They probably have each others Facebook.

I see Jose still wants to make headlines in England won't be long until he's back I feel.

He specifically mentioned that in the past five years Arsenal have won only an FA Cup title, and that is very little if not insignificant. Also, he rightfully mentioned that the story of the kids is getting old. Every time I have to argue with an Arsenal fan, they claim how it's better investing for the future than relying on old has been's. The truth is, Arsenal have been close to a failure in the past five years, and Wenger shares the majority of the blame. That's what Mourinho was trying to say, and there's where I agree with him.

Ask any PL fan wether the FA Cup is a big trophy or not, and 99 out of 100 will say yes. You can't compare it with the Coppa Italia, the Copa del Rey etc.

But you can't neither compare it to the Premier League or the Champions League.

It's not that far behind the PL, obviously a league title trumps a cup every time, but this one is as close as it gets.

EDIT: Ask kurt if you don't believe me.

I'd take the League over any other trophy, simply because it's earned properly.

There's no way to determine how big something is, but the FA Cup is personally my favourite. I enjoy it more than any other Cup competition, WC/Euros included. It's about the only true Cup competition there is, none of this 2 leg, seeded ****. It's certainly highly regarded by clubs here.

EDIT: On the theme of Cups, the sha-Villa game on Wednesday looks like it'll probably be called off due to heavy snow and their trampy stadium can't cope.

I guess Mourinho should have been focussed on other things

Great weekend for the PL, I thought it was going down hill a few years ago but now the entertainment value has picked up dramatically in recent seasons. Good to see a number of in-form teams, especially Spurs in the CL.

Fabio/Rafael what are you doing in the Premiership? You're not professional footballers, get out of here.

Even though it's only carling cup, but still: West Ham 4 - United 0

Fairly strong United side too, very shocking.

To be fair only about 2/3 of those at max get into an injury free first-team on a regular basis, it wasn't exactly strong against West Ham's first-team. I imagine Fergie was saving the players for this month with the Chelsea Arsenal games, though 4-0 is still some result for the Hammers. This will probably end Arsenal's run of zero trophies for a while anyway.

With Fabio & Rafael making an appearance anyone would have a field day against United & as for Johnny Evans, was he drunk or something tonight? It was the worst defensive performance I've seen in years from any team, let alone Man U.

I thought Smalling was worse personally, looks like Fergie got that signing very wrong, didn't he pay £12m or something?

Evans was in the wrong practically on every goal and the twins just let crosses come in, get turned inside out, can't pass just run around aimlessly, shows how poor United's squad is at the moment when these 2 clowns get in, they make Titus look like a superstar.

I was a bit surprised of that signing, Smalling never really seemed to do anything, Hangeland would have been a better signing. I thought he was still like 18, but he's actually 21 not that young really, I don't know Fergie has perhaps spotted something in him that no other can. Either that or he's gone down the route of Veron, Kleberson & Djemba-Djemba again.

Can we filter this name please.

Both were very bad, but Evans takes the MOM of awfulness. It wouldn't surprise me if we see him tomorrow with a bruised face after a tough talk with SAF, Beckham style.

United and strong, hmmm. This is the most disjointed and rudderless Manchester United ship I've seen in the last 10 years. Totally directionless. Sure they will hang around in the top 4, but bad purchase decision and the fact that their core group has won almost everything, I see less than 1% desire from them in certain matches. Their last encounter with Chelsea for example, Bayern even.

Plus, the way the inflated towards the end in last year's title race, and even shaky starts this season. No surprises!

You mean the way they deflated. Silly @$$ non-English speaker!

Problem is the Glaziers. I mean you can't sell one of the best players in the world and replace him with freebies and relatively unknowns. Not if you want to win major titles anyway, especially in a league where some teams can just throw money around freely.

United used to be able to do this but compared to some, their spending powers aren't that great anymore.

Still, United's last first-team game was 7-1, people would be fools to think this result really represents Man United's first 11 against West Ham's first 11. I can't exactly see this breaking their season. Are they good enough to win the league? On paper I'd say no but no-one is setting the league alight just yet so you never know.

Wow, be interested to see Kurt's (100% un-biased) views on this but it seems that Aston Villa have got an away ref here. It's almost laughable, disallowed goal for next to no reason, Villa's goal was possibly offside when the last Villa player touches it, and everytime the ball goes off the pitch it's a Villa throw!

Let alone the ref the way Houllier sets up this team just doesn't look that great to me, they seem so exposed at the back. What's with letting the ball bounce? That's the first thing you learn not to do as a defender.

First off, obviously disappointed we lost, but only so much you can do with the injuries we have. Immensely proud of the kids Bannan, Hogg and Clark in the middle. Great performance from, completely dominated the game and hopefully they don't let the result bring them down, because there was only 1 team in it for the most part ad a fluke late goal doesn't change that.

I thought the ref was okay. I'm not saying he was great, but he was pretty consistant for both sides in what was given/what wasn't given.

Disallowed goal: I haven't seen the replays to see whether the ball even went over the line, but I think the linesman made a mistake by flagging early. I don't know which sha player won the original header at the back post, but when he headed it down both Jerome and Ridgewell were offside, I think this is when he flagged. He should have waited because neither interfered with play as far as I know, so the flag shouldn't have gone up.

Our goal: Borderline, but probably just off. I don't think it helps that the sha player threw himself at the ball because it actually looks like he played the ball through.

Anyways, big trouble at the end of the game, both sets of fans throwing flares at each other. Shame really because it was an oustanding derby game. But as usual, sha fans show their 'class'. As the saying goes, it's always the smallest that make the most noise.

Was a great game to watch as a neutral. Both teams should have been down to 10 by the end of it though. I still think the decisions were definitely on Villa's side tonight.

