Neil

One of our young'uns, Shane Duffy, who has quite a bright future, received emergency surgery late last night/early this morning after a "life-threatening ifreak incident" in training, the like of which the hopsital said they'd be "unlikely to see for years to come". Thankfully, his life is now out of danger and he's been moved out of IC.

Quid on Blackpool to win 2-1, 70p on Burke to score first and Cardiff to win 2-1, mainly to make the game more interesting. Going to do a couple of higher stake ones for the CL final.

This is what worries me about Hughton, of what I've seen of him. There's no need to come out with stuff like that, let alone the fact he actually thinks that.

Excellent ad that.

If the award is using 'forward' as an umbrella term for forwards and strikers, then it's Messi's. Agree with Neesy about Manzano, like. Relatively, he has done an unbelievable job.

Busquets. Javi Martínez. Piqué's been played there too. Was gonna say Alonso myself. So yes, yes they do.

What is your preferred starting XI? I'll have a go, in a 4-4-2 narrow diamond: Casillas Capdevilla Pique Puyol Ramos Senna Xavi Iniesta Silva Torres Villa Replace Senna with Alonso.

I assume it's been posted but anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx-eCiNkOBQ&feature=related

I must have gone blind. I can't see the table in the article published today.

What is your preferred starting XI? I'll have a go, in a 4-4-2 narrow diamond: Casillas Capdevilla Pique Puyol Ramos Senna Xavi Iniesta Silva Torres Villa

Wonder what/when we'll hear from Milner.

Nice one.

Any odds on no African team to get out their group?

It all starts with 23p on a scorecast, then it soon turns into betting your entire student loan on African football. Slippery slope, just you see.

Was just about to post that, OM. Makes for very interesting reading.

I reckon I'll have a dabble with some specific Inter v Bayern and Cardiff v Blackpool ones. I'm calling it a (financially irresponsible) break from revision.

it's rerlative.......if rodwell (according to some members of the press) is worth £13mill then milner is worth that and more. (i personally think its all shit apart from 2 clubs who can pay several million for a tea lady) Double it and we'll talk.

In for either.

I'd expect you to get beat at San Mamés. And you underestimate Getafe and Villarreal. I'm not saying we'd go there and beat them but over 2 legs I don't see why we'd get beat by any of them, given one-off 2-legged ties, assuming we play 'well'. Villarreal would probably cause us most problems. Obviously, I'm biased.

Purely as an example, I'd expect us to beat all those teams mentioned at home and I don't see why we'd get beat at any of them away. Mallorca perhaps.

One year left on it. He's either: a) Putting himself in the shop window and looking to generate interest (more interest if you believe the rumours of Tottenham and Man Utd being interested in him already) on the biggest footballing stage (mind, not sure how much he can do with the team he's in), or; b) We're not meeting his wage demands, rightfully or wrongly. I'd assume he'll want to be in line with the top earners at the club and he's got a point there.

A few rumours: Pienaar is stalling on signing a new deal and won't do anything until after the World Cup. We're after Martin Petrov but his wage demands may be a bit much. We're after Jan Vertonghen but Jol doesn't want to sell. Make of those what you will, the only one I can see being truthful is, unfortunately, the first one.

I quite like it.

Go Ahead Eagles.

I think the fact it's the most important competition is the reason why it makes so much sense. It's hardly a wholesale change of rules. Now everyone will see what FIFA deem to be the official rule on a certain aspect of the game, on the world's greatest footballing stage.