Jase

Admittedly, I do not know the full going ons in Lebanon right now but stay strong mate. I'm sure things will improve and be better soon. And stay safe too.

Thanks. Why? What happened?

Wow! Didn't expect that but thanks. Unfortunately, I didn't go for the UEFA coaching seminars etc because circumstances have dictated otherwise. Just hoping and looking to get into some football related work in the future, be it in coaching or working in the media.

That and after throwing away the last two trophies available, we do not want to be doing the same with this as well. We should really be aiming to win this trophy because it's one that we haven't won and we do not want to go all the way to Japan just to make up the numbers!

United may not play that way though. I'm sure they would have noticed the problems we have had dealing with crosses against Norwich and Spurs.

Media and PR. Only if the questions allowed such answers to be written. Had that thought before but not exactly a person that likes to write.

Well TBH, I do wish that I could at least concentrate more on academic(not that I'm doing terribly by any means!) but just can't help it. Football has become a massive part of my life. If only I could get into some football related work now rather than having to study. Oh well. *sigh*

Random post but Falcao is following Luiz on Twitter...

He never really should have left the club. Can't quite believe he's at Spurs and we're still stuck with Hilario after all these years!

Close? You were late by 3 minutes!

75% happy. 25% disappointed. In jovial mood after our recent run of form and that excellent win over Spurs on Saturday. On the other hand, this past week was a disappointment academic wise. *sigh*

Mata wants to become a club legend. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2221498/Juan-Mata-says-wants-Chelsea-legend.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

http://www1.skysports.com/news/12040/8187833/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M_eOaOSQoQ&feature=plcp

How have they been performing with that? 4 v 3 in midfield this weekend could spell trouble for us.

Has anyone been watching United recently? Hearing news/stories that they have been playing with a diamond midfield recently.

True. He is a bit dodgy and after all, he was the referee that thought it was OK for Rooney to elbow McCarthy(or was it McCarthur?) at Wigan 2-3 years ago.

Guillem Balague on this story. http://sulia.com/channel/la-liga/f/43de794f-3e87-4b61-8000-bf6559d8075c/?source=twitter

This.

Marin is injured...again. http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/2956565/title/level-setting-for-shakhtar P.S That was quoted from the second paragraph in the article.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/kickingandscreaming/id/124?cc=4716 An article written by an Arsenal fan on Mata and this game. Wonderful piece!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/oct/22/henrik-mkhitaryan-shakhtar-donetsk An article by Jonathan Wilson on one of Shakhtar's dangerman ahead of this game.

Bosingwa-esque defending. If you look at one of the angles in the repeat of Mata's second goal, you can see that Walker had a look at where Mata was but didn't even bother to track him. Tottenham's greatest ever right back? HA!

That's because he had the better players and ones that are more suited to pressing than the team AVB managed last season.

The referee for this game will be Damir Skomina from Slovenia. He has previously officiated two of our games, the 2-1 home win against Benfica last season and that 4-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid earlier this season. Skomina has also officiated a game involving Shakhtar before and that was way back in 2007, where they lost 1-0 to FC Salzburg. His most recent match in the Champions League that he officiated is Madrid's 3-2 win over City last month. Just to add, Shakhtar are unbeaten at home against English oppositions, having won 3 and drew 1 of the 4 meetings and funnily enough, all of those came against London teams. They beaten Tottenham and Arsenal(twice) there. Only Fulham escaped with a draw against Shakhtar in Ukraine back in 2010 in the Europa League. Here's the UEFA Match Press Kit, if anyone is interested with all those said information in it as well as others too.