Village Idiot

Vassell-esque welcoming for Fernandes, too. http://www.bjk.com.tr/tr/medya.php?rn=31556 http://www.bjk.com.tr/tr/medya.php?rn=31558

Yes, Manuel Fernandes.

Today it's the tenth anniversary of Messi's signing for Barça. Reixach you lazy cunt, you're forgiven all your sins for scouting him

Besiktas stacking up on Portuguese, Fernandes and Hugo Almeida join Simao as January signings for them. Marca reporting that Real Madrid have asked Dortmund about Lucas Barrios.

There's been a surge in Spanish people addicted to wow with the new expansion. Some people I'd have never thought have confessed to me they are hooked.

West Ham tbh, they're still banging on about the bullshit "West Ham way" 35 years later. Bunch of deluded cretins. But... they won the World Cup!

That's what Del Bosque's Spain lacked. He was too conservative (fair enough, he won us the damn cup) and we never commited so many midfield players into the last third as Barça or Madrid do. So our passing didn't really go anywhere.

Lass had a great game. I expect him to start for Madrid regularly again. His biggest weakness has always been tactical indiscipline (he tries to do too much) and if somebody can hammer some sense into him on that regard is José Mourinho. When I saw Alves in the f***ing central striker position for Messi's goal I had a total football-gasm. On the Alves point, that goal was absolutely outstanding. Was it three one-twos between them? He was in the six yard box by the time Villa tucked in that first goal too. The mazy dribble he went on at another point (when he had chances to do his usual long shot but faked it two/three times instead) was awesome as well. I know it's "easy" when you have such a world-class team to play with your fullbacks so advanced and with a defensive midfielder dropping in to turn the backline into a wide three, but man it's beautiful to watch. I love how the fullback position is becoming so, so key these days. They are regularly the players who spend the most time on the ball/get the most touches of the ball in any given match (even in the slightly lower levels of English football) and so when you get a particularly good one who can actually do something with that opportunity and contribute to much to the attacking schema of a team, it makes me a happy happy man. It's beautiful isn't it? Commiting your fullbacks allows your wingers to cut in while keeping width and crossing options while packing the box with players that are going to stretch and confuse their backline. Plus they are great counterattacking outlets. You can do so much with a good/great fullback.

Lass had a great game. I expect him to start for Madrid regularly again. His biggest weakness has always been tactical indiscipline (he tries to do too much) and if somebody can hammer some sense into him on that regard is José Mourinho. When I saw Alves in the f***ing central striker position for Messi's goal I had a total football-gasm.

The only thing you lack is a genuine target man option. I think the idea behind the signing of Zlatan was to obtain this, however the management clearly didn't realise that Zlatan is actually a pretty poor headerer of the ball and has never in his entire career been a target man. I don't think it was the heading power what we were after. In his first (good) days at Barça we'd lump the ball in the box and he would bring it down to his feet with amazing technique. If we need a target man option it has to be a squad-ish player, the problem with Zlatan is that he ultimately didn't fit the way we played and he was meant to start every game. Seeing Villa buzzing around making runs and switching seamlessly with the other frontmen has really made me realize what we were missing last year. Larsson was a great target man for us on this mould.

I'll keep Villa for now, thanks. Not sure we are capable of lifting a ball more than 6 feet high anyway.

Rooney is completely in tatters. What the hell has happened to him?

FFS I can't do this. Go Arse!

Wilshere was having a good game though.

Haven't seen a player going from so brilliant to so shit in 18 months since 2008's Ronaldinho.

I don't, and I ordinarily "support" Arsenal out of the Big 4, but... I want Cesc

I'm so torn on this game. I'll just go neutral I guess.

Cyclist called José Enrique Gutiérrez aswell! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Enrique_Guti%C3%A9rrez Rather common Spanish names, though (José Enrique / Gutiérrez)

Just came back from work and saw the news. Absolutely made my day this

We do have that in Spain too. Barça and Villarreal have their B teams in the second flight (and Atlético and Real Madrid had theirs too recently). Regulations are that you can call B-registered players to the main squad at will, with a limit of 5 in any given squad. B teams can be promoted up to a division lower than the main squad and they can't play in the cups. It's been invaluable as a way to give competitive football to our top talents, while keeping them "inhouse" (so, say, Thiago can train with Messi/Xavi/Iniesta during the week and then go play against the likes of Betis or Celta).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38225000/jpg/_38225094_sabrosa220.jpg

I think they are looking to pull a Maxi. He's on high wages and finishing contract, they aren't going to offer a new one in the same terms so rather get a little cash.

Averages to around 1 pass every six seconds.

Jerome always struck me as a pacy forward.