Kop out

And so ends the FA cup dream for another year. Have to say that a) I didn't see the match and b) I'm not that put out. Domestic cups are fine if you win them but never a disaster when you lose in my book. We should have won this easily and created loads of chances according to Le Tisier who watched it on sky. We didn't and they got lucky. Many of them played the game's of their lives. Fairplay Barnsley. Magic, romance, giantkillers etc. As one R Keane said of the history and traditions of the cup, "all of it was bollocks. The Premiership and the Champions League were the only trophies we were concerned about."

I was more pissed off about the FA youth cup defeat to Sunderland last week. We'd fought back a couple of times after being 2-0 and 3-2 down. It finished 3-3 to take it to extra time. But Waghorn, who's played senior games, scored 2 to complete his hat trick and make it 5-3. It's a pity but the achievement of this team in winning the comp two years in a row is a testament to the work Rafa, McAuley, Heighway and others have done. The good news is that the current vintage are almost all young enough to play again next season. Hopefully we'll see some of them make the breakthrough to the senior team in a few years.

Inter loom large on the horizon. This is going to be really tough. Mancini is a good coach who's been given money, never in short supply at Inter, but crucuially, he's also been given time. They have some fantastic players on their books like Zlatan, Stankovic, Crespo and Cambiasso. The tussle between him and Monster Masch should be one to watch. If we can keep a clean sheet at Anfield then we're in with a decent chance. Torres should be back to full fitness now so I'm hoping we can knick a goal or two. On paper they have the better talent but we've the european experience and Rafa is the master of two legged ties. A good result here would do a lot to raise morale. If we lose I fear it may go nuclear.

Chris Bascombe had an article about DIC in the NOTW yesterday. Anfield road.com have some good analysis of the article here.