2010/2011 UK Football Season Thread

[Cuchulainn]

Now that the annoying international competition is out of the way, (at least until the Euro 2012 qualifiers start, where Ireland yet again won't qualify) the greatest football around starts soon. CLUB FOOTBALL. Why is it so great? Unlike international football where you can only play together with others by an accident of birth, in club football you truly can get the greatest players in the world playing alongside each other. They also play together more often which means in club football, you see the best football can offer.

In that capacity you must decide which LEAGUE is the best. There are a few decent leagues with decent teams, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal, Russia & England. Of that group probably 3 are the best (England, Italy & Spain) with maybe France, Russia & Portugal popping in now & then for sandwiches.

Of that top three you have the eternally corrupt Italian league which champions of League & Europe (Internazionale) consist of.....NO Italians in their team. Then you have Spain, a good league no doubt, but a league where you eternally have 20 teams in the Primera División of La Liga all playing the exact same way with varying degrees of success pending on the skill levels therein. Decent games show up but inevitably you're left with the same thought...I knew they'd win.

Last is the EPL, the English Premier League. The King, the daddy, the unrivalled. Nowhere else in the world do you see the excitement, the drive, the fouls, the spite & envy, the 5pm kick offs in Bolton in winter, the Andy Gray Final Thought, the Match of the Day theme tune, the Fergie Time, the Scouser Whine, the Chelski's, the Gooners, the Hammers, the Yids, The Bitter Blues of Liverpool AND Manchester, Mancini's scarves, Roy Hodgeson's inability to say 'R', Wenger moaning, Spurs fans unrealistic ambitions, Newcastle barcodes, Liver Birds, Red Devils, The Kop, The Stretford End, The Gladys Street End, The Council House, The Birmingham Yo-Yo Clubs, a trip to Blackpool, a trip to the Cottage. We have been blessed people. We have been blessed with the greatest sport in the world played in the greatest league competition in the world. Liverpool fans can look away but on top of that. We have the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, the utopia of club football. The greatest Club competition on the planet and I cannot wait. August 15th people. Set your alarms.


Why set a post up now? Why it's the Transfer Season Of Course!!!!! Out with the chaff, in with the new. Who are we getting? Who are we losing???

It starts here.

[charliepanayi]

I bet La Liga doesn't have a Stoke City in it at least.

[Crop]

I liked the title of last seasons thread.
And I like international football.

[Old Manus]

Get that dreadful 'EPL' stain off the thread title and we'll talk. Don't make me start my very own Championship/Swansea City thread which will comprise of myself stringing so many posts together it will look like a blog.

[Loony BoB]

With the World Cup over and pre-season games about to begin, I think now is as good a time as any to start the 2010/2011 season thread.

So, who's gonna win what this season? Think City will be spending big on a massive amount more players than they already have? Who should that club buy, who should that club sell? Yadda yadd yadda. What do you think will happen with the Premier League (or Swansea) this season?

<hr />Oh, you guys already started a thread but with an atrocious abomination of "EPL Season" in it. Oops. Oh well, I'll just merge them and use the proper name for the thread. :p

[charliepanayi]

Maybe put up a poll asking who will win the league - Man Utd/Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool/Man City/Spurs/Blackpool/Other (OK so only two of those have a chance...).

Who will win the league? Chelsea
How much money will Arsenal get for Fabregas? About £35 million
How many players will Arsenal buy with the money? None
How will Arsenal do this year? 3rd/4th, we're in permanent stasis!

[Vagrant]

I can't wait for the season to start. As for which are the best leagues, I've got a real soft spot for the Championship here in England. As a Wolves fan I've had to spend too long desperately hoping for promotion to the Premier League, and winning the playoffs a few years ago felt loads better than actually winning the league in 08/09. I'm a huge fan of the playoffs for the excitement and depression of getting so close to the 'promised land'.

Needless to say I pray to God we never have to play in that league again. Come on Wolves!

[Psychotic]

ROY HODGSON

[Loony BoB]

Damn you lot for getting a manager that I respect. It won't be nearly as easy making fun of Liverpool (and feeling the rivalry with Liverpool) without Rafa.

[Crop]

Damn you lot for getting a manager that I respect. It won't be nearly as easy making fun of Liverpool (and feeling the rivalry with Liverpool) without Rafa.

I'll still get the warm 'Liverpool loss' feeling I get when Liverpool lose to Arsenal on their first game though.

[Carnage-]

Personally, I find the EPL a bit overrated. I'll be cheering for Man City but I'm going to be watching a bunch of other leagues, and my teams for them as follows so far are:

Russian: CSKA Moscow
Netherlands: Ajax
Italian: Inter
Spanish: Valencia

All I plan on so far. I'll also be watching some J. League and other underrated leagues too. :P

[Cuchulainn]

Personally, I find the EPL a bit overrated. I'll be cheering for Man City but I'm going to be watching a bunch of other leagues, and my teams for them as follows so far are:

Russian: CSKA Moscow
Netherlands: Ajax
Italian: Inter
Spanish: Valencia

All I plan on so far. I'll also be watching some J. League and other underrated leagues too. :P

A card carrying, stereotypical, pantie waving gloryhunter.

[Cuchulainn]

United's new kit's released, looks pretty decent.

New home kit unveiled - Manchester United Official Web Site (http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BF9E570E6%2D407E%2D44BC%2D800F%2D4A3110258114%7D&newsid=6650712)

WADDAYATHINK

[Loony BoB]

'salright, but then most kits are these days. Despite everyone not liking it at the start of last season, I for one miss the lack of black 'V' already, I gotta say.

[Cuchulainn]

NO! BAD LOONEYBOBBERT! That chevron was a rank of failure. It had to change.

[Crop]

Yeah,I think it was leaked a month ago or something and I saw it then. It looks good, I like the collar and the 'old' feel they were going for. I'll buy one if I can get it on the cheap.

[Rocket Edge]

I like it, but I too thought the black V was pretty neat. Chances are any United top will look decent in my eyes because of the blood red used. I always thought Liverpool's & Arsenal's red was slightly sickening looking.

[The Shoeless Hobo]

ROY HODGSON

Stand up for Roy Hodgson!

..Why did he have to leave Fulham, along with Schwarzer. We have no hope now. :(

[DK]

As a Wolves fan

hahaahahahhshahahahahahahabshhaahhbsajkhbsaashbhahahahahahahahflehhehHhhHAHAHAHAHahahahahah holy shiet these things actually exist, someone call national geographic or david attenborough or something

on a serious note, pretty heartbroken that neckless craig is likely to be buggering off, he is a hero. Not entirely pleased with the signing of Yaya Toure either, giant ponce that he is. David Silva should be alright though. Hope Lescott breaks both his legs and stays out for the entire season, he's a giant waste of space. Spurs can fuck off as well, if Micah has to go (which I'd rather he didn't) then I am not having him go to Spurs. Can't sympathize much with Arsenal fans but Spurs are a bunch of filthy turds, I can agree with them on that much.

Will be interested to see what happens with our Keeper situation, would prefer we kept Hart rather than Given, love Shay but Hart is one for the future and there's no way both are gonna stay this season. Much as I love him probably about time we got rid of Shaun as well, getting on a bit now.

Not liking Mancini's new haircut either, gone from being a suave as hell italian to looking like he should be driving a taxi. Probably will be if we're lower than 4th after 10 games, dodgy owner bastards.

[Rocket Edge]

So Joe Cole is gone to Liverpool. Their team is shaping up to be pretty decent with that guy Jovanovic in there too.

Please oh please United bid for Ozil!

[Psychotic]

Yeah Liverpool will be pretty decent with no Torres and Mascherano!

...

ROY HODGSON

NUDE

[charliepanayi]

Farewell Eduardo :(

Fabregas saga has long gone past the point of boring now. Can we just try to take the mick and sell him to Real Madrid instead?

Shame Martin Jol isn't returning to the Premiership.

[Cuchulainn]

Vidic signed a new contract. Real can fuck right off.

[Rocket Edge]

I predict Vida to have a monster of a season again like he did in 08/09 now that there's no uncertainty over his future.

[Psychotic]

I have to tell you all something VERY IMPORTANT.

Last night I had a dream that Ryan Giggs had a new hairstyle. A blonde ponytail. Yes, just like Voronin's. And it was the best thing I have ever seen, and I think we can all agree that this needs to come true.

also wow, it's August and we still have Torres and Mascherano on the books. I can live in ignorant bliss for a while longer.

[charliepanayi]

What I've learnt from Arsenal's games this weekend - we can't kill games off and can't defend set pieces very well. It's like a totally different Arsenal this season!

[Psychotic]

Sounds a lot like Liverpool, who are apparently being bought by some Chinese fella. Said Chinese fella is in league with all the state-run businesses, and apparently this means Liverpool's transfer funds would be limitless because we would essentially be backed by the entire nation of China.

BOY, THIS IS GOING TO END WELL!!!!

Still, we're already fucked to kingdom come financially already with these two Americans in charge, may as well postpone our inevitable Leeds/Portsmouth style decline for a few more years.

[Loony BoB]

That's a pretty damned good way to crack into the Chinese market, to be fair.

[Psychotic]

Can't we just sign Dong Fangzhuo and be done with it?

[Loony BoB]

Scored 0 goals since 2006. Poor guy.

[champagne supernova]

Manchester United are definitely going to win the Premier League this season with our star signings of, um, Hernandez & Smalling. Yes, we can finally match the star power of Bendtner and Lucas.

In all seriousness, this league season could be quite tight. United are a year older (which may or may not be a good thing) but Chelsea are also a year older (which is a bad thing). That new Scouser winger from Serbia is looking good, so maybe they'll make a comeback. Spurs are still good. City are obviously a threat. Arsenal, assuming they keep hold of Fabregas, are also a year older and that Chamakh guy might be a quality signing. Although they still need defenders. Badly.

[Drift]

Arsenal's friendly with Chamakh starting was diabolically good. another good signing by wenger!

[Loony BoB]

Manchester United are definitely going to win the Premier League this season with our star signings of, um, Hernandez & Smalling. Yes, we can finally match the star power of Bendtner and Lucas.
To be fair, Hernandez does look pretty awesome so far - hopefully he'll delivery against PL teams, too.

[Rocket Edge]

Hernandez does look quality.

The way Wenger lines his team up is the real problem behind their defense I think. They lead a high line and are so susceptible to counter attacks, because no one really protects their back four.

To be fair, I only see United winning the PL this season. Alot went against us last season. The two fixtures against Chelsea robbed us with bad decisions, and we were missing our back four for a sizable amount of the season. Still, I don't think aging will be the demise of the Chelsea team. The likes of Lampard & Drogba only seem to get better with it.

[Loony BoB]

I hope United win, but I tend to not get my hopes up. We still lack a proven dual strike force at the moment and it remains to be seen if any of our seven strikers (probably five or six once the loans are made) will gel together well enough. Likewise, it remains to be seen if the likes of Carrick or Anderson will step up to bolster our midfield when the likes of Scholes/Fletch aren't fit. I'm not sure if Scholes and Giggs will last the full season (but then they've surprised me before!), either.

[champagne supernova]

I wasn't being particularly serious about Hernandez. That goal he scored against Argentina was a cracker. But I would like United to sign some proven talent and not more young talent.

I think Anderson has what it takes and hopefully Carrick wakes up this season. Hargreaves should hopefully come back some time, which will be a fantastic boost to United. The left-flank is worrying again though, as Nani doesn't play to his best there and Giggs has some serious mileage on those legs.

