Hieronymus Bosch

Pardon?

Babel?

Something Ford I think

He's filled in there late on in the game on a few occasions if memory serves

Mascherano Benayoun Sissoko Arbeloa, Hyypia and Kuyt were also immense. Really excited by Lucas and Babel, too...

Can't understand why everyone's so confident we have enough strength in depth in defence. Rafa must have some concerns with our current squad given his pursuit of Heinze. If we're planning another third/fourth place finish, fair enough, but if we want to be up there at the end of the season, I'd have thought we're still at least another quality centre back short of what we need. Hyypia's still commanding enough to do a good job against certain opposition, but his lack of mobility and Arbeloa's inexperience at playing as one half of a defensive pairing means we're going to be vulnerable against quality forward lines. As for the kids, just because they're there, doesn't mean they're up to the task. I only think Insua is close to stepping up. I was hoping we would be in for someone like Distin or Ben Haim during the summer - hopefully Carra's injury will prompt Rafa to get someone similar (cheap but with quality) this week. It would be foolish to get caught short given our impressive start to the season.

He's been consistently quality for ages. If his name was Adam Hammill, people would be lapping him up. But instead of recognising what a good job he's doing for us, many of us draw on his less obvious failings. And saying he's a "prick" or whatever is hardly useful - I'm sure the majority of footballers are, to some extent, "pricks"...

Mingle

Having watched that ickle video, plus points: the stadium looks quality IMO, Gillett/Hicks always put a smile on my face when they talk about the club/ground. Negative points: I think I've done myself a serious injury from the amount of cringing brought on by that work-experience kid doing the interviews; and the stomping soundtrack near the end might have been cutting edge at Woodstock, but not when introducing arguably the most futuristic football stadium in Europe...

I don't think anyone outside the boardroom can be 100% sure of the new owners just yet. They've said the right things and have put great stadium plans in place, but they have to earn our trust over a course of years. They're still in the honeymoon period, and Liverpool remains a hugely exciting project for them, but, as men who weren't brought up on football and have other interests, we can't necessarily take their long-term commintment for granted. Of course, Rafa also has to be heavily backed in the transfer market and when doling out wages considering that we need to be competing with the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea. We're still a couple of players short IMO; if that's Rafa's choice, then I bow to his better judgement, if there are no funds available, then you could make the argument that we haven't spend as much as most of us were predicting (we would spend under new owners) this summer when taking into consideration the money we've recouped on sales. Personally, I'm happy with what they've said and done so far, and am optimistic for the future....

Is it right you nearly signed for Liverpool six years ago? Yes, and I thought about this when I signed on the dotted line last week. What happened? I came to training with the team. On the second day the coach asked me to sign. He wanted to see me in Dortmund when Liverpool were playing in the final of the UEFA Cup, but I didn't go because I'd already signed for Lens. It was a difficult decision. You've been here a week or so, what are your first impressions of the club? It's a massive club, one of the biggest in the world. I knew that but being here has just emphasised that. What did I know about the club when I was back in France? Well, I knew they were always fighting for many cups, and I also knew they hadn't won the league for 17 years. Now is the time to change that. I want nothing more than for him to have actually said that...

This content is not viewable to guests.,This content is not viewable to guests.

Ramon Calliste above Kaka. Fair enough, really...

I also don't fancy our chances of landing number 19 this season. Not because we can't beat the likes of Man Utd or Chelsea - we can - but because they are far more adept and experienced at brushing aside weaker opposition. Although our squad is stronger than it was before the summer, I fear we may still struggle too often away from home against resilient, defensive teams. Hopefully we'll be able to field our strongest team (by avoiding injuries and too much rotation) for such games. Obviously, our style of play will also dictate how we fare on the road. We will need to play with a much higher tempo than we have done before, rely less on long balls and counter attacks, and, if possible, hope the likes of Riise, Sissoko and Kuyt demonstrate a better technique. If all this is achieved, either Kewell or Babel give us quality on one flank and we improve at left-back and strengthen our central defence (ie. Heinze), we might have a shout.

