Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:19 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

I've seen him live (i.e. in a stadium) twice, but I've watched him on tele a lot. He's a good player, but he isn't the world beater you dream of him being. He just doesn't have enough of anything naturally to make him great. He isn't quick enough, isn't technically strong enough, lacks the composure and can be very rash. There's no doubting he's come on technically, but to the level it's being made out, deary me. He's tall, strong, works hard and keeps the ball well enough, but mobility, pace and true technical ability. I like him, but I just can't imagine him making too much of an impact playing for on of Europe's elite. You do, obviously, as you're a bluenose, and all of your players are better than those at big clubs (Baines, Howard, Arteta, Jags, Pienaar and, for a while, Rodwell). You have a good side that holds its own in the league, but, in terms of elite level talent, come on now.

You think he won't make it because he's not good enough or you think he won't make it because he comes from Everton? He's not as rash as he was, that's been a big turning point of him game too, he thinking and reading of the game has come on. Techinically he's coming on really well, I agree he's not as quick as he could do with being but he's well ahead of the midfield he's currently playing with. To be fair I see the point you're making but I like to think I see the players we have for what they are, I'd say we have Felli, Baines and Jags, most of the time, who are quality and could make an impact at a higher level but the rest, no chance. I haven't seen much of Pienaar at Spurs but I'm not sure he's had too much of an impact there. Fellaini's getting better and better and I do think he could really make an impact at one of Europe's best. As you say he's tall, strong and works hard add to that his reading of the game, his tackling coming on a lot and you've got the making of a very good holding midfielder.

sanjunien wrote:

Guilty,i'm afraid - I haven't watched him live so that gives me no right to pass judgement - sorry to have insulted your undoubted football intelligence.

I bet he's just waiting for the call from PG at Barça !

So, you haven't seen him play but you know he's rubbish

I didn't say anything about my football intelligence but I do know Fellaini is a quality footballer but then you know that without seeing him play.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:11 am  

Dan_FC wrote:

So, you haven't seen him play but you know he's rubbish

I didn't say anything about my football intelligence but I do know Fellaini is a quality footballer but then you know that without seeing him play.

so,the criterion for judging any footballer on this site is to have watched them 'live',is that it then ?

is that what you are saying ?

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:25 am  

sanjunien wrote:

so,the criterion for judging any footballer on this site is to have watched them 'live',is that it then ?

is that what you are saying ?

Not at all but it helps if you've actually watched him play before dismissing him as rubbish. Players like Fellaini and Modric are never going to be top of goalscoring charts or assist charts but their contribution is vital to their team's midfield, they won't stand out on MOTD highlights so unless you watch them play live or otherwise you probably don't appreciate how good they are. What do you base your judgement on him being 'rubbish' if you've never seen him play?

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:08 am  

sanjunien wrote:

so,the criterion for judging any footballer on this site is to have watched them 'live',is that it then ?

is that what you are saying ?

Some footballers do have to be seen live to be fully appreciated. Colin Bell being the classic example. You just don't see their movement off the ball as well on telly.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:31 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

If the new manager comes in and says he wants Drogba out, I fear he won't be big enough for the job.

What do you mean "not big enough"? Do you mean that, by getting rid of the egos, he's showing he can't control them? IMO, I'd get rid of Drogba, Terry, Lampard, Anelka and whoever else isn't up to it, but that's just me, I don't wave plastic flags around to cheer them on, so I don't have the affiliation.

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Knowing us, we'll get rid of Drogba and quickly find out Torres is a bust. I just don't think we can take that risk.

Hope so. Personally, I can't see Torres being a bust unless Chelsea succumb to his needs. Just before he left us, he started to pick up his form again, so it's not like it isn't there, it is there, you just have to extract it by doing everything for him. That's probably his biggest weakness, he's not like an Eto'o who will fit in to the team and do what's asked of him, you either play to his strengths, or basically play with 10 men, as he becomes useless.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:37 am  

This was tweeted before:

fc porto last 5 seasons : 4 league titles + europe league throphy. 120 million euros profit (!) from transfer market operations (2006-2010)


Now, I'm sorry, but if a Portuguese club can achieve those kinds of profits in the market, WTF are English clubs playing at? People claim our talent isn't overpriced or even overrated, but just look abroad at clubs like Porto and Udinese for a good example of running a business. You look at their team now, and they have £50m worth of talent in Hulk and Falcao, then you see their defence and that's worth a fair amount, they are an immense club, and they're even making profit from non-playing staff now.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:54 am  

Roddy B wrote:

This was tweeted before:

fc porto last 5 seasons : 4 league titles + europe league throphy. 120 million euros profit (!) from transfer market operations (2006-2010)


Now, I'm sorry, but if a Portuguese club can achieve those kinds of profits in the market, WTF are English clubs playing at? People claim our talent isn't overpriced or even overrated, but just look abroad at clubs like Porto and Udinese for a good example of running a business. You look at their team now, and they have £50m worth of talent in Hulk and Falcao, then you see their defence and that's worth a fair amount, they are an immense club, and they're even making profit from non-playing staff now.

It helps when you can buy good but unexperienced players on the cheap from South America, Africa etc when you don't have work permit requirements this country has.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:08 am  

Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona almost done. The strong get stronger. Messi, Villa, Sanchez. Good luck to the rest of us.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:16 am  

keithcun wrote:

It helps when you can buy good but unexperienced players on the cheap from South America, Africa etc when you don't have work permit requirements this country has.

Of course it does, but it also helps when you can identify top manager prospects, and don't stick to the same old crap.

Still, the work permit argument I'm slightly unsure of. One of the players they sold during that period - Anderson - managed to move over here without a work permit, and he wasn't even capped by Brazil. I think it can be worked around, if not directly, then through loans and affiliated clubs (Alex, Chelsea, being a good example).

Still, Porto are just another great example of how to run a football club. English clubs should take note, instead of persisting with absolute no-hopers (Konchesky, Poulsen and Cole being good examples at Liverpool, Roy, Cecil), clubs should be looking to utilize the vast sums of money they have accordingly. Instead of wasting it on crap, hire good scouts, persist with a plan and make sure it makes sense in every way. There is too much wayward spending in England, both on transfer fees and on wages, we Liverpool fans should know that more than anybody when you read some of the alleged wage packets of some of our players.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:19 am  

Nikaed wrote:

Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona almost done. The strong get stronger. Messi, Villa, Sanchez. Good luck to the rest of us.

Bigshot Pedro off the bench as well. Still, they need a bit more depth in other positions, too. They need another midfielder and another centre back/left back, depending on if Abidal moves to the middle.

Sanchez is a real buy for them, though, he adds a direct element they've lacked at times. If they can add a couple of impact players, they'll probably win everything next year.