nd

Sissoko is easy to work out. Six words: "f***ing good first season so far".

That is so true. And it's probably why Mourinho didn't get a sniff.

Fair enough he should take as much blame for the first half as he's given credit for the second, and fair enough this was 'only' Luton, but f***ing hell...what a gem he is. The way he conducted himself today was a credit to his profession: - Shows respect for the opponents and competition by fielding our strongest, most knackered side (bar Reina). - Sends out a team that takes control of a game that initially looked like it would be a stroll. - Team loses control in an abysmal way and goes into half time in very poor shape. - Team comes out in second half and re-asserts itself before crappy reffing decisions throw us deeper into the s*** (and you could tell from Rafa's passionate display on the touchline that he was sensing disaster). - Keeps a cool head, throws on an unlikely-ish sub, and changes to more attacking tactics (swapping a holding midfielder for a forward). - Cue four goals in thirty-odd minutes (how many substitutions have that kind of effect?). - Handles himself immaculately in the post-match interview, paying full respect to Luton and displaying obvious displeasure at the performance. - Comes away from a banana-skin tie having added another class piece of Liverpool history to the record books. Sack Parry.

You have an almost absurdly high regard for Zanetti if you think he's twice as good as Finnan. As for 'standard-setter for a modern day right back', Cafu and Babbel are two better players from recent years.

I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think it'll catch on. Unless they really are going to turn the history books inside out, then Chelsea's fortunes on the pitch will change at some point. The media circus that Mourinho has built up to their advantage will then cease to be an asset. Nothing and nobody escapes scrutiny forever, and it's then that the real test of character begins. Chelsea have had it very easy so far, and their inevitable fall promises to be uniquely spectacular.

He might not be our best since Phil Neal, but his competitors for that place (Rob Jones and Markus Babbel) are in severe danger of being usurped, if only because Finnan has so far escaped the career-ending problems they cruelly suffered. Steve Finnan has been an integral part of the best defensive run we've seen in years. 80+ years had Everton not scored the other day (a goal that started, IMO, with Warnock's weakness on the left). He has been consistently excellent for us since Josemi's arrival, and one of the Premiership's best players for several years before that (as recognised by his fellow pros). As for the names you mention...give me a break. Why do foreign full-backs get lauded so much? Cafu and Maldini are the exceptions rather than the rule, yet their gloss seems to rub off on players like Trabelsi and Del Horno who have done precisely nowt in their careers so far. Hype, pure and simple. (That's not to say they won't go on to good things.) And Zanetti is over-rated. He would struggle in this league I think.

I doubted him, and don't feel bad for doing so - he deserved it. But he is shoving those doubts back down my throat now, and then some. He has been a phenomenal player this season so far, and a credit to the shirt.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/4537618.stm It's up to you, Djibs. Keep the improved attitude up and you'll be part of something great at this club.

One thing that worried me tonight was that we looked a wee bit tired. Not our best performance, consequently, and I think Benitez's starting XI and subs were canny.

Excellent performance from Djibs. Maybe Benitez's hard-line is beginning to work? I hope so, because he could be some f***ing striker that lad. 12 goals already...

May as well now.

Great goal from our s***-hot striker. Well in Crouch - silencing the critics with every game.

Big match coming up = press stir up s***. Happens every time. And it's not a club bias thing. Same thing happens for Man U, for example. Journalists have a nose for trouble, that's all.

A proper football team.

I wouldn't normally bother, but something about that piece compelled me to respond. I wasn't about to let some f***wit rewrite an important piece of our history: Owen was absolutely integral to Houllier's team, but the likes of Gerrard, Hyypia, Hamman, Carragher (etc.) simply do not deserve the ignorance shown here. Along with Owen they - and Houllier - dug us out of the post-Souness ditch. Samuel trashes all that with a clichéd "one man team" slur. We should defend our legends, shouldn't we?

I thank you! Just emailed the t***: "Your article makes it sound like Michael Owen was the only reason Liverpool managed to stay among the trophy-winning clubs of the past decade or so. "Liverpool?s crowing thousands dare not contemplate the despair of an Owen-less existence." Nonsense. Owen burst onto the scene just about at the same time the Liverpool board saw sense to break with the boot room tradition - a break that saw the valourisation of "dead legends" put firmly, if painfully, in the history books. He was a vital part of a team put together by the much-maligned Gerard Houllier, and for my money the best player Liverpool have had before this season's Steven Gerrard. But then the team that bought us glory in Istanbul contained rather a lot of Houllier-era players: Dudek, Hyypia, Carragher, Gerrard, Finnan, Kewell, Baros, Riise, Hamman, Smicer, Traore, Cisse. I make that twelve. Out of a possible fourteen. Maybe it's not just Scouse wits who are indulging in a bit of revisionism, eh?"

I can see the point, but he's basically claiming that we were a one-man team before Owen left. Funny, then, that so many of the players who took us to glory in Istanbul were Houllier buys. Owen was a critical part of our success pre-Rafa, but to dismiss the likes of Gerrard, Carra, Hyypia, Hamman, McAllister (to name but a few) is an equal act of revisionism.

That is superb comedy from Nicholas. What a mentalist. He's surely just trying to keep us amused?

That include Benitez then?

Yes and no. Can't say I have more confidence in Cisse, Moro, and Crouch banging them in than Owen. It's true to say that strikers need service, but service on its own is no good if you lack a cutting edge. That said, preventing goals against is just as important and it's a big risk having just Sami and Carra as our established central defenders. Josemi and Whitbread can fill in there and maybe some of the new youngsters will shine, but first-class backup would be very welcome indeed.

"There's no question of me leaving the team." "I hope I will fulfil the contract I signed with Liverpool." Benitez silent over Cisse rumours

Exactly. I can't see how this (if it's true - not that I'm doubting ES's information) does anything other than strengthen Madrid's hand.

I know, but then I also don't care. I lost all interest in England during Euro2004, for obvious reasons. I know Owen has got professional worries to think about in that regard but, you know, f*** him. He chose his path, and while I would be made up to see him back in red that is dampened if what he's really concerned about is playing in white. But then I guess that's a luxury that fans can afford and players/managers cannot. I dunno, it's just disappointing that he's somehow bargained himself into a position where we're seemingly on the receiving end again. Combine Cisse's attitude with Owen's ability and we'd have a perfect striker again...we're in danger of having neither.

Hmm, I'm beginning to sour on this deal. Does he want to play for us, or is he just worried about his England place?

Pure Fantasy Football stuff here, but I'd love Benitez to try a cheeky bid: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...sea/4160386.stm