[Loony BoB]

To be fair to United, they have always had a policy of buying young talent and on the rare occasions proven talent is purchased (and proven is a very debatable thing - is "prolific in the Netherlands" really the same as "proven"?) then roughly half of them end up being flops. Who are our recent proven signings? Berbatov? Carrick? Hargreaves?

Obertan has, in the games I've watched, been pretty impressive on the left flank and Park isn't half bad there either, and I definitely think that if you want to start both Nani and Valencia that Nani is definitely capable of creating a goal or two in a match if he's playing to the levels he did late last season, even from the left wing. It'd be nice to get an out-and-out left winger on the left, but I don't know if there is much talent on that flank which is available and, er, "proven" there.

[Psychotic]

Alot went against us last season. Pff, you think you had bad luck last season?

Two words: Beach ball. :p

[Old Manus]

I hear it once belonged to Dimitar Berbatov, where it learned its trade

[Old Manus]

DAT GOAL

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v491/oldmanus/8fc2961c.gif

[DK]

Hernandez is a badman, I hope he does well apart from against us. just look at that gif, that is the best diving header you will ever see in your lifetime.

[Old Manus]

You have to consider the fact that if it wasn't for the ball hitting his face, that would have been the most amazing miss the Premiership has ever seen.

[champagne supernova]

And Martin O'Neill has decided enough is enough and left. Villa are going to be a train wreck this season.

[Loony BoB]

Wonder where he'll go next.

[Psychotic]

I wonder who it is that is being sold that's pushed him over the edge. Milner? Ashley Young? EMILE HESKEY TO LIVERPOOL???? (please!!!!!)

Still, glad he did this now rather than when Rafa got sacked. I sure as fuck would not want him as manager of Liverpool.

[Rocket Edge]

Why not? He moved mountains for Villa, and made them the team they are today.

[champagne supernova]

O'Neill = awesome. Villa = fail. Hopefully he remains unemployed for a few years so he can take over from Ferguson. Well, him or Mourinho (who is apparently the heir-apparent).

[Psychotic]

Why not? He moved mountains for Villa, and made them the team they are today.Ehhhh, I don't think he achieved that much at Villa to be honest.

[Loony BoB]

I think he's a quality manager who could bring any club with the right mentality into European football, although I'm not sure he's of the calibre to make a title chaser out of those kind of clubs. He did give them consecutive top-six finishes in the past three years, which is more than Rafa can say. I'd say O'neill and Rafa are similarish in quality - when you take into account their records in British football and the money available to them.

[Psychotic]

Benitez has one :bou::bou::bou::bou:ty season full of bad luck and injuries and suddenly everyone starts saying he's a terrible manager. He's not. He's a fantastic manager, achieved great things at both Valencia and Liverpool, and that's why the European Champions snapped him up the second we let him go.

Benitez is a totally different class to O'Neill. And I think he's a better manager than Roy Hodgson too, tbqh.

[Loony BoB]

He spent untold amounts on players that he couldn't get anything out of, spent more than United have per season easily (closer to Chelsea actually) but overall just couldn't build a solid squad. I'm talking about British football, as mentioned in my earlier post, rather than European football. I'm sure he'll do well with Inter, but then I'm sure that most managers would do well with Inter in all honesty. They're an established winning side.

I think O'neill would have done just as well with Liverpool as Rafa Benitez did, that's all I'm saying. I'm not saying that O'neill would do as well as Rafa would have with Valencia or will with Inter, but I am saying that for Liverpool, Rafa didn't show much quality.

I'm not talking one season, either. How can you justify him spending quarter of a billion pound and ending up with the side he finished with? United had "one :bou::bou::bou::bou:ty season season full of bad luck and injuries" and still managed to finish second. :p Probably had more injuries than Liverpool did, too, what with Carrick/Evra/Fletcher playing as a back three against Fulham and all.

Admittedly Martin spent only one million per season less than Rafa did however it should be noted that his spending actually paid off.

Aston Villa
2005-06: 16th - O'neill joins at start of next season.
2006-07: 11th
2007-08: 6th
2008-09: 6th
2009-10: 6th

Liverpool
2003-04: 4th - Benitez joins at start of next season.
2004-05: 5th
2005-06: 3rd
2006-07: 3rd
2007-08: 4th
2008-09: 2nd
2009-10: 7th

[Psychotic]

I was going to go through this point by point and make rebuttals including points tallies, win percentages and cup records and how liverpool had to actually play injured players in some games and whatnot, but I looked at what I typed, and realised I think I can do it a lot better like this:

Admittedly Martin spent only one million per season less than Rafa did however it should be noted that his spending actually paid off.

Aston Villa
2005-06: 16th - O'neill joins at start of next season.
2006-07: 11th
2007-08: 6th
2008-09: 6th
2009-10: 6th

Liverpool
2003-04: 4th - Benitez joins at start of next season.
2004-05: 5th
2005-06: 3rd
2006-07: 3rd
2007-08: 4th
2008-09: 2nd
2009-10: 7th
<img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/1093.gif" height=150 width=125>

I think the key difference is that Rafa used to regularly take the piss out of and beat Man United and O'Neill didn't. :greenie:

[Old Manus]

In other news, the Swans absolutely smash their previous transfer fee record buying proven talent Scott Sinclair for a monstrous...£1million. WE CHAMPIONSHIP NOW

[Psychotic]

That's a good buy, but unfortunately Cardiff got Jason Koumas. Check and mate.

[Loony BoB]

I was going to go through this point by point and make rebuttals including points tallies, win percentages and cup records and how liverpool had to actually play injured players in some games and whatnot, but I looked at what I typed, and realised I think I can do it a lot better like this:

Admittedly Martin spent only one million per season less than Rafa did however it should be noted that his spending actually paid off.

Aston Villa
2005-06: 16th - O'neill joins at start of next season.
2006-07: 11th
2007-08: 6th
2008-09: 6th
2009-10: 6th

Liverpool
2003-04: 4th - Benitez joins at start of next season.
2004-05: 5th
2005-06: 3rd
2006-07: 3rd
2007-08: 4th
2008-09: 2nd
2009-10: 7th
<img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/1093.gif" height=150 width=125>

I think the key difference is that Rafa used to regularly take the piss out of and beat Man United and O'Neill didn't. :greenie:
O'neill took a side up 10 places, Rafa in the same time took his side to... exactly the same place. He got 2nd the next season which wasn't bad, but at the same time considering the club was finishing 4th before he joined it wasn't exactly a dramatic improvement. Rafa's purchases rarely paid off and when he lost a player he wanted to keep (Alonso), he couldn't adjust.

Rafa took the piss out of Manchester United? I wasn't even aware Rafa knew how to put a joke together at all. He certainly couldn't take them. He did beat Liverpool every now and then, sure, but Aston Villa did beat us as well.

The guys at work - none of which like United (and they don't like Celtic either, so have no bias towards Martin O'neill at all) - agree with me in my theory that Martin O'neill would have done better for Liverpool than Rafa did but they also agree that Rafa is still a better manager when managing European clubs. Just not English ones.

But it's okay, Liverpool supporters are allowed to think Rafa is amazing because it seems to make them feel better. I know that many other Manchester United fans as well as myself would have preferred that Rafa continue to be in charge for many seasons to come, but it seems that we have to put up with the rivals having a manager that has the potential to win the PL now.

[Psychotic]

Why would losing a manager who I think is good make me feel better? http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/1093.gif

Also look you can criticise Benitez for a lot of things, but I will not hear anything said against his sense of humour. Ambulance for Robben remains one of the best jokes I have heard in football. :colbert:

[Loony BoB]

Ambulance for Robben? I can't find anything to do with that and Rafa. Are you confusing him with someone else? I want to hear a Rafa joke. It's like when Unne cracks out a good one, you never expect it.

[Psychotic]

YouTube - &#x202a;Pepe Reina vs Chelsea Scum&#x202c;&lrm; (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrNafgTYYZQ) go to 1:30ish

This is what he said about it:

"I'm in a hurry, because I must go to the hospital to see how Robben is doing. The incident was so serious that maybe he will be in the hospital for one week. It is crazy. Reina has made a mistake because Robben was talking to him and he touched his face. Maybe he will be in the hospital for three weeks with a broken neck."

Never mind winning the CL, anyone who mocks a ponce like Robben like that is forever a hero to me.

[charliepanayi]

Benitez as a cup competition manager > Benitez as a La Liga manager > Benitez as a Premiership manager

[Psychotic]

hahahahahah Phil Jagielka, that is hilarious. See, this is why we shouldn't pick Everton players for anything. Spain sure as hell didn't win the World Cup by picking Mikel sodding Arteta, after all :greenie:

(I wish Heath was still here, he'd appreciate posts like this)

EDIT: Good to see Stevie G fucking learning some Hungarians. He clearly cares a hell of a lot, which you probably couldn't say for a lot of his team mates.

[Crop]

The best part was when the commentator gave England an 8/10 for beating Hungry 2-1.
What's a 10/10, finally beating the USA?

20/10 for beating Brazil.

[Loony BoB]

In all honesty, that's about right.

EDIT: As in, that's about the rating he'd give.

[Psychotic]

Yeah no, for England, that was an 8/10 performance. They didn't lose or draw! Well done Brave Lions!

[champagne supernova]

And in other news, Man United sign star Portuguese striker Bebe, who nobody has ever heard of before, for 7 million pounds. Apparently we already have 8 strikers on our books before this guy. Might need some help though figuring them all out: Rooney, Berbatov, Diouf, Welbeck, Macheda, Owen, Hernandez...who's number 8?

[Old Manus]

Good, solid England performance, but strictly speaking this is Hungary and it should have been more than 2-1. Bobby Zamora looking sharp up front, he did a hell of a lot more than Rooney. Keiran Gibbs had a good game too.

But the England defence is a shambles. If Hungary actually bothered to push players further up the pitch, they would have scored a few more. The back line was only truly under pressure twice, and the first time Dawson (nightmare debut) cocked it up and it lead to a goal. The second time, once again Hungary slipped through with the easiest of balls, and Gera should have buried it. Glen Johnson is rubbish (sorry Psy), but unfortunately there isn't anybody else to take his position. I can't help thinking that once Terry and Ferdinand retire, we're going to have serious problems.

[Psychotic]

Might need some help though figuring them all out: Rooney, Berbatov, Diouf, Welbeck, Macheda, Owen, Hernandez...who's number 8?Diouf's out on loan anyway isn't he?


Glen Johnson is rubbish (sorry Psy)Get out. :colbert:

He should really just become a winger already.

[champagne supernova]

Glen Johnson is rubbish (sorry Psy)Get out. :colbert:

He should really just become a winger already.

He really should. Defensively rubbish. But England's defence in the future will be awesome. Michah Richards on the right, Jagielka and Dawson in the middle & Gibbs on the left. How can the World Cup not be returning to England in 2014 :p

EDIT: They said 8 on the books, so Diouf still counts even if he is on loan. But we're still missing the 8th guy.

EDIT 2: Apparently Obertan is a striker. Lies, but whatever.

[Cuchulainn]

Bebe is more of an attacking midfielder than a striker to be honest. He was raised in an orphanage and actually played in the homeless worlfd cup. Its a mad story for him.

[Loony BoB]

Pretty sure that they said Bébé will become the 8th guy.

Can't find anything on this guy, not even match reports. This guy is crazy obscure.

[champagne supernova]

All I know is that some Portuguese side signed him a few weeks ago and now we've signed him from them. Portuguese side must have made a mad profit.

No, Sky said we already have 8 strikers on our books.

[Loony BoB]

Sky can get things wrong on occasion. Daniel Taylor of The Guardian - a more reliable source for pretty much everything to do with Manchester United - notes he becomes the eighth striker, rather than us already having eight before Bébé.

