Village Idiot

It's a throwback to the away kit of the Cruyff/Robson era, it was ugly as f*** in the 1990s but now it's vintage http://www.blaugranas.com/media/galeria/25/2/4/2/1/n_f_c_barcelona_ronaldo_luiz_nazario-31242.jpg The home kit is our classic design for most of the 1970s-1990s, with four red stripes, about time we got one like that.

Villa was wearing our new home shirt during his unveiling, just a couple hours ago. http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/gif/20100521/maravilla6.jpg Looks like our 1980s shirts, I'll try to find a better photo.

Funny thing, Real Madrid will actually profit a bit more from their criticized sales of Robben and Sneijder since they stand to collect an amount around €3m as bonus when either wins the CL. Atlético have denied having received an offer from ManU for Agüero.

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I'm fine with Maxwell as a backup, he's cheap and decent enough against most opposition we'll meet throughout a year. But Eric has been injured a lot this season and has missed a lot of key games. I guess we can wait a year before replacing him though, 31 is still a decent age for a leftback and he's been very good for us. I'm just worried about his fitness after all the muscle problems he's had this season.

Aren't you? I'm pretty sure Liverpool have more than 3 installments for Aquilani for example, but that might be different as it involves a non-English club.

I love the expression "warchest". Amusing wikipedia entry too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_chest

I know but Kolarov is a liability everywhere.. can't cross to save his life Haven't seen him play much to be honest. Really need to start paying more attention to Serie A. They used to be linked with Filipe Luis from Depor, who's been true class these past two seasons. Hope they forget about him (and I'd love to see us revive our interest, Abidal isn't getting any younger and is injured a lot).

Marcelo is a liability at the back. Very decent going forward so they have tried to convert him to a winger.

Shame about Cazorla. No idea if he's been good or not since the Euros, but he's one of my first buys on FM when I'm a decent club. He's had an injury-ridden season sadly. He's a pretty decent player, but he's lost his spot to Pedro. If somebody told me this time last year that Pedro would be in the World Cup squad... what a step-up.

Real Madrid's transfer kitty is apparently €80m this season. Diego Milito, Kolarov and Maicon added today to the usual merry-go-round.

Might as well post last year's awards. Contrarily to the English ones, they are given out right before the next season starts, so the new ones won't be known until August. LFP Awards 2008-2009: Best Player: Leo Messi Best Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas Best Manager: Josep Guardiola Best Defender: Dani Alves Best Midfielder: Xavi Hernández Best Attacking Midfielder: Andrés Iniesta Best Forward: Leo Messi Best New Player: Sergio Busquets Fair Play Award: Juan Carlos Valerón

Busquets is the current holder Piqué isn't eligible for it, since it's only awarded to "new" players. Pedro is the frontrunner for sure.

Aye, that's Silva off to Madrid.

Busquets is a better defensive midfielder, particularly in La Liga. Touré isn't as tactically disciplined as he is, and loses his position often when going on forward runs or just tries to cover too much field. Busquets doesn't have Touré's physical attributes of course, but that's why I think Touré is better when not chained to the defensive role. Again, I would prefer we had both players and deployed one or another depending on the opposition.

Busquets. Javi Martínez. Piqué's been played there too. Was gonna say Alonso myself. So yes, yes they do. Xabi Alonso is decent in the holding role too. I consider him more of a playmaker though. In qualification we usually played him in the holding role against shit opposition and brought Busquets/Senna against tougher sides.

Busquets. Javi Martínez. Piqué's been played there too.

That would be a really good aquisition for Chelsea. Wouldn't sell him to Chelsea, who are Champions League rivals, if indeed he was to be sold. I could see Barca accepting a decent bid to offset all their spending though. Yeah, but can't go into the season with Busquets as our only DM... although I admit that I think Touré is a much better CM than DM.

Chelsea apparently has tabled a bid for Touré Yayá. Hope we keep him.

Sport got it wrong it seems. This is the official list: Casillas, Reina, Valdés, Albiol, Arbeloa, Capdevila, Marchena, Piqué, Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Cesc, Iniesta, Javi Martínez, Silva, Xavi, Navas, Mata, Pedro, Llorente, Fernando Torres and Villa. So no Güiza, De Gea, Senna (!), Diego López, Azpilicueta, Cazorla, Negredo. Big move to leave Senna out, but his legs are gone. Javi Martínez lacks his experience, but hopefully he'll rise up to the occasion and he is a very good player.

they we're lucky to get past barca, the away leg I have never seen a team dominate so much Palop was just great. They owe him a lot this year.

Australia could actually benefited to be lumped with the Asian qualifiers, playing some decent opposition instead of all those tiny island nations + New Zealand.

Yes, very irritating format. Reading Burnley's blurb I understand they appointing of Laws. They didn't even care

Mata of course. Güiza has no business in the national squad. Can't believe they didn't call Bojan or Soldado in his place for example.

Sport has published what they say is the Spanish squad that will be announced tomorrow: GKs: Casillas, Reina and Diego López. Defenders: Albiol, Arbeloa, Capdevila, Marchena, Piqué, Puyol and Sergio Ramos. Midfielders: Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Cesc, Iniesta, Senna, Silva and Xavi. Forwards: Navas, Pedro, Llorente, Torres, Villa and either Mata or Güiza So no Valdés, De Gea, Martínez, Azpilicueta, Cazorla or Negredo