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Not really his form though. He's usually gracious in defeat and victory.

Seen talk of Milner looking out of City. Think he would be a great signing. Arsenal seem to be favorites to get him.

Fairly underrated player.  Did a lot of damage when he came on as a sub against Liverpool.

I haven't seen much of Tyrone this year but i thought they looked fairly slow in their build up yesterday, or as the RTE commentators called it -  'patient'.  Has this been the way they've been playing all year or was it due to Down's numbers in defence?  Tyrone used to play the game at breakneck speed but that doesn't seem to be the case any more, well not based on yesterday's performance anyway.

Checking out the art galleries?

The speed with which Alex Ferguson left and the Chosen One was, uh, chosen means it's impossible to know for sure, but I can't see Van Gaal being mentioned much for the job at Old Trafford had there been any discussion about it this time last year. Amidst speculation about Mourinho, Guardiola or Klopp, Van Gaal would have looked like yesterday's man. Remember, this is a guy who was being touted as a natural fit with Spurs only a few months ago.

However, times have changed. He seems to have a habit of going into a club and kicking sand in the faces of everyone there. This would have been impossible last season what with all the guff about respecting the timeless virtues that are unique to Mancester United FC. A year on, I think this is exactly what is required.

AFAIK he had the job when Fergie decided to retire in 2002 but then Fergie changed his mind and stayed..

Was Erickson not lined up for it? And that's what made Ferguson change his mind - he couldn't bear the thought of him taking over?

Good man under the bar keep editing that post, that's 4 times you've done it now I'm sure you'll get it right eventually....

Would Under The Bar have anything at all to say on this board if Liverpool didn't exist? The only time you hear from him is when he posts juvenile, catty gloats on this thread! 

He was very quiet and not his usual caustic self for a good few months there. Like a couple of others he re-emerged from hibernation about 2 weeks ago.

He's not a journalist and has nothing of value to say.  All he does is write quips and unfunny analogies. 

France must be useful if he Nasri can't make the squad.  He's not a world beater but on form he's a tricky player, clever player who can cause defences a few problems.

The clamour for Pulis was growing louder the past few years.  No Liverpool manager since Dalglish first time around have been able to sustain a high level of performance in the league for more than a season or 2. Hopefully Rodgers will buck that trend (pun intended). The high finish this year brings its own pressures and expectations so the challenge is there for Rodgers and the team.  I would be confident they'll rise to it.  As others have said, it's key that he gets the signings right.  Three or 4 duff signings could knock things way back as Spurs showed this year.

I can't see them sinking as low as Spurs.

True enough.

We're certainly a long way away from winning All Irelands that's for sure but i see potential in this Armagh team and we certainly can improve over the next few seasons. This year and every year since about 06-07 is we can't seem to produce a scoring half forward line and when we unearth a few we will have a great we team to build on...we will still be hard to beat none the less...

Illdecide - Armagh are many things (e.g. unpredictable, fairly entertaining/high scoring at times) but i wouldn't call us hard to beat (at least not by any side with a half decent tactical set up or well organised defensively).   Give us a bit  of room and go man to man and we can turn it on a bit, but that's not going to happen in the  championship unless we meet the likes of Wicklow again in the qualifiers.  We've got to get back to being hard to beat, and a stubborn outfit to play against, and then progress things from there.

The clamour for Pulis was growing louder the past few years.  No Liverpool manager since Dalglish first time around have been able to sustain a high level of performance in the league for more than a season or 2. Hopefully Rodgers will buck that trend (pun intended). The high finish this year brings its own pressures and expectations so the challenge is there for Rodgers and the team.  I would be confident they'll rise to it.  As others have said, it's key that he gets the signings right.  Three or 4 duff signings could knock things way back as Spurs showed this year.

There was nothing to suggest from the league performances that Armagh will have the smarts and the game plan to break Cavan down.  The only unknown factor is the return of the injured players and how that might create a different dynamic but a lot of those players are in the backline. From midfield up i just don't see Armagh having the guile to cope with 14 bodies. Obviously hope i'm badly wrong.