Manchester United sign £7.4m Portuguese striker Bebe | Football | The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/11/manchester-united-sign-striker-bebe)

One could possibly argue the case of Joshua King being a striker on our books, too, who is currently on loan at (and scoring for) Preston North End. He's played off the bench for the senior team on a Carling Cup game, after all. :p But I think Sky have just got it wrong, as King isn't really a senior team player just yet, more of an academy/reserves player for now.

[Cuchulainn]

YouTube - Vitória goleou em Freamunde (5-0) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYNyikDrgZ8)

I FOUND THIS


Bébé – or Tiago Manuel Dias Ferreira to give him his full name and letter writers in United’s club shop nightmares – was virtually unknown to an English audience before Manchester United paid an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £7.4m, to sign him.

The 20-year-old forward, who can play on either flank, as a target man or support striker, thus follows a recent trend in young talent Sir Alex Ferguson has mined from Portugal after Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani took the same path.

Raised in an orphanage, Bébé played in matches organised by homeless associations, having spending time on the streets as a youngster. He was spotted by third division Portuguese club Estrela Amadora after impressing for amateur side Loures.

Moving through the youth ranks to the senior side there, the Cacem-born striker attracted the interest of a number of top level clubs in Portugal, as well as a host of European heavyweights including Real Madrid and United.

It was the sharp eye of Ferguson’s former assistant at Old Trafford, Carlos Queiroz, that saw United move for the player, after the Portugal manager tipped off his old friend, but not before Bébé made one final move, which adds an air of mystery to the deal.

Just five weeks ago he signed for Vitoria Guimaraes on a free transfer after Estrela Amadora failed to pay his wages. Though he never made an official appearance for Guimaraes, his form in pre-season only confirmed United’s assessment of the player. So Guimaraes have effectively 'flipped' the player for a quick profit of over £7m.

United's possibly wasteful transfer policy aside, the player does appear to be talented. Bébé scored four goals in his last seven friendly appearances for Guimaraes, with the chronicler of their matches on the club’s website getting more and more animated about the forward's ability with each passing game.

The surprise move sees him become the third signing of the summer at Old Trafford after Chris Smalling from Fulham and Javier Hernández from Chivas de Guadalajara at an outlay of around £25m.

A quick, powerful and technically adroit forward, the 6ft 2in Bébé will bring a physical presence to United’s attack though with Rooney, Hernández, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen and Federico Macheda all vying for places it could be that Ferguson has taken a punt, albeit a very expensive one, on a player for the future

Daily Telegraph

[Psychotic]

Speaking of homeless United players, I am pretty sure Nike promised us this:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/wayne-rooney-caravan.jpg

I demand it to happen already. :colbert:

Also, I, for one, hope Liverpool's new signing repeats this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WrDIMe42Q8) on Sunday. To Fabregas, if at all possible, but I'd settle for Van Persie or Arshavin. :greenie:

[charliepanayi]

Go on Arshavin, be the scourge of Anfield once again!

Oh what the heck, can we just get a draw and run?

[Psychotic]

Can't you and I bicker for a good page or so first?

[charliepanayi]

Well if you want to, do it now, I'm away for three days after tonight ;)

[champagne supernova]

I had the strangest dream last night. In it, Ferguson retired due to ill-health and Martin O'Neill took over the club. I have analysed this and decided that I've been without football for too long and thank goodness the season is starting soon.

[Psychotic]

Well if you want to, do it now, I'm away for three days after tonight ;)Uhh...ah...Arsenal...are bad! At football! Yes!

I have performance anxiety, okay? :colbert:

[Crop]

Speaking of homeless United players, I am pretty sure Nike promised us this:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/wayne-rooney-caravan.jpg

I demand it to happen already. :colbert:


Ahaha, I forgot about that.

I have to avoid everything to do with the Arsenal/Liverpool game on Sunday. My friend is recording it, since he's in work and I'm going over his to watch it in the evening.
I don't think he'll be able to avoid the score in work, but why not give it a try.

[Old Manus]

As much as I want to hate Blackpool for pinching our playoff spot in literally the last game of the season, they still have that 'loveable underdog' appeal. They're beating Wigan at the moment. It's only a matter of time before Martinez and his stolen backroom staff come crawling back down the M4, asking for absolution.

EDIT: LOL 4-0 U MAD LATICS

EDIT2: Jesus, what a day of football. Blackpool top of the Premiership, the Swans style all over Preston, and Hull lose to promoted Millwall in three 4-0 results. I'm sorry I ever left you for cricket :excited:

[Psychotic]

Hahahahaha Blackpool utterly tooled Wigan that is hilarious.

[Old Manus]

Joe Cole confirmed for Chelsea double agent

[Psychotic]

No, Joe Cole is a fucking hero and I could ask no less of any Liverpool player to cripple an Arsenal player on his debut.

Koscielny looks to be an Arsenal player through and through :greenie:

David N'Gog - better than any young French player Wenger has found. What a beast.

[DK]

I wholeheartedly endorse everything in the above post. Especially about Dave, he is a hero.

[charliepanayi]

No, Joe Cole is a smurfing hero and I could ask no less of any Liverpool player to cripple an Arsenal player on his debut.

Koscielny looks to be an Arsenal player through and through :greenie:

David N'Gog - better than any young French player Wenger has found. What a beast.

Shame Reina seems to be taking lessons off the Arsenal keepers though.

[Psychotic]

Yeah that was pretty dire from Pepe. :( Dave should play in goal instead. We can clone him. Every club can have a squad of Daves. We can call it Ngogball.

[Loony BoB]

Only saw the last 8 minutes of the match (well, 13 minutes including injury time) and it was all over the place when I watched, very much end to end football going on. Will say I felt the second yellow given to that Arsenal player was harsh, thought it was just thumped into his arm rather than being a deliberate handball. But about balances with the harshness of the poor pass to Reina by the Liverpool, er, post.

[charliepanayi]

Trashing (ten man) Blackpool at home - watch out the rest of the Premiership! Walcott has clearly found his level, all we need to do is play Blackpool every week and he'll be world class before long.

Chelsea must have bribed the fixture compilers this season - their opening few games are a joke:
West Brom (H)
Wigan (A)
Stoke (H)
West Ham (A)
Blackpool (H) - hilariously Sky are showing this, maybe they want to see the first Premiership game with a ten goal margin of victory.
Man City (A)
Arsenal (H)

Man City apart, those are pretty much no challenge at all!

[Psychotic]

What an extraordinary end to the game that was from the champions, who have started this Premier League campaign by laying down all sorts of markers to the teams that want to take the title away from Stamford Bridge. Two games, 12 goals scored, none conceded - and what's more frightening is they haven't even got into fourth gear yet.

-The BBC.

Brilliant.

[Old Manus]

So in the last two games in which Chelsea and Wigan have played against each other, the aggregate score is...14-0 to the Blues.

I'll see you at the Liberty next year, Roberto.

[charliepanayi]

Wigan last season had to be one of the most Jekyll and Hyde teams ever (their wins over Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal v their complete thrashings by Chelsea, Spurs etc). This season they already just look like Hyde.

[DK]

Great result for us, fun stuff to watch as well. Ratboy Johnson is an absolute beast, made the scousers his prison bitch the entire match. Am extremely offended that Gareth fucking Barry was the man of the match though, how they came to that conclusion I'll never know, did fuck all other than tap in for the first goal. At least 4 5 players much better than him.

Kompany was massive all game, Micah looked tasty, Milner was great. Carlos always Carlos. Hart saved our asses again a couple of times with some great saves. Only negative was Joleon Lescott who is an utter waste of space turd on legs donkey and it depresses me immensely that he is even playing at a higher level than league 2, let alone for my team.

[Psychotic]

Getting rid of your great manager (yes, lonny, spare me the lecture on how your workmates think Rafa is actually a pygmy goat) and replacing him with flavour of the month is never going to end well.

Not really a knee jerk reaction either, we were dire against Arsenal apart from a 20 minute spell, and the less said about Trabzonspor the better. It's like watching England!

We can't rely on poor David Ngog to carry 10 passengers every week.

[charliepanayi]

Conclusions we can obviously draw after two games:

- Chelsea are going to win the league by a mile and be the best team ever
- Man Utd are old and over the hill
- Liverpool are no better than last year
- Theo Walcott is the finished article and will take the Premiership by storm this year
- Wigan and Blackpool are most likely going down

Well OK the last one is probably true anyway...

[Loony BoB]

- Man Utd are old and over the hill
I assume you're confused and mean that Man Utd are too young, since our best performers so far are the eldest players. :p

[charliepanayi]

I never said the stupidly premature conclusions drawn by the press were very logical!

[champagne supernova]

You forgot to mention that Andy Carroll is the saviour of English football.

[Old Manus]

We'll come back to that post at the end of the season

[Crop]

- Chelsea are going to win the league by a mile and be the best team ever


Yeah, after beating the two greatest teams ever to grace football. And by such a mile too!


I didn't really know who to support for that game, but when looking at the result, it just feels good. Especially after the draw yesterday...you can always count on Liverpool to help pick up a Man Utd fan with an excellent game, thanks guys!

[Rocket Edge]

I won't judge Chelsea until their away game with City. Their opening fixtures are hilariously easy.

[Psychotic]

Especially after the draw yesterday...you can always count on Liverpool to help pick up a Man Utd fan with an excellent game, thanks guys!Does it also makes you feel better about David Ngog now being a better striker than Wayne Rooney, or as I like to call him, Michael Owen II? :greenie:

[charliepanayi]

A decent draw for us - we'll lose in the Ukraine (we usually do), but at least we can welcome Eduardo back before he inevitably scores against us. Man Utd and Chelsea look to have OK draws as well. Hopefully Spurs will crash and burn.

[Rocket Edge]

Berbaflop he is no more! Great second goal as well.

[Psychotic]

Why did he have to stop being :bou::bou::bou::bou: now? :colbert:

[charliepanayi]

Chelsea get decent opponents next weekend! It's a miracle!

[Old Manus]

When the other big teams beat West Brom and Wigan (away) 6-0 I'll listen to butthurt comments about Chelsea only being top because they have an easy start

[charliepanayi]

They couldn't have been given an easier opening five fixtures. They'll still win the league probably at a canter this year but I'm already bored about hearing everyone in the papers say how frightening they look based on the season so far.

[Cuchulainn]

When the other big teams beat West Brom and Wigan (away) 6-0 I'll listen to butthurt comments about Chelsea only being top because they have an easy start

They kind of are though. Be honest. I'm not knocking em for it or pulling the old ABU 'Fixture Fix' excuse but they have had a pretty easy opening 4.

[charliepanayi]

If only the results from the last two nights had happened in a competition that matters :(

[Psychotic]

But it's okay, Liverpool supporters are allowed to think Rafa is amazing because it seems to make them feel better. I know that many other Manchester United fans as well as myself would have preferred that Rafa continue to be in charge for many seasons to come, but it seems that we have to put up with the rivals having a manager that has the potential to win the PL now.just want to quote this

like

endlessly

it dulls the pain.

Roy is a nice fella and I always feel bad for thinking he's a bit crap as he's like a lovely old Grandad but god damn it.

[Loony BoB]

He's still playing with Rafa's team, pretty much. Will be interesting to see if he can improve the side over the year (not hard in current position) and then on to the next. I don't know if he's better than Rafa, mind you, but still think that Rafa - in the PL - was poor given his spending record.

[Rocket Edge]

Something is seriously wrong with Liverpool football club. We are in October and they are in the relegation zone with even fixtures played.

