what a dumb ****ing penalty

too easy for madrid

They have conceded three goals in nine games so far this season.

I know they've got the best defensive record and scoring record in the league.

When teams are attacking them they look dodgy :| I know it sounds weird but they always seem to get out of it :P

1-1 Celtic v Dundee utd with 7+ minutes left.

cmon Lenny one time.

YYYYYAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSS UP YE YA CHEATING ****S

brilliant.

watching on Spanish or Italian stream here and they loved the goooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll by HOOPER.

Dundee United 1-2 Celtic (Hooper)

tbh I can see the old firm winning every game this season.

Juventus strolling against Lecce, 4-0.

Krasic all over the field, did dive for a penalty though.

Del Piero.

Bang Bang

Samp score 2 in 2 mins to go 2-1 up

Boo I missed the Del Piero goal (was it a good one?) but overall very happy of course with another good performance. I'm almost getting used to it.

Great comeback for Samp. One that could mean the end for Mihajlovic.

Anderlecht and Lyon ONE TIME for my combo bet

Soem balls this Benitez guy has. Asking for players because its obviously needed given the difficulties vs. Cagliari. WTF dude, your team won everything last year and only Balotelli left.

LOL.

He's a joke man.

Look at the state he left liverpool in.

Inter should win the league by a country mile this year as well.

Inter do actually have some question marks I think. Most relating to age whether it's young and still green like Coutinho/Biabiny who Benitez has found himself having to count on or old on borrowed time (and health) like some of the longterm key players.

Also, remember Inter actually had a very close call with the league last season in what was one long struggle. They did do very well to overcome it all along with the great CL performances. But it has left Benitez in as much of a nothing to win scenario as you can imagine almost and it does make sense that he feels some panic thinking he has to live up to it.

I think despite the great success last season that it's a team with a not too distant renewal date and starting doing it gradually already wouldn't be a bad idea I don't think.

Then there are issues with how the squad fits how he wants to play. For an example I think he is much more warm to wingers than Mourinho and it doesn't look he is comfortable or capable if you will, or believe in, whatever, using and getting the best out of, both Milito and Eto'o at the same time like Mourinho somehow was. See the loss to Roma.

I think he really wants the typical La Liga 4-2-3-1 with wingers over forwards (under Mourinho Pandev and Eto'o with a lot of defensive responsibility) and probably not, rightly or wrongly, seeing one based on what he has at his disposal realistically being at the needed very high level to safely be successful let alone repeating what Mourinho did.

He is still trying the 4-2-3-1 though but has to use young players like Biabiny and Coutinho.

Hopefully I didn't make that sound like any crisis or anything. It's an excellent squad with a lot of superb players but with just enough question marks I think to prevent the supposed cake-walk to the title and not least consistently playing at a superior level on two fronts over the whole season.

Doubt too many will be interested in Bari - Lazio that I'm watching but Lyon - Lille later could be good.

Really hope Hazard starts. He has had a slow start to the season that I've to no avail been trying to figure out, having missed starts for both Lille and Belgium. Belgium manager even criticizing his attitude from what I can gather. Tonight if given the chance would be a good time to get going again.

He is on your top 5 players in the world in 3 years isn't he?

I was just trying to remember that list early today. I think it was Messi, Hazard, Cesc, Dzeko, Ronaldo but I'm not sure about the order.

I thought he was at a very high level whenever I saw him last season. Incredible pace with the ball.

I haven't even seen him this season just noticing him missing starts and really starting to wonder what's going on. Not that he is a complete player without weaknesses or anything, not at all, so if he is not bringing what he is so excellent at, I can see coaches rightly or wrongly, taking the safe route and going for what he never adds to a team.

Really? Lol I don't even remember that. I remember making a top 30 (was it 5 years?) related to that draft but never got to post it. Not sure I still have it even (and definitely not on this computer).

Maybe I did post a top 5 though? Will have to search now.

Ah found it!

Well I'm glad I had Fabregas second at least but don't make me look bad Eden!

Well Lille behind 2-0 already. That should bode well for seeing some Hazard.

Lisandro and Gourcuff with the goals. Them getting going can really lift Lyon again.


Bari - Lazio first half I really hope no one watched. So little happening you could suspect a draw was found acceptable already. But let's see if things don't pick up somewhat at least.

Anderlecht 1-0 behind, gogogo

nvm Hernanes makes it 1-0 Lazio. One of the best players of the season so far in Serie A along with, I would say on first thought, Cavani, Pastore, Eto'o and maybe Zlatan though Pato even better when being healthy.

Worst?

Totti

All right while memory is still somewhat fresh some quick thoughts (those thoughts not worryingly killed by the sheer volume) about various European games watched this weekend:

Saturday

Mainz - Hamburg SV - 0-1

I still regret giving Mainz win over Bayern a pass a few weeks ago. That's probably my biggest miss of the season.

In this game where both sides could have had many more goals I was impressed with the obvious for all to see automatisms in Mainz play. They just move and pass very effectively and almost ooze being well coached.

Defensively maybe their ball pressure wasn't working all that well in this game. At least Hamburg consistently broke through their ranks. Maybe they simply lost a lot of individual matchups. Whatever the reason, Hamburg created tons of chances and overall looked better both technically and athletically even if it was more through individual effort (with some of best individualists injured at that) than Mainz impressive collective.

Game also featured perhaps Van Nistelrooy's worst ever finish on a one on one when he god knows why tried to chip the keeper without a good angle and a keeper who was standing up straight, resulting in a simple catch.

For Mainz the most eye catching individuals were big Szalai up front who did look pretty clumsy at times but also hard working and a handful. And also Schurrle who looked skilled and apparently has signed with Leverkusen for next season.

