Hi and hello football fans, it's your old pal Roko The Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! I was unfortunately rather ill at the back end of last week with some good old man flu and rather shockingly my cpu went down with a virus which meant I had to format my hard drive, good thing my man flu was a lot less serious.

Anyway, since last we spoke there has been quite a fair bit to talk about in the world of football and I'm raring to throw in my 10p worth!

Rooney earns controversial penalty..... Again

For those of you who missed it you can check it out here - LINK.

Last week Rooney claims he's an "honest player"....... Hmmm. Now on Sunday morning me and my buddy Spurs Pete were playing XBox live (Gears of War 2) and had a conversation about this, Pete say's to me he did not think Rooney dived....... I agree with him, I felt Rooney lunged for the ball and missed. But I would love to know why he was sitting there appealing for a pen if he is an "honest player"?

Firstly it's Rooney who's doing the shirt pulling and then to make matters worse he lunges for a ball he could never reach and ends up badly hurting the Slovenian defenders ankle in the process....... Again, what was Rooney appealing for? As far as I'm aware UEFA punished Eduardo for deceiving the Ref, well to me it seems Rooney did a pretty good job at in on Saturday and managed to get a player off injured with it.

There were two quote that summed it all up for me, both were from Slovenian players -

Aleksander Radosavljevic said:

"Everybody knows it wasn't a penalty - that's the price you pay for being a small nation.

Robert Koren, Slovenia's captain said:

"This week there has been a lot of talking about diving, about Eduardo. I think Rooney went down a bit too easy and let's see if someone will say something against him."

I don't think I need to add anything else to the discussion.

Chelsea transfer embargo

So Chelsea have been banned from signing any new players until January 2011. The punishment was meted out by world governing body Fifa after the club was found guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens in 2007.

I bet anyone right now £100 that Chelsea will be buying players next summer. I'm sure they will appeal and get this ban reduced to just this winters transfer window, which is still good news for the other "Big Four" as it means Chelsea will not be able to strengthen anymore this season and at the moment they look like the team to beat.

The thing is is that this has now brought about calls for under 18 year olds to be banned from transfers which to me at least seems like quite a drastic move. I'm not even sure if it's legal under EU law?

One things for sure, if that sort of ban came in what would that do to Arsenal and Arsene Wenger's transfer policy? Might actually have to spend some cash!

The thing that I find stupid is that the law is already in place and there is punishment there for it already. If a player has a contract and a team "induces" that player to break it than they get banned from making transfers like what has happened here to Chelsea, but unfortunately in this age of over reaction and media hyperbowl we see calls for something much more drastic. How about just enforcing the ban you have given Chelsea UEFA? That would make a lot more sense right?

Argentina 1 Brazil 3

This seemed to me to be the match everyone was looking forward to this weekend and I have to say I was a little disappointed having stayed up to watch it. Poor defending by Argentina cost them dearly, how can Brazil's main striker be totally unmarked from a free kick? I'm sure if a bunch of us from Oleole got together to defend that free kick we would have done a better job!

The only real memorable thing for me from the match was when the home fans started to chant Dunga's name........ Not a good sign!

El Deigo is now under real pressure to make sure Argentina don't fail to reach the World Cup Finals for the first time since 1970.

I'm still pretty sure the Argies will make it to South Africa next summer, but how strange would the World Cup feel if there was no Lionel Messi and no C-Ron (Portugal I think will not make it) The two best players on the planet? Has there ever been a World Cup without the two clear best players?

Igor Shitov

Whilst watching a very unimpressive Croatia beat Belarus on Saturday evening I noticed that the away team had a player who's name must rank up there with some of the best names ever in Football....... Igor Shitov!

If this guy played for your team you would have to buy his shirt right? I know I would. Just think of having Shitov on your back..... Awesome!!! Put's Paul Dickov to shame!

In my all-time best footballing names I'd have to rank Shitov 3rd -

3RD - Igor Shitov

2ND - Creedence Clearwater Couto

1ST - Christ Bongo

Face it, the same way you'd never beat Des Walker for pace (apart from when Marc Overmars did at Wembley in 93) You'll never beat Christ Bongo in the best footballer names ever..... FACT!

The End

Take care

Football Guy

Hi and hello football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down, I hope all is well wherever you are. Sleep has become somewhat of a waist of time for me here in the broom closet at football guy towers. No matter how much of it I get I still seem to be tired, which is starting to worry me as I think I might have some sort of energy sapping disease, kind of like what afflicted Adebayor last season. If this keeps up I "might" have to go to the old Doctors to find out WTF is going on.