[Psychotic]

Championship here we come! I can't wait to smash Doncaster Rovers! :excited:

Oh and don't give me the "it's Rafa's team". Rafa never got this team to 18th :monster:

[SaveOurSeeker]

Robbed by the Arabs today. I can't believe how a team like Man City can play such ugly football against my beloved Toon. Ref was a disgrace and our diamond in the rough now has broken leg. Damn Man City they were a disgrace I was supporting out of the top 6, I now must shame myself and support Man United for the league. I am tempted to get my gun blade out the attic an hunt down the ref, how was there a peno and ours not arrgghh. :mad2:

[SaveOurSeeker]

Championship here we come! I can't wait to smash Doncaster Rovers! :excited:

Oh and don't give me the "it's Rafa's team". Rafa never got this team to 18th :monster:
Don't worry the championship is great. Cheap tickets and the opposing fans are fine as well, except the two welsh clubs. Plymouth congratulated us last season before the game even started and we had to beat them to secure promotion lol

[SaveOurSeeker]

You forgot to mention that Andy Carroll is the saviour of English football.
Howay, thats if he don't get sent down. He is a proper centre forward. Cant wait to see him batter John Terry, if Shola can I am sure AC can

[Old Manus]

*minute of silence for Psychotic*

[charliepanayi]

Presumably the reason this thread has gone so silent of late is Psychotic and I are both too depressed to say anything at all and the Man Utd fans are waiting for their team to get out of their usual slow start to the season.

[The Captain]

As an American and a Yankee fan, I must say, I am very happy that Liverpool are on the brink of being bought by the Red Sox. Despite being our biggest rival, the team is run extremely well and in many ways, the Red Sox echoes much of what Liverpool is/was/can be again. Port-town, crazy loyal fan, years of suffering at the hands of one rival (Yanks), an old ballpark, etc, etc.

Should the sale go through and I would be SHOCKED if somehow Hicks and Gillette won, I believe good things are on the way for the club. We won't be relegated, (seriously, it's barely October), probably won't make top 4 either, but this is a very solid position to be in from this point forward as the Red sox people, as opposed to the current, hopefully soon to be ex-owners, actually want to make the team a solid outfit and not just a profit margin.

I'm looking forward to the club getting sold, getting right and the current owners getting nothing.

Take care all.

[Psychotic]

Well, to be honest, I don't entirely mind this new development. The Red Sox lot can't be any fucking worse than Gillett and Hicks. No, people, they can't be and I need to believe that. :cry:

So many passengers in this Liverpool team right now though. Maxi Rodriguez is a perfect example. The man has been a regular for Argentina for years, but when he pulls on the red shirt, well, honestly I think I could do a better job. Sure, I'd be :bou::bou::bou::bou: on the ball, but at least I'd break someone's legs. Or try and end up breaking my own in a comical fashion, I guess.

[charliepanayi]

I half expected Van de Sar to do a Mission Impossible and pull his face off at the end of the Man Utd game to reveal that he was Almunia in a mask.

[Psychotic]

And he would've gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for that meddling Chris Brunt.

[Psychotic]

Roy Hodgson is a worse LFC manager than Graeme Souness.

I know exactly what I have said. I know it is a very unpleasant thing to say about somebody. But it is true. I am sorry Roy, you are a nice fella but you're out of your depth. The £20m you spent on players was a waste - Poulsen, Konchesky, Mereiles, Jovanovic, Cole (admittedly free!) have certainly not been improvements on what we had when you got here. And you still failed to solve the sodding striker crisis that we've had for a good two seasons. Oh Rafa, you should never have sold Crouch or Keane! But still, I don't get what possible reason on earth Hodgson has for not buying a new striker when he had the time and funds to buy all of those players and also solve the much more important back up keeper crisis...! Tactically, though, that is the biggest fault of all. The football played is just so god damn negative, stifling, boring to watch and ineffective.

Go. Sorry. We can still be friends :(

as for the players, keep Reina, Gerrard and Kyrgiakos, and sell/fire/publically whip/shoot the rest. Especially Maxi Rodriguez.

[Loony BoB]

You think Souness could have got Fulham into Europe, and then to a final? :p

The reason you haven't bought a quality striker is the same reason nobody but Man City, Barcelona and Madrid buy quality strikers these days: Man City, Barcelona and Madrid buy all the quality strikers.

You guys needed Konchesky and Cole purely for "home grown" rules. Don't know about the other guys, though. You don't want Torres anymore? Man, we wanted to buy him for ages.

As for style of football - that's the reason I'm not a Liverpool supporter today. I watched about ten games of Liverpool playing and fell asleep during every one until they played United and my eyes were opened to how 'attractive' football could be. Hooked ever since! But yeah, I can't remember who was in charge at the time I was watching them. *checks* I think it would have been around 2004. So either Houllier or Rafa, around the transition I guess.

[Psychotic]

Just gonna leave these here:
Graeme Souness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Souness#As_a_manager)
Roy Hodgson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Hodgson#Club)

Anyway, we don't even need a quality striker. Just any striker. We have precisely 2 senior strikers on our books. Christ, Marcus Bent or Ade Akinbiyi would've done! Sodding hell, Marlon Harewood was availiable on a free after all - I think he's scored more than Torres has this season...! On the subject on, nah, he may be a bit :bou::bou::bou::bou: right now and need resting for a bit, but hands off Fernando. You've got Wayne Rooney to do his job!

The difference, I guess, between Benitez and Hodgson's sides, is that Benitez's Liverpool tended to really make it difficult for opposition sides when they had the ball. Players like Sissoko and Mascherano would just bomb all over the place trying to block and destroy. Nowadays, I think we seem content to let them come at us and then hoof the ball up from the back if the attack breaks down and it's just egggggh.

[Old Manus]

Well, it appears that the white liquid in my fridge is indeed milk.

[Rocket Edge]

So Rooney wants to leave United.

I'm sorry, but this label's him as a sellout. I bet Rooney looked at a mediocre player like Yaya Toure and seen his 220k a week wages and said, 'I'm one of the best players in this league, if he deserves it, so do I'. This leads me to my point. Money is destroying this game at club level. Any players with a lust for money throw any loyalty with a club out the window when they sense a higher wage-bill is around the corner. The blame can only be half left on the player as you can bet its agent will be feeding him the positives of a mega-money deal into it's clients ear.

It's exactly for this reason I'm feeling sorry for Fergie today. He has made it clear that he has had no argument with Rooney and he is very disapointed with him leaving. For this, I can see every reason why United fans will be outraged for his decision to go. In Ronaldos case, when he left everyone still respected him and his legacy at the club. He made it clear of his intentions and that he always wanted to join Real. Rooney hasn't given one detail about wanting to leave United, only other than to say he wants a 'fresh challenge'. He can't use excuses like 'I want to win trophies', or 'I always supported club X as a boy'. It annoys me because of what he said about United in the past just to suddenly change his decision. He often said he wanted to stay at United for life, and that signing for us was the best thing he'd ever done. Unless you are stupid its easy to see he's off on an earner, because its the only plausible explanation as to why he'd do a U-turn (and don't say it was because he was being dropped recently).

It's a display of a complete lack of respect for everything associated with United. Fergie, the fans, his team-mates, all he has won, everything. Although I am upset about it all I'm adament about where I stand on this debate. Off with him, because Man United certainly doesn't need a sellout among its ranks.

[Psychotic]

Agreed 100% and I'd feel the same about any Liverpool player saying that kind of thing.

Mind you, he did have the whole "Always a blue" thing, so it shouldn't really come as a surprise that he'd do this.

[Rocket Edge]

I thought that was dead and buried when he celebrated a goal for United in front of his old fans xD, but you must be right!

[Crop]

I think you sum up my feelings on this perfectly, Rocket Edge.
Tbh, he could have gone down as another Giggs or Scholes, and I've always loved him. But as soon as you start pulling the :bou::bou::bou::bou: he's doing then it's time to go.
I'm glad Fergie is not bowing to his ridiculous wage increase demand (double to £160,000 wasn't it? AND while off form? What cheek!). I can happily see the back of him and will yip with joy if he goes to Man City and we whoop them with him playing.

[Loony BoB]

Short of a massive apology, I can't see much past him being sold to either Chelsea, City or Madrid now. The middle option being most likely as he'll want to stay in England, but having said that, if Madrid are even close to City's offer then it could end up being Madrid that get him if Rooney is willing to go to the continent to get away from the English media spotlight (at least to some extent).

Oh well. This is the way things go in the football world, and it will remain the case. Players who prefer to stay at one club for life are long gone unless they start at a club who is at the pinnacle - both in wages and trophy contention - throughout their playing years. In other words, players like Messi. If Messi started at Everton, you can be your life he'd have moved, too. Likewise when United are no longer top payers when it comes to wages, players will look elsewhere with a bit of green in the eyes, and if they're young, they'll consider a move a logical option.

Even Giggs and Scholes probably wouldn't have been at one club all their playing years if they had started in, say, Accrington Stanley. But this sort of thing rarely happens these days - big players are spotted at a young age and immediately moved to the top. Even in the cases of Giggs and Scholes, this rang true. Neither were born on Old Trafford's doorstep, after all.

So there are two ways of looking at it. The players have to change, or your club has to change. Will the players change, really? No. You can't get Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney, Ferdinand, you can't get these guys without paying top dollar (or pound, or whatever). So that leaves the club. Can the club change? Yes, the ownership can change and the debt could be paid off in reasonable ways. But will this happen? I'm not so sure, but it largely depends on how soon United head out of the Champion's League and if it comes to that, then we'll see. Until then, if United continue to challenge for titles, the owners won't move. And in my opinion, if we continue to challenge for titles, then I don't have any problem with Rooney, Ronaldo, or anyone. For me, the club is in a good place so long as we continue to be either winning the title or within a few points at the end of the season. Last season? Lost by a point. This season, hopefully a win, but we'll see what happens.

There will always be transitional periods where new sides are developed by Fergie or any manager. I just think in this case it's a suckerpunch that Rooney was being designed as the primary figure in the next big side for United.

Mourinho thinks he'll stay regardless, but one might get the impression that's because Mourinho wants not only to show respect to Fergie (his 'best friend' in football management, apparently) but also to consider that he may someday manage United, and now is not a time to criticise the club he could manage in the coming years. I do find it amusing that a number of managers are now coming out and effectively saying "I don't know why he would leave Manchester United, nobody would want to leave that club, they have the best manager for him". Not the best money, perhaps not the best owners.

[Rocket Edge]

To be fair, you can understand why any player would want to move to a bigger club to win things, and I'm sure nearly everyone wouldn't begrudge the player for doing so. Its just such a shame that since the big owners have come into the Premier League the problems within a club and the main reason for people wanting to leave is almost solely on a bigger wage. Chelsea was first, and then Man City, with their ridiculous wage and transfer maximums. I think its sent a rippling effect throughout the league and unsettled some players that some 10 years ago you wouldn't have dreamed on moving. Take Joleon Lescott, or Gareth Barry, for example.

I know its a different age and money is bound to shape things. I think its maybe more that I'm pissed off that a players loyalty to a club will die with the likes of Giggs, Terry, Scholes etc., yet I'm sure in the future we'll see more badge kissing while handing in a transfer request the following season.

[Loony BoB]

From what I understand, Liverpool/Arsenal/United were offering better wages than the rest of the league prior to Chelsea/City. There will always be one club with more money, so there will always be players leaving clubs to go to "the wages club" - it just so happens we are no longer "the wages club". There was never a cap in the early days on wages, there would always be a club willing to pay everyone more if they got them together, there will always be that so long as there is no cap. Pretty obvious, really.

