LRD

How could anyone make such a monumental mistake?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5siLZ6VS5bg/UsWucws_tyI/AAAAAAAALPY/avd2bUnIQzI/s700/Italy+2014+World+Cup+Goalkeeper+Kit.jpg GK 'aim in the middle' kit.

Look away now, VI. Someone like Wenger would have looked at the long-term future and sold Xavi off.

Someone tell him Oktoberfest is over.

How many games did Thiago miss the stipulated % by? Seem to recall it not being far off.

That Atalanta defender Mario Yepes red card Good goal. Daft of that #27 for not playing to the whistle or just lashing the ball out, and Yepes for arguing with a correct decision. I don't think it's the correct decision though, as the defender wouldn't have had to be there unless it was for the player who was off side. If you intercept a pass to an off side player, but the ball is deflected to someone on side, I think that should be flagged for off side. Not 100 % sure though. I see your point but we have seen many a pass deflected off a defender to an 'offside' player who went on to score a valid goal. The player in this case had not touched the ball. If he had he would be called offside under the current rule. That Atalanta defender should have cleared the ball into the stands anyway. He's well placed to deal with that ball. Remember when Man City sent a ball cutting through our entire defence. Aguero was in a miles offside position and there was no offside flag as he hadn't touch the ball. Only when he had a touch was he called offside. Some videos explaining the offside rule - http://garcia-aranda.com/offsideifab/eng001.html In the end the new offside rule does tend to cause more controversial decisions as opposed to the old simple rule. Somehow I feel the people at FIFA are delightfully toasting each other over generating more controversies and discussion points in the game.

Just saw this. Think it's just the media adding things up as they go along. We value de Jong at 7m and Cisse at 10m. No way we will top up money for a swap.

Hard to tell who will get the better deal in player performances if there's a swap. Cisse did have a proven pedigree in Germany and a great 6 months in the PL while de Jong hasn't shown anything in Europe's top leagues although he's younger and comes with potential. Both clubs aren't getting anything out of their current players though which might make sense taking a mutual risk.

You are talking about the referee who gave the infamous beach ball goal though which is a clear violation of the 'outside agent' rule though. No doubt he's also one of the worst refs when it comes to using flawed interpretations to cover up for his errors - signalling for a Norwich throw-in to proceed only for Fer to knock it into an empty Cardiff net, then claiming it didn't count cos he didn't blow the whistle for the throw-in (which ref does?); pulling Ben Arfa back on a counter-attack when the advantage rule should have been applied, cos moments before an Everton FK or penalty was wrongly ruled off.

That Atalanta defender Mario Yepes red card Good goal. Daft of that #27 for not playing to the whistle or just lashing the ball out, and Yepes for arguing with a correct decision.

Great read, UV.

How did he get a WP anyway, considering his lack of international games? It's a big question mark if he falls under the 'exceptional talent' rule and it's not even a permanent signing.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1681615/referee-correct-disallow-newcastle-goal?cc=4716

Yup. Like Mole said, he doesn't dominate the aerial ball despite his height. Not impressed by the few times I've seen him. Think it will be a tough ask for Carroll to get back to anywhere near his best after such a long injury either.

Not available, had to have signed before the first tie Ah, didn't know that.

FA Cup replay today. Your mate might be able to get an early look at him.

SDNews Makes the banning of certain media articles by the RedAndWhiteKop Nazis almost justified.

I don't know Caught Offside but I can tell you RMC is s****.

GW22: Sunderland 2-2 Southampton Arsenal 2-0 Fulham Crystal Palace 1-2 Stoke Man City 3-0 Cardiff Norwich 0-1 Hull West Ham 1-1 Newcastle Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa Swansea 1-2 Tottenham Chelsea 2-0 Man Utd West Brom 0-2 Everton

'Here, we offer you a new 4-year contract til age 32 and on top of that, add another 3 years once you reach 200 appearances. How does that sound?' Sounds like BS. Should have made it an exclusive option to extend on the club's side like WBA did with Shane Long. Those amateurs never learn. I think it's just something that has been made up when people look at his appearances and see how close he is to a landmark. The press used the same trick on Xisco too. How many players actually had appearance-triggered contract extensions for the media to spin such tales? And we supposedly did it a second time.

'Here, we offer you a new 4-year contract til age 32 and on top of that, add another 3 years once you reach 200 appearances. How does that sound?' Sounds like BS. Should have made it an exclusive option to extend on the club's side like WBA did with Shane Long. Those amateurs never learn.

GW22: Sunderland v Southampton Arsenal v Fulham Crystal Palace v Stoke Man City v Cardiff Norwich v Hull West Ham v Newcastle Liverpool v Aston Villa Swansea v Tottenham Chelsea v Man Utd West Brom v Everton

Feels like an anti-climax this.