MFletcher

I reckon we'll move for Chiellini now. My take on it is that Heinze did his best to come here, but the situation could drag on for months with appeals and possible court cases. He's 29 and could well spend a season in the reserves. He'll lose his place in the Argentina side and his career might never recover. I think he has done all he can to join us and that this was his "plan B". Fair play to him.

Elisha has previously posted to say that Rafa believes Riquelme to be a bottler. Rightly so as well. Great player on his day, but he's the sort of person who would come out after one game on the bench and complain that he needed to move on.

No they weren't mate. One of them thinks his behaviour regarding the new contract is ridiculous, that he's got delusions of grandeur with his new mobile TV channel, that he doesn't contribute as much to the Chelsea team as he did in previous seasons and he should be sold before his value drops next summer. Two years ago none of these points were issues - hence the change in their tones.

Stevie could play with a cast on his leg and still be of more use than Fat Frank Lampard. It baffles me why he is even in the squad. He goes missing in big games so much it's laughable. His celebration really p***ed me off on Sunday, because he had been absolutely anonymous and then he starts acting like he's the best player in the world all because he scored a penalty. And he kisses the badge whilst stalling on a new contract. Stevie is a credit to Liverpool, but I've spoken to three Chelsea fans in the last week who have all decided that Frank Lampard is an over-rated mercenary and they want him to be sold before he can wind his contract down even more. The comparison between the two of them is beyond laughable. Stevie is a genuine world class player. Lampard is a greedy and distinctly average football player. It really annoys me when anyone suggests - in a serious way - that Lampard is better than Gerrard. It's a laughable comparison. It's like comparing Stevie to Hayden Mullins.

He paid his own buy-out clause to be released from his contract and then joined Zaragoza.

I'm disappointed with the ruling. He's an international defender and would have given us excellent options at left back and at centre back. At the same time, I have to remind myself that he has been fairly dire since coming back from his long term injury. Milan took him apart and he was made to look poor in the Copa America final. I reckon a court would rule it was a restraint of trade. Club gives player permission to find buyer, player finds buyer, player is very, very keen to join buyer, selling club dislike buying club and block transfer, player left in limbo. Unless Heinze moves elsewhere, his career could stall until next year when he'll buy himself out of his contract. He's 29 now, he's not a young lad with his entire career ahead of him. Alan Kennedy thinks that's the end of the matter (phone interview on SSN). We'll probably go after Chiellini now.

Crouch only got 8 minutes in the CL final, 6 minutes at the weekend and wasn't even in the squad for AV game. Given that he was first choice in 05-06, he's really fallen down the pecking order and I'm wondering if Rafa sees his negatives over-riding his positives in many game situations. The movement we get up front from Torres and Kuyt is far superior - and more dangerous - than the flick ons Crouch can provide. He can also be fairly inept in the air sometimes. OK, he scores a good few with his head but with the amount of chances we give him he should be doing better. He's a good player, but if anyone saw Anelka against Pompey, he was flicking the ball on with his head really, really well. Plus he has movement, pace, and can actually finish. As someone else said, I'd sell Crouch for Anelka in a heartbeat. I do expect Crouch to stay with us this season, but you have to wonder if he's losing heart given his recent "cameo" appearances (Toulouse aside). He could do an Owen, and decide that with Euro 2008 coming up, he needs to play regularly to cement his place in the England side. We'll see. With Bojinov ruled out for half the season, I wouldn't be surprised to see Man City move in for him.

We've got John Arne Riise Who's just a little bit scheet-e And hopefully he'll go sooon soooooo-ooooooooo-ooooooooooo-n It needs work I'm afraid.

We've got Finnan and Agger Fabio and Carra And Pepe Reina in goo-ooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo-al Neither Fabio nor Aurelio actually fit properly. Hopefully he is injured for the rest of the season so that the song doesn't get wrecked...

We've got Finnan and Agger Alvaro and Carra And Pepe Reina in goal go-oooo-oooooo-ooooooo-al We'll have to see who nails down the left back spot this season before the song can be adjusted accordingly.

I think Riise is a limited player who - mostly - disguises his limitations with his pace, power and stamina. He isn't a good enough defender to be our first choice left back and he isn't skilful enough to be our first choice left winger. He can't cross a good ball consistenly, he always seems to shoot from distance and waste good attacking positions, he only has one move to try and beat the full back, etc. I could go on, but I'd like to see Riise's involvement in the first XI decrease as the season goes on - whether the LB slot goes to Arbeloa or Aurelio (or Heinze) or LM goes to Kewell or Babel - I feel they all offer more than him in their respective positions.

