On the other hand, the team is vitually the same as last year exclude alonso.
I was just about to write that myself Joe, you bloody mind reader!!

So,
WHAT went wrong between May and August, and don't say Alonso left, or I'll remind you of the battering we dished out to the mancs without him last spring. [/quote]
i dont know mate, i was watching Sky earlier. Jasom Mcateer said there are other things in the backgroud at the club that filtering down to the team. I dont know what it is. I wish i knew.
I dont buy that alonso story. My verdict is we started off rather poorly to the season with those villa and spurs games. We failed to gain momentum. With the poor start other negatives just compounded our misery. Torres injured, Stevie injured, riera, aurelio. Aqulani took longer than expected to return. Beach ball. Last minute lapse by our defenders.
And i think another thing that contributed to the low moral amongst the players is that statement by the auditors : "Significant doubt exists whether the club can continue to repay its debts in the forseeable future" this basic going concern assumption is a standard statement in any financial statements. The above statments literally means the club might not be in a position to pay its debts. That means liquidation.
If you a player like Gerrard, the above statement will demoralise him and any other player who had high hopes of strengthening the squad and pushing on from last season.
Just my humble opinion