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Schurrle has been fairly rubbish for Chelsea, tbh. Doesn't do defensive work, hasn't been scoring and isn't really beating his man or being creative. A very good player, but a poor fit. Salah is significantly worse than Atsu and Moses (whom Chelsea own), imo. I have no idea why he was signed in the first place. Cuadrado like to get stuck-in doesn't he? He's not the most tactically defensively aware the few times i've seen him but he'll not shirk a challenge. Schurrle/Salah aren't about that life. Cuadrado is a slightly better version of Willian. Don't see the point of selling Schurrle though, basically their goal threat off the bench. But that tackle. I was ready to call Cuadrado the Colombian Willian but then I saw his goal record which was very impressive last season. CL semi final Matic - Mikel Willian - Fabregas - Cuadrado Costa No Hazard?

I agree about it being a farce, but these are the rules, would it not be more of a farce to change them mid-tournament or to make something up on the spot? Not when your rule is to decide quarter finals based on luck If this happened at WC 2014, we would have also drawn lots, tbf. Yesterday, it would have made sense to have a shootout because they were playing one another, but what if the order of matches was different and the two teams were in different cities? How do you find a winner without disrupting the flow of the tournament?

I agree about it being a farce, but these are the rules, would it not be more of a farce to change them mid-tournament or to make something up on the spot? This will just have to be the impetus for change to what is obviously a flawed part of the game. Lots have even been drawn at the World Cup to decipher which team won the group, but it obvious that in 2015 that conclusion isn't satisfactory to players or supporters.

Which is even more advantageous for bigger clubs. I don't understand why you can't scrap the system entirely. Man U: "Oh f***, he's managed by Pardew now! Better get rid of him while we still can!" Why are Man U so eager to sell him for so little? If he plays well from now to the end of the season, they could have received a fee around 7-8 million pound just because of his age and nationality.

Gabi must have actively tried to kill someone for his red, if that is only yellow.

I was wondering about the last time Atletico conceded three in 45 minutes, then suddenly remembered the CL Final.

Quarterfinals/Predictions (winners in old), btw: République démocratique du Congo-Other Congo CIV-Algeria Tunisia-Equatorial Guinea Ghana-Team to be decided later

Lots are there in case more than one team is involved or the teams aren't playing each other. I agree though, since everyone is here, can we just have penalties? Someone call Hayatou.

Long is a great athlete who runs nearly constantly, tbf. It's maybe his only positive attribute. You are right in general, though. Of the CBs at the club now, Taylor is the only one who even approaches the requisite level of physicality and athleticism we should look for in that position, and he is constantly injured and also an idiot. Williamson is weak physically and in the air for his size (Look what Moses did to him). Dummett needs to forget leftback and spend a year adapting to position physically and mentally. It has been a problem for quite a while. Bassong should have stayed at the club.

Hull are the worst team in the Premiership and significantly poorer than NUFC. IMO, the performances under Carver have been relatively spirited and competent, though not particularly well-organised or successful. This should still be enough against this Hull team, though. I see a poorly played 2-0 victory with Colback and Gouffran scoring.

Would playing him cause problems for NUFC? I know Senegal lodged a complaint against West Ham for Diafra Sakho who was "injured", yet played at the weekend.

amazing how much the media ignore the fact Chelsea completely bottled it too, loses to Palace and Sunderland, turn those into wins as you would expect and they win the title Tbf, I was three months old the last time Liverpool won the title, and last season looks to be the only chance they will have in the near future. While it is the same in isolation, I know which side was more damaged. I honestly think, 75 percent of Chelsea's goals conceded come from Ivanovic's side. Even when he hasn't gone flying forward, he is out of position all of the time, and fails to prevent the ball in. He's forgotten how to defend.

Have Senegal qualified or are they going out? Haven't been watching this at all. OUT!

This statistic is more a function of the team you play in, then anything about the player themselves. Roma are tiki-taka-esque under Garcia.

Algeria score a brilliant goal through Bentaleb!! Ghana through, Senegal out! edit: Ayew scores for Ghana! Ghana winning the group now, they go through with Algeria.

Don't know which thread to post, but Ghana have scored through Boye, and now one more goal for Ghana or Algeria send Ghana through. !!!!!....Ghana hit the post and Algeria nearly score in the last thirty seconds. Should be a great ending.

TT leading a lecture on why simple statistics are a poor way to judge the performance of footballers.

I'm pretty sure a goal for South Africa puts them out. A goal for Algeria and everything appears to be equal to me.

So far, Algeria 1 Senegal 0,,South Africa 1 Ghana 0 Right now Senegal and Cisse are though on goal difference over BafanaX2, but everyone is still alive and really a goal for any side will change the dynamic dramatically. Going to the wire.

I agree and see what you are saying, but for me the fact is that, even the paltry 11 points NUFC received from the last 16 matches in 2008-2009 would leave the club with 38 points, a total that would have seen them safe in nine of the past ten seasons. I just cannot see the team going on this poor of a run. Of course, NUFC have gone about making the threat as real as possible, but we are generally competent in terms of playing staff, imo, and while Carver is an idiot, I don't think he is on a mission of sabotage.

I will go .5 to 1, so a 5 to 10% chance. This is still too high for comfort. Last season, NUFC had an horrific finish from this point of the season on, yet the same results from last season in the same time frame would probably see NUFC safe in 99.9% of scenarios. In the final 16 matches of 2013-2014, they managed 13 points (which is obviously relegation form as it would=30 points in 38 matches). A repeat of those results would see them to the mythical number of 40. It would take a collapse of epic proportions and a substantial rise from the bottom teams to relegate NUFC. The past three seasons the 18-th placed team has had 35 points (EDIT:35 points on average), we have 27 and it is January.

NUFC are not even a particularly egregious violator of that nebulous rule. They generally send out a team of first team players, they just tend to lose regardless. It is more an attitude than anything to do with selection.

Only watched the other game (and even then only the second half) so was struggling to understand how Chipolopolo and Cape Verde managed a goalless draw when a goal either side would send one through and a score draw would probably send Cape Verde through. Now I understand: Apparently, there were cyclone-esque rains of biblical proportions. Embarrassment that the match was not abandoned.

Honestly, a stop gap would do. Just anything to ensure Williamson never plays again. A player with a bit of height and strength to complement Dummett and/or Coloccini. Colo's replacement can come in the summer.

ALLEZ RDC!! DRAWS GALORE!! DR CONGO through to the quarters by virtue of goals scored after three goals.draws. edit:only two goals. So, in the quarterfinals, Tunisia will face hosts Equatorial Guinea, and on the other side of draw it is an ALL-CONGO SHOWDOWN!