Taking Sides: Liverpool vs Everton

But think of the injuries!

Actually, Neville's head as a target in a coconut shy is a very pleasing idea.

I note the BBC has 5th and 6th going into the UEFA. Who are the third team going into the UEFA Cup? I believe you don't get a place for losing League Cup finalist, and the two FA Cup finalists are both heading for the CL. Isn't 7th worth a place this year?

7th = UEFA Cup this season, yes. Which is why Spurs' defeat at Arsenal meant Everton were guaranteed some flavour of Euro footy in 05-06.

I think all this tittle-tattle in the papers about the FA asking for a 5th CL place is nonsense and makes us Blues look like a bunch of whining jessies. OF COURSE, the holders should defend their trophy. Good luck to 'em. I don't give a stuff about the CL anyway*, I just want to finish above the Redshite. 4-0 home win tonight would be nice though.

(* - OK, maybe I do)

I'm not known for my good fortune.

Asking for 5 English places is not only unfair but premature and why would any real self-respecting supporter want their club to get into a competition by any other means than the earning it the regular way?

So Man U's victory over Bayern gave England 4 places. How many places do Spain and Italy have?

two each from Spain, England, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal
one each from Greece, Holland, Czech Rep
the previous year's champions

So, WTF?

(Incidentally, top three in table get seven Euro places [4 CL, 3 UEFA], next three get six [3 CL, 3 UEFA], next two also get six [2 CL, 4 UEFA] and then it rather arbitrarily drops to four, split evenly between comps [9th thru 15th] or just with one CL place [16th thru 21st]...)

(* - it's here: http://www.geocities.com/jfaugeras/UC200304.html
Sorry, brain is fried today, can't do blue writing).

M White: ManYoo's win probably indirectly gave England its fourth spot because it pushed Eng up the coeff table.

If the defending cup holder already qualified directly for the group stage of the Champions League, the champion of the 10th country on the country ranking list will gain direct access to the group stage, the champion of the 16th country on the country ranking list will gain direct access to the 3rd qualifying round, and the champions of the 26th and 27th country on the country ranking list will gain direct access to the 2nd qualifying round. Similar changes are made if the cup holder already qualified directly for one of the qualification rounds, or if the cup holder did not qualify directly but is from one of the top three ranked countries.

It's kinda interestin' cos it means L'pool and Chelsea would make it into the group stage directly and Arsenal & ManYoo's battle for 2nd spot in the Premiership would be meaningless - they'd both go into r3 of the qualies.

A decent performance, I'm sure Chelsea fans will be here soon, beingquite cocky saying things like "oh yes, we'll do them away, no problem" all with that authority that a decent bit of success after years in the doldrums gives, we've been hearing it all season.

Saves made by Dudek - 0

made by Cech - 2 (including one of the best I've seen in a long time)

all the posession in the world doesn't necessarily give you a goal.

Jamie Carragher = Colossus

upstairs or downstairs?

ahem, back to footie everyone.....

Liverpool can nick this, I reckon. But its unlikely considering they only need to concede one against an all-guns-blazing Chelsea to go out.

The lack of an away goal may be crucial but then I thought that in 2001 when LFC held Barcelona goallessly; they kept them out at Anfield too and McAllister stuck home a penalty to take them into the final.

I have four specific results in mind over the next nine days that would enable me to finally crack open that sparkling stuff in the fridge (which should really have been drunk on Feb 14). Only one of them is an Everton win.

Still feel the lack of away goal might make it too much of a mountain to climb. Is Duff back for the next leg? I can only imagine the horror....

Harry Kewell and Luis Garcia look identical.

however, if Milan play Liverpool in the final, it will be such a mauling that the ref will probably have to stop the match. so, despite other prejudices, i hope i am wrong and Chelsea win it.

Did you see the ease with which PSV pulled apart the Milan defence on Tuesday? 15 shots on goal in the second half - with better finishing Milan would be out by now. 2-0 was a travesty. Liverpool's campaign has been all about saying "You're not all that" to everyone they've played. I expected them to leak goals to Leverkusen, Juve and again last night. Their stubborn refusal to carry their frequently laughable Premiership form into Europe is an absolute agony to me. Vice versa for a few others on this thread, I guess.

1-0 on Tuesday and 1-0 in Istanbul. I can already taste the sulphur.

It's infuriating. I suppose the squad is depleted but still.

Chelsea had men on the posts for both corners, playing the entire field onside, the linesman got it wrong.
Taking short corners when you can ping a dead ball in as well as Gerrard or Riise is baffling all the same.