Charlie Nicholas is absolutely clueless. Absolutely clueless. He makes Kaizer look informed.

No offence mate, but you really do talk s***e sometimes. This Kuyt/Pennant bashing is ridiculous - especially when you continue to support the idea that Riise is not a one footed, one trick over-rated footballer. And your love affair with Quaresma is based on him getting 17 assists in the Portugese league, but how many of them wouldn't meet your exacting standards? You crossed off half of Crouch's assists last season because you didn't think they constituted real assists. How many did Quaresma dive for (penalties) etc.? You don't know and yet you constantly quote them as evidence of his abilities.

Too true mate. It makes him look childish.

I think he's a decent player, but not someone who is good enough for the long term. His crossing is too inconsistent and he provides no goal-scoring threat whatsoever. Clearly a second choice player who fitted the price bracket we were shopping in. Just to stress, I think he's a decent player. I don't think he's rubbish. I simply think we can do better and should be looking to improve our options in that position. I really don't think Pennant is the long-term solution.

Arbeloa Gerrard Torres

Kuyt was booked for three "fouls" - two of which weren't "fouls" to begin with. The "foul" that prompted the booking was scandalous as well. On two of our free kicks, they were nowhere near 10 yards and started to run as soon as they heard the whistle. He wasn't looking and simply shrugged his shoulders when told. He allowed the Chelsea players to crowd him and did nothing about it. Mikel had a kick at Gerrard and got nothing. Essien received two yellow cards but the referee lied. Their penalty... Well, what can you say really? No corner from Cech's save from Kuyt's header. I could go on, but that is only some of the things I can remember off the top of my head.

That was one of the worst penalty decisions I think I have ever seen. I'm convinced he showed the card to Essien as well, but realised as soon as he walked away that it should've been a red and decided to lie. A completely inept refereeing performance overshadowing a fairly solid display from ourselves. Torres' goal was excellent and I thought we had them under complete control. Pepe didn't have to make a save and their only shot on target was the penalty. I wish Riise would stop shooting from distance as well... On a more positive note, I got my Fantasy Rafa team selection right.

Tim Vickery claims the kid is a genius. £11M is a hell of a lot of money for a 17 year old who could find himself struggling to adapt to his surroundings. I reckon that's one of the reasons he chose Milan - a solid Brazilian contingent and some modern Brazilian greats already there (Ronaldo, Cafu, Kaka etc.).

I was the goalkeeper for my primary school team. I was pretty solid actually - I used to make the right decisions regarding when to come forward, when to stay on my line etc. and my reflexes were good. But there was absolutely no coaching whatsoever. Football "training" consisted of matches where people picked teams and the outfield players chased the ball the entire time. Before matches, I was told not to let any goals in and even if there was a puddle on the goal line, it was better that I got soaked than the team conceding. I reckon most coaches sacrifice "proper training" and simply pick the big kids to massage their egos. "Look, my young team are winning every game. I should do this professionally." We had some solid players as well. One of them is at Ipswich now, but our kick off consisted of passing it back to him and letting him thump it straight into their box. No concept of ball retention, passing etc.

This is true. It was on the main BBC News though, so I'd like to think they'd be pretty sure before screening the segment. If it was in some rag of a newspaper, I'd question it's authenticity a little bit more.

Bellamy just can't help himself. We heard nothing about him for months here, he seemed to have put his head down and decided to concentrate on his football. Then it was alleged that he threatened Riise with a golf club... He's the sort of person who will drag controversy around with him. I was delighted when we got shot of him. A great player on his day, but he can be a mouthy so-and-so. He certainly wouldn't have dared stand up to Rafa, because he'd have went straight into the reserves and rotted there. Curbishley will probably justify it by saying "I'm glad he has that level of passion - it shows he cares." It'd be much more entertaining if he put him on the transfer list, refused to let him train and refused to sell him to any club outside the Welsh League. At least he scored some important goals for us and we made a profit on him.

According to a lip reader at the time, Materazzi had said "I wish an ugly death upon you and your family." I think Zidane had heard his mother had collapsed and been taken to hospital before the game, so it's understandable that he lost his temper. It's not like he was an angel his entire career, he headbutted some German bloke in the CL when he was at Juve. Still the best player I've ever had the privelige to see play. Most of the best players are controversial anyway - Maradona, Cruyff etc.

He didn't get in the game. The couple of touches he did have were poor though.

When he's played in a full strength team, he's very rarely been caught out. And he's also demonstrated real attacking intent on both sides of the pitch (Arsenal home, Reading away). I thought he'd be another Josemi/Kromkamp when we brought him in, but he looks a real bargain buy. I like his attitude as well.