I hate everything
Saturday August 13th:
Liverpool v Sunderland, 9am, FOX Soccer
Fulham v Aston Villa, 9am, ESPN2/ESPN3.com
QPR v Bolton, 9am
Wigan v Norwich, 9am
Blackburn v Wolves, 9am
Newcastle United v Arsenal, 11:30pm
Sunday August 14th:
Stoke v Chelsea 7:30
West Brom v ManU 10:00 FOX Soccer
Monday August 15th:
City v Swansea 2:00 ESPN2
Tuesday August 16th:
Arsenal v Udinese 1:45 FOX Soccer.
10 months ago
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Who?
The manager hopes to push through a deal for the Valencia winger Juan Mata and he has opened talks with Shakhtar Donetsk over the possibility of taking the attacking midfielder Jadson to the Emirates Stadium. He also has an interest in Marseille’s Mathieu Valbuena and Lille’s Eden Hazard.
So Arsene.
Looks at Shaktar and instead of targeting Douglas Costa, goes for the guy noone’s heard of.
is he really that unheard of?
I follow European soccer fairly loosely and I’ve heard of him. From what I’ve heard, he’s a good young player.
Yeah, will be 28 in Oct.
Just seems like he’s opting for another cheap alternative (rumored 8-10 mil) and after losing Cesc and Nasri, it’s frustrating to say the least.
Jadson
He was the main playmaker for Shakhtar’s Europa League title team a couple years back. Good player, though I’d rather have Douglas Costa long-term.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Oooh Costa
Do want
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 11, 2011 10:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Players who are definitely not going to Arsenal because I signed them while using Arsenal in FIFA:
Marvin Martin, Scott Dann, Etienne Capoue, Jose Rondon, James McCarthy and for some reason, Adem Ljajic.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
I TRIED TO RESEMBLE ARSENE BY ONLY BUYING PLAYERS WHICH COST UNDER 3 MIL
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
OF COURSE IN FIFA WHERE RVP ISN'T INJURED ALL THE TIME
AND CESC AND NASRI ARE STILL AT ARSENAL ALL I REALLY NEED TO DO IS BUY SQUAD PLAYERS ON THE CHEAP
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Well I attempted to sign Hazard (who only costs 4 million) and offered him, like, quadruple his wages
except the cunt kept declining.
I’m going to blame my heritage for being unwilling to spend. I managed to double Arsenal’s finances and have enough money to bring in five or so quality players…but fuck it.
FIFA Manager Mode is so unbelievably shitty though, compared to how the rest of the game has improved recently. Though it just be because PC is still a red-headed stepchild.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Yeah.
Hazard is quite a bit more expensive than 4mm on FIFA11. The manager mode actually got worse (buggier) in FIFA11.
Well, the PC version of FIFA 11 is meant to be a port of FIFA 10 from 360
with updated rosters, so I dunno why they’d differ. Hazard got rerated from maybe 79 up to low-80s in the winter update, but his price was still around 4 as it turned out…on the PC version.
Of course after one and a half seasons, he costs 9 mil so I won’t be signing him ever.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
im pretty excited for the ps3 version of fifa 12
i NEED to try the football manager version for ipad too
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 12, 2011 7:13 AM CDT up reply actions
Maybe it's just me, but
for some reason when I play FM on ipad I have an incredible amount of setbacks. Early straight reds every couple games, way more surprising upsets. I thought about reloading it just for good luck, but I do worse every time than in the ipod/phone or PC version. And I mean every time.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 12, 2011 7:21 AM CDT up reply actions
hmm
i wonder if it is a glitch in the coding?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 12, 2011 7:30 AM CDT up reply actions
x
But speaking ahead of his side’s Premier League opener, Wenger remained adamant the wantaway duo would not be leaving.
‘I expect nobody to leave the club,’ said Wenger.
Looks like the Fabregas deal is done today
Lots of legitimate looking twitter chatter.
And there’s this, supposedly Cesc handing RVP the captain’s armband at training.
Unless a Rosicky is held back for Udinese, I’m guessing the Arsenal lineup for Saturday will be:
Arshavin-RVP-Gervinho
Ramsey-Song-Rosicky
Gibbs-Vermaelen-Djourou-Sagna
Szczesny
Koscielny could play, but I’d think they’d just save him. Walcott is supposedly available, but he probably comes on for Arshavin. Gibbs, Ramsey and RVP are supposed to be available.
:(
And what was the point of denying the departures this morning? He confirmed the departures yesterday.
yeah think he hurt his ankle a week or two ago
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Yeah
Wenger was optimistic a week ago, but he’s apparently still out.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 12, 2011 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions
Sad to see him go
He’s one of the best players in the Prem and I’d much rather see him play every week for Arsenal that not see him play while sitting on the bench for Barcelona.