Anyway, before we go any further I just want to let you know that on Monday I will be posting somewhat of a Fantasy Football Preview. I'm not sure yet if I will be doing it in multiple parts or just one big serving. But whichever way I do it I would advise that you take notes and heed my advice because it's not every day you get free advice from a master of anything, let alone something as important as fantasy football. Maybe I'll give away some basic stuff for free and charge for the really good info!

Chelsea 2 - 0 Inter Milan

Chelsea, to my knowledge, played the first half decent friendly match of pre season and managed to get one over on old boss Jose.

From the highlight that I've seen it looks as though Chelsea dominated much of the game and deserved their win with the goals coming from Drogba and Lampard.

Fantasy owners should take note that Lampard not only scored (penalty) but also assisted for Drogba's goal. Fat Frank, Mr Consistency.

Drogba also it seems has signed a new deal with Chelsea, extending his contract till 2012.

Carlo Ancelotti had this to say about his start striker -

"He's irreplaceable, as no other striker in the world can do the same job."

Well, 94 goals in 216 games for Chelsea hardly sounds like someone who is irreplaceable, but who am I to judge?

Steven Gerrard, the Boxing Footballer

Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard "totally lost it" and hit a man "with the style and speed of a boxer" during a row over music, a court has heard.

Here is the footage.

Now I know the video is not the best, but does that really look like a punch thrown with the "Style and Speed of a boxer"?

Looked more like a drunk man's left hook to me, maybe the witness who said this in court had been watching too many Audley Harrison fights and does not know any better.

Anyway, I don't think Stevie G will get any jail time over this. He might be Scouse, but he's not Joey Barton.

Samir Nasri breaks leg

So Nasri breaks his leg in training........... Great.

At first I thought he must have tripped over his teeth........ I knew his inability to close his mouth would come back to haunt him at some stage.

But alas, it seems his teeth had nothing to do with it and instead, Arsenal's own Alice the Goon Abou Diaby done him over with a bad tackle. Maybe Diaby felt his position was under threat after seen Samir play in central midfield a couple of time last season and decided to take matters in to his own hands?

Apparently the Arsenal medical staff seem to think he will be back in three months time, but to be fair, that's like Bernie Madoff telling you your money is in safe hands. Remember, this is the same medical staff that told us Edurado would be back last October and for about a year told us Rosicky was 2/3 weeks away from coming back every 2/3 weeks.

I'll believe he is back in three months when I see him playing.

Fulham sign Riise's brother

Fulham are a team I really expect to go backwards this season. 

I know they had a great time of it last term but lets face it, there not really that good and I no way believe they are the 7th best team in the Premiership.

Interesting to see that Bjorn Helge has the same box head as John Arne, but why is he not Ginger? Me thinks some peroxide has been used to cover up family genes.

Anyway, that's your lot for today.

Take care

Football Guy

Hi and hello Football Fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! It's time for the Football guy to announce his team of the season and after much deliberating I've come up with the XI men who impressed me the most in the respective positions. If you disagree, let me know, we will have a chat about it and in the end you will see I was right!

Lets start at the back shall we.

GK - Mark Schwarzer

In real life Edwin Van Der Sar got it, many other people might have gone with Pepe "Claire" Reina but not your old pal the Football Guy. Schwarzer was an integral part of a Fulham team that managed to finish high enough for a European place  and that needs to be congratulated.

I have to admit, I've never been Schwarzer's biggest fan but I brought him in to my fantasy team at the beginning of the season only because he was one of the cheapest goalkeepers and I have a policy of not spending money on keepers when it comes to fantasy (take note as I'm very good). So let me tell you I'm was very pleased Mark Schwarzer was the highest point scoring keepers in fantasy world this season, quite a remarkable achievement considering that he does not have any big name defenders in front of him. Only Jussi from Bolton made more saves than Schwarzer and I'm not sure there was another keeper more valuable to him team this season than the big Aussie.

RB - Glen Johnson

Sometimes you have to go with the popular opinion on some issues and Glen Johnson was most certainly a popular choice in most peoples best XI's this season.

I was very tempted to go with Jose Bosingwa but to be fair to Johnson, he was really good this season and that's something I was not expecting. Some one might well over pay for his services this summer and it will be interesting to see if he can continue his form next term.

LB - Patrice Evra

I really wish I could have thought of a left back who had had a better season than Evra, but unfortunately I could not.........

I don't really think Evra had good a season and for me he is starting left back in the Football Guy XI more by default than anything else as nobody else was really any good either.

