The Football Blog

Lee Dixon needs glasses, Ronaldo's goal wasn't that good, and Roy Keane opens up...

1. Lee Dixon is blind. If we're not wrong, he said this on MOTD2 last night, "Bellamy's scored a good goal, he's hit it well and it might've taken a little deflection." A little deflection!?

2. Ronaldo's free-kick wasn't that good. More to the point, Paul Robinson's goalkeeping for it wasn't too great either...

3. We can't wait for the Champions League. With the Premier League title race all but over, and having spent all of Sunday reading whopping great previews of the European Cup, this week promises to be a corker.

4. Keano's back with a bang. As if he was going to stay quiet any longer. The Irish Times got the exclusive on Thursday, with a well-balanced and interesting article. Then the News of the World rehashed some of the quotes on Sunday and, well, you know the rest...

5. Rushden and Diamonds are ruthless gets. With Weymouth's first team players on strike following non-payment of their wages, manager Alan Lewer was forced to field a side comprising of under-18's. The Diamonds thumped them 9-0. Ouch.

The FA Cup draw is crazy, we've found the world's best full back, and our season bets are going to pot...

1. The FA Cup draw is a bit silly isn't it? Given the amount of replays needed following the numerous draws on Saturday, the draw has become so convoluted Dan Brown could probably write an unfeasibly popular novel about it. Take this one for example...Cardiff City/Arsenal or Burnley v Sheffield United or Hull City. What?

2. That Maicon is half decent isn't he? Well done to the Beeb for showing the cracking Milan derby yesterday, even if we had to put up with Jake "this is nice isn't it?" Humphries, the corker of a match more than made up for it. Becks was average, but Seedorf, Maldini, Cambiasso and Zanetti were as sublime as a vintage red wine. Then there was Maicon, the Brazilian full back and winger rolled into one bundle of attacking power. Like a right-footed Robert Carlos in his pomp. Do us all a favour Aunty Beeb, and buy the Serie A rights permanently...

3. The Catflap betting curse continues. Having lumped on Wolves, Leicester and Wycombe to win their respective leagues when they were looking very comfortable, the wheels fell off again this weekend.

4. For once the media weren't OTT in their praise of a lower division side's footballing prowess, as Swansea taught Fulham a thing or two about good old fashioned expansive, passing football. Though we couldn't help but laugh at how disappointed the commentators were that they didn't win.

5.If Phil Scolari still thinks not landing Robinho at Chelsea is the main reason why he failed at the Bridge, he clearly hasn't seen City play away from home. The little Brazilian might as well not get on the coach...

Tony's going, like Wolves' title bid, and another England star heads to the US...

1. He's failed to do it in the lower leagues, and now he's failed at the top. Wil poor Tony Adams ever get another job? You just know the answer is yes. The question is though, after arguably their best performance of the season, and after sanctioning several signings, just why the hell did Pompey's board choose to sack the big man now?

2. What's going on at Wolves? Their title/promotion bid is rapdily coming away at the seams in a way that only Wolves know how. The reason? We stuck money on them to win the Championship a couple of weeks ago...

3. David Beckham may have tried, and largely failed, to open the USA's eyes to the beauty of "soccer", as it looks like he'll be getting his desired move back to Europe. But another England star is going to give it a try. Arsenal's Kelly Smith is quitting the country to play in the new Women's Professional Soccer league with Boston Breakers.

4. Arsene Wenger is becoming a caricature of himself. Surely he must know by now that he can't get away with saying that he "didn't see" the vital incident without being ruthlessly mocked.

5. Richard Scudamore's several interviews since the new TV deal was announced have confirmed the one thing about him we already knew. He is the smuggest man on the planet...

Gerrard is a diver, Riley and Webb are clowns, and the Tyne/Wear derby is crazy...

1. Steven Gerrard is a diver. It's gone on too long, and we're sick and tired of the media glossing over the fact. Pure and simple, the man is a repeat offender for the worst form of cheating in the game.

2. Mike Riley and Howard Webb are England best referees. Or at least they're supposed to be. So quite how they managed to come up with some of the poorest decisions seen in the last few years is beyond us. A penalty at St. James'? Give over. A sending off for Lampard and not for Bosingwa or Gerrard? You're having a laugh.

3. This month's transfer window could be then dullest yet. Especially with the weather playing havoc with travel. Bent to Blackburn? Keane to Spurs? Yawn...

4. The Tyne/Wear derby is brilliant. For neutrals. For fans of either side it's the most stomach-churning, nail-biting, gut-wrenching 90 minutes of their lives.

5. Terry Butcher has the magic touch. Inverness had lost eight games in a row prior to his appointment, before holding reigning champs Celtic to a 0-0 draw. Fair play to Maradona's mate...

Millwall are up to their old tricks, Jimmy Bullard has a questionable scarf, and Becks is off the mark...

1. Millwall fans couldn't wait to remind everyone off their old tricks. After years of relative obscurity, they used the opportunity of their highest-profile match in ages to tear seats out of Hull's KC Stadium during their side’s fourth round FA Cup defeat. Behaviour nearly as shocking as Jimmy Bullard's Harry Potter scarf...

2. Tony Adams is on borrowed time at Pompey, as the holders crashed out against Championship side Swansea. Yet despite the pressure, the rumours are that he could be lined up as the next Feyenoord boss, where he did a brief stint as coach. That's regular Champions League qualifiers Feyenoord, yes...

3. Merseyside derbies in 2009 are destined to end in a 1-1 stalemate. Steven Gerrard will score for Liverpool, while Everton’s goal must come from a poorly defended corner. Fact.

4. Goldenballs is up-and-running in Milan. The on-loan midfielder notched his first goal (see it here) for his new side as AC Milan ran out 4-1 winners over Bologna. Meaning he's bound to score now isn't he?

5. The transfer window has blown wide open. Harry's after another right back in Pascal Chimbonda to join Carlo Cudicini at White Hart Lane, Pompey have signed Pele, Wigan have signed Palace's Ben Watson, and Savio Nsereko is West Ham's new striker...