James

So basically if this goes through we would have signed: Belgian League goalkeeper of the year 2nd choice right back at Atletico Madrid Best Championship winger from two seasons ago, now a regular PL starter A 1 in 3 Premier League striker with something to prove.

Is there a rule out there that necessitates the presence of a so called 'club captain' We have one man in charge, his name is Rafa Benitez. This year is a chance for a few players to step up, wear the captain's armband when picked to do so, and prove that they can lead the cob going forward. Giving so much sway to a single club captain did not work out well for us in the past, we need to go back to when we had Nolan and half a squad of team captains.

Solano did not have pace but could move the ball forward quickly. I think the pace Rafa refers to is speed of play rather than raw straight line speed

It won't work out for him. Should have stayed at Nice or gone to Southampton.

How are the Villa fans taking this

Did Hodgson leaving England have any bearing on Townsend reportedly leaving? Ithink Townsend felt more secure about his England prospects with Hodgson as boss.

What the hell? Rafa has a whole underground basement dedicated to his encyclopaediac knowledge of all players. He knows about the packet of quavers that Mark Noble ate when he was 14.

Oh well I trust Rafa to know how to respond to him leaving. To be honest since Rafa was confirmed I've trusted him to have a plan for all eventualities like when he replaced his coach within 24 hours.

He is about 3-4 years past it now

SIGN EVERYONE

15 from 29, ignored by Pards isn't it?

This transfer fills me with more hope. A number of people thought we could 'make do' with our keeper options in the Championship even if we lost Krul. The fact that we've gone and spent a high fee for a keeper with probably the best reputation we could manage to persuade to join us immediately after relegation speaks volumes for our ambition.

Had £20 in the 8 qualifiers to win £300. Had Croatia but 4 mins before the end I had a gut feeling that Portugal would get something. Cashed out literally 30 secs before their goal at £13 profit, will just reinvest it in the remainder of the games.

Didn't Slovakia beat Germany 3-1 last month? Republic knocking out France seems like poetic revenge for that playoff. Could be destiny. I would cash it

Was that Jim McDonald

Do we pay salaries to our Euro players in pounds or euros? If the latter, they are now more expensive. If the former, these players are effectively getting a pay cut.

Benzema does not deserve to be at the Euros after his behaviour. Payet is a better player on the international stage than Ronaldo at the moment. We really should have signed Payet before, and Kante too what the fuck was Graham Carr doing?

Time for a reality check for Cristiano Ronaldo. He is without a doubt the most overrated player in the history of football. It is made out like he is some sort of legend, but a legend is capable of achieving great things in a poor team. He can not lift Portugal to greatness. He is not a legend.

Spanish authorities have been forced to give those blood bags to WADA. The doctor arises from doped many cyclists but was also once an employee of FC Barcelona. DNA tests of wider Spanish based sportsmen active in 2006 may have interesting results...

Different lyrics to be fair

Hate Slovakia, think it's the neo-nazi skinhead tattoo look of half their players. Who the fuck has a map of their country tattooed behind their ear?

Have Wales BTTS at 13/2

Aren't our indoor pitches new too? So we built the pitch but went for the cheapest surface possible?

His mum is Turkish or part Turkish. he only added the Kazim bit when he moved out there to play, was just Colin Richards when we were growing up. He has been Colin Kazim-Richards all his career not just when he went to Turkey!

Received a standing ovation in his farewell game at the Bernebeu btw so he can't be as horrible as being made out. Won several La Liga, two Euros, two CL and one World Cup btw. We are a Championship Club.