Mr_Dogg

Don't be so naive to think the Prem is that far ahead of La Liga, look at this:

Burnley

Stoke

SHA

Wolves

Wigan

Blackburn

Bolton

Hull

Portsmouth

average to poor teams.

I could throw in Sunderland, West Ham and Fulham as average/decent teams. that's 12 teams out of a 20 team league.

The good/very good teams: Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Us, Everton, Spurs, Man City.

Now look at Spain,

Poor or average teams:

Xerez

Mallorca

Malaga

Santander

Gijon

Osasuna

Vallodolid

Tenerife

Espanyol

Zaragoza

Almeria

Average/Decent:

Deportivo La Coruna, Getafe, Espanyol

Good/very good teams:

Barca

Real Madrid

Sevilla

Valencia

Villarreal

Atletico Madrid

La Liga has no set in stone top4 as luckily for them they have shared champions lague qualification around among several teams in recent years.

As for Ronaldo vs Messi, you have to ask the question, who brings more to the team?

Ronaldo is more of a goal threat, although Messi is fairly prolific himself, while Messi is more of a team player.

For me I'd choose Messi, although if both of them continue at this level of performance they'll be heading for, well I don't want to say it but, best ever territory.

I think the only thing Ronaldo has over Messi is his physicality.

Messi beats him with dribbling and creativity and is starting to match him in goalscoring.

That is a handbag on big John, no other word for it. tut tut

Spurs haven't kept a clean sheet this season.

Woop, posted my Villatalk shout-out on that text thing on the Villa site.

I saw that alright.

He already told us!

This type of poll shouldn't really exist.

Psychology is a science, it's not astrology or something.

Keep answering those critics Gabby!

We will almost certainly play 4-4-2 and I'd have no problem with that against an atrocious team like Pompey.

Just watching MOTD2, Carew could have easily slotted it into the net with that chance he had where he broke with Milner.

Almost an open goal. Oh well, nevermind.

anyone got a link for a blues forum? i want to see what they opinion is LOL

I hope you've got a good antivirus.

While the media circle jerk about Spurs we're 3 points behind them with a game in hand.

Fantastic result.

I thought it was heading for 0-0 for most of the game and in fairness we couldn't have complained.

Milner misplacing a lot of passes, but I think some of that was Warnock completely misreading the pass.

beye must be injured

Either that or Martin is having one of his confused playing players out of position moment again. Although with Beye not even being on the bench he must have a knock surely!

Beye is on the bench.

Substitutes

26

Gardner

22

Guzan

21

Shorey

10

Carew

23

Beye

16

Delph

18

Heskey

Team: Friedel; Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Warnock; Milner, Sidwell, Reo-Coker, Young, Petrov, Agbonlahor.

Slim pickings...

I think Beye has done OK. I am surprised by BOF's assessment, I'm not seeing the glut of mistakes at all. I think he does try and play his way out of trouble a little too much, but it hasn't come back to haunt him just yet and I don't recall a host of crosses coming from his wing at all.

I dunno BOF, lost me mate.

I'll go back to wishywashy sitonthewall opinions. They ruffle fewer feathers :nod:

I don't think you're really one for the controversial opinion but you must really believe in this one.

I find it kinda strange because I don't remember many mistakes apart from Wigan and maybe away in Vienna, but they were 2 games when the whole team was awful. Also you aren't giving him much of a chance.

:|

Like a lot of players, Milner will be undervalued as his movement and dribbling is not as fluid as Young and he is therefore deemed not as good.

Milner possibly needs to score a little bit more and there will be no separating them.

It's like comparing Giggs and Beckham although that is hyperbole.

Doesn't it mean we got him a lot cheaper?

Yes, maybe. But he wouldn't have cost more in January seeing as Boro are relegated.

I'm not unhappy with his signing, I just don't really know what to expect.

Downing being injured really screws with my perception of this window.

----------------Friedel----------------

Young----Cuellar--Dunne----Warnock

----------NRC---------Delph-----------------

---------------Sidwell--------------------

---Milner-----------------------Young-----

----------------Gabby---------------------

Guzan, Beye, Shorey, Petrov, Albrighton, Carew, Delfouneso.

Dropping Petrov in that formation is just ridiculous.

Petrov in a 4-4-2 struggles, but against Liverpool he was excellent.

I'd take out Sidwell and put in Petrov, putting Delph in the more forward position, freeing him to attack more.

We haven't seen the best of Delph as he has too much responsibility in a 4-4-2 but he's our only midfielder who is capable of passing and moving, shocking as that is.

You could see him attempting a few things tonight in a forward position, and a couple of times his passes were intercepted, and bam we're exposed.

Also anyone who thinks Shorey had a good game should watch it again.

He gave the ball away several times, with the defence already pushed up, resulting in easy attacks for Rapid.

To the reserves with him.

I'm a relatively positive poster compared to some but I don't know how people can be so complacent about this result.

It is literally a disaster for our club and our status.

A full season of Europe less football. Shocking.

Delph and Petrov are not a compatible midfield pairing, that was the biggest mistake of the night. Yes we won, but that midfield should have been changed when we got our 2nd goal.

I am really pissed off.

We need to absolutely batter Fulham and the scum now to get some good feeling back.

Fulham will be coming back from the longest away trip in Europe they could make.

Can only be a good thing for us!