The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - Part 19

[Thread Manager]

This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]457469[/split]

 

[Thread Manager]

This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]453571[/split]

 

[B]

Isco said he'll decide this week and according to Bautista and Hunter if he'll choose Real he'd earn more money. But he'd have to compete with Callejon, Benzema, Ozil, Modric, Ronaldo, Di Maria and maybe Bale or Suarez. Also they change their managers every year and after all... Real won only two or three trophies in last five seasons (like City). I'm confident.

I highly doubt Manchester City have offered Isco less money than Real Madrid. Look at the fee they are willing to pay for him, you think they are going to start looking to save beans at the contract stage & risk losing him by holding off £10k, £20k or £30k?

Sure if he goes to City he'll have even more competition for a role in the team given that Silva essentially plays Isco's position(s) in the team. If he goes with playing 2 playmakers, which was a problem for City last year with Silva & Nasri, they then have no width, which was another problem. They'd also I would think need to employ a holding CM meaning Fernandinho & Toure would be in competition for a place with Garcia & Barry competing to the holding midfielder role. Then you've to think of Milner, Rodwell, Sinclair & of course Navas.

In recent years City have changed their manager just as much as Real Madrid have if not moreso. If Pellegrini finishes another season trophy-less or with 1 of the domestic cups, after they've invested another £100m in the team, you think there won't be any pressure on him? Look at what Mancini was sacked for, he finished 2nd in the league I dunno what was it like 10 points behind Manchester United & an FA Cup finalist. With the exception of poor Champions League form, the sacking of Mancini proves one thing. City's owners are just as impatient as Abramovich & Real Madrid's President. They expect a return on the money they are investing, they don't care about the style in which they are winning as you believe, they care about trophies & trophies alone.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[spidey-dude]

sniff.... good luck Andy, wish you all the best in your future endeavours

 

[Hunter Rider]

Chelsea to hold talks with Napoli over Cavani transfer in the next 24 hours

Liverpool poised to splash Carroll cash on Mkhitaryan, Atsu and Alberto

Barcelona eye Mata after report of contract dispute with Mourinho

 

[Grommers]

Haha, You really keep up on the news eh hunter?

I'm always very skeptical what I read. I used to do professional gaming, and the amount of times I enquired about players even if I wasn't interested. I mean why wouldn't you ask? You never know how much a club values a player, and I find that the news always sensationalizes this.

I'm more curious to see how the clubs figure out how much player is worth, most notably a lb or rb.

 

[Just_Human]

Algerian striker Ishak Belfodil is going from Parma to Inter Milan

Very talented kid, but a headcase

Balotelli vs Belfodil : the Milan headcases derby

 

[kit1982]

I'm not sold on Southgate either but he has been studying a lot of newer coaching methods since his management days so maybe he's improved.

You're right that Hoddle most likely isn't recognized for the class player he was, my Dad always says he was ahead of his time in this country, but at U21 level I think that might be less of an issue than when he has to deal with senior pros.

Scholes wanting to manage has surprised me given his personality but I see your point if he'd be willing. Honestly I think Gary Neville may well be the next great English manager if he can translate his passion and intelligence for the game from punditry to management.

Hunter

100% with you on Neville, always liked him I think Carragher could be a good gaffer to.

Yeh my dad was always the same about Hoddle and tbh watching videos of him in his prime you can see why. If he were around today he'd be held in the same esteem as Wilshire in the way Jack is seen as our one shining light. Hoddle wouldn't have looked out of place in the current Barca side.

I heard someone on the radio the other day about putting Dario Gradi within the youth set up I have to say I'm not adverse to that, Gradi's done wonders with kids at Crewe. I dunno if it's one guy we need for the under 21's or a team of coaches if you see what I mean, maybe a less profile guy in charge with the big names being the coaches.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Haha, You really keep up on the news eh hunter?

