Tony's Fiver

1: Even I scored against Gallas, he has to go

Arsène Wenger needs to drop William Gallas. I’ve lost count of the number of times that the Arsenal captain has been given the runaround by big forwards.

Even I scored against him — twice — for Marseilles.

2: Benítez needs to start picking the big man

Liverpool will never win the title again if Rafael Benítez keeps playing Fernando Torres up front on his own. Peter Crouch should have started yesterday. Benítez got it wrong — again.

3: Managers must keep private lives private

I have a lot of time for Paul Jewell, but what was he thinking? I don’t believe that a manager’s personal life has any bearing on how he does his job, but Paul is in very hot water.

4: Adebayor’s suffering Samson syndrome

What has happened to Emmanuel Adebayor? Since he had his hair cut, his power, pace, touch and composure have gone out of the window.

5: Long-ball football is just not Premier class

Stoke City and Watford take note. Route-one football may get you to the top of the Championship, but it’ll put you bottom of the Premier League.

Comments

[Angel]

Benitez should start picking up the big man.

To be fair with Cascarino he started demanding this when Liverpool won Inter 2-0, as a big man himself, he really loves long balls football, and the least possible passing, for which he was totally unsuited, he's entitled to his opinion of course and as i said he stick with it, which i give him credit for, what i fail to understand is why The Times honours us with such a troglodytic views. Also i think this player retired a while ago, but he still hasn't moved on, which is worrying, for himself mainly, a good ex-footballer become-pundit, can not based most of his opinions on what he was doing 10-15 years ago

[Henry Mac]

Re 2: Benítez needs to start picking the big man

I am starting to wonder how one can take Tony Cascarino's comments seriously. Liverpool had won seven games on the trot (including away to Inter) playing Torres up front on his own (albeit supported by 2 wingers). Cascarino got it wrong - again. He seems to have a vendeta against certain individuals in the game - Rafa Benitez and Gallas to name but two. And it all comes from the man who predicted that Manchester City would go down this term.

[Timothy Tanner]

1) You don't like Gallas much do you? His form of late has been poor but no worse then Toure's or Almunia's. Gallas was great for much of the season but his form, along with most of the defence, has dipped alarmingly.

2) Wasn't the Gerrard-Torres partnership supposed to be doing well. I'm not sure having a big striker would have helped avert how badly Liverpool played.