Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I didn't say he wasn't good, just that I don't see him being the star that the spanish press make him out to be.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Well if your logic is fair and balanced, there must only be a very tiny list of players throughout history you consider a star.

How can a man with 165 goals in 308 matches (108 in 145 for Barcelona - their 3rd highest goalscorer ever), 37 goals in 80 international caps, 2 Champions League medals (scored in both finals as well - you can hardly claim he's not a big game player), 3 La Liga titles, African Nations Cup twice, 3 time African Player of the Year etc etc etc etc, and still only 28 years old, ever NOT be considered a "star"?

Eto'o would be the top striker at Man United by a country mile.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Scoring (on average) one in every other game is good, but not the standard I'd expect for someone the spanish media seem to worship.

Let's face it, he wouldn't have that much competition. Rooney's world class but he doesn't score massive amounts of goals, Owen is past his best IMO and don't get me started on donkey.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Anyone who thinks eto'o isnt much cop hasnt been watching much la liga football over the past few years...

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Not surprisingly, you completely ignored his 108 goals in 145 for Barcelona, which he's been doing for the past 5 years. And 1 in 2 for international games is exceptional.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

What do you mean by 'not surprisingly'?

Um, how could I have ignored his Barcelona goals when I highlighted his total and even commented on it by saying "one in every other game is good"?

And as you know, the international game is different to the domestic game. Michael Owen is the highest scoring England player yet he's nothing special right now.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Not surprisingly because i don't think your judgement is objective.

The last 5 years of 108 in 145 is a far higher ratio than 1 in 2. The full career total and his international total you highlighted are close to 1 in 2.

Yes, correct. While Eto'o is the current highest scoring Cameroon player, the current highest scoring Barcelona player, one of the current highest scoring La Liga players and is special right now.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

The spanish game is different to ours, that's why I went on his total career goals which while pretty good, is nothing special.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Rooney is the lad to build UTD round now, if another striker does come in, I don't want Rooney shunted out left side again, cos if he gets naffed off and leaves, then we are in trouble, never mind this overated crap. Eto at 28 is going to want games, so either him or RussB fave ever player ;) is on the bench or it's Rooney on the wing.

Rooney was the best player in the Prem for the last few weeks of the season, he has really matured and next season he will start to show what he is about, I think people forget he is only 23, 26-28 when most players hit their peak, I think he is already there.

Not seen enough of Eto to judge, as long as Rooney is first choice, they can buy who they want.

Wonder what he gets paid? I know we have a wage structure at UTD, but the top earners are hardly poor. I assume some of them are on over £100,000? He can't be on much more than that at Barca.

---------- Post added at 13:38 ---------- Previous post was at 13:32 ----------

As a side, was just looking at goal ratios on Wiki.....

Rooney P49 S20. Berbatov P43 S14. Tevez P51 S15.

I think Carlos n Kia need to check some statistics before they make feeble excuses as to why they left us.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Eto is an out-and-out goal scorer.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Possibly something from Alan Nixon (Mirror journo - posts as Nicko on a Blackburn Rovers forum as an ITK)
Followed by this...

Trying to think what it can be. I presume "your club" is Blackburn. Can't see it being 6+5 as that would affect every club. It mentions something just over a month ago. The UCL final was just over a month ago. Maybe Barcelona might be disqualified? Someone found a rule they broke and they are arguing over the legalities?

Anyone else have any better ideas? He isn't known for being a WUM.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

It could only be one thing. Alex Ferguson is an alien. :erm:

The Barcelona thing sounds possible, other theories:

• Match Fixing - This has happened before however. Still not in the Premiership.

Actually that's all I can think off. Building on the Champions League theory, maybe it's related to the Chelsea/Barcelona semi?

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I did hear a completely unsubstantiated rumour about a very big name Premiership star failing a drugs test.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Ooooo Very big name? Probably excludes Arsenal then :D Probably Chelsea. They can afford the premium drugs. Although that has happened before..

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

It was a Man U player.

Has any International, top of their game players failed a drugs test before or has it always been people of lower standing or past their best?