What good is it, really? There would still be issues raised about how French league cannot be compared to Serie A, and a guy like Gourcuff can't cut it with Milan. The only young player who got a fair run under Carlo was Gilardino - in the wrong system for a player of his type, but still a fair run.

You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Well, who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well, I'm the only one here. Who the f@ck do you think you're talkin' to? Oh yeah? Huh? OK. [Whips out gun] Huh?



They call him MISTER Ancelotti!!

I wanted to know where the French kid would fit in tactically. I'm making my personal Milan formation to end all Milan formations...AND it will have R80 and Kaka in the same lineup.

Gourcuff was very good at stealing the ball from the opponent. but if want a defensive/attacking midfielder, Gourcuff's not the one! Fabregas is.

So it's settled,we'll sell Kuffkuff and get the Fab boy.

I wish you were Galliani. Or Mr. B. Or Carlo. Heck, even Leonardo or Braida. I really wish!

No whoa..you got the wrong person.

If it were upto me., we'd sell Kuffkuff, and land Dhorasoo on a free and proudly proclaim how we have a Brazillian-French core that harks back to the days of Papin. Besides using Vikash Dhorasoo also gives us marketting pathways into India and Mauritius. I might land Sunil Chettri or Bhaichung Bhutia as our Pippo replacements. I'd also come out in a statement saying Benzema ain't got nothing on Bhaichung.

But I would fix that CB problem. Maybe get someone cheap from the Scottish League.

I got the best interests of the club at heart, obviously. So you guys will all vote for me right?

Well, it was non-existant. He created a few actions, took some by himself, his free-kicks are still not under control (means in 10 minutes he's able to hit a Beckham-like ball and afterwards a Phil Neville-like)...but to be fair, from what I've see M'Bami is a good DM and Taiwo did his share too.

His defensive work...no,...not really.

Still inconsistent then?? So is it the 'big fish in a small pond' thing that is working in his favour?

Not sure. Blanc created a good team. But honestly...Marseille is one of the few very good french teams Bordeaux has to face, so, you never can actually say. I'd be watching more of the french league now, so I'll be reporting of Ku-ku more often..

Good luck and Godspeed.

Two great goals from Greek football.

Last week, in the Greek league, a beautiful goal scored by a young gun, Papasterianos (do NOT worry if you can't pronounce it).
let's call him papa

And this... from the Cup game between PAOK and Olympiacos... an awfully classy goal by Sérgio Conceição (former inter, Lazio and Parma player). I don't think the keeper is at fault for this, in my opinion it's just perfectly executed!
define: beauty

Old Firm Derby was this morning, finished 0-0, first time in over a decade this has happened. Celtic are 2 points clear at the top still.

Conceicao..

dst: I was just looking at betfair and noticed something in the Greek league.. £22k worth have bets have been made on the Panathinaikos game, £44k on the Olympiakos.. but £260k on the Ergotelis game. Is it possible there's been a fix or something, like both teams needing a draw? There's an awful lot of money on it for a team I've never heard of.

Both teams are clear off the relegation zone and cannot achieve much better than mid-table. The Greek league is corrupted but I have not heard anything about it. Ergotelis are possibly the cleanest team in the league and such bets most times are mistaken but... we'll see.

It finished and wasn't a draw. I think it was maybe a tip off from someone working in betfair in order to make people bet on the draw or something, because the amount of money bet on the game was otherwise inexplainable.

This is just crazy..

On a lighter note, Celtic beat Rangers in the League Cup Final on Sunday. It was goalless after 90 minutes, then Darren O'Dae scored after about 45 seconds on extra-time for Celtic. In the dying seconds, Celtic broke through 1-on-1 with the keeper, only for Kirk Broadfoot to take out the Celtic man from behind, resulting in a red card and a penalty. Aiden McGeady scored the penalty to give Celtic the 2-0 win.

It's been some time since Celtic beat Rangers right?

So since I don't know SPL too well, what are the unique factors about each team. This way, I know who to support. Right now I'm inclined to Rangers coz of the Rino connection.

I don't think Celtic have beaten Rangers in a cup final for a while, but seeing as they play each other 4 times a season, both teams get their fair share of wins. In the 90s Rangers were even more dominant in Scotland than United were in England, winning 9 straight league titles. Martin O'Neill ended that dominance, winning 3 league titles in 5 years at Celtic!

