Village Idiot

Sergio Asenjo, who was *this* close to being Barça's GK this season is really having a dreadful season at Atlético, he just gifted one of the stupidest penalties ever.

The club was almost bankrupt when the current board took over, we had to refinance a lot of debt and we are still carrying it. Also, our net spend is actually high, it's just that we sign a lot of crap and have to end up playing the kids instead Think of it, players like Hleb, Henrique, Keirrison, Cáceres... cost us 60m combined these two years and none is at the club. geez, i'm sure u have a load of players you could sell and generate 30-40M worth quite easily you's have been lucky with the amount of players your youth system create's when does laporta leave, and what are your thoughts of his era, i know it's been a very successful one, but I know their's been problems behind the scene's I think he's a c***, but him or his advisors have unleashed the most successful era of the club so what can I say? I'm pretty scared about the elections, we'll see what we get but last time we came off a successful regime we elected that useless t*** Gaspart that ran us into the ground. Haven't decided my vote, but I can see myself voting to the candidate that is able to gather around most of Laporta's team. so your a member of the club then, what advantages does the membership scheme have etc? Not many to be honest. Discounted tickets for games (and not a big discount), free entrance to games of the youth teams and other sections (handball, roller hockey, etc...), a magazine I never read... I do it mostly as a matter of pride. Of course you get to vote and you can get elected (by lottery) to the general assembly that's held during preseason.

The club was almost bankrupt when the current board took over, we had to refinance a lot of debt and we are still carrying it. Also, our net spend is actually high, it's just that we sign a lot of crap and have to end up playing the kids instead Think of it, players like Hleb, Henrique, Keirrison, Cáceres... cost us 60m combined these two years and none is at the club. geez, i'm sure u have a load of players you could sell and generate 30-40M worth quite easily you's have been lucky with the amount of players your youth system create's when does laporta leave, and what are your thoughts of his era, i know it's been a very successful one, but I know their's been problems behind the scene's I think he's a cunt, but him or his advisors have unleashed the most successful era of the club so what can I say? I'm pretty scared about the elections, we'll see what we get but last time we came off a successful regime we elected that useless twat Gaspart that ran us into the ground. Haven't decided my vote, but I can see myself voting to the candidate that is able to gather around most of Laporta's team.

Cesc was rated very highly, yes. Mérida and Piqué were more under the radar. I don't hold these players any grudge for leaving, mind, they thought they would have it harder in here to break into the squad and for all accounts it worked for them going abroad.

The club was almost bankrupt when the current board took over, we had to refinance a lot of debt and we are still carrying it. Also, our net spend is actually high, it's just that we sign a lot of crap and have to end up playing the kids instead Think of it, players like Hleb, Henrique, Keirrison, Cáceres... cost us 60m combined these two years and none is at the club.

One of the things he said in preseason is that he sees Busquets as a player in the mold of himself, a deep-lying playmaker but with better defensive attributes than he had. He seems to rate his creativity a lot (I don't, but he's won a treble and I finished second bottom in the college league).

Oh, and Owen Coyle is very unlucky to start his tenure with an Arsenal double-header, but I liked Bolton much better tonight than under Megson, particularly the first half.

Beats me, to be honest. He seems to have a lot of faith in him, which I don't really understand. I'd think of him as an adequate cover for Touré, but he really isn't solid enough to anchor our midfield, plus he seems to lose composure often (he is young so that's to be expected). Regarding Cesc, he is thought as Xavi's successor. I reckon Xavi has a couple seasons at the absolute top and I can't really think of anybody better suited than Cesc, and we don't have anybody in our youth setup with that kind of promise. I don't necessarily think we need to sign him this season, mind, but I get the feeling Madrid will go for him this summer (where they would play him I don't know unless they bench Alonso, who doesn't deserve it) just to spite us.

I still need to see them doing the business in the big games, but I admit to have underrated their chances this season. Mind, out of the top 4 they'd be my preferred team to win the thing.

Another midfielder they nicked from us

Every time he plays I can see his transfer fee rising by another million I really hope we can sign him.

Klasnic is really a mint player too. I had him for just a good finisher but has shown some bits of skill.

Looking at Villa's bench, I see that apart from Carew they don't really have much to try and shake up a game, do they?

