English Football Thread! 2006-2007 Season

[ff_sweden]

When was last time Solskjaer scored.. 2003?

[Loony BoB]

Wouldn't have a clue, actually. He was out injured and is getting on now, so yeah. Great that he's stuck with a club that has stuck with him, though, even if he's only getting paid for the few games he actually plays. A great sportsman, he is, a real advertisement for the spirit of the game.

EDIT: He scored nine goals in the 2002-03 season in 37 appearances, and not a single goal in 34 appearances the season after that. He didn't play a game in 2004-05, but made three appearances (no goals) in 2005-06. While a United legend, I personally wouldn't put him in the first team against any Premiership level side these days. I think he's being kept on at the club primarily in a coaching role.

[ff_sweden]

Do you think he´ll play in the Norwegian national team?

[Loony BoB]

Not unless he revives his form of old. Oh, and you can thank Reuters for this one - Solksjaer's last goal for United in an official match was against Panathinaikos of Greece in a European Champions League tie in September 2003.

[Psychotic]

You're right to say that he was their best player last season (although the same can be said for Henry at Arsenal, and I'm not sure that he was the best choice for our captaincy)

Would you have picked Kolo too?

In other friendly news, Liverpool beat Wrexham 2-0, and Bellamy scored on his debut, and PAUL ANDERSON scored.

There you guys go, I told you he'd hit the big time. Scoring a goal in a friendly away at Wrexham is an incredible accomplishment.

Also, behold our brand new European away kit:



I like it. But Adidas, why do you love giving us white and dark green away kits? I still have the wonderful one from 94-95, which was white with green sleeves and black shorts.

[Loony BoB]

The most tipped moves for Manchester United are now...

Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid for approximately £12m (now that's cheap for a player of his calibre)
Fernando Torres to Manchester United for approximately £23-25m from Athletico Madrid
Patrick Vieira to Manchester United from Juventus
Michael Carrick to Manchester United from Tottenham Hotspurs
Possibly with John O'Shea (and £10m) going the other way to Tottenham Hotspurs, although apparently this deal has been rejected.
Tomasz Kuszczak to Manchester United from West Brom

Still missing that future Paul Scholes replacement. Other players we've recently been linked to include Jermaine Defoe,

Van der Sar expected to get a one year extension - his current contract ends after this season.

Upcoming star Giuseppe Rossi may be given a loan spell at West Brom should Torres be signed up, with Rooney, Saha and Solskjaer filling the remaining three striker positions. This would help with the potential signing of Tomasz Kuszczak from West Brom.

Possible lineup next season for Man U...

                 Van der Sar                ---backed by Kuszczak

Neville     Ferdinand    Vidic    Heinze    ---backed by O'Shea, Piqué, Brown, Silvestre, Evra

                   Vieira                   ---backed by Carrick, O'Shea

Ronaldo           Scholes          Giggs    ---backed by Park, Smith, Richardson, Fletcher

            Rooney      Torres              ---backed by Saha, Solskjaer, Rossi

Hell, I'll take that. Still think we should get a replacement for Scholes though... at least someone to train up for it.

[ff_sweden]

VIEIRA TO UNITED? I WOULD NEVER FORGIVE HIM!

[Loony BoB]

Guess you haven't read his autobiography either, then. Some journalist has!

Ferguson is a long-standing admirer of the France midfielder and is thought to rate him among the best of a series of possible replacements for Roy Keane. Ferguson said last season that he missed the opportunity to sign Vieira before the player's move to Italy last summer. 'We'd been down that road so many times, where we'd been told he wanted to sign for United and then ended up staying at Arsenal. So I dismissed it, and then it became a reality when he left Highbury for Juventus. Whether Arsenal would have sold him to us is another matter.'

Vieira, also a target for Roma and Internazionale, revealed in his autobiography last year that he would contemplate joining United, despite his numerous run-ins during matches against the club, notably with Van Nistelrooy. 'When you are a player, you always look at the best,' he said. 'And that Manchester United team was the best in the country.'

[ff_sweden]

WAS. They are not the best right now

[Loony BoB]

Neither were Arsenal when he signed for them. In fact, outside of three of his ten or so seasons, they never were.

Given the alternative two clubs going after him, we're the best of his options. Chelsea won't be in for him, at least I doubt it when they have Makélélé, Essien, Lampard, Cole, Duff, Robben, Wright-Phillips, Ballack, Obi Mikel, and a few others that might end up being sold just to add to the equation. Real Madrid might go for him, although again, they aren't the best in their group either.

Having said all of that, I wouldn't be surprised if Manchester United don't offer too much for him since he's aged, and Man Utd rarely pay big money for an older player, generally preferring to pay for young future talents such as Rooney and Ronaldo. Maybe Carrick will be the only incoming player, maybe it'll be Diarra or Maschereno. Have to wait and see!

<hr />

On a completely different note: Arsenal must start looking at bringing in more British players. At the moment they have nine English players in their 38 man squad, but only one of them is a first team regular. However, taken from an article last year since it's fairly old news...

TALLINN (Reuters) - Clubs taking part in European club competitions must include eight home-grown players in their 25-man squads by the start of the 2008-09 season following a landmark decision taken at UEFA’s annual congress.

The new rule will come into force at the start of the 2006-07 season with four home-grown players in the squads for Champions League and UEFA Cup matches, rising to six in 2007-08 and eight the season after.

With Sol Campbell out, Ashley Cole is the only first team regular - and he's being tipped to go elsewhere (again!). At the moment, that would leave Justin Hoyte, Theo Walcott, Matthew Connolly, Ryan Garry, Kerrea Gilbert, Ryan Smith, Fabrice Muamba, Joe O'Cearuill.

In other words, that kid that never really made it to the World Cup along with Who?, Who?, Who?, Who?, Who?, Who? and Who?. Arsenal may have to get purchasing next season or just hope that they won't need to use their full squad.

[ff_sweden]

I think Real Madrid is the best alternative for him. They haven´t won anything since Makelele signed for Chelsea

[Loony BoB]

I think Real Madrid is the best alternative for him. They haven´t won anything since Makelele signed for Chelsea

He probably wouldn't want to go there for the same reason he wouldn't go to Manchester United beforehand.

One Ruud van Nistelrooy.

[Topcat]

Anyone here support a team outside the premiership?

I support the mighty Eagles! (Crystal Palace ). It's been a interesting year for the club alot has happened, loads of players have been shipped out- AJ and manager Iain Dowie left. We how have Peter Taylor who i think will do a good job, he seems to be bringing in good young talent. However i don't think we will go up this year, this year will be a rebuilding season and next year we will come back stronger than ever.

[Bart's Friend Milhouse]

Anyone here support a team outside the premiership?

I support the mighty Eagles! (Crystal Palace ). It's been a interesting year for the club alot has happened, loads of players have been shipped out- AJ and manager Iain Dowie left. We how have Peter Taylor who i think will do a good job, he seems to be bringing in good young talent. However i don't think we will go up this year, this year will be a rebuilding season and next year we will come back stronger than ever.

Crystal Palace are the nearest football club to where I live and I really should be supporting them instead of the mighty Arsenal. I think Dowie was right to leave but joining another club soon after revealing that he was to spend more time with his family. Bull

[ff_sweden]

I support Helsingborgs IF. Henrik Larsson´s New club