kop205

That is a massive claim to be honest. I think it is far too early to be saying anything of the sort, especially with regards to Agger. Don't get me wrong, I think he is the real deal, a proper player - but those two you mention are all-time greats. And I suppose we dealt with the aerial threat back them by so rarely giving the ball away and, when we did, having such a hard-working midfield to win it back, that they weren't overly exposed.

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Champions League matches are generally better for atmopshere - though in the case of the group games this is partly because the atmosphere at most League games is pretty non-existent these days. The atmopshere at the Gala game was ok but even in the Champions League the really good atmospheres are reserved for the knock out or must-win games.

Haven't really looked at this poll, but the name of it suggests that it isn't just about choosing the 100 best players and ranking them in order, but looking at the overall impact that they made on people, excitement they generated, stuff like that. On that kind of crieteria, Fowler will inevitably rank quite highly because of the way in which he burst onto the scene - for a couple of years, he was a phenomenon and a combination of his youth and sheer brilliance means that he made people sit up and take notice in a way that few others have, even those who have won more medals and contributed over a much longer period of time. With Carra, I suppose it is his folk-hero status rather than just his qualities as a player that get him so high (fine player that he is) - the way people identify with him. And anyway, these polls always heavily favour the more modern players.

Now I have Poolfrog on ignore it actually makes it much moree fun - trying to guess what variation on a theme he has posted this time instead of simply having it there in front of you is far better. Until people spoil it by quoting him.

At best utterly speculative, at worst utter drivel. Please please please close this thread.

I agree with much of what you say, but my basic point is that the only other people who seem to have the kind of chip on their shoulders about their rivals/general inferiority complex are clubs who have never amounted to anything and never will. Strange as it may sound, I'm suggesting that maybe Everton are a bit better than that, which is why I'm surprised more of you aren't embarrassed when you hear about stuff like that in the Observer (note also Anny Road's comments about the Sheff Utd fan - strange company to be keeping).

Ok then fine, you missed no point - even though you inadvertently prove what I was trying to say by admitting that you haven't been on here to celebrate your own team's performances or derby win, but have jumped on the chance to celebrate our defeat in a game that you weren't involved in. And you simply avoid the question of whether the prick in the Observer is small time by saying you haven't read his stuff. Well, I've told you what he said. Does it sound small time? Does his preview of the Newcastle match - something along the lines of 'The red s**** beat these 2-0 somehow so we'll score 5' - sound a bit smalltime? When pretty much every other fan's review predicted the usual s**** to go down and forgot about their rivals, isn't a bit obsessive to predict us? I read the fans stuff on every team as I am generally interested in what fans have to say. Your rep stands out for his (and I know you hate the word, and I know we aren't allowed to call you it because you have oh-so ironically it next to your user name) - bitterness. There is every point denying that 'it is as bad with liverpool' fans when we aren't the ones making clowns of ourselves in the national media. I'll have banter with my mates, but I honestly can't think of any paralells with s**** like that tool in the Observer. Doesn't bother me any mkre than it bothers you. It is just laughable to try and make a comparison.

6 pages in response to this? Really?! What the f*** is that about?

Think you've missed my point slightly, but never mind. I probably shouldn't take it out on you, you are generally ok - but serious question, do you not find the obsessive need to mention to get a dig in at every opportunity that some of your fans have just a tiny bit embarrssing and small time? Like the fans thing in the Observer - predicting us to be relegated at the start of the season and then mentioning us every week in what is meant to be a one paragraph review or preview of a game in which we are not involved. Does it not seem a bit like something that Norwich fans would write about Ipswich or something? It is a serious question and I would be interested to hear what you think. Like I said, for all that I had a go earlier you do generally come across ok.

No he wasn't.

Myth. At least 6 people in this thread have posted fairly unqualified criticism of Carragher's form this season - in fact make it at least 7 because I think he has been poor as well. Others who have had said he has been poor have just tried looking for reasons like his return from injury, new partner at the back etc. What is so wrong with that? Isn't it entirely natural when someone who has been superb for the last 3 - 5 years suddenly has a dip in form? Very few, if any, have refused to acknowledge any fault with him. Don't know why people try to pick fights over stuff like this or try to find hidden agendas where none exist. It is like those people who took exception to Alonso being criticised and said it was only because he is foreign, ignoring the fact that the vast majority where saying nothing more controversial than he is a class player who isn't playing well at the moment. When it is said about Alonso, people jump on you for being too critical. When you say it about Carra, people jump on you being too defensive. Some people just seem to have a desperate need to be noticed/be 'controversial'.

What I was thinking. Pretty sure that hat-trick wasn't pre-Premiership.

They wouldn't be the only one with a tag line that rings true though. Would they? Still celebrating the second derby win in 14 attempts I see? Good for you. make hay while the sun shines I say. I didn't need to trot out match stats to know that 3-0 at Goodison was a freak scoreline and I do love the way your brothers in arms have rewritten history to pretend it wasn't. Still, 'if you know your history' eh? And if you don't gcare what we say, why do you sing about us all the time? Difference between reds and blues. I don't even read your match reports. You can't wait for ours. Small time. Though I did notice that for about the 3rd week running your prick of a fan representative in the Observer managed to shoe-in a reference to us in what is a meant to be a one paragraph summary of your own match. Don't you find it just the slightest bit embarrasing? I suppose another difference is that if any reds were as provocative on your sites as you are on here at times then we'd be banned, called murderers etc etc etc quicker than you could say 'Clive Thomas' - I'll settle for just exposing how ridiculous you are at times. Speak to me in May and we'll see who is laughing then. The one season in twenty you finished above us we still comprehensively outshone you.

