DISQUS

That's great that they have so much depth and all these fantastic young players, but it does them absolutely no good if they go trophyless for a sixth season in a row this year. It's that simple. Playing beautifully and thrashing teams with your kids is great, but it doesn't matter if you can't win something.

No, Jeff, I DO, in fact, understand the fact that soccer dictates the life of all these fans, and that's exactly the problem.

Darren, I actually do like Alex. We've had our disagreements over time, yes, but I don't dislike him for that or disrespect him for that at all.

Fabregas is not a world-class player..yet. He has the potential to be, definitely, but I can't say he is at this point in his career. He doesn't even start for his national team, and he's yet to show that he can maintain a level of consistency over a full season with Arsenal (he is very hot and cold, a typical trait of young players).

If you'll read what I wrote again, nowhere did I ever mention "world class"; I just talked about top talent in the Premiership and how only a few of the league's best players are English.

Now that YOU mention it, however, yes, I will say that Gerrard is a world class player, which is one more than Arsenal has on their entire team.

That's a good point as well -- I hadn't even thought of that. Well spotted, Auslander.

To be quite honest with you, I think it's a good thing that Woodgate is " no John Terry" with the armband on. I understand your point, obviously, Chris, but saying Woodgate is no Steven Gerrard or no Michael Ballack or no Fabio Cannavaro would be more accurate. John Terry certainly shouldn't be the standard for captains.

Ace, I would agree with you on your serious comment there (and your humorous one too!). Ashley didn't have to do this, as I said, and I thought he showed some character by stepping up and explaining this decision. It doesn't make me think any more of him as an owner -- I think he's incompetent -- but I do respect him now more than I did.

Beaten by 21 minutes? Huh?

ihuy01, fair point about Gerrard. He's certainly a clutch player as well (see his recent goal against Boro, for starters, and then all the other late goals he's scored for Liverpool).

First of all, they're not celebrities, but OK.

Second, and more importantly, that's not his job. He could get away with doing that if he had anything whatsoever to celebrate and be happy about, but he doesn't. He hasn't improved Newcastle at all since he took over; in fact, he's made the club worse because now the fans are all against him and may not show up to home games.

David, let's be serious. Jose Enrique is mediocre at best. Andy Carroll is fine but he's not even being given a chance right now. Guthrie couldn't hack it at Liverpool, where Benitez has shown that he'll play young players if they're good enough. James Milner is the U-21 captain, not Taylor, though Taylor is your best young player (I don't count Martins in that vein). Kazenga Lua Lua is a name to watch in the future, you're right.

Point is, there isn't much in the way of young talent, I'm sorry. It's a group filled with players that are getting older and aren't developing as much as they are regressing.

That's exactly what I mean. I don't think alcohol should be embraced as much as it is at sporting events there, and I'm glad to see the NFL taking positive steps to change the culture at stadiums here.

Of course I don't want to go back, but I don't think the relationship between alcohol and soccer is a good one, period.

The lives lost and violence caused as a direct result of this mass use of alcohol far outweighs any of the positives that have come from it. It isn't even close, and it's a shame that this much drinking is still such a huge part of British culture.

Matt, my opinion hasn't changed.

Stoke is playing better than WBA right now, but I think the team with more quality is WBA, and that will prevail in the end. The only other team that Stoke has a chance to finish ahead of, in my opinion, is Hull City. If Hull continues to play like they did this weekend, Stoke could jump up into 19th.

I'm impressed with Stoke's fight and passion so far, don't get me wrong, but we saw the same thing from Derby last season in the first month or so. Eventually the adrenaline fades and a team's true colors come through.