Barbara

FUCK YEAH OSCAR!!!!

frustrating doesn't even start to cover it *sighs*

Cole is barely useful in the attack... can he just stay a bit deeper as he's been outran time after time?

and here I thought math was an exact science where for example 3 is more than 1...

Does José think Willian is u-22 or he changed his mind about Kevin starting? as far as I can say there are only 3 under 22 players and he had said twice yesterday there would be four. I guess he's replaced Kevin for Will ever since.

Mourinho already gave plenty of hints. He confirmed Oscar and Lampard and 4 under 22yo's. I'd bet my money in the U22 being Oscar, Hazard, Kevin and Marco. It could be André for Kevin which means that Willian isn't starting as we don't have U22 players in another zone of the pitch (in addition to Marco in the pivot, that is). The defense I'd go with Cahill and Luiz and I don't see Azpili starting. Don't know if he'll pick Eto'o or Torres either because who knows how fit Eto'o feels after his first match in EPL. Ramires told the Brazilian media that after his first EPL match he couldn't move for 1 day and his body was sore for another 2. And that's a guy in his early twenties... But please, not Ba. I can't with Ba and his offside affair.

really? because this other place I just mentioned - editing my post - there's an application process, and believe me, it's very likely to a job process. They evaluate everything about you as a poster and sometimes some of your experience in real life. I'm serious.

Not really, not my kind of thing - you'll never see me applying for the position in a football forum. Never Also I have my hands full with the Chelsea Brasil site, and I'm considering moderating a small board about my fave TV show... but that's mostly among friends, there are ZERO disagreements which is why I might do it. Might being the key word.

that's absolutely true, Lex. I'm happy you could find a common ground and like I said, if people complain about it, so be it. We complain about our players, politicians, teachers, family and everyone else all the time. So yeah, hehehehehe. I guess things are already getting better as a consequence of the actions, and they will probably improve more

it looks like an eggball american football play

Completely disagree with that. The combo of Ronaldo + Ozil is so much better than any dream of Mata and Hazard, it's like light years ahead of them and they absolutely flourished under José. Even di María + Ozil gives Mata + Hazard a run for their money because ignoring ceilings, potential and all that stuff, di María had a more consistent (meaning less ups and downs) season than Hazard [injury aside] and really, comparing Mata and Ozil is only possible when Mesut is too focused partying or completely uninterested otherwise there's also no comparison. He's better than Mata in very possible aspect (as a #10). The rest of this post is not a response to you, but to many posts here (just to clarify). The only team in the world more attacking prone (or natural) than Real Madrid is Dortumund and that's debatable. And the Real Madrid I've watched under Mourinho is one of the most exciting teams to watch playing, but he didn't find the perfect system for the team in half a dozen matches. I'll start quoting my own posts from 2 months ago because they fit more now than ever. Now if you guys were happy with what Benitez did tactically four months down the road and that is barely winning against Europa League competition and fighting until the last round for an EPL third place, then be my guests and carry on the comparisons. Rafa has always been aware he was an interim that should present the short-term result. He failed saving the team in the UCL (although let's be fair, there wasn't much he could have done, we were already on brick of being knocked out in the groups stage), with a lot of difficulty and some serious dangerous and lucky matches we finished 3rd 2 digits behind the champions and we struggled royally against the likes of Europa League in a couple of matches - in addition to the losses, that is. So make your pick. Choose the short-term and Mourinho sucks for not continuing with the oh-so-efficient tactics that proved to give us such amazing results - titles wise. Also let's be practical. All Mazacar, Benitez or whoever you want to throw in the equation won us was a EL title. Not even one of the domestic cups they were capable of bringing. So I really can't understand why people are whining about us last season when we had one of the worst seasons in recent years. When a few of us kept saying the goals this season shouldn't be too high nearly the whole forum agreed - a few us said QF/SF in UCL and top 3 in EPL and there were a lot of people agreeing that was reasonable and realistic. Five matches later and people are complaining through their pores saying all kind of BS about our players, our board and our manager. Five matches... really I try to make up my mind around that all the BS I read here is because of five matches, but I fail to understand how that is even possible...

sweetie I was going frame by frame, at the moment the ball wasn't about to be crossed. he approached the guy closer to him and then he abandons this guy is runs to nowhere productive imo. But we can disagree *hugs*

