PSV pulverised

That was much easier than I expected. I never imagined that PSV were a great team but I expected Koeman to "park the bus" in front of the goal. As it happened, Gerrard scored from a finnan cross early enough meaning that PSV had to try and chase the game. This left them stretched and exposed at the back. Riise added the second after half time with a stunning left foot strike from distance. I've been critical of him in the past but when he hits them like that, it's easy to forget his failings. Crouch got the third on the hour mark with a powerful header. Again it was a Steve Finnan cross from the right hand side that set him up. It's a pity that Stan Stanton doesn't pay attention to this and plays him at left back. Finnan is the best full back in the premiership in my view. Crouch seems to have improved his heading since coming back from his broken nose. Maybe Rafa should have broken it for him earlier in the season.

The injury to Fabio Aurelio was the one major downside of the match. He'll be out for the rest of the season after his Achilles injury. I feel sorry for the lad as he was starting to establish himself in the team and had a superb game on Saturday against Arsenal.

I think that we now have an unassailable lead going into the second leg next Wed. PSV aren't very good and will have to chase the game at Anfield without Alex and Kone. I would imagine that Rafa will rotate a few squad members as the tie is over. In the other quarter finals, I still think that we'll see Man Ure, Chelsea and Milan advance to the Semis.

A trip to the Madjeski stadium to play Reading is next up on Sat. They are safe in their league position now so I don't know if they will have a huge ammount to play for. I would like to see us do them over to try and keep the pressure up on Arsenal in fourth. They still have a game in hand, for now.

It sounds like the meetings between Rafa and the American owners went well last weekend. There was some speculation during the week that Rafa would be handed a "£40m warchest" for transfers in the summer. I don't know where the journos get these figures from but I would imagine that many are plucked from thin air. If we are to spend big on a striker, I don't think it will be on Samuel Eto'o. He says that he is happy in Barca, and who could blame him?