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The transfer window opens again in eleven days, and Bayern Munich have moved first and completed the signing of Sandro Wagner from Hoffenheim for £10.6m.
Now that half the season has gone, where do you feel your team needs to strengthen?
It could be a quiet one with it being a World Cup year, but rumours aren’t going away for Sanchez, Coutinho and the like.
I would try to bring Mesut Oezil in early just for a lol.
Chelsea only have 21 players named in our squad at the moment, and David Luiz and Batshuayi are being fattened up for goosing season, so if we don't bring a couple in I don't know what the old dear Marina is doing with her time.
Actually I miscounted. We have 20 players named in our 25-man squad. Didn't know Kenedy counts as yoof.
No wonder Conte was kicking off in August.
Kenedy was a beast of a forward for me on FM15. Imagine my surprise when I first saw him playing for Chelsea and he appeared to be a wingback.
Isn't he off on loan somewhere?
Looks like we'll be letting Woodburn go somewhere for the rest of the season, hopefully a Premier League team. Sturridge too, although that seems less likely in the rumour mill now.
I heard Sunderland or Leeds for Woodburn. I wonder what he did to Klopps mum.
Anywhere nicer would too much of a culture shock.
Celtic have accepted a bid of around £18m for Moussa Dembele from Brighton.
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...pted-by-celtic
Celtic have taken them to town there.
In the interest of filling their own pockets. Sanchez or ozil should see out their contracts at arsenal. You were willing to pay arsenal £25m for me in January. Now you have to pay me that to sign, right now.
Wasn't he linked with Chelsea for 30/40m last summer? Has he been found out a bit this year?Quote:
Originally Posted by John
Celtic have denied it and that link has now been taken down.Quote:
Originally Posted by Weaver
He only had 4 goals this year so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by five time
Turned out he’s not as good as Leigh Griffiths. Likely to stunt your prospects, that.
I’ll try to tally up the transfer prediction game from summer tomorrow. Someone should post a January one.
Jesus :D
When was his deal up?
I’m sure he signed a six year contract last year, so the summer of 2022.
Huge deal that.
Will probably still play like a mong in Klopp's defence.
Need a defensive coach in next.
Exactly. It's not really worth their while spending huge money on defenders unless they're going to change the manager too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
lol at Fenway signing off on that price. He's been on strike for a year.
Southampton should use the money to fire Pellegrino and hire Gary Rowett.
£75m. Fucking hell.
Klopp has refused to name a single other defender he wanted for the sake of signing Van Dijk.
For £75m I think he's going to live or die by this signing.
The fee is almost irrelevant. Very good defender, and miles better than Lovren and Klavan.
Great signing.
EDIT: not that he alone will fix our defensive problems, of course. He's just a much better defender than we currently have.
Mario + VVD sounds genuinely formidable, I reckon he'll be worth it.
Unless Klopp changes tack or brings in a new defensive coach there will be no noticeable change because regardless of VVD’s undoubted quality the best defences are drilled to fucking death on the training ground and that’s clearly not happening at Liverpool (it’s not happening at Arsenal either to be fair).
He is not two-and-a-half Andy Carrolls.
This has all probably been done without Southampton's consent.
In defence of our defence. We've conceded 23 goals this season, only 3 more than Spurs. However the majority of those goals have come against our would-be rivals. 5 away to City, 4 away to Spurs and 3 away to Arsenal.
It would also be of use if the midfield helped with defending. That's the key. Henderson is not capable of the role he's needed to fill. We're getting Keita in and letting Emre Can go in the summer. If we can get someone who will actually sit behind that, we'll be a solid unit. Not someone who fucks off leaving a 30 yard gap between defence and midfield.
People think Liverpool's defence is worse than it is, because when their high line gets caught out they usually end up looking silly.
Case in point was that Everton game where literally the only chance they conceded all game was a 60/40 penalty shout that was given and they ended up getting hounded. In terms of chances conceded they're no worse than United or Arsenal.
I assume it’ll be van Dijk & Matip, right?
Lovren’s on the bench right?
RIGHT? :arry:
Now we just need to relieve Donnarumma from his nightmare in Milan.
People think Liverpool’s defence is shite because they keep coughing up 2 goal or more leads.Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
Whilst I'd love that, the kids going nowhere other than to the Old Lady.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Doesn't every defender look good at Southampton because they never attack? Dejan Lovren, for example.
That's not really related to their ability to defend.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
It's because their manager is clueless/stubborn and one decent defender won't change that.
Based on what? Don't you think individual mistakes from the current goalkeepers and central defenders are more to blame rather than the 'stubbornness' of the manager?Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
He was good at Celtic too. And that includes opponents sometimes even getting into your half.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Let's not go overboard here, Klopp's Dortmund (with the, at the time, world class CB Hummels and Subotic as the big fucker next to him) was equally susceptible at the back quite often, they'd just attempt to score more than the opposition (and batter fuck out the shit). He's had the exact same gameplan since day one, and in the long run that's what'll fuck him in the arse when it all crumbles down.
Aye, never win anything with that approach.
Almost six years since they won anything, may as well keep doing the same thing.
I was talking more of his massively unsuccessful stint at Dortmund.
Aye I think that was fairly obvious.
I honestly don't mind Klopp being [so-called] defensively inept because Liverpool are amazing to watch nowadays. Every game is enjoyable and it's boss.
Pretty much, up until last season we always had three fairly solid midfielders sat in front of our defence. Wanyama and Schneiderlin made all our defenders look a lot better. Van Dijk is far better than the other defenders we've had though, only other centre back we've had close to him was Alderwiereld. The likes of Lovren and Fonte not even close.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
I think he will improve their defence but until they sign a proper holding midfielder they're going to keep getting exposed and making the odd mistake.
Hopefully we can invest properly with money, supposedly we've gotten a large chunk of the money upfront with an aim to reinvest.
Before anyone comes in we need to get rid of the manager and Les Reed. Then a few players need to go, Shane Long and Fraser Forster are both comically bad. Yoshida is fine as a third choice but shouldn't be first choice.
Mister Pellegrino strikes me as the worst manager in the league by a distance, in that he took over a solid team and has made them steadily less solid whilst also not improving them in any other respect.
Forsters regression has been surprising.
I look forward to his future Sakho status.
Signing a centreback for a billion pounds whilst playing him in front of a goalkeeper who might as well just have flippers is still gonna result in MEGALOLZ defending/scorelines
The amount of quasi-seethe (or people queuing up to say how shit he is going to be) surrounding this Van Dijk transfer leads me to think he's going to be a lot better than I had previously thought. Good times.
As Giles said last night, van Dijks biggest obstacle now will be Klopp.
I just turned on the telly to see Warnock on Sky saying that van Dijk LOOKS better because he's better on the ball but that defensively he's no better than Sol Bamba....
Warnock's devotion to Sol Bamba is quite moving.
I think it's just that Liverpool have been burned on the price. It's all very well saying the price doesn't matter these days because everyone has unlimited money, but even if that's true (which it isn't) the price tag creates pressure. At the price he needs to be by far the best defender in the league or he's a failure - and that is an unfair expectation because defending is a team pursuit.
Look at Pogba, having a good season this time around but until he dominates the league and wins it with ease for his team, people will always be on his back.
Pretty happy to have Van Dijk in, but as Raoul says, having Mignolet beside him means the shakiness is still going to continue.
Big Virgil is an awesome signing, be the same nay sayers that said Salah was shite.
All I'm saying is something will have to change. Franco Baresi couldn't slot into that side with the current personnel and current style and look competent. Van Dijk is a very good defender but he can't solve things himself.
Another two defenders, Keita, and a goalkeeper and I'll be worried.
I don't know if Virgil is a leader, but it would help if he was. Not too many big personalities in that side, especially in the back five. Then again, I think there are many fewer leaders among footballers than there used to be, as they are all cosseted by agents from birth.
I don't think there were as many people saying that as you like to make out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
I didn't necessarily mean on here, but TalkShite for example was full of morons that said he would flop.
Talksport is solely frequented by morons, so why would this be different?
I don’t doubt ‘Big Virgil’*, I doubt those around him and his managers ability to organise a defence.Even Sakho looks better at Crystal Palace. Still shit, sure, but not to the ridiculous extent that he looked it at Liverpool.
As has been said, Klopp plays to out score you. Conceding is a given.
*fucking lol
The Paulp Ogba transfer was the foresight of the century, but yeah, you still see people lolling at it. He's not even the most over-priced, French-speaking black man in his carpool.
The most overpriced people at United are the people who are paid to be Luke Shaw's friends on £30k each.
That could have been you, but you chose cricket. Get over it.
It could never have been me, I'm years older than him. They could pay me to be his creepy uncle though.
Somebody telling him not to mess with various foods is exactly what he needs.
The camembert thing he got for Xmas would be Fat Luke's undoing though.
Sahko looked decent enough for Liverpool (particularly in his last 6 months - look what happened when he 'failed' that drugs test), it's absurd that he was binned in the way he was. He's never not going to be terrifying on the ball, but he has the pace and telescopic legs to get him out of a lot of the trouble he looks like he's in. In many ways he was well suited to a Klopp defence where pacey scrambling is always going to be a handy attribute. Shame whatever happened happened. I've still no idea how managers are allowed to do that sort of thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
I totally forgot about him. What happened after the drugs thing?
Pissed in Jurgen's Weißbier or something.
Sakho pissed about a lot(he seems the type) on the USA tour. Klopp was okay with some but he apparently took it too far a few times. He got sent home from said tour and after a month or so frozen out when on Snapchat or Instagram and started to badmouth Klopp and ranted about the situation.
He never played a game after that I believe.
Really? His title-winning Dortmund teams were miserly as fuck, thanks to, as you said, his signing of two world class centrebacks in Hummels and Subotic. Obviously they get looser in the later years - but I wouldn't say that Dortmund were the same from Day 1.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Soldier
I would also argue that we way we play now is already very different to the way we played in season 1 under Klopp - he's seems willing enough to change the game plan if necessary. He's obviously not the worlds greatest defensive coach - but it can't help when trying to polish turds such as Lovren, Moreno and Clyne.
Those Dortmund titles were won by default, like the 2000 FA Cup.
Bit harsh on Clyne.
Also Moreno. Bar the Sevilla games he's been solid this season.
Mingolet too. He's amazing.
I like Clyne, but he cant defend for shit. The amount times an opponent got in behind him and the CB (usually Lovren) was frightening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Not so hot for all the previous seasons, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Dundalk lose yet another vital first teamer, they're fucked, even with the takeover and all. He could have had his own goal of the season competition last season.
Have we any Oldham heads here?
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....o-14090888.amp
Seems mourinho thinks we need a DM.
Jesus. When you see it written down.Quote:
Fellaini, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic arrived for a combined £226million.
I can't pretend I've watched him, but Jorginho is meant to be pretty shit-hot isn't he?
Twenty-six year old Brazilian in a bit of form in Italy... Avoid.
So this happened.
T'Hudds have signed Kongolo from Monaco - looked a solid player for Feyenoord.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42544446
Huddersfield are one of those teams who seem to actually make clever signings for decent prices/loans.
Which is of course enforced because they have one of the smallest budgets, if not the very smallest. The ability to spend money can make you lazy.
Or just outsource everything to shithouse agents like Raiola or Mendes as your Chief Exec is a potatohead.
The Coutinho saga kicks off again. He reportedly believes he has already played his last game for Liverpool and expects a Barcelona move this window. It's also believe that, as no statement was made by the club over the Nike incident, they may be willing to talk if the fee is £130m+
He now has a "thigh injury" and is unavailable for an unknown time, rather like his back injury in the summer.
The last official bid Barcelona made was £114m, but they apparently want Griezmann too.
Should Coutinho go, I'd imagine we'll be straight in for Thomas Lemar. He wanted the Liverpool move in the summer but we didn't put up the cash. Arsenal did(about £85-90m) but he refused them.
You’re no quite Keeks.
Why can’t we just organise to let him leave in the summer? Surely he’ll be cup tied for Champions League games, and Barca are running away with the league anyway so it would seem to make more sense for all involved to wait.
Liverpool should buy Alexis Sanchez for the lulz.
It's not about football though is it, it's about Nike marketing.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJay
I’ll be surprised if Sanchez is actually wanted by the sort of clubs he wants to play for. I definitely wouldn’t take him at Liverpool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raoul Duke
I discovered during the Burnley match that Adam Bogdan is still on our books. What an agent he has.
Danny Ings needs to get himself off to Huddersfield on loan. Danny Ward needs to go somewhere, too.
The life of a third-string goalkeeper. :drool:
There can't be many jobs with a more favourable ratio of pay to responsibility than that. It's probably second only to lottery winner.
I reckon he will be off to b.munchen. Both robben and ribery are out of contract in the summer.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJay
One of my favourite things in football, when I actually go to games, is watching the goalkeepers warm up. There's always some gnarled old cunt who volleys balls at them and knocks floated crosses in for them to catch, and then the 2nd and 3rd keepers step in doing exercises and finally launching clearances at each other, at which point there's always some awkward banter between the one on halfway and the opposition team's 2nd/3rd keeper doing the same thing. I like to think that is basically all that the 3rd keeper ever does for his job.
Then the fancy dan outfielders run out to muted applause and I go back to reading the programme.
Fourth choice for us. Mingolet > Karius > Ward > Bogdan.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian
What a life.
Lol at the papers saying Alexis Sanchez should go to Liverpool. A man who's leaving because he's sick of not winning anything but FA Cups going to a club that hasn't won anything this decade.
If Vidal does sign for Chelsea, him and Kante would be monstrous together.
I know he's a good player, but I can't be arsed looking at those tattoos. Same goes for Radja the badger.
Vidal looks more like Stripe from Gremlins every time I see him.
Also a team like Liverpool that has no problem scoring goals doesn’t need a player like Sanchez who turns over possession 30 times a game for their defence to get caught out. Risk outweighs reward.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Two websites that probably are both just making it up as they go along have him on £15k p/w.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
He's won. He's only gone and fucking won. He's earning a good amount to not have to play behind Dejan Lovren unless there are two injuries and it's a cup game.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Put all three of them in Chelsea's midfield and you could have the other seven outfielders blindfolded and playing banjos and the same distance would be covered.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
I like that Nainggolan has stayed at Roma until now, but if he doesn't win a league and have a decent crack at the Champions League it will be a waste of a potentially great career.
It's not a very Chelsea financial plate-spinning transfer. Bayern will want loads of gold teeth, and he can't have many decent years left in him.
Bayern are buying that Goretzka bloke apparently to shift Vidal on.
For about a fiver. They will rinse any English club who wants one of their players.
PSG are apparently selling everyone. Should be a fun transfer window.
Oh and they’re bringing in Lassana Diarra on a free. :cool:
Diego Forlan has signed for Hong Kong giants Kitchee FC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg
I'm not sure about this. I think sometimes when you put too many industrious players together like that, they are running around so much they can't find any good synergy as part of what they do is cover for others, so instead they sort of end up covering the same spaces as each other and one or two of them ends up having to take on a more offensive responsibility, one which they are not as good at as a more advanced player they would have otherwise been the one covering for.
