KaKa

How is Modric looking? Still hiding in his own half in this game as specially instructed by Bilic?

Wait ... so are you saying Podolski is good or bad?

I was just about to ask how he was looking. He was a bit dissapointing in the first game. Looks like not much has changed. Between Gomez, Gomis and Derdiyok, Derdiyok has looked the best so far, which is surprising. Although Gomis hasn't really played as much.

Whose in charge here? Title should have changed to Croatia vs Germany by now. Not good enough. I didn't sign up to this board for such poor service. Step it up people.

MaetihS is good for putting things into perspective tbh. Newcastle always about three steps better off than what he implies. Lovely. I think you forgot to sign though.

Dave please confirm how many people it will take and then lets hit that number very quickly please.

Petition to ban MaetihS Kaka

Santa Cruz apparently. EDIT: Dream with me for a second ... Shearer rejects Blackburn. Blackburn hire Allardyce. Adebayor goes to Milan. Wenger buys Santa Cruz. Allardyce comes in for Alan Smith as his replacement. Lets all say a prayer about this tonight guys. The Lord might have mercy on us yet.

This is someone who played Kuyt on the right wing all of last season. There is a lot wrong with his head. he started there for holland against italy. Yeah, and he did a job like he did with liverpool last season. I respect his work ethic and the effort he puts in on the wing, but he is not a winger, not even close. If Robben or Babel were fit they would have played there instead. I like Kuyt so I'm not having a go at him.

Or possibly Benny realises there's something seriously wrong with Pennant's head. Well he will soon find out there is a lot wrong with Milner's legs.

England regular. Don't English players cost a lot of money? We've no need to sell and Liverpool have behaved disgracefully throughout this sage, so I suspect MON is determined to make it as difficult and expensive as he possibly can. I don't blame MON at all but I cannot see Pool bettering that offer, then its back down and sell him or put up with an unhappy player. If Carrick and Hargreaves are worth £18m then Barry is worth at least £20m in my view. I wouldn't say Barry is better than either of them, especially Carrick. Barry is worth what we will accept for him. We've got to go out and find a replacement, which - as we're not in the CL - is going to be difficult (a decent replacement, anyway). We've already got a miniscule squad, so losing one of our best players is the last thing we need. That doesn't mean Barry is worth 20m or better than Player A or Player B, but there is the value of the player and the fact we're selling him to a team we're trying to catch up (and one which seemingly has a lot of problems so may become catchable at some point). I'm glad MON is playing hardball, he's saying "this is how much we need him, this is how much you're going to have to give us for him if you want him, don't want to pay it? f*** off elsewhere". In the past we'd have bent over at the first offer and let them have him. Very true. I think it also has to be taken into account that he is your captain as well, I definitely think this should mean an extra few million should be paid. You not only have to replace a good player, but also your leader. I know an excellent replacement for you guys, as he has prem experience and is British too and so is well accustomed to the league. He is currently incarcerated and might be for a little while longer but please don't let that put you off ... Has Alan Smith been banged up n all like? If only ...

This is someone who played Kuyt on the right wing all of last season. There is a lot wrong with his head.

England regular. Don't English players cost a lot of money? We've no need to sell and Liverpool have behaved disgracefully throughout this sage, so I suspect MON is determined to make it as difficult and expensive as he possibly can. I don't blame MON at all but I cannot see Pool bettering that offer, then its back down and sell him or put up with an unhappy player. If Carrick and Hargreaves are worth £18m then Barry is worth at least £20m in my view. I wouldn't say Barry is better than either of them, especially Carrick. Barry is worth what we will accept for him. We've got to go out and find a replacement, which - as we're not in the CL - is going to be difficult (a decent replacement, anyway). We've already got a miniscule squad, so losing one of our best players is the last thing we need. That doesn't mean Barry is worth 20m or better than Player A or Player B, but there is the value of the player and the fact we're selling him to a team we're trying to catch up (and one which seemingly has a lot of problems so may become catchable at some point). I'm glad MON is playing hardball, he's saying "this is how much we need him, this is how much you're going to have to give us for him if you want him, don't want to pay it? f*** off elsewhere". In the past we'd have bent over at the first offer and let them have him. Very true. I think it also has to be taken into account that he is your captain as well, I definitely think this should mean an extra few million should be paid. You not only have to replace a good player, but also your leader. I know an excellent replacement for you guys, as he has prem experience and is British too and so is well accustomed to the league. He is currently incarcerated and might be for a little while longer but please don't let that put you off ...