Not mediocre. Right about average
Sounds like Cesc will be holed up in London for the weekend
Fabregas was on his way to Heathrow Airport this afternoon to take a flight to Spain but he received a call on his mobile phone from a member of the Nou Camp hierarchy asking him to remain in London until Sunday.
Sky Sports News has reported that Pep Guardiola was behind the move to keep Fabregas in the UK as he didn’t want his side distracted in the run-up to the game. Any opposition but Real Madrid and Guardiola may have welcomed Fabregas to the Nou Camp on Saturday as was planned, but this is another Gran Clasico and even pre-season these games take on a whole new dimension.
Fabregas will now be presented to the Spanish media on Monday.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 12, 2011 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions
Arsene
went ahead with Koscielny instead. Will be interesting to see him and Vermaelen run around together.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions
Wait, so I'm still not used to how the transfer business works.
If Arsenal had just completely refused to take any calls from Barca on a possible Cesc offer this summer, knowing that he still had a ton of years on his contract, what would have been the consequences, outside of Cesc potentially acting like a major asshat?
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Enrique deal official
And it looks like Aquilani is staying- he was finally given a squad number today…
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
put this in the OT thread, and ill repeat it here. dad was in NY for business this week
and was telling me how the plane up had some good looking girls on the plane, and sat next to a particularly good looking, 20 somethings chick. they started talking, she mentions her boyfriend plays soccer for the USMNT, and also plays for FCDallas. My dad had no effing clue that he was sitting and talking to Brek Shea’s GF.
- Rangers finish 85-77 - Josey Wales
- I picture GoET with a reptilian dong anyway - RIver Fenix
sid lowe on cesc:
Yet Arsenal has pushed him toward the door too. The truth is that Cesc — accused of letting Arsenal down — feels let down. By the broken promise on his departure but also by the same things that have frustrated fans: the broken promises on signings, the failure of the team to take a step up; by the long wait to win something. Criticisms of Barcelona’s approach and Cesc’s lack of loyalty have painted Arsenal and Arsene Wenger as entirely innocent victims, as if a decision to move on is taken in a vacuum — entirely independent of life at the Emirates. But are they really?
Cesc himself said: “Sometimes it feels like we [Arsenal] are always saying to the fans ‘next year we’ll be great, next year we’ll do it’ and they don’t like that and nor do I. You have to win.”
And that was four years ago.
and yes, barca should either a) pay up or b) shut up.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
i guess we know why he went to russia.
485k / week
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 12, 2011 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Trolling
"We will not do [a deal for] Juan Mata. I don’t have to give a reason, we will not do it."
"We will have a new centre-back by the end of the transfer window – because Vermaelen only played five games last year"
Of course that was right after he told the TV guys
that he will not sell Cesc or Nasri.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 12, 2011 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Someone on an Arsenal message board:
Is it just me? or Wengers plan for the new team is this?
Sczes
Winger Winger Verms Winger
Winger
Winger Winger
Winger RVP/Winger Winger
Saw that at the Chelsea blog.
Kind of surprised me.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 12, 2011 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Though Graham's EPL predictor tool
thinks ManU wins comfortably and ManCity finishes just ahead of Chelsea for the next 2 spots.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 12, 2011 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Disagree with that.
Assuming Chelsea can capably replace Essien (either by giving McEachran a chance or with Modric), I think they’ll be the primary challengers. If City keep Tevez for the year and he plays at his normal form, they’ll be right up there too. If they lose Tevez, I don’t really fear them too much over the course of a season.
I think it's more of a fun toy (think WPA)
than actual predictor. Just food for thought.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Not particularly surprising at all to me.
Sneijder’s older and much more expensive (in terms of transfer fee and wages) than the players they typically go for. He’s also absolutely not the type of midfielder that United need, as Rooney basically does what Sneijder does going forward…particularly with Hernandez in the XI.
Predictions?
1. Chelsea
2. United
3. City
4. Liverpool
Top Goalscorer: RVP.
Woo!
Season starts in 10 minutes!
Enrique, Adam, Henderson, Suarez, and Carroll all in the starting 11 for Liverpool today.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Not sure
He’s almost always in the lineup. Guess Kenny wanted to show off the new boys…
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
dang it
Suarez gets an early penalty, and puts it five feet over the net…
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
So was that one!
1-0 Reds!
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Still managed
to come out with a perfect 0-0
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions
It got progressively worse as the game went on.