So to speak.
Then again, if they are smart enough it could also work out great.
All he said is that they'd cover the same distance a full team normally would, not that they'd make a cohesive midfield three.
Everton paying nearly £30m for some striker from the Turkish league?
Alright.
Have it on good authority THE RANGERS are about to enter admin again.
:harold:
Can someone find me an example of someone who's been signed from Turkey (directly, not like Anelka having a chill there in between English spells) and done well in England?
Emre was alright, but I suppose he came via Italy.
Tugay was alright, but that was via Rangers.
Nihat is the first possible name that comes to mind if you accept other leagues. Emre too I guess. Apart from Osman and Izzet I’m struggling to think of any players who have played in the Prem and are at least half Turkish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Edit: Tugay was immense. Nice call SvN.
I would have said 'Turkish players' but then you could include Izzet and that kebab van bloke called Colin.
Nihat and Arda Turan done well in Spain and many have done well in Italy, but that's slower tempo football, which I think is where the struggle comes for them.
Hakan Sükur in Big Sams Bolton would have been a good fit.
Tosun sort of doesn't fit into your caveats either, he spent his entire youth career in Germany and only moved to Turkey in his twenties.
Have there even been (m)any Turkish players in the Prem coming from the Turkish league?
Aston villa had a fat turkish defender once. He was fat and rubbish
A few shit ones. I have my answer though, this legend: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugay_Kerimo%C4%9FluQuote:
Originally Posted by Pen
Tuncay, he did relatively well did he not?
Between you and Waff you've had that 'on good authority' about once a quarter for the last five years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Where's it from this time? Your postman used to do Barry Ferguson's route?
£4m loan in November to fund the Working Capital. Deed by May.
So what, some other bunch of crooks will turn up to to wear the skin of Rangers for a little while.
The loan was interest free and came from major shareholders to cover a shortfall caused by having to shell out millions to cut Ashley out of the club. As a result we're in better shape on the merchandising side of things.
I don't trust the current board at all, but we're not in imminent danger of going into administration.
What major shareholders (everyone except King)?
HMRC sniffing about big time apparently.
You better tell that to Jamie Murphy.
Signed today for £1m.
Arsenal have signed Konstantinos Mavropanos.
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...m-pas-giannina
Title is guaranteed next year.
Sanchez is quality, but he’s only going to show it for a top club. He gives the ball away too much for any team that can’t afford to do so. He’s the definition of a luxury player.
You have to wonder who is out there watching PAS Giannina and after 16 games (if they've even watched all 16, which I doubt) says to Arsene Wenger 'this defender they've got is the nuts'.
I doubt anyone has seen him in person. It'll all be wyscout and "metrics".Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Does that explain why shit like Djilobodji happens?
I want to know how many goals he's expected to score per game.
Emre scored against the mackems. Quality assured.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pen
The last two Arsenal defensive recruits that come to mind are Holding and Chambers, so for our lad's sake I hope they've been refining their strategy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Mustafi for thirty five million.
They need some long term homegrown slots, so both probably understandable punts.Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
I'm half expecting us to buy Lewis Cook or someone for the same reason.
I feel a bit for Murphy. He played and contributed a lot last season but is a victim of a certain number of starting positions needing to be improved for this season. Nobody would say he was that much worse than the rest of our players that he couldn't have possibly played in the Premier League.
I'm quite happy to be getting him for that money. Windass does a lot of running down that side but both his passing and finishing are absolutely maddening. It'll be nice to have a bit of craft there.
Really happy with it on the face of it. Goes straight into the team and the fee of circa 800k is more than decent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg
I'd go further and say great bargain.
Sven Mislintat - the chap who headed up recruitment at Dortmund for the past decade.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
https://www.theguardian.com/football...ad-recruitment
Not so sure of that. Wenger has always relied on the eyeballing of recruits (by Steve Rowley), even down to the Alberto Mendez Rodriguez and Stefan Malz's of this world.Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
Murphy for less than a million is quite the steal. He was grand in his last season at Motherwell but given he's done it for Sheffield United and Brighton now, you'd expect him to be tearing up trees for Rangers.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
By the way John, @Adamski - what's happened to David Templeton?
Busy day here, with Ho Chi Minh City FC confirming 7 new signings; Tran Phi Son, Gonzalo Marronkle, Sam Ngoc Duc, Huynh Van Thanh, Nguyen Hai Anh, Nguyen Thanh Diep and Vo Ngoc Thinh. #Thisisouryear
Playing for Hamilton until the end of the season. Actually doing OK in spurts, but injuries killed him.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Merse
Wrong - Ross Barkley. £15 million. That seems cheap. Maybe one of his legs has fallen off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Andy Carroll, it seems :harold:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
lol. Now that Morata has had the Operation and Batshuayi has been confirmed shit, we probably do need a backup striker but that would be lol as hell.
I reckon there is still a very good player somewhere in Andy Carroll's frail, frail body.
Tottenham are opening themselves some can of worms if they give Kane £200k a week.
Funny how tottenham are following the methods of arsenal.
The Chelsea SYSTEM is a bit too finely-tuned to be letting a braindead like Ross Barkley loose in it. Didn't the stupid cunt blow them out in August as well? Well in, la, getting yourself an extra four month holiday.
He could be an even shitter Bakayoko, I suppose. I'd play Drinkwater ahead of either of them, but Conte seems to see him as a knock-off Fabregas.
Done Everton out of £20 million as well #welcomeross
I dunno that £15m to give the ball away more often is cheap, as such.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
£15m seems a good whack to get someone a few months early when there isn't a massive pile to play for. It's not like they'll win the title with him or miss out on top four without him.
He is out of contract in the summer. I forgot you cant bosman rule between clubs in the premier league.
Can you not? It makes more sense then.
Probably needed that to win the ferocious bidding war with noted human ATM Daniel Levy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
It only applies to overseas teams approaching players. You cant do that in the same league. You cant in FM anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
£15m is about £10m too much. His remaining salary at everton for the remaining six months is only £1.5m if he is on 60k a week.
Bournemouth have recalled Lewis Grabban from his loan at Sunderland, apparently so they can sell him somewhere.
Top scorer for Sunderland so far this season, and they were atrocious on Monday with no money according to Coleman. Looking very bleak at the minute.
Grabban was a funny one. He never jumped for a header and showed very little sign of putting any effort in, yet scored plenty of goals in a shit side.
Coleman needs to perform minor miracles or else we're fucked. We have gone a lot more defensive under him too, which wouldn't have suited Grabban.
In summer Chelsea were buying Barkley for £35-40m. At his medical they said sure you’re fit but mate you’re injured and won’t play to December, so if you pull out this deal we’ll buy you for at least £20m less in January and will be able to offer you £100k a week rather than the £80k we agreed. Whaddya reckon? :henn0rz:
Sounds pretty spot on looking at it.
That gobshite Mayor of Liverpool has written to the FA asking them to investigate. Good to know he's solved all of the other problems in the city.
Hillsborough?
You should know in Liverpool, football is much more important than petty issues like Unemployment and Homelessness.
You can on FM but with only 3 month remaining iircQuote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
Hang on, investigate what?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Presumably investigate why Chelsea rather than spunk £30m on a player injured for 6 months, decided to wait until 6 months later, and buy him at a fraction of the price.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Apparently, Chelsea doing the exactly right thing, financially and sporting, is not fair to Everton.
Didn’t Barkley refuse to sign in the summer? I seem to remember him saying he needed time to concentrate on his recovery or some shit. I mean, it’s highly likely that Chelsea had this planned and he went along with it, but good luck proving it.
It’s not as if Everton were forced to accept the lesser offer either. They could have refused to sell to Chelsea and palmed him off on someone else.
Who’d have thought the King of Liverpool would be a bit of a tart?
And even if we did 'have it planned and he went along with it', what has anyone done that needs investigating and to what end?
Coutinhos been confirmed.
:cry:
Absolutely nothing, but going down the route of understanding the Merseyside mentality is never going to end well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Is there no such thing as a January premium now that there is a permanent premium?
....by the Daily Telegraph.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Nothing official, though I'm thinking it wont be long now....
That could probably buy you two players.
£142 million seems cheap if anything, I'm sure they were holding out for more in the summer.
Proper sucks. Makes no sense to happen now. :(
I mean, he's costing more than Dembele. Also, have Barca's attendances always been this up and down?
Highest offer we got in the summer was £114m. If all the clauses etc are obtainable then this time, that's probably why we've done it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Apparently he's paid some towards the fee himself to get it done.
Some reports of him remaining on loan too, but I don't know how you let a player run about an risk injury for another club when you stump up that kind of cash. Though there's probably insurances for that kind of thing.
No way do you spend £140m on a player and then allow another club to have him.
Aye that’s madness.
Also what is he going to pay to it himself? I imagine that would essentially amount to waiving some sort of signing on fee which you’d think would be way less than 5m. Can’t see that being a dealbreaker.
So it's about £105m up front, followed by another £38m of add ons.
The ones in the summer were all based on things like winning the Ballon d'Or. This time round they are much more achievable apparently.
We've bought players from Southampton at too fast a rate. We have a massive wad of cash in the pocket and they dont have a player to massively overcharge us for.
Shane Long is back scoring...
Are we the only corner of the internet where most/all of our Liverpool fans aren't mental?
Liverpool are giving those who bought a Coutinho shirt for this season, a £50 voucher to spend in the Liverpool shop.
Fair play really as they could have taken the tough shit approach.
Apparently we’d asked about Mahrez before the Coutinho stuff came out. Would be a good buy I think and wouldn’t cost bucket loads I don’t think?
Hopefully Adam Lallana can step up now he’s back fit.
I had that invisible grey shirt with 'Cole 17' on the back when I was a kid. Where was my free stuff when they ditched it after forty-five minutes (and he was shit all year)?
What would the point of signing Mahrez unless Salah is off as well?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike
And he'd cost loads.
As soon as you sell someone for £142 million, everyone costs loads.
Mahrez would be a crap move for Liverpool anyway, they already have two dart inside winger types, need a more central figure.
If Lalallalalallalalalna can get fit he can play there and that guy from Red Bull can play further back.
I've seen two videos of people burning their Coutinho shirts already. They're a special breed.
Lallana was just as good as Coutinho last season, IMO. Judging by last night he probably won’t be up to speed for at least another month though. Not sure where Mahrez fits in - isn’t he very similar to Salah?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike
Wait til they hear they need it for the fifty quid.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
Our number one aim for next season (or even right now) should be to start phasing Henderson out. I don’t think Keita is a holding midfielder, and Can is going in summer. Our midfield is extremely porous. Haven’t heard any rumours so far though.
Lanzini to Liverpool?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Dele Alli?
Please not Winks, please not Winks, please not Winks.
Surely Levy would demand all the Coutinho money, if not more, for Alli. I can't see you spending it all on one player.
I'd imgine if Alli goes anywhere it'll be to a bigger club than Liverpool anyway.
Dele Alli? :lol:
Alli is better and younger than Coutinho, Levy would correctly ask for every penny they make in the next ten years.
They've already spent the money on Van Dijk and Keita anyway.
I can see them going for Zaha.
Zaha wouldn't be a bad signing for them.
He'd be a deeply stupid signing. They have speedy goalscoring wide men. Good ones.
Mahrez gone there for £49 million. That escalated quickly.
That's a bargain in this day and age, especially if he tries.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Completely agree but I can see it happening. Although Mahrez fits that role too.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
They should buy a centre-back and a goalie who isn't shit.
Cheaper than I expected but what's the point? Where exactly do they play him?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Guess it helps when Mane and Salah will be on AFCON duty next January.
Actually, they're moving it aren't they? So they wont even have that problem.
Mahrez plays out wide for Leicester because that's where you play a flighty midget with chicken legs if you want to be defensively solid. I reckon he has the skill set to be effective as a playmaker.
Where do you think Mahrez is from?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Fair play to Liverpool. They got very good performances out of Coutinho, kept him for another half-season, and then got more money than they could have in the summer. Mahrez at that price seems a bargain. I'm not sure they could have played it any better.
(I do agree that they could have spent it on other positions. But if that's what they wanted they've done very well.)
Hackney?Quote:
Originally Posted by John
In fairness, Mahrez does seem the sort of customer that would have retired from international soccer years ago.
Is Mahrez still good then? I thought he'd faded away after Leicester won the league.
I would imagine Klopp will turn Mahrez into something pretty special.
Coutinho was clearly a wanker and needed to be binned off. He's not even that good.
Did you take that from RAWK?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Mahrez has a similar build and ability to Shinji Kagawa, and Klopp got a couple of seasons of ludicrous productivity out of him.
He'll be class for them. And I'd agree with Yev on Coutinho, he was a bit of a spectacular and not much else merchant. Definitely not 3 times better than Mahrez.
:(
The biggest mugs in all of this are Barcelona.
Yep. Big time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
7 goals, 7 assists this season. Better than Coutinho and many others.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
He's a stunning talent but I don't see how you could play him and Salah in the same team. Any attempts to play Mahrez centrally he just gets lost.
Also, the source of this news seems to be BeinSports France which have transferred Mahrez to Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona in the past 18 months so maybe not hugely reliable. Inevitable we'd lose him at some point but I'd rather it was abroad and in the summer.
Don't worry Max, you've still got Harvey Barnes and whichever five mugs they blow the money on.
Ahmed Musa out of the cold and into the limelight
It sort of highlights how mental the transfer market has gone that Coutinho has gone for more than double what Luiz Suarez did. He's nowhere near the same quality of player.
That fifty million for Torres is starting to look like quite a shrewd piece of business.
I remember when Liverpool were all technical Spaniards and Chelsea was filled with Africans, now it's reversed completely.
It was Chelsea winning stuff though, so it's looking good for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spoonsky
Drogba, Essien, and Kalou. Who else did they have?
John Obi Mikel too. It was a slight exaggeration though I'll admit.
Jon Obi Mikel.
Lassana Diarra too, and before that true legends like Geremi.
Diarra is French. I'd forgotten about Mikel though, what a bland player.
Does Malouda count, he was born in Africa.
No he wasn't.
Diarra of African descent, unlike Malouda and Anelka.
Ahh, French Guiana. I thought it might have been Senegal or something.
@Max Power, where does this leave Vardy, d'you reckon? Likely to follow suit and leave?
He had his chance and BOTTLED IT.
@Sincere
You can still ‘Bosman rule’ them - the Bosman rule itself is simply pertaining to the ability for a player to leave his club when out of contract without compensation being required from either the player or any prospective club.
There’s a separate FIFA rule about how long in advance of the end of the players contract that they are free to speak to other clubs. It’s 1 month within the same nation, a specific rule that came into force due to the number of Serie A and La Liga players who were lining up against future employers post-January every year.
Edit - didn’t realise that was two pages back. Had an old window still open on my phone. Oops.
Swapping Mahrez in for Coutinho, with £100m worth of difference going in our pocket is good business. Mahrez should only get better with a more attack minded manager and better players.
