Ameritoon

:frantic: I loved seeing him in the Prem. Can't wait. http://gifsoup.com/imager.php?id=1772373&t=o

It's true, but there's one thing breaking your leg in a League Game / CL Game... it's another breaking it in a Cup that few people care about. I definitely think the CWC rep is increasing, but it's still pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. Personally, if I was boss of Barca, I wouldn't have even brought my top 10 players, given the amount of sexual fringe players they have. We played most of our "second XI" today: Maxwell, Mascherano, Adriano, Thiago, Keita... I think Pep has managed well his resources, Villa's injury notwithstanding. We want to win this, and it's only one game where we need to go all out. I would love for a MLS team to qualify for it some time by the way, pity there isn't much of a chance given the CONCACAF CL calendar. RSL were in the final last CL season, were unfortunate not to win either. I think there's three MLS teams left going into the knockout stages, so there's a chance. That's one thing I've been looking forward to happening for a while, but only recently do I have feel one of them has a real chance.

Bielsa is one of the most loveable characters in the game. There was some talk of him taking a role with the USSF before Athletic hired him. Would've have been an absolute dream.

I can't believe so many people wrote him off so quickly.

Well, that's unfortunate. Good luck to him.

I think it was a dive, which highlights the point I made above about interpretation. Re: Meireles - I thought Yaya Toure and Kompany were both very lucky to stay on. Obviously the point remains that Clattenberg might have had a poor game, don't think he was any worse for either side though. That's pretty much what it comes down to. He was consistent with both teams, that's good enough for me. Especially considering how shit ref's have been all season.

If Silva doesn't leave his feet early it's probably a pen. Otherwise, no.

He never really looked it. Just doesn't really have the players for his system, fair play to him for adjusting.

Good result for the league. Not exactly the most enthralling game, but fair enough to Chelsea.

Well shit

This game has been dead since the second goal.

Clichy was horrible all game. Poor performance.

There ya go, Disco.

The Stokiest of Stoke performances,

He'll definitely get more chances, so obviously we hope we're wrong. But I don't see how he beats this mental block he has going.

Well then

I always forget about all this nonsense, must be awful to ref this.

Great finish.

It'll only be 3PM here, so I probably shouldn't get drunk. This would be a perfect time for a bowl, alas, I am dry.

There is an app for it. Runs really smoothly.

Sochaux/PSG about to start for those interested.

It's worked in favor and against in almost every game this season. There has to be less than a handful of our games so far where the ref hasn't gotten a big decision wrong.

He's not. He's just crap. Aye, which in turn makes him frustrating.

He's played well today Before the pass for the goal (when I posted) he'd done f*** all. Shut up you wum. Judging by your childish riposte you're an idiot; you've got no idea how to read the game and resort back to tired, populist cliches that are constantly spouted by the ignorant sections of our supporters and those who don't even watch the matches. Shola has been crucial in keeping the ball up top, along with Ba, something that had been working reasonably well - especially when Gosling got sent off as we resorted to more direct passing. All throughout the match, Shola has been pressurising the Norwich players and ultimately, this led to the chance for the 2nd goal. He's been creating chances for his team-mates and overall has had a decent game. You'd rather slag him off because he's an easy scapegoat and/or you're incapable of reading the game. Your criticism of Obertan is fair, he was pretty dismal, didn't offer anything with his 'lightening pace'. He was lazy and ineffective before his assist. After that he livened up. I'm amazed people are still prepared to defend him though, he's truly a useless player. Also, even when he did liven up I'd have much rather had Best on because he can link up well with Ba the entire game. If Ameobi was on for set-piece defending then it's easy to see it didn't work. Ameobi was shocking defending set-pieces. Stood still on their third goal when his man had couple of tries. He won his fair share, more than anyone else I noticed.