Village Idiot

Neimar hasn't really set the world alight at Villarreal. Has done decently but I would imagine Brazil got better than that. Showed up more overall playing skill than goalscoring prowess, which might be the reason he's picked. I'm really worried about Kaká's fitness given how he's hardly been able to kick a ball regularly for Madrid this season.

Can't see what would Real Madrid do with Gerrard. Kaká has enough problems already getting a spot in the hole due to how crowded their attacking positions are.

Just checked, that Argentine squad isn't official. Maradona will appear to the media this afternoon (Argentine time) to announce it. It might still come out as being true, and it's just been filtered before time.

Aye, on paper that's the weakest Brazil squad in a while, but they have been pretty untouchable these past two years. I think Dunga's doing a great job.

Gaby Milito has been great since he came back from injury. Chuffed for him and hope he makes the final squad Cambiasso's omission isn't surprising. He hasn't featured much for Maradona.

All Spanish sports papers seem to report on the Villa thing, so seems it's pretty real. I love him, but he's a bit old... I'll reserve judgement until I see the money spunked on him. They say Wednesday could be the day it's made official. He'd be fine as a left winger, taking into account how our wingers play. We might even try putting Zlatan on the wing, though, in the same way we played Larsson there and switched with Eto'o at the center. We'll see. Higuaín said today that he wants to remain at Real Madrid but "anything can happen".

Aye, and they got shot of him after half a season. Have never seen such a quick fall from grace in any modern player. I also remember reading an article that he got fired in Vietnam after just one game

He seems to have reversed that stance, he's said several times this year that he would like to play in the PL.

But Betis has never been a title contender by any stretch of the imagination. Nor Atlético since the mid 1990s, which fits more with you. And yes, it was Denilson. They outbid us for him (fortunately).

Fabiano is Arshavin-lite in the case he seems to be always mouthing off that he wants to go and play elsewhere. So the Spurs link isn't foolish and Sevilla might want to cash in, particularly if he has a good WC.

What are the similarities between us and Newcastle? The Geordie/Catalan thing? Betis is a good shout, clownish ownership, passionate following, relegation... but I think Atlético is a more perennial case of building themselves up season after season and coming up wildly short almost every time. Plus they have a recent relegation.

Did they? He hasn't exactly been great in Serie A anyway. He wasn't a success in La Liga either (not entirely his fault), and his venture in LA has been mixed to say the least. They are managers, but I'd say Van Gaal and McLaren. Van Gaal was close to the sack during his early times at Bayern.

Marca claiming in today's issue that Barça will make official the signing of Villa as soon as the season finishes this weekend.

Senna hasn't had a good season, although his form and fitness has picked up a little in the past six months. But Arteta isn't competing with Senna, but with Iniesta, Silva, Cesc, Xavi... I would be surprised if he doesn't finally pick up his cap after the WC, however.

You just don't have any English player that gives what Hargreaves would. Even if it's a risk I'm pretty sure Capello will take him in his preliminary squad even if only to judge his fitness himself.

Can't see Senna starting, his legs are gone now. It will either be Xabi Alonso/Busquets depending on the opposition, although I expect Senna to be in the final squad even if only used sparingly, we just don't have anybody with that physicality in midfield. Javi Martínez could certainly do a very good job as DM, but might be too soon for him.

Can somebody tell me why we keep calling Dani Güiza, it's not like he's scoring 15+ every season and he has absolutely nothing interesting to his game. Rather had Soldado in there, heck, even Bojan would have been better.

VI? I really don't know. I suppose he's fine if he's made himself available. He can always take his mam with him anyway.

Yeah. Iniesta, Cesc and Torres worry me way more.

Marca running tomorrow the news that Real Madrid are close on signing Agüero. The cunts probably trying to unstabilize Atlético now that they can out-trophy Real Madrid.

I skimmed through the list, and I misread and thought he had called up Jímenez from Getafe.

Well, now that's interesting. During the afternoon meeting of la Liga, 31 La Liga clubs have used their majority and formally asked the government to force by law a collective deal agreement, opposed by Madrid, Barça, Atlético, Valencia, Sevilla, Bilbao, Villarreal, Getafe and Deportivo.

He's never been in any Spanish squad before. But he indeed was heavily hinted to be in it this time around. So was Pedro. Cazorla and De Gea and maybe Martínez are the only real surprises I'd say, although all have had very good seasons.

The Spanish 30-man squad is out! Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas Fernández (Real Madrid CF) David De Gea Quintana (Club Atlético de Madrid, SAD) Diego López Rodríguez (Villareal CF SAD) José Manuel Reina Páez (Liverpool) Víctor Valdés Arribas (FC Barcelona) Defenders: Raúl Albiol Tortajada (Real Madrid CF) Alvaro Arbeloa Coca (Real Madrid CF) César Azpilicueta Tanco (Club Atlético Osasuna) Joan Capdevila Méndez (Villarreal CF, SAD) Carlos Marchena López (Valencia CF, SAD) Gerard Pique Bernabéu (FC Barcelona) Carles Puyol Saforcada (FC Barcelona) Sergio Ramos García (Real Madrid) Midfielders: Xabier Alonso Olano (Real Madrid CF) Sergio Busquets Burgos (FC Barcelona) Francesc “Cesc” Fabregas Soler (Arsenal FC) Andrés Iniesta Lujan (FC Barcelona) Javier Martínez Aguinaga (Athletic Club) Marcos Antonio Senna Da Silva (Villarreal CF, SAD) David Jiménez Silva (Valencia CF, SAD) Xavier Hernández Creus (FC Barcelona) Forwards: Santiago Cazorla González (Villarreal CF, SAD) Jesús Navas González (Sevilla FC SAD) Juan Manuel Mata García (Valencia CF, SAD) Pedro Rodríguez Ledesma (FC Barcelona) Daniel González Güiza (Fenerbache SK) Fernando Llorente Torres (Athletic Club) Alvaro Negredo Sánchez (Sevilla FC SAD) Fernando Torres Sanz (Liverpool FC) David Villa Sánchez (Valencia CF, SAD) Valdés, De Gea, Cazorla, Pedro, Jímenez, Llorente, Martínez and Azpilicueta the "surprises" (some moreso than others). Probably the six cuts will come from them.

Higuaín was born in France, he didn't get the Argentinian nationality until he was quite old I think, and that's the reason he - for example - doesn't have youth caps for Argentina. Although he's always been quite adamant he considers himself Argentinian and even refused a callup to France.