Coutinho is a good player, but can be deceptive. He looks very easy on the eye with the ball but is not very consistent with his end product. What we will miss is his ability to smash a long ranger in out of nothing. His free kicks have gotten scarily accurate too.
Mahrez is shite.
Funny that's taken you this long to realise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Yeah, if we ever sell Kanté I'm going to decide overnight that he's an overrated midget prick.
So the French media seems to see this as a done deal, medical tomorrow. Sky are leading with Liverpool having no interest in him.
No idea if it's actually happening or not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
I'm not saying he's massively overrated, nor am I angry at him for going(I'd probably want the move too), but this is not like when Suarez left. He was irreplaceable. Even though I'd rather have kept him, Coutinho can be replaced.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
I'm not a fanboy or anything, but he (Klopp) is clearly fucking good at getting forwards purring.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Obviously Liverpool didn't choose to sell Coutinho, but he clearly didn't want to be there and the money they've got for him is obscene.
I have a horrible dilemma with Klopp. I am against Liverpool FC and all who love it and everything it stands for, but I would bloody love to have him as my boss. There is a sort of childlike lack of cynicism in him which sets him apart from all other top, top managers. You could argue Pep too, but Pep has this political side to him and for all his success and style, doesn't outwardly appear to have much fun.
He's a one-trick cunt who can entertain but always fall short. But the way football is going maybe entertain is the summit.
There's a whiff of the Roberto Martinez's about him with his inability to organise a defence, but he plays exciting football (much better than that chancing Wigan fuck ever did) so I probably would too.
He can't organise a defence to save his life, but at the same time his teams do their fair share of winning. It's not like he's Bielsa and everything turns into magical realism after 15 games.
I bet you're looking forward to Martinez lifting the World Cup in six months' time.
In something so global over such a long time, how the fuck can you be so oblivious and clueless about defending and still be so near the top?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
I guess there's more than one way to skin a cat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Not so far anyway. It's like he's trying to prove something.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Perhaps, but he is managing Liverpool and up against a number of teams with better squads and buying power that far outweighs what he'll ever have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Given how fucking miserable it is watching England now I'd take a manager that promised exciting (but defensively awful) football any day of the week.
I'd take it for Ireland too, I dream of it. But he's in the money football game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Hopefully Klopp tells Mahrez to sort his hair out like he did Moreno.
Apparently we’re in for Alisson. I’d prefer him over Oblak. ����
Thats some great business by Liverpool. I would be surprised if phil stepped up a level at barcelona. He always came a across as a player who was just ‘good’. He has his days but he is just too inconsistent. When sterling, sturridge and suarez were in town, he was the least important of the four. Same could also be said in the mane, firminhio and salah quad.
Cesc at the same age before his barca move, was better than phil. Liverpool are laughing with that fee. Barca have been clowed with that price.
Liverpool are also refunding phil shirts
Why? It’s the risk you take if you get a name on the back.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
Cos they’re good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
It’s a £50 voucher to spend in the club shop. I wonder if it has an expiry date. :sherlock:
I think one part of Coutinho's game that was really important for how Liverpool are playing is his linking of midfield to attack through dribbling or runs off the ball (when he wasn't played as part of the front three). Can is also good at that on his better days, but Klopp seems to have settled on using him as holding midfielder now - plus he might be off to Juventus soon anyway.
I hope Lallana stays fit, otherwise there might be a lot of games with lots of possession and sideways-passing from Henderson and Wijnaldum but very little movement, at least until Keita arrives.
City poised to offer £50m for Harry Maguire.
What's going on. Suppose it's better than the Jonny Evans rumours from summer, but jeez.
I've given up on understanding anything since that first flurry of Neymar, Mmmmbop and Dembele.
Fair play on being close, mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Apparently Clyne has tested positive for cocaine. Never a dull moment.
Messi having a medical at the King Power apparently.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
I don't understand why the prices went up. People blame neymar but he was top 5 in the world and they met his release clause. That's a complete anomaly. That shouldn't affect everyone else's prices. Its not like PSG went and bought someone andy carrol. If they bought someone terrible for that price. I can understand the price increase for everyone else.
I guess it's because once they did that, everyone knows Barcelona have a bazillion quids in their pocket and so will demand absurd amounts from them and the merry-go-round kicks off from there.
Theo Walcotts available for 30 million quid, Juergen. Somehow has a worse haircut than Mahrez too.
It's because of the Premier League tv deal and clubs realising they don't have to sell any more.
Barcelona's Neymar money was a one off. I wonder if, post Messi and Ronaldo, they will be able to compete with English clubs. La Liga has the higher quality play but the Premier League shits on it commercially, mainly because it's in the English language.
Imbibed a few too many last night, almost welled up reading this this morning :D
https://twitter.com/Jamiemurphy89/st...05548240867328
The first reply to that, from Frazzle, has made my afternoon.
They don't have a squad so it's probably just to pad that out, and £50m is buttons to them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Harry Maguire is a backs-to-the-wall oaf, so lol at anyone spending that sort of money on him (still better than John Stones like).
He's definitely a Brexit means Brexit player.
Yep, it’s a cracker. Consumed by hatred.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
I don't think anyone else knows what's going on.
You’ve got be used to that feeling by now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Yeah it's extremely clear.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adamski
Some fucking boring Rangers shite was all I could tell.
It means there's at least three people who care about Scotch football, which is more than you'd think.
Our new signing revealed he's always been a Rangers fan with some pictures of him wearing the shirt as a kid. A fan of the Scottish club he left five years ago popped up to tell him that admission has tarnished everything he achieved while there.
You went to Oxford, Boyd. You should be more switched on than Giggles.
Ah, so it was absolutely fuck all then really. Sorry for having you explain that.
Bingo. Person likes football team. Someone else likes other football team. That person doesn't like that the first person likes a different football team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Rivetting shit really. Can anyone be blamed for wondering if there was more to it seeing as the time was taken to post it?
At least you Irish bros got a bit of bonding in eh. One love.
Ridiculous trolling attempt :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Adamski
You've had a full on afternoon, go for a lie down.
It's more that he thinks Murphy being a Rangers fan in some way retroactively diminishes the time he spent at Motherwell. That level of bitterness is funny.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Anyway, there must be some League of Ireland minutiae for you to post for nobody's benefit.
Not yet, it's the preseason.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
At least other people posting about their second rate shite means I don't feel as bad about doing it now.
The fucking Millwall of Scotland, you lot.
They're a fucking strange breed. Bunch of horrible, entitled cunts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Rangers should be everybody's second team.
From a fucking Leeds fan? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Coquelin to West Ham for 10 mil
Evans to Arsenal for 25 mil plus Debuchy (lol at literally everyone involved in this deal)
Oh and Sanchez to City for 25-35 mil
Is Jonny Evans even any good?
Getting rid of Coquelin would be all kinds of LOL. Not because he's amazing exactly, but because he's literally the only thing close to a defensive-minded player Arsenal actually have except maybe Koscielny and Mustafi (ish). Meaning the squad literally just would have offensive midfielders of varying sorts and quality in it.
Edit: I forgot Elneny, but not sure he qualifies as defensive either.
Who will play when Xhaka is serving his 16 bans a season?
And for ten million (in January, to a desperate Premiership team) as well. What is that all about?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
He's also miles better than Xhaka, which says more about Xhaka than the Coque.
He's definitely not miles better than Xhaka, it got hilarious last year to the point that opposition players would give the ball away, wait for it to get to Coquelin and then run away, knowing his passing was so shit all they had to do was mark people.
Are Arsenal doing a fire sale? This should be entertaining.
Good times for Wenger's wine list options though. Go to the bottom of the card, Arsene, you deserve it.
Nah, just trying to move the same wasters he's been trying to push out the door for years now. If he manages to get Theo to Southampton he can stay until 2025 for all I care.
Which is exactly what they are doing with Xhaka I'm sure. He's a pathetic excuse for a player, at least at the moment, and should be nowhere near the starting eleven.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
He could maybe function well in a Pirlo-like role where someone like Kante or someone else does a bunch of defensive work around him while he picks out long passes - having about 5 minutes to do so per pass - but as soon as someone so much as breathes within 5 meters of him he seems to panic and pass the ball to the opposition.
The problem with Coquelin is that he was part of a midfield 2 rather than as the anchor man behind 2 midfielders, which is a job he could have done decently. Not like Silva used to, but somewhere in that direction.
Xhaka is just a footballer that doesn't fit in England at all. He could maybe do a job in Italy somewhere.
Alexis Sanchez of course a noted waster. He might as well do an auction for Ozil as well and spend his 5% on a new kitchen.
Slaven Bilic has just gone favourite for the Stoke job.
Surely not. :cab:
He's exactly the opposite, a great player when you give him space but the turning circle of an oil tanker powered by me with an oar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
You're not "getting space" in the Premier League.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
I'm sure Wenger kindly asks the opposition managers every game "not to close Xhaka down pleeez because I've been in the game for 21 years & show some respect OK" but that's not how it is and as a result he's the highest miss-placer of passes in the league isn't he?
Name a safer pair of hands that they don't have to pay compensation for.Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
I'm not sure how that changes anything I said whatsoever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images...1_400x400.jpeg
I don't see why they would be stingy, anyway. Worth hiring someone non-shit if it keeps them up.
Harvey Weinstein has safer hands than him. I suppose Ray Winstone would be easiest as he's already on the payroll.
Sven.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Wonder if the wage package contains an unrestrictable bet365 account.
I've just found out Rafa Mir has signed for Wolves.
That's a tasty Football Manager game.
Ray Winstone for Stoke would be perfect. Make it happen.
Such a shame Leslie embarrassed himself again. Rip the artist formally known as sparky.
The Sandro for 50 bajillion quid rumors have surfaced again. Hasn't Alonso been one of Chelsea's best players over the last few years?
He's a bit of a headline sort of a player. Does eye-catching things that attract praise from those who don't watch Chelsea much (very few people watch teams other than United, Arsenal or Liverpool), and the goals have been great, but the guy can't really defend which precludes us from ever using a 4.
Nico Gaitans back in the papers. Nice blast from the past that one.
Coquelin has agreed to go to Valencia but it'll be for cheap so they're looking for a PL team to buy him. His last contract put him on near 100k a week according to Arseblog...
Seems like a great idea to get a Brazilian wing back that has a past in Porto then. They are particularly known for their solid defensive skills if I'm correctly informed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
If Alex Sandro walked into my office now I'd have no idea who he was, let alone having seen him play.
Enough of these £25-30m transfers. Leicester City are back to signing random Africans from the French lower leagues. Fousseni Diabate from Gazalec Ajaccio. Sold for £45m in 18 months time :drool:
It doesn't change anything you said, if I could change what you said I'd do it all the time but unfortunately you are responsible for your own claims.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
You said Xhaka is a "great player" which is farcical, he's terrible. Even when he's not under pressure he gives the ball away a lot, and the one and only thing he's "supposed" to be good at is passing the ball. One brilliant pass now and then doesn't redeem 20 misplaced simple ones.
Besides, what he's really supposed to be able to do is run, tackle, mark and position himself to defend the ball and then give it away to someone competent like Wilshere or Ramsey or whoever, which he does none of.
Poor Kelechi...
I said Coquelin gets given space because he's a bad player, I said Xhaka is a great player when he has space. That's literally all I said.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
I’m a great player when nobody tackles me.
Xhaka is never a great player though. Arsenal should pay to get him to leave.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Slight hyperbole there.
Well then you're better than Francis Coquelin. Well done.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
I know my football knowledge is severely lacking/out of date these days, but I thought Coquelin was the defensive rock who was the solution to all of Arsenal's woes.
Cazorla got injured and everyone came to the realization that he was running the entire team on his own.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
RIP Santi.
Coquelin was the only one who would actually run around and commit to tackles. Not that he is good enough anymore. Unless he is in a midfield three, he is wasted. I also agree with the xhaka statement. It was a pointless signing. Wilshere could have done everything xhaka has done since he arrived. Neither are good enough for teams with aspirations like arsenal.
Speak like that about Wilshere and I'll cut you.
I think you may be deluded as to what aspirations Arsenal have. Kroenke comes from a US sports background where the aim is merely to exist and cream money off the top, success is not something they aspire to at all. If they were ambitious, Wenger would have been fired years ago.
From the man himself: “If you want to win Championships then you would never get involved.”Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Yes exactly, some sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
Though, I'm a bit with you here actually Phonics. Though I'm terribly biased as I just love Wilshere. But he's always really been a highs-and-lows player and while he currently seems to be on a high-performing streak, I'm (sadly) expecting that to drop soon again (or he just gets a 2 month injury in one of the coming 3 games).Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Goerge N'Kudou, who I have never seen play well, has signed for Burnley on loan.
They want to win premier league titles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
If you are made of glass, you are not about that life.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
He’s one of the several hundred French Wingers, that seemingly possess nothing but pace.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
They have no interest in winning Premier League titles. They want to be profitable.
I reckon Dyche got stung by that article saying he'd sold all his black players. First Nakhi Wells starts getting game time, now N'Koudou.
Salomon Kalou, a man ahead of his time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Should have just continued down the bilboa route.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Sanchez to City and Lucas Pavon (who I've never heard of) in as a replacement this week.
edit: Cristian Pavon even, still never heard of him.
Wasn't Vidal to Chelsea meant to be a "done deal"? He's lining up for Bayern in a friendly against third tier Sonnenhof Großaspach in a bit.
From what I remember of the story wasn't it Bayern wanting it to be a done deal so they could get someone else in?
I had never heard of Cristian Pavon, but he is five foot six so lol at Arsenal.
So you're saying he's the next Messi?
Rodrigo Palacio.
We've been missing a ponytail since Seaman hung up his boots. Maybe we can get that sponsorship deal back.
Palacio's is more of a rats tail.
If you can put a scrunchie on it we can make 10 million a year off it.
On a similar note, lol at Lucas Moura looking forty.
Remember that young Brazilian at Man Utd.... Rodrigo Possebon...he has managed just 43 games in 10 years.. good enough for Ho Chi Minh City FC apparently.....
Why are they playing friendlies at this time of year?Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
They've just had 3 weeks off.
Fifth goal of the second half has just made it 4-3 on 65 minutes. Good laugh.
Wolves paying 35m for a striker lol.
Poor guy. Got crunched against Middleborough (Pogetetz?) and never recovered.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
More on the Barkley/mayor thing: https://www.theguardian.com/football...verton-chelsea
It would be kind of great if Chelsea got done for fraud.
The most lol thing I’ve ever read.
We're apparently signing him for 25m Euros.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
I think it will be alright for that sort of price. They desperately need some other options on the right, and there isn't an obvious wait until the summer MEGA transfer there (other than Bareth Gale, which is never happening).
He was going to be the next big thing at one point, right?
Is he actually any good?
No idea, but a lot of people seem to be against it simply because he turned United down in 2012. Maybe he saw what was coming.
