Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

guess we gonna have to agree to disagree on this one , Cantona had no work ethic at all , would just pop up and do something amazing to win you the game ;) , don't rate Arshavin (yet anyway) , think he can improve. Van persie is quality , can definately agree on that one.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Suppose, but he still got involved. Berbatov (Russ you have no say on this) is the same, it's a languid way they play, but they are always involved. Adebayor seems to play in fits n starts. Scores for a few games and then vanishes for a few months. I hope it's me that's right, last thing I need is him ramming it down my throat, in ruddy Blue.

Tell you what, when the papers linked him with us...........would have taken him over Eto and Benzema. He is a great player.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I still expect great things from Berbatov (again Russ you have no say on this matter ;) ) he tends to do a little more 'off the ball play' (especially good at holding the ball) but his whole style of playing makes you feel as if he doesn't care as he is just so layed back , i just hope he ups his game next season :)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

If you're expecting great things from donkey then you'll have a long wait on your hands.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Oy! Enough of that.

He was great to watch today, yesterday as is. His close control n first touch is awsome. He is very much in the Bergkamp mould, all he needs is a striker, with Rooney up front (He was awsome btw) and Owen he might have it this season.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

well glad Ade is gone now :) I just hope that Wenger is going to spend the money on a new striker :)
and close to 18 million profit on Ade isnt bad business.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Let's not get too excited over the fact he had a decent game (without managing to score, naturally) in a pre-season friendly.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Arshavin had a great start to his season!

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Chelsea are set to report Manchester City boss Mark Hughes to the Premier League for 'tapping up' John Terry.
Full story: News of the World

Poor old Chelsea quite happy to tap up who ever they liked when the Russian was pouring cash in, different story when it happens to them. I quite like Mercenary City tbh I can see them finishing in the top 4 easily, they are weakening the top clubs all the time by either signing their players or targets, imo it's just who they replace, I hope it's Chelsea

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

http://www.skysports.com/football/ma...172368,00.html

2 goals in 2 games for Owen. No word on whether donkey had an on-target shot or even if he played.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

:D

Him n Rooney came on for about 20mins, same again, some of his hold up play and final balls are superb. He was doing a few party tricks for the crowd, back heels etc.

Tell you what, if Owen is unfit and past it, I want some of his diet, wouldn't like to think I had to chase him full length of a pitch. UTD need to wake up a bit, the ammount of times he is unmarked in the area is unreal, I have never seen a player that good at it. He ran his socks off and hardly broke sweat. Me thinks it could well be a great signing.

Funny bit, Rooney took a bit of a bash from the keeper, had a bit of blood on his head, could see his back was up, he 50/50 into this little Malaysian lad and knocked him from outside the center circle into it, he flew, really funny.

Macheda was excellent. Owen hit the post as well.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Sounds like he'd be better off as an attacking midfielder. That way there wouldn't be an expectation on him to actually score.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

He is more of a Sheringham/Bergkamp type player, I know what you are saying, he maybe didn't get as many as should be expected, Bergkamp was only a 15 a season scorer, but he was so good at linking Midfield to Attack. Berbatov is the closest I have seen to him, not quite as good a Bergkamp, but then he didn't hit his peak till about 30/31 he was unplayable for those few years.

The one thing i didn't expect from Berbatov was the pressure would get to him, I think it did, from interviews it seems like the spotlight and expectation was more than he expected, that can happen at our place. Plus £30Mill on top of that.

I think him and Rooney will be hard work for teams next season.

And as I said, if they can spot Owen in the area his is unmarked 90% of the time, his movement off the ball is incredible. He looses defenders like they don't exist, and saying it is Malaysia means nothing, I think he has more than proven he can do it at any level.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

The thing that winds me up about donkey is his first season was totally underwhelming, and it didn't help matters when he gently tapped the ball at the keeper during the semi-final game against Everton. On numerous occasions he was needed to do something special to get us out of a tight spot and he failed miserably. With a £30m tag SAF must have felt pressurised to use him over Tevez, just think what that lost us.

So far Owen seems to be doing well but....it's not the premiership. True I don't know much about Malaysia but how he performs over there won't help us this season. My only worry is we'll be useless in the air with him and Rooney up front.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yeah, I don't think you are far off with that.

It's not so much the players, we already know he can do it against anyone. It's his fitness, not so much injuries (cos that is some Urban Legend everyone is convinced of) more where is he stamina/speed wise. Today it was approaching 90 with 100% humidity, Macheda is 17 and was pouring sweat. Owen looked fine to me.