Having said that, if the Glazers ever do bother to sell the club, and if the debts are removed, we'll be right up there again.

The only thing City haven't quite (appeared to) get hold of at the moment is that if they want to be in the CL, they have to work towards reducing their debt - ie, their wages will not be allowed to be above their income. At the moment they are well above their income and I'm unsure as to how they will change that without scrapping a lot of their big-name players. Especially if Rooney goes there on a £300,000 pw salary like is being said. I just don't know how they expect to do this.

[Rocket Edge]

The reason they were able to offer bigger wages was because they were doing better than the other teams in the league. They to an extent earned their purchasing power. Going to join a team like that was always acceptable because they were always in contention to win things. City & Chelsea were top half table teams who started offering ridiculous wages and many players jumped on the bandwagon, including many players who took a step backwards to join them. This could more than likely prove to be Rooneys case.

[Cuchulainn]

If he goes to Citeh i WILL hunt him down & slap him with one of his aging prostitutes.

[Psychotic]

I think this whole drama is a farce staged by Rooney and his agent to get United to pay him more. I don't think he'll leave.

[Loony BoB]

Yeah, that thought has crossed my mind, too. Sort of like United are calling his bluff, here, though. But then, apparently the numbers weren't even discussed at all, so it's hard to say. I wonder how true that part is. It seems that two words being whispered here and there are "image rights".

[Old Manus]

I can't see Real making a move to sign him. They've already got strikers coming out of their ears. Barca maybe. If he moves to City he would have successfully trolled the entire footballing world. If it is indeed just a bluff, he couldn't have picked a worse time, what with him being in terrible form and Berbatov finally becoming a competent goalscorer.

[Psychotic]

I dunno, I see it the other way around. Real and their president are hardly famed for their prudence in the transfer market (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florentino_P%C3%A9rez#Signings), and I don't really think Barca would be remotely interested. City, of course, would love him. I think if anyone, Chelsea might be the ones he would go to. Track record of success in recent times, and Drogba and Anelka are both in their 30's now, so I am sure they are thinking of long-term replacements.

[charliepanayi]

Oh Spurs, you do amuse!

[Rocket Edge]

I dunno, I see it the other way around. Real and their president are hardly famed for their prudence in the transfer market (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florentino_P%C3%A9rez#Signings), and I don't really think Barca would be remotely interested. City, of course, would love him. I think if anyone, Chelsea might be the ones he would go to. Track record of success in recent times, and Drogba and Anelka are both in their 30's now, so I am sure they are thinking of long-term replacements.
Yeah that actually makes a lot of sense. Mind you even if he decides not to go to City and to some other Premier League team he'll be booed by United fans until he hangs up his boots.

[Loony BoB]

He insisted that he has always respected the club. As far as I'm concerned, we'll see how much he respects the club when he makes it known where he wants to go. If he says anything along the lines of "I want to go to City", he doesn't respect the club.

My favourite comment on various forums so far regarding how he's dissappointed about not sharing his ambitions: "Fine, fine, we'll do it. We'll match your ambitions. We're turning Old Trafford into a brothel, hiring you a "granny nanny", putting up more cigarette vending machines and will begin publically and blatantly showing disdain for our fans in 5, 4, 3..."

[Rocket Edge]

He insisted that he has always respected the club. As far as I'm concerned, we'll see how much he respects the club when he makes it known where he wants to go. If he says anything along the lines of "I want to go to City", he doesn't respect the club.

My favourite comment on various forums so far regarding how he's dissappointed about not sharing his ambitions: "Fine, fine, we'll do it. We'll match your ambitions. We're turning Old Trafford into a brothel, hiring you a "granny nanny", putting up more cigarette vending machines and will begin publically and blatantly showing disdain for our fans in 5, 4, 3..."
lol, I love it. I agree too.

[DK]

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/manutdfans.jpg

Best banners, love how quickly they managed to get it made up as well.

Also no he can fuck right off to Spain, we don't want him.

[Rocket Edge]

^ lol

Did anyone see Ian Holloways rant on Rooney? It's smurfing brilliant!

YouTube - Ian Holloway's outburst on Wayne Rooney (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_RdLGZ89uU&feature=player_embedded)

[Psychotic]

What a monster.

[Rocket Edge]

Wow! Rooney agrees new five year deal to keep him at Old Trafford until summer 2015. I'm happy, but he has a lot of explaining to do! If this was a stunt just to get more money then he deserves a hiding for the turmoil he's put his club & fans through.

[Loony BoB]

If it was a stunt just to get more money, if anything, it backfired miserably by United calling his bluff, and perhaps since then he's conceded defeat as he never striked me as the kind of person who wanted to go overseas nor anywhere but Everton (and only then if they could afford his wages, obviously). Still, not the best way to go about things by any means and his agent starting to show that he's not as up to snuff as he'd hope to be. Interesting that Rooney supposedly spoke to the owners. Either that means they had to assure him that there would be some spending going on in the next two transfer windows or alternatively he had to make a pretty big apology to them. The only other alternative is that he just said he spoke to the owners to get them some good publicity, although I doubt it worked, short of them paying off the debt with their own money I'm not sure what they can do to really garner favour with the fans.

Anyway. Will be interesting to see what reception he gets. I imagine they'll cheer his goals when he scores them and will get behind him completely by the start of next season unless he makes another issue come up. But yes, in time, wounds will heal and he'll get on with things. I expect a mix of boos and cheers when his name is next announced, and when we're at Liverpool I imagine that the "Steve Gerrard, Gerrard" song (badge on his chest / transfer request) will be met with a "Wayne Rooney, Rooney" variation being thrown right back.

[Psychotic]

Tangent: I would honestly disown Steven Gerrard if he kissed the badge. Flirt with Chelsea, that's one thing, but kissing the badge? It's absolutely the ponciest thing to do in football. I mean honestly, the fuck is that :bou::bou::bou::bou:?

[charliepanayi]

Kissing the badge is always nauseating to see, especially as anyone who does it usually winds up screwing their team over later on anyway.

As for this Rooney business, hilariously grubby affair. I'd laugh more but it's Man City this weekend and I'm dreading it (though with Fabregas back it boosts our chances) :(

It could well be curtains for Portsmouth, I feel terrible for their fans.

[DK]

250k a week hahahaahha. Pretty obvious what he was after, I hope it will be worth it for United.

[Loony BoB]

Honestly don't think he's on £250kpw - if he was, not only would the other top players at the club all start waving their hands in the air and end up with United being screwed over regarding all future contract negotiations when it comes to wages, but he's not worth £250kpw. My best guesses are one of the following happened...

1. Likely started by the agent, they were trying to get more money by quietly mentioning that he'll leave if he's not paid so much more. United called his bluff (hence the media getting involved) to see what would happen. Rooney attempted to get people onside by saying "it's because the owners won't invest!"

2. Rooney has been assured that a significant purchase or two will be attempted in the next two transfer windows.

3. Rooney has been assured (heaven forbid) that if United don't win, players will be facing the axe.

4. Similar to the £250kpw story, but not £250kpw. Closer to £150-200kpw. Possibly a better deal than was on offer but probably nothing close to what his agent was initially demanding.

5. Possibly the least likely but still entirely possible - He's been told to sign a contract "and we'll sell you in a year or two when we can get the most money for it", similar to Ronaldo's situation. Basically, keeping the value up and not much more.

Of course, we'll never really know, but oh well. United may tend to be pretty open with their financial books compared to most clubs, but I don't think they're that open. They do mention how much they pay agents each time, though. Will be interesting to see how much Paul Stretford got out of this.

PR disaster, though. Rooney couldn't have played it much worse when it comes to keeping the fans on his side. It's rather telling that as soon as Rooney made a "statement" (which clearly wasn't written by him!) and the media still slammed him over it, he went back to the negotiating table. Seems to me that Rooney quickly realised that he played this out wrong. Vacuum cleaner salesman may earn a lot of cash for representing Rooney, but I'll be damned if it doesn't show that he's still just that: A vacuum cleaner salesman. Anyone could earn money representing Rooney, but I don't know many agents out there that make things this :bou::bou::bou::bou:ty for their client. Then again, I wonder how many clients out there are as easy to work with as "let's see what I can do next" Rooney. :p

But back to the £250kpw thing. I wish we could afford to pay players as much as any other club, to the extent of £250kpw. It'd be nice to know that our players would never leave for financial reasons alone. But I don't think it'll happen until we get new owners and/or the debt is paid off. Even then, I'm not sure.

EDIT: I love the conspiracy theories floating around about this being rigged. The only thing I can say about them is that if this was rigged, this is one smurfing good way of telling a player "Don't smurf with me" by Sir Alex. If he says you have an injury, you better start making sure you have an injury. :p

[charliepanayi]

I thought the final deal was meant to be £180k per week (according to the Guardian website anyway).

[Loony BoB]

Yeah, just reading on various sites (BBC, Guardian, etc) that it's exactly the same contract that was written up in August and is worth £150k-£180k. The reason it's the same contract is allegedly because Rooney/Stretford never even looked at the contract in August - yesterday (or the day before) was apparently the first time they've even seen what was on offer. Crazy. Hard to believe, too, mind you.

[Psychotic]

In summary-

Wayne Rooney: Silly tit.

[Cuchulainn]

There is no way his offered contract was changed that much in the 3 days since this all became public. his signing of a new deal simply happened too fast. Contracts take weeks even months to proof and then to counter. It's a long drawn out process.

I actually think this was all a masterstroke by Ferguson. By going public with his 'sincere' statement on Tuesday he called Rooney's bluff. I believe Rooney & Stretford were holdig out for a bumper pack and decided to leak stuff to the press as Gerrard's camp did a few years ago in order to set a bush fire going and get a bumper deal. I don't think for one moment they expected Sir Alex to go in TV and state that Rooney wanted to leave. Crucially he also stated 'the door is open if he wants to talk'.

According to Rooney's interview it was that statement that had him phone Stretford to set up a meet to talk to Gill and Sir Alex. The contract was signed and agreed in less than 24 hours. There is simply no way there was time for a re-negotiated contract.

[Rocket Edge]

I agree in the last few posts.

[charliepanayi]

Feyenoord lost 10-0 to PSV in the Dutch league (and it was 2-0 at half-time). And I thought that 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford in 2001 was bad!

[Loony BoB]

10-0 is insane considering Feyenoord are one of the "big three" there. Have to say that I don't recognise any of the scorers, either. :p

[Rocket Edge]

That's pretty amazing. With todays tactics involved and such you don't see a scoreline like that nowadays.

[Nodded Emu]

Haha! Screw you Liverpool. (would of been better before they won that match)

[Psychotic]

...demon dude

[Old Manus]

At least I'm man enough to insult Liverpool in the flesh

[Psychotic]

Insulting Liverpool is a bannable offence round these here parts.

no joke

ok maybe joke

[Loony BoB]

Every now and then a guy comes along at a club I don't care about much that says something or even just plays in a way that makes me really like him despite his club or how good he is. A great example at the moment is that left back in Spurs after reading this (old) article: Benoît Assou-Ekotto: 'I play for the money. Football's not my passion' | Football | The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/may/01/benoit-assou-ekotto-tottenham-hotspur)

It makes me smile when players don't bull:bou::bou::bou::bou: about. I love that on occasion he doesn't even know who he's playing on the day, either, apparently. Amusing read, anyway.

[Psychotic]

Russia and Qatar? Really? Really?

Sod trotting out Prince William, next time just bribe FIFA.

