The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Colly]

Wait, the kit deal thing is an actual quote?

[Hobo]

He's lost a few screws in his head this season Dalglish. Was saying to a few mates that I'd have Rafa back at Liverpool any day, I think while Dalglish has helped the team spirit and has had some good wins, I can't see us challenging for the title anytime soon for at least a couple more seasons under him. Especially when he buys shite like Charlie Adam, Downing and i'll give Henderson the benefit of the doubt because I see him in a similar situation to Lucas when he first came and now look how far he came on, he's the most important person in our team and we've missed him badly since he got injured.

Although I really can't see how anyone can justify their record by saying "Pfft we may be 7th like and about 4 points ahead of 14th but we've got a new kit deal and won the Carling Cup so there"

Really need to win today and this is the first time in a long time that I am actually not that confident going into the derby. Players need to buck their ideas up though cause I cannot be arsed watching another shite game (That Sunderland game was fucking awful not just from a Liverpool point of view, worst game of football I have watched in ages)

You're kind of forgetting some factors like Steven Gerrard and Lucas' injuries (which again means we're down to having to constantly play Spearing and/or Adam), as well as Suarez's ban and right now we're being forced to play without Agger and Johnson and being forced to play Carragher. Not having the spine of your team isn't going to help matters.

The big problem Liverpool have had this season is not scoring. Yes this has a lot to do with Downings sucky crossing, Henderson's apparent fear to do anything worth noting and Adam's hit and hope football, but it the team's also missing the lynch pin of the midfield and main attacking drive of the midfield half the time.

Overall, I think Dalglish has done an average job and the team is still in transition.

[Colly]

As opposed to the settled side that Hodgson was given all of 6 months to form.

[DavidMarrio]

He's lost a few screws in his head this season Dalglish. Was saying to a few mates that I'd have Rafa back at Liverpool any day, I think while Dalglish has helped the team spirit and has had some good wins, I can't see us challenging for the title anytime soon for at least a couple more seasons under him. Especially when he buys shite like Charlie Adam, Downing and i'll give Henderson the benefit of the doubt because I see him in a similar situation to Lucas when he first came and now look how far he came on, he's the most important person in our team and we've missed him badly since he got injured.

Although I really can't see how anyone can justify their record by saying "Pfft we may be 7th like and about 4 points ahead of 14th but we've got a new kit deal and won the Carling Cup so there"

Really need to win today and this is the first time in a long time that I am actually not that confident going into the derby. Players need to buck their ideas up though cause I cannot be arsed watching another shite game (That Sunderland game was fucking awful not just from a Liverpool point of view, worst game of football I have watched in ages)

You're kind of forgetting some factors like Steven Gerrard and Lucas' injuries (which again means we're down to having to constantly play Spearing and/or Adam), as well as Suarez's ban and right now we're being forced to play without Agger and Johnson and being forced to play Carragher. Not having the spine of your team isn't going to help matters.

The big problem Liverpool have had this season is not scoring. Yes this has a lot to do with Downings sucky crossing, Henderson's apparent fear to do anything worth noting and Adam's hit and hope football, but it the team's also missing the lynch pin of the midfield and main attacking drive of the midfield half the time.

Overall, I think Dalglish has done an average job and the team is still in transition.

Oh yeh we have missed Lucas and Gerrard quite a bit this season. I mean I am pretty sure tonight was the first time Gerrard/Suarez/Carroll all started together in the Prem. I think Lucas has been the biggest person we have missed simply because the job he does and the way he does it is invaluable. When Mascherano we thought that area we would struggle in but Lucas has improved and filled that spot perfectly. Although in regards to the Johnson/Agger missing Agger has been a bigger miss because obviously Carragher has been getting on for the past few seasons, Johnson I don't think we have missed that much as I prefer seeing Kelly play at right back. I can only really count a few games in which we played bad and didn't deserve points, it has been finishing all season that has let us down.

Tonight I thought some of the link up play we produced was some of the best and Carroll/Suarez/Gerrard all had good games, Kelly I thought was fantastic tonight. Great comeback considering how crap we was against Sunderland, hopefully produce a similar performance on Sunday against Stoke in the cup.

[Lineker]

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says Carlos Tevez could make a first-team return against Chelsea next week.

The striker, 28, has been out of action since being accused of failing to warm up in the Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich in September.

He has played two reserve games in recent weeks to build his fitness after apologising to the club and supporters.

