Village Idiot

He was a fairly dynamic player in our first season, scored some crackers, but his motivation and overall play seems to have gone backwards as his starts were. I don't think he has the legs anymore. Certainly I can't see him as a striker anymore.

138m in 4 years is quite a lot. Actually I find hard to believe Villa has been operating at an average deficit of 40m these past 4 seasons. Also, if he's getting interest for his loans, he *is* making business out of Villa (provided he eventually recoups the principal).

Have yet to see a footballer in NYC! (and I would only recognize Celades and Juan Pablo Ángel from the NYRB team if I ever met them anyway). (Celades, now that's a lucky guy, eight major trophies in his resumé while being as average as it gets).

Read on the match reports he gave the assist for Ranger's goal.

Best move for Moses would be to go to a lower midtable PL team, build his profile there for a couple years or more, and then get *the* move if he's really good enough. He'd get way more starts at, say, Fulham or West Ham, which are also teams that seek to play decent football. Coyle's Bolton could grow to be that kind of side too. Fact is that he would be much better off getting 15+ games a year against top opposition than roting in the ManU/Arsenal/Tottenham/ManCity reserves and play in the cups against Accrington Stanley.

I just love how easily José Enrique drifts into the edge of the opposition box. He's the Dani Alves of this league. To be honest your left wing has always been the best part of your team the 3 games I have watched this season (Sheff Utd, Cardiff, WBA at home).

mmmm... footballers I have met in real life: 1) Iván de la Peña: I was buying the newspaper at a kiosk in Barcelona and then noticed that the short bald guy at my right was him. 2) Andrés Iniesta: not really "real life", as I met him while covering an awards ceremony to "most promising Spanish sport talents". That same night I also met Pau Gasol and Rafa Nadal (I used to work as a journalist). Came across as a guy that doesn't care for all the limelight stuff and only worries about being good at football. 3) Raúl Tamudo: I interviewed him. The guy was an immensely likeable fella, made me feel really bad he played for the scum. We ended playing PES and he gave me a hiding. Fucker scored 4 goals with himself. 4) Pep Guardiola: He lives in the same town as my parents do, I have came across him a few times when staying with them. Never talked to him though. 5) Cesc Fàbregas: He used to live in the town immediately next to the town where my parents live (yes, that means he lives less than 1 mile from Guardiola's, shake with fear FabregAsh). He still spends his holidays there and I have seen him a few times. My little brother has talked to him a few times. 6) Unai Bergara: not famous to you, was a centreback at Villarreal that got a few callups to the Spain squad before his career entered a vertical fall. I studied with him, hell, even helped him cheat at exams since he was a bit thick. 7) Vicente Sánchez: Barça's captain during the 1980s. I played against him in a regional footie league when he was in his 40s. Actually, the best game of my life was against his team, when I kept a clean sheet even though they bombarded us for the 90mins. That victory clinched the league for us too! (he was so angry! ) I also met Florentino Pérez while living in Madrid. He was mates with my boss there. That's it, I think.

Why are the Spurs interested in Gudjohnsen? Can see Wham's interest since they are a bit crap, but don't think what would he add to Tottenham's squad, and he's getting old already.

I honestly crave for Souness to manage again in the EPL. It would a sight to behold.

The fuck cares if you win 1-0s the rest of the season all ogs after rebounding the keepers arse after a fluky Nolan kick, as long as you get promoted. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME, I'M A BARÇA FAN FFS.

I remember Charlton rented Selhurst Park off them when The Valley was being reformed, dunno if there were problems with that.

Rooney has really stepped up his game since Cronaldo left. Fair play to him.

Xisco scored today, just noticed. I favor ManU over ManCity. Although it's a bit like that episode in the Simpsons were Homer has to vote between two evil aliens to decide who becomes President of the USA.

Sometimes I wonder how many potentially good/great players slip through the cracks of most professional clubs youth setups and end up playing semi-pro or non-pro football. I.e. didn't Luca Toni play in lower leage teams until his mid-20s or something like that?

Just noticed there's only 3 subs on Crystal Palace's bench... didn't know they were so f***ed. How bad did the José Enrique injury look? And how's Williamson looking?

Well, it could be Scottish Premier League

Guy has barely played in the EPL? SAF must really be seeing something in him. Good business for Fulham though.

Apparently Cardiff attempted to sign him after his loan spell there, so it seems he's always been fairly successful in the Championship. That will do for now, I think.

Time to lurk on RAWK! EDIT: They locked the thread with the rumor, that place is priceless

Wasn't Roy Evans a boot room product too? So not Souness. Houllier was the one to close it, I think.

Giovani Dos Santos to Galatasaray on loan (Rijkaard has always been an admirer of him).

Arbeloa wanted out when Johnson was purchased and Madrid came knocking. Not that he is first choice there, since he's pretty average. They could have used him as cover, since Johnson's been fairly injury-prone this season. IIRC, the high transfer figure for Johnson was due to the fact that Liverpool were still owed money for Crouch, and they threw it in as part of Johnson's fee since there was no chance in hell they were going to see it given Pompey's state. Still, the squad is woeful. They have a few great players indeed, but their depth is horrific (Voronin/N'Gog ). They have had no playmaker for half a season... And people like Kuyt are decent hard-working players and all but... tell me in what top European club would Kuyt command an automatic starting spot?

He inherited Cúper's squad at Valencia, he really didn't make much improvement on it personnel-wise.

I laughed when I saw the starting lineup, two holding midfielders against fucking Wolverhampton

And the Bale curse is lifted. Was fun while it lasted. (He's actually been playing quite well).