On the Eve of the new Season...

[godsshoeshine]

oh yes of course
 
 but i would have thought that the games would be reversed, because if you just have setanta and not xtra, id much rather see shitty/arse. and i love watching sports at 8am

[vansmack]

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
   i love watching sports at 8am

Move West.  I get up earlier on the weekends then I do during the week, and I'm excited about doing so.

[godsshoeshine]

yeah, my buddy is coming down for the wizards game tonight and then we're going to watch some footie tomorrow. he's a toffee so i guess its good they dont play until monday. i did get him some chang beer though

[godsshoeshine]

bizarre weekend. none of the big 4 scored a goal. never thought toon would be 5th bottom, get a clean sheet at stamford bridge and still drop a spot, but yet here we are

[vansmack]

Sorry. Since United and Villarreal have agreed a  draw for today's match, I've been derelict of my duties....
 
 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
 
 TEUSDAY, NOVEMBER 25
 
 2:45pm Arsenal vs Dynamo Kiev (Set)
 2:45pm Man United vs. Villarreal (ESPN)
 5:00pm Bate Borisov vs. Real Madrid (ESPN Classic)
 5:45pm Fenerbahce vs Porto (Set)
 7:30pm Fiorentina vs Lyon (Set)
 
 
 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
 
 2:45pm Liverpool vs Marseille (Set)
 2:45pm Bordeaux vs. Chelsea (ESPN)
 5:00pm Sporting Lisbon vs. Barca (ESPN Classic)
 5:45pm Inter Milan vs Panathinaikos (Set)
 7:30pm CFR vs Roma (Set)

[godsshoeshine]

i figured you were still bumming about man u's draw over the weekend

[vansmack]

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
  i figured you were still bumming about man u's draw over the weekend

No, but it was a seriously wasted opportunity.  United are missing a ton of scoring opportunities and I just can't figure it out.

[godsshoeshine]

do we want to talk about villa for a minute? they could very well muscle the arseholes out of 4th. villa's weakness is depth and that certainly is not an arsenal strength

[vansmack]

I really like thier squad - Gabby, the Young's, Milner - but without a few transfers, I don't see them holding on in the UEFA, top 4 and the domestic tourney's.  An early dismissal from the FA might be a blessing in disguise.
 
 How tired they are at the end of February for that late Feb-early April run will be huge.

[godsshoeshine]

i actually think they may be one of the few sides buying in the window. i expect nearly everyone on west ham and portsmouth's roster to be available
 
 speaking of the window, i dont really see toon's sale going through before then. if ashley spends a little i think he could get some value and have a nice little side. supposedly they are deep into talks with an 'american' but i have no idea who

[Barcelona]

after yesterday's victory in Lisbon, 2-5, Barcelona looks really good this year. But now is the key moment, three games in a row against Sevilla, Valencia and Real Madrid. This will say how far we can go this year.
 
 Chelsea looks kind of bad and glad to see Mourinho struggling with Inter.

[godsshoeshine]

inter is up 6 points in serie a, id hardly call that struggling. they did get shocked in the cl, but id bet on them getting through

smackie, what do you think of ronaldo's sending off?

another nil nil draw for the toon. as much as i appreciate the clean sheets, id like to see more of a killer instinct at a side like boro. december is going to tell a lot for this team

[vansmack]

smackie, what do you think of ronaldo's sending off?

Bizarre.  It was so blatant that I think he mistakenly heard something (a whistle?) to make him do that.  If anything, he had a clear chance at a header for a goal, so it was wierd.  I don't think it was a lack of concentration on his part, but a simple mistake. 

That being said, I think the official had no choice but to send him off with him already being on a yellow.

The better question might be why not make a sub or two to put fresh legs out there at the 70 minute mark?

[godsshoeshine]

i kind of thought the same thing being 1-0 up and with the attitude he showed the ref, it looked like chris was on his way out. in any event, please still destroy scumderland without him

[vansmack]

That would require them doing what Arsenal did today and ignore the Carling Cup match tomorrow against somebody, I don't even know who it is.  And I hope thye do just that.

Let the kids have a go and if they win, great, but focus on the Premiership this week.