Messages

Signs of decline at Stamford Bridge mean even if the Reds are able to shrug the Londoners aside, their ultimate target is still way in the distance.

It think it says more about Chelsea that a decline is when we are still challanging for 4 trophies!

Mourinho afterwards tried to explain away his side's slump by labelling Liverpool route one. Hmm. Potenciometro, chaleira and preto, Jose. That's Portuguese for pot, kettle and black.

Completly out of context. He stated that Rafa wasn't stupid, that he knew Chelsea's weakness in the air at the back and exploited it.

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They were all predicting last week after the Arsenal games that Liverpool's progress had reached an impasse under Rafa. Now they're probably blowing Mourinho's problems up out of all proportion. One or two players back, a good win or two, and this shite will blow over for Chelsea as well.

FFS

Free header from eight yards in the third minute of injury time! Where the hell was the marking?

Online coverage:  http://www.myp2p.eu/Matches/Match2.htm

You'll have to download the relevant programme for whichever choice you make e.g. PPMate, PPLive, Sopcast etc

all quite on the liverpool jokes aren't we

Yes we are 'quite'.

Edited to suggest that that was probably a crap joke, and want I really want to say but can't think of a witty way of putting it is that Liverpool's season highlight was probably today. Out of 3 competitions already, and very unlikely in the 4th...and it's only January.

Meeowwww!

Don't know if its been posted already, but the Donegal V Down game has been moved from McCumhaill Park to Ballyshannon.

http://www.sportsmanager.ie/t2.php?county_id=9&sport_id=1&countyid=9&sportid=1&newsstory=1&ID=798

Great result today didn't see it live was working but looking forward to match of the day i hear Riise had a cracker hit the cross bar

He was very unlucky. Hit it from about 40 yards!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bifdp0mRsww

Nice to finally take some points off Chelsea and it shows the hysteria after the Arsenal games up for what it was. 

Chelsea look to have some big problems though. If United beat Arsenal tomorrow, I'd say its over. I can't see them letting a nine point lead slip over 14 games given the form they're in.

20 million is crazy money for a player like Hargreaves. Bayern have done very well out of this deal, assuming it goes through.

Its three years since I was there, but at that stage it was incredibly cheap. Myself and five other lads got a large pizza and a drink (some spirits, some beer) each for a total of less than 25 euros in an Italian restaurant near that famous clock (Old Town square if I remember correctly). Pints in the pubs were around 50 cents (about a tenner in the strip joints though!). I'd recommend the absinthe!

It is definitely one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to and I'd love to back someday in some situation other than a stag weekend, just to properly see everything!

Definitely watch out for the pickpockets and thieves though. Some are very brazen! A couple (Romanian I think) came up to us when we were walking back at the end of the night, asking for a light, and the girl just casually slips her hand into one of the lad's pockets and pulls out his wallet, not giving a shit that I could see her doing it! Thankfully they took off without any further hassle when I grabbed it back off her, but if it was a couple or a lad on his own, it might not have ended so quickly.

Can't see how Liverpool have a case here. Rules are rules. If Mascherano hadn't made any first team appearances for West Ham, it might be different.

Am I the only one who is fed up with RTE's anti-United bias in their commentaries, maybe anti-United is too strong but they always seem to have something to criticise them for. Today when Villa scored they went on about the Utd defence falling asleep, same happened against Reading they said. I mean they United are still 6 pts clear at the top, and aren't doing too bad at all.

Ah jaysus, not another crowd showing bias against United! First the BBC and the FA. Now RTE! Maybe Giles and Dunphy are just bitter that their United careers didn't last longer.

[Cassidy back in Donegal line-up]

Cassidy back in Donegal line-up
Kevin Cassidy is back in the Donegal starting line-up for Sunday's Gaelic Life McKenna Cup clash against Antrim.
Cassidy came on as a sub against UUJ last weekend but he will be making his first start since opting out of last year's championship squad. He refused to return to the squad after being dropped for disciplinary reasons earlier in the year. Christy Toye returns to a much-changed Donegal side which also sees Michael Boyle getting the goalkeeping jersey. Youngster Kevin McMenamin starts in the full-forward line after impressing in last weekend's win over Jordanstown. Cassidy has been selected at midfield alongside Joe Friel. Other changes see Colm McCarron replacing Frank McGlynn at left full-back while Kilcar's Noel Hegarty takes over from Barry Monaghan in the half-back line.

Donegal Team:

M Boyle, P Witherow, P Campbell, C McCarron, N Hegarty, E McGee, B Dunnion, J Friel, K Cassidy, C Toye, R Bradley, M Murphy, K McMenamin, B Byrne, M McElhinney

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6254883.stm

Looks like McIver's thinking about using Cassidy alongside Neil Gallagher later in the year. We can't say he's not giving the young lads a chance, that's for sure! It'll be interesting to see the panel he uses for the league.

For those who obviously haven't read the selection criteria:

Selection was based on their success throughout their playing career, not only their contribution at minor level. We asked individuals and clubs to nominate players for inclusion in the team.

I'm going to go with a simple approach – All Ireland senior winners...

Benny Tierney
Chris Lawn
Francie Bellew
Kieran McKeever
John Cunningham
Cathal Murray
Barry McGowan
Anthony Tohill
Cormac McAnallen
Ger Cavlan
Dermot McNicholl
Oisin McConville
Joe Brolly
Steven McDonnell
Manus Boyle

Subs
Barry Cunningham
Ronan Clarke
Tony McEntee
Brian McGuigan

In fairness, a lot of the history-quoting stuff is often done in response to gloating from supporters of other teams who delight in Liverpool's recent lack of success, championship-wise, or those trying to denigrate the Champions League win. I'm can see why its annoying, but its just part of the banter of following football.

Where are you from? Strabane area?

I remember Liverpool at the Bridge last year, and the 'eeestory' banners were en masse, and the songs started at kick off. In addition radio phones in have them in bagfuls. But...I enjoy the football banter myself.

Yip in the Strabane area.

You?

Near Donegal Town.