Football Focus

[SimonM]

>>Sorry, but I agree with Keef here. Relying on other teams to do you a favour is utter bollocks.

No offence Simon, but no other teams do us any favours. You make your own luck.<<

(Sigh). It is not, and was not, a case of anyone doing "favours", but of playing by the rules and respecting the Premier League - to which Liverpool and the other English semi-finalists owe their places in the Champions League. Benitez is himself talking total bollocks: Sheffield United played 37 games last season and a 38th at home against Liverpool's 1st team which they drew: Fulham played 37 and a 38th at home against a Liverpool team from which nine players had been rested which Fulham scraped through 1-0, avoiding relgation by one point.

But here is what Colin himself has to say about it in today's Independent:-

2. Megson should not expect any favours

I see Bolton's manager, Gary Megson, has been asking Rafael Benitez to "retain the integrity of the league" and not play weakened teams against Fulham this weekend and Birmingham next.

My advice to my old adversary is: "Don't hold your breath." Integrity, doing what is right for the game, comes way down Rafa's list of priorities. After all, as last season, he has the Champions League as his only priority now. That is good news for Fulham, just as it was last year when he fielded the reserves and Fulham won and stayed up, a point ahead of my Sheffield United team. Maybe Rafa gets a yearly hamper from Harrods for his team selections.

I can honestly say I'd love for Liverpool to win nothing while Rafael Benitez is manager, after what he did last year. I don't give two hoots what newspaper reporters say about my bitterness. I'll be cheering for Chelsea in the European Cup semi-final.

I'd like to add that my problem is with Rafa ? I think Liverpool is a fabulous club. I've had so many letters from Liverpool supporters saying how disappointed they were that he let my team down.

Still, I don't suppose I'll be calling Anfield for a loan player in the foreseeable future.

Say what you like about us Yorkshiremen, we do know how to bear a grudge! :))

[SeanMacGabhann]

Simon - why you no come to drinks? Some diamond conversations waiting to happen

[????]

and then there was that Sheffield United player signed from Watford who played in all the Blades games except.....wait for it.....Watford....no doubt he picked up an injury, god forbid it was any Westhamlike third party agreement....

[Keef]

Bloody hell, that is a grudge! As Lawrenson pointed out yesterday, Liverpool were still all over Fulham in that game last year, and should have won it, it's not like they rolled over for them! Frankly, Warnock is clutching at straws because he failed.

[citizenED]

It's not as if the managers haven't seen the fixture list in advance. Your team are due to play Man U, Chelsea and Liverpool in the last five games of next season. Your first thought might be "sh!t, better have enough points in the bag by then..."

[Annasfield]

I read somewhere that Rafa plans to take legal action about his bitter comments.

"Warnock still shudders when he recalls the moment he saw Liverpool's line-up at Craven Cottage last season.

"I felt sick, physically sick, when I found out the team Liverpool were playing," said Warnock.

"We had a late kick-off at Villa Park that day and when we saw who Benitez had picked, we were struggling to even think who they were.

The team

Pepe Reina - Goal Keeper for Spain

Emiliano Insua - Admittedly, Warnock probably wouldn't have heard of him. However, if you weren't a Liverpool supporter you probably wouldn't have heard of Plessis before last week's prem game at Arsenal. I'm sure plenty of Gooners know who he is now.

Sami Hyypia © - The man is a legend.

Gabriel Paletta - point conceded, however he played for the first team 8 times that season.

Alvaro Arbeloa - Regular first team player

Mark Gonzalez - Chilean International, whose Premiership career was hindered by injury. Was in also in the squad for the CL final in Athens.

Xabi Alonso - Spanish International

Momo Sissoko - Have you heard our "best midfield" in the world song?

Jermaine Pennant - Scored yesterday and set up the other

Craig Bellamy - Great player, didn't fit in at the pool

Robbie Fowler - GOD!!!

Not exactly what I call a weakened team. The fact is, Rafa gets slated for rotating all the time. Why did anyone think he wouldn't do it for this game?

[Keef]

Annasfield Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Robbie Fowler - GOD!!!

Innit!!! >:D<

[????]

