Question of the Week (Liverpool lacks real class?)

Welcome back,

With the majority of football fans in Singapore being Liverpool fans, it's no wonder there was dead silence in the heartlands on Thursday morning after Milan beat the Reds in the Champions League final.

But the disgruntled moanings can still be heard, despite all the post-match analyses in the media yesterday. Milan were lucky. Liverpool were unlucky. The Italians are always lucky...and the English always unlucky.

Why did Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez field the hopeless Boudewijn Zenden from the start, they asked? But wasn't he useful in the stages leading up to the final?

Why leave Peter Crouch on the bench? Why start with Dirk Kuyt?

But honestly, did you really curse and swear to yourself (especially if you were a Liverpool fan) when the lineup was announced for the final?

Did you think a horrible crime had been committed, when Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy had been left out? Or even that Steven Gerrard was put in a free role behind Kuyt?

Benitez's actual lineup was, after all, pretty much what the English media had predicted. Television commentators went on saying how Kuyt was in fact, the best man for that kind of job. But when things went wrong, oh... how they wondered.

The New Paper's Stanley Ho, says on Page 66 in today's (Friday 25 May) edition, that the real truth is that Milan were really a class apart.

So what if this Liverpool team was widely seen by the English as the better team all round, compared to the 2005 team that beat Milan in the final? Liverpool's vintage could never compare with Milan's. You know what they say about wine.

Benitez said after the game: "When you look at the champions Manchester United spending £20m ($60m) on a midfield player, and we have been paying only £8m to £9m for our strikers, you know what must be done."

Therefore, the Postman's Question of the Week: Do you agree that Liverpool lacks real class, and should Benitez spend big, following the Real Madrid or Chelsea way, or go with the cheaper but shrewd Arsenal buying way?
Consider too, if real class can be bought overnight.

Answer in not more than 200 words, by 3pm on Monday, and the usual spread of letters will be carried on Tuesday, in The New Paper.

Post your views here by clicking on "comments" below my poll here, or e-mail to The New Paper's sports desk under the title "Dear Postman" (by clicking the link on the right).

At your service,
Ernest Luis
The Postman
The New Paper
(PS. E-mailers and bloggers, you all should e-mail us your full name, age, occupation, contact numbers and favourite teams, to be considered for the last round of Adidas prizes for May)

Instant Post-Champs League Final Comments

Dear readers,

Tomorrow morning, who will prevail? Milan or Liverpool again?

Straight after the live telecast, we would like to know your post-match opinion and feelings, so we can publish them in the paper that you'll buy from 11am onwards.

The Postman's special Mid-week Question: What was the outstanding highlight of tonight's match for you?

There's a 100-word limit. Answer by 6am after the game.

Post your views here by clicking on "comments" below here, or e-mail to The New Paper's sports desk under the title "Champs League Final" (by clicking the link on the right).

At your service,
Ernest Luis
The Postman
The New Paper
(PS. E-mailers and bloggers, you all should e-mail us your full name, age, occupation, contact numbers and favourite teams, to have your comments published)