pratty

No interest in volley ball, but would have loved a Mario wrestling game.

I don't think it's two games in a week. Basically we can't win games that we go behind in. Both Villa and West Ham scored early goals, which gives them every reason to do what they'd most like to do, sit back and make us have to break them down for the rest of the game and try to pick us off on the counter and on set pieces. On our end we don't help ourselves making mistakes defensively. We also shoot ourselves in the foot with our team selections against Villa dropping Sterling, not giving enough respect to Villa. And if we're playing Lucas, as we did yesterday, he should be the holder. He's a more natural holder than Gerrard and we're basically flushing all Gerrard's attacking creativity in the final third down the toilet. It also feels like Rodger sends us out to play some "nice stuff", meanwhile it feels like our opponents are sent out to war and we get bullied, Mario was kicked all over Anfield Villa, clearly they wanted to get him wound up. Also Balotelli needs time to settle in, he had no pre-season so he's gone right into the deep end trying to fit in with the news surroundings and way we play. It might all click together eventually but the damage is already done, we can probably forget trophies this season, realistically our goal now is top 4 and not be this crap again.

I don't know if i missed something but I didn't understand Rodgers resting Sterling vs Villa. He's 19 and had 4 days to rest, like Hendo and every other england player. We were already weakened by the lose of Sturridge, why intentionally make ourselves weaker by resting our best player? Even then why wait so long to introduce him? He should have been on at half time.

I think it's an under-appreciated game. I like it or what it is rather than what it isn't. I feel like replaying soon now. Would love someone like Retro Studios to make another.

Well played Mokong.

In places perhaps, definitely at goalkeeper, I've never been confident in Brad Jones, but that's one position you probably can skimp on. I don't recall Mignolet being injured or suspended last season, ideally he could probably play every game. Depending which team I suggested you're taking as our 1st choice team you can add either Balotelli or Coutinho to the list of 2nd string players. Sakho features fairly often, as does Allen, Lucas has been a regular for years up until now, and Flannagan was regular last season. So I'd say about half those 2nd string players wouldn't look out of place starting in the first team. Guys like Markovic, Manquillo and Can are fairly unknown quanities. Markovic is someone I'm quietly excited about. Hopefully our 2nd string will look stronger once we've seen more to judge some of them on. In anycase I think it's a bit of a non issue, as there isn't really such a thing as a backup team, it's not as though we're going to play the 2nd string as a starting team, not often anyway, maybe in a easy looking cup game. All things being well we shouldn't have to rotate more than 2 or 3 players at a time. I'm looking forward to Lallana being fit, we're playing ok now but when he's available it will almost feel like getting a cheeky extra signing after the window is closed.

I'd agree there's not much in it between Sakho and Skrtel, on their day both are beasts, but equally both are capable of dropping a clanger,. I'd favour Skrtel though due to his experience within the team and in the Premiership, but considering how much he cost I'd like to think Sakho will threaten Skrtel's place in the side and eventually take it. I think manquillo has looked promising, I'd still go for Johnson though again based on experience and attacking threat. Can't really recall seeing much of manquillo in the final third yet. I think the attacking aspect is important because he rely on our fullbacks for our attacking width, especial when we play the diamond. When we build from the back, Gerrard drops back to the centre back position and the full backs push on, essentially going to 3-5-2. I read recently it was looking likely that Johnson might leave next summer, which makes me think it was a bit odd we let Kelly go on a permanent move. I always felt like he was being groomed to take over right back eventually. He fits our perchant for young British players, and he was already settled in and a known quanity. It actually wouldn't surprise me if he already played for Palace, we'd probably want to buy him. Hopefully Manquillo will be the man though. Plus we still have Flanno.

