The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread part 2!!

[Hunter Rider]

Drogba and Malouda to head Chelsea summer clearout

Spurs slap £100m price-tag on Bale

Spurs boss Redknapp faces battle for young Ipswich star Wickham

Manchester City enter the race for Rodwell as Moyes feels the squeeze

Messi wants Cesc at Barca! Superstar calls for Fabregas swoop this summer
​

 

[Darthphere]

Their motivation should have been to show SAF they had a future at United, but both Obertan and Bebe look destined for the door IMO.

Well with Obertan there had been rumblings about him wanting to leave but would SAF hang on to Bebe to try to make something out of him and not vindicate the people who criticized the signing?


That is a run on sentence.

 

[spidey-dude]

im pretty pissed right now
but i watched the game today and all i can say is what a waste of money bebe looks to be, i honestly didnt even know he was pleying till like the 40th minute, he was awful!

 

[Darthphere]

im pretty pissed right now
but i watched the game today and all i can say is what a waste of money bebe looks to be, i honestly didnt even know he was pleying till like the 40th minute, he was awful!

Hey, what about that one time he crossed the ball and it was in the general vicinity of the box? That was pretty good.

 

[spidey-dude]

Hey, what about that one time he crossed the ball and it was in the general vicinity of the box? That was pretty good.

ye i would be pretty impressed if cristian poulssen did ti

 

[Iceman]

We'll take a cut-price Drogba & Malouda thanks!

I guess Drogba will be going back to Marseille though.

 

[Brian Braddock]

im pretty pissed right now
but i watched the game today and all i can say is what a waste of money bebe looks to be, i honestly didnt even know he was pleying till like the 40th minute, he was awful!

All I can say is that I was all for Crawley beating Utd, right up to the moment when I found out what sponsor they would be wearing on their shirt.

After that, my attitude was '**** 'em'.

 

[Brian Braddock]

lucky torres moved to win trophies...oterwise his trophyless club career may continue.... oh wait

Words can ot describe how much I'm thinking the same at the moment and loving it.

 

[B]

Their motivation should have been to show SAF they had a future at United, but both Obertan and Bebe look destined for the door IMO.

Most definatly, it should have been to show both SAF & the United fans why they were bought/are at the club & showcase their talents.. instead because of the fact people like Bebe, Obertan & Gibson looked no better than their opposition.. well it either means that Crawley have a team full of potential Premiership stars... or that our 3 players in question just aren't good enough to topple stubborn (and basic) defensive abilities.

Seriously, if we miss out on a player like Alexis Sanchez to give someone like Bebe or Obertan a chance I'm gonna be pissed..

 

[Dr Lee]

Come on Notts County!!!!

 

[B]

City crushed Notts County pretty easily in the end, they fielded a stronger team than I thought they would though. Seven or 8 1st team players with a few fringe players just to give people like Tevez, Kompany & Barry a rest who are arguably starters for the team. Barry & Tevez did eventually make an appearence though.

Leyton Orient have earned themselves a good replay at the Emirates stadium, I'm surprised Wenger didn't bring Nasri, Fabregas or someone on near the end to try & force a winner. Now Arsenal find themselves with another needless fixture in this busy time of the season.

Seems Arsenal suffered from the same problem we did against Crawley about not being able to assert their true superiority over a much weaker side..

 

[Iceman]

Arsenal put out a pretty good team. Why can't these guys take care of teams so far below them in English football? Is their motivation that low? Well done Orient!

The one positive from Utd's tie against Crawley...75k attendance!! Wow, they really are a well supported club!

 

[Van Petrol]

Arsenal put out a pretty good team. Why can't these guys take care of teams so far below them in English football? Is their motivation that low? Well done Orient!

The one positive from Utd's tie against Crawley...75k attendance!! Wow, they really are a well supported club!

Agreed. Wenger wasn't at fault today, the players were. I hope he clears out the average fringe rubbish within our team. Btw, Al was at his average best today. How he let that shot go under him like that is beyond me.

 

[Van Petrol]

City crushed Notts County pretty easily in the end, they fielded a stronger team than I thought they would though. Seven or 8 1st team players with a few fringe players just to give people like Tevez, Kompany & Barry a rest who are arguably starters for the team. Barry & Tevez did eventually make an appearence though.

