Maybe after Mascherano gifted Ecuador that goal in the first minute Romero figured he’d be better off punting the ball 60 yards and letting his guys try to generate a counterattack.

Except why go through the fiction that athletes want college educations? Some do and more power to them. But just pay them and treat them like a sponsored club team. And leave the spot in classes for students with the time and desire to get an education.

It looks like he thinks he needs to reach up to tip it over the crossbar and the ball dips lower than he thought. That said, it’s definitely a howler.

I can’t decide if this comment shows more racism or ignorance.

I agree with you. Barca’s midfield looks so weak when Rakitic has no energy. Just a couple years ago, people were saying Busquets was the best holding midfielder in the world and was the crucial center of the Barca attack. Busquets looks like the slowest player in the world. I know looks are deceiving because his…

I agree that Paulinho may turn out to be a decent addition. He adds a lot of what Rakitic has added the last few years — a very un-Barca directness and energy from midfield. But a bargain at 40m euros for a 29 year old who may not have any transfer value in two years?

Billy is totally wrong: Bale is fast and powerful, but is not at all creative and does not really have a deft scoring touch. He’s a fast clod.

I don’t think anybody marvels at Ronaldo’s speed anymore.

It’s early days, but they do look better this year. It’s weird to see the same midfield three boss a game because they looked old and spent last year. I suspect that was due to undisclosed nagging injuries to Busquets and maybe Rakitic. They both look better this year. And Iniesta must have gone to that secret German…

Excuses? Not having 4 of your top 11 players seems like a pretty big deal. Khedira might not be a difference maker, but Mandzukic, Chiellini, and Cuadrado give Barca a lot of problems.

Sincere request: can you explain the difference? Can I use an impact driver to drill holes and if so then why would I need a drill? (Typical stuff around the house, not building a deck.)

Sincere request: can you explain the difference? Can I use an impact driver to drill holes and if so then why would…

Have you ever seen a baseball game?

This history lesson brought to you by a millennial.

Except that they blew 40m euros on Paulinho. So if they blow 140m on Coutinho, they will have traded 100m + Neymar for a guy who failed at Tottenham (and not the good Tottenham of the last couple years), a guy who has never had 10 assists for Liverpool or been the best guy on his team, and a kid who has had one season…

Yifat? I’m more into Hodoya.

I would just like to add that apparently we live in a world in which Donald Trump is president and lots of regular people pay $30 for a water drinking cup. I don’t know what is more ridiculous.

I would just like to add that apparently we live in a world in which Donald Trump is president and lots of regular…

You forgot to mention that the stadium that the university hocked its future for sits smack dab on top of a major fault line. So they could be paying for decades for a smoldering pile of rubble.

To be fair, they doubled his wages. If someone told me they’d give me an extra $5m/year for 5 years, and the argument against it is that some other team someday might want me but only if there wasn’t someone better, I’d sign without thinking about it.

One small correction: Barca has no Brazilians to offer (unless you count Douglas, who anyone could buy for a 7th round pick in the Paraguayan ping pong draft).

Nice.