[Old Manus]

Jesus, Qa-smurfing-tar? A country that hasn't ever come even close to qualifying for the World Cup, has no decent stadia, is smaller than Connecticut, and who's only redeeming factor is their multi-billionaire oil barons? I smell massive backhanders. Not too bothered about Russia, but Qatar, holy balls.

EDIT: Just realised I'm gonna be in my 40s the next time the World Cup can come to the UK :(

[Psychotic]

Every nation was ranked as a "low risk" from a logicistical standpoint apart from Russia and Qatar, who were "medium risk" and "high risk" respectively. In Qatar, homosexuality is punishable by a prison sentence and slavery is legal, and in Russia, well, "Thanks West Brom" is all that needs to be said.

I just. I can't. What. How. What. What the fuck. Why. WHAT.

Still, YouTube - Introducing Qatar 2022's First Five Stadiums! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-z2jtUS9-Y) I like their stadium plans though. :shobon:

[charliepanayi]

It was clearly all the BBC's fault, nothing to do with putting the decision of where to host a World Cup in the hands of 22 old men of (mainly) questionable ethics. I'm guessing the idea of letting a representative of each FIFA member have a vote (like the IOC does with the Olympics) is far too logical.

How about this ridiculous season so far eh?

[Loony BoB]

It would have been nice of them to just start off the entire bidding process with "Look, we're going for developing countries, we don't want to give it to the likes of England, America or Australia. We want to help countries develop by 'gifting' them the World Cup rather than 'gifting' the World Cup to a country that doesn't need the cash for football since it's already loaded." or something like that. Even simply "We want to give it to a country that has never hosted the World Cup" would have been fine.

I'm slightly disappointed by FIFA, but it's nothing new. One does have to wonder how long it will take for either FIFA to change it's ways or alternatively for some international G-14 style group to force a change.

[charliepanayi]

England and the other losing countries should form their own organisation. With blackjack! And hookers! And England could finally find a way then to do away with penalty shoot outs.

[Pheesh]

I assume America could just bomb Qatar and get it back.

[Rocket Edge]

FIFA has been very dodgey as long as I've known them, and Sepp Blatter is a complete ignorant wanker. I'm disapointed for England, and in a way for the USA. You could say that they held it recently enough but a World Cup would do so much for the popularity of the sport there.

[charliepanayi]

Yeah the USA bid would have been a good one (the 1994 World Cup was good, I wouldn't have minded another World Cup thre). The Australian bid got absurdly short shrift too - one vote! And this from a country which can organise major sporting events in their sleep.

I may as well enjoy being top of the league thanks to the Man Utd game being postponed - before we probably get crushed at Old Trafford on Monday week :(

[Psychotic]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/qatarvuvu.jpg

Great that's all we need, another World Cup full of this :bou::bou::bou::bou:.
I assume America could just bomb Qatar and get it back.This, but 100% seriously. Vuvuzelas deserve to be punished by tactical nuclear strikes.

[Heath]

I think there was something fishy about the World Cup voting. I don't think England has an automatic right to host the World Cup and expected a Russian win, but a measly two votes for England just seems unusually low.

As for my own team, I'm struggling to think of my highlight of the season so far. Actually, given that we've only won three league matches, I'm pretty sure the derby win is about the only highlight. The only thing that stopped my topping myself after getting knocked out of the League Cup by Brentford was that Liverpool got knocked out by even worse opposition. Our main problem seems to be that we've drawn exactly half of our matches. And some of our losses (such as against Aston Villa), I'm at a complete loss as to how they occurred when we've not been playing too badly. It's just our lack of a goalscorer that hurts us. If we had a striker that could knock in 15 goals a season, I'd be confident of a finish in the European places.

And don't even get me started on Jermaine Beckford, a Championship player who is only playing for Everton because we needed a striker and he was available on a free and worth a punt.

[Old Manus]

Now watch in awe as the Liverpool fans who were baying for the blood of Benitez (alliteration bonus!) six months ago are queuing up (on /sp/ anyway) to have him back!

[Shoden]

I'm still pretty annoyed Chris Hughton got the sack and now Mike Ashley is giving the new guy, Alan Pardew all the treatment and support Hughton would have killed for D: its just not right that someone so hardworking and well liked got kicked out in place for a ponce who couldn't manage a 3rd division side properly!

[Heath]

Now watch in awe as the Liverpool fans who were baying for the blood of Benitez (alliteration bonus!) six months ago are queuing up (on /sp/ anyway) to have him back!

I was really hoping that this was true: Rafa Benitez's Inter Milan 'sacking' to clear way for Blackburn manager talks | Metro.co.uk (http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/851197-rafa-benitezs-inter-milan-sacking-to-clear-way-for-blackburn-manager-talks#ixzz18qKdD6Ga)

Benitez being sacked is hilarious though. I think Liverpool would be making a mistake to get rid of Hodgson though, certainly if they were to do so in favour of Benitez. I always felt Liverpool could have done better with someone other than Benitez as their manager and I think, given that there's belt tightening being done at Liverpool right now, Hodgson is the right, safe-pair-of-hands choice for them.

Also what the hell Everton. We can beat Liverpool and Man City and draw with United and Chelsea, yet we can't beat Birmingham, Wigan or Blackpool and got beaten 4-1 by West Brom. What the eff.

Edit: Also, as bad as I feel for Chris Hughton, I'm still slightly glad that Newcastle can provide as much hilarity manager-wise as ever. Here's hoping King Kev comes back next season.

[Psychotic]

bring back rafa, then fire him

[DK]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05/05/article-0-026756FE0000044D-28_306x423.jpg

[Heath]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05/05/article-0-026756FE0000044D-28_306x423.jpg

Oh dear God yes

[Old Manus]

Christ Hughton:cool:

[Shoden]

Now watch in awe as the Liverpool fans who were baying for the blood of Benitez (alliteration bonus!) six months ago are queuing up (on /sp/ anyway) to have him back!

I was really hoping that this was true: Rafa Benitez's Inter Milan 'sacking' to clear way for Blackburn manager talks | Metro.co.uk (http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/851197-rafa-benitezs-inter-milan-sacking-to-clear-way-for-blackburn-manager-talks#ixzz18qKdD6Ga)

Benitez being sacked is hilarious though. I think Liverpool would be making a mistake to get rid of Hodgson though, certainly if they were to do so in favour of Benitez. I always felt Liverpool could have done better with someone other than Benitez as their manager and I think, given that there's belt tightening being done at Liverpool right now, Hodgson is the right, safe-pair-of-hands choice for them.

Also what the hell Everton. We can beat Liverpool and Man City and draw with United and Chelsea, yet we can't beat Birmingham, Wigan or Blackpool and got beaten 4-1 by West Brom. What the eff.

Edit: Also, as bad as I feel for Chris Hughton, I'm still slightly glad that Newcastle can provide as much hilarity manager-wise as ever. Here's hoping King Kev comes back next season.

I know, it is pretty funny but also pretty sad that Newcastle is once again a laughing stock of English football but not because the fans are calling for the axe on any manager who isn't King Kev or Shearer this time, Hughton was well respected amongst fans and players alike. This is because Mike Ashley has been scheming something, I think personally he had this planned out for a while.

As sad as it is, if Alan Pardew can deliver as he promises, its not ALL bad.

Oh and Liverpool? I really do hope they get sorted as well.

Also, i'm liking how unpredictable the league is getting, the top 4 clubs are no longer the untouchable force they were 2-3 seasons ago and that's good. Obviously Man U are dominating everything as normal, Arsenal and Chelsea think they have the god given right to beat them (hasn't it always been that way though?) and well, I don't even think there's a big 4 at all anymore if I think about it.

[charliepanayi]

Man Utd are dominating everything? That must explain the one away win all season so far. I don't think anybody is dominating anything, Arsenal will most likely have lost six games by Tuesday and they'll still be near 2nd/3rd place, which sums things up somewhat at the moment.

[Psychotic]

Last night I had a horrible dream, and when I woke up, I realised it actually had a very real chance of coming true:

Sam Allardyce. Liverpool Manager.

oh my god help. HELP. Somebody please! This cannot be allowed to happen oh god oh god why :(

[Old Manus]

If we go into the new year in the top 4, I think we can finally end the season in the playoffs after our inevitable losing streak at the end of the season. I WANT TO BELIEVE

[Shoden]

Last night I had a horrible dream, and when I woke up, I realised it actually had a very real chance of coming true:

Sam Allardyce. Liverpool Manager.

oh my god help. HELP. Somebody please! This cannot be allowed to happen oh god oh god why :(

Been there, done that. =( he is the dark side of the force.

[Crop]

Just posting here in preperation for the draw tomorrow (today).

*Ready for commentators to pick up on Rooney's one touch of the ball and not mention anything else.*

[charliepanayi]

Hodsgon finally goes and Daglish is made caretaker manager for the rest of the season. In other news, Arsene Wenger and David Moyes are to be replaced with immediate effect by George Graham and Howard Kendall respectively.

[Psychotic]

In other news, Arsene Wenger and David Moyes are to be replaced with immediate effect by George Graham and Howard Kendall respectively.I would actually violently orgasm if either one of these things happened. Can't stand either Wenger or Moyes!

I'm pleased. Not because of Dalglish coming in - I don't know if he's the messiah that many Liverpool fans seem to believe he will be - but because Hodgson is gone. He was utterly out of his depth in more ways than one, and was bad for the club. Nice fella, but sorry Roy, not up to standard.

[Rocket Edge]

Hodsgon is gone? I suppose its no real surprise. But I believe at the time he was a worthy candidate to take over Liverpool. We'll see if Dalglish can do a decent job.

[Shoden]

In other news, Arsene Wenger and David Moyes are to be replaced with immediate effect by George Graham and Howard Kendall respectively.I would actually violently orgasm if either one of these things happened. Can't stand either Wenger or Moyes!

I'm pleased. Not because of Dalglish coming in - I don't know if he's the messiah that many Liverpool fans seem to believe he will be - but because Hodgson is gone. He was utterly out of his depth in more ways than one, and was bad for the club. Nice fella, but sorry Roy, not up to standard.

Pffft. You guys should totally give Souness another chance, I mean wow he has some of the greatest minds in football like ever. ;P

Sucks to be Hodgson, I like how he was a complete and utter useless tool. But aye aye serious business... You reckon Dalglish can get Liverpool back on track?

[Psychotic]

I don't think Dalglish is the man for the future, but he's certainly the man to hold the fort until the end of the season.

Kenny Dalglish isn't the long-term solution. But he understands Liverpool | Scott Murray | Football | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/jan/08/roy-hodgson-scott-murray)

This article is really good and I agree with it entirely.

[Shoden]

Ya sounds cool but in the long term, after Dalglish though I wonder who'll end up in the seat. :O
I just hope you guys don't fall into the same vicious cycle as Newcastle, sacking a manager everytime something looks bleak is definitely not a good thing.

[Old Manus]

Kenny Dalglish confirmed for running Liverpool until the first sign of a problem then jumping ship

[charliepanayi]

Stevenage and Reading doing what we failed miserably to do earlier this season. Hooray!

[Shoden]

Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough played like absolute bollocks and got their arses handed to them by better teams. =\

Newcastle + longball tactics = disaster, doesn't help half the midfield, Routledge and Smith... Useless this evening D: and the wonder boy against West Ham, Best, barely get the chance to do anything, Nile Ranger never got anything and the only thing I think was a blatantly stupid decision against us? Tiote's sending off.

