Watched the game at the Mestalla. The fans were waving white flags in the first half before the penalty, presumably very unhappy with Gary Neville. To be fair though, he was unlucky as Valencia should have won at the end.

Andre Gomes is different class. Would love him here if only his value isn't so high. Kovacic impressed me greatly as well in the first half.

Big fan of Gomes too. Shame he's Portuguese as we'll never sign one as long as Wenger is at Arsenal or Mendes is alive.

And yeah Neville is garbage as I thought. That's now what, seven games he's managed with just one win in the CDR against lower league opposition.

Jobless Benitez...
Hope he stays that way or better yet, never ever manages Arsenal...

Shame they waited this long to do it, if they had done it couple of weeks earlier he could have been back managing Chelsea again.

PĆ©rez offered a two-sentence statement confirming the board had agreed to ā€œresolveā€ BenĆ­tezā€™s contract that had two more seasons left to run. The Spaniard was not at the stadium and sources close to him claimed he had not been informed of the decision.

This is annoying. I made a bet that he'd be fired by Christmas. Perez couldn't pull the damn plug two weeks earlier?

rafa for united. would give their banter era a bit of extra spice

Gazza M wrote:

rafa for united. would give their banter era a bit of extra spice

Imagine if he took over now and won them a carling or an FA cup. They would feel so dirty.

He'll go back to Valencia, once Neville is gone.

That's a pretty good shout. They have a good team to build on again and I can't see Neville last longer than a few more months.

Madrid is really a weird club. Why go all the effort to appoint someone only to sack him few months later when the team is still doing well?

Zidane will flop big time I reckon.

I think Zidane will do well actually. He was always the long-term plan for them.

Then again you never know with that club. There's no telling when and if Perez has a change of heart.

so wish we had drawn them instead of barca.

Meatwad wrote:

so wish we had drawn them instead of barca.

Really? They only had the best record in group stages, with 16 points and +16 goal difference. Their domestic form is in stark contrast with 7 draws or losses at the halfway point. 

The 16+ goal difference is skewed by the annilation of Malmo

they still had the most points in the competition. they weren't scrambling like a Wenger team.

Who's comparing Madrid to Arsenal? šŸ˜†

If it's a choice between Barcelona and Madrid, I'd take Madrid as they are now every single time. Their group stage performance provides little insight into their ability or quality. Particularly since they were being trashed 4-0 by Barcelona during the same period.

I would also rather face Madrid than At. Madrid at the moment as well.