Maybe I'm being a tad hash on the Frenchman who is one of the best in the world, but this season he was lucky that competition in his place was not really that strong.

CB - Nemanja Vidic

The big Serb enforcer. Looks like he could be a James Bond villians henchman has had quite a remarkable season (well other than those two games against Liverpool in the league).

For a long time he was favorite for both the individual honors but fell short but I'm sure the league title will more than make up for that and also being the only United defender who I believe was ever present during their record breaking clean sheet run.

Vidic's form has been so good this season that now he is the center of a lot of transfer speculation across Europe and I think Fergie would be despreate to hold on the the rock at the heart of his defense.

CB - Phil Jagielka

A rather controversial choice but for me the right one. Allot of other people would have gone with Rio or even possibly Brede Hageland, but lets face it, their not called the Football Guy.

Big Phil I thought had a cracking season which was cruely ended short in the FA Cup semi final through injury, but never-the-less he was a key component of an Everton team that had a really good season and I have to say that as an Arsenal fan it we could do worse than addressing our defensive problems with Big Phil.

Only worry will be to see how he recovers from his injury, but barring than expect more of the same from Jagielka next season.

BTW - He can also play in goal.

LW - Ashley Young

I was very tempted to omit Young completely from the team due to his total no-show in the last three months of the season, but luckily for him I can still appriciate all the good work he put in through the first seven months and that's why he get's in.

Had I not picked him the man who would have taken his place would have been Arshavin who in the three months were Young had vanished managed to rack up one goal and one assist less than the Villa man had all season long. But it would have been unfair for me to do so as Arshavin did ONLY play for three months and this is a season long award.

RW - C-Ron

I think this position might be his for as long as he plays in the Premier League.

C-Ron, whilst not hitting the great heights of last season still turned in a season most mere mortals would love to be able to do and that's why he is the man!

Love him or hate him, you have to respect the level he has been playing at for the last two/three years and from a football fans point of view I'd love him to stay in the Premiership......... As an Arsenal fan I hope he fucks off to Real.........

A lock in everyone's fantasy team despite him costing £2m more than the next most expensive player, he even has an award named after him by the Football Guy in the Monday hangover column.

If he is still in Red next season make sure he's in your fantasy team as you wont beat me without him!

CM - Steven Gerrard

Stevie G, Liverpool's best player last season, the Football Guy's best player last season and I guess more importantly the football writes player of last season, although I'm sure he would have swapped at least two of those for a league title medal....... Nobody swaps the Football Guy's award for anything!

I don't think there is much I can write about the man that has not been written before, a true leader of men and a dream as a captain....... Why he is not Englands captain I will never know.

The one thing missing from Stevie G's resume is a league winners medal and unfortunately for him, I don't see it coming anytime soon.

CM - Frank Lampard

Say what you want about fat Frank, he still managed to get 12 goals and 10 assists this season in the league and scored more fantasy points than any other player. How he was not in the running for player of the year I will never know, he had a much better season than Ryan Giggs but I guess everyone loves Giggs.

The amazing thing for me about Frank has been his consistency. The last three seasons he has averaged 11 goals and 11 assist in the league, expect more of the same from his next term.

FW - Nicolas Anelka

It's funny, I don't feel like Anelka had all that good a season, but at the end of the day he did win the golden boot and for that alone he has to be in hte team of the season.

I was a bit unlucky with Anelka in fantasy this year as I seemed to have him in my team when he was not scoring but he-ho, what can you do.

I'm going on record now that if he has the same season next year he will not only not win the golden boot but also wont be in the team of the year.

FW - Fernando Torres

Can you hear the pipes Fernando!!!! The band is playing your song!!!!

For me, the best striker the Premier league has to offer, I'm sure had he not missed large chunks of the season he would have won the golden boot but such is life, he still had a good goals to game ratio and deserves to be in the team of the season.

Would be great if he could play a whole season with out an injury but I guess some players are built that way.... Just look at Robin Van Persie.

That's your lot

So there you have it, if you disagree let me know and as I said earlier, we will talk about it and in the end you will see I was right

Take care

Football Guy

Hello football fans, your old pal the Football Guy is in mourning today as you might expect, but let me tell you now, it has nothing to do with me losing my beard or Arsenal getting out classed by United.

About 20 minutes in to the game I received a phone call informing me that a very good friend of mine (who also was a United fan) had passed away that morning........... All of a sudden being 3-0 down on agg didn't seem like that big of a deal......... Some things are more important than Football.

So I'd like to just take a minute to say goodbye to a good friend, thanks for the good times Lorcan, you will be greatly missed.

