youlots

Also being broadcast on SBS from 10.45 am eastern according to the latest SBS program guide. Breakfast Chels - what a treat.

What's with the bloody collar on that strip?!? Why oh why do they keep bringing back a collar on football strips??? Collars are a bloody pain in the neck. It should be totally illegal to put collars on any football shirt (except bloody liverppool shirts cos it gives me a reason to hate them more).

In my view the pros of keeping him presently outweigh the cons but not by much. I reckon his performances over the first part of the season and prior to the January transfer window will largely determine his fate. He's a bloody actress at times but, as has been said, he does add another dimension to our attack on occasions and can totally befuddle certain defences. I'd prefer us to keep him this year because his occasional performance in just a few games (if not injured) even if only for 10 minutes or so may be the difference between us getting our bloody title back and not getting it back.

Surely, Peter Seller's indian trumpeter at the beginning of The Party.

Fantastic

Nice work closing those gates DKW. You can really dig a hole for yourself sometimes can't you Red Rob - must be your familiarity with those hubcaps as digging implements! Dear oh dear.

How does Chinatown & Millers Crossing miss out?!!!!

Loz - perhaps you're right I don't remember. I take it that Sheffield's appeal of the EPL's decision to fine Spam was that the Tribunal or arbitrative panel (or what ever it was) had to decide whether the EPL's decision to only levy a fine as opposed to imposing a points deduction was within the EPL's discretion under its guiding articles of asscociation/constitution. I assume that in the absence of the EPL having a definitive code of sanctions in place under those articles for different types of transgressions by its member clubs, it had a wide discretion to levy a sanction that the EPL thought reasonable. In these types of cases involving private sporting bodies, with that sort of discretion, the avenue of appeal for one of its members to test the use of that discretion (and more particularly whether the use of that discretion was reasonable) is pretty narrow and basically boils down to Sheffield being either able to prove that the EPL's use of its discretion to only fine Spam was so unreasonable that no reasonable decision maker in the shoes of the EPL could have made it or that there was real evidence of bias in favour of Spam by the EPL. I don't think Sheffield were able or could of been able to prove either. It may be, as you say, that there have been instances in the past where these points deductions have been made and it may be the case that Sheffield drew these to the attention of the Tribunal/arbitrative panel - I don't know. As far as the appeal to the High Court is concerned I take it that that will be an appeal per se as opposed to being a hearing "de novo" in which case the High Court will only be able to look at whether the Tribunal/arbitrative panel has made an error of law on the face of the record/award and on the grounds that the Tribunal/arbitrative panel has, in coming to its decision, not considered every thing that it should have considered or has taken into account an irrelevant consideration etc. Either way, very limited appeal rights. The other aspect of Sheffield's appeal that has always interested me was the fact that it was only brought after the fact. Now although in my view that shouldn't have anything to do with the original EPL decision or the Tribunal/arbitrative panel's decision per se, it has always lingered in the background as the causative element triggering the appeal in the first place. The reality being, as I think that we all appeciate, that it is the critical consideration in the whole matter even though its not part of the legal proceedings per se!

To what precedent do you refer?

Mostly agree with what you've said Dorset and how grubby Manure do look in all of this when the "loan" deal and the "result" at Old Trafford on the last day of the season are considered together: I can only imagine what blades supporters must think now after the 1st round litigation was lost. As far as the High Court appeal is concerned, it can only "rule" on the issues comprised within the appeal being the EPL's use of its discretion to only fine Spam and not otherwise deduct points: any other comment would merely be "obiter". The fact that Manure are now attempting to take commercial advantage of the situation is hardly cogent evidence of any conspiracy (even if there was one) as between Manure & Spam regarding the result at OT, the consideration for the deal being some sort transfer/loan deal for Tevez later on and of which has now come to pass. The problem for Sheffield in all of this saga has never really changed at all: that being that the Premier League, unlike a lot of other professional sports bodies, simply did not have a rigid code in place regarding transgressions of the rules. You think that after what took place in Serie A they would have finally realized that the EPL is a huge commercial business and that clubs will try on anything to remain in the comp because of the obvious financial downside otherwise. I would be very much surprised if the High Court finds in favour of Sheffield - as unjust IMO as that patently is. Also I don't understand why you feel that Sheffield may have grounds for another case against the Premier League in the event that there was any subsequent litigation as between the real owners of Tevez and Spam and in respect to any transfer monies received by Spam from another club for which Spam did not then account to Tevez's true owners. What has that rather run of the mill cause of action got to do with Sheffield and its grievances as against the Premier League? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the Premier League, Manure & Spam all get cained over this and, like you (and Loz I think) am really enjoying watching all of this unfold.

Dorset - I doubt everthing I read in the papers as I'm sure you do. Look I know you really want him at Chels to play in the hole etc. and I don't doubt that the Inters, Reals etc have been somewhat cool in respect to some of the figures being bandied about. However, unless I've completely misread it I very much doubt that we're in the hunt for him. As for him going somewhere else in the EPL, I hate to say it but would have thought that he'll probably end up at Manure.

Loz Is it "sure as eggs" (that Torres fails/Garcia is missed) ? or He's "put all his eggs in one basket" (now lacks width/Torres fails) ? or.......... anyway, let's hope you're right on Torres. I think they'll rue the day they let Garcia go.

Tell ya what Liam - there's a bunch of us comin over next year - why don't we arrange to meet up then and we can all have a good laugh. What ya say.

