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i see the debate is going on the u2 thread, who is better live, springsteen or U2, so i thought i'd ask, whats the best gig you've been to/whos the best live act you've seen?
was at U2 on the monday night and although it was a great spectacle, for me it was nowhere near the best gig i've seen

I saw Radiohead in marlay park (supported by Beck) a few years ago which i would rate as probably the best

others which were class

Kings of leon last year in melbourne- seen them 4 times in otal , but this was by far the best
the frames- , Glen Hansard is a great frontman esp in a small venue
Rage against the machine last year at oxegen
the flaming lips a few years ago at oxegen, bizarre show, but great!
Red hot chilis at slane in 2003

i hear ye longball, longest week ever!!

my name comes from a sayin used quite a bit round our parts, when some one who knows nothing about football starts spouting crap, 'sure he wouldnt know if it was blown up or stuffed'

Is ouzo like sambucca or am i thinking of something completely different

Its like sambuka but not as nice

[I suppose that sense of community that the GAA gives me is replicated in miniture form by that wee community I get on a Saturday/ Sunday etc with the boyos sharing a common bond.]

Fair question SK.

For me it's something that was always there. Growing up I played 'soccer', listened to it on the radio, and could not sleep with excitment if there was a rare live game on. It's habit forming. These days I probably enjoy the matches less, and would've regressed that enthusiasm a tad. However this has  been replaced by looking forward to going out for a few beers with the mates, and an excuse to meet up with them. I suppose that sense of community that the GAA gives me is replicated in miniture form by that wee community I get on a Saturday/ Sunday etc with the boyos sharing a common bond.
I believe Adrian Chiles has a book out about why people follow football. I might hunt it out.

Fair answer to a fair question! The social side, banter, slagging etc would be a healthy reason to follow it.

i would say thats why i take an interest,more a social thing, enjoy having a pint watching the game and a good topic of conversation, but not really much more than that.Enjoy the whole transfer speculation and the craic attached to that too.
although i'd class myself as a liverpool fan ,at the end of the day, if they are beat, it doesnt bug me that much.its like 'ah, bollox' and on with the day!now, if tyrone or my club are beat, thats a different story!!

Just wondering what the hell Ouzo is

Huddlestone would be a better option. Cattermole more of a Masch sort of player. Huddlestone can pass a ball which Liverpool will need is Alonso ever leaves 

Agree totally. I think that Tom Huddlestone is one of the best young players in the PL. He had a bit of a weight / fitness problem under Ramos but he is so naturally talented, I think that he will be a serious influence on whatever team he plays in over the coming years. Great passer and he's a a pretty big lad as well. Capello seems keen to keep an eye on him too.

couldnt se 'Arry letting him go but, always liked him as a player to though

[Xabi Alonso deal is done... and Liverpool boss Benitez wants Lee Cattermole to replace him!By Chris Wheeler]

Xabi Alonso deal is done... and Liverpool boss Benitez wants Lee Cattermole to replace him!
By Chris Wheeler

Liverpool are on the verge of striking a compromise deal to sell Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid and will plough part of his transfer fee into bids for Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole and Hull defender Michael Turner.

Alonso's move to the Bernabeu has dragged on through the summer, with Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez demanding £35million and Real offering £25m for the Spain midfielder.
Xabi Alonso


But Sportsmail understands that the clubs are now only £5m apart in their negotiations and are expected to agree on a price of just under £30m in the next 48 hours.

The 27-year-old will be reunited with his Anfield team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa, who completed his £3.5m move to Real on Wednesday after passing a medical in Spain.

Although Liverpool are set to make a sizeable profit on Alonso - who was signed from Real Sociedad for £10.5m in 2004 - their supporters will be hugely disappointed to see him leave and more than a little surprised at the men Benitez is planning to buy with the proceeds.

After a summer of being linked with players of the calibre of David Villa and his Valencia team-mate David Silva, Cattermole and Turner can hardly be described as box-office signings. But with FIFA planning to introduce a rule limiting clubs to five foreigners in their starting lineup, Benitez is believed to be concerned about the small number of English players in his squad.