The PSG fans on reddit seem to think he's a thick-as-pigshit pace merchant, and despite being right-footed he still cuts in all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian
Sounds wonderful :)
Speaking of Lucas Moura, whatever happened to Paulo “Ganso” Henrique?
Edit: Sevilla apparently. Not quite the status that was predicted for him!
Are they the ex-Madrid fans?Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Aye, prolly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
James Olley of the Standard, who has pretty good connections at the club (He's no Ornstein but who is?), says Ancelotti's being lined up if Wenger walks at the end of the year.
3-5 years too late.
The game has changed now. I think managers need to be amazing motivators. I dont know if Ancelotti is or not. Diego Simone is what arsenal need if you ask me. Him or that Eddie Howe from Bournemouth. Fuck it.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Diego Simeone doesn't even speak English. How's he going to motivate them?
I swear you're judged more by how shouty you look on a touchline than anything you actually do these days.
Exactly. It seems to work for everyone else. Mad managers barking on the touchline is what arsenal need as arsenal are SilentNight pillow soft. Simone will have them playing like a defensive well oiled machine.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Wenger walks? :cab:Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Carlo Ancelotti is very much a get good players playing good manager, and Arsenal would be the weakest team he has managed in twenty years. It will be like 'LvG' without the lols.
Agree with Sincere. Whatever Simeones manager style on the sideline, he's achieved a hell of a lot with Athletico, and his teams have a distinct style that builds from the back and promotes a bit of a hard spirit in his teams. Mourinho is much the same, he's not quite as shouty or anything (don't know if that's relevant).
Arsenal needs someone who comes in and says "fuck this shit, you can't play like this anymore this isn't Barcelona". It will all go to shit for a few years, but better rip the band aid at some point.
While I can sort of understand why he might be a bit pissed over this, taking legal action seems a little precious to be honest.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42630016
Arsenal haven't played like Barcelona for about 5 years...
You'd be disappointed to open that suitcase only to find Francis Coquelin.
£12m? That's basically a free transfer now.
This Arsenal clearance sale is quite something. Hopefully it goes very, very badly.
He can be the next Messi for all I care, I'm not taking any player called Malcolm seriously.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
I heard your son picked up a knock last night. Minor though, it will only see him out of action until September.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
Frustrating one that, hopefully it's just a tweak. I've seen everything from 2 weeks to he'll be back against Bournemouth.
West Ham have said that they want rid of Javier Hernandez. Him and Iheanacho have been my biggest prediction failures.
It's the fact that he spells it without the second 'l' that's offensive.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
That iPhone auto correct is going to be a nightmare, I'm vetoing the signing.
It's Arsenal, they'll have plenty of fragile inconsistent players who can fill in.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
And both similar types of player - managers just aren't interested in direct goalscorers these days.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
West Brom should drop the Danny Ings project and go all-in on Iheanacho. Imagine him and Rondon playing in a 4-4-fucking-2
Perfect timing with the coquelin sale really.
Are Liverpool really going to spend an extra 25 million quid on getting someone 6 months early?
United are apparently now in for Alexis Sanchez. Can't see why he'd choose us over Man City, but would be great if he did.
Suggestion we are offering Micky Taryan as part of the deal (who I believe Arsenal wanted before) so maybe they would prefer to do the deal with us.
Klopp should get involved.
Nah, this is big boy shit
I've only seen that link in the Guardian and it's not from Jamie Jackson so I'm not sure where their source is from.
Sanchez is off to b.munich
So we’ve been told in every window for about 17 years.
Di Marzio is the source.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Di Marzio is the journalist, not the source.
What I meant was his information is where the Guardian have got the story from. Fabrizio Romano works for him.
Obviously I don't know his source.
Sounds like a MIND GAME to me.
Yeah it's obviously nonsense. I'm hoping we're not getting mugged off again and end up looking like tits when he inevitably ends up at City.
That said, he would get more games/responsibility (and money) at United.
It's on. #SanchezterUnited
No.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42649775
Tell me that’s a thing and you haven’t just invented it?Quote:
Originally Posted by SvN
'Alexis' to right-back, and Antonio Valencia back on the wing. :drool:
We're going to end up spending 25m on Walcott on the last day of the window. Shambles.
:drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
Still got more goals last year than your entire forward line put together though.
Mahow scores more than that lot.
Flores you cunt :(
https://i.redd.it/p6uo5kb6ig901.png
:rosebud:
He's such an arsehole.
I quite enjoy it. We'll look fondly back on these days when we're stuck with Raheem, Harry and Stonesy having banter on virtual twitter.
I'm not surprised. The last thing we need is an inconsistent 28 year old winger.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
An attacking midfielder who can create and score from a midfield three, a centre back and a goalkeeper are all far more important than improving Nathan Redmond. Also a new manager.
We could put together a decent 352 with a couple of key signings yet the clown in charge is adamant we are going to stick to 4231. The only time we've played 3 at the back recently was against Arsenal which was one of our better performances. It doesn't make any sense.
If we don't make the right signings we are in danger of going down. 9 away from home with 7 at homw and 4 of our home games are City, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool.
:drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Hopefully announced tomorrow. I'm happy enough with that. The number of our fans seemingly wanting/accepting O'Neill is astounding.
The disappointment here that he won't be going is far from astounding. You've dodged a bullet there.Quote:
Originally Posted by nsd
Where are we talking about Beardsley being a horrible bastard?
I'd only have taken him if the other choice was someone like Gary Megson (who a couple of fans have also suggested). There were talks of MON for 6 months then someome permanent at the end of the season, which would b3 an absolite shitshow. Flores wasn't the most exciting manager at Watford, but he did well with them and his sacking was completely undeserved. Anything is better than Hughes at this point. I'm pleased enough with him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
He's knackered. The fact it's gone from bullying to racism is a bit concerning. He's been part of the scene so long but I can't say I'll miss him. He's hovered between a figurehead and a coach for years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
Everyone says he's a totally shit coach as well, so will be a good riddance really. Not that much will change, the reserves and youth side have been a waste of everyone's time for so long now. Players either don't join in the first place, or end up leaving to learn at a proper club if they're any good, like Gibson did recently.
lol at this. I bet this is the first time that certain people have encountered the rule of law.
Clever, they will end up getting 2 million and can buy a bigger house somewhere else.
So United are in for Sanchez with City - looks like he wants to go city (not surprising). Heard or read something daft that he wants a £25m sign on fee.
Micky also wants out - he's been house hunting in London for ages and he'd suit arsenal to a tee. Skillful and mentally weak.
Sanchez can demand those type of signing on fees in the summer once his contract his free. I would be surprised if he gets that this month. Then again, if you can get him for £50m all in, that is a decent deal in today's climate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kikó
If he wants a 25m signing on fee and he knows there's a 25m fee to be paid now he would probably want a 50m signing on fee in the summer.
He can it. A player of that magnitude being free in the summer is bonkers and its a power move if sanchez and ozil both hold clubs to ransom over their signature. Arsenal really need to kill themselves how sanchez and both ozil will probably leave for free.
United also enquired about Vardy apparently. His value to us would be way more than anyone would pay for a 31 year old though I would imagine.
You think that way but then if Vardy kicks up a fuss it doesn't really matter, he's gone.Quote:
Originally Posted by Max Power
Two of the world top 10-20 players in there prime on a free in a world cup year is mental. If Ozil has a good world cup he could demand crazy money as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
You do have to laugh that after years of being slagged off for selling his best players, he's now being slagged off for keeping them.
It's the same as the Van Dijk situation, you can't win either way really.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
I hear you. But arsenal need sinking for even allowing themselves to be in this position. There is no valid reason how allowing them to possibly leave for free is the right thing to do. Maybe arsenal believed they would sign new deals. We didnt fall for that on here. There were many of us on here, claiming that the german players and sanchez that came into arsenal did what was required and end that trophy drought. They should have been moved on after 3 years and start again. Instead, they find themselves in a crazy situation. Respect to sanchez though. Man is still playing. We have seen several players of late do the right thing and play football, even though it is expected that are going to leave.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Loads of places now reporting that City are prepared to walk away rather than pay what Arsenal/City want.
City getting the arse over an extra ten million is weird. They offered sixty four months ago, and by the sounds of it getting him on a free would cost them more anyway through a bigger signing on fee, so why lose out now? United have probably just donned them on wages/bent agent fees, and 'Alexis' the tramp has gobbled it up.
https://twitter.com/DiscoMirror/stat...69847532720131
Pretty much confirms we are actually in for him.
lol. Malcoms people were in London last night so soundslike this stuff should all be wrapped up by next week.
and it looks like Keita will arrive in January putting his transfer free to 75 million.
Current rumour is Naby will be ours by tomorrow.
So we'll have pretty much swapped Coutinho for Keita and Van Dijk. It does feel like we've addressed some team needs better, but it's hard to feel like it's forward progress when you've just sold one of the clubs best players.
Coutinho is great in flashes but I’ve never seen that much in him really. I don’t think he’ll be missed as much as Suarez was, or, for that matter, Salah would be. His stats (which I know don’t tell the whole story) don’t mark him out as particularly great, do they?
Good moves for Liverpool.
Let Lallana play in place of Coutinho, Keita and VvD come in for Can and Klavan.
Probably only a keeper and a defensive midfield destroyer away from something special.
We're supposedly looking at Alisson from Roma. I can't really claim I know anything about him though. We are getting there, but until we get that defensive minded midfielder in, I don't see us quite making the next step.
I can see why Arsene Wenger thinks he can take the piss, having done so in his own manor for years, but Anthony Martial mate lol come on grow up.
I thought Keita was meant to be a defensive midfielder?
Far from it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Almost box-to-box type but is much better going forward. Scores well from midfield, is reasonably fast and kicks people in the head. Should fit right in.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
The Telegraph sez ten million quid to his agent. How do you out-bribe Arabs? Ed Woodward is a legend.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Apparently Kante to PSG is on. How much money can the French government give them? :cab:
French government? I thought Qatar owned PSG?
There surely isn't enough money in the world to get Kante out of Chelsea. They're bad enough with him. Without him they'd be back to peak Mourinho meltdown levels of shiteness.
We'd be a 9th-12th mid table outfit.
All seems a bit of an overreaction tbf.
He’s only going in summer anyway. Plenty time for Chelsea to sign Tolisso from Bayern.
I see Liverpool are 'in the hunt' for Sanchez.
Doubtful. £350k a week? Fucking lol at that.
I know Arsene is all over his player swaps at the moment so how about one for Sturridge? :harold:
In today’s market Kante must be worth well over £100m, which, considering he’s not a glamorous striker/winger, I can’t see anyone paying. He does an important job, but he’s not going to shift merchandise.
I can't see Marina agreeing to sell him for anything short of world record amounts. Same goes for Hazard.
Madrid will probably shit the bed and refresh the entire squad this summer, and United getting 'Alexis' frees Bareth Gale up as an Eden Hazard makeweight, so that one seems more likely as time passes.
I read a Salah makeweight today.
No thanks.
Chelsea don't actually spend that much though, do they? Are there people taking money out of the club? I would have thought if they get a stupid offer for any player they'd see it as a chance to fund the next however many windows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
They are all about short term competitiveness as well though, if we lost two of Kanté, Hazard and Conte in the same window we wouldn't threaten the top six unless some other genius manager can be unearthed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg
Looks like the rumours were bollocks and Keita is staying in Germany til the summer.
Sanchez and Ozil both not playing for Arsenal surely means they've decided to cash in?
You'd imagine Sanchez to United. But who has suddenly come in for Ozil now? Not waiting would suggest a Premier League team.
Ozil’s injured I think, Fox, rather than left out like Sanchez has been.
I’m struggling to see where Ozil will end up, really, but I suppose him being a freebie at the end of the season opens up lots of places.
Apparently Javier Hernandez's agent is on the phone to anyone who will listen.... BUT, they aren't willing to listen to offers less than West Ham are currently paying him.
A loan to the MLS isn't out of the window, but would be a last resort. That said, the West Ham board don't wont a loan deal that means they still pay a percentage of his salary.
I guess that means he's probably staying at West Ham.
This Aubameyang thing seems real, why it's necessary now but wasn't 6 months ago makes no sense to me.
I get the slightest sense of panic from my club at the moment.
If the club has any sense they will be buying whoever the replacement manager wants ala City buying Guardiola’s favoured players prior to his arrival. Heard that the Greek defender and Malcom are scouted by Diamond Eye instead of Wenger so hopefully that means they’re decent and also indicates the end of Wenger’s reign approaching.
He's 6 months younger than Alexis Sanchez. Project Youth :drool:
Meanwhile AS are trying to stir shit up by putting the RONALDO TO UNITED train back on the tracks.
Who or what is Diamond Eye?
By the context I'm going to guess that Sven guy from Dortmund. It's Lofty though so I'm going to go with 'nickname for his penis'.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Why not both?
I said the same thing when reading this:Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
Mikhitaryan would be shite.
I do think Martial is a little underrated in the amount of game time he gets, always looks quite good to me on the wing and more natural there than Rashford for instance. Of course he's not a "replacement" for Sanchez, but would add something to Arsenal anyway if given the chance to play a bit more.
Abuyamang makes so little sense to me though. He's essentially the same type of player as all the strikers already at the club - All pace and various levels of finishing skills. Granted, he's very much likely better than them all at it, but he also is a super pacey striker playing for a rampant counter-attacking team where he always gets space to run at. He's essentially a good version of Vardy in Leicester - and he would probably struggle at Arsenal. And also - Lacazette has looked off in the past games, but he's also getting supplied fuck all - how is he supposed to score when noone is creating any chances for him? I know that's partly on him as well, but his finishing and running has so far looked good enough that it makes little sense to buy a replacement already.
If we agree to throw Martial into the Sanchez deal then we are retarded.
It's quite clearly a 4-4-2 with Aubameyang and Lacazette up top, Martial on the left, Mkhitaryan on the right with Mezut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey holding down the centre of the pitch.
How could it go wrong?
edit: Forgot about Malcom. He can find a place in the middle (wahey!).
Playing with Abouyamang and Lacazette (or Giroud) up front in itself wouldn't be a terrible idea really.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
I think Arsenals best formation they could currently play (without Sanchez) would be a diamond midfield like this, diamond:
Lacazette - Giroud
Ozil
Wilsher - Ramsey
Maitland - Niles (probably)
Kolasinac - Fuckup1 - Fuckup2 - Bellerin
That formation would only work if Maitland-Niles was actually Maitland and Niles, the hitherto unknown deadly defensive duo. Otherwise good luck ever having the ball.
Amazing story about Mahrez whoring himself out to get a move. It turns out the stories about him being in Barcelona/moving to Liverpool etc. were all made up by some guy on WhatsApp messaging journos with scoops in exchange for VIP tickets to games and signed shirts. :D
Absolute legend.
That may be true, but he also seems like the best option there currently is for that role.
So yeah, good luck on ever having the ball indeed.
Love the fact that we can't defend with five defenders makes you decide to go with less.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Sometime less is more.
I suppose, at the very least, there are less people to fuck up.
