KT3AVFC

Denied 2 deffo pens by Clatter-****. Hope we don't have cause to look back on those decisions.

Same team for Hull anyone?

Worth a try I reckon. Could well stick to that if Downing is alright as well (fitness wise).

MON said on SSN that Downing not yet fully fit so not sure he can play 2 games in 4 days. Also think we might need some more steel in midfield against better teams.

Well pleased with the result tonight. The winner of the Arse/Citeh game in the semi please and then a repeat of the 1994 League Cup final will do very nicely thank you.

Never known such wide spread approval of a team pre kick off -

we're bound to lose!

Everton away is never easy but glad to be playing them now rather than later in the season when they'll be a lot stronger with the return of the injured players. Reckon we'll win this one 2-0.

Suspect that this one won't be a MON love in.

Took a chance not playing NRC and going 442. As we lost it means he got it wrong. Hopefully he will not continue cutting off his nose to spite his face.

Assuming Dunne is confirmed tomorrow am somewhere between options 2 or 3. Plenty of solid signings but nothing to really excite me.

The performance was fine, the result is a death blow to the club.

What are we gonna do now without even the group stages ?

Only slightly over the top methinks.

I of course wanted us to win but found myself somewhat ambivalent at the final whistle. The EL involves too many games and I hate all the Thurs/Sunday fixtures. The reduction in games will help with the league and it will also mean we can play full strength teams in the domestic cups.

Defeat is never good but it's by no means the end of the world.

The reason we went to 442 last season was because so many people were saying that 451 was the reason we struggled to turn draws into wins at home.

451 seems to be the way away from home and will work on occasions at VP (we should have gone 451 against Wigan when it was obvious our midfield was being bypassed) but we shouldn't stick rigidly to any system. Horses for courses as they say.

Avoid Negril/Montego Bay - all inclusive heaven/hell depending on your tastes. Not necessarily cheap but I would recommend Portland in the east of the island. Great scenery and less obviously touristy.

No it was just yet another bizarre socialist war.

Never heard Tony Blair described as a socialist let alone George Bush.

We seem to be very good at the initial fighting bit - shame we don't seem to have a clue as to what to afterward.

It will be very difficult to avoid demands for a general election if Brown is forced out - don't think the public will stomach 2 non elected PMs. Labour won't win the next election but a fresh leader may persuade activists that it's worth campaigning and there may be enough of a bounce to prevent a Tory majority. If Brown stays then the outcome is a foregone conclusion.

As one of the seemingly dwindling band of labour voters I'm pleased that someone is standing against Brown. Something had to be done or the party was going to get absolutely hammered at the next general election. The damage has probably already been done but forcing Brown out is the only chance of avoiding oblivion next year.

dunno what game your all watching,man united been useless one of those games where things dont go there way and they loose there head but barcelona aint exactly been great either infact average 2 goals from very sloppy defending,Hey but i guess platini is happy.

You're a hard man to please. Man U been made to look useless by a very very good team - and this is a very good Man U team. Barca a joy to watch.

Can't believe that these are the best referees in Europe that they've dug up for the semis over the last couple of days. Thought some of ours were bad.

**** off drogba

"why else would he go down" because he's a clearing in the woods thats why andy

That and the fact that he was being pulled and kicked at the same time.

I know that this is a makeshift Barca defence but it is really ropey tonight.

no not roll over, id like to think that rather than focus mainly on containing and pinching a goal chelsea actually went at them properly, like they did at anfield, IMO they are good enough

i disagree about if they cant score they dont deserve it, as a judge in a fight would you give it to the aggressor or the one with the great defence?

All sounds a bit Wengeresque to me - all this complaining about teams not coming out to play. I'd much rather watch Barca than Chelsea but I think Chelsea's game plan has been spot on so far. Getting to the final and winning is all that matters - you get nothing for playing nicely all the way to the semi or final and then losing.

unfortunately im of the opinion that if chelsea play ultra defensively against barca over both legs and knock them out 1-0 then they dont deserve to be in the final

it is an obvious undoing of barca, and i can understand why english teams do it, but its another reason on the list as to why the CL is shit bar the odd game

Maybe Chelsea should roll over to Barca a la Lyon or Bayern?

If Barca can't score against Chelsea in 180 minutes then they wouldn't deserve to progess to the final.

Another daft thread really.

Despite being very very average at signing players, who else better are we going to get?

It's like an article of faith on here for some that MON is piss poor in the transfer market. Seeings as the team is made up of his signings with the exception of Barry and Gabby it makes you wonder just how he ever managed to achieve a top 6 finish.

Great managers make few mistakes, and very rarely make the same mistake twice ! (perfect example was Fergies replacement for Schmiecal)

Would that be Taibi, Bosnich,Barthez, Howard, Carroll or any of the other keepers he used before he signed Van Der Sar?

MON has made mistakes but he has got many more things right than wrong. Keep doing that and he wil be a Villa manager for as long as he wants.

Most definitely yes. We're very firmly amongst the rest of the best and that's down to MON. Now comes the very difficult bit - trying to bridge the gap between the top 4 and the rest.

I we lose, will have fielding weaked teams in the cups have still been the right choice?

Have we fielded weakened teams in the cups lately?

Any result tomorrow win, lose or draw wouldn't be a surprise. 4 points from tomorrow and Stoke would do nicely.

Perfect outcome.

Another draw in the Arse - Everton game next week please.

keane gets subbed after doing nothing again. no joke, ive been watching the game since about the 25th minute and didnt realise he was playing. i thought he was on the bench...

and as i type bloody gerrard scores

Spot on about Keane. The only thing he did in the game was get subbed.

Born and bred in Ward End - left B'ham about 20 years ago and can't imagine ever moving back.

We've got plenty of time to reel in Redscouse. Draw would be the preferred option but failing that a defeat for Everton to keep them nicely adrift of top 5.