José just said in the press conference that tomorrow we'll start with 4 players under 22. So I guess that means Oscar for Mata and we have the 4: Marco, Kev, Oscar and Eden. Of course it could be André replacing Kev, but I believe in Kev. edit: he just confirmed Lamps and Oscar are playing tomorrow

once there's a rulebook it's done, Nour. So name calling = suspension or warning and that's it. If people complain, their problem as they're now aware of the rules and chose to break them. If others come to defend them, they're also wrong because it's in the rules. We just need to qualify what is name calling. When I refute one of the posts Ankit just mentioned saying the person is saying a lot of BS and nonsense, it's not name calling, it's me belittling their opinion - which we should all be mature enough to take. People will disagree with me, I don't need to be offended by that. But if my way to show my disagreement is to call the person a lunatic, stupid, clueless son of a bitch, then I crossed the line. Judging the opinion is fine, judging the person with 'adjectives' is not. Once the rule is created and published, they have to abide, whether they like or not. So there shouldn't be any complaining, and if there is, it's not your problem.

but maybe the way to go is being moderate about it, Lex? I mean, if someone calls the other stupid brainless idiot, I don't think they should be banned, but they could be suspended for one day or a couple of them. And be warned and when it amounts to 5 or whatever amount, then the ban comes. I only suggested being harsher because I'm actually appalled by how much name calling this place had going for the past month or so. People feel like it's their right to call others whatever they want. I'm a newbie and I can say that when I joined it wasn't like that. I don't know if there had been other streaks of such lack of disrespect, but it's too much right now. As for people criticizing you guys, I had a convo about it with Nour the other day and I agree with him, it's unavoidable, because if you for example allow the name callers to continue, some people will complain, if you take action, others will complain - which is why I support a warning and suspension system prior to ban. I'm part of a HUGE (Threads: 334,499 | Posts: 69,860,097 | Members: 254,129 | Currently Active Users: 2048 - and that's because it's a bad hour for the forum - too many American because normally it has 4k online easily) forum for the past six years and one of the actions mods take there is closing threads after a few warnings. The threads remain closed for short periods (24h or 48h) maybe something similar could work in some threads here - like players threads and matches threads. I guess to control it in the community board might be hard, but in the serious threads it could work for when petty squabbles carry on. Anyway, just a suggestion... another comment, being too democratic sometimes only make your job harder. Impose a few things might be necessary.

oh and reading posts above mine reminds me of something else: I think the mods should be harsher about the name calling. It's getting out of hand. Warning should be given, or temporary suspensions. I don't think bans should be given at first. But people need to learn to respect others one way or the other. If by a polite request they can't, then more serious actions should be taken. Sorry, I'm a teacher - disciplining is second nature, but I guess it's not a bad idea at all.

you do know The Skipper is 20, right? Which proves that age is just a number. The childish behavior could come from a 15yo or a 40yo. I agree that we're having problems because of egos, people confusing opinions with facts (normally who reads may assume one stated a fact when it was only an opinion, but they were wordy and emphatic so it mind sound like being factual when it's still just an opinion). I agree that normally with age comes maturity - we all have been young (the ones who are older, that is lol) - but I think the problem sometimes comes from some older people that had been more immature in the last couple of weeks than the younger. So it's relative and we can't generalize. As for constructive criticism, I don't like the Member of the Month award, I think it's juvenile and although that only makes it my opinion and as such shouldn't be taken seriously (and it's something I can totally overlook) I think this sort of award contributes to some of the issues, the egos war, the self-righteousness, and it's a huge popularity contest the way it is now and maybe the cliquey thing TOPTB is complaining. The cliquey doesn't bother me, but the ganging up singling out posters sometimes get a bit much. So my criticism for now is only about the award. And I think we could foment more discussions about football.

Interesting piece. There are some stats, and the same vid posted above in addition to more to the article @ http://eplindex.com/40394/samuel-eto-o-statistical-analysis-everton-personal-highlights.html Now, did I just read that Torres is (or has ever been) more technical than Eto'o?

yeah... the zone where I want to go all Elmyra Duff and squeeze you (and please tell me that there isn't any slang where squeeze isn't hug really tight)!!! How creepy does that sound? It's a milder thing as I said, so that would be just hug you - but seeing your posts with Michele I'm aware you're not a hug person, so it's a good thing I'm across the globe? You're too cute! I wouldn't resist hugging you I had a friend like that and I hugged him a lot because he was too cute. During college nonetheless although I didn't meet him there. He's one of the friends I had that I mentioned some time ago that I shared my bed with and all we did was sleep miss him as I had no idea of the name of the character in English I went to wikipedia and because of my not-so-small teeth I've got nicknamed Lilica (Babs Bunny) through all my childhood - and I liked it - and currently tons of people calls me Babs (English speakers). Such a coincidence! That's too funny

