Football The 2010/2011 Season Thread

[cHodAX]

Can't loan him out right now though; he's needed as cover for Giggs and Nani. Until Valencia is back at least. Also we need to make sure Park is fully fit after the Asia cup.

Well we could, it wouldn't have been ideal but we have some good prospects in the reserves that could fill in during an emergency and Fabio can do a job there too. I don't see what good another 6 months on the bench and playing reserve football is going to do for Obertan, infact I think it probably spells the end for him at Old Trafford and I can't say I blame him as he has enough talent to start every week in France but not enough to get 5 games on the bounce for United.

 

[Vladamir]

Roman's been fleeced, he's signed the wrong Torres!

Fuuuuuuuuuuu

 

[Marc]

nm.

 

[cHodAX]

English players sell..

...and are often highly overrated with many lacking adequate ball skills or a decent range of passing.

Money for old rope I believe the saying is.

 

[Keitanz]

...and are often highly overrated with many lacking adequate ball skills or a decent range of passing.

Money for old rope I believe the saying is.

Like I said, with the new rules supposedly coming in soon, English players will sell for alot more.

 

[cHodAX]

Like I said, with the new rules supposedly coming in soon, English players will sell for alot more.

Better to do what United are doing, bring young talented players like Morrison, Cleverly, Welbeck, Macheda, Fabio and Rafael through as homegrown players to make up your quota and then fill out the rest of the squad with foreign signings at more reasonable prices.

Marc would have let you have Ibramhovic for £20 million.

 

[Vladamir]

TBF Ibra has been tearing it up in Serie A again this year, can't imagine Milan letting him sign elsewhere providing they can pay for his transfer.

 

[cHodAX]

TBF Ibra has been tearing it up in Serie A again this year, can't imagine Milan letting him sign elsewhere providing they can pay for his transfer.

Yeah but will Milan pay? They can hold out for another year and get him for free?

 

[Ch3tan]

The problem is his wages. There is no incentive for Ibra to leave Barca and take a pay cut, when he can stay out on loan or sit on their bench getting paid a fortune for a further year. The Italian clubs can't afford his wages. Barca have royally fucked themselves over financially here.

 

[Vladamir]

According to Wiki it's 24m euro's to purchase him at the end of the season, he might be a **** but he seems to thrive in that league and it'd be a worthwhile investment for sure, but as you say wages are most likely going to be the stumbling block.

 

[Calaen]

Full credit to Pardew; he's not getting involved in mudslinging over Carroll, he's given a neutral view in his press conference which makes Carrolls stance and Newcastle's board stance look silly.

edit:// Ahsley has confirmed to Pardew that they can spend the full £35million, Pardew said they made a few bids yesterday night but where getting quoted silly prices.

They bid for Charles Insomnia!!!

Why they thought a player who wanted to move to a bigger club than Newcastle and went to Wigan would be welcome is beyond me. They also made the bid at 22:53 so I think it was more of a token gesture.

 

[Vae]

Surely you mean Ryan Giggs. Never shagged anyones wife, never went dancing in nightclubs with a broken foot, never dangled the carrot of fucking off to City unless he got a pay raise. Oh and 20 years at the top level of club football and still killing right-backs.

Scholes being another example of a superb player still playing top level football when others his age have long retired. He seems to have a dedicted family life, remains publicity shy and serves as an excellent role model unlike the vast majority of footballers.

 

[Lethul]

No I am not being hard on him at all, I am merely stating that he is relatively unproven and it will take more than half a season to convince me that he is the next big thing. Even then, £35 million is a whole lot of money. He makes Darren Bent look cheap and he cost £8 million more than he is actually worth imo. Am I saying Carroll is not a good player? No definately not, he is good but we haven't seen enough yet to convince me that he is going to be great.

What is the bet Sunderland make a silly bid for Welbeck next too? Another good player with alot of potential but not worth more than £10-12 million at this point. There might be a premium on English talent now but this really has become silly season, when you can buy Van Der Vaart and Ozil for less than Liverpool played for a relatively unproven player. No wonder Fergie said there is no value you in the market, he is 100% right and did we all notice that Arsenal didn't spend either?

As I said I don't think he is worth the price.

But at another hand I think Liverpool was pretty much forced since Torres wanted out, so we _needed_ another nr 9. Thus overpaying, add to the fact that he is english the prices seem to double instantaneously aswell. Lets say he is worth 10 million, last day of transfer window adds 5 probably, nationality adds 5 million probably , age adds 2-3 million, flavour of the season player adds another 5 million. It all adds up!

My biggest concern is, as Calaen said most of his goals came from Barton crosses, and most of his assist came from knockdowns to Nolan from Barton crosses. Liverpool doesn't have a single player able to hit a good cross

I would've liked Insomnia, what is the general feeling about him? Do you think he is any good?

 

[Keitanz]

He is a class player, would have suited us.

 

[Lethul]

Better to do what United are doing, bring young talented players like Morrison, Cleverly, Welbeck, Macheda, Fabio and Rafael through as homegrown players to make up your quota and then fill out the rest of the squad with foreign signings at more reasonable prices.

Marc would have let you have Ibramhovic for £20 million.

I would love Ibra!

Don't forget that signing Ibra equals winning the league

 

[cHodAX]

Scholes being another example of a superb player still playing top level football when others his age have long retired. He seems to have a dedicted family life, remains publicity shy and serves as an excellent role model unlike the vast majority of footballers.

