1878

What a collapse by Burnley I've been impressed by that Paterson up front during their cup run

Empty seats in a 36k ground for a semi-final at WHL Shocking

The only option that made sense was our game as the early kick off on Saturday Why are there so many people involved in football that couldn't run a piss up in a brewery?

I'd rather Arteta, a good player who doesnt whore himself about despite his massive talent! You can't afford Arteta. Nor would Moyes sell him anyway. More importantly Arteta is Everton through and through. He would never push to leave seems to love it there. If Bentley and Downing are £15 million then Arteta should at the very least start off at that price minimum. Especially since he's back to his very best form now. I wouldn't have been bothered about selling him in the summer tbh because he'd been in shit form for ages but since we put him back into the centre instead of on the right he's been back to his old self. Guillem Balague said we asked Zaragoza for £25m a couple of years ago, he's not worth quite that much obviously but it gives an idea of what it would take for a club to get him from us. The Arsenal rumours in the papers, that he'd go to a direct rival in the league for only £12m, were just laughable. I think he'll only leave us if one of the really top Spanish clubs like Real Madrid come knocking and pay a premium.

I'd rather Arteta, a good player who doesnt whore himself about despite his massive talent! You can't afford Arteta. Nor would Moyes sell him anyway.

That's a horrible, horrible thing to say about someone. I know a lad who looks the spit of him except his nose isn't quite as beak-like. He got beat up while he was out shortly after Southgate missed that penalty

Serious? http://www.calciomercato.com/index.php?c=24&a=107812 Spotted in Dubai in the stands watching Milan train. The article also says that there is big interest in Neill from us and Everton, but Nani has denied Neill will be leaving. I think it also says that there was interest from Milan a few years ago when he wanted to leave Blackburn. I really can't imagine why we'd be interested in him. We've already got plenty of cover at right back and he wouldn't get a sniff at centre back with the likes of Lescott, Jags and Yobo here. Probably just paper crap.

I thought Huntelaar was crap.

I thought that was quite funny myself. I don't think you could get 2 more evenly matched clubs in terms of "big-ness"

I think you can win that tie 1878-Liverpool have bigger fish to fry this season.Di Matteo may have done everyone a favour here. Both sides will play full teams in each game I think. Benitez will be making a rod for his own back if he plays reserves & kids and we knock them out of the cup. I'm just pissed off that I have to sit through another one of these games. 2 derbies a year is more than enough. Johnie Jackson has had his pop on the big stage. The likes of him & Richie Wellens are best off lower down the league looking class acts. Who scored Real Madrid winner? Did the Real Madrids new signings play? Diarra played and did quite well, got subbed late on even though he played better than Gago who was also one tackle away from being sent off. That's Ramos for you though. Robben was out of this world, back to the form of his early days at Chelsea. Sneijder was impressive as well. Villareal deserved a draw mind.

Roberto DiMatteo is a fucking wanker.

Davies is far, far better than Cuellar.

With Yobo injured short term and Valente out for the season I can't see us selling Baines now. I hope not anyway, good little player.

That's a slightly unsympathetic view of things. To suggest we just hit it long for those two to sprint on to is misleading. In fact, the only thing I've seen Young sprint on to and finish was jagielka's back pass at Goodison. We have a problem unlocking teams who stick men behind the ball and defend. This season, most teams who come to Villa Park do that. We struggle to unlock them. Away from home, teams tend to have a go at us which gives us space to hit them on the counter. Hitting a team on the counter doesn't consist of hoofing it for Young and Agbonlahor, though. In fact, the obvious target for a hoof (Carew) has been injured for a while, so that tactic wouldn't get us very far. On our day, we play great-to-watch football. Our Achilles heel is that when teams just defend, we struggle to unlock them. I just said to sprint onto, not sprint onto it and finish. Trying to finish from the channels wouldn't get you very far. You look for a long ball to the channels all the time, especially when the opposition have just had an attack. Friedel often seems to be looking to throw it out quickly for someone to knock down the line or up over the top. Hoofing it doesn't always mean it sticks in the air or needs to be headed, if the target is in space then that isn't the case so the Carew thing isn't really an issue. You actually went on to agree with what my main point was- that because of this style of play, which relies on space being left in behind, that you struggle against any team that either sticks 10 men behind the ball or plays with a deep defensive line. I don't know why you're annoyed with what I said, maybe cause I said "hoof" instead of hitting it long?

What a poor game that is. Hull have got no technical ability at all, the amount of times their players miscontrolled the ball and over hit passes was shocking. Villa on the other hand are completely toothless because Hull are sitting deep thus nullifying their whole gameplan of pressing the opposition and then hoofing it in behind for Young & Agbonlahor to sprint onto.

So we scoffed at paying £10m but now Real Madrid are going to throw £14m at them? Yeah right.

Arsenal don't. Villa have one who is on a similar level so wouldn't be after another one. they really do. Friedel is better than Given too, and Given is almost 33 as well, so its not like has long left either. As a neutral, Given is miles better than Almunia. It's not even close.

It is shit Then again pretty much every sports film ever made is shit. Today's the first I've seen this one. Turned it off after an hour, Anna Friel was the only good thing about it.

Boy who cried wolf. Ronaldo is an absolute twat. He's an embarrassment that deserves far more than this one decision to go against him.

Hmmm, so either he got involved in this whilst stone cold sober, or he was wasted and planned to drive home afterwards. At least he got a ticket, bet the t*** tries to get out of that and all. I think taxis have made it to Southport. I don't know what the thick twat was doing there in the first place, mind. That bar might be more upmarket but in general it's a crap night out and there's always trouble, typical small town at night time.

Park's miss

Even if he did it I'm sure one of the other lads from Huyton that have been arrested will take a slap on the wrists from the police for him and Stevie La will be just an innocent bystander.

So you've got limited funds but think you can buy two England internationals who are prize assets at their clubs? Eh?

1st - Man Utd 2nd - Liverpool 3rd - Chelsea 4th - Arsenal 5th - Aston Villa 6th - Everton 7th - Man City -------- 18th - Sunderland* 19th - Stoke City 20th - West Brom *this position could easily end up being Portsmouth or West Ham depending on what happens in January

that may not be the massive offer you speak of but they have offered 10m I'd love to see some decent English players go abroad and see how they get on