Hieronymus Bosch

Seeing as he knows very little about football - probably. OK, the league's going to pot, but a Hicks appointment or an interim manager wouldn't be more likely than Rafa to get us into fourth, which we absolutely have to do. And they certainly wouldn't be more likely to land us the FA Cup or Champions League - hardly Mickey Mouse competitions. Also, if Rafa goes, half our squad may want to join him. Not ideal in February.

We owe him till the end of the season (or, IMO, at least until his contract expires). Even if you disagree, we wouldn't be able to get a decent manager at this stage of the season, we have no backroom staff qualified to take over until the summer (even if they didn't leave with Rafa), and who's going to want to serve under Hicks? (And would you really want him appointing our next manager?)

Aye. Such a shame that with what's going on at the club, people are more interested in seeing Rafa sacked. I'll feel so much better when it's just G&H&P in charge

Agree. It's impossible to judge Rafa and the team against that backdrop. However, that won't stop fans and the media slagging him off. Surely even those who want rid of him can't seriously think it would be a wise decision halfway through the season?

Shyte fans, they are. Most noise they made was to boo off Boa Morte. They also booed Benayoun, as you'd expect from small-time supporters, Carra and Gerrard ("You let your country down" b****x) It was, in the main, another anemic display. We only started playing when Lucas came on, after which we took the game to West Ham and should have won it. Aurelio was pi55 poor, as was Kuyt (surprise, surprise), Kewell and Alonso for the first hour. Carra's poor season (and passing) continues, but I thought Hyypia was exceptional again. Rightly or wrongly, the off-the-field problems are having an impact on it - the players just seem shadows of their former selves. I still have loads of faith in Rafa, though, and am convinced we can get back to normal once (if) the ownership issue is sorted out. But he somehow must lift the players, before we drop out of the running for fourth, and he really needs to either sell or, ideally, play Crouch.

Nothing is with you.

Not really, given that it was meant to be a joke (admittedly not a very funny one).

First Sammy Lee, now Pako. Would love them both back at the club. Think we need them, too.

That's two weeks in a row you've dropped a few hints before disappearing for a long pub lunch. What's your game, eh?

Give me a time

Geez. Get a room.

1. We didn't know that LFC would be SOLELY responsible for their "purchase" of the club, not to mention transfers. 2. Should we be pleased with what G&H have done because another group (which is rich and has a sound business record) who may have owned us might have done the same? 3. G&H have had a terrible year in charge of LFC - yet they could sell it for a big profit. LFC, and therefore G&H, could earn money by selling our best players. Hicks' record shows that that's more likely than him putting his own money in. 4. G&H have lied throughout their tenure, undermined and isolated the manager while trying to have him replaced with a novice, failed to get to grips with the day-to-day running of a European football club, and messed up with the stadium plans, quite apart from all the financial issues.

Sack Rafa, keep G&H?

Kop looks less steep to me

No questions. Will give any incoming owners something to think about, at least.

I doubt anyone knows for certain, but many LFC stories are broken by forum insiders, so you never know. Speculation on here/RAWK/TLW etc seems at least as reliable as that in the papers at the moment (barring 18th Feb-related posts, of course).

For what it's worth, a few reputable posters on RAWK seem pretty convinced G&H will sell to DIC once the refinancing is sorted. While I always fear for the worst, it would appear the most plausible outcome. Having said that, few media outlets seem to view the refinancing as a prelude to a sale.

I'm not sure about that. For example, the outlook from the Telegraph, which rather than relying on briefings from the Hicks camp appears to have other inside sources, is far gloomier than it was yesterday.

That's not new. Please stop raising my hopes.

RAWK poster (6000+ posts, if that matters), who claims to have a source has this to say: "Hate to repeat myself... the refinancing loan was agreed weeks ago, in principle. Only fine-tuning was needed. And to anyone who wonders the assets of Kop Football Inc (or whatever they call it) allowing a big unsecured personal loan... 3 words, George W Bush. I can, somewhat cheerily, report new facts received from my source today. Firstly... the fact that the Americans have had to (for the FIRST time) put up their own assets... is highly, highly significant. Other players are responsible for this, which marks a complete turnabout in their stance. This allows a bargaining with other interested parties Second, the deal will be fanfared tomorrow or Friday. Third, and most importantly, I am informed the placement of a new deal with the bankers makes the sale of the Club to a 3rd party a seriously more attractive proposition 9I don't understand these things... but my source most certainly does)"

We dominate most games in terms of possession. But our succession of draws is simply down to the fact that we haven't got enough quality in the final third (especially today with Gerrard again playing far too deep and Torres well off form). Visiting teams, particularly physical ones like Villa, just need to stay solid and hope they sneak a goal (or two) from a set-piece/long ball (we, however, could take 1,000 corners in a match and not score from one).

I just think that, for some reason, he often plays in third gear (even though Gerrard in third gear is still head and shoulders above most players).

1. Mascherano 2. Hyypia 3. Crouch

He did his job superbly. The others didn't do theirs. And therein lies the problem.

Gerrard has been underperforming for much of the past two seasons. He has so much ability, though, that he often makes up for a generally abject game with a stunning finish or match-winning assist. He's a mercurial player; in my opinion, he doesn't he work hard enough and is, therefore, not consistent enough. Undoubtedly our best player, though.