Village Idiot

Is people's Rooney playing? I might tune in. Or is the non-fun Korea playing? I'm not paying that much attention.

I don't rate Vela at all, seems all style and no substance. I know he's still breaking through but every time I see him playing for Arsenal he's completely ineffectual.

Romário was the most technically gifted player I have ever seen. Sadly he was lazy and complacent. But really, his skill was utterly ridiculous. Current Real Madrid DoF Jorge Valdano used to say that he was a cartoon character because what he could do with a ball wasn't possible for real people.

I seem to recall the wife was pretty fit. Good transfer then

Peach of a cross that.

Marca claiming that Mou will win the manager Ballon d'Or later today, despite initial reports that Del Bosque was favorite. They also claim that Xavi could be close to an upset in the player category too. I love Iniesta but I hope it's true.

Insurance has got nothing to do with it. LAG are agreeing to a 2 month loan, Spurs want it for the season, you can't have Beckham occupying one of the 25 man squad only to leave after about 6 weeks. Same with the CL squad. AEG, Spurs' Olympic Stadium partners and investors in LAG, are trying to sort out a compromise. Will Bentley stay put if the Beckham deal doesn't go ahead?

If Maradona ended up in Spain his feuds with Mourinho could become stuff of legends. Make it happen.

He really isn't. His Argentina team was retardedly conservative given the talent at his disposal. That said, having him manage in the Prem would be simply amazing from an entertainment perspective.

I can't disagree, it was a real disappointment that season and surreal in many ways. The kind of year where you think did that actually happen. Such a huge difference in such a short space of time in terms of football, players and good times on the pitch. Awful season from start to finish. Didn't he manage you to a second place? People around here seem very critical about his reign, and I wonder why. I know he left you midtable when he was sacked, but you got the FA final, Shearer was injuried afterall... Not doubting he was bad for you, just wondering what happened exactly. Dalglish was very unlucky in a sense as he kept Keegan's side intact on the whole, although Shearer picked up a horrible injury on the eve of 97/98 and it threw our plans into disarray. Prior to that he'd guided the side to an unlikely second place and our first crack at the Champions League. He quickly got rid of Ginola, the club decided to cash in on Ferdinand and he bought in a mix bag of players inclduing infamously three in Rush, Pearce and Barnes who were very much in the twilight of their careers. Tomasson never took off here and Ketsbaia was very erratic. 97/98 would have been a lot better with a fit Shearer leading the line. We had a failry easy passage to the Cup Final but Dalglish was outrageously timid against Arsenal, playing for a 0-0 draw it seemed. We were easily beaten 2-0 and despite staying on for the summer, many fans were sickened by the cowardice at the cup final and had lost faith in him. Despite spending quite a bit of money in the summer of 98, Dalglish was sacked after a poor home goalless draw to newly promoted 10 man Charlton and a credible 1-1 at Chelsea. Thanks for the NUFC history lesson. My vision of him many be distorted by *that* game.

I can't disagree, it was a real disappointment that season and surreal in many ways. The kind of year where you think did that actually happen. Such a huge difference in such a short space of time in terms of football, players and good times on the pitch. Awful season from start to finish. Didn't he manage you to a second place? People around here seem very critical about his reign, and I wonder why. I know he left you midtable when he was sacked, but you got the FA final, Shearer was injuried afterall... Not doubting he was bad for you, just wondering what happened exactly.

That's the thing though VI, Messi will out-trophy him every single time, and in three season you'll have a player named Ganso who probably will be there winning battling it out and probably winning it in 2014 if Brazil wins the World Cup. I have my doubts Ronaldo will win it 3 times and if he does, than you can also remember that Ronaldo missed two whole year right after he peaked as a footballer which probably would've brought him at least one trophy. The real Ronaldo was also a big match winner, something CRonaldo isn't. Ronaldo scoring three past Man Utd in that Champions League tie for Real is just classic. I really hope so!

He can be chosen 3 times BPITW, already has one and he only needs to out-trophy Messi in a couple seasons in the next five years to get that. Portugal are shit though.

Well, looks like we'll have to win this Scotland-style.

Kaká for Albiol, Mou going for it.

D'oh, just noticed Jozy Altidore in the Villarreal bench, had forgot they owned him.

Wonder why more players don't try the corner goal more often. It's very hard to save and surely it can be trained.

Cesc has 58 and he's 23.

Llorente will be an excellent signing (sadly) if true. But it will be a test to play until May with only Benzema (and Cronaldo) as senior strikers.

Given how vocal Mou has been about it, and how the Madrid board haven't budged I think they finally have reached the bottom of the budget barrel.

First whistles at the Bernabéu, shit fans as usual.

1-2 after barely 15 mins, what a game ffs

Mmmm... Zabaleta in for Jo. Is Mancini going for the draw?

Heh, Given doesn't even play in the cup.

I admit to not really having watched much of Liverpool this season out of boredom, but last season Lucas seemed a rather nothing player to me.