Football Close Season Thread - Page 25

Russ · 05-07-2009, 12:42

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.

Niles Crane · 05-07-2009, 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ B

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.

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.

Russ · 05-07-2009, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niles Crane

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"?

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niles Crane

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

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.

matt-h · 05-07-2009, 13:39

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

Niles Crane · 05-07-2009, 13:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ B

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.

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.

Russ · 05-07-2009, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niles Crane

Not surprisingly,

What do you mean by 'not surprisingly'?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niles Crane

you completely ignored his 108 goals in 145 for Barcelona,

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"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Niles Crane

And 1 in 2 for international games is exceptional.

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.

Niles Crane · 05-07-2009, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ B

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.

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.

Russ · 05-07-2009, 14:04

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

kingbuxton · 05-07-2009, 14:38

Quote:

Rooney's world class but he doesn't score massive amounts of goals

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 Â£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.

SB_07 · 05-07-2009, 16:39

Eto is an out-and-out goal scorer.

punky · 06-07-2009, 12:43

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

Quote:

Might be a very big story hitting football world later in the week. But I can't say just yet.

Followed by this...

Quote:

I can't say what the tale is but it is a very interesting one...I would love to go into some detail but there are people who keep an eye on titbits and can let you down. I can't write it just now because I've been sworn to secrecy on this for the moment.

There could be an announcement on this on Tuesday - but it is relating to something that happened just over a month ago.

It will be the first time this has happened and it will be interesting to see how football handles it.

Hoping to be able to write this but it is a very hard one to touch until it goes 'official.'

Rest assured it doesn't affect your club but it will cause an awful lot of talk...and raise some serious questions.

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.

**Damien** · 06-07-2009, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

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.

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

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?

Derek · 06-07-2009, 13:47

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

**Damien** · 06-07-2009, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek S

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

Ooooo Very big name? Probably excludes Arsenal then

Probably Chelsea. They can afford the premium drugs. Although that has happened before..

Derek · 06-07-2009, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

Ooooo Very big name? Probably excludes Arsenal then

Probably Chelsea. They can afford the premium drugs. Although that has happened before..

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?