1. Is Bent worth the dough?
Darren Bent started to re-pay some of the £24m fee Aston Villa paid Sunderland for his services with the winner in the Villains’ game against Manchester City.
A lot have questioned the size of the fee and whether or not it represents value but Villa instantly looked more of a threat with Bent leading the line.
With Ashley Young and Stewart Downing roaming behind him Bent’s impressive goal record will be enhanced further. Randy Lerner has splashed the cash when his manager really needed him to.
A penny for Martin ‘O Neill’s thoughts…
2. The Zarate kid
Bologna were comprehensive 3-1 winners at home to Lazio on Sunday. That, however was not the story because at full time a brawl broke out between both sets of players. The Lazio striker Mauro Zarate allegedly spat at one Bologna player and punched a referees assistant having failing to connect with his original target.
Zarate is a curious player. One blessed with ability but with an allergy to hard work. Last month the Lazio coach Edy Reja said of him: “If a champion like Eto’o can press and win the ball back, why can’t he?”
With a hefty suspension now looming he will be pondering this question from the stands.
3. Hearts take their luck
It was a classic case of role reversal at Tynecastle stadium on Saturday as Hearts snatched a barely deserved win over Rangers. Ryan Stevenson hit the winner that leaves Hearts seven points off of Celtic with a game in hand and a trip to the league leaders on Wednesday.
Do they dare dream? Probably not, but it is nice to see someone putting up a fight to the old firm.
4. Dortmund stall but stay clear at the top.
Broussia Dortmund remain comfortable leaders of the Bundesliga despite only drawing at home with lowly Stuttgart. They now stand 11 points clear of second place Bayer Leverkusen who welcomed back Michael Ballack on Saturday in their 3-1 win over Borussia Moenchenglabdach.
This stunning free-kick from Michal Kadlec was the pick of the goals.
That lead may not be insurmountable for Leverkusen or the rest of the chasing pack. Dortmund are missing Japanese star Shinji Kagawa who is representing his country at the Asian games. Given the chances they failed to convert against Stuttgart they need him back and in the form that has seen him linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester United if they are to be crowned champions.
5. Barcelona still making it look easy.
A routine 3-0 win over Racing Santander saw Barcelona cement their superiority over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Messi scored again. Pedro scored again, while Andres Iniesta is starting to fill his boots. The regularity of their brilliance should never be taken for granted.
Real Madrid are desperately hanging on in second place four points off of the Catalans after beating Mallorca 1-0 last night. Despite the fact Karim Benzema netted the winner Madrid’s need for reinforcements up front is obvious.
A loan move for Ruud Van Nistelrooy appears to have fallen through and sporting director Jorge Valdano’s insistence that they do not need another striker continues to irk Jose Mourinho.
It would surprise few if the special one walked away in the summer.
You actually answered your own question there. The answer is support..through think and thin. Through ups and downs. That is what a real supporter does
Well done connacht.
Brilliant performance. Particularly second half into a gale. Pure passion. Would’ve been be very sad to see them not win a game in the pool.
Well done Connacht- a victory of heart over wallet! A determined and committed team that deserve a lot more success! Also great that 3 provinces are through- and as an Ulster man thanks for that ;D Eiré abú!
YEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
Three times as many Irish teams as other home nations i believe in Q F’s
Home nations? What home is that horse? Home of what exactly? Feck off to the BBC with your “home nations” boyo.
Thumbs down all you want, but anyone using the term “home nations” can only be a west brit.
From Wikipedia: Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries
of the United Kingdom
(England
, Northern Ireland
,Scotland
and Wales
). In sport, if a sport is governed by a council representing the island of Ireland
, such as the Irish Rugby Football Union
, the term can refer to the nations of the constituent countries on the island of Great Britain
(England, Scotland and Wales) and the collective Irish nation. This dual meaning has persisted in existence despite the partition of Ireland in 1922 as historically the term included all ofIreland
, which between 1800 and 1922 was wholly a part of the United Kingdom. The term home countries (not to be confused with the “home counties
“) is also sometimes used, and is synonymous.[1]
What a load of horse manure. That’s like saying “I don’t like black people but I’m not a racist”
they are on the verge here!
What do you care?
fair ple diobh. Dylan rodgers told me last week in trevor Brennans pub to put my house on a connacht victory… shoulda listened to him…
Hell or Connacht? Poor Quins got both.
Mike Mc Carthy and Muldoon would want to be getting a look in with performances like that
With the Ireland squad that is
in any other sport and with any other team, massive questions would be asked of a team going for a 15th loss in a row. A run only matched by Galway United in recent memory.It is truly bizarre that the fans continue to blindly support this team. It is not admirable, it is not brave and will only contribute to their continued role as whipping boys. Best of luck to them tonight as I really do think they deserve a win. They have performed well against way bigger budgest but at what stage do you, as a supporter, say enough is enough. Something has to change. Again, best of luck to them tonight.
What a silly comment
Mayo GAA anyone?!! Supporters suffering many disappointments on big days, yet still some of the best supporters in the country. Emmo you obviously don’t understand the concept of being a true supporter, you don’t just turn your back when the things get tough.
Wimmin
Absolute rubbish comment, fails to understand meaning of “Supporter”
The West’s awake – the West’s awake!
If Muldoon & Mc Carthy producing displays like that week in and week out, they would get a look. Consistency is the key.
I feel sorry for Connor O Shea. He deserved a quarter final place after the win in Toulouse.
I think losing to Toulouse at the Stoop coupled with a loss in Galway has handed Quins exactly what they deserve really. One Swallow does not a summer make.,.
Fair enough. But still would like to see oshea do well.
Great win, my nerves are shot after that finish, great to see a full house in Galway as well. Might not be the best team in the country but our supporters will rival anyone. Best of luck to Ulster, Leinster and Munster for the rest of the competition
Oppps! ( famous refrain of US presidential hopefuls) that one’s been done!
The West awake!