It's a very religous/political thing. Rangers are seen as the Protestant team, while Celtic are Catholic and it's heavily linked to Northern irish politics of the loyalists (Rangers) and the Republicans (Celtic). Historically Celtic fans are generally Catholics and Rangers fans Protestants. But the most unusual thing for me is that this is 2 Scottish clubs playing in the Scottish league, yet they for some reason base everything around Ireland.. even the flags and colours of the teams. Celtic fans very rarely have Scottish flags, instead they just have green/white/orange or Republic of Ireland flags, while Rangers fans are red/white/blue and have British or Northern Irish flags.. there's hardly any Scottish flags to be seen!

I personally ignore this completely and just support Celtic because I didn't like Rangers winning everything in the 90s.

Thanks. So then this means I will have to support the Rangers. To bring balance to the Force.

So, PSG and Lyon just played the early game in France. It ended 0-0. This means that before the rest of the league plays, Lyon are in THIRD place, with Bordeaux 1 point ahead and OM 3 points ahead. These 2 teams could widen the gap at the weekend. Looks like for the first time in 7 years, someone other than Lyon might just win the league.

I know right Lyon had won it like for 7 times in a row...Its hightime someone else did win it!!

I hope OM can do it!

Fishdoll gosh. Valenciennes 2 - 0 Lyon.

Lyon are now 7 points behind OM.

The Greek Cup final was one of the best games I've ever watched. AEK played against Olympiacos and took a 2-0 lead in the first 10 minutes. Olympiacos made it 2-1 at the very beginning of the second half and equalized later on. AEK scored in the 90th minute and then Oly hit back in the dying seconds. Another 2 goals in overtime. FT 4-4

Olympiacos won on penalties 15-14 (19-18)!!!!!

Oh God there's a club in the MLS called Earthquakes!!??!? For the sake of everything that's right in this world please ban them from using this name and from thinking names!!!

Also, fine them and give them back the money as charity, that was poor!

Yep, they're in San Jose (which is earthquake country) in California.

In other news, Ajax have sacked Marco Van Basten.

Sacre Bleu!!!!

Now bring him in as well...as assistant coach to Carlo.

EDIT: He wasn't sacked. He 'resigned under pressure'. There's a difference.

Oh come on, you're not one of those people are you..

Those people...


... that hate the San Jose Earthquakes!?!?!?

Someone that will find anything offensive or wrong.

Of course. With dst, it doesn't matter what you do, you're racist, homophobic, sex-crazed and uncouth. Anything you say/do will fall into one of those categories AND you will be labeled offensive.

Get used to it.

No I don't think 'Earthquakes' is offensive or wrong, it's just lame! Do you mean because of what an earthquake is? I would not mind if they were named 'Paedophiles' but it's such a douche name; they could have very well named their team San Jose Bumpers... it sounds equally cool to me.

Ah. From the rest of your post, it seemed like your annoyance with the name 'Earthquakes' came from the fact that people have died due to them..

Rangers-Celtic just kicked-off. 1 point seperates them in the league, GD very similar. Huge game.

FT Rangers 1-0 Celtic. Steven Davis.

Rangers lead by 2 points, Celtic have a +1 GD. 3 games left each.

Check out this goal!

It's a lovely even if over-hit through-ball and the finish is so clever and beautiful. Nice stuff!

Nice goal, but the cynic would say that's terrible goalkeeping.

Yeah it was unexpected and greatly taken but he still should have stopped that.

Naah, Gourcuff's goals are miles better...

Of course! And more important too!

Yep

Still if the forward didn't outrageously attempt it and then somehow pull it off it wouldn't have happened!

Jol to be new Ajax coach

This is Rune Jarstein, Rosenborg's first choice keeper. And he is completely utterly awful.
Lord of the howlers

..

Mario Gomes to Bayern for £25m+

He looks consistently awful!

So I guess the plan when a team plays against Rosenborg is to shoot or cross whenever they cross the midfield?


Good start, they need more.

And they'll get more. Olic already signed, Zhirkov, Srna, Trochowski, Sneijder- all very likely to join FCB.

Doesn't have to be that complicated, just lump the ball towards somewhere around goal and he'll eventually do the rest. Funny thing is, he's actually quite good at reflex saves, take this one vs Germany and Mario Gomez, for a start:
Germany 0-1 Norway

Martin Jol is the new Ajax skipper.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009...258334223_x.htm