Forest proved that less is, in fact, less.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
I dunno that it would help either, but in my world I'd say it's more like playing one more defender - I feel like Bellerin and whoever is on the Left are more like wide midfielders in a 3-4-3.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
But anyway, the idea I know is that they should be falling back into fullback positions on the defensive effectively making it some sort of 5-2-3, what what keeps happening is they go a little too far up, and the "wide centerbacks" come up covering for them a little too high as well, and they get found out.
When the cross to Calum Wilsons goal came in yesterday, there were 3 (arguably 4) fucking arsenal players surrounding/chasing whoever crossed it for Bournemouth:
https://snag.gy/6NvABe.jpg
Now, it's also a mystery how Chambers and whoever else was in the middle didn't manage to together mark the guy, coupled with Cechs timing - so literally half the team managed to fuck up there, but still - I feel like these sort of things keep happening in this formation when Bellerin and Kolasinac effectively are playing like wingers.
In a team like Chelsea they get away with it basically because they have Kante to cover in midfield, and partly because Moses and Alonso are a little more conservative.
So in a nutshell - I think at least a 4-man-defense is something Arsenal (remotely) knows how to play, so it might be better.
But again - it is probably all beyond hope anyway.
Stick Jack 'The New Rio Ferdinand' Rodwell at centre-back.
How'd that go against Forest?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Arsenal dont know their best formation or team at the moment. Some real bad decesions over the past 6 months. New regime come the summer. They team is totally off balance
Reports of radja off to china.
Proper waster if he takes the money.
Could end up being good for him. Just ask paulinho. No fucking idea how he pulled it off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Wasn't he giving it the big'un not so long ago about preferring his Roman lifestyle to Premiership money?
The one who played for Spurs is clearly a different man to the one at Barcelona.
If City manage to con United into taking Sanchez (30 this year) for about 8 trillion quid a year over 4+ years, they'll have played a blinder.
If Arsenal manage to get Martial going the other way then they'll have done their first good bit of business since they signed Sanchez.
Projected costs? I fucking hate this game.
The Martial thing is as much of a goer as Sterling was. Wenger just gets bored and starts taking the piss at this point I think.
Who's that with the dogs?
Is it not just Tabloid bollocks? Surely not even Wenger is that mental.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Mkhitaryans been left out so who knows.
I'm going to have to learn how to spell his name.
Arsenal lost 4-2Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
United getting Sanchez would be a great signing. He’s very good. If they send Martial the other way, then it’s obviously a horrible deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Martial is playing and just scored. Can't see him going.
Then again, Sanchez would basically ensure he's going to get even less games than now, given he only really plays out to the left.
So all in all, Martial is probably the loser whatever happens here.
He'll take Mata's spot.
Alexis SanchezQuote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Maybe but don't you think Martial would be a little shit out to the right? Cutting inside and bending it in the corner is all he ever does.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kikó
He means 'Alexis' will go on the right.
Citeh isn't bothering with getting Alexis according to MNF...I mean SSN.
Sanchez will go behind Lukaku, I think. It'd be harsh on Lingard but you wouldn't think his goalscoring form will last forever.
Nah he'll go out left, and they will stick some other poor fucker on the right.
Martial for Arsenal then?
There's more chance of me lining up at Old Trafford next to Pogba.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleb
Not sure how good Delaneys contacts are.
Probably just trying to wind up Mourinho, there's no way we'd blow that amount of money on him.
I'd lol my tits off if they did though.
Jack Rodwell has said he wants to leave Sunderland, and we've offered to cancel his contract. It would cost him around £5m.
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/spo...eing_torn_up_/
Strange old situation.
Yeah this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Sanchez would do fine on the right.
From what I remember of the YouTube compilations I watched when they were in for him in 2011, he used to get up and down there like a train for Udinese.
Balague's meltdown on Twitter about Sanchez not joining his beloved Pep is next level.
https://i.gyazo.com/ec8ff29a3dbd2c4f...934ba54851.png
https://i.gyazo.com/43d0678b4e64e493...cf6fd7c3c0.png
City aren't interested in anyone who only cares about money, not least because Kevin De Bruyne would be jealous of their wages. What?
Aren't the Chinese still paying out billions to twats like Pelle? If they were making him the fourth highest paid player in the world it wouldn't be behind those three. Balague is a hopeless mug.
Aye, and Bale's on about 500k a week. Its genuinely beautiful, he's having a cheeky Alan crywank right now watching Barca circa 08/09
He lives in my town and helped save the local football team's ground as the owners (Hitchin Cow Commoners Trust) wanted to sell it.
I've never seen him (I don't think) which is probably good for him, he probably wouldn't be able to deal with my internal seethe at his general shitness.
I like to see Football Twitter lolling at him for getting transfers from two years ago wrong. Mate, he had Fernando Torres at every club in Europe before you were even born.
Peak Balague was when he claimed to know a deal was done before the player involved or his agent did.
He's played so little they might wonder whether they can sell him on. He probably just wants to get out and play some games. Also, I didn't realise Hartlepool were that close to being wound up. Sad times.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScousePig
Literally the only reason for City to be in for Sanchez is to stop their rivals from having him.
He's in the papers today claiming that the 'English Press' is overplaying the Ronaldo to United rumors and that nothings actually happening. I didn't see it in any English papers. I did see the front cover of the paper he wrote the article in yesterday though:Quote:
Originally Posted by John
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTprztPW0AAqux_.jpg
Spanish sports dailies are probably the very bottom of the pile when it comes to journalistic integrity. You get more substance in the Beano.
Walcott to Everton for a cool 20 mil. I'm not sure there's many clubs who need him less. Lookman would be a better option from the right if you're going to play Tosun.
It's not a bad signing. At least it will give them some much needed pace up front.
Big Sam isn't playing 2 up front and they just spent 30 million on a target man.Quote:
Originally Posted by SvN
edit: Dortmund want Giroud as part of the Aubameyang thing. It's like every Arsenal transfer is being made for me to not enjoy.
By "up front" I didn't literally mean a centre forward, I just meant in the last third.
Is Walcott gone or just more rumours?
Is Sanchez even that good? Fuck sake.
Aubameyang and Lacazette up front for a completely spineless team, oh my sides.
Ornstein gets literally every Arsenal confirmation and never speaks before stuff is done so he's solid.
Seems a little daft to pass on Giroud, he's not your starting striker but he's always a great option to have and has been loyal to Arsenal for a long time now.
I don't really see Abuyamang and Lacazette functioning together at all.
What on earth has Walcott done to earn a £20m price tag?
Scored 113 career goals in 421 appearances, and won 47 England caps with 8 goals.
Played his whole career in the Premiership.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
And made 0 starts this season, and only about 4 last season.
What's Nathan Ake? 20 million is piss these days.
In this market, just existing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Which is why it's twenty million and not forty.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
40 million for a crocked striker who has barely scored apart from like 2 seasons. LOL. #ENGLISH
He scored 19 last season.
edit: Cheers SvN.
I'd say £20 million is quite cheap for him in this market. Probably got away with it so Arsenal could dump his stupid wages.
Sky Sports are reporting that the Sanchez - Mkhitaryan deal would be a straight swap.
If that's true and it goes through then Arsenal are getting rogered.
Will Wenger have to stay on another year to integrate these new signings?
Considering the option is that or nothing at all, how are Arsenal getting screwed exactly?
What are we going to do with 30 million quid? Get Theo Walcott and Francis Coquelin back?
You should probably stop posting about football. You obviously know absolutely nothing about it and always make a howling arse of yourself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
I think my biggest hope for the remainder of the 17/18 season is that they win their last 12 games and he gets a new four-year deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Also, has City walking away with the moral victory brought the transfer fee down? lol if so.
Didn't you buy the guy for 35 million?
£27million was the reported fee.
Arsenal in their current state adding Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan and some Brazilian winger twat with one name would be beyond parody.
Does the post-Messi footballer industry only churn out midgets and cut-inside forwards? Where are the centre backs, centre forwards and physical central midfielders that actually make teams successful?
#adminQuote:
Originally Posted by John
Actual wingers seem a bit of a dying breed as well. Like you said, it's all cut-inside these days.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Hasn't Aubameyang scored seventy bajillion goals over the past decade?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
He's scored at a very good rate since about 2014, but if you watch the Bundesliga you'll know that everyone plays with a stupid high line and makes the pitch absolutely massive, which plays perfectly to his quite limited strengths. If he gets 20 a season over here then fair play but I can't see it.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Wingers need old-fashioned centre forwards and 4-4-2, neither of which exist in the modern game.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
The last proper one was probably Stuart Ripley.
Mark Albrighton is the definition of an old school winger.
Do they? I'd have thought Lukaku and Y'nited would love a proper 'down the line and whip a cross in' winger on their right flank at the moment, but I don't really have much of a clue about TACTICS when it comes down to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
That's what your fullback does.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Wingers' jobs have been sub-contracted to full backs, who now need to be physical titans. Even then you get coaches (hi Antonio) who refuse to let their full backs / wing backs take people on the outside.
It's interesting because our Mourinho dominating team of 2004-6 had 6 players in the team purely to defend (Cech, back four, and Makelele) and the full backs stayed at home. Then we had Duff and Robben who were genuine wingers, Drogba a powerful centre forward, and Lampard a powerful attacking midfield player. That team utterly dominated the landscape and the closest thing to a luxury player in the whole squad was Joe Cole.
Nowadays it seems to have gone completely in the other direction and everyone on the pitch must attack.
Look mate, if Becks and G Nevs could learn to share and both have a go at crossing then I'm sure these modern plebs can too.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
98% of them can't get a corner past the first man.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Now that is true. I genuinely, not even trolling, think my corners when I played in under 15s were better than a lot you see in professional matches these days.
Was discussing this (kinda) a bit yesterday with someone: basically there aren't really any completely beastly Defenders around anymore, and the Defensive midfield beasts are also in extremely limited supply.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
We agreed that Ramos is probably (arguably I know) the best CB in the world at the moment, which sort of says a fair bit. Players who used to be more prominent some years ago such as Chiellini or Tiago Silva just havent really had any successors.
If you look at the "Top 10 CBs in the world today" its all players like Hummels, Pique (lol) and Bonucci who aren't bad or anything, but thet are nothing on what John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic or even looking back a bit Nesta, Cannavaro et all all were.
You could say the same for DMs where perhaps Makelele was the greatest of them all but even now players like Keane, Gilberto Silva, Gattuso, or even (peak) Marscherano/Essien/Cambiasso would have walked into any team today that doesn't happen to have Kante, who is the only really class one there is right now (or am I missing someone?).
Eric Bailly is the best defender in the history of the world.
The depth in 'proper' central defenders around the turn of the century was amazing. Off the top of my head: Ayala, Hierro, Montero, Lucio, Ferdinand, Maldini, Desailly, Cannavaro, Costacurta, Samuel, Linke, Nesta, Stam, Campbell, Kuffour, Wörns and I've probably missed several more who would be top three in the world today. All these playing top European level football between, say, 1997 and 2003.
Was Worns ever good outside of Championship Manager?
Chivu (wasn't).
Chivu, Mexes and Bouma, the CM01/02 holy trinity of blowouts.
Stick Boumsong on that list too.
Chivu was good when he wasn't injured.
I think he's the first player I saw wearing one of those little padded Cech bonnets.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is back at United. DEPTH (he will probably never play for them again).
SSN are reporting that “Dortmund were also keen to sign Walcott, but the desire to play for Big Sam at Goodison proved decisive“
Big Sam and that :cool:
A right footer who plays 95% of the time on the left?Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
One of the most underrated players in the league as well.
What an absolute shitcunt he is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Following on from there clearly being two Paulinho’s, are there also two Timothy Fosu-Mensah’s? The one who plays for Belgium is a monster.
Wingers are undervalued. It's like coaches don't believe that staying wide on your 'true' side and crossing can work nowadays, but it does. Sane's doing it at Man City. There's Douglas Costa too.
Any time I've watched City Sane has come inside far more than he's beat a man on the outside and swung a cross in.
His role in the side isn't ideal either, he'd be playing completely differently if Mendy was fit and in the side.
He comes inside when he has a chance to score from a cross. But otherwise he's really wide and pretty much sticks to the line. In the Liverpool game he was roaming more for some reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
I went to check to make sure I wasn't missing loads of games where he was hitting the byline like a curly bonced Damien Duff and WhoScored has him crossing on average less than once a game.
Douglas Costa is a good example though. Well done there.
I've also never seen Sane look anything like a winger. The last "traditional" winger in the league was Valencia really, until he became a fullback (and kind of proving Jimmys point).
https://www.premierleague.com/stats/...rs/total_cross 58 crosses. Not as high as I'd have thought. He stays wide like a true winger. You can look at his heatmaps if you don't believe me.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
Try not to be so patronising.
Speaking of outdated wingers, Joaquín is absolutely donning it for Betis this season. It's like being back in year nine.
At a conservative estimate that makes him nearly 700 years old.
It was surely qualitative stats-driven wank wot killed the Proper Winger. If you cut inside you have more people to aim at, and you can safely coward it back across if the options are crap and live to expected cross another day.
Andy Carroll is going to Chelsea for £35m, Conte has lost the plot. :cab:
:D fucking hell if that's true.
You really would just recall Tammy Abraham if you were desperate.
Something is going on, he hasn't been played or put on the bench since the rumour come about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Also a few consistent ITK's are also saying that he's in talks with them. Could be done by the end of the week.
Aaron Lennon? Zaha? Mirallas?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Mirallas has just gone on loan to Olympiakos, which sums up the winger's plight.
Conte has been desperate for a bomber command striker ever since he got here. Morata's had the Operation so we need an alternative. Still, lolling at Andy Carroll for £35 million in January is nostalgic if nothing else.
Just checked and joel campbell is still officially an arsenal player on loan at betis and gael katuka is at aimes in france. No relevance do what is going on in this talk but I just want to throw that out there.
At least the £35m these days is only about 25p.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
The other thing I'll say re the reaction to us possibly signing Carroll is it's a clear example of anti-English bias from fans (this is definitely a thing nowadays, at least among certain tranches of football fan). If we signed a 2-in-7 target man called Rodrigo Malgoleo from somewhere like Valencia, everyone would be saying 'yeah, decent, mate' instead of proclaiming the end times.
Case in point was Zappacosta, he's basically Bournemouth's Adam Smith on a rusty moped.
The Walcott transfer is another example. £20m is a great price for him in the current market, and he's just the sort of player Everton could do with. But instead you've got the entirety of Twitter too busy bantering about how Everton have been ripped off.
He'll be a shite signing, as will Carroll.
How can I back that up? Salah. Trust me.
Carroll's very good when he's fit and having a run of games.
But he rarely is fit, which means he is shit. And when he does play, he isn't dropping numbersQuote:
Originally Posted by ScousePig
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTkfDi1XkAAgZMP.jpg:large
Wages to turnover percentage :drool:
Quality stat. @Lewis, mate.