I'm always very skeptical what I read. I used to do professional gaming, and the amount of times I enquired about players even if I wasn't interested. I mean why wouldn't you ask? You never know how much a club values a player, and I find that the news always sensationalizes this.

I'm more curious to see how the clubs figure out how much player is worth, most notably a lb or rb.

Oh I know most of it is rubbish lol I just post it to maybe generate some discussion and what not.

Transfers are getting more complicated each year, mainly due to agents and chairmen getting even greedier, it seems every player going these days is worth at least double figures.

Hunter

100% with you on Neville, always liked him I think Carragher could be a good gaffer to.

Yeh my dad was always the same about Hoddle and tbh watching videos of him in his prime you can see why. If he were around today he'd be held in the same esteem as Wilshire in the way Jack is seen as our one shining light. Hoddle wouldn't have looked out of place in the current Barca side.

I heard someone on the radio the other day about putting Dario Gradi within the youth set up I have to say I'm not adverse to that, Gradi's done wonders with kids at Crewe. I dunno if it's one guy we need for the under 21's or a team of coaches if you see what I mean, maybe a less profile guy in charge with the big names being the coaches.

If the two of them can tear themselves away from the cushy punditry gigs hopefully we'll find out.

Definitely, he was a cultured player in an era where Britain didn't really produce them, we produced the blood and guts players so Hoddle's style was maybe seen as "Too soft" over here.

The thing is Gradi is 71 so maybe he'd be best as a coach of our coaches at this point in his life?

 

[Darthphere]

Amazing chart.

 

[Two-Face]

First Premier League Fixtures released yesterday:

Saturday 17th August 2013

Arsenal V Aston Villa
15:00

Chelsea V Hull
15:00

Crystal Palace V Tottenham
15:00

Liverpool V Stoke
15:00

Man City V Newcastle
15:00

Norwich V Everton
15:00

Sunderland V Fulham
15:00

Swansea V Man Utd
15:00

West Brom V Southampton
15:00

West Ham V Cardiff
15:00

NOTE: All matches kick off UK time

Here's the rest:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fixtures

 

[Hunter Rider]

Higuain to Arsenal is looking like it will be made official very soon.

 

[ImWithTeamConan]

Higuain to Arsenal is looking like it will be made official very soon.

I'll only fully believe it when it's August 17th and he's on the field against Aston Villa.

 

[Van Petrol]

Sounds like United are going to be signing Thiago from Barca. Good signing for you guys.

 

[Poeman]

Thats a very nice signing actually...What the eff is Arsenal doing these days? Aside from throwing smoke in the air

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

would be a great signing but honestly with the current backroom of united i'll believe it when i see him in a united shirt

 

[B]

Sounds like United are going to be signing Thiago from Barca. Good signing for you guys.

I'd be very happy with him, he looks like a midfielder that could slot into our midfield & revitalise it completely.

Also hoping the Strootman stories are accurate as well, if we could land both, keep Rooney happy, Kagawa fit & hold onto Nani or sign someone versitle/similar, then I feel there can be no excuse for us mounting a serious challenge under Moyes.

 

[B]

De Gea appears to be trying his hardest to tap Thiago up for us, I just seen a picture of Thiago holding his match ball with all his teams signatures & De Gea's signature supposedly says in Spanish, see you on Manchester.

 

[kit1982]

Ugh is there a worse side to watch than Uruguay? All that talent, a lot of flair players, yet their so cynical. The great thing about the confederations cup has been teams going for it and looking to play attacking football, then you have Uruguay who get an absolute stonker of a goal, sit back and take off one of the best players in the world for a centre back then go 5 at the back for half of the 2nd half.

I'd also love to know who that guy in the number 10 shirt for Nigeria was, it said Mikel on the back of his shirt but I don't believe it! He was always looking forward, playing some lovely passes and scored a great goal.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I'd be very happy with him, he looks like a midfielder that could slot into our midfield & revitalise it completely.

