Village Idiot

How strange though, as I would say the same of La Liga this season outside of the current top 4.

That's pretty unlikely. That you'd lose the 4th spot. We haven't had two teams past the quarter finals in quite a few years and are comfortably second (we have won the thing a couple times but so have you). You'd need Germany to improve significantly in order to challenge Italy/Spain/England and it really doesn't look likely to happen in the next few years. Germany can oust Italy this year according to the Guardian podcast. Changes would be season after next though. Ah yes I see, Germany had two dreadful seasons in 2005-06/06-07 that are due to fall off the coefficient. Still, if they gained back 10 points they would still fall back behind Spain and England, and both are on track to get an even higher coefficient that the one about to fall off. And I know that Germany has the most profitable clubs, but not the clubs with highest turnover (only Bayern in the top 10). It may work for them in the long run when La Liga and the EPL burn in the fire of their debts, but not yet. Honestly, you have to think that in order to lose your 4th spot, you need to consistently perform worse than all of the Italian, German and Spanish leagues over the next few years. It just won't happen, certainly not because Villa or Spurs qualify for the CL (and if they fail they still get a chance to contribute more points to the league through the Europa League, like Liverpool are doing)

That's pretty unlikely. That you'd lose the 4th spot. We haven't had two teams past the quarter finals in quite a few years and are comfortably second (we have won the thing a couple times but so have you). You'd need Germany to improve significantly in order to challenge Italy/Spain/England and it really doesn't look likely to happen in the next few years.

Villa then scores in injury time and we win the ET, sorted. Epic final.

Slip, score and break leg would be ideal. To be honest, England >>> Owen. For ENGLAND's sake I want Owen to score. Miss and someone like Lampard or whoever bags the rebound.

Wouldn't be surprised is this is the last time Jenas' puts on England shirt unless it is at the pub

Groin injury

I don't think Owen fondly remembers his years at NUFC either. Really, you'll sooner see Given signing back than Owen. It will never happen.

Aye, players with impressive athletic assets usually perform better at lower divisions. He's still young though, I wouldn't rule him out just yet.

Imagine how we feel, our city touches it! (pretty much) This Geordie guy I met maaaaaaaany years ago used to tell a joke... So God set up to create Earth, with archangel Gabriel at his side assisting him. "- We have to be careful when creating this world, Gabriel, the key is BALANCE. For example, look at that place over there, I called it 'Russia', and while it's cold, there will be lots of animals with furs people can hunt, and the liquor will be great and will warm you. And look at that other place, I called it 'North America' and it will be a land of opportunities and riches, but the food will be bad and will easily make you fat. This sea will be called 'Mediterranean' and while the weather will be great and the people beautiful, tey will also be a bit lazy and disorganized" And so God pointed the different parts of the world to Gabriel, and explained how everything was balanced, until the archangel pointed at a single city... "- Oh, that is Newcastle! The most beautiful city on Earth, the people in it are smart, beautiful, hard-working and gentle. They will have the greatest football team in the world, and everywhere they will be hailed as gentlemen and bearers of greatness and friendship. It will be a place of culture and arts, with the best night life and the best bands. Every other city in the world will look up to Newcastle." "- But God! What about the balance?" "-Just wait until you see what I'm putting next to them in Sunderland..." (it's probably as old as the dog one to you)

Okay, it really looks like a shit place to live. Had to see it with my own eyes.

don't....you honestly don't want to. Finally found some... the area around the river looks depressing. Small city centre for the looks of it too.

Out of curiosity I typed "Sunderland" in google images to check out city sights and while I get hundreds of photos of the football team and their stadium, I can barely find one of the actual town.

Nope, he was pretty quiet and soft-spoken apart from the "I asked for a chair and they bought me a lamp" spat with his president (which was pretty clever to be frank). He was also half the man he is now (meaning he wasn't so fat).

I like the scoreboard. It's Osasuna's training pitch, they were playing Osasuna B.

Valencia are down to 9, harsh red.

Palencia's goalkeeper (Spanish Segunda B, our third flight), scored a goal hitting it from his own box today. There's even video of it! (Go to www.marca.com and scroll down until you see an embedded video)

He does that a lot, missing 1 on 1s, needs to improve his composure in these situations. You need to get yourself in them in order to miss them, mind.

Which trophy is that? http://www.expressandstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/pa-7233958-336x449.jpg Isn't it still the same one that was awarded to the old First Division champions (the top tier Football League championship)? You just need to change the date on the plate to 20 years ago.

Nah, they don't. We'll be fine.

If he keeps that form, it's going to be Cronaldo. Just look at how he hoards Real's attacking play, he leads the league in shots taken by a country mile and he spent a month in the sidelines! Messi's still probably going to have his highest scoring season though. Villa will fall a bit short of last season's tally, Valencia has grown as a team this season and they have more goals coming from other players. Higuaín will be up there, but I don't think he'll outscore Cronaldo at the end.

Aye, looks like the ref shat in his shorts and gave the pen after all that mess It was a stonewall one anyway.

Valencia go one up via Silva, although it looked there was a pelanty on the other box just before the counterattack.

I love the orange shorts, not a typical color. (Valencia is known for their oranges, and it's a nod to that)

I'm going to go on a limb and say that if you win this game and don't lose against Forest, 3 more wins get you promoted.