Arsenal v United

No as you can imagine, I didn't really watch much more of the game after that (was tuning in and out) but one thing I can say for certain is that - United are MUCH MUCH better than Arsenal!

Over the two legs United out classed the Gunners in every department and fully deserved to go through, now that really hurts to say as I'm an Arsenal fan..... But lets face facts, when a team is so clearly better than your team you will only look like a fool if you say otherwise.

So well done to United, I wish them luck in the final (If they play Chelsea) and I wish them evil (if they play Barca)

Chelsea v Barcelona

Round two of this heavyweight battle should be more entertaining than last weeks snooze fest, because Chelsea, being the home team this time, will have to come out of that shell they were in last week and therefore give Barca that bit of extra space with which to work wonders with.

Worst case scenario for a neutral looking to enjoy a good game tonight would be an early Chelsea goal, as that will mean Chelsea go back to parking their bus and Barca running in to a brick wall......... Hold on.... I just mixed two metaphors....... Can you do that?

Best case scenario - 10-10 and Barca go through on away goals!

Tomorrow

Sorry for the shortness of todays post, but I'm not really in the mood today as you can probaly imagine....... Somethings are more important than Football blogs.

Take care

Football Guy

Hi and hello Football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Things are on edge here in the broom closet at Football Guy towers, firstly because  I can hardly wait for tonight's game, one which I hope will be a 1000X better than last nights antics and secondly, I fear my cough is turning in to a slight cold, not quite yet there, but you know when you can feel it coming!

Barcelona v Chelsea 

The Picture to your right is quite fitting because last night in Barca Chelsea planted a big Yellow bus which says a lot about the team to me!

Chelsea think of themselves as a big team and the occasion last night was a big one, for me "big" teams do not play the way Chelsea did last night.

Now, I'm not knocking good defending, which was certainly on show last night from Chelsea, to point is that the Blues (Yellows last night in more ways than one) showed absolutely no ambition to try to pass the ball around, let alone do any sort of attacking! It was like watching a lower league team take on a Premiership team in the FA Cup not an evenly matched CL semi final between to of the top teams in Europe.

You could just imagine the negative, judgmental reaction from the English press had an Italian team put in that kind of performance at Camp Nou (or Old Trafford/Anfield for that matter).

But, no. Since it was an English side who were holding on for dear life, it's labeled as 'resilient', 'brave' and even 'encouraging'. It was anti-football, plain and simple! I'm not saying Chelsea should have gone toe to toe with Barca in Barca's back yard, I just feel that a "big" team in a Champions League semi final should actually try and do a little bit of attacking as well. If Arsenal play like that tonight against United I will be embarrassed........ The same way I hope Chelsea fans are too.

Early thoughts on the 2nd leg

I don't really think 0-0 was all that great a result for Chelsea. A score draw would have been much better as now they must beat Barca to advance (doubt it will be 0-0 again). I think they are capable of doing so, but the fact that they will be the home team and will have to attack might just play in to Barcelona's hands.

Here's hoping for a better match next week at the Bridge.

Manchester United v Arsenal

United v Arsenal...... Can't get much better right? Two teams that like to attack and we get to watch them square off twice in the space of six days!

I think this game basically comes down to how well United can exploit Arsenal's fragile defense, and with Gibbs and Silvester both doubtful for tonight's match, Arsene Wenger might have a real big headache.

Ryan Giggs could likely get his 800th senior cap tonight which is a remarkable achivment...... I know I've been bashing him of late, but I think what I said was fair enough. Good luck to Giggsy, I just hope we don't see a repeat of his goal from another United v Arsenal semi final 10 years ago.

Football Guy's verdict 2-1

Take care

Football Guy

Hi and hello football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Things in the broom closet at Football Guy Towers are not that great, I've developed a nasty little cough which is bothering me just slightly. I hope it says like that and does not turn in to a cold...... Or even worse..... Cancer!

Did anyone watch the game last night?

Millennium Magpie v Portsmouth

I did and I can honestly say I was very disappointed with the Millennium Magpie's.

To get out played by a good team is not sin, but to get out played at home by Pompey should be No11 on the 10 commandments, kind of like an unwritten rule. How they expect to stay up after a performance like that is beyond me.

Even when Pompey generously gifted them with the games best chance, all Michael Owen could do was hit the ball straight at David James when clean through.

It could have been a lot worse for the Magpies had Mike Riley, who of late seems to not want to give penalties of late, pointed to the spot when Peter Crouch was clearly bundled over by cousin IT from the Adams family, or when Richard Hughes header hit the post when it looked like it was looping in.