Also hoping the Strootman stories are accurate as well, if we could land both, keep Rooney happy, Kagawa fit & hold onto Nani or sign someone versitle/similar, then I feel there can be no excuse for us mounting a serious challenge under Moyes.

Thiago would be an immense signing for us, he'd add not only quality but flexibility to our midfield.

I'm so-so on Strootman but I agree on the rest, if we keep Rooney and Nani or even just Rooney I don't see us being in for another attacker.

Ugh is there a worse side to watch than Uruguay? All that talent, a lot of flair players, yet their so cynical. The great thing about the confederations cup has been teams going for it and looking to play attacking football, then you have Uruguay who get an absolute stonker of a goal, sit back and take off one of the best players in the world for a centre back then go 5 at the back for half of the 2nd half.

I'd also love to know who that guy in the number 10 shirt for Nigeria was, it said Mikel on the back of his shirt but I don't believe it! He was always looking forward, playing some lovely passes and scored a great goal.

It was odd to see as usually South American teams are attacking by nature and they had the trio to punish Nigeria who had to chase the game. I also thought it was odd that they took Suarez off instead of Cavani who had been mostly ineffective.

The Nigerian coach once complained that Chelsea had ruined him by stifling his natural game, not sure many Chelsea fans would agree that there was much there to stifle.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Cavani 'too costly' for City

Apparently City have told Napoli that they wont pay the £54M buyout clause.

Premier League: Kevin De Bruyne will fight for first-team place at Chelsea next term

He seemed nailed on to go to Dortmund at one point a few weeks ago, but it seems Mourinho sees potential.

 

[B]

Thiago would be an immense signing for us, he'd add not only quality but flexibility to our midfield.

I'm so-so on Strootman but I agree on the rest, if we keep Rooney and Nani or even just Rooney I don't see us being in for another attacker

Personally I see Thiago as a little bit more of a gamble because of his size/frame, it's 50/50 with players of his size, regardless of ability, can adapt to the physicality of the Premiership. I don't see him as being risky as I feel he'd be fine, however Strootman seems a little more suited to the English game at this current point.

Thiago could be a difference maker for us, but I'll believe all these stories when I see him in a United shirt. It does appear he seems keen to join us & De Gea is doing his finest to convince him of joining, however my understanding of him is that he is only looking to leave Barcelona if he can't be assured a fair go in Barca's midfield. He could be using United's interest to force a new deal or force crunch talks that will force Barca into agreeing that he'll get at least xx amount of starts for them.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Word out of Spain is that Isco has agreed a deal with Real Madrid.

Personally I see Thiago as a little bit more of a gamble because of his size/frame, it's 50/50 with players of his size, regardless of ability, can adapt to the physicality of the Premiership. I don't see him as being risky as I feel he'd be fine, however Strootman seems a little more suited to the English game at this current point.

Thiago could be a difference maker for us, but I'll believe all these stories when I see him in a United shirt. It does appear he seems keen to join us & De Gea is doing his finest to convince him of joining, however my understanding of him is that he is only looking to leave Barcelona if he can't be assured a fair go in Barca's midfield. He could be using United's interest to force a new deal or force crunch talks that will force Barca into agreeing that he'll get at least xx amount of starts for them.

The biggest thing to me is that Thiago would enhance our team, he's potentially world class and he's no smaller than Scholes. Silva or Mata, or indeed our own Kagawa. I'm sure physically he'll be fine, I mean Moyes may even be looking to use a 3 man midfield with Thiago as an AM, who knows at this point. Strootman would be a solid squad addition who can can grow but I don't see him as being enough on his own.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

I know its from the red tops but a lot are reporting that rooney is demanding to go to cheslea

the ungrateful little prick wants to go thats fine but there is no chance in hell he should be going to another top 4 club, especially not Chelsea. ship the corner boy to turkey for all i care

yeah he'll fit in with the whole booze, women and party life style of the team, even from a non united tinted view point where the hell would he play with the others in the team and who ever else jose is bringing