I watched Deportivo playing Barca yesterday. As you probably know, Deportivo won la liga last season. They are a tiny club by Spanish standards (30,000 capacity) and to win la liga (above the likes of Real and Barca with their 100,000 capacities) was the equivalent of Ipswich winning the title. Yesterday, with comparatively few star names, they won 2-0 and should have won by a far larger margin. Barca were simply appallling. New manager sat there confused, not knowing what to do, Kluivert couldn't hit target for toffee, De Boer was just shouting at people, their defence was struggling but they haven't any extra defenders to put on the bench, Petit just looked miserable and badly out of his depth, Rivaldo is apparently injured, Enrique badly rusty after his spell on the bench under Van Gaal, no sign of Catalan hero Guardiola. In fact, Overmars the only decent player on the pitch. God - I bet they wish they had Bobby Robson now.... By the way, Helder was on the bench for Deprtivo but didn't get a run-out.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Answers

Deportivo, "a bit like Ipswich?" Why not compare them to Leicester, they could never win the title could they?

We all presume Man U will win it again, It needen't be that way, Leicster are showing that there is an alternative way of playing. A bit boring perhaps but it's effective, If we don't win the championship, it would be luvly for little Leicester to do it ,don't yer think?

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Christ no - That miserable sort of football should NEVER be promoted. AS a one off in a game you can't win (ie. us against Arsenal at Highbury last season) but can possibly draw, it's fine. AS a policy for a whole season, it should NEVER be encouraged. Besides which you ever heard the reception they give Big Al there? Muppets.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Yes, you'd think he had kicked one of their favourite players in the head or something...

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Gotta admit that theier manager is very, very good, He would siut the likes of the Arsenal when Wenger goes.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Which of course he didn't (although you can't expect such inbred knackers to recognise the difference between a media-orchestrated campaign to discredit the man and the truth). However, they do have more cause to boo him than those Muppets at Maine Road who have barely been in the same fecking division as him, let alone had any bruising encounters with him.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Sorry about my spellin on here tonight, I never read what I've typed, just him the submit button. Thanks for not critisicing my poor grammar..

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Nah, of course he didn't. That slimey little toe rag Lennon (how much would he cost to fill Rob Lees boots?) nutted Al's foot. Little ginger git should have been shot - slowly.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

No way Leicester!! Boring football and one of the lads at work supports them, he's typical Leicester, "Great team, Savage is so underrated, Neil Lennon is worth 10 mill, Taylor a great manager better than Godly Martin O'Neill in fact, bollocks".

He'' be at it this morning when they are top of the league, I missed it yesterday as I had a day off but he'll pipe up this morning! Newton Heath or Arsenal for the Title depending on which teams gets more effected by Euro stuff.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

God - I bet they wish they had Bobby Robson now....

Apparently Wor Bobby was unpopular at Barca because of what the fans saw as his 'unattractive tactics'. Respected as a gent but only ever seen as as a stand-in until Van Gaal arrived. They'd probably rather have Cruyff back. Shame about the Catalans, looks as if they're so crap they'll let Leeds (and their racist followers)through to the next round of the CL.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

I rather thought it was due to his alleged allegiance to the previous president that they didn't like him? He did (according to his autobiog)advise them on players long before he joined them and was the reason they got Venables so there's some truth, I imagine, in this perception. He was winning games 6-3 and they were still criticising him. However, they are looking like they are in freefall at the moment. Probably because amidst all this "more than a football club" business, they've lost sight of the fact that, principally, they are a football club.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000