wacko

don't be daft man, what sort of top manager hasn't got total control of comings and goings ? Ones that work on the continent. Par for the course, tbh, as most clubs have a DoF.

Blessing in disguise. No Europe means they can have a proper go at the top 4 next season. Spurs won't cope with the extra fixtures and Arsenal are slipping a bit. Could work out well for them in the long run. More's the pity. Like as not. The Europa Cup just isn't worth that much money or prestige in attracting players. The lack of distraction may help us. Wait for me to say the same when we go out of the cups next season... Aye. It'll be Fulham, won't it?

Michael Owen's Twitter feed must be the most unintentionally boring one out there.

I'm guessing it depends on how much money Ferguson can glean off the owners. They'll probably be looking to bring in a GK and strengthen midfield so chances are he'll get another contract. Isn't he on a pay-as-you-play deal?

Dammit, you're right. He will have.

Disagree. With another strong team in the group, chances are good they'll do the business on the pot 3 and 4 sides, leaving them little to play for. Of course, it leaves you with two difficult games, but if you do well against the pot 3 and 4 sides, too, it becomes a two-horse race and two go through anyway. I don't think it really makes much difference in the end; not when two go through. Ultimately, assuming my team were in pot 1, I'd prefer either the worst pot 2 side or the best to be in the same group. Goes without saying that I'd want to avoid any decent pot 3/4 sides, especially billionaire-backed newbies like Man City that should punch way above their ranking. dunno not finishing top of your group can have nasty consequences (like meeting Barcelona in the next round) and having a team like real in pot 2 and in your group is going to create the distinct chance you could finish 2nd True enough, but as often as not, there are plenty of great sides finishing second in their groups. This season, it played out much as you would have expected, but both of last season's finalists came second in their groups, and the season before that had Chelsea, Inter, Arsenal and Real as group seconds, behind Roma, Panathanaikos, Porto and Juve respectively. It's also worth remembering that being in a group with Barcelona means you can't play them in the last 16. All in all, yeah, you're probably better off avoiding a top side in the group stage and topping your group, but I think the difference it makes is small. It's worse ending up with good sides from pots 3 and/or 4 in your group so you have to fight hard for every point, and get caught in a 3- or 4-horse race. Worse still is starting out from pot 3 or 4, where you're very likely to end up in a group with two other strong sides.

Disagree. With another strong team in the group, chances are good they'll do the business on the pot 3 and 4 sides, leaving them little to play for. Of course, it leaves you with two difficult games, but if you do well against the pot 3 and 4 sides, too, it becomes a two-horse race and two go through anyway. I don't think it really makes much difference in the end; not when two go through. Ultimately, assuming my team were in pot 1, I'd prefer either the worst pot 2 side or the best to be in the same group. Goes without saying that I'd want to avoid any decent pot 3/4 sides, especially billionaire-backed newbies like Man City that should punch way above their ranking.

Do you think it makes that much difference whether you're in pot 1 or 2?

Would be funny as f*** if they lost the qualifier mind. Their current UEFA ranking could well put them in the wrong side of the qualifier draw and they'll do an Everton. City's squad is a bit stronger than Everton's don't you think? Imagine this side participating in the CL (played in the qualifying round vs Villareal) Martyn, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Pistone (McFadden 80), Cahill, Arteta, Neville, Davies, Kilbane (Ferguson 62), Beattie (Bent 63). Woeful. No comparison to Everton's squad, of course, but Villareal reached the semis that year. There are some very strong sides in the last qualifying round, with a lot of CL experience. You don't want to be in the lower half of the qualifying draw. If they do qualify, they'll end up in Pot 3 as well, so there's a very good chance of them getting a difficult draw there, too. That happened to Chelsea for the first season or two after Abramovich took over, but they were a much better side than Man City is now.

Would be funny as fuck if they lost the qualifier mind. Their current UEFA ranking could well put them in the wrong side of the qualifier draw and they'll do an Everton.

Yes and no. He's Welsh through and through, but was born in England due to the local maternity ward closing shortly before he was born. Welsh through and through even though his old man is English? Soz. Though his old man was Welsh. My Welsh mate used to bang on about it all the time. How he should have played for Wales and that...

I'm enjoying this thread a lot more since Kenny took over from Woy

Yes and no. He's Welsh through and through, but was born in England due to the local maternity ward closing shortly before he was born.

I would pay good money to watch you try to cut your balls off with a wooden spoon. Some interesting taste for entertainment. I don't anticipate his succeeding. And thus ask for your money back. Smart. Apparently not. I hadn't thought of that

I would pay good money to watch you try to cut your balls off with a wooden spoon. Some interesting taste for entertainment. I don't anticipate his succeeding.

I would pay good money to watch you try to cut your balls off with a wooden spoon.

This is my hope. I wonder if Fergie will make the same mistake as last time and try to play football against Barca. I don't think ManU have the players to try and play Mourinho football though. That's true, but I still think it's the way to go against Barca. They'll get battered otherwise.

This is my hope. I wonder if Fergie will make the same mistake as last time and try to play football against Barca.

Slanderous. Libellous = written. /pedant

That bit's bollocks, AFAIK. That was paid off with the purchase of the club (why they waited to buy till the holding company's bankruptcy). I don't see the new owners pumping in much cash (besides hopefully putting up the collateral for a loan to build a bigger stadium), but we'll be alright now we don't have to try to pay the previous owners' loans off.

Saw two of their soft fans on a scooter nearly get killed to death by a van a few hours ago, trying to hold a one-scooter parade. I'm so happy I'm not in Dortmund right now (Schalke's my DE team).

Because the England manager wants players who play 90 minutes. but micky says it's better to play 25mins. England manager doesn't want him any more. This way he might have a chance of adding some silverware to his collection, even if his contribution to winning it was essentially zero. too kind!

Because the England manager wants players who play 90 minutes. but micky says it's better to play 25mins. England manager doesn't want him any more. This way he might have a chance of adding some silverware to his collection, even if his contribution to winning it was essentially zero.

Because the England manager wants players who play 90 minutes.

Good call with Raul. He looked washed up to me at Real, but he's been brilliant at Schalke. Nearly a goal every other game, and he has been totally class for them. In particular, he was brilliant when they beat Bayern in the DFB Cup semi.