pic round up
That being said, I will leave the post untouched because it's already out in the world, so to speak, and if people come along after the fact, they deserve to see the post, the disagreements in the comments, the fallout and whatnot.
Chatter from the sidelines
- Liverpool ace Mario Balotelli was dumped by fiancee Fanny Neguesha because he objected to her sizzling mag shotshuh? But that's her job though. Good on her
- Didier Drogba honoured by Football Writers' Association as Jose Mourinho hails striker as Chelsea's best value player of all time rielle already did a post on Didier Drogba. The man. The king. The legend. But he's so good, you deserve to relieve the experience on clicking on a post with him again
- Real Madrid star James Rodriguez takes time out to catch his wife in volleyball action
a really sporty family - Why Raphael Varane Transfer Should Be Priority for Pep Guardiola and Bayern I reallly don't think Varane will go
- Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho gave his players the silent treatment after shock FA Cup home defeat by Bradford City Ha! I'm sure. It would have been that or selling them on to League 1 or Conference sides.
- Fifa’s Sepp Blatter says Uefa lacks courage to challenge his leadership I guess.
- Cuadrado Could Go To Chelsea If His Sell Out Clause Is Matched: Fiorentina Boss Montella um...okay?
- Xabi Alonso on Odegaard: He’s gone to a great club but playing should be the priority file this response under d'uh. Alonso has always said that he'd been glad going to Real Madrid at the age that he did, because it would have been overwhelming for a first club
Websites of interest
- whoscored.com NGL, I'm not normally a fan of stats culture that's bleeding into the sport to the point where it warps all common sense and makes the conversation abstract (a distinctly American influence, I think), but when discussed and read in context, stats can be useful.
- squawka.com is just as good, but in a different way. I prefer the graphics on this site, but it isn't so user friendly</a>
- zonal marking is a good website if you're into tactics. Why does Simeone do the 4-4-2? Why does LvG stick with the 3-5-1 even though the fans scream for the 4-4-2 (and it gives him an itchy butt)? Why does Guardiola not stick to one formation, but throws seven in one game. Why is 3-3-4 considered genius? This website walks you through it
- Football player positions what is a Trequartista? The difference between a GK and a sweeper keeper? What in god's hell is a false 9? What do they mean when they say Torres has morphed from forward to poacher? The terms are all here
Pictures
FA Cup
Bristol City 0 -1 West Ham. I watched the game, and Bristol City was bringing it. West Ham didn't get a goal until the 82 minute or thereabouts
I like West Ham's purple 2nd kit, much nicer than their home colours
Bristol City showed up and brought it to them, but the PL teams have treachery and guile in addition to skill and youth, so yeah.
Aston Villa 2-1 Bournemouth
D'aww. I wanted the cherries to go through. But I'm sure they'll move on quickly. The PL awaits, and Eddie Howe's been doing a good job so far
Aston Villa scored in 51 minutes of the game, after a cagey first half
Brighton 2 - Arsenal 3
Credit to Brighton, because they fought, and fought to stay in the game
Rosicky got the heart pumping with this move
Walcott got on the score sheet ninety seconds into the match
Poor Brighton, there's always next year? Or not? It seems that the FA cup is currently without a sponsor. In addition, the PL teams are either gunning for the top four places, Europa league, Champions League competitions because even being in the playoffs is more valuable than entertaining minnows for the FA cup. In addition, UEFA (iirc) expects first options when it comes to schedules and what not. I do hope that the FA cup continues, it's a a good way for small clubs to have a windfall.
La Liga
Espanol got three goals and three points off Almeria. Almeria were woeful. I didn't watch the other matches because I had a jumper to finish knitting for the partner, it is done.
Random pictures
Gerrard with Diego Moreno (Alberto Moreno's brother) and the boy is Alberto Moreno's girlfriend's brother, Enrique. Does that sentence even make sense?
Isco attends the premiere of Real Madrid's promotion video of Madrid which... didn't really showcase the city at all. Oh well
Fernando Torres has a sideline in his own gymnasiums called 9 fitness (I guess the '9' refers to the squad number he had for a lot of years). He's opened two in Spain. I don't know if I'm sold on the logo
I feel like pressing all these photos with Klopp and Tin Tin and Hummels into a scrap book. I fear come 2015/16, Dortmund will be a different place
If I could save time in a bottle
Imobile for people who like him
Sorry for the picture quality. It seems to have been taken by stalkers. From a distance. With fog. And a smeared lens.
Mats Hummels. I see that people still think that he's good looking. He's looking a mite rough nowadays
He looks good here. I'm assuming this is the Cathy Fischer everyone talks about?
Light haired, light eyed, pale, about a UK size 6/8. Bra strap length hair, long enough for it to be considered long, but not too long where it's considered homely/unsleek. Tick, tick, tick. Eh, figures
Hummels gif, just in case
New hot man in Real Madrid alert
Lucas Silva in Madrid y'all
he waived cash for the move
interview with Marco.com
Damn, Silva. Good luck. I won't be around for his presentation - but will try and get pictures tomorrow if and when I can.
OP: As usual, any broken links, corrections, yadda yadda, leave word and I will try and amend when I can