ok, so i'm thinking this is as good a time as any to just kick out a topic that we can keep going throughout the season. so in addtion to spurs actually looking like they could play against sheff utd:

topic 1: keane's the new sunderland gaffer???

topic 2: chelsea loses to boro and then draws barca in the champions league draw

<--responds so as not to appear disgustingly colonial.

Apparently, footie is neuroboy's Shrimpboat.

Shut up, you hockey-haired ogre.

English, please.

Aren't the groups meant to be seeded in some way? Cos unless my hungover brain is disceiving me, Chelski also won their league last year.

Oh well. Bring it on. Should be a good game with the build up of rivalry in the past couple of years

Let's just hope Ronaldinho's fake girlfriend doesn't fatigue him so much the nite before the game.

1: roy keane who was a hero for manchester utd and fell out with the coach based on his being a vocal critic of the team was sold somewhat randomly to scottish league team, celtic, and has now turned up as the coach for the equivalent of a triple-a team in the second division of the english football league--sunderland. surprised a lot of folks.

2: the hated chelsea football club, who have become the yankees times 10 after being bought by a russian oligarch have spent more money than the gdp of many small countries and essentially created a real-life fantasy team (actually 2 real-life fantasy teams), were beaten by middlesboro--a mid-level team with a brand new, untested coach. oh, and chelsea's coach is an arrogant prick. the next day chelsea drew barcelona (thought by many to be the best team in the world) in their group for the 1st round of the european club championships. and the whole world cheers!



but the champions league has seemed to be the only thing they haven't been able to buy and the fact that they drew barca means that they might get knocked out again. yay!

I like your thinking, but I don't think either Werder Bremen or Levski Sofia are going to be able to finish above Chelski and boot them out (though I'd love to see it as much as anyone).

At any rate, I'm looking forward to Mourinho's dummy spit whenever they do get knocked out. Highlight of the season. Closely followed by the inevitable sour grapes from Henry a la CL final last year

Yeah, seeded by their European results which in Chelseas case is kinda shitty.

Always happy to see Chelsea lose anything.

I'm happy with the Arsenal draw...but I just wish we'd get our team settled already. Half the team's injured and the other half arwe waiting to see where they're gonna go. Walcott seems to be getting ready to take off. Does anyone have a better young squad?

The footie talking point of the day is the Ben Thatcher 'tackle'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNCpHGVPJ-w

Bit of a shocker.

Actually, I was expecting worse from all the talk.

jaysus! that's like hockey but without the pads. looks as though the club has suspended him.

i'm convinced it's gonna take more replays of shit like this to convince americans that it's not a sport for pansies. too bad, really.