It’s what happens when one of your central midfielders can’t pass forwards or dribble the ball, and when you play Emile Heskey.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Well, shit
That was disappointing. Liked what I saw of Adam; Flanagan was really poor today.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
I thought Carroll was pretty worthless today
Hup Holland Hup
by Martijn1309 on Aug 13, 2011 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions
The headline on Monday will be
“Wenger pulls out of previously-agreed 10 mil deal for Scott Dann, citing Financial Fair Play”.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
On the arsenal match they were saying teve could end up in emirates
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Most illogical rumor ever.
He’d have to take a massive wage cut.
by LiamP on Aug 13, 2011 1:25 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I had to back it up to make sure I heard it correct
Very far fetched
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
All of the papers
ran with the rumor. Someone in the middle of the process must have floated it out there, but it makes zero sense.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Yup looks really good
Don’t like rosicky in the middle
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
heh
this gif made me laugh
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Joey fuckin barton
How the hell wasn’t he givn a red
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
No Gervinho for Liverpool now
wonderful
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions
And he's clearly been the highlite today
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
At least
the Angels are getting drilled.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Bit of pushing and shoving is a yellow.
Not a red until someone takes a swing.
by LiamP on Aug 13, 2011 1:17 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
It was dragging him up from off the ground and started it all
Same shit happened against Newcastle last year
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
The inciter usually isn't the one punished the most.
You know this. You can’t react to Barton’s shit, much less go for a slap.
by LiamP on Aug 13, 2011 1:22 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
He got a yellow for the confrontation
You don’t see yellows given for flopping over a slap, although you should just for being a fanny.
by LiamP on Aug 13, 2011 1:31 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
How about two yellows?
One for instigating the whole thing and one for simulating that he’d been punched?
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions
you know, you're English and all, and we let that slide ...
but, Jack, don’t you EVER use the word ‘fanny’ again
I agree
Also should have been a red on Song for the stomp
by Robert L. Bishop on Aug 13, 2011 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions
Obertan showed flashes of beastliness ...
but mostly he just walked around lollygagging – hope he doesn’t waste it
The slap was stupid
But bartons conduct was ridiculous
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Joey Barton
What a tosser.
Not mediocre. Right about average
I hope
that RVP isn’t what they’ll get week in, week out without Fabregas.
They have to find a playmaker to compete for anything. Arshavin, Rosicky, Diaby and Ramsey offer very little inspiration or control.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions
I love him
but Ramsey isn’t ready for starting role. On the plus side, Verm made a world of difference today. Please stay healthy.
Yeah
It’s great to have him back. The CB pairing weren’t up against anything great, but they (Kos and Squillaci) also weren’t in that fixture last February either.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions
x
They have to find a playmaker to compete for anything.
Easier said than done. United have been spent about a year looking for one and all they came up with was Nasri, who wants to leave your club, and Sneijder, who you can’t and wouldn’t buy.
I think your best bet is to keep playing Ramsey.
Oh I know, everyone is clamoring for that guy
You might feel a little differently about Ramsey if it were your team and you’d watched the entire game today, though.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions
No, I agree that he looked poor.
But Ramsey can obviously pick out a pass and he’s displayed enough in the past to make you think that he or Wilshere can at least play that role (neither will be as good as Cesc, obviously). My point was that there’s just not much alternative right now other than to keep playing Ramsey and hope that he improves when Wilshere returns.
That or find a way to finagle Thiago in the Fabregas deal.
Guess who said it
“If the financial fair play comes in, we will be in a very strong position, but at the moment it doesn’t exist."
-—- was asked about the progress of the deals for-—- and-——, but as ever, he refused to elaborate too much on the ongoing negotiations.
-—- concluded: "On both fronts we are currently in no man’s land.
"It can change quickly but at the moment they are both-—- players.
"I am not a prophet but even if they should leave, I do hope that one day they will wear a(n)-— shirt again.
Yes, too easy
just funny how distinctive his speech patterns are.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 13, 2011 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions
Cause this guy is pretty unknown
Arsene Wenger will summon his most trusted talent scout to the Arsenal training ground today and ask him for a final verdict on Gary Cahill.
Chief scout Steve Rowley watched the Bolton Wanderers centre-back in action against QPR will surely tell his boss that Cahill is made for the Gunners.
Hey, the following comment is appropriate if you replace "Jordan Henderson" with "Joey Barton"
and “Emile Heskey” with “Gervinho”:
http://www.lonestarball.com/2010/12/30/1905086/epl-january-games-transfer-window-opens#56088733
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Fulham
The first time I’ve seen them play with Jol in charge. They looked very dangerous in the second half. Riise adds a new dimension with his runs up the left wing. I really do not approve of Jol’s decision to split up the pair of Hangeland and Hughes, though. Hughes is a great center back but a middling right back. Still, I like that Jol’s having them build from the back. Schwarzer’s distribution usally started with his fullbacks and they played the ball on the ground to the midfielders. Zamora didn’t see as much action in that way, but it is a promising approach.