It think these are Liverpool's two strongest line ups on paper for our two favourite formations. Although obviously Lallana is still largely untested in a Liverpool shirt, but you'd hope he'd establish himself as a regular starter. 4-4-2 (diamond) ----------------Mignolet Johnson----Skrtel-----Lovren------Moreno ----------------Gerrard -------Henderson---------Lallana ----------------Sterling ---------Sturridge-----Balotelli 4-3-3 ----------------Mignolet Johnson----Skrtel-----Lovren------Moreno -------Henderson-------Gerrard -----------------Lallana Sterling---------Sturridge--------Coutinho Other players: Jones (GK) Toure (CB) Sakho (CB) Manquillo (RB) Enrique (LB) Flannagan (RB/LB) Lucas (DM) Allen (DM/CM) Can (CM) Suso (AM/WG) Markovic (WG) Borini (CF/WG) Lambert (CF) We have some very versatile players. Wingers that can play both sides, strikers that do a job out wide, midfielders that can fill a variety of roles. For example we can play 4-3-3 and have Sturridge wide right to accomodate Balotelli down the middle. Sterling and Coutinho, and to a lesser extent Suso, can play either wing as well as attacking mid. Sterling can even play as part of a front two.

Agree with Kav and Mad Dog, all strikers 3 upfront looks unbalanced. The diamond makes more sense, and if they must play all 3 then it makes more sense for rooney to drop back. However I think signing Falcao will allow LVG to rest one of the three and have one on the bench to come on with fresh legs. They'll also have to be able to play just one of them with Mata, Di Maria, Valencia, Young, etc helping to make up a front three. Because if they have an injury to just one of them they could be struggling for options now that Hernandez and Welbeck are gone.

Wondering where Di Maria will play, will LVG change the system? Di Maria is primarlily a winger and they're playing wingbacks, seems a waste to play him that way. Maybe he'll play more as a "striker cutting in from the wing", like Henry did sometimes.

Obviously Suarez will be tough to replace, but no way would I write off Liverpool for top 4 yet. So we lost to the champions, away, when we were without several players including Lallana, and our new striker. Guess what, a lot of teams are going to lose to City, including other top 4 candidates. Arsenal haven't been convincing, and their striker looks like he's out for 3 months. Spurs haven't been tested yet. And Man Utd are struggling so far aswell. Liverpool are comfortably in the mix amonst those teams.

Yep, all bias aside I genuinely thought we actually played ok for most of the game. City are just so good, hardly made any mistakes, their passing is nearly always spot on, their passes for the 2nd and 3rd goals were inch perfect, there probably wasn't much we could do about them. Didn't help either that we went down to 10 men as soon as we got back in the game which killed any momentum before it really got going. Wasn't a good time to play City with Lallana out and Moreno playing his first game and Lovren only his second or third, but at least it's out the way, City away is probably the hardest league game we'll have all season. Wasn't impressed with Joe Allen, can't knock him for effort but I don't think he offers enough going forward. It's like we're playing 3 holding players at times, and the irony is our most creative midfielder Gerrard plays the deepest. As a result we get lots of the ball but little penetration. We need a more creative player centrally behind the front 3, like Coutinho, or Lallana when he's fit. Tonight I would have probably put Gerrard there if we had to keep Coutinho out wide.

Cheers, funninly enough I was thinking about crawls the other day, but you reminded me abotu them again. I've messed arund with them a bit in the past in the garden but never done them for very long. I could probably do them into doors forwards and backwards for short distances. only thing I found was they can get hard on the wrists after a while but I could see how it goes.