I've been saying this for ages - someone will back me up - so it isnt just sour grapes, but Barry went missing for a very large chunk of this season. I also know for a fact that at the start of this year, his agents were putting feelers out to Chelsea. He's wanted to go for a long while. Not saying he's been perfect, but over the years, on the whole, he has been a good player for you guys and pretty much your main man. He has been through some pretty rough patches with you lot too, and so now he is in the limelight a little bit, he might just feel it's time to try something different, especially as it seems to be a top 4 club interested in him. It's not like he is leaving to join Everton or Man City. It is a sucky situation though, so I feel your pain brother. Be strong. Looks like you will be getting a pretty decent wad of cash for him at least.

I doubt it. With seven subs next season, we currently can't fill 11 starting places and a full bench (assuming that fat arsed traitor fucks off to Liverpool) Bit harsh on Barry isn't it? No. People assume he's been here ages because he's turned down loads of chances to leave. Two years ago he was about to join Portsmouth, the only real bid we've ever had for him. He was on the verge of going. Then MON arrived, told him he'd make him an England regular (lest we forget, he was nowhere near the England side for five years), and lo and behold, he does just that. Last time I saw Barry playing, he was wearing an England shirt and a captain's armband. Then he gets the chance to leave and go and play with his bumfriend Gerrard, so we get the pathetic initial bid released to the press by Benitez, followed by Gerrard's disgraceful "please buy him, oh and by the way, no disrespect to Villa" bullshit, and then - worst of all - when we don't bend over and accept their first offer, Barry gets his agent to do the "please let him go, he needs CL football" routine in the media. He's treated us with no respect whatsoever, and at the first chance has decided to jump ship to the team we're allegedly trying to beat into the CL places. I don't often agree with the "player owes club" thing, but there is no doubt whatsoever that Barry at least allows us the dignity of not getting his agent to say those things in the media, at the very least. Certainly hasn't been handled well by anyone involved really, and has got quite messy. Mostly Liverpool's fault though, extremely outrageous behaviour by them, and it really wasn't necessary either. Barry has always performed for Villa and has been a good servant to be fair. Probably just getting a bit anxious, as everyone around him will be telling him he should be going to Liverpool unfortunately, and he just wants to get it out of the way. Tough situation.

He got the ball in basically the last chance of the game with his countries hopes of going any further in the competition riding on what he did with it. Yet he was calm enough and confident enough (at 21) to take it on and get into a shooting position, and strike the ball very well (looked to be heading to the side of the goal to me as well). Was it the best goal of all time?, no. Would it have gone in without the deflection?, quite possibly. Should it be downplayed either way? no. The way I see it he played well despite being hindered by the conditions and scored an extremely important goal for his country, simple as that. He definitely impressed me. Well said.

Rafa really loves his negative football doesn't he. I can imagine he really loves Milners workrate and defensive work, as that is the one thing Milner is consistently good at. As far as any sort of quality going forward though, that is a once in a blue moon occurence from James. But compared to Kuyt he is probably an upgrade on that right wing, in the sense that Milner will at least look like a winger once in a while, whereas Kuyt offers nothing a winger should going forward. Pennant is not marginally better than Milner, he is miles better as an attacking threat. I believe if Pennant is given a chance to play more regularly he will perform really well. Keegan will encourage him to express himself and he could flourish.

He only just started playing as a DM hence the success. He didn't make it in Belgium because he was still a striker. Nailed on to be joining Schalke it seems so we don't have to worry about getting him or not.

Well you never will.

Deridyok I like loads. Really enjoyed his performance today. Yup, might be a tad young and inexperienced to bring in in place of Viduka though. Got some very nice attributes though. 6 ft 3, pacy and seemed to be very patient and composed and made some really good runs. Intriguing.

Well at least it losks like our new setup is at least identifying players with some real promise. Hadn't heard of Turan or Derdiyok before they were both linked, but they both looked like very promising and talented youngsters. Derdiyok for a 19 yr old looked like a serious talent and Arda is what 21? Good stuff.

Arda looks very interesting. Did everything right just then. Good goal.

Seem to have done a pretty decent job on the pitch at half time. Ball moving around a bit better now.

Kev is running his soccer circus this summer. He isn't allowed to get involved with transfers.