Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 8:45 am  

JWP wrote:

I think moving forward a tad, what we will see is a fairly frantic summer this year for a lot of Premiership clubs, with the World Cup doing what it normally does and muddying the water a bit in regards to transfer activity as there are always over achievers and an influx of their 'stars'.

The way I see it this year, for the first time in what - maybe ever ? I think you'll have all the 'Big Four' on a serious recruitment drive. Ferguson knows they need to spend money, Wenger has woken up, Benitez has banged the drum for ages and by Chelsea not opening contract talks with Anelka, Cole, Ballack & Deco - I see that as Roman realising that Chelsea need to bring the average age of that side down and get fresh blood (I think the CL exit to Inter was the final nail and he made that decision that evening). Throw City into the mix as they'll do what they do, and we should be in for an interesting summer.

Should be a really interesting sub plot to the fiesta of football that we'll all be captivated by.

Liverpool probably aren't in any position to make major acquisitions until the ownership of the club is sorted out.

Man United probably will have a strong recruitment. Especially if they don't manage to win the league. But that will just mean more whinging from the MUST about the debt of the club.

I have no idea what Chelsea will do. A major worry is that Ancelotti has been recruited to do at CFC what he did at AC - maintain an ageing squad on the cheap. Of the 4 players you list, I only want us to keep Anelka.

I am pretty worried that Roman will go out and spend big on a flash-in-the-pan from the World Cup. That would be his style. I don't think the smartest managers recruit from the WC as it's a recipe for disaster. You pay inflated rates for a player based upon International tournament football.

I reckon Citeh will have a bunch of targets they want. I also think they'll get involved in every deal the CFC/LFC/MU are involved with to drive up the costs for them.

I would love it, love it if Citeh bought Joe Cole. The thought of them trying to break into the top sides with Cole, SWP and Bridge is hilarious to me.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:01 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Liverpool probably aren't in any position to make major acquisitions until the ownership of the club is sorted out.

Man United probably will have a strong recruitment. Especially if they don't manage to win the league. But that will just mean more whinging from the MUST about the debt of the club.

I have no idea what Chelsea will do. A major worry is that Ancelotti has been recruited to do at CFC what he did at AC - maintain an ageing squad on the cheap. Of the 4 players you list, I only want us to keep Anelka.

I am pretty worried that Roman will go out and spend big on a flash-in-the-pan from the World Cup. That would be his style. I don't think the smartest managers recruit from the WC as it's a recipe for disaster. You pay inflated rates for a player based upon International tournament football.

I reckon Citeh will have a bunch of targets they want. I also think they'll get involved in every deal the CFC/LFC/MU are involved with to drive up the costs for them.

I would love it, love it if Citeh bought Joe Cole. The thought of them trying to break into the top sides with Cole, SWP and Bridge is hilarious to me.

Wouldn't disagree with any of that, I think it'll be a really interesting sub-plot this summer, how these five operate in the transfer marker, then you'll have Harry dealing as usual, Villa dipping their toe in the market, Newcastle, Everton etc ..

Joe Cole, jeepers. He's run his race hasn't he, if City do as the papers stated make him the highest paid player in the PL, that's insane. He's a bit-part.

Chelsea are funny one for me, I can't explain what I mean exactly but it's almost as if they need to sort of sacrifice a year to see what they have. They're in the youth cup final, I've seen glimpses of Kakuta, Van Ainholt (sp), Bruma, bits of Sturridge etc, there's obviously talent in the ranks but you just don't get to see enough of them. They certainly need recruitment, without question but they also need to give the younger fellas, like Kakuta more gametime, at the expense of Deco & Ballack who quite simply have contributed little for a while. Essien will be a welcome return.

I think Chelsea will dispense with : Deco, Ballack, J.Cole, Hilario, Bosingwa (I don't think is happy),Anelka (less so - but I wouldn't lose sleep).

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:27 am  

Bosingwa's been injured. Unless he doesn't like England I think he's staying.

