Village Idiot

I'm sorry Minister, but I have spent the past five minutes of my life staring at your picture and laughing out loud.

Rodallega's quality. Probably will bite the hands off any club that came going for him, always have this feeling Wigan are on borrowed time each season.

Now that I see you around... what's the status of Lennon? I read somewhere that he was asked to take 6 weeks off, but I went today over at physioroom (which is usually reliable) and they have him back by mid-march. I was really enjoying watching him play this season, he's heads and shoulders much more a player than he was.

Finally managed to watch a replay of his goal vs Barnsley. Cracking shot

Landon Donovan won't go for any amount that you'd be willing to bid for him. He's the crown jewel of the MLS and they are not going to let him go for anything less than a US record transfer. Having watched him for Everton I think he would be quality for you lot, though. Plus it would be a great entry to the American market. Soccer Football fans idolize him here. And just as I posted this I go and see a guy in a Donovan Everton shirt walking through the corridor of this library. I'm freaked out now. And not only because of the coincidence, but the fact that a guy would wear an Everton shirt out on the open, god the thing looks *awful* with that fake white neck.

Landon Donovan won't go for any amount that you'd be willing to bid for him. He's the crown jewel of the MLS and they are not going to let him go for anything less than a US record transfer. Having watched him for Everton I think he would be quality for you lot, though. Plus it would be a great entry to the American market. Soccer Football fans idolize him here.

Isn't he 21? I agree that he has improved a lot throughout this season, though. I remember watching him when you played Sheffield (the shit one, I don't remember if that's United or Wed since I always mix up both Sheffield teams) and he was completely lost on the pitch. But lately he looks much more assured. Might just be confidence, but he needed to improve and he has done so.

We don't play playoffs at neutral venues, though (something that I have always admired from English football, tens of thousands of people flocking to Wembley for a League 2 promotion playoff). It's always a two legged affair.

In the Spanish league promotion playoffs (from our third tier downwards), the teams placed highest in their division always get a bye to the playoff "finals". I think it's a very good system since it gives more succesful teams a definite advantage and a reward for their regular season. I don't think playing 2-4 more games over two weeks is an advantage for the lower placed sides, to the contrary.

It's very different to play like Stoke than what Villa do, in my opinion. Villa are a great counter-attacking side and I enjoy them at what they do, particularly when they play top-half teams who set themselves to dominate a game.

One of the "good" things about your relegation, is that when you're promoted your wage bill will be very manageable for a Premiership team, while having a much better turnover than a team like Hull or Stoke. You don't need to cut down on your squad (bar something like Butt and maybe one or two of your "strikers"), in my opinion. As Niel points out, you just can't get a new team outright, your best bet is getting 2-3 quality adquisitions that will displace current starters and work from there. You don't have a large squad anyway.

He's on huge wages at Zaragoza, who'd be delighted to get rid.

Arteta does qualify for England, but he's stated that his first choice will be always Spain. Sadly he was born in the same generation as Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso... Actually he had a pretty decent chance of making the Confed Cup squad last year, but he went down injuried. I hope he ends up capped at some point, he really is brilliant and deserves to play international football. Also, enlighten me about the naturalization rules... if he can play for England does this mean he could also play for Scotland, Wales, Norn? Or how does this work?

He's probably playing at a higher level than when he was at Rangers.

It will be hard for him to make the squad at this point, he's not been in the NT for a few years and managers are reluctant to put new players into the mix at this point usually.

Sorry VI. Really need to stop tempting fate. Don't worry. Titles aren't won in March. They certainly can be lost in March, but not won. We still haven't lost it so as long as we are able to get out of this lull we are in, I'm not panicking. El Clásico will be quite important again, not because of the points themselves, but in setting the trend and morale for the remainder of the season.

They wanted to get rid, but he's been very good for them when he's been called to action (Alcorcón tie notwithstanding).

Bah. Too good to be true.

http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,68037.630.html Quality, thanks! Just think that he keeps that thing inside his shorts, while sweating for 60+ minutes, 30 or so matches per year. It's gotta look shabby (and stink) no matter what. Surely he could have bought himself a better mask?! Looks fairly cheap that one tbh

Iker losing his sainthood, 'bout time it happened. We dodged a bullet today if this stands (although it could also be said we lost a chance to go 5 clear...)

http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,68037.630.html Quality, thanks!

Are you having games for the Olympics at SJP?

Any photo of the Spiderman mask? It's a quite rare sight you know!

It's a bit sad I admit. Interestingly the 2000s started wide open with Deportivo and Valencia winning titles, Villarreal getting second place, Real Sociedad losing a title in the last game of the season... but since 2005 onwards it's been a two team affair. Sevilla are pretty ambitious and in a very good financial standing, if they are able to exploit its current success to increase its size they might have a chance of shortening the gap. Valencia was in a similar position at the start of the 2000s, heck they came very close to go past us in turnover at some point, but they failed to exploit their success.

He was great during the first half of the season though, the most complete forward I have ever seen play for us. He scored, he held, he created... He's not anywhere near that level now though.