Village Idiot

Anyone else we could possibly get from Spain that could do a job for us? Can't think of nobody unemployed (apart from Schuster) who I would recommend without reservations. There's Juande Ramos but... nah. There's always David Vidal, for the comedy factor: Pity you can't understand him. Pintoresque manager, very successful at keeping modest teams up in La Liga. "You are the centreback, you're there so we don't get scored against, don't try to get all Beckenbauer on me. Don't touch the ball so much, if you get it, just boot it up there" (It's a home video from a training session, so I guess it's ok to post it, isn't it? It's also posted by the local news station that recorded it)

I rate Schuster as a manager too, I think he's done well at every club he's managed. Víctor Fernandez is not unemployed by the way, he's at Betis. Great, great manager in the 1990s, not sure his brand of football (which was gorgeous to watch) is good for these times or outside La Liga.

Lorenzo Serra Ferrer

Xerez go from 1-2, that would have given them a glimmer of hope, to losing 3-2 with a Llorente brace. Harsh.

He has done some incredible shots for us too. The freekick against Zaragoza comes to mind, or how he almost broke the keeper's hands against Kiev, but inside the box he seems to abuse the low-power, placed shot thing.

Sacking Valverde was a big mistake, Villarreal were really improving. And the reasons for the sack were terribly petty (board appeasing the fans, mostly)

Yup. He's 28. He looks like a 12-year old though. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/01/07/article-1108804-02F68B56000005DC-137_468x346.jpg

Also, what has happened with Clichy? 2-3 years ago it looked like he could be one of the best leftbacks around. Pacy, good positioning, great workrate... but he seems to be going backwards. Confidence maybe?

Why isn't Bendtner playing by the way? I don't rate him much, but surely he'd have a better time against Arsenal's centrebacks than Arshavin, who would be better off at the wing and coming from deep.

Walcott has spent a lot of time injuried in a critical phase of his development. I never didn't think he was all that but certainly he can be better than what he's showing. Lennon for example was a speed merchant too, but has improved his final ball greatly these past two seasons. Hats off to him.

Just realized Liverpool is 5 points off Arsenal and are playing at the Emirates next week.

We have great goalkeepers playing at modest clubs in Spain. Almunia was never one of them. He spent most of his pre-Arsenal career being loaned out to second or even third flight clubs, until he finally had a decent season at Albacete, and then was bought by Arsenal.

By the way, was Zlatan's finishing so erratic for you? I love the guy mind, but he has a somewhat annoying tendence of getting himself on awesome scoring positions and then fluff a shot that my 6-year old niece would stop. It seems to me that he always wants to place the shot instead of just powering it in. I'll go and change his training in FM!

How Almunia, who wasn't even able to establish himself at bottom feeder teams in La Liga, ended up first choice at Arsenal is a complete enigma.

Does it really matter what happens in these games though? Chelsea dropped two points against Hull the other day. If Arsenal keep putting away the s*** teams they'll be right in there with a chance. It's about morale though, particularly when they seem to fail every time they face a strong team. I can see them just giving up.

If Drogba scores a hattrick we might be able to knock a couple million from Cesc's transfer fee. Would actually like Arsenal to do well in the league though, for all the accusations of La Liga being a two-horse race the PL hasn't been much better these past years.

Always thought that Eto'o would have a hard time adjusting to the Calcio. Defences are too deep.

Maybe at club level but he was totally uninspiring at international level as captain & main striker @ the Afrian Nations Who do you consider the best striker in the world at international level? Villa is the only one that I can think that pulls similar figures with his nation compared to his club: Ibrahimovic, Torres... all are way less effective at international level. Rooney? He plays well for England but it's not that a great goalscorer for you (yet). And until this ACN Drogba was brilliant for CIV.

Arsenal crumbling down in big games shocker. Hope there are some good anti-Terry chants though!

Piqué, Touré, Alves and Márquez all will be missing for our Atlético away game. Meh. We dropped 3 points there last year. I hate that fixture.

I have barely been at the Camp Nou the past 5-6 years since I moved out of Barcelona, but I can't think of a particular game I hate to have missed. I managed to catch the home leg of the CL semifinal against Milan in 2006, which was the biggest game for the club since the 1990s (even though it ended 0-0 it was huge as we qualified for the final for the first time in 12 years). I guess I just pity that I haven't been present during these times, which have been the most successful in our story (maybe I was jinxing the club?)

City still has a couple games in hand over L'pool, though. But it's pretty astonishing how they have managed to snatch 4th back.

Their best wins (away at Depor and Valencia) have been without Cronaldo on the pitch yes. I think that what happens is that when he's playing he tends to monopolize Real's attacking play, and that muddles the rest of the players somewhat.

Pellegrini has to juggle between him and Raúl and Benzema, but he's been playing a lot this season and arguably their best player after Cronaldo (and I think I saw an statistic somewhere that he actually has had more positive contributions - game winning goals and assists - than the Portuguese)

I'd bet on Everton to beat them. Meanie.