Yeah, when you see people lolling at various United contracts you wonder whether it has sunk in just how much of a financial advantage they have over everybody else, even with a load of crap wages still on the books. City can live with them in most cases, but in financial terms they are to Liverpool what Liverpool are to Stoke.
The only restriction on the Manchester clubs is their own competence. PSG is the same except they are also limited by being French.
One of them should get into the Eden Hazard bun fight for the lols.
I try and make this point to Liverpool fans who seem to think we should be going out and signing top players every season. It doesn't work mind you, but I have to try.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
I think watching Real Madrid and Barcelona get knocked off their fucking perch will be the most enjoyable aspect of the next ten years in football. Preferably with Messi becoming a shit, failed manager at the latter.
To link to the Ronaldinio thread, it's mad to think that an entire generation has grown up thinking Barcelona are a well-run club, when actually 2005 to now makes up about ninety per cent of their entire historical competence. Similarly, if you don't lol at any mention of Vanderlei Luxemburgo then you have missed out.
Spain were also the perennial bottlers, with the likes of Luis Enrique shitting the bed any time something remotely important was at stake.
They are really killing walcott in media with this whole should have done more narrative. His career played out like every other english wide man. Beckham clearly being number one, but since then. There is an obvious gap between beckham and the rest. You rank the rest of them, walcott comes out near the top. He is just one of the best of a bad crew.
Shaun Wright Phillips
Aaron Lennon
Kieron Dyer
Joe Cole
Stewart Downing
Ashley Young
James Milner
Raheem Sterling
Sterling could still end up at barcelona, but the rest of them are converted full backs or just fell off if you look at the numbers. He should have left arsenal years ago though.
Milner doesn't really count.
Converted full back but he started out wide I think. Surely there is some players ive missed off that list. Surely the wide men england have produced isn't that small since beckham.
Yes, Lennon, I'll give you that one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Zaha I'd say is more versatile and seems to play more off the striker of in the Center, and he does also cut inside a lot does he not? More of a goalscorer than an assister really.
Mirallas I always found the same, and has largely played to the left despite being right-footed for Everton, hasn't he?
I mean all is matter of definition, but when I think of a "Propa Winger mate", I think of someone who Plays on the Right with more or less only a Right foot to him and will 9/10 times try to beat his man through sheer pace, and the whip in a cross. More or less a one-trick-pony.
Whenever Oxlade-Chamberlain was put on to the right wing for Arsenal, he also looked a lot like your average WINGER. Which, incidentally, often worked very well when Giroud was on the pitch (but unfortunately always was coupled with Arsenal chasing from behind having gone - that - desperate).
In the late 90s the league was packed with proper wingers who beat their man on the outside or at least favoured their outside foot. Ryan Giggs. Marc Overmars. Ginola, you could argue. Keith Gillespie, Damien Duff, Patrik Berger, Niclas Alexandersson, Steve Guppy.
Steve Froggatt.
Malcom has been disciplined by Bordeaux after being looking too happy on camera after a 2-0 loss.
He'll fit right in at Arsenal.
"Looking happy" seems like a right French reason to discipline someone.
Steve Froggatt was probably in with a shout of getting a few England caps given we were forever putting whoever was the least trendy of our midfielders out on the left wing. Until Summerbee happened to him, that is.
Just learned on Wikipedia that his middle name is "Juniour", though, so lol at that.
You've missed the wingerest winger of them all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
https://i.imgur.com/nYOQZUD.png?1
Probably because he played for United, but he's the player that always comes to mind when I think of "proper" wingers.
I was slightly too young to catch his peak. Anders Limpar as well.
Andrei Kanchelski was/is one of the few Man Utd playes I've never really minded. Him, Ronny Johnson and Solskaer (pre-Newcastle foul).
I too miss the proper wingers. Glenn Helder was a favourite at Arsenal as the shitter half of our Dutch international duo.
Steve Stone c. 95 and McManaman pre-Real stick out as some of the last quality English exponents, but Roberto Donadoni in his pomp with Capello’s Milan was probably my favourite of the period.
Solano :hail:
He gets overlooked in this type of discussion, as you tend to remember those that used their pace above all else, but Solano was more in the Beckham mould. What a player he was.
Jason Wilcox, Stuart Ripley, John Barnes, Ruel Fox, Lee Sharpe. The 90's was lousy with them.
4231 killed football, the bastard.
Rafa killed the radio star.
Yeah see, I’d put Newcastle Solano (as pre-Newcastle he was more of a wing back/full back from what I’d seen and post-Newcastle played more centrally) as a wide midfielder rather than a touch line hugging winger, same for Beckham, Parlour and also Patrick Berger.Quote:
Originally Posted by Samadini
That's a bit of hairsplitting I reckon. Sure, I get you, but it's a bit like when someone is faffing about whether a player is a Fullback or a Wingback depending on how far forward they get. These are the same cunts who have played a bit too much FM and starts to argue whether Ozil is a "Trequartista" or a "Raumdeuter" or a "Lazy fucker" or whatever.
Essentially, Beckham was a slow winger, so he'd cross from deep, and someone like Giggs was fast, so he'd run past players and cross from the byline.
He was fucking class on SWOS. Had to sign him from Sporting Cristal. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Samadini
In news that I'm sure Giggles will be overjoyed with;
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42716844
There's so much excitement in that sentence I can hardly contain myself.Quote:
Contracts for both O'Neill and Keane could be formally signed before the Uefa Nations League draw in Lausanne next Wednesday.
Lol that works out to 500k a week. No wonder City dropped out and no wonder they need Mykhitaryan (I'm going to have to add this to the phone dictionary) out as well.
It's more like £270k per week, unless I'm being thick.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Arsenal have been mugged the fuck off tbh.
People see 'after tax', think that all these people are paying the top rate like chumps, and then double it in their heads.
How much is the tax?
£270k after tax so £500k before tax?Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
EDIT: too slow.
Having said that, the wages for most of our players seem to end up coming out as much lower than what the media report at the time. Pogba is on waaaaaaay less than what was originally claimed if I remember correctly.
Anyway, I refer you back to the excellent graph in my previous post.
I dont get this.
14.000.000 / 234 (4.5 years in weeks) = 60.000.
But that cant be right, even if that was after paying 50-60% i tax.
So what am i missing?
His earnings will be run through a company (at the very least), so his tax rate will be what twenty per cent? Where is GS when you need him?
£14m per year, not over the length of the contract.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Right, figured I was missing something. From the wording:Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
that isn't very obvious (yeah you can 'conclude' but write it like it is dammit).Quote:
Originally Posted by Telegraph
Or is that how you just write stuff in the UK? Sort of like driving on the wrong side just to be a bit wonky and so that there will at least be one thing forever fucked with your former colonies?
You can dodge the tax all you want once it's in your pocket, the company that pay you still has to pay the declared amount. Which makes it 500k.
No I totally agree it's not clear in the way it's written. I originally read it the same as you but when that came out at £60k a week I thought it must be wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
What? If we're extrapolating from "after tax" figures, then the total amount the club pays it completely dependent on what percentage of tax the player pays.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Considering I highly doubt Matt Law knows Alexis Sanchez' personal tax accountant, I'm going to assume he subtracted 45%.
Reporting after tax wages is pretty lol.
They will be. This isn't Spain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
I remember seeing Jon Arne Riises payslip that he forgot somewhere, I think while he was at Fulham. 26k out your payslip on tax. Woof.
edit: Found it
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...1_2404476k.jpg
It's never 'x' less 45% anyway.
He gets his £11,500 personal allowance so that's tax free.
Anything between that and £45,000 is taxed at 20%
Then anything after £45,001 is taxed at 45%
Granted it'll still be a high composite tax rate, but it's not going to be a flat 45%
What if he donates to charity or something?
Sure but that doesn't effect what United are paying him
Which is why reporting after tax is nonsense, right?
What if he asks for cash in hand?
Well... it does if the reported "after tax" figure is accurate.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Or if he wants payment in Bitcoin.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
The backwards cunt would be lolled at as it's all about ethereum now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepe
When I think of ‘proper old fashioned wingers’ I’m talking about their playing style more than their positioning. I.e. beating a man, hugging the line, crossing for the big man.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Not trying to correct you, just state how I think of the term. If we’re talking position on the park then it’s all much of a muchness frankly.
44.999%Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron
Not sure why it matters what he's getting paid, he's a class player and the transfer fee is tiny.
If he had 3 years on his contract he'd be a 100m+ transfer.
United can probably pay his wages through a new noodle sponsorship plan anyway.
The noodles deserve their own chant at this point.
The deal is not just salary, it'll be image rights and whatnot, which will certainly go through some dodgy Cayman Islands setup
Not quite the best ever, you say? Calm down with the bold exclamations, Arsenal fan!Quote:
Originally Posted by some Arsenal fan on Sky
Err, really depends on what database you're using mate.
What site does Mantralux write for again? Love to see her chimp out about Walcott.
Carroll's injured so we've now been linked with Peter Crouch. I think, on balance, that would be the greatest transfer ever.
I thought Morata only ever scored goals with his head. Why do you need a massive target man?
You could just about make the case for Peter Crouch if it was a five month loan/free transfer (and if all their loans are set in stone), but if any money changes hands then lol.
We should take him to the World Cup.
Does anyone not love Peter Crouch?
If Crouchy isn't available, it'll be Jon Stead.
My Liverpool shirt with Crouch 15 on the back is going up in value.
Is Kevin Francis still about?
I like to think Marina has got FM2014 database filtered by height and started ringing around.
Should just ask Jan Koller to come out of retirement tbh.
Sometimes I do wonder what would happen if you took a top team, maybe even more pertinent if it was a team like City or (ahem) Arsenal who keep the ball a lot, and just essentially parked someone like Crouch in the box and told everyone to pump it down the flanks and cross it, and that's it. Now I know, there's players like Giroud and Drogba that have largely been Target men type forwards but no one like Crouch.
You remember he played for Liverpool right...?
Peter Reid`s tribute to Laurie Cunningham is all sorts of amazing.....
I had to pause there because I thought he was going to go into something about 'Creoles'
At least Carrolls injury has saved the local library.
I don't get what's wrong with it. Why is everyone so angry. He's a backup target man who has played, and at times done well, for Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham. I remember a particularly terrifying raid against us in the 2012 cup final.
It's just a couple of idiots on Twitter joking about. Imagine if every threat written on this place was taken by the press was taken literally and written up by the tabs. You'd think the world was infested with psychopaths.
Football snobbery, the same way Crouch was axed at Liverpool to make way for Torres despite Crouch being their best goal scorer before hand.
Torres didn't exactly shit it up.
That's what I already think. Look at America.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
The Nigerian/Kenyan/Bangladeshi replies to Chelsea tweets are amazing (as they are for every club no doubt). Yesterday the club were tweeting pictures and videos of the squad meeting a Holocaust survivor and hearing his story. Literally every reply was 'WHO CARES WHY NO TRANSFER NEWS', 'ANNOUNCE WORLD CLASS PLAYERS' etc etc. And also a bit of Holocaust denial, because why not.
The sheer amount of Arabs on Arsenal Twitter getting very angry at any LGBT message is always hilarious.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
I wonder if he's still a copper https://www.manchestereveningnews.co...francis-890254Quote:
Originally Posted by SvN
Should team up with Arjan De Zeeuw who is a homicide detective.
I thought he was a doctor? Do his talents never end?
Goretzka has gone to Bayern on a free.
Hopefully we can sort a deal out with Emre Can. Replacing him would be costly.
Think you're confusing him with someone else. He's in forensics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Wolf of White Hart Lane - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...Hart-Lane.html
Or Pavlyuchenko - repping Putin - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...?frame=3390960
Lizarazu's is great http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...?frame=3390963
https://www.theguardian.com/football...sport.comment2Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
He is all of these things and more.
Ruminegge has just come out and said Bayern have done this for 'the good of the Bundesliga' rather than letting him be poached by foreign clubs :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
That's now Schalke and Leipzig they've taken their best player off for free this year. If Dortmund weren't dog shit this year they'd probably find someone to nick off them too.
Teams would play with a high line and keep the target man away from the goal and squeeze the midfield.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
If they tried to leave a target man and a faster player on the defensive line the other team would win the midfield battle and control the game.
You need a big strong player with a bit of pace about them really or they can get isolated no matter how good the rest of the team is.
He didn’t and is obviously the better player, whoever Crouch’s record for them at the time they could’ve refined the system to really favour him and maximise his returns. Of course that wouldn’t be ‘good football’ or ‘the Liverpool way’ etc etcQuote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Drogba was orders of magnitude better in the air than Crouch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
And no ones scored more headed goals in the league than Giroud since he signed in 2012.
Van Persie has moved back to Feyenoord Rotterdam after 14 years away.
Arsenal involved in big money transfer
Brighton sign Jurgen Locadia from PSV for club record fee
No idea.
Goals in the Eredivisie, what could possibly go wrong?
He's injured as well. :cool:
I know a couple of Eredivisie followers. They're Dutch, not just massive dangers. They both told me he's wank. Ho hum.
He'll probably be amazing then, as is the largely inversely proportional nature of looking good in Holland versus being competent elsewhere.
Was going to say, he's a one in three man in Holland so he'll double that here.
Kezman 122 (105) over there. Dear dear. Dear dear dear.
They said that about Jay Roy Grot and they were so far wrong it's hilarious.Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
Oh wait...
Locadia was the one who burst into the team with a ten minute hat trick in his first appearance or something.
He’s the Dutch Leon Best then. :rosebud:
He was linked with wolves earlier this season but they pulled out. He wasnt good enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
Looks like Arsenal should have used Lionel Hutz for the Sanchez deal.
No money down
Am I forgetting or is this the first high profile swap deal in about half a century?
There was the Eto'o and Ibrahimovich one, but that was + cash.
Straight swap? No idea.
Yeah, I was thinking the same. Haven't had a good player swap deal since the Ibrahimovic/Eto'o effort, which was probably the transfer equivalent of the KT barrier for swap deals.
Carini for Cannavaro was lol
Always used as rumours in papers though.
Gallas for Cole
David Moyes would have three titles if he had worked with this Ed Woodward instead of that crap one.
Lol Hleb was involved as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Seedorf for Coco tooQuote:
Originally Posted by Dark Soldier
Everyone else googling top player swap deals football lol
Weren't these all just players getting thrown in with bigger transfers rather than actual straight swaps?
Kenwyne Jones for Odemwingie :cool:
No he wasn't. He opted out of the loan, and instead went back to Stuttgart. Hence, the deal was never contingent on him going to Inter, it was just a separate bit of business being conducted by the same clubs at that time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
United twitter over the last six months has done the impossible and converted me into a massive Pep Guardiola fan. Congrats guys.
I mean, 'Ed Woodward' is currently trending.
Arsenal :face:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJyUhwAVAAAQUhh.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
I'm really not sure how Ed Woodwards come out of this looking good. Pogbas already out asking for his wages to be doubled.
The Fake News Mainstream Media already has him on about three-hundred grand a week, so that can't be right.
This transfer window is a barrel of laughs.
