed with what's been going on. In a week where our collective spirit and belief shone through against Arsenal we've plummeted to new a new low in terms of our public image with this Parry/Hicks bulls***. Almost every bit of big news since last November when Rafa was close to getting the sack has been embarassment after embarassment, shambolic management and dreadful PR. It maybe the work of the owners but it's our name they're dragging through the mud with them. The name of one of the greatest footballing institutions in the world. We'll recover, hopefully soon, because we're a bigger force in our niche than Hicks is in his but it's been a sorry affair.

All three of the must go...eventually. But with parry's comments on 5live the other day it was clear he has been shoved out of the loop and isn't Hicks' bitch anymore so this isn't really a surprise. There is no way an active chief exec of the biggest football club in the country can say the sorts of things he did on the radio unless he was being forced out already. Oddly, to get rid of Hicks (and Gillet) we may well need Parry still there for now.

Yesterday was a great example of how following your man and not looking at the ball even once during a corner is a f***ing s***house and crap thing to do. More often than not it leads to a foul on the attacker which is rarely given but thankfully our Sami had too much nouse for Senderos. He (sami) got in some good positions from set pieces in the first leg too.

Like the rest of the team improved a lot after about half an hour but before that didn't think he and Xabi knew how to play together. Without Gerrard infront of them I think they needed to be a bit more intelligent in their closing down. When all 3 play centrally (though Gerrard drifts) they can charge players down knowing that even if they don't get the ball they still have support around them. First 20 mins or so Arsenal got between our defence and midfield a few too many times and we were tracking back and getting deeper. Don't know what it was but about 5 minutes before Sami's goal we seemed to spring into action and held a higher line with Xabi getting on the ball in their half a lot more.

Pepe is good enough to have saved that shot and on most occasions probably would've saved it. But at the same time the players infront of him let him down also. Like most goals teams conceed there's more than one person who can put their hands up and take responsibility. Pepe must be a nervous wreck like us in goal sometimes when he's not involved in the play. Such a massive release of energy and frustration when Babel scored just like the rest of us. f***ing brilliant

We would've won the damn thing 3 times in a row if we didn't play the god damn zonal marking b******s. Man marking all the way, never conceed a goal withthat

I think the biggest factor in our CL success to date is the variation in where our players come from. We've been very lucky that every referee that we've had in the last 4 years was born within 5 miles of one of our players.

Highlights how difficult it is for refs sometimes IMO. Hleb's was more of a foul by the defender (Kuyt) but he went to ground easier. Not saying it was a dive but it APPEARED that Hleb could've put a bigger effort in staying on his feet. The challenge on Babel was less of a foul imo and just one of those incidents where the defender and attacker come together but Babel tried to stay on his feet until he stumbled over with Toure. I couldnt watch the pen though so f***ing fair play Steven. Takes some b******s that does.

What hurt us was always having one of Mascherano and Xabi being dragged out of position. Recently although Gerrard has been high up the pitch he's been quite central when we're without the ball and it gives all three of them (Stevie, xabi, masch) the confidence to go after the ball because they know they have support from the other 2 around them. With gerrard on the left a third of that protection went and Arsenal were picking up spots between our midfield and defence. Didnt think the 442 worked at all really although you can argue that crouch was vital for his flick on to torres. Either way f***ing boss night

Away from the euphoria? Are you f***ing mental or something?! We may take things for granted sometimes but feelings of complete joy and euphoria come along a handful of times (if that) a season, much rarer for most teams around the country. Yes Xabi was s*** at times tonight but forget it for another day

Dont think I could handle it. f***ing hell, just the thought of it ...

Kicked in tonight. Absolutely bricking it really but you gotta love it.