WORD OF THE WEEK

Hats off to Big Cas for coining a brand new footballing money-spinner:

"Rememberabilia."

The forgotten industry.



WENGER V FERGIE: THE FINAL WORD

Or at least the wrong word: as Brian Laws appeals to the Premier League to leave the ladies get it on as they see fit:

"The supporters love it, that camaraderie."



KEYS: THE MANY WORDS

"Bellamy is certainly very, eh, present in terms of his, eh, persona today."

Rough translation: "Bellamy is here."


SAVAGE MARKETING OPPORTUNITY

Poor old Robbie Savage. Why, oh why don't people like him? What has he done to deserve this?

"I was like a punchbag," he said of his final weeks at Birmingham.

That gave us a bit of an idea, so we went straight to the DH marketing dept, who gave us an immediate thumbs up for the Robbie Savage Punchbag (tm). Watch out for it in all good sports shops soon.





BEGLIN RING-RUSTY

Jim Beglin was lacking match fitness over covering Man U v Villa on RTE. It was a lacklustre affair for Jim overall, although early on he pulled off a flashy pun: "It's just too easy for Saha. If he had picked his spot better, it could have been two easily!"
Unluckily for Jim, an action replay revealed that it had been a fluke.

He revealed later on that perhaps Utd's diminished power has something to do with keeping it in the family, as it were... "We knew Utd would keep going - it's inbred in them." Could explain Christiano Ronaldo's disturbingly rodentine features...

He tripped over his own feet at full time, but more or less got it right anyway: "We thought it would be straightforward for Utd. It was anything like that."

Meanwhile, gantry-mate Darragh Moloney was wound up about something...

"Rooney is winding up for a shot!"

"United are winding it down, and Villa are trying to wind it up!"

"United are trying to wind the clock down."



BARTON SPECIAL PUNDIT

Impressive outing for Warren Barton alongside Quinny in the Sky hotseats yesterday.

"Over the years Arsenal have been very solid. You know Dixon and eh, Bould and eh, the back four speaks for itself."

Including a particularly insightful post-match summary:

"It wasn't only the manner they got beat, it was the way they got beat."

Mind you, game Quinny as usual refused to be outdone, replying with the magnificent:

"Some teams come here and it's 'Oh my God do we defend blanketly?'"



BIOLOGICAL MOVE OF THE WEEK

Well done to Jose Reyes, who diffused through the semipermeable membrane that was Newcastle's defence from a solution with a low solute concentration to a solution with a higher solute concentration until such time as there was an equal concentration of fluid on both sides of Titus Bramble.

Or as Ian Darke put it:

"Reyes, almost by osmosis getting past the Newcastle defenders."

Maybe that's the kind of thing Tom Tyrrell meant when he credited Ronaldo on Saturday with some…

"soccer school trickery."



NAIL ON HEAD

The Match of the Day voiceover man on Everton-Charlton:

"A change was needed at half time, with big Duncan Ferguson entering the ring."



THE QUICKEST U-TURN YET?

On Newstalk this week, Gilsey & Eamo gave George Hook their predictions for the Champions League to. This, roughly, is what transpired.

Eamo - "Bayern, Arsenal, Real, Porto, haven't a hope. Chelsea good but
won't win it, will struggle. AC Milan are not a top class side,
Barcelona lack a bit of steel. If United beat Milan they'll win it"

Gilsey - "I think Chelsea have a great chance"

Eamo - "I agree with John, I think Chelsea will beat Barcelona and reach
final."



SAME OLE SAME OLE

More of the same old nonsense from Lineker after Exeter - Man U

"Exeter may be called the Grecians but they did nothing for Sir Alex's grey hair tonight!"

It was that kind of night. And Lawro was never going to pass up the open goal provided by a couple of locals watching the game from the roofs of nearby houses:

"Is that classed as a night on the tiles in Exeter, John."

Tap-in.



GUFF OR GENIUS?

You be the judge:

"So, this movie you star in, The Life Story of George Best, tell us what it's all about."

Sky Sports News George Gavin.


HOPE FOR ARSE AND UTD?

The first signs of self-doubt creeping in with Jose?




BRIGHT SPARK

"If Everton finish in a Champions League place, they'll play in the Champions League."

Mark Bright is not wrong



SPLITTING HARES

Down in the "Championship", Ian Crocker revealed that Marlon Harewood has been unfortunate to score some of his goals.


"Thirteen goals this season for Harewood. Unlucky for some... usually his opponents."


Spotter's Badges to Playcock and John Whelton.