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The 2014-2015 Football Thread
- Thread starter Jaffa Cake
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Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Kariya
macrumors 68000
Allegri has come out today and said Vidal is going nowhere so yeah...conflicting reports.
Reus has apparently refused to sign a new deal which means he'll be the top transfer story next summer. I hope he doesn't do the predictable by going to Bayern or Spain.
Many of the players heading to Spain, Italy or Germany are usually older and/or on the last year of their contracts having refused to sign a new deal. Thus paving way for others to swoop in for cheap.
But the EPL lacks decent academies that churn out cheap top talent and is fiercely more competitive, meaning many clubs are effectively rebuilding again and again each window and are going for players locked in 5 yr contracts that require big bucks clauses to negate. Or overpriced and often overrated English players.
English tax is also another culprit since clubs have to shell out more to meet net wages
LvG was complaining about inheriting a broken squad from Moyes. Problem is the existing United squad was largely assembled by SAF so surely he should shoulder the blame. He also thinks he has too many attacking midfielders.
I'm still not convinced United will get in the required bodies in time. Clocks ticking and many of the players they're linked with are either signing new deals or opting for other clubs. But we shall see.
Meanwhile, Schneiderlin is not happy. Transfer request incoming me thinks. Also So'ton now a being mocked on Twitter after the Manager's inadvertent error.. Its gonna be a transition for the Saints and they have the right Manager and funds to do it. Koeman has experience building from scratch and they have about £97m in the bank so far. Could rise to £119m or more soon too. It'll be tricky but its not as terrible as it initially seems.
Reus has apparently refused to sign a new deal which means he'll be the top transfer story next summer. I hope he doesn't do the predictable by going to Bayern or Spain.
Many of the players heading to Spain, Italy or Germany are usually older and/or on the last year of their contracts having refused to sign a new deal. Thus paving way for others to swoop in for cheap.
But the EPL lacks decent academies that churn out cheap top talent and is fiercely more competitive, meaning many clubs are effectively rebuilding again and again each window and are going for players locked in 5 yr contracts that require big bucks clauses to negate. Or overpriced and often overrated English players.
English tax is also another culprit since clubs have to shell out more to meet net wages
LvG was complaining about inheriting a broken squad from Moyes. Problem is the existing United squad was largely assembled by SAF so surely he should shoulder the blame. He also thinks he has too many attacking midfielders.
I'm still not convinced United will get in the required bodies in time. Clocks ticking and many of the players they're linked with are either signing new deals or opting for other clubs. But we shall see.
Meanwhile, Schneiderlin is not happy. Transfer request incoming me thinks. Also So'ton now a being mocked on Twitter after the Manager's inadvertent error.. Its gonna be a transition for the Saints and they have the right Manager and funds to do it. Koeman has experience building from scratch and they have about £97m in the bank so far. Could rise to £119m or more soon too. It'll be tricky but its not as terrible as it initially seems.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
It's not just about getting bodies in, either. You have to hope they are as good as you thought they were and that they work well as a unit. United have made more changes than most. LvG is already warning that the first three months will be rocky.
Liverpool will have to adapt to a Suarez-less situation, which should't be terribly hard because the team did well without him at the beginning of last season. Rogers' comment that Lovren will add leadership at the back is a bit troubling - Skrtel's been there long enough that he should be a leader by now. I'm hoping to see more from Coutinho and Lucas this season. Sterling will be counted on to maintain the excellent form that was such a pleasant surprise last season.
Liverpool will have to adapt to a Suarez-less situation, which should't be terribly hard because the team did well without him at the beginning of last season. Rogers' comment that Lovren will add leadership at the back is a bit troubling - Skrtel's been there long enough that he should be a leader by now. I'm hoping to see more from Coutinho and Lucas this season. Sterling will be counted on to maintain the excellent form that was such a pleasant surprise last season.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
I'm ready for it. 🙂
Besides, Allam wants attention, doesn't he? Well, that would get it.
Well to get that Asian attention I think this as a mascot.😱
Fits right in with the Tiger theme.😉
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
I'd take him over an elderly Drogba or Torres. Still, he's competing for a spot with Costa and Schürrle as well.