City face Chelsea on Wednesday 21 March by which time they could be four points behind rivals Manchester United.

United play Wolves away on Sunday and City's next league match is the Chelsea game at Etihad Stadium.

Mancini, speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, also revealed that Gareth Barry, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta were out of Thursday's Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon through injury.

However, Joleon Lescott could be on the bench after recovering from a groin injury.

Tevez scored 44 goals in only 69 Premier League games during his first two seasons at City before the dispute in September.

He seemed certain to leave City during the January transfer window after returning to Argentina without the club's permission, but now looks set to figure in the title race.

Asked whether Tevez, who is ineligible for the Europa League, would play at Chelsea, Mancini said: "We will see in the next week. It depends on Carlos. Will he be OK? Probably but it depends on a lot of things."

City are second in the Premier League after losing to Swansea at weekend. It was the second game they failed to score, and the first time they have not been top for five months.

"In Portugal and against Swansea we didn't play a very good game," Mancini said. "We didn't play like the usual Manchester City. We probably didn't deserve to lose both games but we need to play better.

"Now is a time to be strong and keep going because we are a top team and have time to recover.

"We are very disappointed for our supporters after Swansea because I saw on the TV one of our supporters cry. We want to win also for this guy and the other supporters.

"We are positive. We think we will win the Premier League and the Europa League. If we think a different way it will be a mistake."

Mancini added that he hoped Manchester United beat Athletic Bilbao on Thursday to stay in the Europa League, or he fears their rivals could gain an advantage by having less games to play and one trophy to focus on.

[Lineker]

Also, today marks 10 years since David Moyes took charge of Everton.

Look how young he looks!

[Hobo]

He looks like he's one of the undead.

[DavidMarrio]

Managing Everton will do that to you

[Lineker]

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Dimitar Berbatov is set to leave Man Utd in the summer.

[The Future]

One of my favorite players to watch from his time at Spurs and I loved him at United he was absolutely instrumental in winning us the 19th and him,Nani,VDS and Vidic carried us through the early parts of the season while Rooney was busy trying to force an exit but with Welbeck's rise to prominence this was on the cards...hope he scores a few more on his way out.

[Lineker]

Would love to have him back at Spurs.

[Baddar]

Aww, no. - it was likely, as future says. I still think we'll need a replacement. Not saying it'll be a top striker known to everyone, but as long as he's better than big Dong Fangzhuo, I'll be happy enough.

[Colly]

I post it every time, but please?

Edited March 15, 2012 by Colly

[MDK]

Posted image, my favourite picture!

[Lineker]

But we all know what it is (a young Berbatov holding a Toon #9 shirt).

[Colly]

Ta, not sure why that didn't work. Clearly I post it too often...

Edit: There he is, the handsome devil.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Colly

[MDK]

We'll have him down at Brisbane Road.

[Lineker]

Former Rangers winger Gregg Wylde has announced that he will be signing for Bolton Wanderers.

The Premier League club will require clearance by Fifa because the 20-year-old became a free agent after the closere of the January transfer window.

But Wylde announced on Twitter: "Delighted and proud to have signed for Bolton.

"Been a tough few weeks and I'll always be thankful to Rangers but excited for a new challenge."

The Scotland Under-21 international agreed to leave Rangers as part of cost-cutting measures introduced after the Scottish champions went into administration on 14 February.

He was subsequently courted by Aston Villa, managed by former Rangers manager Alex McLeish, and Everton.

However, Bolton appear to have been successful in their pursuit of the winger after having had a £700,000 bid for Wylde turned down by Rangers in the summer.

Wanderers manager Owen Coyle earlier confirmed his admiration for the the player who came through the youth ranks at Ibrox before making 48 first-team appearances.

"He is a very talented young player," said the Scottish manager. "He has played an awful lot of games at a young age for Rangers.

"Without going overboard, he is one we would like at this football club. There is no doubt about that."

Should world football's governing body reject Bolton's application to sign Wylde, the Trotters will be unable to register Wylde to play until next season.

[Lineker]

Everton make six changes from their midweek defeat by Liverpool, with David Moyes bringing Johnny Heitinga, Royston Drenthe, Nikica Jelavic, Tim Cahill, Leon Osman and Phil Neville back into his starting XI. Sunderland's starting XI is the same as the one that beat Liverpool last weekend, with Kieran Richardson still sidelined by a calf problem but Nicklas Bendtner shaking off a knee injury. Full teams shortly.

[Colly]

Wrong thread.