Discussion The Football/Soccer Thread

[Imperium]

Yea, Keane strengthened sunderland a lot. He got some good players from Tottenham, and he is hoping for a top ten finish. But its going to be difficult. There are some very good teams to get past.

England is playing on the 20th against the Czech's. It will be interesting to see how we do...hopefully becks doesnt play, and some playing time is given to the youngsters.

 

[Mendes]

Portugal will be playing with the Faroé Islands on wednsday. Its Queiroz's first match and the new is... no Ricardo xD Finally we'll have a competent goalkeeper

In Spain, the supercup between Valencia (cup winner) and Real Madrid (league winner) had a 3-2 for Valencia 1st hand result in Mestalla. I guess the second hand will get interesting, with the away goals very important for the decision. Nistelrooy keeps on fire with 2 goals for Real in the 1st official match.

 

[Imperium]

^ Other than his hesitations with crosses and corners, i always thought ricardo was a decent keeper.

We've signed silvestre....i dont know how to feel about it to be honest. (Half of me welcomes his experience and versatility but the other half is saying something along the lines of "GET THAT C*** OUT OF MY CLUB!!!" >.>). He's old, he's injury prone, and he's from the enemy...but i suppose he is a more attractive option for left back than traore. But please let this not be the signing wenger was speaking of.

And the England match is currently on, 1-1 atm. . 2-1 to the czechs, a good free-kick. And it also seems Italy is losing to austria 2-1.

Edit: Oh, god, he's been given cygans old number...i hope that isnt a sign of things to come.

 

[Lohnt]

So Rivaldo is leaving us and going to Uzbekistan, to that team that wanted Eto..
My club has seen better days, our president is also stepping down.

So how many days are left for Chelsey to buy Robinho? It seems like Real are finally willing to let him go, and they should, they treated him like trash.

---

By the way, are there any news for Katsouranis to transfer out of Benfica? Because we're not getting a lot of news about him anymore here.

 

[Ichimaru Gin n Tonic]

There's no further news about Katsouranis moving out of Benfica. Is he still in trouble for his fight with Luisao?

AC Milan just completed the signing of their former star Andriy Shevchenko. Milan is also getting Philippe Senderos from Arsenal on a one year loan deal.

Dimitar Berbatov have been given the permission to move from Tottenham Hotspur. Where will he go? We'll have to wait.

Galatasaray managed to sign Milan Baros from Lyon on a three year contract.

 

[Mendes]

Katsouranis seems to have been convinced to stay at benfica. Its a huge player, but he's being playing at center back due to benfica's injury problem in that position. I guess things with his team mates have settled down.

Shevchenko is going back home to Milan. Lets see if he can revive his career. As for Berbatov, I'm pretty sure he'll go to manchester. Fergunson was relishing to get a striker like him or Villa among some others, and I see Berbatov as the main transfer in the premiership if he is to leave for the red devils.

I was also surprised with Senderos loan to Milan. I thought he was to be a 1st team regular for Arsenal, but I guess Touré's being played at his spot. I dunno how wise was this loan, as Arsenal's not particularly full of competent center backs imo.

Quaresma is being brought again for Inter Milan. I think he'll leave. Porto's not calling him up to the official matches (not even in the friendly ones) and Quaresma should have his initial transfer value (40M€) reduced to an acceptable level, or at least have it reduced with a change player. I'd love to see Pélé, the portuguese defensive midfielder, at Porto. Since we lost Paulo Assunçao we dont have any classy defensive midfielder. We could use a winger as well

 

[Ichimaru Gin n Tonic]

Sheva just need starting position for him to shine. He didnt get much playing for Chelsea, they usually opted for Drogba as their target man. I'm also curious about the shirt number for Sheva, since #7 and #21 is now assigned to other players (Pato and Pirlo).

Arsenal got a lot of good young players. I don't think Wenger will just loan out Senderos if he doesnt have any backup for the defender position.

