Village Idiot

Aye, just read it. What an utter knob.

Guy Roux has said that "Benzema misses his mum" http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes/sombria/indolencia/Benzema/elpepidep/20101028elpepidep_4/Tes (Only in Spanish sorry)

What's your judgement on Ireland (if you're still around). I had hopes of him getting near his form of two seasons ago but doesn't seem to be shining for Villa yet.

Stay tuned, now it's when they'll say the fact the club has had to come out and back him proves that he was under pressure to begin with.

The skin looks suitably red around the tat, though. Pretty attention to detail for a 'shop.

Looks like another tatoo fracas from a Manchester City fan: http://www.heavensports.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/waynerooneytattoo.jpg

They still have days off and draw against a third tier team with most of first teamers playing. He's not unbeatable.

Betis stadium has been renamed back to "Benito Villamarín" after former owner Manuel Ruíz de Lopera renamed him after himself. Should have never happened in the first place, good to see that happening.

I'm not a sports scientist or an expert in fitness, but rugby players that are 6'3" and built like tanks can batter their way through 80 minutes of high-speed action. There might be a slight reduction in stamina compared to the build of a distance runner, but football is a game of sprints, not a marathon. I would much rather have a team of Enriques than any other build. Yank football has a ridiculously low amount of actual playing time, I seem to recall it was little over 10 minutes with all the stoppage. Plus given that you play two different squads depending if you are in offence or defence, at the end players only need to exert themselves for low amounts of time. On the other hand, an average football player runs over 10km in a match.

It, however, reduces your stamina. It's not about being quick at the kickoff, it's about being quick when you're chasing their winger at minute 60.

Would love to see José Enrique get a run in the Spain shirt, but he hasn't much buzz right now. Not playing in La Liga or Europe makes it harder for him to get noticed.

El Mundo Deportivo reporting that Manchester United have inquired Guardiola's agent regarding his future. EDIT: Goal.com has picked it up http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2010/10/27/2185284/manchester-united-boss-sir-alex-ferguson-sees-barcelona-head

In Spanish it's pronounced I-nies-ta, though. Agüero would tie Ameobi, but again in Spanish it's A-güe-ro and not A-gü-e-ro.

Hope Xavi gets it, goddarn time a Spanish player wins this thing again. Last one was Suárez in 1961 which is utterly ridiculous

Alonso? Didn't play today, Granero is a poor version of him. There was Canales in there too, who's still too green.

Madrid drew 0-0 against Murcia in the Copa del Rey, goes to show that they'll struggle as much as we do when teams start bunkering down against them.

Early days. You forget they had similar runs last season (which was a record one for them afterall). Going to be hard to beat them of course, but I fancy us still.

You did him a favour, since Jonás was in front of him in Mallorca's picking order.

They had 56 shots on goal against PAOK. They definitely did not. If he means Panathinaikos, we had just 12 (+8 off goal). We have 70+ possession against most teams we play. One of the reasons is that nowadays everybody turtles up against us.

2006 was a shit World Cup striker-wise anyway.

If it was all about getting a better contract it's a rather clumsy way to do it. He more or less said that his mates are shit and the club is headed to the gutter, but now he'll need to backpedal on that. But he got what he wanted I guess.

I honestly can't see why an employer should be entitled to keep any rights over an employee after the contract finishes, really, no matter if he earns 400 pw or 200000. I understand the huge transfer fees distort the issue but that's something the clubs themselves are to blame for, actually.

I just caught a bit of their EL game and I hope to god it's true.

To be honest in Spain players have been free to leave after their contracts end since the 1960s (and without the age limit of Bosman's ruling), so I don't think it's the big deal people make it out to be. It always made sense to me, to be honest.

Özil has started well at Real, no way he'll be moved on. Benzema, Gago/Lass, Kaka... are more likely candidates.