hardeepR

Good point - Scolari will need to rest players for the 3rd place playoff.......

I was a bit disappointed with his comments on Sky. He firstly quite reasonably said that he/the club would review the video before making any further comments. The reporter not unexpectedly tried to get a bit more - asking in slightly more general terms and again Brendon said that they'd look at the video first etc. But then for some reason he made a comment about "other incidents" as well - I think he mentioned something between Carra and Torres? In the circumstances it came across as an attempt to divert attention. (On the other hand Rafa played a complete dead bat to it - "didn't see it" etc.) I have to say he looked unsure/uncomfortable throughout the interview as well

I'll be amazed if we see him play again this season. If nothing else the club should suspend him prior to the inevitable FA ban - like we did with Diouf after the spitting IIRC. Brilliant a player as he is eventually you have to say enough is enough

He strikes me as a player who you only notice when he does makes an error - the only thing I can remember about him yesterday was when he hit a crossfield pass out of play :o - the things he does well tend to go under the radar. He quietly gets on with his work at a consistently high standard and when the playing squad improves he'll be the one that brings the best out of the rest of the team.

I'm pretty sure Sahin won't be eligible since he was signed after the first leg?

Look harder ITV4

Actually multiple host countries could work. Lets say there are 6 groups. (I think,) from memory in past world cups and euros the top seed in a group played all their group games in the same stadium. You could apply the same principle whereas after qualification and the drawing of groups the top seed in each group gets to host the group. Not too sure about the knockout stages - neutral venues for R16 and quarters with a single country for the semis and final? (I'm not in favour just speculating.) Having said the above I see no reason to expand beyond the current 16 team format - like most have said 24 out of 50ish will just devalue it. If they want more teams why not have a parallel tournament of 8 teams where the winner and runnerup earns the right to be a top and second seed in the next qualification?

Don't see that being a problem - they'd be returning home

We gave the Mancs Matt Busby so perhaps they owe us a favour...

It reminded me of the Barca - Steau shootout all those years back. I suspect Charlie Adam's pen is currently being greeted by Waddle's and de Boer's somewhere near the Moon - absolutely awful. Still we won

TBF to Rio, (and I'd rather not,) I think his discision not to shake hands might have been a spur of the moment thing when he saw that Suarez blanked Evra? He's also in an awkward situation with regards to his brother's case IIRC he's been very supportive of Anton so shaking hands with someone found guilty of a similar offence could result in unwelcome comment. It's not been a great situation for anyone.

How long did that case take to resolve? I'd imagine that if it goes to appeal then CAS you're probably talking months rather than weeks - not sure how that'd affect Suarez and club. I'd be interested to see the actual reasoning for the ban since as far as I can see either the FA panel believed that Suarez was deliberately rascist in his comments or it was a "cultural misunderstanding" deemed unacceptable in the UK. If the former then 8 matches isn't something I'd argue with. If it's the latter I'm trying to imagine what the ban would have been IF it had been the former

After searching on the Uruguay federation's website he came on as a sub for Lugano in the 74th minute. Suarez played the entire match - apparently set up a goal and hit the post.

Apparantly his dad is English as well so it seems somewhat puzzling that the issue of a WP ever arose - tbf the club never mentioned anything so it's was probably just internet comment.

Apparantly a few comments on twitter that he's been granted a conditional workpermit. If true I'm assuming that if he doesn't remain a regular for his country the WP could be revoked?