I'd say that this point for Pompey should all but see them safe, the Millennium Magpies on the other hand have four matches left to save their hides, starting with Liverpool away next weekend, don't see much joy in that match for them. That leaves two home games against Boro and Fulham, Boro have lost their last 10 away matches in the Premiership and Fulham have only managed two away win's all season, if six points are not picked up their I think that will be all she wrote. Their last game of the season is away to Aston Villa who may or may not have anything left to play for come then, but I'm sure Martin O'Neill would love to finish a season which has fizzled out on a high note.

I still think Big Al and the boys can do it as I can see Hull losing all their remaining fixtures, but time is most certainly running out!

 

Barcelona v Chelsea 

On the whole, meeting between these two in the Champions League have been pretty exciting affairs.

All in all their have been 29 goals in the last 8 meetings between the two, that works out to over 3.5 goals per match....... Let's hope tonight is not different.

Here's a quick overview of how those games went -

April 5th, 2000: quarter-final, first leg: Chelsea 3, Barcelona 1 GOALS FROM Gianfranco Zola and Tore Andre Flo (two) put Chelsea 3-0 up in eight first-half minutes at Stamford Bridge but Luis Figo grabbed an away goal in the second half.

April 18th, 2000: quarter-final, second leg

Barcelona 5, Chelsea 1

RIVALDO AND Figo scored in the first half to put Barcelona 2-0 up and level on aggregate, but Flo made it 2-1 in the second half to edge the Blues ahead. Dani scored with seven minutes left to level the tie and two minutes later Rivaldo had a penalty to put Barca through. He missed, sending the game into extra-time, during which he atoned for his error by scoring from the spot before Patrick Kluivert finished the job in the 104th minute.

February 23rd, 2005: last 16, first leg

Barcelona 2, Chelsea 1

AN OWN goal by Chelsea’s then Barca defender Juliano Belletti gifted the Blues the lead but second-half goals from Maxi Lopez and Samuel Eto’o put Barca in front. Didier Drogba was controversially sent off by referee Anders Frisk in the 55th minute, an incident which earned the official some vitriolic abuse from Chelsea fans and subsequently prompted his retirement.

March 8th, 2005: last 16, second leg

Chelsea 4, Barcelona 2

GOALS FROM Eidur Gudjohnsen, Frank Lampard and Damien Duff in 11 first-half minutes put the Blues in the ascendancy but Barca hit back with a double from Ronaldinho. With the Spaniards set to progress on away goals, John Terry grabbed the decisive fourth goal 14 minutes from time.

February 22nd, 2006: last 16, first leg

Chelsea 1, Barcelona 2

ASIER DEL Horno was sent off in the first half but Chelsea went ahead in the 59th minute through a Thiago Motta own goal. Terry then put through his own net and Eto’o grabbed a late winner.

March 8th, 2006: last 16, second leg

Barcelona 1, Chelsea 1

A LATE Ronaldinho goal all but clinched it for Barca, rendering Lampard’s injury-time penalty a consolation.

October 18th, 2006: group stage

Chelsea 1, Barcelona 0

DROGBA earned the Blues three points at home.

October 31st, 2006: group stage

Barcelona 2, Chelsea 2

DECO PUT Barca ahead early on but Lampard equalised with a brilliant chip. Gudjohnsen then scored for the hosts against his old club but Drogba netted an injury-time equaliser.

When you think that just in the last round, both teams managed to score 5 and 7 goals respectivly over the two legs, who knows how tonight will turn out.

Football Guy's verdict 2-1

Take care

Football Guy

U

Hi and hello Football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Things are still as busy as ever here in the broom closet at Football Guy Towers, although it can all be remedied if the world just decided to add a few more hours to it's day..... But since the world is a selfish git I'll have to make do with the 24 hours it gives me and try to be more efficient with them.

Anyone watch the games last night?

United back on top

United pretty much cruised back to the top of the Premiership. They scored early through Wanye Rooney and then really should have added a few more before half time, then the inevitable nerves started to kick in when you only have a one goal lead, but thankfully for United, Michael Carrick popped up to seal the deal in the 82nd minute having only come on 6 minutes earlier.

Back to their best?

Well, I would not say that quite yet, but since their 4-1 beating at home by Liverpool this was their most assured performance in the league.

OK, I know it was only Portsmouth and it was at Old Trafford but after the last  month or so I think United fans will be happy about the way they played last night,

They now need 13 more points to be crowned Champions for the 3rd year running and a record equaling 18th time overall and unfortunately for all Arsenal fans I've looked at the fixtures United have remaining and it looks as though they will be lifting the trophy at Old Trafford against Arsenal on May 16th....... Hopefully the Gunners will have knocked them out of the Champions League by then to soften the blow of having to watch them win the league.

