Beren

Then ten minutes later you make this post

No, it's a nothing match. No urgency from either, no real quality from either yet. All very leisurely. Nothing concerning though IMO.

Insomnia scores.

Very much got the feel of a Sunday kickabout. Smart of Brum to double on Gutierrez. Our only player who will really run at them.

Taylor.

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21300000/miles-tails-sega-21360356-100-89.gif

Bolton are on a Harlem Globetrotters run compared to Sunderland

Bet365 just let me sign up. -.- 5/1 on Bolton at -2 seems like cracking odds IMO.

Bolton -1 West Ham Newcastle -1 £10 @ 18.5/1

As in -2 and the such? Most, surely. Bet365 does. Tried opening an account with 365 before, they're always arsey and don't accept! My money isn't good enough for them, apparently. Anywhere else?

Which betting site offers double handicaps on Premiership games? Reckon there'll be some thumpings tomorrow.

For a debut season at CB in this division, I'd say it was brilliant and surpassed the expectations of many who thought he'd be overwhelmed. There have been four or five matches where his detractors have practically rejoiced at his mistakes so they could all pile on with their "I told you so"s and "Championship defender" comments, but over the course of the season he's performed very, very well. "Steady" seems pejorative/inaccurate - deserves more credit than that. [/iMO]

Deserves a lot of praise for a brilliant debut season in the Premiership. Happy to see him as a starting CB next season alongside Colo. Still learning and (for a CB) still quite young at 27.

The rest of the team aren't playing again this season, anyway. His return was the only real thing left to look forward to this season.

Speed was fantastic, but one small aspect of game (small given his role, that is) which was truly awful was his finishing. He was shocking when shooting. Even from close range. No confidence in him whatsoever

That is a scary combination. The right side of teams would die.

Man Utd play fantastic football [/obvious]

Moot point tbh. Had Barca not had the 2 away goals they would probably have approached tonight's game differently. They had the cushion and never looked like losing it. Comfortable and they controlled the game yet again, safe in the knowledge they could afford to make a mistake and still stroll it. Agreed. As attractive as the notion that "Mourinho was right all along" is (to some, anyway!!) - the second leg would have been played completely differently had the first leg finished 0-0. Might have finished a score draw though. We'll never know - the Pepe red card deprived us of the opportunity to find out.

Reckon we'll hump them actually. They're missing Gardner and have looked out of sorts for a while now - they haven't got their stubborn grit about them (which is usually their saving grace in the absence of attacking flair!). Not that we're Brazil 1970, right now, but still.

Don't think anyone has condoned diving on any level, Neil - and whilst I agree with you that their status in the spotlight has meant the scrutiny Barcelona are under is far more intense - if you took away the glorious football they play, the blinkered pissy Pissi idiot fanboys and the natural resistance there was always going to be to against them, the level of their histrionics still almost extends beyond cheating - it's shameful. It makes you ashamed of the whole sport. These are grown ass men. It's like the Rivaldo-Turkey incident... except with alarming and repeated regularity. Barcelona certainly aren't alone, but as pioneers of such beautiful football, that they need to resort(/maybe even rely, when the going gets tough) speaks volumes for them and means they will get more flak. Diving is deplorable at every level, whether it be a Damien Duff slo-mo dive for NUFC (*shudder*) or Busquets grabbing his eyes when someone brushes his arse but the latter will always evoke greater shame for the sport. Way it is.

Ronaldo's header exposed their weakness to Premiership aerial ability - Shearer and Ferdinand would have destroyed that Barca defence tbh

Got to veil your WUM'ing better than that man. I cringe for you.