Bloody Football!

[Stavros]

lol at reina in a manc shirt. last transfer either way was in the 60's. Will not happen. tell us another...

Think football, think Homeland...meanwhile, AC Milan's President, Silvery Berlusconi's interest in Balotelli has been dismissed by the latter's agent because: Balotelli is as valuable as the Mona Lisa...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...Mona-Lisa.html

[robertlouis]

Think football, think Homeland...meanwhile, AC Milan's President, Silvery Berlusconi's interest in Balotelli has been dismissed by the latter's agent because: Balotelli is as valuable as the Mona Lisa...

That has to be either Silvio or Slippery, Stavros....

And according to Thursday's Guardian, Reina has lost weight and Rodgers has told him that he remains a big part of his rebuilding programme.

At his best a few years back, Reina was not only a great shot-stopper, but also had tremendous vision - his distribution could turn defence into attack within seconds, and he was the best at that aspect of the game since Schmeichel. If he gets back to that standard Liverpool will have more than just a reliable keeper.

And if Rodgers is able to buy one proven striker to partner Suarez plus a younger lad on a fast track - Jordan Rhodes? - then top four would still be achievable. Lucas's return as the anchor in midfield should make a big difference too.

[robertlouis]

Arsenal knocked out of the League Cup tonight by Bradford from League Two.

How long before Wenger moves "upstairs" permanently at the Emirates?

[Stavros]

Not sure about that, if Wenger had any sense he would have fielded a junior side earlier in the campaign to get defeated and so avoid taking part in this pointless cup competition -the FA Cup isn't that much of a big deal for the top Premier League clubs these days either, but to have two cup competitions is a waste of human resources. Winning the League and the Champions League is all that matters -harsh, but true. And who is to say Arsenal won't be back in the top four by the end of the season? And even more pertinent, who would Arsenal want to take over given that they expect their managers to stay put for at least a decade?

[robertlouis]

Not sure about that, if Wenger had any sense he would have fielded a junior side earlier in the campaign to get defeated and so avoid taking part in this pointless cup competition -the FA Cup isn't that much of a big deal for the top Premier League clubs these days either, but to have two cup competitions is a waste of human resources. Winning the League and the Champions League is all that matters -harsh, but true. And who is to say Arsenal won't be back in the top four by the end of the season? And even more pertinent, who would Arsenal want to take over given that they expect their managers to stay put for at least a decade?

Given the traditions of both clubs, Barcelona's former manager, Pep Guardiola seems to me a far better cultural, stylistic and personal fit with Arsenal than with Chelsea and their monomaniacal Russian owner, where he knows that even he could be out of the door within months.

He would embrace Arsenal's footballing and management traditions and to my mind would be the best and most obvious successor to Wenger. If it isn't about money, he should go to the Emirates.

I'm by no means an Arsenal fan, by the way - my Premiership loyalties, such as they are, lie with the red half of Merseyside. It just seems the right move for all concerned.

[robertlouis]

Right, we've reached Christmas and Man Utd have a seven point lead. They lost an eight point lead in the run in last season and continue to look ludicrously vulnerable at the back.

However, unless something unforeseen develops in the second half of the season, the title race looks like being fought out between Mosside and Salford again, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and possibly Everton in the mix for the other two Champions League places. Liverpool will be below that group this season, even with Sturridge and another striker.

As for this season's Champions' League, any bets on any of the remaining British clubs surviving beyond the round of sixteen?

[Stavros]

On present performance and past trends, I expect Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea to be in the top four at the end of the season, they have the largest squads and can therefore sustain injuries to key players without losing games. Everton, Tottenham Hotspur on recent form will fall away toward the end of the season. It would be nice to see Swansea, West Brom or Norwich climb into the upper reaches as they play well as teams and like Blackpool of a season or so ago are great entertainers, one can hardly say that of Stoke.

Liverpool are a mediocre team and will find it hard to climb out of the middle table where they currently belong. It looks like Harry Redknapp will have to buy some startlingly good players if QPR are to emerge from the depths of relegation, though I used to live near their ground and could never understand why the club exists and have believed for some years that it should be wound up as a useless cause. For personal reasons, my dreams will come true if Southampton and Aston Villa are relegated along with QPR. Boring, I know, but it is the money that buys large and talented squads and there isn't much we can do about it.

Walcott is improving as a player, along with Gareth Bale he is now one of the finest young players in the country, will they be tempted to move in the New Year or at the end of the season?

Manchester United ought to get to the semi-finals of the Champions League, the lash with Real Madrid is fascinating because Real are in their usual turmoil with divisions in the dressing room, conflicts between the manager and the owners, and so on and so forth. But after all the hype, a 0-0 draw would not be ruled out on both occasions, and on that basis Real would win a penalty shoot-out. Does anyone still fancy Barcelona?

[JenniferParisHusband]

Liverpool can climb, if they get some decent transfers in the Jan window who can come in immediately and mesh with the squad. As they stand now, yeah, we're mediocre. Nothing some new blood can't fix though.

Don't fancy Barcelona, but I think Real Madrid is the bigger question. They have the talent and ability to come out and beat Man U 3-0, if they get their shit together. Or can lose 4 or 5-0 if things have really come as unravelled as recent stories indicate. I don't think it will be 0-0 though.

[robertlouis]

Interesting.

Two league cup quarter finals. Bradford 3, Aston Villa 1; Chelsea 0, Swansea 2.

Chelsea and Villa both put out pretty much full-strength teams, both lost. Hmmm.....

[beaufont]

love to see a League Cup final with none of the BIG 4 involved

Amazing effort by Bradford City and cannot seriously see Villa overturning that scoreline, at the moment Villa just don't look like a Premier league side