Apart from that, rant over, we sucked, we lost, we got absolutely owned by a pub team. Now I just hope we beat Sunderland... >_< the pain will be over soon... ladedadadadadedaaaa

[charliepanayi]

*runs to the bookies to place bets on the following*

Arsenal to lose to Leeds
Arsenal to go out to Ipswich
Liverpool to get relegated

[Old Manus]

Posting to acknowledge the recent /sp/ thread calling Dalglish the 'worst caretaker since Ian Huntley' :manus:

[The Captain]

Funny to read the most recent posts and now Liverpool is back on the up and up... sort of.

Getting Suarez was a solid move, but now it looks like Torres wants away.

I have mixed feelings on this. I get that in this day and age, most footballers are mercenaries but I thought Torres would be more loyal than this. He didn't ask to go to Man Utd, he didn't ask to go to Everton, but CHELSEA? Come on, really?

I think Torres and his people need to research their new owners a bit more. They are among the most steady in the sports world. I jumped for joy when they bought Liverpool because I knew that finally the team had real savvy business professionals who would reinvest in the team. They've started strong this transfer window and I feel that this season won't end up a total loss. 7th should be their basement now with a real push for Top 5, maybe even 4th depending on how they play the teams above them.

Chelsea on the other hand look like a team in decline. Their best players are getting old and they've have some real bad performances for a team many expected to challenge for the title. Right now there's not even a guarantee THEY'LL make Champions League football next season, which seems to be one of Torres' big decision points.

I've read that Chelsea are pushing really hard because of league changes that will rapidly be coming together involving operating with financial debt which Chelsea has a lot of, but I can't help feeling how strange this timeline really is.

Torres pledged loyalty through all the previous owners debacles, through Hodgson, and now, when the new owners put their money where their mouth is and the team looks like it might be starting to play well, he wants out?


I agree with Liverpool's stance, if Torres wants away, Chelsea should pay up. Don't let the player hold the team hostage. Make Torres finish this year and see where both teams end up. No player is bigger then a club, which is a cliche` but a true one.

Torres has been a good servant but why leave right now? He just got a new striking partner, the team is beginning to play well and the owners are showing that they will back the club. The timing makes no sense.

Should he be sold, I think Liverpool will still be in good hands because of the huge amount of money they'd now have. $40-$50 million plus whatever else the team has in its budget which if its believed is still around $25 million could easily buy another quality young striker, a desperately needed wing player and a solid central defender. I don't want Torres to leave but if he can net that amount of money, it would be worth it. Better to get the most out of him you can and cash in before he basically pulls a Mascherano and ruins the teams chemistry. I don't think Torres would do that personally but anything is possible.


It's going to be a very interesting second half of the year.



Take care all.

[Psychotic]

Excited for Suarez. The man who destroyed the BBC's Ghana wankfest :D

Torres: I won&#039;t join a rival - Liverpool FC (http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/media-watch/torres-i-won-t-join-a-rival)

lying little :bou::bou::bou::bou: :colbert:

I've heard Chelsea made a £28m offer, a £35m offer, and intend to return with a higher one this week. Do it. Do it do it do it. He's been a shadow of his former self this season. I think that injury before the World Cup has had a serious effect on him, and frankly he looks like he just doesn't give a smurf anymore. Chelsea will be ripped off completely to pay that much for him. Well, maybe. If the transfer gives him a new boost of life then it'll be a good signing, but as far as LFC goes, Torres doesn't care and it shows in the quality of his play. It is a good deal for us, let's take that money and reinvest it on some quality.

EDIT: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1351802/Sulky-Torres-join-Chelsea-50m-Anelka-rejoin-Liverpool-record-deal.html?ito=feeds-newsxml I know this is Manus's favourite paper and all, but £42m and Anelka? DO IT.

[charliepanayi]

Chelsea will definitely make the top four this year, no way they'll finish below Spurs.

EDIT: Andy Carroll for £35 million? Now that's comedy.

[Psychotic]

Liverpool have made a second bid of £35m for the 22-year-old after their initial £30m offer was rejected by the Magpies.

WHAT

WHAT

WHAT

WHAT
WHATR
SAHWHAT

WHAT
WHAT

WHAT

WHAT

WHAT

WHAT

WHAT

i am not copying and pasting this i am actually typing it in a confused rage

WHATR

WHAT WAHT TRHE smurf

WHAT

THE

LVIIGN
smurf

[Shoden]

What in the hell is going on? One minute its "HE'S NOT FOR SALE NOW PISS OFF" and now its "ooooh money" Fat cockney twat's screwed us over again it seems..

[Psychotic]

£15m, 20m tops, I would be happy about this signing, but this takes the piss. Especially as he is injured until April or something. God damn, just wait until the Summer.

[Old Manus]

Wasn't everyone ragging on Benitez for spending too much money?

Swansea are too poor to buy any players of worth so I never expected anything.

[Shoden]

Done deal, I think its a good idea to not go outside for a few days...

[The Captain]

Of course, after I say how savvy Liverpool's new front office is.... they spend a crazy amount of money on an injured player.

Granted, I think Carroll fits very well with Suarez, as he's a physical presence in the air, but 35 million?!!!!! Wow.


I'd really like Liverpool to invest in some cheaper players, as opposed to overpaying for English ones over the summer. Someone like Keisuke Honda, which would really boost Liverpool's appeal in Asia, and Eljero Elia who would produce some pace on the wings. Also, shoring up the defense wouldn't hurt as they really have been exposed up the middle of late, though Martin Kelly looks like a starter for the next decade.

If/when the Torres transfer goes through, which if it doesn't, wow, Liverpool have a lot of strikers now; the sunday clash with Chelsea has moved up to true most see TV.

Take care all.

[Loony BoB]

£15m, 20m tops, I would be happy about this signing, but this takes the piss. Especially as he is injured until April or something. God damn, just wait until the Summer.
Five games, not five months. But yeah, I agree with your valuations. Honestly, Charlie from Blackpool is a better purchase for me (which it looks like you'll be getting).

Three big signings a piece for Chelsea and Liverpool, it looks like.

Shoden: Carroll handed in a transfer request. That's the difference. Also, how crazy is it that Newcastle allegedly offered the same player to West Ham for £1m and they turned him down as they didn't rate him. This was 18 months ago. Nuts.

[The Captain]

So in the end Torres turns into Suarez and Carroll. Makes for an interesting rest of the year. I'd really have preferred a good wing player but that'll have to wait it would seem unless some stealth move comes in.

Best lineup, if everyone is healthy:

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Kelly
Lucas
Kuyt Meireles
Gerrard
Suarez Carroll

That actually looks pretty good. Still very narrow though, but it'll do.

Take care all.

[Shoden]

£15m, 20m tops, I would be happy about this signing, but this takes the piss. Especially as he is injured until April or something. God damn, just wait until the Summer.
Five games, not five months. But yeah, I agree with your valuations. Honestly, Charlie from Blackpool is a better purchase for me (which it looks like you'll be getting).

Three big signings a piece for Chelsea and Liverpool, it looks like.

Shoden: Carroll handed in a transfer request. That's the difference. Also, how crazy is it that Newcastle allegedly offered the same player to West Ham for £1m and they turned him down as they didn't rate him. This was 18 months ago. Nuts.

There's a lot more to this than meets the eye, it doesn't add up to me as one minute he seemed to be happy with staying and he was a pride and joy newcastle fan and player at the time, so unless the constant fighting over him and his patronisation has lead him to leave then I dunno.

The whole crack with Pardew signing as manager was on condition Carroll was kept, could it be that this over the top treatment was a boot to the backside? I dunno.

[Old Manus]

I don't know about anybody else, but in my opinion paying 50 million quid for a player is absolutely ridiculous, non-competitive and detrimental to the game as a whole. We have a situation where you have a handful of teams with the means to throw around stupid sums of money like £50m or £35m for Andy smurfing Carroll, and yet just a few places down, IN THE SAME LEAGUE, you have teams like Bolton who's acquisition of David Wheater from second division Middlesborough for £2.3m (less than 5% of the value of Torres) is their idea of a big signing.

And yes, I'm aware this situation has been snowballing ever since the formation of the Premier League, but the way this is going, in 10 years time spending for the top 5 or so teams will be so far up the logarithmic scale that the Premiership will turn into even more of a circus than it is already, consisting of the big 4 (or 5) and 15 Championship sides punching above their weight (It's bad enough as it is. Take a look at the current table and tell me that any team from 10th place below, apart from maybe Villa, have any chance of achieving anything, and are any better than the top half of the Championship).

The very idea of a team like sodding Blackpool being anywhere except firmly glued to the bottom of the table says a lot about the quality of football in the Premier League. This time last season they were mid-table Championship and getting turned over by teams like Sheffield Wednesday. Talk about 'spirit' and 'good management' all you want, but the real reason they are there is that the opposition in the PL short of Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs is very, very average. And the reason they are average is because they only have the money to buy down-and-out players who's time has long since passed, like Eidur Gudjohnsen's move to Fulham. Any decent talent they have is swept away within a season by the golden handshake (Andy Carroll).

It's just as bad, if not worse, in the Spanish and Italian leagues. The most interesting and competitive league is the Bundesliga, though that has become plagued with the same problems too in recent years. I personally think UEFA should put a limit on the amount of money teams can spend on transfers in a season. That way they can still buy expensive players, but not hoard them.

Yeah I feel pretty strongly about this. Rant over

[Shoden]

Its a fair rant though, its been happening for years and slowly spreading like an unwanted chronic disease.
Money Money Money Money, everywhere, its like these teams are literally buying trophies!

also Carroll - I was pushed out | Sky Sports | Liverpool News | Football | Premier League (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_6716125,00.html) There's still a few things that don't add up for me here. he could have said no and that would have meant no, but from what he's been told "you're worth more to us being sold than you are remaining here" harsh :\ another Beardsley/Gazza scenario afterall rather than the next Shearer.

I'm annoyed its come to this as a fan but what else can be done?

[Crop]

I dunno. Arsenal rarely splash the cash (isn't their highest ever buy 11mil or something?) and they're still a good team...as much as I hate to admit it.
And the majority of Man Utd's biggest signings happened 6 or more years ago...Berbatov not included of course.

It's the Spanish teams that make all the most expensive signings.

[Loony BoB]

As for "what can be done" - wait and see how things actually are in five year's time when the financial fair play rules are in full flow. They're being introduced on a gradual scale at the moment and I think the next couple of seasons could end up being the end of the line for £50-100m transfers, perhaps excepting Real Madrid. :p Either that or the European Super League will kick in after clubs give the middle finger to FIFA and UEFA.

[Psychotic]

The thing that excites me about Liverpool right now is that for the first time since, well, Stevie G 10 years ago (unless you want to count Stephen Warnock), we have some good young English talent on our books in Kelly, Shelvey and now Carroll. I still remember how excited I was when Michael Owen made his England debut.

Also... only one Spanish player left?!

[The Captain]

From what I understand, these new rules being slowly brought in will curb some of the outsized spending, but unless an actual salary or maybe transfer cap is introduced, clubs with richer owners will be able to outspend the more modest sized clubs every time.


What I most enjoyed was how much joy there was from the players at Anfield. Kenny has restored a love of playing as a team, which is a severely underrated aspect of the game. When you play as a unit, and everyone is staying more or less together in a form, it becomes that much harder to break down. We actually looked dangerous going forward almost every time as opposed to just once or twice a match.

Also, I have to give it up for Mr. Kuyt. He always works hard yes, but the man CAN play. He held the ball so well as the lone striker until Suarez was introduced. It's really very nice to see such a hard working player finally get some credit for all the skills he does have.

Really looking forward to Sunday!! I actually expect it to be a really close game, with a handful of chances on both sides. I wouldn't be shocked by a 2-2 draw or something along those lines.