 

[rtyd1]

Shevchenko is apparently going to wear the number 76 because its the year he was born, some reports say Pato has agreed to give up the number 7 to Sheva.
Not too happy about the Senderos move since he's so error prone for Arsenal and i'm sure there glad to get rid of him. But you know Serie A is played at a much slower tempo than the Premiership and that may suit him

 

[goldb]

yeah, but arsene wenger is pissing me off a bit to be quite honest, every year arsenal get a lot of money to spend in the transfer windows and he chooses to only spent like £20 million? yes we do have a lot of good young players, but that's the thing they are young and so they don't have a lot of experience.it's good loaning them out to get that experience, but we need players who have been there and done it and know how to win a football game. right now Arsenal need to strengthen the midfield and defence because any of hope of winning trophies depend on it...

I have to say right now Deco is looking like the biggest coup of the summer, the ways he's been playing the last two games has been amazing. he's the kinda player I wished arsenal got, we should have got him from Barca when we decided to sell Hleb( why did they sell Hleb?) because he's a very smart player...we should try and get Xabi Alonso and Gareth Barry, Ricardo Quaresma/Diego, it's not like we don't have the money to prize them away from their clubs, but i think the years which players opted for Arsenal instead of other clubs are coming to an end...if they're not careful...

 

[ikcud]

I think Arsenal is trying to find youth within the team for the long run. But then I think it's pretty stupid because, they can always leave the club from undisrupted arguments. Not 'all' will be faithful to the club. Seriously, what matter's is the quality of the player which can bring up the club with trophies. But I do really like Walcot and Nasri.

I think Chelsea gonna bag alot of things this year, they are flying.

 

[Lohnt]

Group H rocks, holy crap it rocks, too bad Atletico couldn't be in it I looked at the 3 remaining and I was like "HOLY SHIT ATLETICO" then I realized Real is also Spanish lol, but still, that group is amazing makes me drool just thinking of it.

 

[goldb]

Arsenal got a good group, we should qualify without too much problems...with the only trouble coming at Porto away...

here's the list of the groups:

Group A
CHELSEA
Roma
Bordeaux
CFR Cluj

Group B
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Panathinaikos
Anorthosis Famagusta

Group C
Barcelona
Sporting Lisbon
Basel
Shakhtar Donetsk

Group D
LIVERPOOL
PSV Eindhoven
Marseille
Atletico Madrid

Group E
MAN UTD
Villarreal
Celtic
Aalborg

Group F
Lyon
Bayern Munich
Steaua Bucharest
Fiorentina

Group G
ARSENAL
Porto
Fenerbahce
Dynamo Kiev

Group H
Real Madrid
Juventus
Zenit St Petersburg
Bate Borisov

*capital denotes british teams...

 

[Mendes]

We'll meet again, Arsenal fans! Both Porto and Fenerbahce seem equally matched for the 2nd spot in that group. Dinamo's always a tough team to deal with, specially on Russia's icy winter.

I look forward to watch group H, the closest to a 'death group' this year imo. Juve's back and Zenit reinforced the team that won them the UEFA cup. Borisov just met their doom...

My bet for the next round:
A: chelsea, roma
B:Inter, bremen
C:Barça, sporting
D: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool
E:Man Utd, Vilarreal
F:Bayern, Fiorentina
G:Arsenal, Porto
H: Real Madrid, Juve

 

[ikcud]

I still think d is kinda undecided. I haven't liked how liverpool won their last couples of games on the trot.

 

[Mendes]

Yeah that's about the most balanced group, but we know that Liverpool ends up on a roll in CL every time.

David Suazo joined Benfica... Ok, now I'm scared. They already bought Reyes, Aimar and now Suazo, among others. This'll be a tough league!

 

[Pirulito]

I think we can see surprises in group H.

My bet is the same as Mendes's bet, except in group G. I hope for Porto and Fenerbahçe though Arsenal is a great team.

 

[rtyd1]

I think Zenit will have a good chance after seeing them play Man U. They have shown even without Arshavin there a good team and signing Danny Alves as his replacement was a good idea too if he does leave. Juve arent that great and could be exposed since they lack world class defenders and midfielders

 

[Lohnt]

Just with Manchester? The massacre of Bayern last year? The Uefa cup? Russia's performance in the Euro.