[Suarez Sturridge Henderson and Gerrard,]

Liverpool had Suarez Sturridge Henderson and Gerrard,and continuity  of management going into the season unlike all their main rivals apart from Arsenal.Also unlike all of their main rivals they didn't have the Champions League to deal with,or huge expectations

Stuffing Arsenal Spurs and Man Utd teams in transition means nothing.

The end of season proved the glaringly obvious that Rodgers is not the man to take them over the line,and their first priority should be a top class manager with a track record at the highest level.

Liverpool are a four man team now then? Couple of days previous according to this esteemed poster we were a 2 man outfit - good progress that in a couple of days with no major new signings.

Well done to City. Spent the most money and got the best players, they deserved it on that basis alone. Some might say a chimp could have managed that team to the title but that shouldn't take away from Pellegrini.

Well, there it is and while it is a disappointing end it has been an unbelieveable season which far exceeded anything we could have expected.  I felt that in the last few games, even before the Chelsea game, there were signs that the legs were run out on some of the players.  The tide of emotion in the Man City win was as much to do with the day that it was but the next game versus Norwich showed that things were creaking.  The lose of Henderson was immeasurable and I honestly think if he had not been sent off things would have been different against Chelsea. I also feel that Agger should have started the last few games as he had that bit if experience and calmness around him that is key but these are small things.

The memories of a fantastic season will stand out for me,  some of the football played was outrageous and even today with Saurez's disallowed goal, that sums up a lot about our season.  Sheer impudence and freedom.  The first half versus Arsenal was breathtaking,  some of the movement this year has been exceptional and lets face it a 23 point turnaround in 12 months is Roy of the Rovers stuff.

Rolling now into the World Cup and I have to say I hope both England and Uruguay are knocked out as early as possible. Saurez will obviously be there but I feel he has been running on fumes the last few weeks and I pray they go out so he can get a rest.  I believe he will give us one more season at least as he wanted to play CL football and now he has the chance.  He can't back out now.  The funny thing from a purely financial POV now would be the prime time to sell him as he is probably at his optimum top price but he really would be irreplaceable so...   As for England you will have Gerard, Henderson, Sterling, Sturridge and probably Johnson there.  Gerard needs a rest, Sterling is young and will probably not play as much as some might think.  Sturridge is liable to get injured at the drop of a hat and Ihope he is minded. Henderson will be a back up and won't be in the starting 11 so hopefully will be ok.  I reckon Johnson will be gone in the summer.  If England go out early it will be brilliant.

As for next year the reality is that there needs to be 5 new players.  2 full backs,  1 centre back, 1 MF and 1 attacker.  Even allowing for loanees coming back these would be players I would see that would be starting most weeks.  Lallana is being talked highly of.  He is potentially very good but as he is English he will be over priced.  Top class full backs are not jumping out of the wood work though there is a Ricardo Rodriguez from Wolfsburg being mentioned.  James Rodriguez from Monaco is also a possible target for midfield.  I think though that a sideline addition as a defenisve coach may be worthwhile and the likes of Sami or Jamie would be welcome additions.

Anyway,  that's that for now folks and at the end of it all it has been great!

YNWA

The lack of squad strength caught up a bit in the end imo.  Sturridge and Suarez in particular i thought looked wrecked the past few weeks.  There were no options to bring in to give them the odd breather.  To make up the amount of ground Liverpool have in one season is probably unheard of in the modern premier league period.  I can't remember anything similar.  The key thing now are the new signings and Liverpool don't have the luxury of signing 5 and 2 of them working out, as has been the case for too long.  As Rodgers says, all the players coming in have to be starters, not benchwarmers.  Would agree with the 5 positions you've highlighted.  Not sure we really need Lllana - very good player and yes great to have another quality attacking midfielder, but not at the expense of those other defensive positions, and an out and out striker to come in with a  good bit of quality when Sturridge or Saurez are out.  The silver lining in the disappointing end to the season is that Rodgers will have seen exactly the weak links in the side that have been exposed in the last few high pressure games.

It's a sign of major progress on last year when it was the standard of football that was thrown at Liverpool and this year its the players' looks.  It's gone a bit gay.