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.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Shamrock Rovers are holding up well against Real Madrid at the mo, 0 - 0 with 15 mins left.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

This is the new Getafe kit for next season, they're sponsored by Burger King...

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/image...cture_1_16.png

Good Bit of advertising by Burger King :D

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...al/8161390.stm

What bad luck :(

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Man, they train em hard in North London! :D

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

It can always get worse.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...446216,00.html

Wasn't that the guy who bought in to Man City?!

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Looks like Sven's gonna be director of football at Notts County, interesting!

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

He was an original member of the negotiating team I think but quit.

He's got a job on his hands down there trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Thought this was hilarious:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/07/7.jpg

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

2nd leg of Celtic's champs league qualifier against dinamo Moscow will be live on BBC2 Scotland:D:D:D:D:D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ic/8165921.stm

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Just realised when I posted that joke earlier, I missed the other parts :dunce:

So here it is in FULL.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/07/7.jpg
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/07/8.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...nsformers2.jpg

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

How the hell has Gerrard got away with that?

My estimation of him has increased ten fold. To play Midfield the way he does despite the handicap of not being able to see what happens six inches in front of his face, takes some doing. Although it does Explain why his long range passing is so bad.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I think he is worried

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has called Manchester City "stupid and arrogant" and a "small club with a small mentality". Ferguson also claimed City's £25m new signing Emmanuel Adebayor had been offered to United and Chelsea after he had agreed a deal to move to Eastlands.
Full story: Mail on Sunday

How much did the spuds let him go for origionally, £750 000 wasn't it?

Portsmouth have accepted an offer from Tottenham for England striker Peter Crouch, says Pompey boss Paul Hart. A reported £10m deal was agreed on Saturday after Spurs made a renewed effort to sign the 28-year-old.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...th/8169170.stm

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Worried they might win the carling cup?

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yes :rolleyes:

However, Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has stirred the pot further by backing City to win the Premier League this season. "Adebayor up front with Carlos Tevez - unbelievable... City are Champions for sure," said Mourinho.
Full story: News of the World

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Maybe he was being sarcastic....I don't see Man City winning the title, ridiculous assertion. They haven't even bought the best of the best but only those who could be won over simply by cash and didn't have their hearts set on Champions League football.

Probably why Adebayor tried to go to Chelsea or United after agreeing with City.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

all I see City as now is a good side, a few steps up from their time-honoured position of 'average'.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

They are not even that, they have a good attack, but not much else. So unless they plan to field a first 11 consisting entirely of forwards then they are not a solid side.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

It could be a long season for Spurs fans if they don't get some cover for centre half. They were woeful against a Celtic reserve team at Wembley today.

Not a bad record at the new Wembley. Played twice, scored 7 conceded nil :D:D:D

EPL the best league in the world - you're having a laugh. :D

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

And Arsenal have? Fact is they are weakening the opposition by buying their better players or targets, they'll continue to get stronger while the rest get weaker.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Arsenal have a solid team though, it's not about having a strike force that cost £££ but having a all around team.

Arsenal probably need another defender (for depth when Toure/Gallas are not playing) and a defensive midfielder but overall we have a better all round team than Man City do.

£25 Million was a very good deal for Adebayor. We don't need to replace him. We have a wealth of attacking forwards and strikers. Hopefully Vela will be able to go first team this year and we have Bendtner, Van Persie and Arshavin who can all play up front.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

They haven't really though have they? They've bought Tevez who scored five league goals last season and Adebayor who Arsenal were looking to sell anyway. They also got Barry, but i wouldn't think that was a big loss for Liverpool who were trying to get him last season. I will be suprised if they manage to get above Villa and Everton let alone break the top 4 next season.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I read Toure might be moving to City too this morning.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yeah that's a bummer since Arsenal seem determined not to buy any more players :(

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I wouldn't be so sure, you're favourites to sign Huntelaar at the moment.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Wouldnt mind seeing Huntelaar together with van Persie at Arsenal, but 1 thing we now need if toure is gone is another couple of defenders

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

The weak point is our defence though, mostly the lack of depth. We have brought one, which is not enough, and makes no difference if we sale Toure as well!

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Even more rare than Bigfoot sightings, I've managed to hunt down a clip of donkey scoring for Man United...about 36 seconds in... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy6_LP3PEqw

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Huntelaar, Van Persie, Eduardo, Bendter, Vela, Arshavin, Walcott.