Not mediocre. Right about average
Goal.com and probably shit against the wall because of the way the club is going at the moment but..
Arsene Wenger has told friends that he is preparing for his final season as manager of Arsenal, Goal.com can reveal.
Mentions PSG as his likely landing spot which would be funny.
Wonder if
AVB convinces Drogba to play more of a high impact sub role, since he’s 33 and all?
by Brett Perryman on Aug 14, 2011 7:49 AM CDT up reply actions
That seems to be the direction they are moving, yes.
Problem is, everything kind of goes to shit when Drogba is brought in.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions
But he's totally one of my favourite footballers, so I don't care if he goes to United, as long as he's in the PL.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
This is a fair point, but...
Fuck ’em.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions
I would do so many pearings...
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Torres hasn't scored yet?! Yikes, I thought he'd troll everyone by scoring in this game very early on.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Worst case scenario, they have Lindegaard, who's tremendously good.
I ain’t scurred.
by LiamP on Aug 14, 2011 11:00 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
who knows ...
speculation at BM is that the two clubs might have agreed to let Nasri use up his CL suspension against Udinese before the transfer, that way he can play in City’s first group stage game – but I don’t know whether that is viable under the rules or not
Seems smart
I would think that there is a sufficient loophole in the rules to allow for that. He was listed on the roster, even though he’s suspended for the first leg.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 14, 2011 3:48 PM CDT up reply actions
w00t
barca and RM are on espn3 today!
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
wait maybe not.
it appears on the top of the espn3 website.
but not on the listed “events”
ffffffff
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions
hmm
shows up there but when i go to sports —> soccer just 2 secs ago it wasnt lol
thanks :)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions
what a douche
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Barton's tweets under fa scrutiny apparently
And song may face 3 game ban
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
It's easier this time because the ref clearly didn't see it...
…so there’s no doubting the ref’s authority or whatever.
didnt he not even get a card for it?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions
RM // Barca
TEAMS: Real Madrid – Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo, Alonso, Khedira, Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo, Benzema. /// Valdes, Alves, Mascherano, Abidal, Adriano, Keita, Thiago, Iniesta, Messi, Villa, Sanchez.
let me just say, no pique, no puyol makes me worry quite a bit
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
I guess I have decided to follow RM again this season.
main reason I didn’t switch over to Barca is the horrible camera angle at Barca home games
i am going ot kind of be copying your Man City // RM strategy
with barca // Roma (depending on if i can find matches in english…)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions
freaking espn3 is spanish only
what the f
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions
bloody hell
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions
we can all only assume what this means...
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions
ugh
why espn3, why?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
actually id be ok w/ it
if my internet was so motherfucking horrible
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions
i hate my shitty internet so motherfucking much.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Was awesome.
Real should’ve tonked them. Hopefully the El Clasicos this year can be this competitive.
not with the depth currently in place
unless the backline gets hurt
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Good luck getting Real to park the bus as well as Inter did.
That was also the Ibra-iteration of Barca, and they weren’t as dangerous as this one.
this year's team is much much deeper though imho
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions
:(
“We have been clear that we didn’t want Cesc to leave and that remains the case. However, we understand Cesc’s desire to move to his home town club and have now accepted an offer from Barcelona. We thank Cesc for his contribution at Arsenal and wish him future success.”
so who do they bring in?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Kind of interesting
that he had more praise for Clichy in that departure statement than Fabregas. “We thank him for his contribution and wish him future success” is in line with an email you’d send out after you fire an executive on bad terms.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 7:36 AM CDT up reply actions
Sigh... I don't even have it in me to rage right now
Barcelona were on Sunday claiming they will only have to pay €14.5 million up front, with a further €14.5 million to be paid in October. It is then understood that €1 million will be released for each year of a contract that lasts until 2016.
Providing Fàbregas wins one European Cup and two La Liga titles over the next five years, Arsenal will receive a further €6 million. This takes the potential overall fee to €40 million (£35 million).
Wow does that suck.
At least United got all 80mm in 1 installment from Real.
So ridiculous
that they’re going to have more cash in hand from Nasri – on a friggin expiring contract – than Fabregas. There are stories about how Gazidis has been upset about the deal, and if that’s true Arsene completely caved or Kroenke/“the board” screwed Arsenal. And Cesc, he really screwed them.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 14, 2011 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions
xx
And Cesc, he really screwed them.
had they not sold him, could ahve have “forced” his way out?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 6:22 PM CDT up reply actions
x
had they not sold him, could ahve have "forced" his way out?