From the offal: A Liverpool XI, managed by Gary Ablett, have drawn 1-1 with Colchester United in a pre season friendly at Layer Road on Saturday after Miki Roque's second half volley cancelled out Clive Platt's first half strike for the home side. The Reds fell behind when Platt, Colchester's £300,000 record signing from the MK Dons, scored in the 31st minute. But they produced a superb second half display and scored a richly deserved equalizer when Roque struck from 12 yards in the 72nd minute. The Liverpool squad that made the long journey south was largely the same as that which earned a 0-0 draw at Peterborough last week, but they were strengthened by the inclusion of Stephen Darby, Jack Hobbs and Nabil El Zhar, who all appeared in the first team for their recent games against Werder Bremen and Auxerre in Switzerland. Colchester, managed by ex-Derby County player Geraint Williams, boasted a number of former Premiership players in their squad. The biggest of those, Teddy Sheringham, missed the game with a calf injury, but the U's did have another old foe in their line-up, Kevin Lisbie, who scored a hat-trick against the Reds when playing for Charlton in 2003. Gary Ablett's men will have known to expect a tough challenge from a Colchester side which finished an impressive tenth in last season's ultra competitive Championship. And with the Layer Road pitch in superb condition, hopes were high for an entertaining match. When we got underway it was Colchester who were first to threaten when Lisbie headed wide, but Liverpool were soon on the attack and they almost went in front in the 9th minute when Spearing's instant pass found Flynn and his well struck shot brought a good save from U's stopper Gerken. The Liverpool youngsters were acquitting themselves well in the face of a competitive Colchester approach and they came close again in the 15th minute when this time a combination of El Zhar, who looked really sharp, and Brouwer gave Idrizaj a shooting chance that again needed saving. The Reds should have taken the lead in the 28th minute when El Zhar's cross gave Brouwer a close range chance that he headed over, but they fell behind themselves when Platt put Colchester ahead just three minutes later. The goal coming after Hansen had done brilliantly to parry Lisbie's point blank header only to find Platt perfectly positioned to poke home the rebound. It took a goalline clearance from Elokobi to stop Idrizaj's prodded effort from giving Liverpool a deserved equalizer on the stroke of half time, but Platt's goal meant they went in for the break behind. Liverpool came out for the second half and stepped up a gear. They'd played well in the first half, but they came out after the interval and took the game to Colchester. Jordi Brouwer twice came close to drawing them level and it took a brilliant save from Gerken to deprive Roque, but Ablett's men weren't to be denied and they scored an excellent equalizer through Miki Roque in the 72nd minute. It came when Putterill swung in a corner from the right and Roque found space on the penalty spot to swivel and strike a superb volley into the corner of the net. It was no more than Liverpool deserved and they almost won the game when Huth hit a blistering 35 yard shot just wide close to full time. Liverpool – Hansen, Roque, Darby, Hobbs, Huth, Spearing, El Zhar (Nemeth 77), Flynn, Brouwer (Lindfield 66), Idrizaj, Putterill (Crowther 73). Subs not used – Oldfield. Referee – Barry Knight http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...070728-1654.htm

Hire Babel Fish

Would be mighty appreciative if someone could whack up a brief match report/some player ratings at some point...ta

Still 3-1?

Sir Les

Dunk???

Towers and Babel?!

I agree, in part. Benayoun's a good player; certainly better than many posters seem to think. He hasn't done it consistently for West Ham, but, as someone who doesn't care too much for West Ham, I was annoyed when they got him from Santander, where he demonstrated his class. My problem with him is that, like Garcia, he doesn't really fit comfortably into a Liverpool 4-4-2 system. Both aren't really wide players - certainly not the type of wingers we're crying out for, they're not central midfielders (even if Benayon could do a job there, we've got that area well and truly tied up), and they're not out and out strikers. They are, to me, 'in the hole' players, and unless we improve our flanks, I don't see 4-4-1-1 being particularly effective, except, perhaps, when adopted away from home in Europe. That example, and having Benyoun as an option from the bench, means he would be a useful addition for around £5m. But I hope we stay well away if it means paying much over that (unless we are loaded) or if he is has been identified as a potential winger, ahead of the likes of Mancini, etc. If we aren't flush, I'd use the money for getting real quality out wide; we also need a defensive addition.

Surprised we weren't able to get a bit more out of West Ham than £7.5m. Although he hasn't done all that much since joining us, we were only able to get him for £6m due to a clause in his contract. West Ham are clearly loaded, and there were several other clubs interested - thought if we played hardball, we would come out winning. Never expected us to get £12m, and I'm sure the club didn't either, but, with the exorbitant fees currently being banded about for other players, I reckon West Ham would've coughed up between £9m-£10m if really pushed. Having said that, getting £8m for Cisse after thinking he was going back to Marseille on loan a few weeks ago is better that could have been expected.

Winger who's efficient on the left, quality centre-back cover and preferably a good left-back

Rafa actually said he's after Heinze and Bellamy's set to be sold? Edit: Yep, got it