midds

Good idea Mick. The programmes were going like hot cakes and the queues were ridiculous. Hope Scottish Mag got one...

Should have gone don and stayed down. Force the ref to stop the game like he did every time a Chelsea player went down. Jogging the 30 yards to the half way line might have just fucked it even more.

He's been great this season and losing him is a big blow and there's no way of spinning it any other way. We started the season with only 3 CHs and lost Williamson early and he's still out. We've been walking a tightrope since then and we fell off the fucker today. It showed the glaring gaps in our squad that needed filling in the summer but weren't. No idea what's happened to Kadar but we need someone play there for the next couple of weeks. Perch did ok(ish) bearing in mind he was up against Drogba but we need bodies through the door in January.

We definitely had chances and that's also encouraging. Always felt that their first goal was coming whereas our chances were a bit more sparse.

Really, really coming on and developing as a keeper. Didn't put a single foot wrong today at all and saved us from getting a proper pasting. Worried about the amount of times we got exposed, particularly down our left. Taylor had zero protection in front of him and that ball for Sturridge was there for them every time. We couldn't have really complained had we been 3 or 4 down at half time.

http://i.imgur.com/JdpYT.gif

Aye, I'll take a snap of it all.

No need for donations chaps, honestly. I'll get something in town and lay it before the game. It won't be much but it'll be from all of us.

Do it I'll throw in for that, great idea. Don't be daft. I'll get something nice and put it with the rest of the tributes near the reception.

They gave him the contract. They're terminating it. They're coughing up to honour it. Can't see the problem tbh.

Toying with the idea of putting a wreath down on behalf of N-O. Thoughts?

When is Gerrard back?

Not sure how much more PAOK have got left in the tank. They look fucked.

Harsh pen. Hit his chest/gut first and rolled across brushing his arm. Genuinely don't think he meant to handle it.

Redknapp and Spurs fans to give it the we’ve got bigger fish to fry, we’re too good for it anyway, t’riffc t’riffic, played Inter and Madrid last year, year ends in 1, oh when the Spurs... rubbish no doubt if it stays the same. PAOK fans sound great like.

Not even sure Spurs want to be in this competition tbh. Going out could be a blessing for them.

Maybe they need tweaking. It would just need to make a distinction between the competitions where the cards were picked up relating to the suspensions that needed to be served.

It's not really a loophole, it's fixing what happens in a game to benefit your team. What about the game that the booked player will miss? Why should the opponent in that game get an advantage instead of the one he would have genuinely missed? I just think it's a bad idea to condone fixing events in a football match like this. That is the loophole. Players know the fixtures and can basically choose which one to sit out. Not got a problem with tinkering with the system to make it 'fairer' but until it's changed then it's going to be exploited, and rightly do imo. So, to use one of Ian's examples, would you advocate your team score an own goal if it would somehow benefit the side later on? Struggling to see the benefit of scoring an own goal tbh. The thread is about getting booked on purpose and I've got no problem with that. Are people unhappy about the rules themselves if the players taking advantage if them?

It's not really a loophole, it's fixing what happens in a game to benefit your team. What about the game that the booked player will miss? Why should the opponent in that game get an advantage instead of the one he would have genuinely missed? I just think it's a bad idea to condone fixing events in a football match like this. That is the loophole. Players know the fixtures and can basically choose which one to sit out. Not got a problem with tinkering with the system to make it 'fairer' but until it's changed then it's going to be exploited, and rightly do imo.

Not got the slightest problem with it and would be telling my players to do it to benefit the team. The loophole is there so it may as well be used.

Absolutely tragic news. So sad and really feel for his family. RIP

Looked worse than it actually was imo. Was a bit of a wild hack but Coloccini didn't seem too arsed about it and that's quite telling. Could have been a yellow on another day but it's no biggie.

Great goal Xavi. What a through ball.

More likely to be Van Bommel or Nesta.

We clearly softened up City at the weekend for Napoli tonight.