mercury

We have a decent season. To be in the semi-final of CL again is no mean feat. Some of our fans are very spoilt. I am very worried about the close season though - how much Rafa got - and how the ownership saga will turn.

Yup, Where does teh article come from?

in the short term this is better than a civil war, the chaos and impasse at the Club, and, very probably, losing Rafa, that is for sure. However, how about the long term? Can Hicks be decent owner? Can he build the stadium while supporting the team, develop the Club it derserves? Or would he just squeeze money from the Club to support his other ventures? It really is heart breaking, seeing our Club down to its knees. I want to vomit every time I see these interviews, reports pop up.

baffoon. and that's being kind to hicks.

it may be a case of Rafa wanting to go himself. speculation on my part of course but who can blame him for getting fed up?

absoltely boss

Rafa looking to two 1-1 draws Get over it, gooners!

Xabi was not s*** vs the Gooners. He's alright and made some crucial if not spectacular contributions, like most of the team that night.

stumbled upon 4-2-3-1 sorry to put the boot in but this is surely whammy i'm one of those die hard supporters of Rafa. For a while, by the look on the pitch, I feared he had lost the dressing room, if that was the case, we'd have no choice but to let him go. and boardroom trouble is not an excuse, for it has clearly led to doubts on his tenure here and such doubt is always poisonous to any manager. but the tide has surely turned, at least on the pitch, and we are in another semi final A worry though: how much Rafa's stock is worth in Europe now? And very prematurely: how much he will be worth IF the big ears are ours again; could we expect to keep him, especially if the current state of the boardroom perpetuate, or worse, deteriorate? It seems that we have been on one crossroad and another every summer in the past 4, 5 years.....

very very good for the last few matches. Just stay healthy!

credit to the a*** for moving the ball quickly around which left no chance for Masch and Xabi. Xabi is important to our shape and play. He played enough and well at times for the past few matches but I expect more from him.

well done lads for coming back three times! Can't ask for more

Both were pens and last week's should be given. I'd have been quite upset too if the table was turned. However, facts being what they are, I'm really enjoying it that we took lead again with this pen!! Poetic!

That, matie, would be beautiful

so everyone supposed to crouch and worship at the alter of Arsenal, just because of the football tehy play

I love Ged. No he was not to be the one and should go but he did an awful lot for the Club, steady the ship, so to speak. And he IS our own, no doubt about it.

Very petty if true.

I'm also concerned about Skrtel's positioning which happens once or twice occassion each match, sometimes it has cost us, sometimes not. But to be fair, he's fairly young and very new to the team and the defense always takes time to gel as a unit. And other that, he does play very very well and gives us some much needed pace in the back. I won't be worry as yet. Let's give him time. Lucas had a few moments of brilliance and then faded. It's obviously physically he's not up to it yet. Babbel has improved with his final ball, only marginally. Lot of work there. Gerrard was superb, as was Hyypia who arguably our most consistent player this season other than Masc and Torres. Xabi played really well. Good match. Can be more than 1-0 but I'll take it with a derby any day!

Riise is very much under-rated. He played well today and indeed has improved and has the advantage of almost always fit. A good reliable squad player. Would be sorry to see him go.

Great!

A completely listless card. Masch got the brunt for what had happened with other teams. Good ref calm the situation and try to let the match get on rather than deciding the match. For all it's worth, we have never been a team that surround the ref and now got made an example of and labelled by the none the other James Lawton. Laughable. Masch may have let his team mates down but the FA and this ref let the match down. Let's get dirty. Why should we play clean when they are treating us dirty?

very tempted to, but no! More relevant was the security of the manager's position during that period.

Spot on, especially the form of our back four. Attack is not our problem this season. Also remember that some of the rotation were forced on us - injuries which are obvious and also Masch just flew half way to and from the globe for a friendly national! The pieces are in place again

Reina