Not bad for us really.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I must say being a City fan i am quite looking forward to the coming season. Everyman and his dog now seems to have it in for us which is certainly going to make every game a lot harder to win. Teams like West Ham, Bolton, Portsmouth, etc are going to raise there game against us because of the dosh we have spent bringing players in.
How will Mark Hughes cope now he has brought his own players in, surely this will just ratchet up the tabloid pressure a few notches.
Trouble is it`s going to be very difficult to get a team (especially some players) to gel in a short space of time, the only upside is if a player doesn`t perform there is someone waiting in the wings to take his place.
Jose Mourinho is certainly in la-la land if he thinks City are going to win the prem this year, my guess is he`s only doing it to wind up his old foe SAF, and by all accounts he`s allready like a rattlesnake :p:
I reckon if we`re not in the top 6 at Christmas Sparkie may well be on his way out, which would be a shame as time is needed but rarely given in the prem.
Still think top 4 for is a possibility, most likely at Arsenals expense!
Remember it is City though and us fans are used to ups and downs :)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

You have done nothing for years and now you have weakened your squad further by selling one if not two of your players to what will be a major rival

---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------

I'd rather have Tevez than Berbatov or Owen it's not just the goals he can turn a match with his energy and creativity and get fans of their seats. I think if Liverpool knew Alonso wanted to leave they'd have snapped Barry up and as for Adebayor who are they going to use as their lone striker know Eduardo who is injured again or Bedneter who really is crap, fact is all the teams are weaker than last year and city haven't finished spending yet.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yeah his energy chasing down players because it was him that was losing the ball with his poor first touch constantly. At the end of the day he's a striker, Owen scored more than him last season in less games for a club that got relegated and Owen is supposedly 'past it'. For me they haven't weakned any of the top four clubs a great deal, maybe Arsenal but we will have to wait and see who they bring in for Adebayor, there's a hell of a lot of players that would be an improvment on Adebayor if last season is anything to go by.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Van Persie, Arshavin can play in that role, we have Vela up and coming, Bedneter isn't too bad and Eduardo isn't injured.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Eduardo scored twice today \o/

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

van Persie and Arshavin are to lightweight to play that role plus it's a waste of their talents, guess we'll have to wait and see what happens at the end of the season although tbh Arsenal will have no one but themselves to blame if it all turns out bad, you can't keep on selling your best players each year and hope to complete.

Crouch has moved to Spuds

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ur/8169170.stm

Dont really understand it, he was Pompy's top scorer last year and they have sold him for 3 million less than they bought him for, I thought perhaps that some sanity might be returning to the game but then read that Spuds are still trying to get their cash back for Bent...

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I personally think Arsenal suffered long term when they failed to replace Viera. They are full of lightweights.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Sky Sports sources understand Manchester City are close to agreeing a £16million deal with Arsenal for Kolo Toure.

Good money but i'd rather Gallas left =(

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...461272,00.html

Oh dear, what a shame :)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I'd say so, another example of the start of the decline of the prem

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Gutted, but if he wants to go we should let him.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I'm not suprised he's put in a transfer request after how he was treated last summer.

I wonder how Gareth Barry is feeling today? Probably just counting his money.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I actually agree with you there, Barry isn't even in the same league imo.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Apparently Wenger has said there will be no more acquisitions this summer, We don't really know if this is true or not. It is kind of worrying because if you look at the performance last season it seemed to suggest we really needed more players and doing the opposite is not what the fans had in mind.

It's not awful though, For a start £40 million for Toure and Adebayor is pretty good business. Our team is not as bad as last season's performance suggests either, we went on a long unbeaten run, and got to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League. The team had many injuries and the players are still young so they should be better this year.

My only real worry is the defence, especially when one of the starting 4 can't play.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Arsenal ready to move for Blaise Matuidi and plan Patrick Vieira talks

• Wenger ready to make move for St Etienne midfielder
• Manager and Vieira will discuss Frenchman's return to London

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...-arsene-wenger



Would love to see Vieria back with us, he'd be a great infulence in the dressing room.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Wenger might have shot himself in the foot trying to justify the Toure transfer by claiming he has so many defenders he has to play them in midfield, well why buy Vermaelen then and why sell your better one when you still have the likes of Djourou, Silvestre and Senderous on the books, I'd like to see him sign Hangeland.

