Nate

Surely at 1-0 down you bring on Martins and switch Duff to the right wing? Ed: Game over. Could be an embarrassing scoreline.

Bolton now lead Sporting Lisbon at the Reebok. Fiorentina 0-0 Everton at half time, they need Johnson's pace.

The only reason we could sign him is because he's a free agent so who is on loan from? Oh yeah. That is what they said, though.

Sky Sports News now reporting he has joined on loan...

Arsenal versus Barcelona would have to be the dream final. With Thierry losing again.

Porto V Schalke going to Extra Time. Anyone see Lopez's goal?

Torres, Babel, Gerrard and Mascherano have all started tonight. I doubt Rafa will play them three times in seven days.

Has Phil Neville been excellent for Everton? 1878 described him as 'one of the worst midfielders I've ever seen in my life' a few months ago.

'Good to see Ashley Cole scoring again.'

Does Pearce coach it in to the U21s to beat their man a minimum of three times? Walcott should have scored himself there.

Pretty much. Lose to Blackburn and those three games literally become must win and at the moment i don't have faith in this group of players to perform under that kind of pressure. I pointed out a couple of weeks ago that all the clubs around us have been mentally prepared for a relegation fight from day one and are now scrapping for everything; whereas we have a squad with no confidence whatsoever, who have suddenly found themselves right in the thick of it and are currently playing the worst football of the lot. If Reading or Fulham put a string of results together i'd say we are in a lot of trouble. ^ ...Reading's win has left me feeling quite ill. They also have Man City, Birmingham and Blackburn at the Madjeski this month.

Ignoring everything else that is wrong with this thread: why would Moyes want to leave a club which most neutrals would regard bigger than our own, where he has gradually built a side capable of regularly qualifying for Europe, to come here and start all over again?

If Smith plays in midfield he's in a more influential position where he offers even less.

More of Butt and Smith in midfield. Yay.

Boro won the same cup didnt make ginger face a brilliant manager tho did it? He hadn't also won two Uefa Cups, a Uefa Super Cup, the Copa Del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup though, had he? I don't think there's any doubting Ramos' ability. It was a massive coup when Tottenham got him and if they can hold onto him they will be the biggest threat to the top four over the next few seasons.

I wish we had some players who were that bothered about playing, final or not. Shame we don't. What happened?

Pretty much. Lose to Blackburn and those three games literally become must win and at the moment i don't have faith in this group of players to perform under that kind of pressure. I pointed out a couple of weeks ago that all the clubs around us have been mentally prepared for a relegation fight from day one and are now scrapping for everything; whereas we have a squad with no confidence whatsoever, who have suddenly found themselves right in the thick of it and are currently playing the worst football of the lot. If Reading or Fulham put a string of results together i'd say we are in a lot of trouble. At very least we're going to find ourselves in a sobering league position which could well prove to be a hindrance when trying to attract top players in the summer. The decision to sack Allardyce when we were easing to a mid table finish looks worse by the day.

SSN: Wenger withdraws comments about Martin Taylor following Eduardo injury.

Playing our best midfielder at left-back paying dividends again.

Err, Fulham away?

I agree, which is why we should try to cash in on him in the summer before everybody else realises he is distinctly average.

Taylor has had three times as many appearances for his club and the U21 side, though. Where is the improvement in his game?

Panathinaikos 1-1 Rangers (1-1) Bayern Munich 2-0 Aberdeen (4-2). HT. Leverkusen, Hamburg and Marseille also through. Is the Bolton game not being televised?

For a winger so slow, Milner does not have the trickery to beat his man or quality on the ball to justify a place in our side, and in his 67 Premier League appearances for us I'm yet to see any evidence of either of those improving.

Should be a cracking match. Good games today. Lyon ManU (6pm??), then a choice between Arsenal Milan or Celtic Barca. I think they're all kicking off at 19:45, Sky just feel the need for an hour and forty-five minutes of buildup.