Segun Oluwaniyi

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!

If you spent money to watch the team, I'm guessing you would care. It's a farce. Probably, if I went to every match, I'd be fussed more, but that's not something I would be doing even if I lived across the street from SJP. The real farce is if he is here at the start of next season like Roeder. For the current one, it won't take anywhere near 40 points to survive, so assuming the team racks up a few more wins and draws, I'll be happy to occasionally watch their rubbish football with an air of indifference. In the grand scheme, the end of this season means little unless it is an incredible disaster (which isn't impossible, I suppose). I don't have faith in what will happen over the summer, but if they do get a good manager and some upgrades to the team, this will have been worth it.

If he is the manager in August, I'll be vexed. Right now, I honestly do not care. I don't think relegation is happening, and if it isn't a threat, the season is over for all intents and purposes, anyway.

Hopefully, he signs here, becomes the best midfielder of his generation, leads us to unseen glory, then switches his allegiance to Nigeria and leads them to the World Cup Title. I've never seen or heard of him until today, but my hopes are high.

I wish I could love someone or something as deeply as this man loves Emenike

The number of 1-1 draws in this tournament is remarkable. Of the 16 matches, 8 have ended in 1-1 draws. So, there hasn't been a deluge of goals, but at least the final matchday should be very tight with interesting permutations. After two matches, no one is through, no one is out.

Hahahahahahahahahaha. Same boat as us then In the summer, Everton spent a record amount buying one of the most coveted young strikers in Europe permanently and signed a World Cup revelation in Besic, while losing no one of relevance. Is it supposed to be a surprise they they are somewhat quiet this window? The onus is definitely on the manager to get the best out of what is clearly a talented side.

WOW!! Gyan steals a 1-0 victory at the death for Ghana over Algeria. Blazes past Algeria's incredibly slow centrebacks to reach a long ball and smashes past Mbolhi. Ghana back to life and the group wide open again. Big chance for Cisse and Senegal tonight to put themselves in good position, though a win would not see them through.

Unrelated to the general point, but I think Oscar is just a central midfield player and not necessarily a #10, though he has found success there. He is a hard worker, has surprising body strength, loves to carry the ball, has a good shot, and moves it around quickly. The style of play at his club makes it difficult, but I would like to seem him play further back for his country at least. I think he may benefit working from deeper positions anyway. Unlike Oscar, Willian is obviously stunted at Chelsea. His main job is to cover Ivanovic, who wanders out of position at will, and I feel he wouldn't play if they had a normal rightback.

Fwiw, both matches today are meant to have been absolutely terrible. I was busy and skipped both, because they sounded boring, tbh. Should set up for interesting final matchday, though, with everyone alive. For better or worse, pretty much every match has been close. No one has been great, but no one terrible either. A desperate Ghana against "favourites" Algeria on Friday, should be interesting, though.

Nordin Amrabat Some fast, Black, Belgian and/or Dutch midfielder that played across the continent notably at Coventry with the surname, Cairo. Quinton Fortune

They're basically looking for someone daft enough to operate within the narrow constraints they'll give them. Style of play, etc is a distant secondary consideration. What constraints? If you mean little control over transfers and your best players being sold to bigger clubs, this is ~99% of manager positions, especially if they are looking to France as rumoured (though rumours are often incorrect).

Liverpool are playing very well here and finding a lot of space, but the story just seems so familiar. Chelsea already 1-0 up, Mikel/Matic breaking up play in front of Terry/Cahill and looking dangerous on the break. Fully expecting them to score again.

They play well enough most of the time, imo. They are just masters of failure. Whenever they have a chance for real success, they throw it away. 2012 ACN Final to Zambia, they are clearly the favourites, Drogba misses a penalty in regular time, they can't break them down and lose on penalties. 2006 ACN Final Drogba misses in the shootout and the lose that as well. Three World Cups and competitive in all 9 games, yet no results. Against Greece, all they need is common sense for a minute or two and the quarterfinals are in sight, and they still waste it. Nigeria/Algeria are supposedly inferior and got out of more difficult groups. I saw ten minutes of Mali-Cameroon. It looked a good match. Crazy physicality and end to end. I've dropped it for this Chelsea-Liverpool game though.

Can is a holding player, no? Hazard and now Fabregas have just been walking past him at rightback

Tbh, a lot of people parrot each other on this place when it comes to football. I am glad a few people have differing opinions and stick to them.

Senegal won with the last kick of them game, Moussa Sow. Ghana in the trouble now. They play Algeria next and a loss will surely see them eliminated. He was on the bench Saturday, man. He isn't going to Equatorial Guinea.

The guy really could have stayed on Tyneside, if they were going to play Diouf, Sow, and Saivet instead of him.

Only seen the last ten minutes of this match, but Ghana look very poor. Honestly, their squad at this tournament is not very impressive and very young. Senegal should bring on Cisse, they are getting decent chances. Diouf missed an unbelievably simple on ten minutes ago. I hope Bafana*2 take something off of Algeria tonight. I am tired of the narrative that they are suddenly favourites and by far the best African team. It is a good team, but they achieved the exact same result as Nigeria at the World Cup and haven't won a match at ACN since 2010. EDIT: Sow on instead. Senegal have an abundance of strikers, tbf.

City's home form nowhere near good enough. Two losses from eleven. A draw against Burnley in the last home match. The league is still open, but you cannot win a title with this kind of form and a side like Chelsea around.

GOAL! Nice finish from from Bolasie after another poor giveaway from Zambia. They should go on to win this. Kidiaba still bouncing on his arse after all goals, not as much airtime at 38, though. My girl is from DR Congo, so until the time when that arrangement ends, they are forcefully my second team along with Bosnia.