---------- Post added at 06:38 ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 ----------

You should have bid for Barry, as much as I like Alonso and despite how well he played last season he can go missing where as Barry is Mr consistant, 7/10 every game. Your lining up Cattermole to replace him :shocked:

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is keen to add more English players to his squad and is preparing a £12m bid for Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole and will offer Hull £5.5m for defender Michael Turner.
Full story: Daily Mail

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Like Henry, I always felt Vieria should end his career at Arsenal and your right about his influence and experience being a positive thing in the dressing room. I really hope this goes though. While I appluad adding depth to the squad with Matuidi I think he needs another centre back badly. Bring those two back, along with one more defender (Hangeland).

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Agree, pointless having a player whose heart is elsewhere, if he feels he was badly treated it's his choice, but it's nothing new, look at the tevez affair, he felt unwanted and he went to mega bucks city ;)
Then there is fergie saying he would never have paid the fee that city ended up paying, probably the two of them want their heads banged together hey ?;)
But it brings some money in that can be used to buy players, but he will be missed at liverpool much less than ronaldo at united imo.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Agreed,my only concern is he has left it late and with Arbeloa going too as well as Dossena (although he won't be a big loss) We do need some cover.I like Insua and think Darby could do a job as well.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

About time something was done about this, shame it only applies to foreign players though and not domestic

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...td/8180042.stm

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I can see how it must be annoying for a small or smaller club to invest a lot of money in a player's development only for them to switch club.

It’s hard enough for small clubs to survive without the big clubs poaching the best players from the smaller ones in a way that deprives those smaller clubs of the small amount of cash they are entitled to for developing those players. It just adds insult to injury regarding the financial gap.

This is what needs to change and not to impose a restriction on transfers under a certain age. Some players deserve to be playing at the top level before 18, they shouldn't be stuck in French League 2.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

And if what United did was within UEFA guidelines (and there's nothing to suggest it's not) then they've done nothing wrong.

However is this the part were Arthur pops up to say what United are doing is disgraceful and should get thrown out of the premier league for 5 years?? :D :angel: ;)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

They won`t need to be thrown out after next year, i can see them going down to the championship without Tevez :devsmoke:

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Nothing to suggest wrong doing? Only the word of Le Harve and Lazio for starters and that guy from the Brazillian FA that said your club was 'raping' the country of young talent, Utd seem quite happy to pay these kids parents millions and the clubs that produce them nothing, oh and the only person suggesting they have done nothing wrong is the United spokesperson.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

And let's not forget that you're saying they've done wrong too..

---------- Post added at 17:31 ---------- Previous post was at 17:30 ----------

Riiight, even though we won the league last year almost without him?

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Oh I see it was the clubs fault for producing those kids in the first place, how silly of me not to realise

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Am I speaking Welsh here or something? It's not for Lazio, you or the guy from the Brazilian FA to say they've done wrong, it's for UEFA to decide.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Anyone else watch the Emirates cup today and yesterday? Jack Wilshere is going to be a great player for club & country.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yes, He has been promising for a while. So has Gibbs and Vela. Vela and Wilshere are certainly ready to play a few games this season, thankfully Arsenal are still spoilt for good attackers and attacking midfielders.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Our attacking options are amazing but the defence still looks really suspect, even in the games yesterday & today.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yes and UEFA have said it's wrong hence

and they are going to change the rules to stop it happening again, the sooner the better as well.

---------- Post added at 06:08 ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 ----------

I like Gibbs, would be great if he could nick Cashly's Egland place in time for the World Cup.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Maybe I'm missing something here but have UEFA actually made an official statement to say United have broken a rule and action will be taken? All I can see is disapproving comments, I don't see any word of disciplinery hearings or punishments, you know the way you'd expect there to be if a club broke any actual rulings.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I can't see that we have done anything different to any other clubs. Also where do you make a difference between a a youngster and someone like Rooney who had his first game at something like 16 years old, or Pele too who also started playing really young.

All clubs do this not just United and not really sure how UEFA can come up with rules to stop it

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I agree with this really but I don't think the rules should prevent moving just prevent them doing so without adequate compensation for the club which invested in their development. Which is what United did, targeted the player while the owning club has little protection and therefore minimal cost to United.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

you are right there. Isn't that because you can't sign a pro contract until you are 17 so the younger players can just be tapped up by top clubs and then move clubs with no transfer fee.

