Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:53 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Got to admire Fulham's standing up to Liverpool tonight. Liverpool went through major changes in the summer to remove the negative elements that had caused so much of the embarrassment they heaped on themselves last season. Then they go and continue the ridiculous behaviour with their pursuit of Dempsey. It's Mancini-esque in how lacking in class it was, going public on your interest in a player in press interviews and putting on your website that you've signing him, but then not putting a bid in, waiting for the player to become unsettled, the rocking up with a low ball offer. Good on Fulham for having none of it.

Liverpool have also alienated another of their players in the process by including Henderson in the deal. Another shocking Dalgleish signing, but like Carroll he'd be more use motivated and playing than moping about because he's valued so low by the club.

£55m was spent by Dalgleish/Comoli on Carroll and Henderson. One has been loaned out for very little money and the other has been offered to another Premier League side as a makeweight in a deal, which must have valued him at £2m.

When was it ever reported on the Liverpool website that we'd signed him? Blatant lie number one. What was wrong with what Rodgers said about Dempsey? Confirming we've made an inquiry is hardly Chelsea-esque tapping up, is it?

Henderson was the one that refused the deal to Fulham so not sure how he's now alienated. Maybe it will give him the motivation needed to prove his worth to us, he has potential but he's a passenger.

I think in general we've had a good transfer window. Our biggest problem going in was our wage bill. We had/have loads of sh*t/worthless players being overpaid and underused. Kuyt, Aquilani, Maxi etc. were all on huge wages, so to get rid is a huge positive for us. Allen looks a good signing, Borini has potential and Sahin should be a star in the league. Assaidi is a cheap, little risk signing that poses very few problems for us. We could have done with a striker but I think we might be able to scrape through to January.

I'm actually glad we had our price and stuck to it, it's about time we started settling on a price and not paying a penny more. Dempsey was only going to go down in value (whilst I bet he wanted a nice wage being in his prime). He's a decent-to-average player who would have only been a stopgap at best, much like Charlie Adam was.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sat Sep 01, 2012 5:31 am  

The best signing of the day was one barely reported. A new 5 year contract for napoli star Edison Cavani. The worst moves in the window from a player are the Rodwell and Sinclair move's to Man City, it's exactly the same as the Scott Parker and SWP moves to Chelsea a few years ago, will be FA cup and League cup players and will be shipped out for alot less to Newcastle or Villa in three years time, career suicide. SWP never recovered and it took Parker abour 5 years to regain any credibility.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sat Sep 01, 2012 8:19 am  

Wollyhood wrote:

The best signing of the day was one barely reported. A new 5 year contract for napoli star Edison Cavani. The worst moves in the window from a player are the Rodwell and Sinclair move's to Man City, it's exactly the same as the Scott Parker and SWP moves to Chelsea a few years ago, will be FA cup and League cup players and will be shipped out for alot less to Newcastle or Villa in three years time, career suicide. SWP never recovered and it took Parker abour 5 years to regain any credibility.

Rodwell and Sinclair really should know their place. Accept that they're not good enough for a CL club.

What's wrong with a player believing in himself and having ambition?

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sat Sep 01, 2012 11:46 am  

Wollyhood wrote:

The best signing of the day was one barely reported. A new 5 year contract for napoli star Edison Cavani. The worst moves in the window from a player are the Rodwell and Sinclair move's to Man City, it's exactly the same as the Scott Parker and SWP moves to Chelsea a few years ago, will be FA cup and League cup players and will be shipped out for alot less to Newcastle or Villa in three years time, career suicide. SWP never recovered and it took Parker abour 5 years to regain any credibility.

They have a chance to see if they are capable of playing at a higher level.

If they are good enough to play at a higher level then they pretty much have a great career right in front of them. If they don't make the grade then they'll go back to similar sides to where they are now. Hardly career suicide. Career suicide would be to refuse to accept a challenge because you think you're not up to it.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sat Sep 01, 2012 1:24 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

Javi Garcia should be a good signing for Citeh, but why are they even going for him? Does he really do loads more than de Jong?

Garcia's a beast, he's pretty dirty and brings size, strength, power and battling qualities to the midfield, as well as a pretty underrated passing game. Always felt he'd been due a move for years, but I really didn't think Citeh would be the club.

As great as De Jong is he isn't particularly tidy with the football. Tie that in with Barry's aging (31) and the signing of him and Rodwell has logic. I would have loved us to go for Moutinho and I'm glad nobody else got him after seeing him in the Euros. Thought he was excellent and easily Premiership quality.

I'm not sure if fortunate is the word but last year our early exit from the CL worked well because when we dipped towards the end of last season I think that would have been much worse if we had a couple of CL knockout games to play on top. I doubt we'd have survived that to win the league. Mancini is aware of that and with the African Nations in January there's going to plenty of opportunity for players to make a mark.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sat Sep 01, 2012 1:45 pm  

I still don't get why the ACON is every 2 years and not every 4 years like the Euro's

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:23 pm  

Cibaman wrote:

Rodwell and Sinclair really should know their place. Accept that they're not good enough for a CL club.

What's wrong with a player believing in himself and having ambition?

Nothing, but they aren't doing that. I bet neither actually cares if they play for City or not, the extra zero on the end of their payslip will do them the world of good.

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:51 am  

McClennan wrote:

As great as De Jong is he isn't particularly tidy with the football. Tie that in with Barry's aging (31) and the signing of him and Rodwell has logic. I would have loved us to go for Moutinho and I'm glad nobody else got him after seeing him in the Euros. Thought he was excellent and easily Premiership quality.

I'm not sure if fortunate is the word but last year our early exit from the CL worked well because when we dipped towards the end of last season I think that would have been much worse if we had a couple of CL knockout games to play on top. I doubt we'd have survived that to win the league. Mancini is aware of that and with the African Nations in January there's going to plenty of opportunity for players to make a mark.

All of City's defensive midfield targets/signings this summer are capable of playing centre back. Mancini clearly wants to have the option of playing three at the back. I think he sees Garcia (and Rodwell longer term) as an option to drop back into a three as the ball player of the trio.

[John_D]

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:43 am  

First goal at York yesterday came after 12 seconds. Anyone seen quicker?

Re: Football Chat Thread - Euro 2012 edition : Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:30 pm  

Liverpool have been pretty awful first half. Only Raheem Sterling's promise is stopping most of their fans from bursting out crying. Suarez so far is his usual fancy but no product self and Gerrard looks worringly like he's finished to me. He gave the ball away for Arsenal's goal and gave up on the pursuit of Podolski on the half way line, which is unforgivable. I should probably have waited until full time to post this as I'm sure they will both score second half now.

Arsenal look pretty impressive so far. Cazorla is a cracking little player and Diaby is absolutely dominating the midfield. I can see why they weren't particularly bothered about Song departing.