Deco and Ballack have probably put in less than 10 decent performances between them.

Joe Cole. My main argument against him was that he was after a lot more money than he's worth. He's supposed to be asking for top money when he's simply not worth it. But as time goes by I'm not really seeing any point in him staying even if he was on reasonable money. He doesn't perform when he starts and he's ineffective off the bench. Kalou is hated by a lot of Chelsea fans, but off the bench he's Cristiano Ronaldo compared to Joe Cole.

Hilario - Just for that Citeh game he deserves the door.

Anelka should be kept. He doesn't work well with Drogba, but if Droba's not working out, like yesterday, then Anelka should be in his place.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:56 am  

I think Chelski should keep Hilarious

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:21 am  

I don't think this will happen. I don't think it should happen. I don't want this to happen.

But it would be so funny if the scousers rolled over for us in the way that Dave Whelan and Alan Curbishley rolled over for Man United.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:54 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Liverpool probably aren't in any position to make major acquisitions until the ownership of the club is sorted out.

Man United probably will have a strong recruitment. Especially if they don't manage to win the league. But that will just mean more whinging from the MUST about the debt of the club.

I have no idea what Chelsea will do. A major worry is that Ancelotti has been recruited to do at CFC what he did at AC - maintain an ageing squad on the cheap. Of the 4 players you list, I only want us to keep Anelka.

I am pretty worried that Roman will go out and spend big on a flash-in-the-pan from the World Cup. That would be his style. I don't think the smartest managers recruit from the WC as it's a recipe for disaster. You pay inflated rates for a player based upon International tournament football.

I reckon Citeh will have a bunch of targets they want. I also think they'll get involved in every deal the CFC/LFC/MU are involved with to drive up the costs for them.

I would love it, love it if Citeh bought Joe Cole. The thought of them trying to break into the top sides with Cole, SWP and Bridge is hilarious to me.

From what i've seen the yanks are holding out for £800m for Liverpool with garuntees from the new owners to build a new stadium. I can't really see anyone willing to spend 1.3bn on a club that would still need another £120-150m in the squad. One of the lads at work had a text on friday from an LFC who is good mates with an ex player who has told him that it'll come out in the next few weeks that Gerrard has agreed to join Real Madrid

This close season could be a big one for Manchester united i think we need another right back, at least two midfeilders, a winger and another striker with Berba, Neville,Carrick making way. Giggs and Scholes will play a bit part (although if they can play like yesterday every week i'd give them long term deals lol) and hopefully we'll beable to keep Hargreaves fit and Anderson can find some form. I can't think of any RB who we could bring in on the cheap unless we can get Brown fit to play back up too Rafael, i'd love to see Milner come into the midfeild £24m is being banded about or maybe the midfeilder from Bordeaux who's name escapes me atm. Berbatov has been linked with Bayern Munich today and we have already brought in Hernadez who looks a decent player from youtube but it remains to be seen if he'll beable to cope with the premiership. I'd like to see us try and get Benzima but not sure if he'd come and David Silva for the wing.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:37 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

I only saw the second yellow he got. That was a definite booking, so he only has himself to blame even if the first booking was for nothing.

Have to disagree with you there. Contact was minimal and I think it was more a case of the referee losing his patience with Alves for being niggly throughout the game.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:44 pm  

After hearing all week how city are equal/better than Utd 'player for player' how sweet was yesterday?

34 years. Tick tock.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 1:28 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

Have to disagree with you there. Contact was minimal and I think it was more a case of the referee losing his patience with Alves for being niggly throughout the game.

Contact may have been minimal, but he was going to get beat by the player and he made a lunge for him. You don't need a lot of contact to bring someone down when they are running at full speed. He was far enough from goal to have recovered. He deserved the card.

Re: More football chat : Sun Apr 18, 2010 2:23 pm  

Arsenal
That should confirm Latics' top flight status for another year at least.