I've been piddling about really, still working around my various injuries, not doing anything structured, trying this and that. I had replaced pressing with overhead holds which I enjoyed but was still having shoulder issues. So the challenge was to figure out a way to press or at least work the pressing muslces. I stumbled upon the "bicep planche" http://chadwaterbury.com/unique-biceps-builder/ and incorporated that. It works the biceps, core, front shoulders and pecs a bit too. For balance I also invert it and do a similar thing facing upwards (fingers pointing forward) and leaning back, which works the upper back, rear delts and triceps. The triceps get hit especially hard. I had tricep DOMS for 2 straight days last week. I don't know why but I've always been drawn to isometrics, I think it's the feeling of tension you get. I doubt they'll replace lifting weights but I've been able to work my upper body fairly well despite a dodgy shoulder. I think they're worth giving a try for anybody who just works out at home, just watch your elbow joint and don't lean too far too soon. For legs I had been doing high rep bodyweight lunges but I've gotten bored of them, so I've slacked a bit. Might try learning how to pistol squat again, I used to be able to do them, albeit with ugly form, but I didn't keep up the practice and can't do them anymore.

He's not the player I wanted, too inconsistant and doesn't really fit our style of play. However it's a fair price considering the £50mil we would have had to pay for a Cavani or Falcao. I think we wanted to position Sturridge as our main man upfront, and I don't think Mario will change that, he will be second choice. Maybe even third with Sterling looking more like a second striker these days. And what he might lack in fluid intricate link up play he makes up with physicality, we're a tad physically lightweight sometimes. I'm also wondering if he'll take our penalties when he plays, Stevie G usually does but Balotelli's record from the spot is supposed to be pretty good. I don't think Rodgers is banking on a long term return from Mario anyway. We just needed another decent striker now, wouldn't be surprised to see us in for a more "world class" striker in Jan, and Balotelli leaving in the summer after an indifferent season. Would love to be proved wrong though. I think the fans will want to love him, if he plays well he could end up a bit of a legend. He'll be entertaining whatever happens, I don't think he'll be as controversial as Suarez but i'm sure he'll be in some scuffles and will send some trolling tweets. I'm sure the British media are glad he's back.

Seems like they have one rule for the wrestlers and one for everyone else, they've had backstage fights before between wrestlers (eg Booker T and Batista) and nobody got fired. Obviously it wouldn't have been much of a fight, Del Rio is a big dude and pretty legit hard, but that shouldn't be a license for presumebly weedy non wrestling staff to make off colour remarks to the wrestlers. I can understand a company trying to maintain a professional non violent environment, and I guess they have no choice as the social media guy could probably sue WWe if they condoned what Del Rio did. But at the same time, heels should be slapping people. Which reminds me about something that really annoys me about wrestling these days, WWe's own output is kayfabe one minute, then shoot the next. For examlple they'll tell you a diva's name is one thing during the show, and encourage you to watch her on Total Divas, then you watch Total Divas (not that I do) and she's using her real name. So which is it? Del Rio can break peoples arms with steel chairs in the ring just to be a dick, but when he slaps a guy with a decent reason he get's fired. Obviously we all know it's fake but these inconsistancies and general blending of shoot and kayfabe that stops the viewer from being able to suspend their disbelief. Late WCW was the worst for it with the commentators talking about angles that weren't part of the script, utter stupidity. Although many of the fans are as much to blame aswell, they won't boo a heel because they respect his 'work' and shoot personaility, they're not that interested in believing in the character.

I'm tempted to stick this on myself soon and see how' it's holding up. I remember the camera feeling odd coming from other games but I seem to remember getting used to it and it not really being a hinderance. As for the rest of the controlls I don't really recall having an issue.

We're probably not designed to run on concrete either.

The Wii-U isn't even close to £300. Even the premium packs with Mario Kart etc are comfortably under £250. And there have been various offers around doing decent bundle deals with several games from £200-230. You can get a basic model for £175 delivered to your door on amazon right now. Yeah if you wanted a 32 GB Wii-u and 2-3 top releases to get you started it could come to £300. But if we're using that figure to valuate the Wii-U in comparison to it's rivals, then it's only fair to slap another £100 or so onto their costs aswell.