That’s essentially what he did. Again, say what you want about Ronaldo, but he at least made sure that United got the absolute highest transfer fee they could out of Real before he left.
i am saying legally though?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 7:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Trolling
Barcelona will further enrage Arsenal over the Cesc Fabregas transfer – by slapping a £130million buy-out clause in his contract.
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has been holding out for a better deal after believing Barcelona’s £36m offer is well short of the player’s true market value.
Gazidis has been left annoyed that Barca have got Fabregas on the cheap because the Spanish midfielder made it clear he did not want to go to Manchester City, Real Madrid and Inter Milan and a bidding war would have forced the price up towards £50
I'm trying to think of another sports transaction
that has left me this enraged/defeated and I can’t come up with one. Maybe A-Rod?
ARod and Jason Kidd
are always what I compare these things to. This is comparable to both of those because you had such great expectations, none of them won anything before they left (though Fabregas got a lot closer), and the return is pathetic for one of the best players in their respective sports.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 7:26 AM CDT up reply actions
this has to be the highest price ever paid for a guy who has basically no real hope of starting immediately
right?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 7:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Mike Finley was pretty good...
And of course if the Mavs had kept Sam Cassell, Steve Nash wouldn’t have ever played for Dallas.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
It was a crappy return
They traded one of the best players in the NBA in his prime and got back two solid players. That is worse in the NBA than in any other league, and it would be bad in any league. Though, at least they didn’t continue to pay a third of his contract for years and years.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 7:50 AM CDT up reply actions
From the historic stuff I sifted through
it seemed like it was a case of the situation in Dallas going sour between both parties, and he practically had to be traded.
I suppose in hindsight the return is decent, because Finley and Cassell both now have decent cases to be borderline top 100 of all time type of players, but yeah, I sort of don’t know how they were perceived back then.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Well, I disagree about the return being decent
Finley and Cassell were both solid players (Cassell wasn’t again until he went to NJ), but that doesn’t make it a decent trade, either at the time or now.
As far as the situation in Dallas, that was part of the tragedy. When Kidd was dealt, Ross Perot Jr. owned the team and had a real estate man, Frank Zachinelli, running its basketball operations and Jim Cleamons coaching it. Cleamons was a disaster as a head coach, and he and Kidd didn’t get along, nor did Kidd and Jim Jackson, as everyone knows.
But within weeks, Don Nelson was hired, Zachinelli was out of basketball operations, Cleamons was gone, and Jackson and Jamal Mashburn were also gone. If Zachinelli and Perot had just been a smidge more patient, all of the garbage would have been cleared out, and Kidd would have had Nelson to mentor him.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 8:14 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm trying to think of returns received for trading a HOF player in the past
and I don’t know how Kidd was at the time, but I wonder how much exactly an All-Star 23 year old point guard with plenty of upside but also an obvious flaw, is worth.
Charles Barkley, Shaq, Kevin Garnett were all guys who were dealt in their prime (i.e. later than Kidd), when they were worth arguably as much as Kidd, and all those returns don’t look like they’re better than Cassell (who looked to have had a breakout season for the Rockets the season before, and eventually became an excellent 20 PER type of point guard)/Finley (good rookie guard who became All-Star calibre
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Shaq's return was better
That said, the other returns were bad, and that’s usually the case. You aren’t often going to come out ahead when you deal someone like that. As you said, the age of those players was a HUGE factor that makes their situations different from Kidd’s – to the point that it’s hard to even compare them.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Well, Odom/Butler/Grant
isn’t exactly a clear upgrade. Grant was probably the equivalent to A.C Green, as a veteran role player forward. Butler was probably the equivalent of Finley, but his stock had fallen after an uneven 2003-2004 season. Odom was a fair bit better than Cassell. But then again, 32 year old Shaq, one of the most dominant centers ever and only a bit past his prime, was worth more than a 23 year old Jason Kidd. If you evaluate it at the time, the Lakers got a better deal. If you evaluate it according to what actually resulted (the Lakers traded away an All-Star forward in Butler for scraps; Mavs did the same with Cassell; Finley and Odom both big contributors), the Mavs and Lakers received pretty much the same amount of benefit from their respective deals.