Pretty sure it came out he's on more like £180k.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
'Already out' by which you mean there's an article in the mirror?Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Whatevs. New contracts all round.
I think Luke Shaw is underpaid.
The proper lol will be this summer when Madrid try to buy everyone and realise they don't have the money.
Luke Shaw has been donning it since he steamed into that City aggro and finally won the manager over. If he doesn't get another injury (which he will) he will probably be due a pay rise soon enough.
1 year: Ronaldo goes back to United
2 years: Alan Pardew calls for a salary cap
3 years: United hire Alan Pardew on £2 million/week to do his dance 12 hours a day in a cage outside Old Trafford
5 years: Alex Ferguson buys the Moon
7 years: RL hired as Gary Neville's personal patissier
10 years: Paul Pogba imagery becomes mandatory in every British household
15 years: That 'Adam Joseph' cunt on twitter is elected UN Secretary General
25 years: Duncan Castles funeral is attended by 170 heads of state
40 years: United announce new sideline in space travel. Bobby Charlton looks melancholy on maiden voyage
50 years: United finally win the league again after a half century of straight titles by Guardiola's City
When do you become one of Shaw's flunkies?
Never. I'll be killed when they genocide Chelsea fans for 'buying success'.
Ashley Barnes :drool:
Marina = genius. I hope these missives are all pieces of genius PR designed to lower expectations.
:D
Doesn't he even have previous with Chelsea after nobbling someone with a horror challenge?
Barnes. I think that's my favourite yet. :D
Craig Mackail-Smith to Real Madrid next.
You laugh now to mask your fear, because you know Glenn Murray will be next.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg
Heh heh. The Guardian's "10 things to look out for this weekend" included Murray's 'audition' yesterday. I took it as tongue in cheek but perhaps they were serious.
Chelsea would be as well sticking Gary Cahill or David Luiz up front, if that's really the way they want to play, rather than most of these mugs they are being linked with.
What's Carlton Cole up to these days? The prodigal son returns.
Some are saying it's all a smokescreen for Edin Dzeko, but I'm not sure about that.
I’m massively pissed off with Wenger, Gazidis, the players, the whole fucking lot. But, I don’t see why people are criticising this deal from an Arsenal perspective.
Had Sanchez had more than 6 months left of his contract, then fair enough, but to me we’ve signed the kind of profile of player we’d have spent £30m+ on in the summer in exchange for a guy with 6 months left, no appetite to play for the club and no intention of staying beyond the end of that contract. It’s actually as good a deal as we could have got, and if we link Mikita up with his old mate from Dortmund by sealing the Aubameyang deal then it might look an even better bit of business. Three years too late, but still decent business.
I think it's a decent deal as well but ALEXIS FOR MKHI STRAIT SWOP? HAHA LOL UNITED UNITED
Arsenal have had the better if anything as they've just written off a future transfer fee versus the difference between Sanchez and Mkhitaryan's output between now and May, which won't be that big if there even is one.
United, on the other hand, have sacrificed the fee for Mkhitaryan and massively increased their wage bill, so they'd better hope Sanchez is good.
You’re getting him and the full back by sounds of it. Dzeko would suit the formation really well. The video of Totti and Dzeko yesterday confirms something’s happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
What are they going to do with all that money, rebuild the Colosseum? Good to know we've returned to the good old days of buying people who do well against us in Europe though.
It suits both teams, but 1) 'Alexis' is miles better; and 2) lol at Arsenal for letting it get to this stage.
We just got a new tractor sponsor mate, the money is irrelevant.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
If he turns out to be as good as Drogba... :drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Point 2 applies to just about everything about the club for some time. I’m of a mind to say that many of us (I’m one of the worst cases) were pious apologists of Wengerism for so long only has only exacerbated it. But on further reflection I don’t think it makes a blind bit of difference and instead only serves to make us the fans look as big a bunch of pricks as we’ve always accused Spuds of being.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Just seen Tammy Abraham in the car park at work. Loan recall, you heard it here first.
This is just the first part. Ozil is in the exact same situation. It should never have got to the stage once, but it has happened twice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Is he the guy you're interviewing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
He's got a player of equivalent value for Sanchez and literally no club apart from a bunch of Turks have come in for Ozil. I'm not sure what's expected of poor Arsene at this point.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
Interesting statistical piece about 'BIG MEN' and the dwindling nature and quality of crosses in the Guardian today.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUIwszPWAAEdgt3.jpg
https://www.theguardian.com/football...ted-stoke-city
That may be so but we have Davide Zappacosta and he delivers crosses even better than he delivers two coffees and a panini to my table in Piazza San Marco in about 15 years' time.
GPG was 2.68 at last count, that doesn't seem to really change no matter what tactical trends are in and out.
And I wouldnt get too excited about those dortmund boys either. Dortmund players do not seem to do well once they leave and end up being accepted back their with open arms a few years later.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Arsenal haven't got between 70-75 points twice in the last 10 years (68 once and 79 once). It doesn't matter who comes in, who comes out. Nothings changing that outside of a change of manager which could go either way and is more likely to go to 68 than 79.
That's the genius of Arsene Wenger. Watch them roar past Spurs in the next three months.
German tabs reporting that we're going player exchange crazy.
Aubameyang's done, Giroud will join Dortmund for 6 months while they find a long term replacement and he gets to play for his World Cup spot.
To put the ‘HAHA ARSENAL ARE TERRIBLE LETTING ÖZIL AND ALEXIS RUN THEIR CONTRACTS DOWN’ lulz in perspective, Mata can leave United on a free this year. He’d be worth £50m in this market I reckon?
Didn't they extended his contract the other week? Not that he is worth that much.
I'd have him back tomorrow.
Add Mata in and that Chelsea dressing room is just far too nice. You'd let 90% of the team date your daughter at this point. 5 years ago that was unthinkable.
Rumours today Valencia are interested in him on a free this summer. He’s 29 and brings far more to a team than £20m rated Theo Walcott.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
There's absolutely zero possibility he leaves for free this Summer. It's the entire reason why we have these 4+1 contracts.
Yeah, the club has an option to extend Mata's contract for a further year. The rumour was it was triggered the other week.
The same article about mata, also put fatboy shaw with an extra year also.
Yes I know, he was better at everything. Crouch has never been very good at heading the ball, but just by being so fucking tall he will reach these really tall dipping crosses that perhaps others could not. And it would have just been interesting to see how many goals a player like that would score if they were in a top team that basically just tried to do crossing and crossing only.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
Peter Crouch's jumping height is lower than both Drogba and Girouds...
Read this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by BBC rumour mill
Dunno if true obviously but what the fuck seems to be the obsession from Chelsea in buying a mediocre English striker? :cab:
Is it? The guys is a fucking lighthouse, he doesn't have to jump that high.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Of course he's not as good as Henrik Larsson was who could stay mid-air for a few seconds and wait for the ball, because he knew how the Matrix worked or something.
Need a physical striker, need homegrown players, and the cross-section in that Venn diagram is this list of mugs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
They're all significantly better than Batshuayi anyway tbh.
I believe the old stat was that Peter Crouch standing up straight is taller than Peter Crouch jumping for the ball because of how he has to arc his body to get lift.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
He never really powers a header, does he? Just sort of deflects it in the direction he wants.
La Liga (note not the clubs) have just signed 9 Saudi's and will be distributing them to the clubs in the league.
This is DEFINITELY NOT CORRUPT. There are DEFINITELY NO PAYMENTS tied to this. This is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT to them getting annoyed about Qatar stealing Neymar.
Speaking of bent Arabs, we missed a blinding article on City last month.
Pay drivers finally come to football. Usain Bolt will play for United next.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia are two separate countries separated by a border lad.
Schooled by Sincere.
Poor Lolwis.
What a shit announcement video :D
I'm genuinely pissing myself with laughter at that video.
Pogba got Stormzy. Alexis brings Chopsticks with a synth pedal.
https://i.imgur.com/Lv4sq2X.jpg
And the picture. Christ alive. He looks retarded.
That is like some third world car advert from 20 years ago.
We made a gif of him tapping the badge and got some belting quotes.
lol as if
He was actually an Arsenal fan as a kid wasn't he?
EDIT: https://www.uefa.com/memberassociati...id=832354.html
Not a kid, but still.
I don't think I want anything more than for 'Alexis' to be a Torres-style failure.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
That's a cracking video. It's what football is all about imo, sends shivers down the spine.
It's a pretty top signing as well. He's obviously brilliant and performs at a higher level than the Armenian.
They should make a 'Welcome to Manchester' poster and have Ian Brown interview him.
Jesus Christ that is poison. To think some phonicsesque cunt probably got paid millions to make that makes me sick.
At least it wasn't the actual cunt himself who made any money.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Shared that with a citeh supporting mate a little while back. You have to acknowledge there are cunts abound in football, but these lot are amongst the worst and it’s the most well articulated article with any degree of brevity that I’ve seen on the subject.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Jose has got quite a few high profile names wrong in the past. Lukaku, KDB, etc. He isn't going to be wrong on this one. Taz just isn't clinical enough. He isn't a match winner. He needs to take himself to another level. If he somehow finds his dortmund form, it is still a backwards step from sanchez.
lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
He means that Mkhitaryan is a backwards step from Sanchez for Arsenal. Which he is.
@Sir Andy Mahowry
Get some new glasses Monghow.
From my perspective, Taz is a worse replacement for the soon to depart Ozil. The replacement for Sanchez has yet to arrive.
He's nailed it. Surprisingly, someone like David Conn doesn't seem to care.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
There's no interest in covering the story really. Proper journalists don't become football journalists and this is a bit too current affairs to bother with. It might stop you getting the next puff piece with Sergio or Pep.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
You mean this one right?
Why are you calling Miki targaryen "Taz", Sincere?
Saying he looks like him.
Fuck off and have a magnesium bath you prick.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
:cab:
It's getting a bit weird now.
Mkhitaryan will probably now have a huge form spike which results in everyone including TTH comparing him to Henry or Vieira if I need to be controversial.
That video's kind of great in a terrible way. But they should have used a real recording of that chant rather than having it sound like something you'd hear opening a club themed birthday card.
Nothing will top that shitfest that was Tevez to Man City with a title parade thrown in just for lols.
Nick Cohen raised it in the Guardian and he just had a load of people calling him a bitter rag.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kikó
Nicked off Reddit: Sanchez & Mkhytaryn:
https://i.imgur.com/jgQVJAg.jpg
:D
Already starting to come out that the £500,000 a week wages were nonsense. He's apparently on the same as Pogba.
He accepted less because of Lingard.
The opportunity to milly rock with the mandem was too great to pass up.
Would love to Milly Rock with the Mandem.
Same.
Read an article that clarified he is on £500,000 after tax if you include image rights and bonuses, which sounds more realistic (in this crazy world). He could argue for a lot more money in his position given his hand was strengthened by his contract position and compared to Ibra, Pogba and Lukaku he has the advantage of not being too old (Ibra) but proven calibre at the highest level for many seasons so less paying for ‘potential’ (Lukaku/Pogba).Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Lol the reason why Henrik (it's what I'm going with until I can spell his name) didn't get a fancy signing video is because when it went up you can hear an audible cut of him saying 'So Pierre, when are you joining me?' or something so they had to delete it until the deals done.
Henrikh, mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
HM it is.
David NGog has been reunited with Owen Coyle... at Ross County.
Some career he’s had - 45 career club goals since his career started in 2006.
A weeks after the announcement of Schalke's Goretzka. Former Dortmund captain, Matts Hummels has come out slagging off the Bundesliga for not having any good teams apart from Bayern. Wonder why that is?
Sturridge to Inter is ON apparently.
Icardi to move on in the summer?
They can have Sturridge if we can have Icardi and give them some money.
Considering the only mooted reason he wants to leave is to win things and stop being the 4th/5th best team in the league...
I doubt it. Icardi to Real when they realise Daniel Levy is a tedious man to deal with is my bet.
Stop saying things that make sense!
To be fair we need in other areas way before another forward.
What you need is a Playmaking, Creative midfielder who can unlock tight defences such as Swanseas last night with feats of sheer brilliance when all else fails.
You should look to Barcelona really, they have one who is perfectly suited for your team in that way.
Iniesta is a bit old for me.
It's alright. Coutinho will be back from his injury soon. I'm so glad we didn't sell him without replacing him because that would have been really fucking stupid.
You have Kader Keita in the summer, right? And Ben Woodburn.
Remember when everyone said Jon Flanagan was world class? lol.
You're never going to be world class with a name like Flanagan, it's impossible.
I've said this before but I'll say it again. I do think my name held me back from ever being a professional footballer. You just can't hear Martin Tyler say it without sounding weird.
What names do English people need to have to be world class? Peter Guthrie? Alan Stevens?
Brian Baxter?
Harry Kane. Have you heard a Spanish commentator say it?
It sounds like they are shouting a Hurricane warning every time he scores.
Dixie Dean is a world class name.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUPFC8UWAAAGjZP.jpg:large
TRANSFER WINDOW WINNERS
As it's grown longer since United won a title, so the United fanbase has become more and more touchy about things. They wouldn't have needed to count retweets when Alex Ferguson was there. We just took it all for granted.
Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but I always thought Jon Flanagan was pretty good. I'd forgotten he existed, and was quite surprised to see he was still at Liverpool. He's basically made for Burnley or someone. Klopp probably shudders in disgust at the sight of him in training.
I reckon they'll finally get a league win in the next two years.
Firmino
Sané - Keita - Salah
----
Robertson - Virgil - Gomez - TA-A
Just need to sort the midfield out and maybe upgrade Firmino (and have depth in those forward positions).
Doubt Sane will move there to be honest.
Not Leroy. His brother, Madio.
If they get Alisson they'll have a good chance.
They won't.
Flanagan was decent until he got injured for ages and the came back as a wife beater.
Floyd's theory is good, but overlooks the fact that they'll probably lose key players in the next 24 months and so it's a constant cycle of trying to find someone as surprisingly good as Salah has been (watch his season go off the cliff now, mind) which is almost impossible. Unless THE SYSTEM takes over.
If Salah continues his current form for say, another season, you've got to fancy him to move on.
I remember when we were always a keeper and a midfielder away from winning the league...
Arsene hasn't conceded the title yet. There's still time.
Firmino is an odd one. His play in the build up and linking it all together is fantastic, however he doesn't score enough for me. As evidenced by last night. A more clinical finisher smashes that header in late.
I'd like to see how Firmino would take to the attacking midfielder role.
Phil Neville is the new head coach of England Women.
The Class of 92, Day of the Triffids style takeover of the English football establishment continues. Gary Neville may be the front man, but I reckon Nicky Butt really pulls the strings.
Hoping for some decent allegations against him.
He's already been deleting tweets today saying women should be in the kitchen/looking after kids.
He's deleted his account apparently. The FA really are thick.
David N'gog signs :cool:
How do you not do a basic advanced search for 'sexist'
https://i.imgur.com/g1875Wd.png
lol.
Err, Lass Diarra just signed for PSG.
