Village Idiot

Did you sign a chick named Elena Marcelino? Surely she must have been a waste of money, don't think women can play in men's football.

Sorry, was just copy-pasting from Marca.

Barça's XI coming in: VALDÉS; ALVES, MÁRQUEZ, CHYGRYNSKIY, MAXWELL; TOURÉ, KEITA, XAVI; PEDRO, BOJAN, HENRY

Wenger really taking the piss off the Carling Cup with that Arsenal lineup. Rosicky and Song the only theoretical first choice of that lot? No first teamers on the bench? Would be mint if the won against ManCity first XI, though.

Defender, midfielder and forward. Is that a perfect injury hattrick?

I'm not betting expert. What does the -1.5 handicap mean? What's the difference with a -1 one?

What if they miss? They could have missed the one on one against the keeper, too. I'm fine with the sending off if it's really cynical (like the Taylor sniping incident), but regular fouling inside the box should just be a penalty.

Word is that Henry, Messi, Ibrahimovic and Piqué will be rested (Ibrahimovic and Messi just came off injuries to play in el Clásico). Busquets is banned.

I agree on limiting sending off players when a penalty is involved. A penalty is usually a good enough punishment, and getting a goal down and losing a player in the same play just kills a game.

Niel, I read in another forum that Pienaar is not willing to extend his contract and might leave Everton at the end of the season. Is that true or is it internet bollocking? Of course, he might want to play the World Cup card (SA is probably going to progress, face it) to aim for a bigger contract elsewhere.

My current contract runs out in May, if I don't get an extension I'll take solace in watching the World Cup at home.

Personally, I think every team should be forced to play with at least 5 strikers and no more than two defenders, including the goal keeper. Then there'd be loads of goals and extremely entertaining. If goals is the only entertaining part you can see in football, maybe you should try another sport? I hear they score loads of points in basketball. I believe there might be a village somewhere missing an idiot! I'm booked already.

Could have some legs this - too often do teams go 2 or 3 goals up with a good chunk of the game to go, and just sit on that and slip back into 2nd gear. Getting your money's worth and all that jazz. That said the team in front would argue they can do what they want with that lead and if they think the opposition has goals in them, playing more conservatively would suit them better. Put yourself in the 2-0 situation - if you're 2-0 up, and you're playing a pretty decent side who score regularly, what do you do? Need to recognise the defensive element of the game as well, I guess. In conclusion, I don't know. The old yank footie league (NASL) had some ludicrous rules like this. I think a team could get upwards to 9 points from a game depending on how much they scored. Personally, I have nothing against hard-fought 1-0 or similar results, and a good defensive performance against a big team should reap the similar reward as getting five past some shit opposition. I'm fine with the current point system.

Incidentally USA got lumped in the shit pot. Unless they get incredibly lucky with the draw, it's going to be very though for them to advance.

Teams and clubs have been named. Nobody in the first division (Zaragoza was in the second when this happened). Several of them are GKs, Grobelaar-tastic. Rayo Vallecano, UD Las Palmas López Vallejo (Zaragoza) Mario (Córdoba and Alcorcón) Ceballos (Córdoba) Piti (Rayo) Monty (Gramanet) Lucha (Amposta) J. Suárez (Ejea y Granada) No word on possible punishments yet.

Hopefully we won't drop a bollock like with Numancia last year. Xerez have looked truly hopeless so far.

In Spain: - I'd get the Cup back to a single game tie format instead of two legs (to protect the bigger clubs) like it is now. It just made it much more interesting. I'd also qualify the winner for the CL, and remove one of the CL spots from the league. - Bring back the relegation playoffs, they were cracking (we still have playoffs in other tiers). In England: - Drop the games in hand malarkey. It's annoying and if other leagues can keep all their teams in the same schedule and have all them in cups and Europe, you should too. Overall: - Implement a meaningful homegrown rule. Doesn't happen so much in Barça but I want to see Spanish players when I play Spanish teams, English players when I play English teams... we have reached a point where the city the team represents seems merely accessory. - Goal line technology and refs.

Is France not getting seeded some pathetic attempt from FIFA to save face? I mean, 1998 champions, 2006 finalists... I thought seeds were based on past WC performance.

Never actually met one Chelsea fan who is a stuck up c*** unable to discuss football on a normal basis. In return, I've yet to meet a Man U fan who isn't a stuck up c*** unable to dicsuss football on a normal basis. In my experience, true Manchester United fans (i.e. those not born in Singapore, London, Maryland or Trondheim) are quite decent football fans, and pretty talkable. The plastics they attract, though, are absolutely insufferable. Have to add that all true Manchester United fans I have met are all ex-pats (I have never been to Manchester myself...), so might not be a true reflection of the collective.

I shall call Michael Turner Tina Turner then. (Luís Enrique )

Does the Bale curse apply to the cup too? Or was only a league thing?

Good to get all your four midfielders in the scoresheet too! I like Downing, he's much more a player than the usual speed merchants bandied about for England. I think he can flourish at a decent club.

Love the side-by-side photos of them both complaining to refs. Spitting image indeed.

Read that Downing started and scored for you. Did you play Milner in the centre? (all of Young, Downing and him were on the pitch at the same time).

Cronaldo, too. I don't follow this kind of celeb crap, so I really don't know how ridiculous/credible her statements are. She really isn't that hot, so I assume if you're Beckham and what to cheat on posh spice, you could choose way better. Same with Cronaldo.