Football

[COP11]

The best has won this trophy but I do have my doubts he will win the Balloon d'or.

 

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has been awarded a record third Golden Shoe trophy after finishing with the most league goals in Europe last season.

The Argentina ace netted 46 times in La Liga as the Catalan giants reclaimed their title back from Real Madrid and he was presented with the trophy in Barcelona on Wednesday.

Messi, 26, also won the award following the 2009/10 season, when he scored 34 goals, and again after the 2011/12 campaign when he found the back of the net 50 times.

He scored 31 times in the 2010/11 season but that was not enough to win the Golden Shoe with Cristiano Ronaldo taking the honours after notching 40 times for Madrid.

Messi, who is currently sidelined for eight weeks with a hamstring injury, is the only player to win the trophy three times.

A modest Messi said after being presented with the trophy by former Barca and Bulgaria forward Hristo Stoichkov, who was joint-winner in 1990: "I dedicate this award to my family, to the people who are there in the toughest times, and my team-mates.

"I want to thank them because without them I wouldn't have achieved anything. It's a prize for the squad."

Regarding his injury and the possibility of being back in action by 2014, Messi said: "I'm better, improving little by little, I'm nearly without any pain and starting to do little things.

"I haven't put a return date, if everything goes well this will be the date (first game of next year) to return, but we'll see how the recovery goes. It will happen when it has to happen."

Messi enjoyed a typically successful start to the season with eight goals in 11 Primera Divison appearances before tearing his hamstring against Real Betis earlier this month.

However, his chances of winning a fourth Golden Shoe this season will have been badly hit by that injury, with Ronaldo already having notched 16 times in La Liga this term, with two hat-tricks in his last three matches.

Not that Messi is overly concerned about that, saying: "It's not my objective to win a fourth. It wasn't even when I was fit, much less now.

"I have to strengthen my body so that nothing else happens, so that I can play with calm and without injury."

[julianx22]

 

Tbh without the 1890s titles, Villa wouldn't be so succesful as they are today, isn't it?

 

 

It's fucking true lol.

[Frederick]

Perhaps Marty McFly can go on one last mission to erase all them silly old trophies from our history. 

[julianx22]

No, I am just saying they were won easier compared to modern day trophies.

[Frederick]

Look at the post of mine you quoted and remind yourself of the actual point I was making, which was Is Alan Hutton good enough to play for Aston Villa? I say no. Not because we deserve the best full-back in the world or because our history is imperious but because he's not only a mediocre talent but also an ill disciplined caveman. Clear enough? You'd hope so.

[Michael*]

Another Saturday, another unprecedented act of incompetence from an official. The fact that a straight red card for endangering an opponent was issued to Wes Brown, who at 34 has worked his way back to something approaching full fitness after 22 months on the shelf, only serves to make it doubly insulting.

[julianx22]

Look at the post of mine you quoted and remind yourself of the actual point I was making, which was Is Alan Hutton good enough to play for Aston Villa? I say no. Not because we deserve the best full-back in the world or because our history is imperious but because he's not only a mediocre talent but also an ill disciplined caveman. Clear enough? You'd hope so.

I wasn't debating Alan Hutton case, just discussing about the status of Aston Villa.

[Michael*]

Watching the half-time analysis on ITV last night, one could have been forgiven for thinking that Arsenal were 5-0 down instead of 1-0 up. After the Dortmund defeat they were slated for going gung-ho, this time around they played it safe and never looked to be in real danger, and were slated for not wanting it enough. Granted, the match was a rather tame affair, but you can't have it both ways.

[Michael*]

Have yet to determine if this is on the level or not.

 

[Frederick]

Lordy lord that was a dire performance ill befitting of a row of tramps, never mind royalty! Felt your boys could have so easily taken the three points, Michael, though obviously confidence and clinical finishing is not quite there at the moment. But better to at least dare to create than reduce yourselves to frighteningly accurate Johnny Wilkinson impersonations. Benteke looked completely off the boil, just didn't look right at all.

 

I'll console myself with this moment of splendor

[Michael*]

You know you're a red and white when keeping eleven men on the park feels like a victory.
 
With grisly visions of April's demolition job still fresh in my mind, I was absolutely dreading this game, particularly given the further signs of progress at Villa this term. What a relief then, to see us turn in a much-improved performance and stop the rot away from home. If we could only start scoring a few, we might actually have a chance of staying up.

[Frederick]

Couldn't really make a case for Jol staying on, though I don't keep too close an eye on teams even more drab to watch than my own. Still firmly expect Fulham to beat us 2-1 on Saturday by way of "response", presumably having been a goal down. My crystal ball reckons the equaliser will be a 88th minute penalty (Clark or Luna being responsible), while the winner will be in the 98th minute courtesy of Steve Sidwell, a volley from 25 yards. Line up your pennies and have a flutter, tell 'em I sent you.

[Michael*]

It'll be interesting to see which animal Rene Meulensteen asks Berbatov to impersonate on the pitch.

[SympathysSilhouette]

Martinez manages what always eluded Moyes, and on his very first try: an Everton win at Old Trafford.

[Frederick]

2013: the year Fabian Delph became a man (now how about the others!?!)

[Michael*]

I've been studying football for many years now, and I've come to the conclusion that if we stop getting red cards, and also stop scoring own goals, we should, by all rights, exponentially increase our chances of winning a few games, thereby increasing our current points total. Even more so if Poyet puts Craig Gardner back in his best position (in the crowd, like at the Newcastle game). All sorted!

 

P.S. Apparently you're allowed to do this now, in full view of the referee. Who knew?

 

[Frederick]

(to the tune of Joy to the World)

Moyes to the world, David has come!

Let earth receive mediocrity 

Let every heart prepare for doom

In Devon and Surrey sing

In China and Malaysia sing

In Devon, and Taipei and Surrey siiiiing

[Frederick]

Couldn't really make a case for Jol staying on, though I don't keep too close an eye on teams even more drab to watch than my own. Still firmly expect Fulham to beat us 2-1 on Saturday by way of "response", presumably having been a goal down. My crystal ball reckons the equaliser will be a 88th minute penalty (Clark or Luna being responsible), while the winner will be in the 98th minute courtesy of Steve Sidwell, a volley from 25 yards. Line up your pennies and have a flutter, tell 'em I sent you.

 

Well, my description was off but ultimately they had a penalty, Sidwell scored, 2-0 not 2-1...close but no cigar!

[Michael*]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Another reasonably creditable performance against a stronger team, another scandalous non-award of a blatant penalty, and another calamitous own goal proving to be decisive. What with the other seemingly condemned teams improving and even winning, it's all starting to look rather grim.

[Frederick]

West Ham-Sunderland has a multi red card vibe about it to me.