Which must mean he's still alive, which is the weirdest bit in that.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...panding-empireQuote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
He's nabbed about three TTH gags in that one. Maybe we should make him pay for the server.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raoul Duke
Man City are apparently signing Aymeric Laporte.
Spending the "Sanchez money" a lot more wisely than on Sanchez.
65m Euros apparently.
They love spending big on defenders.
And goalkeepers, and midfielders, and attackers.
Working on the basis that Nicolas Otamendi is their most capable defender, either John Stones goes to the bench or this other bloke does. Either way, why?
Kenedy's arriving, apparently. Like, after months of protracted buildup. Hopefully we get Jorgensen sealed as well. Someone. Anyone.
Pep wants them to play 352. It's only the Mendy injury which forced them to play with a back four.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Why change what they are doing right now though? :cab:
I can't believe he would switch back with the form of Sterling and Sane.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
You've got to constantly evolve to stay at the top and be the best.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
This is true, they could play 343 but that would mean either Silva or Kdb dropping out which is very unlikely.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg
With a third centre back it just gives them more options and a bit more squad dspth. They struggled over Christmas and they will again if they keep progressing in the Champions League.
Stones played a lot in pre season as a holding midfielder so perhaps Pep sees it as strengthening two positions.
I was reading this 'Where Are They Now' on the Guardians 'Top English Talent of 2008' article that I'm 90% sure we discussed on the old forum.
http://www.planetfootball.com/quick-...guardian-2008/
It's incredible how many of these players story ends with 'Moved to Tottenham/Chelsea for lots of money at the time, went out on loan for years, now they're playing in League One'
Wasn't John McEachran the original FEC?
That was John Curtis, iirc.
Josh McEachran got his dick wet with some model/pop star or something at about 19 and never recovered. I am enjoying the progress of his younger brother (under 17 World Cup winner) George through our setup though.
Toggle Spoiler
Hilarious about Woods and Taiwoo pair of cunts.
I'd say none of them really failed that much apart from that idiot Jose Baxter who just seems like a massive fuckwit. Was Nile Ranger every really rated at all?
Yeah alright, but I'm not sure if that means you have to change formation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
In fact, as far as I know Guardiola really hasn't changed much about the way he wants his teams to play since he got started at Barcelona, and it's all been working well enough all this time.
I dunno, playing a 3-5-2 would likely put Sane as a wing back (!?) or on the Bench, and Sterling as a Striker, or on the Bench (if Jesus is fit), and that just seems odd to me.
And like you said, 3-4-3 would leave either Silva or KDB out of midfield, and I don't think they would function as well as central midfielders without each other either as it would be a bit harder to keep the ball (even for them).
So all in all chaning things up doesn't make sense at all. Getting a new CB in for the long run, I don't see why not do that, as their Central defenders are probably the worst part of the team.
He played 3 at the back all the time at Bayern.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
I didn't mean the formation, I meant his mentality. Just in general, Guardiola doesn't strike me as the type of manager who completely adapts his play a lot, he just tries to perfect the one thing he wants his team to do (pass around). Mourinho is sort of the opposite.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
I think it's quite the opposite. He adapts pretty much every match. It's the one thing all his players say, how much he concentrates on the opposition and how to exploit the spaces they leave.
He started the season 352 until Mendy got Injured. I think because he wanted two up front, the form of Sterling and Sane will probably change his thinking though. You can't bench those two at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
Southampton have signed a striker called Guido Carrillo who I've never heard of but plays for Monaco at a cost of 20m.
About time they signed a striker. If he's any good, it might save them from going down.
*checks Wikipedia page*
Nah, they're fucked.
TBF, everyone said the same when Gabbiadini came in this time last year and he beasted it for a month or two.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUT_3KOXcAAnba9.jpg:large
United might have their Noodle sponsorships but do they have BLOCKCHAIN?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy
Yeah well, that's what I was saying - why change anything right now?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE_j...ature=youtu.beQuote:
Originally Posted by phonics
You can shove your blockchain mate.
What's the people who murder the Rohingya's got to do with this? Do they run them over with the tractors?
I was thinking, you need tractors to harvest the wheat that feeds the chickens who, in turn, lay the eggs for noodles. It's a clever, clever strategy by perhaps the world's foremost business mind, Ed Woodward.
#SomehowAboutTractors
Getting started on the new job already?
What's the deal with Joao Mario at Inter? I thought he was supposed to be the tits (SaintNews)? Is he a holding midfielder or more or a run-abouter? Or is he just shit?
lol at how much ElNeny hates Sanchez.
There was this one in December.
and now
How is the second one aimed at alexis?
The first one is a bit of a dig at Chile not qualifying for the world cup but it seems more like something you'd say to a mate who was missing out than to someone you really disliked.
It would certainly be a turn up for an Egyptian footballer to have a pop at someone for being a mercenary twat.
How is it not?
He's suggesting that "before" some players were not fighting enough or being motivated enough. Whether that was just Sanchez himself or if it was the whole team because of Sanchez, I doubt he means Coquelin.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
Yeah. I can see what he means now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
I caught a line today that I thought would warm Jimmy's cockles.
Quote:
he manager is ‘particularly unhappy’ with the way Granovskaia, one of owner Roman Abramovich’s most-trusted aides, handled two particular transfer negotiations.Conte is thought to have identified Leonardo Bonucci and Fernando Llorente as his main targets last summer, but neither were delivered.
Former technical director Michael Emenalo previously acted as ‘a buffer’ between the two, but that role now belongs to Cudicini. The former keeper is an ‘unusual figure’ at Stamford Bridge, Hughes writes, because ‘he is almost universally popular’.
I still think Cech should have waited his turn in 2004.
Llorente. :cab:
Pastore has rejected a chance to sign for liverpool and llucas moura is touring the spurs training ground allegedly.
He's high energy breaker upper. Can't score but gives everything so probably be a good player for West Ham. I think he was starting to drop out of Spalletti's plans so he move names sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Moura I can sort of get as a squad player for Spurs, because they do have quite little depth.
But really, what are Liverpool and Spurs doing sniffing around fucking League UUHN rejects?
Market value, PSG desperately need to sell.
Why, it's not as if they would be making a profit on those players anyway?
Maybe it's like how my lady feels she needs to buy shit just because it's on sale sometimes.
"Do you need new shoes?"
"No not at all but look, these are HALF OFF!"
They need to dump their salary (and even on a footballing level, who wants highly paid wasters mooching around the training ground if they're not going to play).
Chelsea should bring Peter Kenyon back now that Ed Woodward is all the rage.
They can have Les Reed.
We've got Marina who is not only a transfer genius but also an empowered woman (and her predecessor was a black man). Manchester United is just a parade of old, white men.
'Yeah? How many Twitter followers you got?'
We overtook Arsenal at one point, but they're now 1.3 million ahead of us again. We've won the league in that time, so rather than glory-hunting the modern attraction must be narrative-hunting.
I love that Wenger makes a comment about 'You praise clubs that haven't won anything in 25 years' and the press immediately runs to Pochettino to say, 'Did you hear Arsene Wenger say you're shit?'
I get that PSG wants to get rid, I just don't get why anyone like Liverpool or Spurs would want to buy those players.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Someone like West Ham or West Brom might want them.
You link yourself with Spurs and Liverpool to get the West Ham/West Broms interested.
Makes sense.
Speaking of trophies, i was under the impression that coutinhio won trophies at liverpool. Wiki claims he left trophyless since 2012. I didn't realise that at all. That means the old SAS were trophyless too if its correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Sure, but the fact that PSG want rid means their market value is less than it would otherwise be so, logically, it's a good time to pick them up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazuuurk
It's kind of like seeing biscuits on offer in the supermarket. There's a price point at which biscuits, even if you don't need them as such, become a good investment.
The fact Lucas Moura is struggling to get games ahead of Neymar, Mbappe, Di Maria, Draxler etc. doesn't make him shit. He's still a good player.
No, I think the fact that he wasn't doing a fat lot before any of those players arrived might be the better indicator.
He’s got potential though (despite already being 25).
He's bonkers fast and not much else, he's basically Walcott with a worse hairline. He reminds me of Poot.
Not if you're only going to realistically play them in the Cups and 5-10 league games per season for two years. No way you sell them with a profit after that (and after they've aged another 2 years and wasted the last ounce of what their potential might have been if any was still there).Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Basically, it's like buying those biscuits because it was a good deal and then never eating them, so you throw them away when they've gone bad and what was the point in the first place?
Lucas will see plenty of game time for Spurs, and Pastore would see plenty of game time for Liverpool or whoever else he signs for.
Especially when Salah moves on next summer.
For £230m :drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Disco
If Southampton go down who will get the best part of that? Watford?
Dortmund reserves I suspect.
I've decided I want David Wagner at Chelsea when the hairpiece goes. Failing that, Mark Hughes for the lulz.
If ever there was someone set up to fall foul of everything at Chelsea then it is that nerd.
David Wagner will refer to himself in the third person in public at some point.
Aubameyang is done without Giroud.
While Giroud has been linked to Chelsea for 35m. I couldn't watch him in a Chelsea shirt :(
Seems like we're doing a triangular on it. Aubameyang to Arsenal, Giroud to Chelsea and Batshuayi to Dortmund.
A triptych on the theme of desperation.
Giroud would be such an excellent signing for you I can't believe we're even considering it.
That would be a healthy profit on Giroud. They must have paid less than half that for him.
We gave you Cech for buttons because Abramovich was on a dopamine hit or something, these things work in mysterious ways.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Yeah, Agent Cech. Cheers. Not sure he's won us 15 points in 4 years let alone per season. Although when the alternative answer is David Ospina, you have to ask yourself what the question is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Giroud is the only somewhat consistent goal scorer arsenal have. I dont know if giroud want to leave for lack of first team football but him leaving arsenal as backup to chelsea as backup sounds not that good.
Charly Musonda to Celtic on an 18 month loan.
He'll be primed and ready to slot right into the first team setup when he returns, at the start of the 19/20 season, at age 23, after a year and a half in the SPL.
That's annoying. He'll piss the SPL.
A Chelsea academy player playing in the first team, good one m8.
We've got Ulloa on loan. Fantastic news. Sad times for Baldock though.
Newcastle have made an enquiry about sturridge on a loan deal according to SSN
Andreas Christensen has been a pretty solid presence in the first team this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Only because the centre back they paid 40 million quid for is a joke.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2112/...2f82e6a5_z.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Under new manager Brendan Rodgers.Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
Joe Cole?Quote:
Originally Posted by dino
That's where they grow Contes hairpiece.
Sturridge to West Brom on loan.
Not quite the San Siro, is it.
He'll be 29 this year, what a waste. 55 games/17 goals in the last four seasons.
To be fair, I can sort of understand turning down the Milan clubs. What's the point of moving to Italy for 6 months to sit behind Mauro Icardi or Pannetone or whatever the Milan one is called.
May as well do the same and move up the road.
I'd rather live in Italy for 6 months than West Brom.
Probably wetter in Milan though so it's for the best.
Milan is a crap city for garbage people.
And yet it's still better than the Midlands.
It’s better for family reasons apparently so he’s still nuts I bet.
There's nothing wrong with the Midlands.
West Brom are going to ride that fitness advantage all the way to safety. :drool:
:harold:
Isn’t he from the midlands?
Yeah he already lives in Birmingham doesn’t he? Same as Troy Deeney, which is why he’s often linked with West Brom.
Lucas Moura to Spurs is done. He's better than Moussa Sissoko I guess?
I'm better than Moussa Sissiko.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
Laporte has bought out his contract with Bilbao. I reckon he'll be a cracking signing.
It's hard to see how United will be able to get the title out of City's grasp in the foreseeable. Under Mourinho they'll just always have more of those shitty draws than a well-peopled Pep side will. Add to that nobody will want to hear him moaning about City spending 50 million on defenders for the next four seasons (plus United actually spend bigger on individuals), so I predict a classic third season MELTDOWN.
Are Arsenal going to play 4-4-2 then?
They really need to sign a big black wardrobe with a 60 inch neck for their midfield. It's hopelessly lightweight at the moment.
Let's hope so because they're starting to look accomplished.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Seems like the only logical thing to do for them to me. Basically how Barcelona seem to be playing at the moment with Countinho and Iniesta on the "wings" (thats how the preview team looks anyway but honestly I don't quite understand the formation when looking at it).Quote:
Originally Posted by Raoul Duke
Which, with when you're not Barca in La Liga and have Ozil the Ogre and Micki the Machine bombing up and down the wings and prioritizing defence will be a true stroke of genius in the PL.
Man, we are so fucked. We really needed those imaginary Chinese and Arab investors to save us.
Aubemayang to Arsenal
But only if Dortmund can have Batshuayi
Who can only go there if Chelsea can have Giroud
Very strange transfer(s).
Everybody, or nobody, wins.
Agents win
Here we see the mercurial genius of Marina sticking out press releases about Ashley Barnes. £15 million for jee-roo now feels like deal of the century.
It was probably like that thing Tyrion does in Game of Thrones. Give various journos the names of shit beanpole strikers and see which ones end up in the paper.
Chelsea need to get a taxi down to pick up Lucas Moura.
So good.
Why has Conte got such a raging hard on for Llorente?
He signed him at Juventus and didn't play him, maybe Llorente is just a really lovely man.
It's fucking piss-your-pants exciting, this.
There's no doubting his gorgeous come-to-bed eyes, but then we also signed Ross Barkley so that can't be the answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by John
One way or the other we're set for some thrilling transfer action in the next 48 hours.
Aubameyang in for Giroud out doesn't feel 100% to me. Aubameyang is probably the better striker, but who knows how he'll do in the PL and for Arsenal (Dortmund play quite differently with more space to run on), and he essentially seems quite similar to Lacazette who has still been doing pretty decently IMO, but would probably suck on the wing.
So all in all it takes you as a team from having two distinctly different options up front - Pace or Power really, two two very similar options - Pace or maybe More Pace.
Now getting a completely class player in is always good I guess, but it sort of seems a bit like Arsenal just got rid of the biggest disturbance in the dressing room only to potentially risk another one straight after by A) bringing in a bit of a joker and B) creating competition for spots.
Don't go to Chelsea Olivier. They won't love you like I do.
If you want Pierre it's actually in your interests to say to Giroud now go on go, walk out the door, just turn around now cos you're not welcome anymore. At a cut price, too.
Alright Gloria.
Lacazette played off the wing for years for Lyon and did very well. The pace and position were the main things fueling the four years of Henry comparisons.
Aubameyang
Lacazette - Micky - Wenger
Wilshere - Xhaka
Monreal - Mustafi - Koscielny- Hector
Obviously Arsene won't actually field himself as an Egil Olsen-style wide target man, but I can't think at the moment who else they have as attackers.
You have to be a special talent to score goals consistently from season-to-season. Pierre to arsenal smells a little bit like torres to chelsea. Pierre is just about to reach his expatriation date.
Arsenal have played multiple formations this season and it appears they clearly do not know which one is best suited to them.
I've heard there's some German bloke hanging around called Mezut.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd