ontd_football | mid week games (Reply)

Chatter from the sidelines

Balotelli’s incredible resurgence continues in Milan with personal Serie A record Hope you live up to the expectations the world had for you in 2012, Mario! Potential has a shelf life, you need to come good now.

David Beckham: I wasn't world-class Sir Alex Ferguson said that Scholes, Cantana, Ronaldo and Giggs were the only world class players he managed at United. I wonder if Beckham and Fergie ever made up, what with the shoe kicking incident and scar Beckham got

MLS over all table with four weeks left to play A question re: MLS, why are you guys having a break now? Is it because it's so cold?

Everton, Tottenham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace chasing unsettled Inter Milan star Andrea Rannocchia would be a good shout for Everton, I think. He's a Martinez player to the ground, and Martinez would make him better. Martinez doesn't seem to be as cold as Pochettino can be, and some players need that arm around their shoulders, you know? Newcastle is pretty unsettled right now

Platini says he wants to tone down politics at FIFA He told the US that he would vote for them, but Qatar changed his mind

Manchester United target Thomas Muller is our Lionel Messi or Wayne Rooney... he is not for sale, says Bayern Munich CEO I wonder why he's saying this?

Luke Shaw tells Hector Moreno that horror leg break was not his fault after PSV man visits Manchester United star in hospital Luke Shaw just seems like a genuine lovely bloke

Miscellaneous

Mario Balotelli met Roberto Baggio! If you have to ask who Baggio is we're not going to be friends.

Balotelli with AC Milan. Good luck Balotelli, and LOL at your instagram actions re: Rodgers.

David de Gea got the captain's armband in a league match after Wayne Rooney came off field. I'd have given it to Mata, tbh, because I can't understand why a goalie would be captain.

Tevez visits Ham in hospital. Broke his leg in a 50/50 challenge, and no, I'm not showing that picture there. It's enough to put you off your lunch, tbh

Dortmund training. A word on Bundesliga pictures, I'm still looking and trying to find them when I can, but strangely, even though Dortmund are on their winning ways, I've found LESS pictures than when they were in the relegation zone. Doesn't tumblr like a winner? And most Bayern Munich pictures are of carb faced Goetze. Why doesn't tumblr like me?!

Januzaj seems to be settling in well. He's on loan from Manchester United with no option to buy, but word has it that Pierela is seen as a better player than Januzaj?

Why is Bürki not in goal more? Why is he so attractive?

Werk

Hoffienheim put the brakes on Dortmund's rampaging, and Reus ponders on the reasons why. I do like this Puma kit. Even the flap that's seemingly dipped in ink doesn't annoy me like the Newcastle one does
Diagrams

Facts and stats about Bundesliga's state of play right now

OP: done! Off to go running and preparing for the weekend. Any cheers, jeers, corrections and commentary pushback/feedback, you know the drill!