Zenit is going through to the next round, I would bet money on it, in fact I think I will.

 

[Imperium]

Our group is quite hard, fernabahce and kiev will be tricky away. And porto is a world class, its hard but not impossible. But at least its not as hard as the other groups.

And as for my predictions.
A: chelsea, roma
B:Inter, bremen
C:Barça, sporting
D: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool
E:Man Utd, Celtic
F:Lyon, Bayern
G:Arsenal, Porto
H: Real Madrid, Zenit

he's the kinda player I wished arsenal got, we should have got him from Barca when we decided to sell Hleb( why did they sell Hleb?) because he's a very smart player...we should try and get Xabi Alonso and Gareth Barry, Ricardo Quaresma/Diego, it's not like we don't have the money to prize them away from their clubs, but i think the years which players opted for Arsenal instead of other clubs are coming to an end...if they're not careful...

The only player we really need is a defensive mid. And Arsenal do not need diego or deco, because they mainly play in the same position as fabregas (through the centre). It would mean changing our formation to suit them, or dropping them on the bench (As I doubt they could displace fabregas). And its pointless paying a lot of money to have a player sit on the bench.

Buying Barry i believe would be stupid, we need a out-and-out defensive midfielder and he is not one. Then you would have the problems of wether or not he would fit into our playing style, Villa and England are not top drawer passing teams, so he might not gel with our style. Xabi on the other hand, is a player i really want arsenal to get, he could play as a holding midfielder and he is a very good passer. But we might not get him since he is cup tied. Quaresma we cant get since he has joined inter

As for the sale of hleb, i actually applaud it. He was an excellent player but he was also what was wrong with us last season. We created chances but we didnt put them away, beautiful football but no end product. Our Midfield lacked goals. Only fabregas and rosicky (and sometimes flamini) would shoot. Hleb faced with an open goal would probably try to pass the ball =/ And the stats dont lie, he only scored 5 goals and assited 8 in 42 appearences. Nasri in only two home games has already scored twice. Flamini though was a HUGE loss...

and btw, isnt celtic a brittish team xDDDD

 

[Mendes]

Zenit sure is surprising with a victory in the Supercup over United. I'm not currently watching matches (non-football vacations :P) but I read they played very well and bought Danny for some impressive 30M€. I wasnt expecting that transfer between rival teams. He's on a roll and a new asset for the portuguese squad.
Still Î couldnt bet on them on a group with the super favorites Real Madrid and the former colossal Juve. I can actually see Juve on the latest stages of the CL as one of the favorites. One thing's for sure, it'll be the toughest group and the best to watch. I doubt BATE Borisov will even manage a single point in this group. Better luck for them next year...

The transfer market is off and Porto eventually sold Quaresma at the last minutes, by 18M€ (can reach 26M€ in 2 years from now I think) and we got ourselves their portuguese under 21 defensive midfielder, Pélé. Its a player I really enjoy and his talent and potential is huge. Lets see if he lives up to his expectations. He's replacing one of our best defensive midfielders ever, Paulo Assunção so its not an easy task. We ended not reinforcing the winger position that Quaresma left open... Lets see if the youngsters for that spot can shine. I dont see Porto stronger than last year. I think its about the same. Our most influent player, Quaresma, left, but we hired Christian Rodriguez for that position (former rival Benfica's best player last season xD) and so far he's being brilliant. Pele's on for Assunçao and the new striker, Hulk, is interesting. The side backs changed and I think we're weaker without Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea) at the right side.

Anyways... can someone tell me watta hell is City's new boss thinking? I heard the guy has 10 times the money Abramovic has, and he's willing to spend it all on his team in order to hire a team like those you only see in football managing games for pc... I only heard he spoke of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fabregas and Torres to join Robinho in January and he was convinced of it! Each of these player's transfer would mean a record transfer but the guy seem determined to build the strongest team of the world from almost scratch... and City already has a very good team