The flare thing was a bit OTT but it was hardly anything that big, I mean it was hardly Millwall V West Ham with these 2 sets of fans, neither really known for their firms! Probably just try to knock each other out with words. No doubt the press will blow it up tomorrow, right before the World Cup announcement.

To be fair from looking back at Villa's goal. I think it was onside, because the Birmingham guy touches it straight back. Reminds me a bit of the Sheva goal that never was back in Istanbul.

I don't know what the worst thing is, losing to Birmingham or Zigic scoring against you, just how bad is this guy?

So, next round Ipswich V Arsenal, West Ham V Birmingham. Well, at least Arsenal will win something this year.

Who should we have had sent off? We only made about 5 fouls all game! Scott Dann should have gone for them, he was lucky his 2nd bad foul was right after his 1st yellow card otherwise he'd have seen red I reckon.


In our defense it was a fluke goal and should be a Luke Young OG if anything!

Suppose I want the Gunners to go all the way now, Sullivan/Gold, sha and Roy Keane mean Arsenal are the only option left for me!

EDIT: Watching an analysis, the guy hascome up with a good view on their disallowed 'goal'. "I don't understand the confusion here, if you are standing on the goal line, how can you possibly be deemed to not be interfering with play?"

Yeah Dann should and your young guy I can't remember his name his 2nd tackle was shocking, but he made one in the first that he didn't get booked for so that kind of evens itself out.

I don't think he was he wasn't in Friedel's eyeline, wasn't actually even near him. Friedel made a mess of it and it was a goal. It's crazy after Carew's wasn't adjudged to be interference, doesn't make sense refs are still so inconsistent.

I'm just getting bored of it all now. Refereeing decisions are changing games far too much, they should just simplify the rules. I have a bit of sympathy for linesman, their job is impossible.

That, is true.

Fans in riot at Birmingham football derby

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-11894728

There's a lot of hatred for both sets of fans here at the moment. I think it's foolish to say if we don't get the WC that it was all down to this incident but it definitely didn't help.

Can't help but think if this were West Ham, Leeds, Millwall they'd get the book thrown at them, should really happen to this lot to show the country doesn't put up with hooliganism anymore. What message would it send out to the world if we just let it slide?

We'll get away with it I think, but I reckon they'll get in trouble as their fans have a bit of a rep for this kind of thig, while we're practically seen as angels by the FA!

I thought we were passed this now. First few times we played when they came up, it was obvious there was going to be trouble, but they've been up for about 7 seasons in the EPL now, you'd have thought it would have calmed down a bit.

Your lot were just as bad, like it or not. You should both get sanctions, if not the clubs those 'fans' shouldn't be allowed back in. Birmingham weren't actually going to get near you there were so many police anyway, and your clowns decided to rip up seats and throw them. Birmingham were bad but so were your lot.

The WM Police haven't really said anything against us as of yet, it's all been against them and rightfully so. Simply put, you don't poke the Lion and get away with it. Villa fans weren't allowed out, women and children were forced to stand there and have money, rubbish and flares thrown at them. A bit of stadium damage is nothing (ironically sha fans smashed seats at VP and got no punishment, unprovoked, too) in comparison.

Do I condone the throwing back of a flare into Birmingham fans? No, but what the hell do you expect them to do? It's all well and good saying we should have stood there and let the police handle it, but they did nothing to stop sha fans throwing stuff at us, of course there's going to be some retaliation.

There's also a difference between a few fans breaking seats and over 1,000 fans invading the pitch and throwing stuff. If we get a punishment anything even remotely close to what they get it'll be a disgrace.

Well, to be fair with Qatar getting it, this obviously doesn't matter.

I couldn't care less about last night now, do what you like. The Italians get away with it and still get World Cups so who cares, right?

I hardly think last night would have made a difference, Russian football still has hooligan troubles, so I doubt one incident in an English local derby is going to change voters minds. If that did change their mind, then you have to wonder if they actually watch any football.

No it wouldn't, in hind sight. I mean the Euro's are co-hosted in Poland (I know that's UEFA) but god Dino Baggio got a knife chucked at his head down there by the Krakow fans, hardly compares to a few slanging matches last night.

They just generally don't like England, it's obvious.

David Cameron predicted the scores for this weeks games. Liverpool 0-6 Villa being one of them.

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli and Jérôme Boateng clash in training

If Balotelli wants to join Milan, he'd better make peace with the Boateng family.

Boateng brothers had a big fight following KPB injuring Ballack before the WC, so this might be a good thing

Really? Oh man...

Brilliant... we steamroller Fulham for 30 minutes, then Kamara scores in a move where he simultaneously injures Koscielny. 1-1, Koscielny stretchered off and Djourou brought on.

Quite the gem aren't you? Anyway, 2-1 victory while Chelsea and Tottentwits drew. Top of the table, that is.

The disappointing thing is we all know you're going to throw this hard work down the drain come March.

shet up Arn

March? We've usually bottled it in November, so I guess that's progress of a kind... the way the rest of the top 3 are playing makes me think we'll not be the only ones who drop some easy points every now and then.

@ry4n, 'Arn'? Would you mind at least trying to pretend to have a clue about anything?

Who or what is 'Arn'!?

Well, it's the main character in a book series written by Jan Guillou (probably one of Ry4hn's heroes) about a Swedish knight who goes to fight in the Crusades.

What's that got to do with you?

You'll have to ask him (though you'd better have a lot of luck on your side to get any real answers), but it wouldn't surprise me if the only knowledge he has of Scandinavians comes from a, rather poor, book series written by an anti-western George Galloway-wannabe who never runs out of dictators and mass-murderers to defend and glorify...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837106/

Pathetic warmongering neocon