Nour, you're too cute for words, the more I see of you, the more convinced of that I am. This thread made me laugh so much now, you guys are all awesome. I'm back to loving The Pub - I guess I was too cranky to appreciate it Late - but not pregnant - let me give my two cents. I don't drink at all - except a tiny glass of liqueur here and there (Sheridans for the win) and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. Most of my friends say I'm naturally drunk, that I say all kind of nonsense without a drop of alcohol, so maybe that's why I don't miss it. My first major - for some reasons that only happen in Brazil - our campus was in the mall. So can you imagine how many classes I skipped? I never studied for the tests, I couldn't draw to save my life (I studied Advertisement with emphasis in Marketing and a minor in psychology) or create a movie or whatever. Still I passed with straight A's and B's throughout the whole thing. I partied hard - even without drinking and not being a fan of one night stands (had boyfriends throughout most of my years in college although two of them were long distance relationships). I took a break from studying in the middle of college because I told my mom I had been doing that since I was three, and then I resumed it and got my major. I was 22 then. When I was 29 I decided I didn't want to work with serious people, deadlines, stupid employees and such, so I decided to study what in Brazil we call Pedagogy - I found in English there isn't such a thing (except the word) - but that's what one studies to teach kindergarten and elementary school. I missed more classes than I took part, I didn't study for my tests, I didn't party hard because I was already married, but it was cool. In both experiences I've met tons of people, I had the time of my life and I didn't take things too seriously - but I wasn't completely careless either, of course. I made crazy stuff in my first major. Our parties were the craziest ones - Advertisement students are the worst in Brazil - and I had the time of my life with no alcohol, no drugs and almost no sex (in the parties). But that was the lifestyle I chose to have (even though I wasn't a Christian then - because sometimes people associate this kind of mild behavior with religion, with me that wasn't the case). I don't drink because I don't like how it tastes, if I liked I would have, I didn't do drugs because I was never curious or excited about it - if I was I would have at least tried. The sex thing is overrated. The amount of sex you have during college, work, high school all depends in the kind of person you are. I was always a girl who liked to have boyfriends instead of one night stands, so when I wanted to have that kind of fun my bf was there for it. I wouldn't change a thing and although I love studying (in theory as I rarely open my books and I sort of have photographic memory for lectures and speeches) two major and a specialization is enough. See what works best for you. Economy is probably more demanding than the light majors I took - I miss History of Art classes - so maybe you'll need to dedicate more than I did. Just don't fret over everything. It ruins the whole thing. milan.cech it must have been 'fun' congrats on being a mod, sweetie. You're one of the most amusing people I've ever come across the many forums I've taken part in nearly ten years. Cheers! btw won't they open a thread to welcome you to the team? You totes deserve a thread @Weckerz, @Dion, that's also the only way I've studied throughout my whole life. I remember sometimes I went straight from the parties to class to take exams. I didn't drink or did the other stuff, but I danced until I dropped. I love dancing. As I didn't drive back then, I remember one day, 7am I was dressed in my night club attire and I took the bus straight to the exam. The looks I've got - priceless.

yeah, but last year there wasn't such a fierce competition and he played those constant and consecutive minutes I said. That's the key. He needs to play and he needs to play twice a week, even if in one of those matches he only plays 30 minutes.

I agree. At first I thought there wouldn't be any chance for him to start, but maybe Mourinho will save Oscar for EPL and use Mata tomorrow - saying something like this last year around November would sound the craziest and most nonsensical thing ever It's the kind of match that could give Mata confidence. Maybe that's what he's lacking in addition to minutes - played consecutively. No matter how bad he continues to perform, for him to regain form he needs to play twice a week, week in and out, even if he comes as a sub, or is subbed in the second. He just needs the constant.

there's no argument on that imo. He's our best AM finishing wise, period. Oscar is a close second (let's pretend that sitter against Bayern never happened) and all the others (Hazard, Willian, André) are way behind. André is the last one waving from the distance In all honestly though Kevin isn't bad at all, so he's a third and deserves a mention. Mata 9.0; Oscar 8.8; Kevin 8.2. The others I won't rate