Guess Rafa's tactics for the final...

[Marky]

If we play 1 up front, i'd like to at least see Kewell start wide left.
Gray just said there now, he think Zenden will be fit and that sky lot have good contacts and think he will start.
Bit to negative for my liking, even if Kewell could give us an hour and then bring Bolo on, it wouldn't be so bad.

[Marky]

Just watching the coverage here...
you would give that claire tomlinson one wouldn't ye?

[Shaggy]

Bryan Robson did.

[Marky]

Bryan Robson did.

Really? Didn't know that.
What age would she be?

[Helios Creed]

Word on the street?

My street has the same buzz...*


*SSN.

[Shaggy]

My street has the same buzz...*


*SSN.

Yeah I watched the Sky Sports programme earlier. I really hope that's not the team to start.

[Johnny]

The best way to stop Kaka is to stop the service to him.

When we played Chelsea at Anfield Rafa put Stevie in the middle and I have a sneaking feeling he might do this again. We need to get on top of Pirlo and Seedorf and stop the supply line to Kaka like we did with Lampard at Anfield. If he hasn't got the ball he's pretty much redundant. I think we will press them high up the pitch and try not to give them time to pass.

Milan play narrow so I can see Pennant being on the right hand side trying to use the space available. I would prefer to see Mascher going up against Gattuso. I rate Gattuso but I think a battle between them would be brilliant and I have all the confidence in the world that Mascher would come out on top. The left hand side is a big problem for me with the injury to Zenden if Kewell had played a few more games I'd be much more confident but he is lacking match practice. I don't fance Arbelola at left back he's been out of form the past 3 or 4 weeks so I'd be a bit worried about that.

Up front I would play Bellamy to start off with. Milan aren't the youngest at the back and one this Bellamy does do is move defenders around.

Well thought out post,

[Morph]

Yeah I watched the Sky Sports programme earlier. I really hope that's not the team to start.

it wont be, gerrard on the right and Kewell on the left, crouch up front is my bet, switching Gerrard in the middle will come later in the game, and him and Kewell will swap spots through the match

[Marky]

Word on the street = rumour has it....

[Shaggy]

Thanks for that Marky.

[Helios Creed]

Yeah I watched the Sky Sports programme earlier. I really hope that's not the team to start.

I can see the five man MF to start, stop us getting overwhelmed again.

Rafa seems to like to win games in the second half, having contained (hopefully) and assessed the opponents in the first. (A wily opponent would therefore deliberately play a totally different strategy in the second half). Rafa has complained in the past that we let too many goals in first half to let him fix it in the second.

Add in the age and lack of backbone(they crumble, as we know) in the Milan squad and I think if we go in at 0-0, we'll take them in the second. The crowd need to be patient which isn't easy.

My only worry is that we try to hang on for penalties if they look likely and they steal a late goal.

Two weeks ago and I said I was just happy that we'd outstripped our rivals and got there, but now this will possibly be the most emotional game of my life.

[hairykewell]

I think Rafa will start with one striker and that will be Peter Crouch. I think Kewell and Pennant will start. Obviously Gerrard and Masch in the middle but I'm thinking he could go with Sissoko if fit for a marking role on Kaka. Although if I had to bet on it Alonso would be the 3rd central midfielder.

[Dutte]

----------------------Reina---------------------------

Finnan-------Carra------------Agger—----------Arbeloa

--------------------Mascherano------------------------

Pennant--------------Alonso----------------------Riise

----------------------Gerrard-------------------------

-----------------------Kuyt----------------------------

[dww]

I really hope we have two up front.
However I have been thinking about the idea of a 4-2-3-1 type formation with Kewell, Gerrard and either Zenden or Penant making up the three. Maybe using Gerrard as part of a central three would be a good idea but the problem is unless Kewell plays none of the other midfielders really try to get into the box.

[Phil Eel]

Kewell on the left, Pennant on the right - Masher centre left, Gerrard Centre Right, Kuyt and Crouch upfront. Target Maldini's old legs. Pennat and Gerrard to rip him to shreds. Crosses for Crouch

Badabing badaboom badabang