Gribz

Over to the Thursday night cup. These arent easy either for the English sides. Frankfurt are in the CL places in Germany. Valencia have recovered this season a bit and are in the European places. Hazard is the key to the Chelsea game, if he plays well they wont lose but Sarri has bizarre tactics. This is Emery's competition and the only games Arsenal are playing well. Frankfurt 1-1 Chelsea Arsenal 1-1 Valencia

Great game, Liverpool did have chances, the keeper had 3 or 4 great saves and Salah hits the post. Yet Barca should have had two more in stoppage time, how did Dembele miss that! The free kick was sublime. Its one from 3 teams now which is good. Barca - I who could grudge Messi another CL title after Ronaldo winning 4 of the last 5. Ajax - would be a wonder story to see a former giant come back and win it from nowhere. Spurs - What a job that would be.

Semi's this week. Tottenham v Ajax Barcelona v Liverpool. Very good fixtures. The first one everyone would have had this being Man City v Juventus so fair play to both sides. Its a very attractive game and its good to see Ajax back at the elite, I just hope its not a one off with all their good players being picked off. I think Spurs will win on the night by a goal. I hope Messi produces a masterclass and they give Liverpool a lesson. Im going: Spurs 1-0 Ajax Barca 2-0 Liverpool

Chelsea in the driving seat for 4th. They have tough games against Watford and Leicester but they should get 4 points. Man Utd will get 6 pts from Huddersfield and Cardiff but it wont be enough. As for Arsenal they will be lucky to get 4 points from Brighton and Burnley. The title race keeps going and Man City have got past their potential banana skin although Leicester wont be easy. But Liverpool go to Newcastle in between their Barcelona games so that will be difficult.

Got some of my cash back. I did a draw double yesterday Hibs v Hearts and Leeds v Villa. The bizarre equalizer for Villa helped that out. Not sure what the fuss was about, a team doesnt have to put the ball out of play if a player goes down. Obviously if its a bad injury the players will know and say put the ball out or the ref can stop for head injuries but Leeds play on and score - why not as they are going for promotion. If these two meet in the play off final it will be a bumper. At the moment its looking like Derby v Leeds and Villa v West Brom. I couldnt pick from that.

Borussia Dortmund of all teams cost me yesterday. They are going for the title and lose to Schalke at home 4-2. Middlesboro, Barnsley, Carlisle, Atletico Madrid, Dortmund accum. Sore one.

Get in West Ham. First team to win at emirates and now the first team to win at Spurs new ground.

Must be a banker today. Its unreal that Aberdeen didnt win at Ibrox for over 25 years yet have turned up the last 12 months. Today should be the start of a very long unbeaten home run against them. To be fair we have a great record at Pittodrie. Be nice to keep Celtic waiting another round of games, the gap is quite big on points but doesnt really tell the story. No idea how they got 6 mins injury time at Dens Park and scored plus winners at Tynecastle and Rugby Park. Even just 2 of them plus us not dropping silly home draw points would have meant we were right in there.

I want to make an edit to my team and put in a new captain that everyone missed out. Kevin Kyle. He made Boyd look mobile!

I should have changed my score with Liverpool, Scott was right. Although I would have went 6 or 7.

Agree with Rab, I liked McNeill. I just Vaguely remember him as Celtic manager but remember him co-commentating on various Cup Finals and enjoyed his commentary. Again it takes a tragic passing for people to realise football isnt as important as life and is just banter rivalry.

Hazard and Son would have been in there for me. Pogba in is wrong. Anyway. Liverpool 4-0 Huddersfield Tottenham 2-1 West Ham Crystal Palace 1-1 Everton Fulham 0-1 Cardiff Southampton 2-1 Bournemouth Watford 1-1 Wolves Brighton 1-1 Newcastle Leicester 2-1 Arsenal Burnley 0-2 Man City Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea

Midweeks. top4 well up for grabs: Tottenham 3-0 Brighton Watford 2-2 Southampton Wolves 2-1 Arsenal Man Utd 1-0 Man City (I hope not)

Manchester derby next. It could settle the title.

