Geordie Boot Boy

Vaughan's was wind-assisted, a freak goal, whereas Cabaye's was purely good technique. By that logic, we should be hailing Tim Howard as a long shot genius. Pint of bitter marra? Yeah, probably wasn't a fair comment on the Sunderland goal on reflection. Funnily enough, my last comment on this thread saw me be accused of being a mackem. I'm clearly very inconsistent!

Vaughan's was wind-assisted, a freak goal, whereas Cabaye's was purely good technique. By that logic, we should be hailing Tim Howard as a long shot genius.

Just saw the highlights of their game last night. In their defence, the two times Wigan hit the post were in the same passage of play, so you can't say they were lucky not to be two down because of those shots... (I think I saw that people had said that!)

That's awesome. "can we really trust him? He's... french!"

There must come a time when all intelligent Liverpool fans have a moment of clarity and realise that it's only Luis Suarez partisans who agree with them (all neutral opinions that I've seen have been in support of the ban or at least against the response of Liverpool FC) and that they are on the 'wrong' side of a dispute regarding a player's right to use racist language to another player. I would hope that, for all the displays of unity they are showing at the moment, support will gradually weaken as this slips further into parody, like when it dawned on someone to check whether it was a baby chicken that they were mourning that time.

They obviously know their audience. Scumbags.

[pedant]Surely, that's Stadium of Lights?[/pedant]

Perhaps they saw mitigating circumstances. Also, not all three game bans are equal, are they? It's a reasonable decision if you ask me.

Couldn't disagree more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Staunton I like it

Me too, mate. I haven't commented much for a very similar reason.

In terms of some not being able to understand how he could be smiling and joking so soon before his death, this is apparently not uncommon. Sometimes, people in a suicidal state are extremely happy and positive before they take their own lives as they know that there's a way out*. I'm not saying that's definitely what happened here by any means but his positive demeanour prior to death does not mean that he could not have been suicidal. *This is according to a psych consultant who my girlfriend knows.

Agree about the goal celebrating. I'm not sure why but it really winds me up.

Eh? In the last 33 games. Forgot that some are cup games though. I could be wrong as I'm feeling really tired today but I make it 29 points Kean and 31 points Bruce by the numbers quoted above (ignoring that some are cup games).

Eh?

It's my favourite podcast by far, love Marcotti as a presenter. That Alison Rudd had some irritating things to say about the SJP renaming. Basically saying we should be grateful the stadium is being renamed instead of demolished or moved. She always talks shite. And she has this irritating habit of talking over people (which is made more annoying by the fact that she's generally making a bullshit point anyway). Can't stand her.

Feels harsh to effectively ban a player from a whole tournament for the actual offence committed However, rules is rules. The only basis for an appeal would surely be precedent and I'm not sure if there's a case to be made in that department. FWIW, I'd probably still take him. best case scenario is that his absence for the group stages could force the replacement to up his game to keep his spot and, if we get through, a wound up Rooney could be extremely motivated to prove himself. We almost always seem to have pre-tournament issues surrounding our best players don't we?

The Game is a horrific podcast though, surprised anyone still listens to that rubbish. It's the best one I've found TBH, I really like it. Don't agree with that view on Barton really, but that's just one contributor. I like it as well, but only really for Gab Marcotti. The journalists are largely poor. I particularly dislike Alyson Rudd (she has an annoying habit of talking over people despite having very little to say) and Patrick Barclay who gives some of the stupidest unworkable views you'll find in a broadsheet anywhere. Football weekly is quite good for European football but takes itself less seriously than The Game.

If he had anything about him he would have walked. The FA are as much to blame, they are clueless, they should have looked at how the French reacted after their world cup disater. The French FA were actually very loyal to Domenech, despite his unpopularity with supporters. He was always going to leave after the World Cup.

I've gone right off Barca. I know I'll probably come across as a complete philistine but the passing the ball around in dangerless areas ad nauseum bores me. There was a time when they were dicking around at the end when two players standing right next to each other passed the ball back and forth really quickly. It makes me wonder to what extent some of these passing stats we hear every game are artificial because they'll add pointless passes in deliberately to make the numbers look better. Also, the idea that they're some kind of Platonic ideal form of football is laughable considering their penchant for cheating and attempting to influence the referee*. *which, seeing as they always seem to get the decisions anyway, suggests either it works or it's superfluous anyway.

Was the voting done using a list of players that omitted Tevez?

Your majesty?

I find it hard to get upset. Any system that requires spending on the scale of £15 million to 'convince' the judges to select you to be the host appears to me to be self-evidently corrupt. We clearly took part in that system by spending on that scale, so we have no right to complain that others used their funds to 'convince' better than we did.

Did anyone see Nani cost Ronaldo what would've been a fantastic goal this week against Spain by trying to nick it on the line (when he was offside)?

Apparently, raising the flag was just a sign to get the referee to come over so he could ask if he'd seen the handball. If that's the case, the linesman was spot on, despite what all the pundits seem to have said. I think the referee not explicitly gesturing play on (with the arms out in a parallel forwards position) and allowing Rio Ferdinand to scream in his lug hole when he was discussing the incident were the two big refereeing errors of the situation. The other was Gomes awarding himself a free kick.