Benitez's substitutions would be more impressive were it not clear that Hazard and Mikel should have been playing from the beginning

On the second, though, the ESPN game logs do have SoT data, if I'm remembering correctly. If you could find differentiation in SoT conversion based on game situation, that would be a really useful finding. And the ESPN game logs would allow for a sort of +/- stat as well. It's almost enough to make me want to get my programming skills back and try it myself.

Gus Johnson asked Wright what he thinks of of Kagawa and Wright says that "he's a totally different player from Park." Really that's who you compare him to?

Sannino        - Sep
Gasperini  Sep - Feb 
Malesani   Feb - Mar
Gasperini  Mar
Sannino    Mar -

May I humbly suggest that changing coaches may not be a universal cure for what ails football teams.

"A lot of the players we've approached have been put off by the results, but I'm urging anyone who's interested to think more about the opportunity we can give them. There'll never be a better chance for any aspiring player to compete in the [Women's Welsh] Premier League."

I suppose maybe Chelsea if you count Lukaku. I think I'd rather have Milan's 4 though even given the combustability. Other than that I can't think of one off the top of my head.

Milan look terrible.

While brushing off continued accusations of corruption surrounding its successful World Cup bid and concerns about human rights issues and extreme conditions for summer football, Qatar has apparently been concocting a plan to form a "Dream Football League" that would involve 24 teams, take place every other summer and begin in 2015.

Oliver Kay's done a webchat about the story.

He claims the following:
- Cahiers du Football was not the source
- He's "not the kind of journalist to run a story on the basis of a single source"
- At least one of the sources had previously provided good information.
- He disputes Cahiers du Football's claims that they made up the story.
- He says the main source of the story had previously provided good info about PSG and Qatar.

Outside of Spain, few places in the world can boast more fervent support of Barcelona and Real Madrid than Iraq.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, some 3,5000 miles from the action, locals are obsessed with La Liga's two biggest teams. When they face each other in El Clasico, bars and coffee houses are segregated between rivals fans and police presence is increased as people celebrate, commiserate and fight long into the night.

According to a report in Baghdad newspaper Al Zaman, carried by Spanish newspaper Sport, passion between rival fans spilled over into violence and murder this week.

On Monday, a Barcelona supporter in Madain — a city a few miles south of Baghdad — supposedly argued with a Real Madrid-supporting friend in a gaming arcade. The Barca fan then reportedly "slaughtered" his friend with a knife, in full view of several witnesses.

Arabs Today add the chilling detail that the Madrid fan was actually beheaded by his former friend. An Iraqi Interior Ministry source told them:

"A fight broke out on Monday night at the Games Hall in Aldjaarh, between two friends, one of whom supported Barcelona and the other who supported Real Madrid."

The source added that events took a dramatic turn when the Barcelona fan took out a knife and stabbed his friend several times, before "beheading him in public."

"Witnesses at the Hall captured the offender and called the police, who rushed to the scene and took him to a security centre for interrogation. The dead body was taken to the forensic medical department for a post-mortem."

This is officially ridiculous.

116 min This has been a ridiculous evening

Wonder if we will start hearing those "the real measure of a league's overall quality is how it does in the Europa League" arguments with an English accent now that they have three teams in the quarters.

Tottenham players were on Thursday subjected to racist chants by Inter Milan supporters, who were also captured on TV waving an inflatable banana.

Spurs lost 4-1 after 30 minutes of extra time but progressed to the Europa League quarterfinals on away goals after the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate.

However, much of the aftermath to the thrilling encounter will likely surround what action governing body UEFA will take against Inter after racism appeared to rear its ugly head.

Press Association Sport said several Tottenham players, notably goalscorer Emmanuel Adebayor, were the target of monkey chants from the Italian team's fans, with one supporter seen on TV with an inflatable banana.

Malaga was discounted already in their qualifier. They are the cinderellas, nothing can stop them.