Village Idiot

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

Man, I already love Villa http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/gif/20100519/e__archivo_photo_10_1_1_20100519_YBA01F2-2.tif6.jpg Luís Enrique

Fourth major trophy in 4 years for Sevilla. Great run.

Palop is going to win the Cup for Sevilla tbh. He was immense when we lost the tie against them and he's doing it again in the final.

Mejuto González. He's retiring this season, so they gave him the final as a parting gift even though he's been quite dodgy this season. He refereed the Istanbul CL final IIRC.

Where would he play in their line up? In place of Stephen Ireland? A bit harsh on Ireland, really good player him. Ireland hasn't played much this season. And Milner has the attributes that have seen Ireland dropped (workrate and tactical discipline). Nothing wrong with Ireland's workrate tbf. Last two seasons he has done extra training during the summer while all the other players were away to improve his fitness & strength. Every time I have seen him on the pitch for City he's looked lazy to me. Well, rather than lazy just not bothered to defend or press. ManU's goal in the derby was pretty much his fault for letting Scholes go.

Where would he play in their line up? In place of Stephen Ireland? A bit harsh on Ireland, really good player him. Ireland hasn't played much this season. And Milner has the attributes that have seen Ireland dropped (workrate and tactical discipline).

I don't get it, he's been extremely ineffectual this season and looked like he had his head elsewhere.

You only had one team in the semi finals this year, we had two, and they are both s****. If they qualified for the UEFA Cup that makes your league s*** then We have 4 wins and 6 finalists in the past 10 years. They all dropped out the champions league as they weren't able to compete in it. I'm sure if our 3rd and 4th placed teams were in it they would s*** all over it. Like Liverpool. And Sevilla and Valencia won the competition having qualified through the league. Espanyol and Alavés were finalists in the same way (Espanyol as cup winners actually). Atlético are the only side to win it after dropping out the CL.

I'd expect you to get beat at San Mamés. And you underestimate Getafe and Villarreal. I'm not saying we'd go there and beat them but over 2 legs I don't see why we'd get beat by any of them, given one-off 2-legged ties, assuming we play 'well'. Villarreal would probably cause us most problems. Obviously, I'm biased. On a side note I'd love to see Athletic playing English sides more often, they are by far the most British side in Spain.