Kariya
macrumors 68000
Mind boggling to me that Mou would let him go and keep Drogba/Torres. Lukaku can give you 15 goals a season easy. Torres will give you 2 if you're lucky. Drogba maybe 8 or 10. What happens if and when Costa gets injured.
Chelsea must really need money to cope with FFP.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Apart from lost wages it should be a good move for Torres. Chelsea know they'll never come even close to getting their money back on him, and will save wages by letting him go. So if Atleti want him it should be a done deal unless Roman Abramovic blocks it. Mou can't possibly want him around can he?
Good. That means FFP is at least having some sort of measurable effect, even if it is far too little.
EDIT: Looks like the Premier League will be using vanishing spray this season after all. Leave it to them to make a simple, obvious decision seem complicated and fraught.
Good. That means FFP is at least having some sort of measurable effect, even if it is far too little.
EDIT: Looks like the Premier League will be using vanishing spray this season after all. Leave it to them to make a simple, obvious decision seem complicated and fraught.
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Kariya
macrumors 68000
...and its official. Everton snap up Lukaku for £28m 😱
Must be spending the £27.5m Fellaini + £10m Arteta money and gunning for top 4. The squad is still thin though and they need to replace Distin who is on the highway to 40
Must be spending the £27.5m Fellaini + £10m Arteta money and gunning for top 4. The squad is still thin though and they need to replace Distin who is on the highway to 40
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Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
My enduring memory of Lukaku (thus far) is his decisive substitute's appearance for Belgium against USA in the World Cup. We'd played a solid match against superior opposition up to that point, but he was just too big and fast for our weary defense.
Martinez will be happy to have him.
Martinez will be happy to have him.
English player tax. 🙂
Manchester United - 3rd kit; wore it yesterday - seems to be the best with that logo*. Performances; movement, one touch, retaining the ball. 🙂
* Edit; the quality of the stream wasn't enough to show that the back is a different blue - oh boy, pyjama cricket. 🙁
Hernandez should go to Atletico Madrid - deserves to be playing.
Lovren; think he was a liability in the second half of last season - a lot of effort trying to clean up his mistakes. Unsettled?
Cheers,
OW
Manchester United - 3rd kit; wore it yesterday - seems to be the best with that logo*. Performances; movement, one touch, retaining the ball. 🙂
* Edit; the quality of the stream wasn't enough to show that the back is a different blue - oh boy, pyjama cricket. 🙁
Hernandez should go to Atletico Madrid - deserves to be playing.
Lovren; think he was a liability in the second half of last season - a lot of effort trying to clean up his mistakes. Unsettled?
Cheers,
OW
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pachyderm
macrumors G5
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Yep, we'll have three kits. Home is black and amber stripes, the away hasn't been officially unveiled but a leaked shot shows a black shirt with amber trim.
That means that the third will need to be a light colour - I'd guess either sky blue or all white, both of which are traditional away looks for us.
Anyway, Europa League tonight and thrillingly I've had confirmation we'll have our own bespoke shirt font for Europe. Superb.
That is only the half of it; front on - Kariya's post - v :
Still, it is no Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa kit.
Hope your son had a good time.
---
Lord Blackadder; Toure. 🙂
Cheers,
OW
Attachments
swiftaw
macrumors 603
Looks like they should be playing one day cricket
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Who's the one hugging Young?
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Is he hugging Young, or trying to catch him as an errant breeze blows him to the floor? 😉
Fletcher; health probably means he'd be a squad player - then chancing he is fit when required. Where would he go?
Young; seems most want him out, though LvG is trying him as a wing back.
Hernandez; don't want to seem him go but he deserves to be a regular somewhere - Atletico Madrid? Inter Milan have been mentioned.
Zaha; think it would be daft to let him go this season - played well against Inter Milan. Up to him; Morrison route - currently in custody - or knuckle down as Bebe has done - did well in Portugal and now has a chance with Benfica.
Cheers,
OW
Fizzoid
macrumors 68020
Fletcher - Agree, decent squad player. There'd be a few PL that would want him if LVG didn't
Young - I don't think he'd play a WB role but who knows. I think he may go January time
Hernandez - I think it's in his own interests to leave. He deserves more but isn't going to get it at ManU
Zaha - Might be worth loaning him out, perhaps on a season long loan this time
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