Village Idiot

Not a player they truly needed, but there isn't that much "gettable" Basque talent out there for them. Beñat was probably the best one.

Beñat to Athletic for €8m. To be unveiled this week according to Marca.

Xavi is 33, Iniesta is 29. Fàbregas is 26, Thiago is 22. This is what we're trying to do when we bought Fàbregas and promoted Thiago. A line of succession.

Starting to think no one saw us beat them. Or Switzerland. Both the only two competitive games we've lost since 2008. I think we'll be fine for a few more years. Xavi and Alonso are the oldest players that need replacement in the short term, and people like Fàbregas or Martínez are more than good enough to take over their roles.

Thiago and Isco are very different players though. The fact they play together in the U21s should be a hint

Thiago is still very, very green. He has all the talent in the world, but makes lots of mistakes still. He suffers from what I call the "De La Peña" syndrome, where he tries to show how good he is with every ball he touches, which costs him a lot of mistakes. He isn't ready for all the first team football he thinks he deserves, and has had a particularly awful season until the U21 tournament. Madrid's midfield tore him to shreds in La Liga, for example. But losing him would be a mistake, since the potential is there, technically he's a marvel to behold. And I think it's a mistake for him to go to the Premier League.

Disagree with the first statement nearly as much as I disagree about Brazils strikers being better than Germany and Spain's. Fabregas has become very underrated recently too. I may be biased, but Busquets is a truly excellent player in his role. Possibly one of the players with best defensive positioning in the planet, one of those players that seems to be everywhere without really having great athleticism. Plus he does everything simple and rarely makes mistakes. The silver lining about Thiago leaving is that our weakened depth in midfield would make Fàbregas to play there again. Why Spain and Barça play him so much as #10 or even deep striker is a mistery to me. I haven't seen a single good game from him in that position. Our best football from last season was produced with Fàbregas on the wing, though. When him, Xavi and Iniesta linked up it was

No, although everybody expects it to be resolved this week, either way. The fact that Guardiola indirectly talked about him in his presentation yesterday makes people believe Bayern would be in the mix too. Anyway, I hope it's solved soon so I can finally let off steam and get pissed off. I've been in this annoying pre-pissed off state since the rumors started almost a month ago.

We were pretty shit yesterday actually. Lopetegi is such an awful manager, fortunately the guys upfront were good enough to get at least one, but Ghana deserved more. I believe the first well-drilled team we encounter will do us, though, we just rely on the individual brilliance of the likes of Suárez/Deulofeu/Jesé.

We should just sell Ibiza to the UK and solve our sovereign debt problem. You have already spoiled it anyway.

Italy - Spain is too old hat already, we seem to play them every f***ing tournament. Would really love to play Brazil, so I hope we both get to the final.

How highly do you rate Spanish Segunda as a league mate? Considering he scored 11, and had 17 assists at that level, I don't know how the league compares to Championship for example. Never seen him play, so can't judge. But he'll be replacing Shelvey in the squad whom I expect to be sold for a similar figure. Thing about Spanish Segunda is that there's acres of space, teams mostly stand off. It makes for some very watchable and technical games compared to, say, the C'ship, but the adjustment for players going up can be brutal. I often see people racking up 20+ goals in Segunda having Heskey-esque records in our first division. Alberto is a decent player, I'd have him for a midtable or lower team, I suppose that if he's just meant to be around the squad it'll be fine, but young players have to play.

One of our newspapers is reporting that Stoichkov has bought CSKA Sofia. Him as a club owner

They are quite different, although they play in the same position. Anyway, he's just 21 and it's a bit premature, he's a hell of a prospect though.

Luís Alberto to Liverpool. He was on loan at Barça B this season, he did quite well but I really don't think he's good enough for this level. Isco to RM was obvious but still pisses me off. He's too good.

I really hope that doesn't mean we are buying Reina.

That's shocking They were talking about that yesterday, his 3 international hattricks are against San Marino, New Zealand and Tahiti

Personally I think going to you is the wrong choice, but oh well...

He will change the tide of their season.

Reina; Azpilicueta, Ramos, Albiol, Monreal; Javi Martínez, Cazorla; Silva, Mata, Villa; y Torres. Our second XI bar Ramos, he's even rotated Casillas out

Where does this "I'd be honored" meme come from?

Everyone around here taking for granted Thiago is leaving for ManU, by the way.

A Japanese friend of mine told me he's pretty much "Mr Japanese football" and that they had done whatever it took to keep him in the league. Endo Donovan Good comparison, probably. He told me he's the most popular player over there, over people like Kagawa or Honda.

A Japanese friend of mine told me he's pretty much "Mr Japanese football" and that they had done whatever it took to keep him in the league.

Squillaci was so awful in La Liga, still don't get what possessed Wenger to sign him. He's weak as piss, I remember Messi outmuscling him for a goal a few seasons ago. Messi