If Scholes didn't have pretty bad asthma I think he would still be one of the top 5 midfielders in the world. The breathing problems combined with his age has taken it's toll a bit and he couldn't manage a 50 game season now because of it. You can see the brain and technique is still there though.

Giggs defies belief in many ways, he can still skin defenders half his age, has great technique and work ethic but is so fit you rarely think about how old he actually is.

 

[cHodAX]

As I said I don't think he is worth the price.

But at another hand I think Liverpool was pretty much forced since Torres wanted out, so we _needed_ another nr 9. Thus overpaying, add to the fact that he is english the prices seem to double instantaneously aswell. Lets say he is worth 10 million, last day of transfer window adds 5 probably, nationality adds 5 million probably , age adds 2-3 million, flavour of the season player adds another 5 million. It all adds up!

My biggest concern is, as Calaen said most of his goals came from Barton crosses, and most of his assist came from knockdowns to Nolan from Barton crosses. Liverpool doesn't have a single player able to hit a good cross

I would've liked Insomnia, what is the general feeling about him? Do you think he is any good?

Torres stitched you up no question, he forced you to have to look for a quick replacement with 2 days notice and so you took a punt on an English player with alot of potential. It might pay off but it is a bigger risk than they should have taken imo.

 

[Marc]

Torres stitched you up no question, he forced you to have to look for a quick replacement with 2 days notice and so you took a punt on an English player with alot of potential. It might pay off but it is a bigger risk than they should have taken imo.

This, he should have been a bigger man and told them at the start of January

 

[leviathane]

Torres stitched you up no question, he forced you to have to look for a quick replacement with 2 days notice and so you took a punt on an English player with alot of potential. It might pay off but it is a bigger risk than they should have taken imo.

i think it's a risk liverpool needed to take, the whole team is a bit stale an new big signings could inject some passion back into them.

 

[Lethul]

This, he should have been a bigger man and told them at the start of January

Yeah, I think that is the biggest problem for me. Why did he wait until the last possible minute so we did not have a good chance of getting a proper replacement (not dissing Carroll tho since he could knock me out with one punch!)

And his choice of club is puzzling as well IMHO, without upsetting megadave or vlad but isn't Chelsea in decline as well? Is it really a big chance of winning the league or CL by going to Chelsea?

 

[Lethul]

i think it's a risk liverpool needed to take, the whole team is a bit stale an new big signings could inject some passion back into them.

Yeah, in a way I think it might work for the better for the club. We had could to accustomed and dependent on one single individual (and when he doesn't play good as this season...)

 

[cHodAX]

i think it's a risk liverpool needed to take, the whole team is a bit stale an new big signings could inject some passion back into them.

They could have gotten better PROVEN ability both up front and on the wings for £35 million given a couple of weeks extra. Yes they needed to freshen things up but what happens if Carroll completely fails at Liverpool? Do they risk having to sell for as low as £15 million in two years time? If Carroll had four top flight seasons under his belt you would say the risk was small but he has half a season and his opponents have yet to figure him out. That is the risk right there, that he can't deliver consistently when under high pressure and with a massive price-tag attached to his name. It has killed better players than him.

 

[cHodAX]

And his choice of club is puzzling as well IMHO, without upsetting megadave or vlad but isn't Chelsea in decline as well? Is it really a big chance of winning the league or CL by going to Chelsea?

To be fair at the moment only two clubs could afford the fee and wages but City just bought Dzeko and so wouldn't have bid until Tevez goes in the summer. Chelsea was the only viable bidder at this time of year.

 

[Vladamir]

Yeah, I think that is the biggest problem for me. Why did he wait until the last possible minute so we did not have a good chance of getting a proper replacement (not dissing Carroll tho since he could knock me out with one punch!)

And his choice of club is puzzling as well IMHO, without upsetting megadave or vlad but isn't Chelsea in decline as well? Is it really a big chance of winning the league or CL by going to Chelsea?

Over one or two games we're as good as anyone on our day, Torres and Luiz only strengthen that argument, it's when you incorporate a 60+ game season that the age of our squad weakens us in comparison to City, United et al.

Abramovich has clearly not lost interest in funding the future of the club, but it remains to be seen how the club will operate when the financial fair play rules are introduced.

 

[leviathane]

can't wait for these financial restrictions tbh.

 

[Embattle]

You also have to understand we are making a lot of assumptions on what he said to them, or what they said to him.

 

[Lethul]

Over one or two games we're as good as anyone on our day, Torres and Luiz only strengthen that argument, it's when you incorporate a 60+ game season that the age of our squad weakens us in comparison to City, United et al.

Abramovich has clearly not lost interest in funding the future of the club, but it remains to be seen how the club will operate when the financial fair play rules are introduced.

I guess Chelsea won't end up in positive number this year

 

[leviathane]

whats the penalty for spending outside means when financial embargo shit hits the fan? exclusion from europe?

 

[Ch3tan]

Yes, if you don't break even over a 3 year period, then you cannot compete in the champs league or europa league. Which = massive loss of income.

 

[Vladamir]

This is all i could find from an old guardian article;

It is understood that clubs must not return losses of more then €45m (£38m) for the 2012-15 period. After 2015 clubs are given a leeway of €30m (£26m) for three-year losses after which the figure will be reduced still further.

Clubs that breach the rules will not be granted a Uefa club licence to take part in European competitions.

Uefa approves financial fair play rules for European clubs | Football | The Guardian