Injury blows?

Last night United lost Garry Neville and John O'Shea for the next couple of weeks to injury, How big a blow will they be?

Well I don't think Neville will be missed that much, for me he is past it and anyone from their reserves could fill his boots at the moment and grow a better tash.... You know, the one Neville has been cultivating for the past decade. John O'Shea on the other had could be missed IF United suffer any further losses to their defense as his versatility at the back has been very handy for when Vidic has a suspension or when Rio's back starts to spasm or when Neville is injured like he has been most of the last 18 months.

Regardless, I'm sure they will be able to come with the loss.

Chelsea v Everton

Guus Hiddink said after last night's match that the title was over for Chelsea, I say to Guus that it was over quite a while ago but hey, you can still dream right?

Everton played very well last night and if you look at the chances created, they were pretty unlucky to go home with only a point. They also should have had a clear penalty when Alex brought down..... Errr... I can't remember who it was, but regardless it should have been a penalty. Don't think David Moyes should complain too mach about it though as United should have had a clear penalty against his side on Sunday in the FA Cup...... Swings and Roundabouts huh?

Lampard award snub

Michael Ballack talked today about how he was shocked to see Frank Lampard miss out on being nominated for the PFA Player of the year awards and I have to say that I agree with him.

I'm not saying Lampard should win it, but he should be in the final six short list and the guy who should miss out is Ryan Giggs!

Ryan Giggs has started just 12 of United's 32 Premiership games this season........ 12 of 32....... Not sure how that is good enough to be considered as one of the Premier Leagues best players (only scored one goal)

Fat Frank on the other hand has played in 32 of Chelsea's 33 games and has 12 league goals this season which is one less than both Gerrard and Torres and only three less than Anelka and Ronaldo who at the time of writing are joint top goal scorers. It's not inconceivable that Lampard might yet win the golden boot!

Basically I think Ryan Giggs making the final six shortlist over Fat Frank is a joke, but if you think about it, the votes are done by Footballers and most don't have two brain cells to rub together in the first place!

Fantasy Premier League

Twas another good week in fantasy for the Football Guy, I managed to pull away a little bit more at the top of my league, although it was just by a few points, having Arshavin really helped, although it would have been nice had I made him captain instead of C-Ron.

1	Better Than Milan 89	Football Guy	70	1808
2	FC Pizdets	SportBoy P	66	1745
3	Cesc's Superstars	SportBoy T	81	1702
4	Armegadon	Amer	55	1653
5	Lilly White 49'ers	Peter	55	1650

Players you wish you had not made Captain

1. Nicolas Anelka      - 1pt
2. Didier Drogba       - 2pts
3. Cristiano Ronaldo - 3pts
4. Frank Lampard     - 3pts

Players you should have made Captian

1. Andrey Arshavin - 21pts
2. Fernando Torres - 12pts
3. Wayne Rooney   - 9pts
4. Stephen Ireland  - 7pts (Only said hin because Pete in our league picked him as Captain)

Players you should have made Captain but never would

1. Chris Brunt       - 14pts
2. Danny Collins   - 12pts
3. Liam Lawrence - 11pts
4. Phil Bardsley     - 7pts

The Cristiano Ronaldo award for fantasy excellence

1. Andrey Arshavin - 21pts

Of course, 21 points... WOW, it's the most this season, just pipping Gerrards hat trick against Aston Villa where he scored 20 points. Since I've been playing Fantasy Football I think it's the joint second highest I've seen, I think C-Ron got 23 last season against the Millennium Magpies but I'm sure I've seen 21 points before as well.

Right peeps, I'll be back tomorrow with the weekend preview.... Happy St Georges day!

Take care

Football Guy

Hi and hello Football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Things are somber here in the broom closet at Football Guy Towers, I'm still a little bummed out that Arsenal will not be going back to Wembley this season, I'm also still recovering slightly from the booze fest that resulted after Saturdays defeat! I would like to take this opportunity to thank a friend of mine called Chris or Warbs as I was calling him the other night, Warbs works in a bar that shall not be named on Upper Street in Islington and he was kind enough to supply me with Whiskey and Coke for free!!!! Needless to say I was pretty drunk, but thankfully that was all, thought I might throw up at one stage on the walk home.