Maybe there needs to be a under17 contract these players can sign so the parent club can then get a fee

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yes, I believe so. They do get minimal compensation although this pales into insignificance compared to the investment these clubs spent on the players development. Basically the big clubs use the small ones as their youth training system and then directly buy the player from under them. UEFA need to sort that out otherwise what incentive will these clubs have in youth academies? :erm: It's not like the Big Clubs cannot afford a fair fee for these small clubs who defiantly need the cash, trying to screw a small club out of cash is pretty underhanded.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

what I would like to see is the clubs going back to training local players. I think the FA have the 60 mile radius rule but that only applies to English players. That then meant all the top clubs scouted the top foreign youngsters and brought them in instead.

What UEFA need to do is get the clubs to train local players only. To suggest someone is good at football based on where they are born is rubbish, it's all down to the training you get. If the top prem clubs just trained English players there would still be plenty of talent about as long as they got into the system earlier.

I'd also like all the prem clubs to have to help local kids at all abilities. I can't play football to save my life but if my local club help groups for people of my ability, something they could easily afford, I would have gone. I would have met new people and also I would be making myself healthier, instead they are only really interested in people with talent

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

You might find thats already happening, I know it is at Liverpool. Underprivileged kids and kids/adults with disabilities are all able to play for them and take part in leagues etc.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Have to disagree with this, won't it create a problem whereby the clubs in the bigger population centers have an advantage over those that do not. What about players who live outside a 60 mile radius of a big club? I think any players should be able to play, be brought, and signed for training regardless of age, nationality or location.

It's certainly not only down to the training you get. Lots of people go though the same youth systems year after year and only a few gems come out of it.

I quite like the idea of the best players in the world coming to the Premiership anyway, makes my ticket purchases and Sky Sports subscription seem better value.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Funny you say that and it's not just UEFA getting involved but FIFA and what's Uniteds response this time

United declined to comment last night

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...5875-21565796/

Your right it isn't just United doing it, The EU actually said it was like child trafficing IIRC, not a good advert for the self proclaimed 'Worlds best league' is it and they are going to stop it by

Europe's governing body is keen to introduce a rule preventing the international transfer of players under the age of 18 after member associations, clubs, leagues and players agreed to the principle at a March meeting.


There is and the lad poached had agreed it

The Ligue 2 outfit believed they had an agreement with Pogba which would see him stay in France until at least the end of the 2009/10 campaign.

In other news Liverpool sign Alsonso replacement?

1204 BST: Liverpool have signed Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani for £15.3m. (Spanish newspaper Marca)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Until UEFA or FIFA take action against United it's ''innocent until proven guilty'' remember!

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Actually that only works in a court of law ;) In sport it tend to be innocent until caught :D

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

The player has signed and questions need to be answered, some how I don't think this one is just going to go away.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Maybe - but that's for UEFA/FIFA to decide.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I don't think United did anything legally wrong, just sorta underhanded. Not as if such behaviour is limited to Man U though.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Yep I'll agree with that, quite possibly underhanded but hardly likely to be limited to United and until the authorities say otherwise, no rules have been broken.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Alonso has gone to Madrid.

---------- Post added at 20:15 ---------- Previous post was at 20:12 ----------

As for the UTD signing that kid story, it will be going on all the time and UEFA go hmmmmm, and nobody cares. But we aren't spending £80Mill at the moment and so this will do as a great headline.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Targeting a player in such a way to avoid giving compensation to a small club will not give you a good headline.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

UTD aren't trying to sell papers.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

it's not good and the same thing happens with African's although they are usually a bit older. United and Madrid and Arsenal and a host of other clubs but them out at their feed clubs in Norway, Belgium etc and see if they are any good, if they make it they are signed for a top club on the cheap and if not they are tossed aside with no thought for what will happen to the person afterwards

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

For posters information

A new 2009/2010 season thread has been set up, anything not related to last year or the closed season should now be posted there.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/88...09-2010-a.html

I'll shut-up now and let you lot continue :D

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

No point having two footie threads running but before this one dies, what do you think of your clubs transfer activity so far, I am as happy as can be expected considering the club has no money what so ever, we have kept all our best players, got rid of some expensive dead wood like Bowyer and as well as getting some really promising youngsters in, we have signed a top quality player in Jimenez aka The Wizard

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Well like always, Wenger needs to splash some cash!

Re: Football Close Season Thread