Take care all.

[Loony BoB]

The thing that excites me about Liverpool right now is that for the first time since, well, Stevie G 10 years ago (unless you want to count Stephen Warnock), we have some good young English talent on our books in Kelly, Shelvey and now Carroll. I still remember how excited I was when Michael Owen made his England debut.

Also... only one Spanish player left?!
If you count British talent rather than purely English, then it's worth mentioning Danny Wilson. According to every FM game I've ever played, he ends up being the best defender in the world. :p

[Crop]

Why do I have a bad feeling about todays game against Wolves...

And huzzar, the only Championship fixture I really care about tomorrow Swansea V Cardiff. It's just a shame I can't go outdoors when it's on, since I've always had more love for Swansea and I live right in a Cardiff "Soul Crew" area. Please do the double on them, I don't want to see Cardiff go up this year.

[Old Manus]

My country may have failed me yesterday at the Millenium Stadium, but for my city, there is only victory tomorrow at 1:15pm. It's a shame I'm stuck in darkest midwales and can't go back home to watch it. It's gonna be huge.

[Shoden]

Newcastle's display against Arsenal so far is proof that we've sold more than just Carroll... Hello championship did you miss us?

Sacking Hughton was the beginning of the end of what hope he had of staying safe....

I stand corrected this has to be one of the most amazing games I've ever seen, 4-4!!!

[Psychotic]

nicely god damned done, geordies!

[Shoden]

I'm still speechless and astounded at what took place, a tale of 2 halves indeed!

Also, Wolverhampton and Stoke, make the day even better :D Scumberland weren't laughing for long :D

[charliepanayi]

So this year's title will be won by one of the following:

- A team who has won three games away from home so far this season
- A team that chucks away a four goal lead
- A team that won one league game in two months

Well OK Man City could win it I guess...

[Loony BoB]

If you want to add City to the list with some weird description, you could say that they are a team that (at the moment) have only had one person score more than five league goals. And that one player allegedly doesn't even want to be playing in England anymore.

Yeah, this season is pretty nuts. :p I can't believe that Wolves have beaten five of the top seven teams but still are bottom of the table. They battle well.

Have to say, I was gutted that we lost after Arsenal dropped points. We could have got a seven point lead on Arsenal, 8 point lead on City (plus a game in hand) and - should Chelsea win tomorrow - still a ten point lead on them. Manchester Derby next weekend will be a big game indeed.

[Crop]

Why do I have a bad feeling about todays game against Wolves...


If anyone would like me to predict games for them, I only take a 10% commission on bets made.

Guess I can only take comfort in the fact that I think Swansea will beat the stalling Cardiff tomorrow.

[Psychotic]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e373/photobucketamazingness/2_4d4ee2e7a4dc4226219239.jpg

The only thing Roy Hodgson did right. My god I love that Portugese baldy.

Also, Chelsea? No refunds. :greenie: Have fun walking alone, Mr. Torres!

[Loony BoB]

Anyone else watch Mike Summerbee's rants on Sky after the derby yesterday? Danielle and I were both thoroughly entertained. For all the talk of how Rooney's strike would outshadow the game, on the forums, Twitter etc. it was more of a case of his punditry outshadowing Rooney's strike. =x

[Psychotic]

No, but now I have to look into it.

Also, Wayne Rooney still has a long way to go before he's at Crouchinho's level YouTube - Crouch Overhead kicks and Arsenal Hatrick (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbsUjH7OlXY)

[charliepanayi]

Bah, Rooney's strike was no Trevor Sinclair c. 1997!

[Loony BoB]

No, but now I have to look into it.
YouTube - Mike Summerbee - A Tad Bitter? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6TnRZ1RTis&feature=related)

Doesn't include his second "that's eighteen times they've shown that goal" rant when they started the viewings of the Rooney goal after the break. After his rant, I believe the host (don't know his name) went "Let's have a look at that video again!" and Danielle and I had a good laugh.

[charliepanayi]

I'm off to lobby UEFA to abolish second legs for all European ties as of now.

[Psychotic]

I second your motion, provided the second leg at the Nou Camp is abolished by way of tactical nuclear strike. :D (Napalm is also acceptable)

If there's one pompous team in European football that need to shut the smurf up already, it's Barcelona. I actually sympathise with Arsenal about the whole Fabregas thing. I am actually hoping for an Arsenal victory. Naturally I would like Arsenal to go out in the following round to, say, Spurs ;) but I want Barcelona's :bou::bou::bou::bou: to get wrecked first and foremost.

[Loony BoB]

I, too, was glad Arsenal won. I think Barcelona have turned into another Real Madrid when it comes to tapping up. At least do it in private like all the other big clubs do.

I admire their ability to play lovely football and bring through youth talent, but I don't admire their way they think they have a God-given right to sign Fabregas, or any player.

But more than anything, I hope Barcelona go out of the CL because then it will be easier for United to win. :p

[Psychotic]

It was the same deal with Mascherano, actually. Every day a new Barcelona player was coming out in the media having a huge moan and cry about how we were oppressing poor little Javier's human rights by paying him £fuckknows a week and not letting him join ~*BARCA*~ which is of course every footballer's dream.

...yet now they just use him as an occasional sub :confused:

[Old Manus]

I approve of new plans to wordfilter Barcelona to ~*BARCA*~

In Championship news, it's heating up at the top with only 3 points seperating second placed Scumdiff and 6th placed Leeds. Forest are matching the Swans on 53 points but have a game in hand, and are home to the bluebirds this weekend. Let's all cross our fingers and hope for a 0-0 draw, for Bothroyd to get injured, and for Billy Davies to spit out that fucking chewing gum.

[Crop]

No one will remember that performance in a month thanks to the win, thank god. Gotta say, Utd's B team seems to be about Championship material at the moment.

Anyone else up for a shocker at tomorrows Arsenal game? They'll put out a weak team.

[charliepanayi]

If we lose to Leyton Orient, weak team or not, we may as well give up on the whole season now. Mind you, knowing the way we work I'm sure it's not beyond us.

Ashley Cole's penalty :)

[Psychotic]

YouTube - GOLZAP - Autoagresión (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsEbf-o83fc) - fucking genius

also smurf me we're :bou::bou::bou::bou: when you take out our best players.

[charliepanayi]

You could say that for most of the top six in the Premiership lately.

[Loony BoB]

I haven't defended Rooney in recent times but I will be very interested in seeing if Luiz gets anything remotely close to the same attention given to his elbow/shouldering as Rooney got for his elbow at Wigan.

Gutted about that game. Felt the penalty was very soft, but the word I'll put on it is 'giveable'. Can agree that Vidic should have been sent off. But why wasn't Luiz? This is what annoys me. He got away with a proper Nevilling there.

We possibly do get a lot of decisions going in our favour. I'm sure it's true. But I'm also sure that other teams also get a lot of decisions in their favour - it's just that nobody makes a fuss because it's not a dick-player. Barton, Rooney, even Ronaldo - their reputations preceded them and people would get in an uproar. But Giggs, Gerrard, Luiz and (I don't know how, mind you) Terry are seen as saints that don't get the same scrutiny. I mean, even Scholes... what I find crazy about Scholes is that he gets away with it purely because he's Scholes. "Oh, he can't learn how to tackle, he never could do it right." Of course he could. And it doesn't make it okay. If you tackle badly, you get carded.

Should have been a draw, or at least decided without a penalty. And if it was to be a penalty, at least make it an obvious enough one. Great game until the moment that Luiz shouldered Rooney, for me. I was annoyed about the elbow to Hernandez but thought it would have been a case where the ref waits for another serious foul before he cards - as we know is a common scenario (see: Vidic in the same game, seconds before he got sent off he should have been sent off for bringing down Drogba). But then when he did that next serious foul... nothing. What!? Okay. So when Vidic did his second bookable offence I thought he'd be fine, because Luiz got away with it. Consistency is too much to ask within a game these days, let alone for all teams throughout the entire season.

It shouldn't have been a penalty, Luiz should have been sent off along with Vidic, and it should have either finished a draw or with a deserved goal.

A bit frightened about playing Liverpool next week with no Rio or Vidic. Even Evans is out! Brown and Smalling? Hrmmm...

[charliepanayi]

League Cup? It's a tinpot trophy, honest! The Treble is still on! Or maybe just the league, just have to win every remaining game. Easy!

[Psychotic]

A bit frightened about playing Liverpool next week with no Rio or Vidic. Even Evans is out! Brown and Smalling? Hrmmm...Would rather play against Evans than smalling. Still, Martin Kelly is also out and he is better than all of those players so you have no excuses :colbert:

[Loony BoB]

A bit frightened about playing Liverpool next week with no Rio or Vidic. Even Evans is out! Brown and Smalling? Hrmmm...Would rather play against Evans than smalling. Still, Martin Kelly is also out and he is better than all of those players so you have no excuses :colbert:
Smalling is definitely better than Evans. Just pointing out that our #1, #2 and #4 CB are all out. Gutting.

On a sidenote, time for me to get educated: The Smalling foul that caused the penalty. People are saying on the telly at the moment that Smalling should have had the presence of mind to get out of the way of the incoming player. Is this actually the case? The defender has to move for the incoming player? That's an odd way to defend. I thought you could stand your ground. I can understand not moving into the path of a player and then clattering him, but if both of your feet are planted and the player crashes into you, is that always a foul?

charlie: Don't think that Arsenal need to win all their last games. Think that United will drop more points yet, and if we lose against Liverpool then it will certainly be a case of Arsenal on the front foot. Still, better yourselves than Chelsea or City. :p

Rio, Valencia, Park... get well soon. :(

[charliepanayi]

I am not sure we're capable of being on the front foot! Not after Newcastle and Birmingham and everything else this year. I suspect everyone will continue to drop points (especially us now we have no Van Persie for this month minimum) and it'll be as it is now by May. But we just have to try and continue to chase. If nothing else, relegation should be fun this year with so many teams separated by a handful of points.

[Psychotic]

Yeah there's no way anyone but United will win the league, as much as I'd love it if City could do it.

[Loony BoB]

I seriously am worried about the league. My fellow United supporters tend to be thinking it'll be us who win it (and they say it with confidence). Of course, they thought we'd win 0-3 tonight (and they said it with confidence).

I'm looking forward to finding out what happens when either City or Chelsea don't make the Champions League. Especially if it continues to happen. What do they do then? What about the players? This is the main reason I hope Spurs stay in the CL.

Finally, as I go off to bed, I'll leave two tweets (is that right?) I've read today. One from a pro-United twitter, one from a anti-United twitter.

"If Smalling didn't want to concede a penalty why didn't he just elbow Zhirkov in the face?" - ManUnitedCheat (checked out this further and whoever it is has some amusing tweets :D)
"Atkinson's record for Chelsea: P-16 W-15 D-1 L-0 F-38 A-2" - BeardedGenius (stats are from before the game)

[Crop]

Park... get well soon. :(

Bugger, didn't realize he'd be out for the Liverpool game. He's definatly my favourite player. His work rate always shows, it's been a loss without him. Still, possible him and Valencia back this month could push us to league victory.

I honestly don't know what the hell we're gonna do with the back four on the weekend, I mean, Brown? Great. Smalling has done pretty damn well the past few games, but I'm unsure how he'll do without Vidic alongside him.

Still, while the treble is still there I'll dream. Dream like Arsenal did with the Quadruple just last week!

[charliepanayi]

The FA Cup semi-finals could well be Man Utd, Man City, Stoke and Birmingham (I'd bet the first three make it anyway). Damn, I'd have to want Man City to win it then.