G-O-D

Arsenal's biggest problem now is the absence of both Van Persie and Henry. Cesc can only carry you so far.

Still though, I think you guys will nick 4th.

Pretty baffled by the sacking. Coleman has done well, considering that they have been selling their best players for the last couple of seasons.

Paying 16m for Mikel is just absurd. He may be for the future, but 12m to Man Utd is absurd. Very absurd.

And anyone who believes Ballack and Shevchenko came to us purely because of footballing reasons is a fool.

You chelsea fans out there, do you guys think that Salomon Kalou will have a chance to make it there? I wanna now because im a Feyenoord-Fan and I heard that Chelsea bought him.

Chelsea FC

1. What is the best thing that can happen this season ?

Winning the Champions League.

2. And the worst thing that can happen this season ?

Having the world implode because we're so good. Or maybe Mourinho leaving us.

3. Your team's young player to watch ?

Lassana Diarra.

4. Most important player ?

Frank Lampard

5. Who would you like the team to get rid of ?

Peter Kenyon

6. Is(name of manager) the right man for the job ?

Yes.

7. Have you got any advice for him ?

No.

8. Which teams are you especially looking forward to defeat ?

All of them.

9. Which opposing players will get the most stick ?

Steven Gerrard ?

10. What place will your team get ?

1st

To be fair to the referee, I think the foul looked worse initially than seen in the TV replays.

Some of Jose's substitutions during that match were puzzling though. I don't think he should have brought on SWP. Maniche would have been stablising in the midfield when we were a man down.

Anyhoo, I'm hopeful that we can beat Barca and progress to the quarter-finals. The chance is slim, but if anyone can do it, it's us.

For like, two bad tackles? And I don't think anyone deserves an injury.

I have a collection of Chelsea songs. I'll upload them if you want.

I had my suspicions that this would happen. Ah well, you can't win them all.

Chelsea 5 - 1 Bolton

Biggest win under Jose.

4 goals in 10 minutes, we must be on crack.

You can try using tables to align them then.

Something like:

<div id=logostrip><table border="0" width="100%"><tr><td align = "left"><img src='{ibf.vars.img_url}/logo4.gif' border="0" /></td><td align="right"><img src='{ibf.vars.img_url}/logo4_right.gif' border="0" /></td></tr></table>

</div>

There is no <align> tag in HTML, I think. align is an attribute, not an element. So it should be <img src="whatever.jpg" align = "left|right|center">.

Here is part two of the radio gags that air with Jose in Ireland, featuring Mick McCarthy and Damien Duff. Not as funny as part one, but still pretty good.

giftjose2

Why's Iaquinta leaving? Is he not happy at Udinese?

Looks like Vieira still has some of his old form.

And in La Liga, I think Luxemburgo needs to get rid of his 4-2-2-2 formation that is based on, according to him, "magic angles and rectangles". Maybe wingers were not necessary in Brazil, but I think without width, Madrid would suffer.

Well, if they are causing serious injuries, then they should be banned. Simple as that.

Normal studs have worked fine, and they will continue to work fine.

It's just a lack of match practice. I'm still backing Woodgate to come good at Madrid.

Thought it was about time someone bumped this thread up

Another win for us today, Essien looked sharp, and hopefully this game will boost the confidence of Crespo and Robben. We ain't playing the football that we did in the middle of last season, but we're still getting the results, so that's good.

Lampard has been subpar this season. Maybe it's because of his new kid. Hopefully, he'll find his form soon.

6 games, 6 won, 12 goals scored, 0 goals conceded, 18 points.

Life is great at the top, although the ticket prices a little too high.

Bwahahaha.

The Drogba-Amazon-Rooney part had me in stitches.

Awww, poor Mourinho, he's ever so slightly bitter about missing out on Gerrard twice.  Money certainly can't buy you everything.

What a twat.

←

I love the front. Absolutely LOVE it.

It's superb. 10/10.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been given the go-ahead to sign Michael Owen after the England striker bowed to the inevitable and accepted he has no future at Real Madrid.

Owen has effectively been relegated to fifth choice at the Bernabéu following the purchase over the weekend of the Brazilian pair Robinho and Julio Baptista. While Real will not transfer-list Owen, they will not stand in his way should he opt to leave and though they may test United's resolve by asking for £17m, are likely to accept a fee of around £11m, making a profit of £3m on what they paid Liverpool last summer.

The scramble to bring him back to the Premiership will revolve around United, Arsenal and the 25-year-old's former club, Liverpool, though Old Trafford increasingly appears the most viable destination. There is support within the Merseysiders' boardroom to bring Owen back to Anfield, though the European champions lack the funds to sign him permanently and would only consider moving for him on a long-term loan basis.

However, the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger last night appeared to distance himself from the player when he told Sky: "We have not made a bid. At the moment I am not looking for a striker, but other areas I am looking at."

While United had not expected to make a major signing this summer after the arrival of Wayne Rooney last year, Malcolm Glazer's purchase of the club has increased their clout in the market.

The Glazers have ensured Ferguson has around £12m available to add to his squad and, while he remains tempted to bid for the Germany midfielder Michael Ballack of Bayern Munich as a successor to Roy Keane, the manager is aware that Owen would fall just within his budget.

Indeed, Ferguson has experimented with Alan Smith in midfield during United's Asia tour, effectively freeing up another place for a striker to compete alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rooney and Louis Saha next season.

United's budget will not stretch to cover both Owen's and Ballack's signings, though the German is out of contract next summer and United may opt to wait until he is a free agent before signing him.

For Owen, the need to play regularly is paramount with next year's World Cup finals in mind. The prospect of becoming a virtually permanent substitute behind Ronaldo, Robinho, Baptista and Raul would prove intolerable, with Owen having accepted the time has come for him to move on in search of regular first-team football.

Brillant. Just brillant.

Essien is not worth £32m. Not even near that. And I have the feeling that if he comes, he will turn out to be a dud. So I think we should just leave Lyon alone, wait for another season, and if Essien continues his great form, then we buy him at a much reduced price for the waning Makelele.

I would have sold Jarosik and kept Parker. :\

Anyways, Crespo scored, and I certainly hope he will blossom at Chelsea this season. And I don't think any MLS team will survive in the Premiership. The difference in quality between the 2 leagues are just too vast right now.

I play as the right winger in football/soccer. I have also played in the central midfield and left wing before, but my best position is on the right.