ponsaelius

Xavi's passing range and general metronome style of play is so important to the way you play. I actually find it interesting because I was looking at the 06 Champions League final the other day and the midfield was Deco-Edmilson-Van Bommell. I can't even imagine Barcelona without Xavi for some reason,he seems to embody everything about Barca and their style of play. Was he not as much of a key player that season? Or is there another reason why he didn't play? EDIT: Wiki tells me he tore the ligaments in his left knee and was out for 5 months. Saves you pointing it out for me!

Inter won 0-4 at the Olimpico last season didn't they? Sure I remember Obinna scoring a screamer Anyway, they're a different team to the team they were under Spalletti. Really looking forward to the game though.

Inter should just cash in on him to City/Madrid. Probably City, they like to collect cuntish footballers it seems. You wouldn't of appreciated the ITV commentary of the Inter - Chelsea game, they never called it the Giuseppe Meazza once throughout the entire broadcast. They even used 'Milan' to describe Inter a few times.

Just seen the photos and video of Balotelli wearing a Milan shirt. Damn that boy is flat out stupid.

Juventus are just pathetic now tbh.

Roma - Inter at the weekend. Should be a cracking game that.

Good to see Eto'o scoring, seems he's struggled to adapt to Serie A this season (kinda like Ibra with Barca I guess). Cassano on the scoresheet again for Sampdoria. Absolutely superb player when he wants to be that boy.

http://www.soccerfiesta.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/mark_de_man.jpg Mark De Man. A Belgian central defender.

Prem, Champ, La Liga and Serie A tonight. Love random mid-week football tbh.

Real shame if this is true like. Hopefully nothing too serious.

May aswell just play Pancrate upfront. We need some kind of pace and movement up there even if it is directionless, clueless movement. Can't really be much worse than Best tbh.

I can safely say I've got a collection of games involving all three of those whereby I can say I've safely seen enough of them to judge. So you've just judged people on this forum for posting comments about players who they no doubt won't have seen then post something like that. I've seen limited footage of the likes of Best and Maradona, and the odd grainy image of some goals Pele scored in World Cups. I'm not going to form a concise opinion of that, so fair point there's obviously alot of people who are likely to judge them players more accurately than me. I don't really want to get into a debate about this because it's an argument that can never truly be solved, but how much have you actually seen of them players? A few games? a few highlights? I'm sure there isn't that much footage around concisely to portray the genius that goes with their reputations - especially so with Pele. Have you really seen enough to tell me they're better players than Messi? For all I know they very well might have been, and the kind of career statistics they have go along way to defending that - but to concisely rule out Messi being anywhere near these players is just wrong. He's pretty much nearly done as much as these players and he's just 22 - if he goes on to do it at the World Cup (which seems to be the one thing that gets you the untouchable status) I don't think you can doubt he's up there.

Messi is well on the way to being the best player ever imo. Most people on this forum coudn't comment on the likes of Maradona, Best, Pele because they never actually saw them play, it's their reputations that carry them. The only way to judge them players against each other is through video footage, stats and honours - and Messi is well on his way to beating them players on all of these things. He'll have been voted the best player in the world twice before he's even 22 man, no player ever comes close to that. He's scored more goals of sheer individual magic than Maradona did in his career and he's only 22. There'll never br a consise way of comparing players of different generations but the way he's going by the time he is 30 he will statistcally be the best footballer ever. It's certainly not ridiculous to make that assumption.

Ansaldi is it? Aye, he looks a very decent player.

Derbyshire came off the bench to score the winner against Panathinaikos yesterday. He's a real cult hero over there now, and got a cracking goalscoring record aswell - 11 in 18 in the league. Been said before but more Englishmen should go abroad.

Pedersen has looked absolute shite for ages. Starting to look like he gives a shit a little bit more this season, which is no surprise considering he's now playing for a contract.

Hmm, nah. Same reason I wouldn't want to have any open top bus parades or owt.

Whatever superpower Messi has.

Cassano with an absolute cracker today. Terrible keeping though.

It's the missed chances I can't believe. I've seen him have quiet games for a number of reasons but I've never seen him this pathetic infront of goal. Painful.

I've watched Zlatan for pretty much his entire career in Italy and I've never seen him this unbelievably shit. For fucks sake man, seriously hope that absolute giftgoal Messi has given him with the pen will atleast take the pressure off. He looks absolutely distraught atm.

0-1, Messi.

Any reason why Xavi and Iniesta aren't playing VI? Just being rested? Seems a bit of a risk, it's not as if you're sailing away with the title.

Valencia may not have been a direct replacement for Ronaldo as they are totally different players and the latter is an absolute class above, but signing Valencia has been a masterstroke imo. Valencia has contributed a big part to Rooney's immergence in his simple, effective wingplay providing crosses for Rooney. Man U haven't had natural width for ages and Ronaldo exiting has given them the shape to get the best out of Rooney. Credit to Fletcher aswell though because he's turned into a really good player. Always saw him as a bit of an underrated grafting type midfielder but he's got some ability to go with it.