Village Idiot

Interesting record for Benzema. Most consecutive goals scored for Real Madrid (8) without anybody else scoring for the team. He might still extend it...

I missed the Hennessey drama, but I got this amazing Guardian headline instead.

Guedes is getting his last season's form back when Valencia needed it the most. Big turnaround to their season btw. They started like shit but they are 2 points adrift of 4th place, in a cup final, and in the EL semis.

Huge win for Getafe. They look nearly certain to capture that 4th CL spot!

Is that his 10th goal of the season? First time he hits double figures in the Prem He's still 25, I'm still holding out that he'll eventually sort his focus problems and go on to become a solid scorer.

Aspas is having another monster season. He's going to single-handedly keep Celta up. Pity he seems unable to perform at this level away from Vigo.

The Referee Committee of La Liga releases some VAR stats regularly. These are up to Game 31, so nearly the full season: - A VAR decision has been made every 3,56 games - 6,25% of goal decisions have been changed after checking VAR - Average delay has been 69 seconds when the referee didn't ask to watch the replay himself, and 115 when he did - They also estimate that the rate of right decisions made by refs in the penalty box has gone up 4,79% (to 98,24%) thanks to VAR. Given that VAR usually only gets involved in key decisions, that seems like a very positive change (note that it's the refs themselves releasing this info, so it will be skewed to make them look good). All in all, I'm really happy with VAR, and my only issues with it are ones of procedure (what gets and doesn't get checked). Most controversy in La Liga nowadays is why this key decision wasn't reviewed by VAR, or decisions that were unclear even with VAR. But when VAR gets drawn into it, it usually provides a good decision and it's refreshingly healthy to know that refereeing errors are much less influential in the game. The dreaded "we're going to get 3432354 penalties every game!" effect was real in the first weeks of the season, but the number of penalties has gone down to more normal levels since - whether that's players or referees adjusting I don't know, though. Probably a bit of both.

Really looking forward playing Liverpool, btw. It's a side I've been wanting to play while we're still a top dog (aka, Messi can still walk and hit a ball).

Got the feeling Spurs are going to win this. No rationale whatsoever, just that after yesterday they seem to have the Mandate of Heaven.

Next one on the list who's still an active player is Benzema at 60. Next one who's also under 30 y/o is Müller at 42. Yeah, can't see anyone approaching 100 goals in quite a while.

This really felt like a defeat.

My impression watching the game was "damn, we're shit today". And then, 15 minutes later "well, they're worse".

Aha, it's a double ban. 4 for the insults (which fits precedent, as I said), and another 4 for manhandling the ref afterwards.

That seems rather excessive... I recall similar offenses (insulting the refs) getting half that. Although in most cases the player had later apologized, which Costa IIRC hasn't.

Please, tell me this somehow makes him more likely to sell NUFC. Even if it's a lie.

The Spanish FA has forwarded plans to reshape the Copa del Rey and making it more like the FA Cup. All ties single-game in the stadium of the lowest-ranked one, except the semifinals which will be played in the current format. This is great news, and although top teams will enter the third round, it should enable more upsets. This used to be a trophy that mid-tier la liga teams had a chance of winning, but Barça and Real Madrid have now won 9 out of the last 11 cups.

First win ever at OT for us! It took long...

Seems odd to bring in Zidane when the team has nothing to play for and nobody clearly gives a fuck on the pitch. I'd rather have kept Solari to eat all the shit until summer and then bring in Zidane.

Álex Pozuelo, average Spanish player playing in Belgium, somehow gets a DP slot at Toronto and scores twice and assists one in his debut, looking like a superstar throughout. Dunno what happened there. I guess MLS has a lower standard than I thought.

Atlético - Barça just set the record for most attended official women's football club game of all time: 60k at Wanda Stadium. Both teams are fighting it out to win the Spanish women's league. Barça won 0-2 but Atlético are still 3 points clear at the top.

Hilarious if Villarreal end up winning the EL and get relegated in the same season. Play Polideportivo Ejido on Sunday, Bayern on Wednesday.

Spain will have done it in the last few years probably Aye. Tired of it. Please God can we end their domination. No rush.

My aunt is getting hitched next month and today they had a massive row with the groom because he insists on being married wearing an Inter tie. God, I love Italians.

Gotta say I didn't see this one coming. I guess they'll have promised him massive investment and freedom to sack people. I also suspect that he wanted to try and get the France job after the WC, but obviously this didn't come to pass.

Peter Crouch playing in the PL in the year of the lord of 2019. Totally thought he would be retired or in the lower leagues by now.