Hey you get to hear Darke on a BT game at least.

And to be fair to Savage (not that I'm a fan by any means) his commentary on Olympiakos/Arsenal in particular last season was good so he's not always dreadful - and his Euros commentary got a bit of praise on here.

Not that I'm saying I'm particularly desperate to hear him on commentary.

Wonder how many times he will refer to Ian Darke as Darkie

But your right not 1 but 2 games for Darke this week on BT!!

Just speculation but with two PL games at the weekend, and one of them on Sunday, it gives BT a chance to let him appear on their Score programme, as well as in the commentary box. And they clearly like using Sav so I wouldn't put it past him slotting in for Watford-Man United after his CL shenanigans on Wednesday .

Hawthorne and Provan on Sunderland Vs Everton.

Pity David Jones cant say rediagnosed properly.

Well done to Everton for giving that lad who has cancer 200,000 for his treatment

Dave Jones has said about 409 times tonight to Phil Neville "As a former player / been in the dressing room with David Moyes..."

Phil has definitely been taking tips from Gary. He holds and waggles his pen the same way when he talks!

Was Jamie disrespectful in saying to Phil , Tracey his sister live on camera
When asked the question ,
So Jamie which Neville brother do you prefer ??
His answer was , Tracey , Phil said , you can't say that

It was quite clearly said in jest and taken in good humour.

Yes, I remember Tony Pulis, when he was at Stoke, was billed to appear on MOTD2 but declined to do so when they lost about 6-0. And he offered his apologies in the post-match interview.


Roder, Martin Fisher and Mark Scott all did reports on Final Score this weekend, as they sometimes do, so there were plenty of commentators out and about.

Barcelona v Celtic- Tony Jones and Tony Dorigo for the world feed
Man City v Borussia Monchengladbach- Nigel Adderley for the world feed

Good old Charlie Sale ...

http://www.football365.com/news/medi...s-slammed-ozil

Know it's slightly off-topic but he really is a poor excuse for a journalist.

To confirm some things ahead of tonight's CL:

Des Kelly reporting from PSG V Arsenal. Lineker presenting from the studio with Ferdinand and Wright and Fletcher and Hargreaves commentating.

Rae and Sutton are commentating for Barcelona V Celtic with Eilidh Barbour reporting at Barcelona, Darrel Currie is presenting from the studio with John Hartson and Gordan Strachan.

Matt Smith presenting at the Man City game on-site with Natalie Qurik reporting, no idea who is pundits or commentary, think it is Drury with McManaman.

The Goals show has the same trio as last year, so Richardson, Horncastle, Laurens, Honigstein and Webb. On BTS1 tonight from 7:30pm.

Just watched MOTD 2 and Sutton kept saying the decision cost them the game - well it was actually 1-1 at the time due to the fact Chelsea's highly international goalkeeper rushed out and basically hacked down the Swansea player (maybe should have got a red card himself)

Surely that cost them the game as it allowed Swansea back into it?

Then he basically dismissed the ideal of Costa being sent off or the Chelsea equaliser.

Maybe the bloke just didn't want to criticise Chelsea too much given his quite awful spell at Stamford Bridge!

At least Jenas talked about the game generally and seems pretty good I think.

Is this a change from last season re Smith?

ie Last season did anyone other than Lineker / Humphrey present an English club in the CL?

Hipgrave did the other English games which Jake didn't do last year. Think Jake will do Spurs V Monaco tomorrow and I wouldn't say he's been axed from the CL coverage yet, unless he's not doing a game tomorrow then I think he will present a Europa League game.

Surprised Smith is doing the game tonight instead of Hipgrave considering she hasn't got any clashes today/tomorrow with C1C highlights on C5.

Also Niall Quinn is on Soccer Special tonight as a pundit, when did he last do a Soccer Saturday/Special?

I think Jake mentioned he would be in Feynoord to host the United match in the Europa League so not sure as to whether BT would have him do a game the night before.

Just wondering if anyone knows, but does BT have a team that sets up their PL coverage and a different team that sets up their CL coverage.

Ok, wouldn't say he been dropped from the CL coverage yet but if he doesn't present a game next week then I think he been dropped and focusing on EL games.

In terms of production, the Premier League and Europa League are by Sunset+Vine, while the Champions League is done in-house.

But I'm not sure that would dictate the on-air talent.

OK, thanks - but how many games did Humphrey miss?

I think Lineker did all main games on both Tue and Wed (except one which clashed with FA Cup on BBC).

I thought Humphrey had then done the vast majority of 2nd games on both Tue and Wed?

But maybe not - especially on Wed if preparing for EL on Thur?

One particular variation I remember is when Lineker missed CL matchweek 2 last season after his mother sadly died. Jake moved up to main studio host, whilst Lindsay did the second game (on-site on the Tuesday, in studio on the Wednesday): http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...postcount=1720
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...postcount=1742

Uwe Rosler and Richard Dunne with Matt Smith at the Etihad, although it looks like the game will be postponed.

Team are handing the situation very well, when was a CL game last postponed?

Drury and McManaman on commentary if City game begins, just shown in-vision.

He's an absolute mess of a man.