Dorset I think this is all a pipedream - I don't think we we're or ever will be in the market for Tevez. I also echo Pauly's view that one of the reason's Jose is not all that interested is because of Tevez's character and discipline track record. Further, here's a bloke who's getting his agent to currently hawk himself all around Europe and particularly to Inter. Inter had the sense to see this as some sort of bidding war and quickly stepped in to make an offer with a small offer window period. Now Tevez, or his agent, are allegedly saying that he wants to stay in the EPL in any event!!!! After inviting Inter in the 1st place !!! It says a lot about this player/his management. I bet ya a lot of the boards around Europe who may have been interested in Tevez are now secretly thanking Inter for the way that they dealt with this.

Good business for Athletico all round I reckon if they can now get Garcia back for say $2-3 million. Benitez will be sweating like crazy on Torres coming good in the EPL quickly, because as you say ICG22, its his big signing. Surely the poo(l) aren't still in for Tevez now.

Enrico: "I think Capello was going to leave anyway and Real merely did a pre-emptive strike so they wouldn't look as bad. Not that this makes them look any good, mind." Enrico - 2 things: First, Capello had 2 years left on his contract - if he resigns he'd not be contractually entitled to the further 2 years pay. So if you're speculation is right - Cappello decided that some principle was worth more than say $4-6 million euros: somewhat unlikely mate. And even if that was the case why didn't Cappello resign some 10 days ago ? Secondly, if Real were thinking that by sacking him early they wouldn't look as bad - how does, as you later admit, this make the Real Board look somehow less bad. They look and deserve to look like complete idiots - I mean who (being a top drawer manager) in their right mind (including Wenger) would even consider going to Madrid now. You'd have to be on some incredible contract stacked totally towards the front - say $8-10 million euros for the first year (upfront) even to consider it.

The more one looks at this and reading between the lines of what has been said by Atletico it looks very clear that they want Torres to agree to the transfer & for as much money as they can squeeze out of the pool. I think its probably going to happen. If so, let's hope he's a flop & bench warming by January.

If the deal happens then, at least on paper (on the premise of Eto not being available) it's a smart buy: roughly the same as when they bought Morientes. However, I'm of the view that Torres would adapt much better than Morientes & I hope the deal doesn't take place for obvious reasons.

Liam you're merely a dilentante & rodomontade - indeed the complete wanniassa; put your uniform back on cos it says it all really.

Liam wrote: "Can someone from the CSR Mourinho Mafia please explain how their hero is content to be Roman's bitch?" BIB, a few of us who defended Mourinho from those like Liam & Enrico (or is it Henry?) who want him sacked at the end of the season now fall under Liam's classification of the "Mourinho Mafia": These are the same posters who allegedly follow Chelsea but who were otherwise silent at the end of the year before (ie. after 2 premierships in a row) about their "dissatisfaction" with Jose whereas now, last season's results/style of play were/are not good enough. Accordingly it would now seem that whenever a story involving the Jose/Roman conflict saga arises and/or Joses' managerial control is seen (by the press) to be under threat and/or Jose says something provocative, we are likely to be entreated with comments such as Liam's above: Presumably on the basis that same is "a wind up" or "bait" to smoke the "Mafia" out of the woodwork. So clever on Liam's/disgruntled's part don't you think? Frankly, I never thought the day would come when I would say that I'd rather read Red Rob's posts more than some on here who claim to be Chels but I think that day has arrived. By the way Liam, given the return to your original avatar (ie. the all knowing all seeing icon) I take it that your question was merely rhetorical as you must already know the answer to your own rather pathetic question. If so, why don't enlighten us all.

Yeah these polls are mostly rubbish and always timed to coincide with some new release. How films like the Bourne Supremacy or Ronin and others don't make the top ten beats me. But that's Hollywood for ya. Die Hard for me was a good american action film made great by Rickman - what a performance and in his first film! "I'll be sitting on a beach earning 20%" or what ever that memorable line was.

"..best defender in the Bundesliga" - you havin a laugh. Sure he was part of that Hamburg side that only shipped 30 goals in 34 games in 05/06 but on what else do you base that statement on?!? He had one excellent game against Goofy, but for the other games, when not injured, he was mostly an octopus. Crap games against toffees, spurs and he gifted that penalty to Baptista which gave them a draw (in what was a pretty bloody important game for us late on). Believe it.

DKW is right - unless there is other evidence against us than contained within the report, there'll be no action taken against the Club Will, however, only feed the constant and recurring press inuendo about us - but hey, what else is new(s).

Useful signing - more useful still if we'd got him back in January! What's the bet that Riccy & JT now remain injury free for the next 12 months - umbrellas and the rain etc. Boula to bavaria I spose. No great loss.

Loz, regardless of how many of us feel towards Pool and their supporters which is pretty evident (and I for one dislike them much more than LUFC fans or any other club's supporters for that matter), I have to agree that although Redrob has on occasion been a bit cheeky, for the most part he's been within bounds on these forums as you yourself have admitted from time to time. Nobody can stop anyone who follows any club from reading these pages and joining the forum. I'll bet a lot of (the better informed) scousers read these pages as do supporters from other clubs and some even have the guts to post from time to time with the full knowledge that their probably going to get a post full in reply from time to time such as in this thread. To ban Redrob without just cause because of guilt by association given Athens and what you percieve to be a majority of fans current hatred/dislike of Pool supporters may be a tad arbitrary/capricious given your mostly judicious decisions on such matters to date. I think your compromise in giving him the Milan avatar was brillant - maybe that should be the precedent to be used in future (at your discretion of course) for any poster from any other club who posts here and has the decency to show their spots. Just my take. Oh, and let Lofty back on for F*** sakes. Everyone misses his input and the fact that he's true Chels.