If I were Warnock I'd feel physically sick that I couldn't beat a crap team like Wigan at home on the last day of the season rather than blaming everyone else under the sun

[SimonM]

>I read somewhere that Rafa plans to take legal action about his bitter comments. <

It is mentioned in today's Observer - although Benitez's reaction is quite entertaining in its combination of apoplexy and feigned indifference. Apparently it's that bit about Harrods hampers that is being passed to m'learned friends.......I'd be amazed myself if this goes any further litigation-wise.

That line-up was definitely a "weakened" team, but yes it should still have been good enough to beat Fulham, who to me looked by far the worst side at Bramall Lane last season and who had been dropping like a stone down the league until they got thrown that lifeline. Robbie Fowler was well past his God era by then - even if he did still have an annoying knack of putting away penalties against Sheffield United.

Other things - the stuff about the Watford player was totally without foundation - just pro-Liverpool elements of the gutter press trying to find ammunition to use against Warnock

Colin never blamed "everyone under the sun". It was Benitez. And he was by means the only critic of the cynical team selection on that day, which really did go a great deal further than mere "rotation". This is why Megson made the appeal that he did - Wenger and Ferguson would play the game, as would have the likes of Shankly and Paisley.

This really all ought to be ancient history all the same. My guess though is that Warnock will still be ranting about it on his death bed.:))

Oh but Benitez's quoted comments today about him ("bad manager..prehistoric") are understandable in the circumstances. But I doubt Crystal Palace supporters this season would agree, although paradoxically quite a few Sheffield United supporters during the eight years he was at Bramall Lane would.

[Annasfield]

Fair dos Simon, lets agree to disagree. It's over now - we played a rotated "weaker" team on Saturday and beat Fulham 2-0, so I guess that's just the way it is.

P.S Fowler will always be known as GOD to anyone who supports Liverpool. ;-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

are people nervous before the next batch of CL games? I'm still crushed we won't be taking part but am lookingforward to the games anyway

I'm rooting for a Liverpool v Barca final btw

[Keef]

Gutted we're at home in the first leg, but I feel better about this one than the Arsenal games... Don't think they'll be particularly entertaining games though...

Man U Vs Barca should be pretty exciting.

[citizenED]

But let's hope Liverpool score in the first 5 minutes - that might just make it more exciting.

[Keef]

I am hoping that we can stop them scoring an away goal, and win 1 or 2 nil tomorrow... Then we nick an away goal at their's and we're sorted! That said, there haven't exactly been a lot of goals in these fixtures, so anything could happen really.

[SimonM]

>>P.S Fowler will always be known as GOD to anyone who supports Liverpool. <<

It would be marvellous if he plays for Cardiff in the FA Cup Final! :))

[Annasfield]

Come on you Red Men (tu)

[SeanMacGabhann]

having it on ITV is good from an accessibility perspective. From a presentation and analysis perspective tho :(

I wouldn't worry TOO much about the 2nd leg being away - it can be useful. Come on the Pool

[citizenED]

Missing it, despite it's broadcast on ITV, because I'm going to be at work:'(. Hope its a good game. For various reasons that cannot be rationally fathomed I'm hoping the 'Pool get through.

[Jah Lush]

I'm finishing work late too and will miss the first half or should I say first quarter seeing as it's over two legs. Come on the Pool!

[Keef]

I'll be heading over to my friend's pub in Balham for it... I'd rather watch the match at home actually, but it's a birthday, so friends come first.

Feel quite confident about tonight actually... This could be a bad thing, as I was convinced we'd go out to Arsenal...

[Annasfield]

Keef Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'll be heading over to my friend's pub in Balham

> for it... I'd rather watch the match at home

> actually, but it's a birthday, so friends come

> first.

>

Mine wouldn't ::o (;-))

[Keef]

Winky face or not, I know you well enough to actually believe that! >:D

[Annasfield]

Most of them would understand. :)-D

[SimonM]

I am not as extreme as Colin and hope Liverppol win too :)) Not going to make any forecast though as I "tipped" Arsenal to beat them in the quarters!

[lozzyloz]

Looks like I'm the only one here hoping for a Chelsea win.

*Ducks flying bottles and furniture*

To be fair though, with Chelsea's recent form I don't expect them to win tonight. Next leg is a different matter though.