Scally Bob

Riise is a distinctly average player. His inability to use his right foot at all is pathetic and because of that he ends up hoofing the ball. Positionally he is a poor full back but technically he isn't good enough for midfield. He gets a game because we often have nobody else to play there. In his first season he was an unknown quantity so took teams by surprise. He also seemed much fitter then. Teams have known how to play against him ever since that first season. Like Berger used to he saves himself following weeks of woeful performances by scoring the odd screamer. Perhaps if he could learn to pass he might create goals for others. A new left back, one who is a proper defender, is urgently needed. If anyone wanted to give us good money for Riise I'd snatch their hands off.

The deal isn't done yet and if Abramovich wanted to continue to buy turds at Harrod's prices I doubt we would want to get involved. And we have more class than to just inflate the market to get rid of competition.

Some valid points there but I would think that because the proposed new owners are successful businessmen with a knowledge of sport they will recognise that youth development is vital. That would be a continuation of the ethos of the Club and I would expect it would have been a matter discussed in the negotiations; after all just asking for investment so we can compete withe the Russian thief wouldn't be a great sales pitch. Sadly in these days of experts on every phone-in and the ability to form opinions based not on match-going but listening to Charlie Nicholas or Andy Gray, the ridiculous hype of Sky means many people expect success immediately. Often those least qualified to demand results clamour for it more and they are the sorts who have forgotten the constraints Rafa has worked under (including the legacy of paying off Gerard, his backroom staff and his failed signings) and probably ring 6-0-6 to call for his head. Inevitably a new ground will mean more Soccer AM whoppers but I think the potential new owners will protect the footballing integrity of the Club.

You wouldn't think "Munch" was one letter from perfection if you'd done the Phineaus Fogg trip I did on Air Miles. Seven hours of my life I can't get back in a rain-soaked Bavarian Airport. And I had to drive home so on the return leg couldn't even take advantage of the German purity laws.

Another great trip, I hope the Club gets the readout from the Ataturk Stadium and only gives a credit to anyone who used their ticket. Good to meet Will, Jon Hall, Anny Road (thanks for the Efes outside the ground mate) and the others. Oh, and Andy as well. Were you talking to that bloke before he jumped in the Bosphoros?

Well that was me and I stand by it. I've watched games on TV and wouldn't give ratings based on that. For example, did TV show how hard Kuyt worked at Old Trafford? Probably not, so for a missed half chance and barely touching the ball apart from that he'd get what? A four maybe. But he deserved more. I've come back from games and people who watched on TV have seen a different match it seems. Anyway the original poster rated Gerrard our best player then gave Kuyt a higher mark. Not a convincing argument that he or she is the right person to be giving marks out. Give people a telly and a keyboard and they are experts.

Why is Gerrard our best player but receiving fewer marks than Kuyt? Kuyt was my MOM. How can you rate players if you didn't go? You remind me of the Radio Mersyside callers who used to ring in: "I couldn't get there today but wasn't that Murphy awful?" If you want to express an opinion here's a tip-pay your money and watch the match.

More likely they'd sing about Birmingham City. These highlight-headed morons are the Munsters of the Midlands. No doubt it'll be back to 29,000 now they got beat.

I leld the original last Saturday night in the museum and have seen and touched it at the dinners at Anfield before. It's only got the winners since 94/95 on it. The dent on that photo from Istanbul is still there but there was another one (made by Baros dropping it) which has now been repaired. It was there the first time I held it and you can see a slight mark now but it's fixed.

STH since 1969 and missed only a handful of home games since before then. After doing virtually all of the eighties (only missed 8 games from 1979 to 1989) I dropped off a bit after Hillsborough. Haven't missed a Euro away (except qualifiers due to pre-booked holidays) for four years. Been doing Euro aways since 1973. Now I do about ten aways each season, all the Euro aways and all the homes.

I knew I'd had a good time. I remember rambling on to you but not the photo. That's not my best side.

Quinn and Christian are both idiots but the media hate Liverpool and everything connected with it. Quinn might stand up for us if he were a proper Red like Aldo or Phil Thompson but when dit that fat beaut go in the away end? The media will jump on to this with absolute relish. The fact that all they do is sing about Hillsborough, Heysel and even Munich ("Where's your famous Munich song?") will be conveniently ignored. And it's the majority of their fans singing it as well, not just a few scals.

When they were presenting the Ticket Tout with whatever they gave him I was thinking how fitting it was that the Mancs were singing a rousing chorus of "Murderers" at the time. You can't buy class and and all that. Yes they are obsessed and yes it's non-stop Scouse-baiting (even when they aren't playing us I'm told) and yes it was frustrating because we were poor but we shouldn't sink to their level. The papers will be full of it tomorrow. Not their songs but the fact that we reacted. It's open season for them now-the idiot who makes the CD's will be composing Hillsborough songs as we type.

Have a word Rafa. Make him go to bed early.

There's a Food Festival on in Bordeaux all week when we go. Clicky click I wish I'd booked for longer now, though the title of the event "Le Gout" probably tells me it's better I didn't.

Had a great second half against Chesterfield though.

They won't be on sale this week other that to STH's who ticked the box. I know this because my Cim Bom ticket hasn't turned up. The Club know it's lost in the post but helpful as ever won't let me get a replacement until matchday when they've assured me there won't be any queues as there won't be any other tickets on sale that night.

So why did they only mention one big club and Chelsea?

The original poster said he wasn't old enough to remember Souness signings. That would explain why Stewart, Piechnick and Dicks aren't in there. And going back from there was Hyssen and Carter. At least in Souness's defence I expected Stewart and Dicks to be useless so the only disappointment was that we signed them at all.

And they reckon Dowie's one of the bright ones! The weak innuendo of this farcical programme wouldn't stand up in court, as there is no material evidence. However, there are laws that make it illegal for people to talk to each other if the conversations are related to committing an offence-it's conspiracy.

If we don't have a goal poacher who was that scoring the first against the Barcodes? Cisse was never anywhere near good enough for this League. Poor touch, lack of awareness, lack of calmness in front of goal, a total inability to play on the shoulder of defenders and an all-round lack of instinct and intelligence that good strikers have. All that capped off with an appalling attitude. One of Gerard's worst buys and although I don't know Rafa my money would say that if he could have stopped Cisse coming here he would have done but we were probably legally bound to take him. We'd made that mistake before with Dudek remember. I think we've done exceptionally well to ship him out while he's still injured. I never rated him.

Smith was atrocious yeaterday. It couldn't have been more biased if it had been on Chelsea TV (if such a thing exists). Big nose said both Drogba and Robben were "honest players"! Two of the biggest divers and moaners and he thinks they're honest. Still, what would he know about it? He never touched the ball from an indirect free kick at Anfield in 1989 but to this day claims the goal.

It really was a lower-league experience. From the two turnstiles marked "home fans only" to the rickety shed of a ground including toilets like Barnsley or somewhere. Then their fans. I can't believe it's the same City. The obvoius "Murderers" and Michael Shields songs are pitiful enough but all the Nationwide stuff. Easy chants, "Who are ya" and the Middlesbrough tune for Andy Johnson. That's why it's so important not to let these things creep in at Anfield. We need to stay a class apart from these Soccer AM beauts.

Chelsea are a mickey mouse club with no fans whereas we are the most successful English team in history with supporters everywhere. I don't know why it's a surprise that we are on ITV1.

Agger may have done nothing so far but he looks like he might. Someone who got Biscan on their shirt should keep their head down methinks,