Cruijff's dream team versus the modern day side would have been a good contest. Though Cruijff's team would pip them as far as I'm concerned. So would the Milan team of the same era and just before. Having watched both play (something I'm grateful for), I have my doubts. I'm sure Guardiola's team would top Cruyff's. It is physically superior to that one and I dare say it's more talented too. The fact that now we can play more foreigners than in the early 90s helps in concentrating more talent, and the fact we are amidst the best generation of Spanish footballers since the 1960s. You just can't compare Sergi Barjuan to Dani Alves, Bakero to Keita or Touré, and Xavi's better than Pep himself. Again, football is much more physical nowadays, even lightweight players like Iniesta or Xavi would be physically superior to their 1990s counterparts. But Guardiola's team is a spitting image of Cruyff's, just improved. Same tactic (with some adjustments), same kind of player movement... Guardiola learnt well. Regarding that Milan... I like the late 1980s better. It was probably the scariest combination of brawn and talent ever assembled. Mourinho's Chelsea tried to be that, I think, but didn't get there. I'd still say Cruijff's team. Mainly due to the fact Romario and Laudrup were two of my idols growing up. Laudrup was simply amazing, how he could create a goal out of simply nothing by slotting impossible balls through the opposition... canny stuff. Romario is the best goalscorer we ever had at the club in my lifetime (yes that includes Ronaldo), but he was too lazy. Still, such a joy to watch when he was in his prime. He was only a good work ethic short of being one of the best of all time in my opinion. Man, when I think I saw all these guys with my own eyes, god bless I still consider the Barça - Dinamo Kiev of 1994 as the best performance by a Barça team in my lifetime. If you can, check youtube for the highlights (not only the goals, I'm sure there's an extended video around).

On the opposite camp, I don't get how Diamanti isn't starting for Wham yet.

Cruijff's dream team versus the modern day side would have been a good contest. Though Cruijff's team would pip them as far as I'm concerned. So would the Milan team of the same era and just before. Having watched both play (something I'm grateful for), I have my doubts. I'm sure Guardiola's team would top Cruyff's. It is physically superior to that one and I dare say it's more talented too. The fact that now we can play more foreigners than in the early 90s helps in concentrating more talent, and the fact we are amidst the best generation of Spanish footballers since the 1960s. You just can't compare Sergi Barjuan to Dani Alves, Bakero to Keita or Touré, and Xavi's better than Pep himself. Again, football is much more physical nowadays, even lightweight players like Iniesta or Xavi would be physically superior to their 1990s counterparts. But Guardiola's team is a spitting image of Cruyff's, just improved. Same tactic (with some adjustments), same kind of player movement... Guardiola learnt well. Regarding that Milan... I like the late 1980s better. It was probably the scariest combination of brawn and talent ever assembled. Mourinho's Chelsea tried to be that, I think, but didn't get there.

Guti yesterday on the Spanish telly openly saying he wants to leave Madrid and would love to go to Inter.

agreed.....but then again its ken bates. Ken Bates vs Mike Ashley is like the irresistable force meeting the immovable object. Doug Ellis as the Special Referee?? Doug Ellis... didn't Villa win the EC and the league in the 2 years out of 40 that he wasn't running the club or something like that? EDIT: Yes, it Saturday night and I'm at home, BORED. Bear with me.

I have a couple friends from Sheffield that would have topped themselves had Bates taken over Sheff Wed.

The Lucas Oil is amazing, was there 3 years ago when I first came to the US. The Giants stadium in comparison is an ugly dump.

If England gets the World Cup (which honestly I don't see it happenning at this point), it would be a good opportunity to do this. Lots of stadiums get remodelled for world cups (Camp Nou was last expanded for 1982). I remember the second time I saw St James Park on the telly (I don't want to remember the first), for our CL game at your place in 2002. They showed an aerial shot and the commentator said that the stadium had been remodelled recently and I thought "oh, but they haven't finished yet". :-[

No....he's just bald. Well, that's what alopecia means, it's the same thing. Ones a medical issue and one's hereditary. Alopecia *is* the hereditary condition that makes males lose hair. The Charlton player must have some other thing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness

No....he's just bald. Well, that's what alopecia means, it's the same thing.

In my opinion, provided the player doesn't put a hissy fit and stays focused, it will be bad business for Leeds selling him. 1,5m won't buy a proven replacement and it would jeopardize their promotion campaign. Better to just leave him go on a free with the team in the CCC if you ask me.

Except the 1-1 draw at San Siro and the fact they lost at home against Milan 2-3 after scoring first. Besides from the Milan games you're right! Damn, there goes my statistic! I'll leave it at "in league games" where I'm pretty sure I'm 100% right.