CaliMag

Players can be easily booked if they're clearly wasting time. The clock is stopped for various reasons in Rugby and it works just fine there. It will quickly become apparent if there are issues with ball boys, and it could be dealt with very easily (in the same way they dealt with Stoke giving their ball boys team-specific instructions). The "opening doors to x" argument is nonsense and holds back the game. Theoretically players can be booked for dissent (as mentioned), but do they? No. Refs have limited power as it is. Rugby isn't football - differnet ruling bodies, enforcement culture, etc. The only real action I have seen against SToke (like pitch size) were made by UEFA and FIFA with the FA rolling over like the subserviant bitch that it is. If there are to be real changes I would start with enforcing the rules that already exist.

I think it is a terrible idea. Opens the doors to Time Outs - because essentially that is what you would have everytime the ball went out of play. The Manager could just pull a player aside with a clipboard and headset as soon as the ball was out of play. It would be American Football mk II. I doubt carding the players would help. The ball boys could be given instruction (like at the Brittania with hand towels) to waste time to give the manager more face time with the players. I see all sorts of abuse with this type of system that would essentially add an endless amount of time to the game and kill the very nature of football.

Probably Giggs, but I am *very* jealous of the Star Trek (the Original Series) lettering that Maritimo has on thier kits.

At DisneyLAND it's everynight.

... here we go. The second goal was well taken with power. Harper was well beaten as he was favoring the near post (not a mistake, but a decision). If he had acrobatically dove to the left after the shot was taken (a la Given last year) he would have looked stylish and still missed the shot ... as would Krul or just about any other keeper.

LOL a point that I will easily take. AND Harper was not that bad FFS. Both of the goals that counted were good ones and would have been very difficult to save. Not that anyone will listen because there will be more senseless Harper bashing for the next couple of days.

... but why was Nobby having a go at him? I am sure the gulf in effort/love/training in football was obvious for Nobby during the brief time they played together but still.

Too close for me. Brek Shea did nothing when he came on. Zusi should get another invite.

I do not like that back line. Bocanegra and Cherundolo will get done for pace and Cameron is not playing in his strongest position - although I guess Stoke will be playing him there. I am thinking this could be a 3-2 or 3-3 game. Nervous.

Any line up announced yet? Random comment - Pachuca (the team Jose Torres plays for) also play in Black and White.

Absolutely YES. Also please no Carlos Bocanegra. Torres in the middle won Pachuca 2 titles in Mexico - he is an excellent player and would be playing regularly for Mexico had he chose to do so.

I am with Mike - the dreds are difficult to forgive. Never liekd Lalas either.... probably similar bias.

And just as we say this Beckerman gives away the foul and then gives the ball a little deflection for the equalizer.

White guy with dreds, playing in Jamaica...

wut just happened?

Good luck passing a medical when injured.

This game could be the highest total goal tally of the weekend. We play though their soft middle and they hit us on the wings. My prediction 4-3... not sure who wins.

Again I disagree. Liverpool lost Torres and replaced him with Carroll and 15M (which you could argue they spent on Suarez). Chelsea overpaid, Liverpool broke even at worst IMHO, and we got a huge sack of cash. Its just ego holding the Liverpool Board back. Fletcher is in fact more valuable than Carroll due to the last couple of years. They won't get more than 15M and they are foolish for thinking so.

The Liverpool board need to get over that imaginary 20M loan loss thing. THey didn't lose a dime. They sold Torres and replaced him with Carroll AND Suarez. At the time the deal seemed canny. We benefitted from Chelsea and their Torres obsession, we (Newcastle) forced CHelsea to hand over a silly fee for Torres by being obstanant with Carroll. Liverpool didn't lose anything (other than pride). I think that as long as they are willing to buy a non-british player they could easily replace Carroll for 12m... with a player better suited to Rogers' preferences. As far as recouping the supposedly 35M? GTFOH.

So... did he get an official squad number? 49?

The ref may say no to that. Atromitos wears Blue & WHite stripes with blue shorts. I think the burgundy kit may be required.

Still lives with his parents, no tattoos, isn't all over Facebook pissed/acting the c*nt, proper haircut... so far so good.

Update please...

Pieters has been extraordinarily unlucky with injuries. At this point he appears to be a bullet we dodged from signing last summer. No thanks.

I think he played his mercurial self today. Not a bad thing. When he wanted the ball he wanted the ball and when he didn't... he didn't. I was unhappy that him and Simpson were ignored in the first half. I am nto sure what that was about. HBA had to come in centrally or even on the left to get the ball in the first half. It should not be that way. With him drifting in and Simpson clutching his buttocks/hamstring I was sure we were going to get done by Bale. I am still not sure why that didn't happen. Second half was better as he was given more of the ball and the right was getting better coverage by Cabaye when he drifted in. ALso did he pull a Paolo di Canio with that penalty? Pretty sure he did.