The much talked about Lewis Holtby I didn't really notice in this game and I think him as well as all the rest, I need to see some more before having any solid opinion on them.

As a collective though, they were definitely great to watch so much credit of course to coach Tuchel.

Best player: Ze Roberto

Milan - Chievo 3-1

Beating a side well known for their counter attacking style, relatively comfortable, is definitely a good sign for Milan.

Others are that Pato whenever healthy is absolutely flying and that early days for Ronaldinho playing more central are encouraging.

He doesn't get the ball as much, have as much time with it compared to when parked out left, which against good teams could still take away too much of his value since he can be useless without it, but at least in a game like this depending on him less to create and let very capable others also do their thing, was a very good thing indeed, and it was just better movement all around for the Milan team when in attack.

It will be very interesting to watch this formation's defensive balance in the coming games. That must still be the key.

Best player: Pato

Atletico Madrid - Getafe - 2-0

Only watched this in glimpses really but I think noteworthy how Atletico beat a Getafe side that quite a few La Liga followers like as one of the best of the rest, without Forlan and Aguero.

A lot of that is Brazilian striker Diego Costa who as these things go I didn't notice at Valladolid but has looked pretty good whenever I've seen him this season. Very strong, hard working and decent skills too. Filling in as well as they could have hoped for.

Barcelona - Valencia 2-1

Valencia with a very adjusted lineup compared to their usual formations came out pressing high and started well, while naturally in the back of your mind watching you always felt Barca was just one good through ball away from punishing them.

That never really did come in the first half though and it was a pretty even game where coach Emery's double left back experiment worked well with the game Mathieu being wing rather than marking Messi (the quicker Alba tried that) worked well with strong runs forward into open space and hard deliveries into the Barca box. Simple but effective resulting in an early lead.

In the second half Barca found better rhythm resulting in brilliant moments from several players. Not least Messi, Iniesta and even the not fully fit Xavi.

It wasn't that Valencia still didn't have their moments with their pressure from all the way up front but rather I thought their backline not quite able to keep up (like most wouldn't tbh) pushing forward at bad times and getting punished by great Barca runs and passes.

Best player: Iniesta

Roma - Genoa 2-1

Neither team really impressed in this one.

The Borriello/Totti partnership I've not been impressed with at all. Not least cause of the latter who is at the lowest level I can ever remember and the midfield, when it's those two up front, seems in constant state of confusion as to try and defend or attack.
Doing both disastrously seems out of their grasp.

Fortunately for Roma, Genoa might have an even worse forward right now in Luca Toni who when struggling and it's been mostly that recently, just looks like the total donkey failing at everything he tries.
Wow does Gasperini need a good striker to lead his all out attack. Currently so much is just going to waste and he must dream about the days of Diego Milito every night.

He could lose his job too which is a real shame but might actually be the best. Not long ago I would never have uttered such words but this team is far removed from the best of times of his 3-4-3 where things were ever so dynamic and a joy to watch.

He has even spoken publicly about the president buying players behind his back who he doesn't think will fit his system but then when one of the increasingly fewer ones who actually does that happens to be the completely washed up, Milanetto, then maybe it's time to try something else rather than relying on at best, Serie B level talent.

Another longterm key player, captain Rossi, is also slowing down and on the wide forward spots where pace and skill are really needed only Palacio and his rat-tail is performing well and quite sadly also being perhaps the team's best scoring threat. Not good.

Others like Mesto and Sculli are just too limited and maybe it's time to give some of the interesting young players in the squad more of a chance, while to be fair there have also been some injuries preventing that.

Then in central midfield there is a physical talent like Kharja but he is way too erratic a passer to be counted on spreading the play. Not good.

Miguel Veloso who it would have been interesting to see in the 3-4-3, unfortunately got injured before he had become really comfortable. Again, not good!

The clear bright spot then ironically for Genoa is in the back with Andrea Ranocchia

And while it's tough to ever look good for Genoa as a centre-back I am definitely beginning to get early fears of Inter (he'll join them next season) getting the better of Juventus in the transfers of the former Bari centre-backs.

Not that Bonucci doesn't look like a good defender for many years to come, hopefully very good, but Ranocchia just looks like the truly special talent and is one of the most elegant defenders I've seen for years.

Anyway, the game itself, both teams struggled and Roma got the ugly win.

Best player: That is difficult since no one stood out from what I saw. Maybe Rodrigo Taddei who put in his usual two-way work at a decent level.

Malaga - Real Madrid 1-4

Mourinho yet again coming out with his strongest lineup and yet again it's way too strong for the inferior opponents.

I think he is yet to rotate almost at all this season and it will be interesting how long that will continue and if there will be eventual effects down the line.

Not just the obvious negative ones but maybe even positives in finding and have the players find among themselves, including many new ones, the best formula and highest level as quickly as possible.

But in this game just a lot of world class play from different Real Madrid players: Ronaldo, Di Maria, Özil, Higuain and Alonso. Way too good for Malaga and in control, creating throughout.

My impressions from watching Malaga both against Real and previously against Villarreal is that they're quite an attacking team themselves and when up against better (Villarreal) and much better (Madrid) they just don't have the answers.

Still, players like Rondon and Quincy are fun to watch. Very explosive.

Best player: Take your pick almost. It was one of the best games of the season from both Ronaldo and Higuain I thought but I'm gonna go with Di Maria who does tremendous work and is turning into the winger Mourinho has always been looking for but never quite able to find.

Even Robben saw quite a bit of bench from Jose and the likes of Mancini and Quaresma were dumped quickly. Duff also I think sold when still held in high esteem by most. At Madrid currently it seems it's Pedro Leon that he is not happy with.

Di Maria though is flying high.

This got longer than intended but Sunday's games hopefully later.