Anyway, it was a great weekend of Football, especially if your team wears Blue! If your team wears Red then it probably was not a good weekend for you, well unless you are a Stoke or Sunderland fan, both picked up massive victories over the weekend. Stoke's win over Blackburn has them now safe in my estimation and it would take a catastrophic turn of events to send Stoke back to the Championship, as for Sunderland, their victory has made them far from safe, but at least has given them a little breathing room, they have a four and five gap over Middlesbrough and Newcastle respectively.

Boro were the only team in in the bottom three to pick up any points, unfortunately for them it was only one and that has made little difference to their chances of survival. Boro's strikers remind me of Stormtroopers from Star Wars, you  know how the Stormtroopers are supposed to be this elite fighting force feared throughout the galaxy yet can't shoot for shit, their so bad that even a savage bunch two foot high Ewoks can defeat them, well Boro's attack is quite the same, they have players who they paid quite a bit of money for up front so you would expect them to at least be able to do what your paying them for, yet they can't score for shit and if they had to face a team that had an Ewok back four I know where I'd put my money!

The team that may well come to Boro's (and Newcastle's for that mater) rescue is Hull, who seem to have been in permanent free fall since November. Hull are only three points above Boro (four above Newcastle) and I don't see them picking up any points in their next two games, that's because they face Liverpool at Home and then travel to Aston Villa who have to win sooner or later right? You can still get 5/4 on Hull going down and I can assure you that that price will get a lot shorter after their next two games.

The race for 7th heated up over the weekend with the teams who currently occupy 7th and 8th (West Ham and Wigan) both picking up away draws on Saturday, Spurs took full advantage of this come Sunday and disposed of a Newcastle team who for most of the match were a clear second best, they actually somehow managed to look third best at some moments of the game even though I'm not entirely sure that's possible.

Anyway, Spurs now sit a point off 7th spot, their problem will be that their run in is pretty hard. They still have to travel to United, Everton and Liverpool, thankfully for them their two home games are pretty easy, West Brom are a disaster and Manchester City are a mess away from home so that should be six points there, not sure how many they will pick up away from home though.

  

So it will be an all Blue final come May 30th and may I first say a big well done to both teams, I might not like either style of play but you've got to say well done when its due.

Lets start of on Saturday, the all London affair. I was pretty happy with the world at 5pm Saturday afternoon, then I saw the team sheet and turned paler than Casper the friendly ghost after he had spent 10 years in a basement......... How did Alex Song not play? He's been are best player over the last 4/6 weeks and a real physical presence in the midfield! Instead Arsene decided to go with Denilson, who actually looks like a Ewok and could only give Boro problems and Diaby, who looks like Chewbacca after Han Solo had him shaved due to an infestation of space lice....... Both were pretty average, probably poor is a better way to describe them, actually crap is the best way.

Arsenal were not helped either by Cesc having what for me was one of his worst performances in an Arsenal shirt, he did nothing but lose the ball, yeah I'll give him the fact he did run and try, but ultimately I think we all expected better for our Captain.

All in all the game started well for the Gunners who were well worth their lead when it came form Walcott via Ashley Cole's hand, the high point of the day for me.

Then Fabianski happened, both of Chesea's goals I'm sure Almunia would have delt with but hey-ho what can you do. I think one of the Sportboys made an interesting point about back up keepers to me in the pub after the match, basically don't have a young back up keeper unless you really are grooming him to take over from your old man keeper. Young goalkeepers are fine if they are getting games like Ben Foster has and will be taking over from Van Der Sar sooner or later, Fabianski on the other hand will not be taking over from Almunia anytime soon as Manuel is only 31, so unless his form completely goes down the pan it's Almunia for the foreseeable future, so Fabianski is not going to see much action, that's why it's better to have a solid back up who is older, has played in some big games, OK so he's never going to be great and has more Grey in his hair than George Clooney but at least he's dependably, now I didn't mention a name for this said keeper, but let's face it. there's quite a few of those types of keepers out there in the world and I would rather have anyone of them than Mr Fabiaanski who I mentioned as being suspect a few days ago!

I also mentioned that Drogba would be key to this game on Friday........ I hate it when I'm

right.

Ironically Silvestre actually had done a good job of keeping the man/beast quite, but unfortunately for Arsenal, you can't keep a good Drog down and he took full advantage of Silvestre lack of pace (and will power) and Fabianski's retarded brain to give Chelsea the victory and to be fair, I'd say over the course of the game Chelsea were the better team on the day and deserved to go through......... I will now chop of my fingers.......

Now on to Sunday.