Lets see how we do this weekend Scotty. Liverpool have to draw at some point ? Big round of Championship games as well today. Man City 2-0 Tottenham Bournemouth 3-0 Fulham Huddersfield 1-2 Watford West Ham 1-2 Leicester Wolves 2-0 Brighton Newcastle 2-2 Southampton Everton 2-1 Man Utd Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace Cardiff 1-1 Liverpool Chelsea 2-0 Burnley

Paul Walbert.... Big Eck had to go though, whats happened to him. Still a mammoth of a man. Did his ego get to him???

I just threw Zidane in if they wanted success, I think he knows how to command big players. Talk about best players in the world and he was right up there. Can you imagine say Eddie Howe coming into Man U right now, it would be exactly the same as Moyes. The situation seems to be player power one.

Again this more than ever has to be a generation one as prices have changes over the years and decades. I dont care what anyone says Laudrup goes into any XI. What a bargain at 2.4m

The thing is Man Utd fans and directors dont want to rip up the book and start again and wait 5 years but Ajax have just shown thats what you have to do. The German national team have always been a top side and even they did it 10 years ago as well as the Spanish side. Man Utd are wanting a quick fix but having Pre-Madonnas like Pogba to build a team around wont work. And then Sanchez - absolute world class player but played way to much football for 5 years non stop due to international summer commitments and didnt look after himself so he could continue into his 30s and now they are left with his 500k a week. Imagine telling a Liverpool fan in 1990 you wont win the title again before 2019, its like telling Man Utd fans now they wont win it again until 2048 which is science fiction story time. Time in football is amazing to think Man Utd didnt win it for 26 years in 1993 yet talk about success with the Busby Babes etc. 5 years should be nothing for Man Utd and nobody is saying they cant be successful while starting again. The issue was giving OGS the job before the end of the season on the back of 8 or 9 good spirited games. They needed a Zidane or someone like that.

Great result Cardiff. I hope they go on and stay up. Remaining fixtures: Cardiff: Liverpool (H), Fulham (A), Palace (H), Man Utd (A). I would love to see them get a point this weekend then beat Fulham and Palace. But realistically I have to give them 6 points from Fulham and Palace. Brighton: Wolves (A), Spurs (A), Newcastle (H), Arsenal (A), Man City (H). Nightmare fixtures. MAYBE Wolves away could be a draw and Newcastle is winnable. Maximum 4 points. Should that be the case and Cardiff get 6 pts then Brighton would stay up on goal difference.

Well done Ajax, awesome stuff. Semi finals should be: Barca v Liverpool Man City / Spurs v Ajax. Imagine a Man City v Liverpool final after the PL race!

I hope Cardiff win, I think they deserve more from their last two games plus if they do win then they will try harder against Liverpool on Saturday with more to play for. However Brightons cuffing from Bournemouth means they have to react. Brighton 2-1 Cardiff

Got to think this is a step too far for Man Utd tonight yet they won at Juve in the group and away to PSG but Barca have to be a different level. Juve should get the job done against Ajax although Id like to see the Dutch go through. Man City v Spurs should be absolutely brilliant and then they meet again this Saturday in the league. Id rather see Man City win the league game.

Good win for the Arsenal but Watford were the better side and it was a howler of a goal. But thats a massive result for Arsenal. It puts them back in 4th still with a game less played than Chelsea and it might get that away day hoodoo off their back before two tricky away games at Wolves and Leicester. Its back in their hands for top 4 and have Palace at home next, 3 points their then it sets it nicely as after that Man Utd have to play Chelsea at home which is decisive. A good Premier League this season. A Title race and a top 4 race.

I should have said I meant last summer, second spell. He has been magnificent this season.