I just don’t know if 1996 Jason Kidd could’ve commanded a huge return, when he probably at the time wasn’t considered to be on the way to the Hall of Fame.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Probably.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions
eh
they have been putting huge ones on their players recently. i think pedro is like 120? (lolwut?) thiago is 90mm, etc
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Oh, well, now it's all better
Sandro Rosell says Barcelona will pay £25.3m up front for Cesc, with add-ons worth £8.7m. Total fee: £34m. Amazing.
No, fuck you.
“It is not €40 million,” Rosell said. “Barca will pay €29 million and we are very happy, because we said we would not pay more than €30 million and we succeeded. On top of that, the variables are €5 million plus five others.”
heh
so why did arsenal sell him then?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions
That's what I'll never understand.
Not mediocre. Right about average
He didn't want to be there
Arsene and/or the board caved because the constant tapping up was probably taking it’s toll on the locker room.
total bullshit,
yes it is.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:38 PM CDT up reply actions
and now i have golTV and fox soccer HD
fuck you att and your shitty internet speeds
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
i should have ordered it at the half today
and gotten to see it in full…but i didnt think that DTV could get it live for me fast enough. needless to say. it took about 20 secs and i was live watching brazillian soccer. ugh
at least the 2nd leg is on golTV. I can go into a social media blackout wed afternoon, record the game and catch it (wont get off till 5)
now to find out when/where roma play…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 14, 2011 6:23 PM CDT up reply actions
with cesc now official
i wonder how much time that thiago actually gets going forward.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Good point
I’m updating my Fabregas text now.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 7:52 AM CDT up reply actions
who is JP starkey?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 7:57 AM CDT up reply actions
in his bio
I still think Albert Pujols, Tim Lincecum and Tom Brady are underrated.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions
He's from CT
and is a Patriots fan. I think his Cards fan-ness was handed down from his dad. And I think he just likes Lincecum.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 8:00 AM CDT up reply actions
curious
does he have another username under which he posts on SBN? otherwise, he has a total of 7 comments (outside of SBN DFW) on the entire Sportsblogs Network?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions
(trying to figure out if it too is another LSB'er)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions
I don't know
but he’s not an LSB’er, and I don’t think that he had a heavy presence on SBN before he joined up with DFW.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 8:05 AM CDT up reply actions
ahhhh
ok, wasnt sure if it was a guy who posted on LSB w/ a nickname but starkey is his real name and he didnt convert his username like you did…
random, but thanks
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions
starters
Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson
Clichy’s a bit of a surprise – AK seemed to win the starter’s job in pre-season. Bench TBA.
Subs: Taylor, Zabaleta, Savic, Kolarov, Milner, Balotelli, Aguero
Gotta believe Aguero will see the last 15 mins no matter what happens.
Prediction?
1-0. Man City. Same as it ever was.
Not mediocre. Right about average
Mancini is so conservative
Two out and out defensive mids (Barry and DeJong), another defensive mid deployed as an attacking mid (Toure), the defenisive Clichy chosen ahead of the attacking Kolarov, all against a freshly promoted side.
Not mediocre. Right about average
Crap. Was planning on watching this on espn3 later
Manchester City vs. Swansea City (live only)
Guess I’ll have it on in the background
Heh
Nanas08 Samir Nasri Official
I heard what the fans were singing about me on saturday and it is really disrespectful because i’m still a arsenal player
opposite of cesc?
heh
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Is this for real?
"I’ve been very disappointed by the supporters last weekend," he said. "I am still an Arsenal player but I will certainly leave very soon. It’s nearly done.
“But I will leave with bitterness and anger in my heart. I am proud for having played with the Gunners during the past three years. Thank you all for your messages and support."
evidently
the Frenchman later replied via Twitter: “Just to make things clear i dont have a facebook so i never said i was leaving with bitterness the guy who said that use a fake account.”
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions
x
Arsenal look set to bid for Marvin Martin and Andre Ayew as soon as they have received the first payment from the sale of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona.
Isn’t that way too mechanical? The only reasons I could see doing that are a) they’re broke, and b) they fear Barcelona will renig on a contracted payment. Neither of those things are the case.
are we sure its not A?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 15, 2011 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions
That's one thing that might be holding up the buying
Need to get the Danish wonder and De Gea done also.
Arsene has said as much recently
I think that’s more likely than literally having the new cash in the bank account.
Arsene said in his PC today that they would like to bring 1-2 more players in (if they could find them, yada yada). I think most people feel like he should buy three – replacements for Nasri and Fabregas, and a CB. I still want a CB, but he’d better find a true playmaker of some kind either now or in January if he wants to have a chance of staying top four.
Also, he was visibly disgusted when he declined to talk about Barcelona disrespecting Arsenal.
And Rosicky has a groin issue that could keep him out tomorrow. MF of Ramsey, Song and Frimpong in a UCL qualifier? Yay!