Leyton Orient have earned themselves a good replay at the Emirates stadium, I'm surprised Wenger didn't bring Nasri, Fabregas or someone on near the end to try & force a winner. Now Arsenal find themselves with another needless fixture in this busy time of the season.

Seems Arsenal suffered from the same problem we did against Crawley about not being able to assert their true superiority over a much weaker side..

Yep, the last thing we needed was a replay. There's too much averageness that's supporting our first eleven. Should one of them get an injury at a crucial time, then I truly dread the players who will come in to deputise for them.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Most definatly, it should have been to show both SAF & the United fans why they were bought/are at the club & showcase their talents.. instead because of the fact people like Bebe, Obertan & Gibson looked no better than their opposition.. well it either means that Crawley have a team full of potential Premiership stars... or that our 3 players in question just aren't good enough to topple stubborn (and basic) defensive abilities.

The most annoying thing was the lack of drive from those players, we had young players like Hernandez and Smalling when he came on that played flat out even though they are already in most match day squads, yet the three in question just didn't put the effort in to make anything happen. In fairness to Bebe he's a 20 year old with a 15 year old's football education.

Seriously, if we miss out on a player like Alexis Sanchez to give someone like Bebe or Obertan a chance I'm gonna be pissed..

Me too, Bebe is so far off even being a player at this point he shouldn't feature in any transfer decisions, and Obertan should go on loan next season before we decide to cut him or not.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Yep, the last thing we needed was a replay. There's too much averageness that's supporting our first eleven. Should one of them get an injury at a crucial time, then I truly dread the players who will come in to deputise for them.

It was a strange match though, I expected Orient to come out all intense and aggressive, but in fact the bulk of the game was played at a very calm pace, I think it threw everyone off a bit, although I'd agree, that like United, your fringe guys did not step up.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Players to watch in 2011

Luc Castaignos
Striker, 18, Feyenoord
Often compared to Thierry Henry due his graceful, athletic style of play, Castaignos last week committed his future to Inter Milan after emerging as one the world’s most sought-after young strikers. Tall, skilful and speedy, the teenager set a new goalscoring record for the Netherlands’ U-17 side and is Feyenoord’s leading marksman this season.

David de Gea
Goalkeeper, 20, Atletico Madrid
Already firmly established as his club’s No1, De Gea has earned a reputation as arguably the most promising young keeper in world football. Manchester United and Arsenal have both been linked with €17m moves for a youngster likened to Iker Casillas by none other than the Spain captain himself.

Alan Dzagoev
Attacking midfielder, 20, CSKA Moscow
Guus Hiddink made Dzagoev Russia’s youngest-ever outfield player in 2008, lauding him as “a really clever player with the ability to make a killer pass and stretch the play”. Plenty of major clubs across Europe agree, and CSKA Moscow face a battle to hold on to their prize asset.

Youssef El-Arabi
Striker, 23, Caen
Identified as one of Africa’s top emerging stars, the Moroccan striker has been almost single-handedly leading Caen’s battle against relegation this season. Challenging for the Ligue 1 top scorer award in spite of his club’s woes, El-Arabi has been one of the sensations of the 2010/11 campaign and will be well worth watching in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Shinji Kagawa
Attacking midfielder, 21, Borussia Dortmund
Japan have a tradition of producing fine midfielders, and the evidence of the past few months suggests that Kagawa may prove to be their best yet. Since being plucked from Japan’s second tier in August for the modest sum of €350,000, this quick, skilful and tenacious youngster has emerged as one of the Bundesliga’s top performers and is a key player for the Blue Samurai at the AFC Asian Cup.

Jordan Henderson
Midfielder, 20, Sunderland
Composed, athletic and powerful, Henderson has been hailed as “the best young British footballer there is” by his Sunderland manager, Steve Bruce. Fabio Capello also recognised the midfielder’s talent by handing him a first senior England cap in November, while Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed a public interest in prising Henderson from his hometown team.

Mats Hummels
Defender, 22, Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich are already rueing the day they allowed Hummels to move to Dortmund. The centre-half has flourished since swapping the Allianz Arena for the Westfalen, with his intelligence, composure, power and man-marking ability suggesting he is a future stalwart for club and country.

