Village Idiot

Mourinho's at the game, according to our media.

Although an incredible game, the fact that 2 of the goals were penalties, takes the shine off for me a little. Also, if Nolan had scored that golden chance at the end to win it. Of course I also watched a certain CL game but I'm not having that.

Every time I have seen you play (20-30 games in the last 3 seasons), I've only seen you lose twice: against Arsenal last year and against Reading this one. My favorite NUFC game is the 4-4 draw against Arsenal. Magic stuff.

No, but they would still be in the Spanish Segunda B without Udinese's players. And of course their fans are over the moon about it, but it's cheating against other modest clubs that don't spend and don't have half their squad given for free from Italy. This is the Segunda B that's filled with self-sufficient, modest-spending clubs like Mallorca B, Espanol B, Real Sociedad B etc etc? And kept out of the next division up by Real Madrid B, Barca B etc etc.? I've always been proud of the way the English leagues have avoided letting, say, Spurs B play - even though that runs counter to my own interests. Watford are corrupting that, in a slightly obscure way. And I say that as someone who almost certainly has more of an interest in Watford doing well than anyone on here bar GG - my Dad goes regularly with a mate, and I've been to dozens of games at Vicarage Rd. It just feels wrong to me, in the same way as the loan system (as currently practiced) feels wrong. Well, the way our system evolved the feeder teams were genuinely independent teams that entered loan agreements with big teams, over time they were absorbed. A lot of those B sides have huge traditions that harken back to the 1950s or even before. Barça B even played in Primera División one year (the team was split off Barça for obvious reasons). I agree that B teams shouldn't be allowed in Segunda in place of proper teams, but the Segunda B is so huge (80 teams) that I have less problems with that. It helps us develop our youngsters immensely, one of the reasons loans aren't as prevalent in Spain I guess.

Potentially WOAT, imho. Barça: 2-6 at the Bernabéu in 2008. Obvious motives, also a cracking game of football where Real Madrid started winning and would have jumped above us in the table in Guardiola's first year. The game that started it all for us. Spain: 4-0 against Italy in the Euros. Best performance against a top tier side I have witnessed. Neutral: so many to chose from... the Istanbul final possibly. No other way to look at it, easily one of the most memorable finals of all time.

That's what I mean, Atlético fans are proud about their striker lineage, Negredo won't be enough.

Negredo isn't shiny enough to replace Falcao. Shallow, but the board is universally hated by the fans and I'm sure they'll go for somebody more glamorous to appease them. Same happened when they sold Agüero.

Aye, he's been great for country. That's why I think he'll still start in the ConfeCup, with Mata probably thrown in later on. VdB rarely makes much changes. He understands the strength of team cohesion in international tournaments and usually edges that over player form, evolving the side rather slowly.

Busquets has looked tired towards the end of the season and has nursed injuries, but he's had a great year until that.

Something like that. Mata has never been a starter for Del Bosque, he's always preferred Pedro, but that might change after the season's Mata just had. I'm not too sure about Villa's role given age and fitness, so we could be back to 460 with Cesc upfront.

No, but they would still be in the Spanish Segunda B without Udinese's players. And of course their fans are over the moon about it, but it's cheating against other modest clubs that don't spend and don't have half their squad given for free from Italy.

Half of Granada's starting XI is actually owned by Udinese. That's not self-sufficient.

If Watford get promoted they'll own a first division club in each of the major leagues bar Germany, which they'll use for their revolving door loan policy. They are just a player agency. I don't think you can call "sustainable" the crazy system they've built up with players moving around between their clubs in troves every season.

Nothing against Watford as a club, but the Pozzo's march towards world domination must be stopped.

Javi García will probable get axed from the final 23-man list. The 3 CBs is a bit iffy, with Puyol heading to the scrap yard that was a great chance to give somebody like Iñigo Martínez a taste of international competition. Martínez can fill in as CB in a pinch I guess. Del Bosque is the one that started playing Cesc as deep-lying 9, guess he sees him in that role going forward. I personally think he's largely ineffectual. He naturally drops deep, keeps ball, looks up to find a pass... and there's nobody in the box since he's the supposed striker.

Honestly man, I haven't counted them but there's a pretty good chance that Benfica has more trophies than Barça. Losing a treble like that does suck, but you'll be back there in no time.

Confederations Cup Spain squad: Porteros: Casillas (Real Madrid), Reina (Liverpool) y Valdés (Barcelona). Defensas: Monreal (Arsenal), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Albiol (Real Madrid), Piqué (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Azpilicueta (Chelsea) y Arbeloa (Real Madrid). Centrocampistas: Iniesta (Barcelona), Cazorla (Arsenal), Busquets (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) y Javi Martínez (Bayern de Múnich), Javi García (Manchester City), Beñat (Betis). Delanteros: Mata (Chelsea), Silva (Manchester City), Cesc Fábregas (Barcelona), Pedro (Barcelona), Jesús Navas (Sevilla), Villa (Barcelona) y Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Soldado (Valencia). Fábregas listed as "forward" Howay 4-6-0

Typical Ibra, should be him leaving, PSG have been there longer.

Sevilla are probably going to be forced to sell Negredo, would fit the "target man that actually isn't too shit on the floor" bill. Sevilla will probably demand a truckload given the season he's just had, though, but I can't see any of the really big English/Italian teams going for him.

That'd probably be a bigger achievement than actually winning a trophy. But not even Souness' superpowers could achieve such a thing, right? RIGHT???

Yeah, alright, see if you're still laughing when he takes over Barca Won't sleep tight tonight. Souness managing Barça and us finishing third or fourth

I know nobody would be so deranged, but I genuinely would love Souness to take another managerial job. In the same way twisted people enjoy watching train crashes and such.

I'll go out of a limb and claim that you'll still be the second biggest team in Portugal. Not enough for us. Hey, I'm supposed to be the big club twat around here. And Mike.

I *do* miss the CWC though. It made winning a domestic cup so much more special.

I'll go out of a limb and claim that you'll still be the second biggest team in Portugal.