Village Idiot

Johan Cruyff is my favorite footballer ever, but as a Barça fan I'm *extremely* biased on this. He basically made us what we are now in his stints as both player and manager. But really, him and Rinus Michels transformed football in the 70s. I don't think a side has had such an effect on how the game is played as their Ajax and Holland sides did.

How many games he would need for that? Think we should also play players like Krul or Kadar and some other young players to get them a winners medal then. not sure on the exact figure-read it on simon birds column this week but its 10 for the prem i know that. exceptions can also be obtained to get medals i believe so am i wrong in thinking he only needs to play in 4 more games?... The special dispensations are usually conceded for reserve goalies and players that have suffered serious injuries during the season. That's how Alan Smith got his for ManU, for example. So it's pretty feasible that Barton could get one. Krul too.

More often than not, Carroll's fist. Fucke me, this forum is going to kill me

And this one was openly gay too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Aurelio_Gay Man, we did that joke when I was 10 years old and he played for the parakeet scum (gay used to mean "happy" in Spanish, by the way.)

Aye , he just need to find an opposition player who he can fight with like Shearer and Keane. You just reminded me of his sending off at your place. I distinctly remember Shearer's face as if "bring it on, you punk". Boss moment that was.

That would be a mockery of any sense of discipline, not talking about Carroll thinking he can get away with anything (which will endear him even more problems in the future). Not even Hughton would do that, surely.

It's undeniably more effective though, I think that flair players able to make their stamp in the current age of physical football deserve some merit. I have also seen a few 1960s games here and there (mostly Spanish league of the time but some World Cups, etc...) and the standard of defending looks pretty awful, almost no pressure, defenders allowing attackers an awful lot of space. But it's also wrong to dismiss 1960s footballers for the lack of physicality of football in that era, since we can't know what would have they become if the same modern training methods were available to them.

Yes. He would also have played in the 2006 CL final (at 18 years!) if he hadn't been injuried.

Has CR9 & Kaka amongst others supplying him though. CR9 only supplies himself to be honest. Higuaín is damn good at making its own chances. He doesn't have the all-round game of a Rooney or Drogba, though. He's still young.

And why does he have more votes than Cristiano Ronaldo

You could argue Messi has Best, Rooney, Kaka, Ronaldo as competition over the upcoming years. Leon? But yes, we're hardly through a bad patch regarding world-class footballers. I think Cesc can also enter in contention if he stays at Arsenal (a team that plays around him at the moment). His figures this year are hard to ignore. And I'd say that Messi has only been in contention for BPITW for the past two years, the first he's had injury-free.

Okay, I don't know this division as you lot (who the fuck plays in those teams?), but I had a go and had you lot tied with 93 with West Brom, champions in GD after a trilling last week where you come from behind to make it 1-2 against QPR with a late Lovenkrands goal. Forest third at 86, and I think I have been generous with their results.

He obviously needs to go on and perform like that for longer, which he can do if injuries don't get in his way. Ronaldo had everything going for being included in the pantheon in his early years, but his knees got him. I personally happen to think that the true greats are the ones that managed to change the way the game is played. People like Cruyff and Michels or the Hungarian masters. Beckenbauer and how he revolutionized the sweeper role and the idea of the deep lying playmaker... don't actually think Maradona contributed this to the game, nor think Messi will do.

Whoever survives this season out of Wolves/Hull is dead cert to go down the next, bar some extraordinary transfer business. Both are very, very poor sides.

We have invaded the pitch a few times when winning titles at home. It's fucking great and if it's small time so be it. Shit, we invaded the pitch when we signed Zlatan

Well, if he misses chances is way better than if he doesn't have them at all. His movement and linking up play was far better today than the past weeks. Messi was unreal though, at moments you could feel the panic Zaragoza had when he got the ball, he usually got triple-teamed in midfield! In other news Mallorca made his home form work again and thumped Atlético 4-1 They are again in a CL spot, with 11 games to go. Can they keep it? Thing is now they will have the "easy" games away, and some very tough cookies coming at home (Valencia, Barcelona, Real Madrid).

Holy shit, I left with 1-3 because I was being late to a meeting because of the match and when I check I see it ended 2-4, We'll see if Zlatan pulls himself from this. He's actually been more involved than in his latest games though, shame about the awfulness in front of goal.

Zaragoza pull one back :frantic:

With this goal, Messi has already surpassed last season's record personal tally in the league, with 11 games to go.

So fucking easy.

Loved how the first Zaragoza player was fouling him with his arm and Messi couldn't give a toss.

Holy fuck Messi.

Zaragoza go 442 and Guardiola puts Iniesta in, let's see if this opens up the game for us. We are in our ineffectual mode again.

Just realized Suazo has "Chupete Suazo" on his shirt, which means "Dummy" in Spanish.

A competitive race is always better. It feels great when you win the title during the last games (unless you lose it!). Last year we only really sealed the win until the 2-6 at their place, and you can't imagine how that felt! It's like those last-minute single goal wins, aren't those great?