Bits & Bobs (Happy Valentine's Day!)

It's pretty slow news midweek with the same recycling of stories about Rafa's future at Liverpool and the 39th game proposition so I'll just take this opportunity to tie up some loose ends as I anxiously await Man United's clash vs Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday and completely ignore the cultural significance of today. Valentine's Day is for suckas. No, I don't have a valentine but I'm not all cut my wrists about it. This isn't a livejournal. I understand the sentiment of the occasion, in this day and age we lead busy lives and it's easy to take for granted what you've got and it's nice that there is a day set aside for you to show that special someone that you do really care and appreciate them--fine, fine, that's all well and good. But 3 aisles at Duane Reade dedicated to heart-shaped boxes of cheap chocolate is nonsense. And every kiss doesn't begin with Kay and who really cares if he went to Jared or not? I hate society. But, boy do I love football (which is a part of society but let's not get weighed down by technicalities) so I'll move on to that. Just remember what the day is all about people, and don't be a sucka. Ok, rant over.

January Transfer Roundup
-No activity from United except a signing for the future in Manucho. I thought we needed another striker, oh well.

-The biggest transfer was Nicolas Anelka's move from Bolton to Chelski. Le Sulk gets a lot of flack for, well, being a sulk, but he's been successful thus far on his return to England and with a steady supply from the likes of Joe Cole and SWP he should be scoring freely like it's 1999. And then leaving for Real Madrid in the summer...like it's 1999. Chelsea is now his 9th club in 10 years and I predict the mercenary will take that impressive number to double digits. Plus with 85 million pounds being transferred for his services over his career, he clearly just loves people spending money on him. Hmm...daddy issues?

-Fulham's new manager Roy Hodgson tried to separate himself from previous manager Lawrie Sanchez's regime by going out and bringing in 7 new players. 4 of whom were strikers. To add to the 5 they already have. And they're still trying to get a 5th striker. Which would make it a shocking 10 strikers on the payroll. Hey you think Fulham need more strikers instead of, oh I don't know, just one competent defender? Different manager, same stupidity. I'm gonna go out on a very study and secure limb and say Roy will be jobless by season's end.

-It's a Derby Revolution as they've also brought in 7 players during the transfer window including Egyptian non-factor useless Tottenham reject fuckup Hossam Ghaly to help them avoid relegation. They've also also added some much-needed star power to bingo nights at the local YMCA by bringing in geriatrics Robbie Savage, Danny Mills and my favorite old fogie Alan Stubbs. Sooo it's not really a revolution at Derby. And they're still getting relegated.

- A lot of people don't like the move from Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill to buy Tottenham "reject" Wayne Routledge. I love it. Just a few years back Routledge had a sparkling season for Crystal Palace and was unlucky to be mismanaged by Chris Coleman at Fulham and then sent to Tottenham where they already have Aaron Lennon, basically a better version of Routledge. O'Neill has filled the right wing void with one of the fastest players today, who is still young with much to prove, to add to a squad that is already by far the fastest in the league. Aston Villa are officially my 2nd favorite team.

- Juando Ramos showed why he's a 2-time UEFA Cup winner by doing the simple, yet seemingly impossible thing for many inept managers today, in identifying the team weakness--defense--and buying accordingly. I like all three defenders he signed, especially class act Jonathan Woodgate. And he sold the surplus-to-requirements Defoe to balance the books.

-In contrast Boro manager Gareth Southgate showed just why he is the afformentioned inept manager type so prevalent in the game today by ignoring his biggest team weakness--defense--and splashing the cash on prolific but unproven Dutch league striker (sound familiar?) Alfonso Alves for 12 million pounds.

The Italian Job

Fiorentina won the first leg of their UEFA Cup round of 32 matchup against Rosenborg away in Norway. Male model/rich and famous footballer/Florentine demigod Adrian Mutu (how good is his life? Answer: this good) scored the only goal. Take that, anti-Romanian immigrant laws. If they hold serve at home they'll most likely play Everton in the round of 16. God I wish I was back there...


Exciting Blogspot Update of the Day
"Transliteration is now available in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu as well as Hindi" - Score one for my native peoples whoo!

Headline of the Day
On Didier Drogba confiding in fellow Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure about his future:

"Drogba Shares Secrets With Yaya Brotherhood" - Football365.com

Nickname of the Day
"King Nkong" - Giant-and-intimidating-but-really-just-misunderstood-gorilla of a midfielder, Cameroon international Alain Nkong.

And Finally
We make that paper.

All for now. Now excuse me while I go get loose tonight.