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions
We're probably going to get our first look at Oxlade
yay?
And it looks like the Mata deal is definitely off because that clause thing was real.
x
Boy, what a spot to have your debut. Guy hasn’t even played a top two division league match yet. I guess his big experience last year was also in a cup.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Down to Nasri and Bendtner
to sell, and hopefully Almunia somehow works out a loan deal after all.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions
So
No Song, no Gervinho for Liverpool & Man Utd, and Wilshere is in no man’s land with his injury. RVP suspended for Udinese. Fabregas and presumably Nasri gone, and the additions to the squad outside of Gervinho are all teenagers with no PL experience.
What an August.
On the flip side, my money is on Frimpong destroying someone’s ankle in the next two weeks, so that should be entertaining.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions
MF vs Liverpool
In what may wind up being the biggest game of the season, since their hope of finishing top four rests on beating Liverpool and maybe Tottenham, they could field a central midfield of Ramsey, Frimpong and, I don’t know, Lansbury? Wenger could concede and put Arshavin in there, which would mean a Chamberlain start alongside Walcott. Maybe Rosicky and/or Wilshere will be back in time, but Wilshere doesn’t sound too promising.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Cheer up.
No Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael, Valencia or Hernandez for us.
by LiamP on Aug 15, 2011 1:03 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
The CBs are obviously pretty big
but the obvious difference is that you have backups that aren’t 17 (or Squillaci).
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Fair point.
Although Jones, Smalling, Fabio, Cleverley and Welbeck are hardly experienced.
I don’t think there’s as big of a gap as you might think.
by LiamP on Aug 15, 2011 2:18 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
What did you think
of Cleverley’s game yesterday?
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Tidy. Faded in the second half. About what you would expect.
He’s not afraid to pass the ball forward and push up after it, which already puts him above Carrick.
Still don’t think he or Anderson are the answer in CM, but I’ll reserve final judgment for now I suppose.
by LiamP on Aug 15, 2011 2:55 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
No Rosicky today
ashburton_grove Ashburton Grove
Sky Sports say Tomas Rosicky is out of tonight’s game. Possible replacements: Emmanuel Frimpong or Henri Lansbury.
August sucks.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 8:52 AM CDT up reply actions
Yay!
Sports Interactive just released details on Football Manager 2012:
http://www.epltalk.com/football-manager-2012-photos-and-videos-and-more-than-800-new-features-33789
I’m gonna go fap now.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
I'm staying away
I’m trying to get a consultancy co. off the ground and if I get this game the company’s toast. Hard decision, though!
What's the rumpus?
not sure what you mean
fans like him okay – about what you’d expect – get a little frustrated at his tactics occasionally – I think they get what he’s trying to do – appreciate the pressure he’s under and the success he’s brought
the players who are good guys and play hard like him a lot I think – appreciate that he doesn’t put up with the slackers and moaners – generally, I think the team has grown comfortable with his personal style – dude’s pretty simple if you fly the straight and narrow with him – reputed to be a friendly guy in the hallways down at City HQ – Platt and Kidd smooth over the rough edges lost in translation
city is really starting to control the midfield now
and dzeko is definitely taking advantage of that
Hup Holland Hup
No kidding
Impressive first 10 minutes. If Mancini goes 4-4-2 instead of playing 12 defenders, the goals should come.
by Outworlder47 on Aug 15, 2011 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions
If he's going to
play 60 minutes at home against Swansea in his conservative formation and tactics, he’s probably going to do that a lot. Of course Aguero and Silva being unstoppable could convince him, I guess.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 15, 2011 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions
x
OptaJoe
11 – Michel Vorm has already made more saves tonight than any player managed in a Premier League game last season (10). Blinder
Desperation, we haz it.
Arsène Wenger says Nicklas Bendtner could be involved against Udinese on Tuesday night even though the Dane may still leave Arsenal.
What's wrong with Chamakh?
Still tired? The poor thing.
I don't get it
He started out strong and looked like he’d adapt well and now looks like he doesn’t even belong in the league. He plays afraid.
Bendtner > Chamakh
I would feel better with him in there, personally.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 4:03 AM CDT up reply actions
He'll be back in France
Where he belongs. He’s just not the type of player to thrive in England. The sad truth is, he’ll go to Lyon or PSG and not back to Bordeaux. I hate it when that happens! Same thing happened with Mavuba and Gourcuff and a few other guys I can’t remember their names but can see their faces…guh
What's the rumpus?