Koo Ja-Cheol
Attacking midfielder, 21, Jeju United
Already emerging as one of the stars of the Asian Cup, Koo seems set to form a long-term partnership with another impressive emerging Korean midfielder, Ki Sung-Yueng. Praised for his skill and versatility by coach Cho Kwang-Rae this week, this talented playmaker looks set for a major breakthrough in 2011.

Erik Lamela
Attacking midfielder, 18, River Plate
Courted by Barcelona and tipped for greatness at the age of just 12, this exciting young playmaker has stayed put in Buenos Aires and is now justifying all that early hype. Blessed with vision, touch and superb passing ability, Lamela has been widely tipped as La Albiceleste’s next sensation.

Lucas
Attacking midfielder, 18, Sao Paulo
Creative genius, flair and dribbling ability have established this attacking midfielder at the forefront of emerging Brazilian talent. Set to thrill at the forthcoming South American U-20 Championship, Lucas is already excelling for Sao Paulo and considered a likely star of this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Romelu Lukaku
Striker, 17, Anderlecht
Lukaku is a true phenomenon. At just 16, already standing 6ft 4ins tall and weighing in at over 14 stone, he became the Belgian top flight's youngest-ever goalscorer. Hailed as ‘the new Didier Drogba’, this pacey and powerful predator is one of the game’s most coveted young stars.

Andrea Ranocchia
Centre-back, 22, Inter Milan
Considered the next in a long line of great Italian defenders, Ranocchia finalised a €12.5m move to the San Siro on 27 December after excelling for Bari, Genoa and Italy’s U-21 side. Having debuted on Sunday, the assured centre-half is set to play a major role in the defence of the European champions’ domestic and continental titles.

Xherdan Shaqiri
Winger or attacking midfielder, 19, Basel
A surprise inclusion in Ottmar Hitzfeld’s FIFA World Cup™ squad, Shaqiri has taken to the international scene like a duck to water. The bigger the stage, the better this skilful and creative Basel midfielder seems to play, memorably scoring his first international goal against England from fully 30 yards before opening his UEFA Champions account in Rome's Olympic Stadium.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Manchester United Set for £95m Quartet Summer Spending Spree With Tottenham, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Everton Raids

Newcastle United Keen On £6m Rated West Bromwich Albion Striker

Liverpool Plot £7m Move for West Bromwich Albion Winger

Chelsea Boss Carlo Ancelotti Linked With Vacant Roma Manager Post as Claudio Ranieri Resigns

Manchester United Plan Summer Bid for £35m Rated Argentine International

Other than Modric none of those buys would elevate our team.

Odemwingie has done well every time I've seen him, he'd be a shrewd buy at that price.

Liverpool will be shopping further up the food chain I imagine.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Ancelotti, if they don't make the top 4 he will surely be sacked.

Pastore? now that is more like it. although I'm not sure in truth if he fits us.

 

[B]

Manchester United Set for £95m Quartet Summer Spending Spree With Tottenham, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Everton Raids

Other than Modric none of those buys would elevate our team.

I like Jordan Henderson quite abit, while I don't think he is the type of player that could join Manchester United & instantly improve them, I think he is more than capable of slotting into the team unnoticed & gradually get better & better. Good eye for a pass, seems to cover alot of ground in matches & often looks calm & collected in possession. That being said he isn't worth anything close to what Sunderland would want for him, which is believed to be in & around £20m... perhaps Ferguson can work the old magic on Steve Bruce & see if they can work out a deal that could benefit both clubs.. say £10m + Darren Gibson?

Jack Rodwell isn't worth half of what Everton want for him & hasn't improved anywhere close to the rate people expected of him as he appeared on the scene.

Liverpool can have Ashley Young.

Manchester United Plan Summer Bid for £35m Rated Argentine International

Pastore? now that is more like it. although I'm not sure in truth if he fits us.

Really looks like hes gonna be a top quality player, he'll need to leave Palermo though to really reach his true potential. Might be another case of the Di Maria's though.. ie 'he looks like a diamond because hes surrounded by coal but then when you put him with the other diamonds.. he doesn't sparkle as much..'