I haven't bought a Wii-U yet myself, but only because I still have a huge backlog of Wii and retro games, and thateven though I have the money I just can't quite justify it to myself while I don't have a full time job. As soon as I do though I'll be treating myself to a Wii-U. I don't know that the console is 'dying'. But even if it is Nintendo will obviously be the last developer to give up on it and they're the one that really matters, they are the best developer going for my tastes. If they never announce another game, 1st or 3rd party, I'd still want a Wii-U for what's already out and already announced. As a Nintendo fan I have to play games like the new Zelda, the Mario platformers, Pikmin 3, Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong, Smash Bros, Yoshi the new Starfox and so on. But of course we know Nintendo will at least release other stuff, not least a some kind of 'sequel' to Xenoblade. Give me a few good 3rd party games to play inbetween those games like Bayonetta 1 & 2, Batman Arkham City, Zombie-U, Resi Revalations, Monster Hunter, Wonderful 101, Rayman legends, Lego City Undercover, Sonic Racing Transformed and whatever else might come out and I'm good. That may not be the most impressive 3rd party line up next to your GTAs etc and but what am I going to do, buy a PS4 or Xbox One instead, and not be able to play Mario 3D Land and Zelda? Fuck that.

Yeah I'll stick with the first two Monkey Balls, I don't know how Sega manage to mess up their games. Same with Sonic, they pretty much nail it for the first 1 or 2 two games then it all goes down hill once they tinker with it too much. At least they got Sonic back on track with Sonic Rush and Sonic Colours, maybe they'll make a great Monkey Ball again someday. I picked up Mercury Meltdown for the Wii recently and I think I actually prefer that to Super Monkey Ball, the wiimote controls work great. Monkey Ball should have been great on the Wii. Do you have Metroid Prime 2 (and 3 on the Wii)? If not you must get them if you want more Prime. I was looking over some of your other wants, some of them will be quite pricey. Paper Mario and Starfox Assault could be £30 each, although at least that's arguably cheaper than they cost at launch, and no more than a brand new game today. But Kirby's Air Ride, I rarely see it for less than £50. And by all accounts it's not even that good a game. Funny though how people are still drawn to it, must be the magnetic appeal of Kirby's cuteness. Similarly Starfox Assault got mostly average reviews too. Maybe the elusiveness is half the appeal, it's just a bit crazy though that you can pick up a masterpiece like Metroid Prime for £5, but Kirby's Air Ride costs ten times as much.

The Metal Arms love pleases me. I cannot hesitate to recommend the game, it's a blast. People really ought to pick it up if they're curious about it, they won't regret it. shame i can never get 3 other people to play the multiplayer with me. What annoys me about multiplats like this though is they can be £1 on the Xbox and PS2, but £10 on the Gamecube. I like Monkey Ball too, but probably not as much as most people. I fly through the first half of the game only to be uttlerly stumped on the hard levels. Obviously I expect games to get harder as they go but I think it gets too hard too soon, seems mostly down to blind luck, so I'm basically unable to play half the game. Similar problem with SMB2, but at least you get more minigames which is why I prefer that one of the two. Outside of multiplayer I can't say I'd miss either game if I moved them on.

Actually come to think of it Mario Sunshine is quite appropriate for this time of year. I think the game is great looking in general, it's been a little while since I played it but I remember thinking it wouldn't have looked out of place last gen. CEX sell Gamecube games. Their prices for the classic Nintendo games are pretty much what you'd expect without being extortionate. But you can find a few relative bargains on other Gamecube games. Cash converters may have some too if you're lucky. though I prefer not to mess about hoping to find Gamecube games in the high street, if i'm after a specific game i'll just buy it online if the price is right. i'd love to buy games from a independant specialist game shop but we don't have one in my town anymore, we don't even have Gamestation anymore, just Game, CEX and HMV.

What's that saying? "Any book you haven't read is a new book." i think it applies to games too.

Good work, especially the pullups. I set a personal record of my own yesterday, I did 250 continuous alternating reverse lunges. It was brutal. Strangely I'm still waiting for the DOMS to kick in it, I'm expecting some serious pain when it does, haha.