George Costanza

no its bulls***. We had the money to sign Alves but pulled out becuase Rafa thought it was too much. Get it now!

You might wanna get your facts right before spreading bulls***.

Could Stevie not have pulled out himself? The same applied with Torres too. tbh I was slightyl pissed off with both at the time. on a different note.... IF Gerrard were to leave this summer i would not begrudge him one bit. He's put everything into the club over the last 10+ years (excusing the odd mental blips in a couple of summers) and i'd wish him all the best wherever he would go. He deserves to be playing in a team competing for top honours year in year out. he's one of the best players i've ever seen.... its just a sad state of affairs that I don't hink he'll ever win the trophy he really wants to with us.

The money was there, it was Rafa that pulled out of the Alves deal. Even after the Seville President kept f***ing around. Rafa didn't think he was worth it.

Lets just give the trophies to Real Madrid and Man City as some are suggesting the spending power seems to be everything. IMO Rafa has had plenty to spend, maybe not quite as much as we'd like but lets live in the real world eh. He's made some cracking signings and some s*** ones. I personally think there has been to big a turnover in players for my liking since he's been here - which has hindered continuity and progression. What is a FACT is that, at present we are massively underperforming given the talent in our squad.

Rafa - there's the problem.

I almost feel sorry for you

I wish Rafa had been given more to spend in the summer. Maybe it would have helped although by no means would it have been a guarantee. But we are in the same position as Man Utd and Arsenal. All 3 have sold key players for large sums and not really replaced them and/or spent the full amount of what they recieved. Welcome to the real world, unless you have a billionaire owner no club will be splashing the cash for the next few years. The situation for Rafa is not ideal by any means BUT he should have mada far better fist of it than he currently has. Injuries have not been kind, nor have they with the mancs or Arsenal. I don't see them lanquishing in upper midtable and playing the kind of football that would send an insomniac asleep. Confidence is unboutebly low but the complete lack of pattern to our play is frightening. Its been a criticism of mine throughout Rafa's reign that too often during a season we look disjointed. Players look like they are playign with each other for the first time..... I wouldn't be too overly concerned but its happeing year after year after year. I often wonder what the f*** they do in training. Bar Gerrard & Torres and previously Alonso & Gerrard there is virtually no understanding between any of our players. Absolute criminal and it shows.

s*** thread. I don't know any red that doesn't think those two c**** are the biggest problem at the club. That will never change until they are gone. People are still happy to go to the games and line their pockets though aren't they. Many, too many are far too 'proud' to take the required action to get rid of them. Rafa is also part fo the problem too though. Right now he's more of a problem than he is a solution. He should count himself fortunate the two t***s are still in charge, any reasonably ambitious owner worth their salt would be looking for a replacement right now.

Is bang on the money. I absolutely hate all this new age fan s***é, people go on about the accounts, revenue, net spend yad yada yada. It does my f***ing head in. I'd happily sacrifice finishing 4th this season to win either the FA Cup or the Uefa Cup. If we get both then great but i'd rather win a trohpy than finish in a 'lucrative' but ultimmately lowly 4th position.

I don't think we over achieved last season at all. We have IMO the best goalkeeper in Europe. At least the most consistent. Carra is a stalwart. Agger is one of the best defender in the world imo when he's fit. Yep i think he's that good. Srktel is overrated imo but can still do a very good job. With Masch & Xabi we arguably had the best balanced central midfield in Europe too. And Gerrard/Torres is f***ing unstoppable. Last season imo was a disappointment. We could and should have won the league. But like a lot of teams it usually takes a close challenge before you finally win it. I genuinely thought this at the end of last season..... This season has been (for various reasons) a total and utter disaster. There can be no other words for it. We aren't even in december & we are out of the running for the two major competitions. People will point to injuries, and yes we have been unfortunate but surely that just shows what little strength in depth we have. Our squad is painfully thin and that IMO is only becuase of bad purchases in the transfer market. As far as i'm concerned the owners excuse for Rafa can only go so far. Ourselves, Arsneal and United all had a net profit this summer. All have reasons to moan, none of us should really be in this position. Unfortuatey we are the ones making a right hash of it. Thankfully it seems as usual that other premiership teams attamepting 4th place are bottlers and we still have a reasonable chance of sneaking it IF we improve. Even if we do it nothing to be f***ing proud of. It just goes to show how far the apple has fallen.

Thanks for the memories Rafa, now get your coat. & take that f***ing tósser Macia with you

not scoring more isn't unlucky its just crap finishing. we played much better tonight than most games this season but when it takes a balatant dive to earn a point against a poor Birmingham side then you have to ask questions.

Lyon were awful. Which doesn't bode well for their game in Italy. Thought we played ok, nothing more. However we were much the better team and as per this season defesnive frailties have cost us.

He's been s*** for the majority of the season.

That theory is somewhat floored when you also look at United and Arsenal's 'spending' this summer

Given the money we've spent and the amount of players we've brought in, then thats a disgrace. We have two of the best 5 players in world football. One was free the other was an f'ing steal. Our ambitions should be much much much higher than that. IF we do not get a positive result on wednesday, Rafa has put his own head on the chopping block. Fortunately for him, the club simply cannot afford to get rid of him. Unfortunately for us this could mean us missing out on the CL altogether next season and that'll mean selling assets. Rafa's new deal has made him untouchable until new owners come in. Torres, Gerrard, Maschaerano & Reina won't be anywhere near untouchable in the summer if we don't qualify for the CL.

How is tonights result a suprise. Any remotely decent team we've faced this season we've lost too. Its not bad luck or coincidence. We are just not good enough. There's no point blaming individuals either, collectively they all have to take a share of the 'blame'. Owners (ex & current), manager and players. Unless something drastically changes (needs to start from the top but there's plaenty below thats also rotten) then the club will fall into mediocrity.

He's f***ing garbage

we'll be playing in the uefa cup next season then lack of proper preparation has already cost us

Madrid are going to spend a s*** load this summer. Perez is going to bring in some of his own money, they generate a fortune as it is plus they are selling half their squad which despite under achievement will bring in a small fortune. Reckon Madrid's midfield next season will be Xabi & Fabregas. Can see Ronaldo going there too thankfully.

yep which is why we're buying Tevez

He does but we want to go even cheaper than that. No doutb tea-bag Harry will try & sign every Portsmouth player. Very likely Johnson & Barry will be joining in the summer. Just a freebie striker and an expensive wide player to go.

We f***ed up massively tonight just like we did when we had a decent cushion. We've thrown away an exceptional chance of winning the league. I cannot see the scum dropping 6 points now, 4 was a big ask. Only ourselves to blame. Its very encouraging though from a progression viewpoint even if its yet another season without a trophy.

We're out. Got to concentrate on the league. Win all our remaing games and we have a good chance. can we do that though? confidence will have been shattered tonight