He is ready to tempt Wigan with an offer of £12m for Cattermole, who cost just £3.5m from Middlesbrough a year ago.

Wigan insist they do not want to sell the combative midfielder and have so far resisted attempts by their former manager Steve Bruce to take him to Sunderland.

Although Bruce would also be prepared to go as high as £12m, he knows that Sunderland cannot match Liverpool's pulling power or offer Cattermole a chance to play on European football's biggest stage.

Cattermole impressed during his first season at Wigan and for England at this summer's European Under 21 Championships in Sweden, but was resigned to staying for another year before looking for a move to a bigger team.

If Wigan could be persuaded to sell, he would jump at the chance of joining a Champions League club like Liverpool where he can press his claims for a senior England call-up with the World Cup less than a year away.

Hull are equally determined to hold on to Turner and manager Phil Brown insisted last night that they would listen only to a 'ridiculous' offer for the centre back.

Benitez will test their resolve with a bid of £5.5m for a player who has attracted interest among Barclays Premier League clubs since helping Hull win promotion to the top flight last year. Tottenham, Fulham and Everton are all known admirers of the 25-year-old.

Brown said: 'Michael is knocking on the door of the England set-up and when you play like that you are going to attract attention. It would be difficult to hang on to him if a ridiculous bid came in, but as we stand, no bids are on the table.'


Benitez saw Arbeloa return to Madrid - where he was on Real's books as a youngster - and he has agreed a five-year deal.

Real's former Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek welcomed Arbeloa's signing and expressed hope that he would soon be joined by Alonso.

'He (Alonso) has a lot of quality and is also a great person off the pitch,' said Dudek. 'I hope that he comes, although it is not easy to negotiate with Rafa Benitez.'

Liverpool have made a small profit on the deal for Arbeloa, who joined them in January 2007 from Deportivo La Coruna for £2.6m.

However, Andrea Dossena's move to Napoli has been held up over a wages dispute. The 27-year-old left back, who signed for Liverpool from Udinese in a £7m switch a year ago, is keen on a return to his homeland and Benitez has made it clear he will not stand in his way by agreeing a cut-price deal of £4.5m.

But Napoli's director of sport Pierpaolo Marino yesterday admitted there was deadlock over personal terms. 'We have taken a break in order to reflect on this,' said Marino. 'The move is on hold. There are no immediate prospects.

'The president has spoken to Rafael Benitez and there is some distance between us and the player. But I wouldn't worry too much.'

It is possible Spurs may hijack the deal if no agreement is reached.

Altough hes a good young player, it doesnt exactly strengthen the squad, selling Alonso to replace him with cattermole.Not sure Turner is any better than arbeola either

is carragher the only cover at right back in the squad now?
anyone know anything about this mavinga kid, is he a option for first team cover @ CB or LB

was wondering that myself, any sites that do good deals on holidays further afield, like the states, not keen on a package holiday in spain /turkey or the like

[From Sky sports]

From Sky sports

Liverpool have confirmed that they have agreed a deal with Real Madrid for Alvaro Arbeloa.

Arbeloa had already revealed he was in the Spanish capital holding talks with Real.

Now Liverpool have confirmed that they have agreed to sell the Spanish international to the Liga giants.

A Liverpool spokesman said: "We have agreed a fee with Real Madrid for the transfer of the player, subject to him completing a medical."

It is believed that Arbeloa will pen a five-year contract once he has passed his medical, after the clubs agreed a deal worth around £3.5million.

The move will see Arbeloa return to the club he began his career with, after which he joined Deportivo La Coruna and then Liverpool.

would have though they could have got more for him than that?

Nothing worse than a womens Gaelic team on the rip. Was in the Hatfield one Sunday night and 3 ladies Gaelic teams were in as it was the end of some tournament. Absolute nightmare. Ended up with a fight between 2 of the teams and they were standing at opposite sides of the road at the end of the night. Classy.

Probably  the Dowd cup, worse than any st Patricks day in the hollylands!

were did you find that page longballs,you should post your method up on it 

Alan Carr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ8gYveQPcY&feature=related