Sir Alex, like Wenger, threw up a few surprises in his team selection, namely all of it other than Vidic and Rio...... Now Fergie has received quite a bit of stick about the team he chose, well for me, I understand why he did it, his team has looked tired of late and having his best players run around on that disaster of a pitch was going to do damage and I'm sure three points Wednesday would be more important for Fergie anyway than an FA Cup final........ Can you blame him?

I said on Friday that there would be penalties........ Although that was because Mike Riley was in charge and I was sure he would give one to United....... Well, I was wrong. Quite how he failed to give one to United when Wellbeck was clipped by Phil J I will never know..... Maybe Riley can only give a penalty to United if it really was not a penalty and he is paid by Fergie to cheat, not do his job!

He sorted United back out though in extra time when he called back Tim Cahill who had just turned Vidic and was through on goal when Riley decided to give a foul and book Cahill...... I still don't know why.

Anyway, Everton went on to win the match on penalties and book a place in the final for the first time in 14 years and well done to them. It was a close match and neither team deserved to lose (or win, depending on your point of view).

So and all blue final awaits for us come the end of May, I hope it's Chelsea who are feeling blue come the conclusion of the match.

Tomorrow

I have to run as I've got a busy day in front of me, will be back tomorrow with the results from me a Lawro and Fantasy Football, as well as a preview to Liverpool v Arsenal.

Take care 

Football Guy

Hi and hello Football fans, it's your old pal Roko The Football Guy, what's going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Things are quite here in the broom closet at Football Guy Towers, not really much to report on other than the fact I'm ready to go back to work after what seemed like the longest Easter bank holiday weekend in recorded history, that's right, I'm moaning about bank holidays........ Whats wrong with me?

The Champions League is back tonight and unfortunately for tonight at least I don't think we have all that much to look forward too, with in my opinion, both ties being pretty much settled. It's going to be like watching a movie you have seen before and don't really like (if you are a neutral) but I guess if your a fan of either Chelsea or Barca then it's like watching your favorite porno over and over again, loads of pleasure and no risk!

Let's take a closer look.

Bayern Munich v Barcelona

Barca take a 4-0 lead into the second leg of a tie which is deader (is that a real word?) than Jade Goody (too soon?).

I really do love it when the manager of the winning team tries to be polite about the situation like Pep Guardiola has been with his pre match quotes -

"Bayern can score four goals and even more when they're on the back foot.

I don't believe it when they say the tie's over. I'm sure they'll be up for it and (Franck) Ribery and company are dangerous players."

He sounds like a guy who has just met his mates new girlfriend for the first time and thinks she is a dog but is not going to tell his mate that so he says stuff like - "She seems like a nice girl" or "She has real good dress sense".

Would it not be better and much funnier if Pep came out with -

"Bayern are a beaten team, we crushed them once and if we want too we will crush them again.

There is more chance of me giving birth to Jesus Christ than there is of us losing this tie."

Lights up a cigar leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind is head.

That would be way cooler than basically pretending that Munich have a chance tonight.

As far as I'm aware, neither team has any new injuries since the first leg but I'm sure Barca will rest a couple of their stars for tonight, which might mean we get to see Alexander Hleb....... Don't expect  to see a goal from him, but do expect to see loads of dribbling with poor pea-roller shots.

Bayern might beat them tonight, but don't expect the greatest comeback in Champions League history........... Yes Liverpool fans, I think this would be a bigger comeback than yours in 2005.

Football Guy verdict 2-1

Chelsea v Liverpool

Not sure why I have a picture of John Terry for this game as he is suspended....... But hey, I'm sure he will be there in spirit on the pitch.

The talk from the dressing room is that Liverpool will risk their inspirational Captain Stevie G for tonight's game and boy do they need a special performance from him.

The problem for me Liverpool have is that they need goals, and that's not been something they have managed in abundance against Chelsea, especially at Stamford Bridge, having failed to score in three of their last four visits to the Bridge in the Champions League. Even if you look back at the two victories in the league, they scored two very late goals at Anfield and at the Bridge (when they ended Chelsea's 47 year unbeaten run at home) it was a game without many real chances and the winner was a deflected Xabi Alonso strike.

Liverpool need to score early and they will need at least three goals to pull this off, so they can afford to throw caution to the wind as even if Chelsea score one it would not change the fact that the Reds need three to get back in the tie.

I'm hoping Liverpool do score two early as it will be a much better spectacle for all of us having to put up with David Pleat's commentary tonight on ITV....... Please let it be Jim Beglin.

Football Guy's verdict 1-1 although I think this could well be wrong if Liverpool go Gung-ho in the last 10 minutes.

OK peeps, see you tomorrow.

Take care

Football Guy