This analogy was brought to you by B™©

 

[Hunter Rider]

I like Jordan Henderson quite abit, while I don't think he is the type of player that could join Manchester United & instantly improve them, I think he is more than capable of slotting into the team unnoticed & gradually get better & better. Good eye for a pass, seems to cover alot of ground in matches & often looks calm & collected in possession. That being said he isn't worth anything close to what Sunderland would want for him, which is believed to be in & around £20m... perhaps Ferguson can work the old magic on Steve Bruce & see if they can work out a deal that could benefit both clubs.. say £10m + Darren Gibson?

Jack Rodwell isn't worth half of what Everton want for him & hasn't improved anywhere close to the rate people expected of him as he appeared on the scene.

Liverpool can have Ashley Young.

I have seen a lot of Henderson this season and I am just not sold that he's ready for a move yet, he might be better with a couple more seasons where he is.

Rodwell when he first came to prominence looked better than Henderson IMO but injuries have slowed him down, however I think he offers more to work with than Henderson.

Both are currently over-priced because they are English, but I could see one of them replacing Gibson in the summer, however Everton will be easier to buy from as they are in a bad way.

Really looks like hes gonna be a top quality player, he'll need to leave Palermo though to really reach his true potential. Might be another case of the Di Maria's though.. ie 'he looks like a diamond because hes surrounded by coal but then when you put him with the other diamonds.. he doesn't sparkle as much..'

This analogy was brought to you by B™©

Great analogy, but in fairness Palermo have a good side with several quality attacking players, Pastore just stands out that little bit more than the others.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Arsenal interested in move for £3.5m teen Feyenoord defender De Vrij

United hit by Anderson KO blow: Brazilian could be out for two months

EXCLUSIVE: Rodwell eyed by Real as Jose joins Manchester duo in race to Everton star

Liverpool not budging on £11m fee for Aquilani as Juventus prepare bid

 

[Hunter Rider]

Liverpool and Manchester United Plan £18m Celtic Pair Raid

Harry Redknapp To Replace Luka Modric With Blackpool’s Charlie Adam

Newcastle United and Sunderland In Battle for £12m Rated Premier League Winger

Arsenal to Find Defensive Salvation With £12m German International Signing as Relegation Looms

Manchester United Hoping to Steal £6m Dutch Playmaker From Under Inter Milan

Liverpool to Make Move for £8.4m Inter Milan Forward

 

[B]

I have seen a lot of Henderson this season and I am just not sold that he's ready for a move yet, he might be better with a couple more seasons where he is.

This would be my one concern, I fear a move now could hinder his progress as he could find chances at Old Trafford quite limited.. even if Scholes were to retire this season he'd still have to compete with the likes of Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson.. possibly Hargreaves & possibly, but hopefully not, Gibson.

Rodwell when he first came to prominence looked better than Henderson IMO but injuries have slowed him down, however I think he offers more to work with than Henderson.

It's the price Everton supposedly were looking for Rodwell.. I mean you would think for £25-£30m you'd be getting either the hottest footballing prospect going or an established international at a young age at a low club.. but in truth I don't think hes anything special. The English media have badly overhyped him in my view. Hes alright, hes quite versatile young player but he has progressed very little in the past few seasons.. certainly doesn't warrent such a high fee.. particularly because hes quite injury prone as well.

Both are currently over-priced because they are English, but I could see one of them replacing Gibson in the summer, however Everton will be easier to buy from as they are in a bad way.

Either will do, Gibson just isn't good enough in his current state. He needs to up his game & start getting better at distributing the ball & not always look for that 30 yard smash.

Great analogy, but in fairness Palermo have a good side with several quality attacking players, Pastore just stands out that little bit more than the others.

Palermo are decent enough looking at them from afar, but Benfica looked decent enough as well from the outside looking in.

Di Maria has looked pretty average since moving, Ramires has looked out of his depth & Chelsea.. David Luiz could be a decent buy though, looks very relaxed on the ball.. which is something I like in a centre back which is why I like Pique & Ferdinand so much.

 

[B]

United hit by Anderson KO blow: Brazilian could be out for two months

Gutted

He was looking like he was finally making some progress as a player since his last return, but this is another bad setback..

 

[Two-Face]

It was Park now Anderson.