Village Idiot

Man, I have to go to youtube and see if I can dig up some of the dreary, dreary songs Barça made in the 1990s.

I feel exilarated when Barça win something, man. Our fortunes are relatively recent. 50% of our league championships have been won in the last 20 years, and all of our European Cups/CLs. I run, I scream, I sing, I jump... it's awesome. I amit that Barça is something that also gives me a connection to home, and everytime they win one of the first things I do is pick up the phone and call my brother in Spain, and we scream at each other for minutes. I mean I was even overjoyed when we won the CWC joke. When Barça win something is really, really the greatest thing on Earth. May long it continue. And yes, a big part of the joy of winning the league is that it means that the Franco cunts haven't.

Buffallo Bills lose a record four Superbowls in a row in the early 90s, I would have probably committed suicide if I were a fan. Now they are even considering moving the franchise, don't they?

That's ridiculous. I can only assume 'drunk in charge' implies that the car was in some way operational. Actually, this is a pretty common ocurrence here in the USA. It depends on how much of an arse is the policeman that inspects you, if they determine that the only reason you were able to get there is by driving the car, you get arrested.

Zaragoza and Betis don't have the ambition or the size NUFC has. And Zaragoza has been a well run place bar the very few last years (and they got some decent silverware in the 1990s). You have a similar story though, came roaring in the 1990s playing great football and got relegated a decade later with a squad that was too good to go down. Betis is pure comedy, indeed (and were also too good to go down). You never had an owner as nuts as Manuel Ruíz de Lopera, however. But the Atlético comparison is very, very apt (your ownership is not as crooked, though)

You have a problem where some of your potentially good wingers (Walcott, Young, W-Phillips) seem to be in pretty shit form at the moment. I rate Joe Cole greatly so him and Lennon should get you sorted as starters, Milner is very decent as another option since you know you'll get great workrate at the very least. But after these three is a bit meh. If Walcott ramps up some form I guess I would take him over the others, his pace can really be an asset against some continental and SA sides. Beckham has no legs but I still have him as one of the top deadball specialists in the world. If that deserves a WC spot I don't know. I'd take him as a fifth if you get 2 players that can play in each wing.

He is been on the bench for quite a few league games of late iirc. He's been rested for the Cup games. Atlético has a good shot at silverware there.

That's 8 people sent off this week in La Liga, all of them in 3 games.

That's always a red in Spain, actually.

Agüero also starts on the bench, but he's one yellow away from suspension and I suppose they don't want to risk him for the Barça game.

Xisco starts on the bench for Racing.

Shitload red cards in La Liga this week. Almería-Sporting had 3 people sent off too.

wish i knew that before putting them in my accumalator, i need to sevilla to win to get it up, 20 mins left and not looking good! Jímenez is coming under heavy fire for his rotations, Benítez-tastic. Zaragoza to leave relegation zone if they clinch the win, they have improved greatly these past weeks. They were (and are) a midtable team on paper and just needed the confidence back.

That's for sure, but "what if" fantasy threads are the bread and butter of internet football forums.

You didn't seem to do particularly well when he was in charge last season. There are reasons to think he might not be able to step up.

Zaragoza go 2-1 up against Sevilla at half-time. Sevilla are again benching a lot of important people: Zokora, Navas, Perotti not playing. Luís Fabiano not even in the squad.

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.