True, but we seem to be suffering more than most at the moment in terms of how the bedding in process is affecting results. The 'luck' thing is true to an extent and will even out over the season you would think - but it doesn't change the fact that the games we've lost we're all actually there for the taking and luck didn't even need to be a factor. As for Wilson, we dealt with him last week. He is revelling in this at the moment, even though his match report is, as ever, totally contradictory. Benitez will ram hos words down his throat. For all that I am hurting at the moment, the likes of him just remind me of the need to close ranks at times like this and keep it all in perspective. That doesn't mean not expressing any concern at all, it just means remembering that we have the right man in charge to out it right.

What is worrying me the most is that teams aren't even having to play well to beat us. Everton, Bolton and Chelsea were all average at best against us and none of them could claim to have bossed the game - yet all three ran out relatively comfortable winners in the end (I know Chelsea was only 1-0 but they were hardly under massive or constant pressure at the end). We have had some dreadful bad luck - woodwork again yesterday for about the seventh match in succession, and yet another penalty shout denied - but there comes a point where that doesn't wash anymore. Too many good players are not playing well enough at the moment and I fear that it will be hard for them to regain top form when the side is constantly being changed. One player who is in form (Crouch) can barely get a game. I am worried, as I honestly thought that the defeat in the derby was going to have got our poor form out of our systems but it hasn't worked that way. We've got some tough matches coming up and people now need to stand up and be counted. I have got every faith in Rafa and still find it reassuring to remember that he will be hurting as much as us and working as hard as he can to put things right. He has shown before that he is capable of getting things to click and he'll do it again. My 'moans' above aren't criticisms of him particularly (though I would prefer a little less tinkering), just trying to call things as I see them at the moment. When you take a step back, you notice that no-one has yet run away from us points wise and there is a long way to go. Although the emotions are negative at the moment, rationally there are still positives to take.

About as funny as the Kop coming out with 'You're not singing anymore' at 2-0 up on Wednesday. I despair sometimes.

I know what you mean, but he made it very, very clear that he was only replying because he sends a token reply to all e-mails he receives but that as soon as he couldn't be arsed anymore he would stop - hence me telling me him not to bother replying. One horrible, arrogant t*** of a man.

Seem to have deleted his replies sorry mate though I still have the stuff I sent him. He sent a snotty reply to my first very polite e-mail, so I took the bait and replied (again very politely) and he was even snottier, basically telling me he couldn't be arsed discussing it with me. In my last e-mail I did quote some of his remarks so you can at least get a flavour: Dear Paul Please don't feel any obligation to reply. This will certainly be my last communication with you on this matter. "I was trying to explain why it is not my job to seek balance all the time. I have 800 words to cover a match, and if I was to mention even half of the stuff you suggest there would be no space left for goals, incidents etc." If I had an issue with your original match report, I'd have contacted you last week. I didn't. I had an issue with you column this week. "Applauding players who are being taken down the tunnel on a stretcher is normal in football, ie not news" I agree. I just felt that your article could easily leave someone with the impression that this didn't happen at Anfield, which is factually incorrect with regard to the majority of fans. "United andLiverpool fans taunting each other with sick, moronic chants and throwing things at each other is also normal, ie not news". So why use the incident of excrement being thrown by Liverpool fans to support your 'new low' argument? Again, the reader was left with a skewed persepctive. "I could have said a lot more in the paper on this subject except the same ground had just been covered by Martin Samuel in his column in the Times on Wednesday 22nd Feb. Martin has just won the sports writer of the year award, he was at the Liverpool-United match, and he dealt with the topic so well that I felt there was little to add to the debate four days later without merely echoing his sentiments". So why mention at all then? Mentioning it in such a one-eyed way is worse than ignoring the issue altogether and just feeds the perceived injustices felt by both sides. "The so-called knowledgeable and sporting Kop" Save the snide comments. They betray a hint of bias, as does the suggestion that a whole terrace of fans is devoid of knowledge or sportsmanship on the basis of the actions of some who sat there. ___________ And that was it. Ror those that want in 5 words or less - Paul Wilson is a c***.

Anyone care to guess which team Wilson supports? Clues They play in blue. Their ground is made of wood. They are excpetionally bitter. He is a horrible, horrible b*****d. I actually had some correspondence with him last year when he was going ape about the Alan Smith songs / s*** throwing / ambulance stuff, which I can post on here if anyone is interested. His replies were arrogance personified. And Will Buckley is, if anything, an even bigger c***. Shame, because it is generally such a good paper.

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That is my assessment so far. I'd like to see him trust his pace and just blast people when he gets the chance, which he has looked a bit reluctant to do. As you say though, that will come. There have been plenty of other positives in his game - he works hard, his corners are good and that is twice already that he is snook in at the far post to score a crucial goal.

Thought by his usual high standards Momo struggled a bit today, though I don't think it was because anyone bossed him - he just looked quite uncomfortable in possession at times, something which he has improved on a lot this season. Thought Zokora was pretty good for them, though not in the sense that he bossed Momo.

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