Gourcuff
I didn’t see the wisdom of Lyon signing him to begin with. And now they’ve done almost nothing this summer- Bakary Kone is their only first-team signing- while PSG have been loading up, and Lille, Bordeaux, and Marseille aren’t going anywhere.
Kinda frustrating, though at least Puel’s gone…
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Gourcuff
That kid has some amazing talent, and Lyon probably thought they could use a playmaker who is also great at set pieces, but heis to be the prototypical Believe in Your Own Hype kind of guy.
Bordeaux’s summer has been pretty disappointing. They lost Diarra, the backbone of their team and Wendel and haven’t really done much to replace them. It’s back to mid-table mediocrity for Bordeaux, I think. =/
What's the rumpus?
x
mattspiro Matt Spiro
According to L’Equipe ‘Lille are expecting Arsenal to come in for Hazard’. They reckon Lille would listen to bids from 30m euros
mattspiro Matt Spiro
@EastGooner93 no martin news here, ayew seems more serious
I need to find
some site in England that actually gives measurable odds that it happens, so I can make some easy money.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions
Hmm
bbcsport_david
Wenger tells Sky: “I’ll pay £30m, I’ll pay £40m. If I find the right player.” Full interview coming up during build-up to Udinese match #afc
The right player
and there have been, what, two of those in the last century?
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions
UEFA investigating City's sponsorship deal
and United is going to sell shares in Singapore.
Alright then.
Rosicky starts
Arsenal
#Arsenal team to play Udinese: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gibbs, Song, Ramsey, Walcott, Rosicky, Gervinho, Chamakh
Arsenal is not going to make the group stage of UCL
Same lineup from Saturday with Chamakh in for RVP.
It’s amazing how fast a team that scored 72 goals in league and 21 in 8 CL games became overnight. And that team only had Fabregas about half the time and RVP a little less.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions
meant to say
how fast they became toothless
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions
What the hell, Soccernet?
Five fucking Champions League matches today, and Arsenal-Udinese is the only one you can bother to do a live gamecast for?
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
On the flip side, Fox
put Lyon on FOX Sports and Arsenal on FSC.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions
FOX
I’m taping the match right now- finally found a halftime score on Fox Soccer’s website. Allez Lyon!
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Miserable
watching Jenkinson try to survive. The midfield is a disaster, too.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions
All three subs for injuries
and netting Jenkinson and Frimpong.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Oh boy
Frimpong on for Rosicky. It’s the early rounds of the Carling Cup, right?
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions
If Wilshere can play next Wendesday
they might have a shot. But they have no LB on the roster now (including Vermaelen, since Djourou is hurt and playing Squillaci is a guaranteed loss) and the MF they played and will play against Liverpool (minus Song) can’t hold the ball at all. Also, Song is really exposed without Fabregas or someone else who can control play a little.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions
You'll be fine
Not even going for the antijinx. Udinese without Sanchez is nothing special. Wilshere’ll be back, you’ll score an away goal.
This game was Udinese’s chance given all the injuries prior to and during the match. They blew it.
by LiamP on Aug 16, 2011 3:44 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah since he was so lethal
Saturday in front of this midfield.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions
x
DarrenArsenal1 Darren
Chelsea in for Mata
by Brett Perryman on Aug 17, 2011 7:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Adebayor to Spurs
The world is trolling Arsene right now.
by LiamP on Aug 17, 2011 8:59 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Song
He’ll be suspended for the game, right?
Not mediocre. Right about average
Not the CL
He’ll be suspended for Liverpool on Saturday though.
Yay.
Arsenal
INJURY NEWS: Gibbs and Djourou have minor hamstring problems and could miss Saturday’s game against Liverpool #arsenal
okay, here's my idea to save Arsenal
buy two solid centerbacks and move Vermaelen to creative attacking midfielder – yer welcome
After watching Mancini all this time
I would have thought you’d want to add him to a five-man wall of defensive midfielders, but I guess considering that he sees Toure as a ACM, that would make sense.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Against Swansea no less
Not mediocre. Right about average
Hey
you can never be too careful at home with a four goal lead over Swansea and time expiring.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 16, 2011 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions
im super excited about the game today.
i am still worried about our back 4 (specifically CB, depending on health of puyol/pique)
…then again abidal/masch is far, far from pique/puyol
keita/thiago/iniesta is far from inesta/xavi/fabregas/busquets/whoever.
I will be interested to see who they start at MF today (doubtful it is cesc)
I was very happy to see alexis play well…
and i am going into full media blackout at 4p today…since i am DVRing the game…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
from grantland article on fifa
In the weeks after the vote, the suspicion intensified. It was noted among the losing nations that the committee had handed the World Cup to two oil-rich countries with troubling, arguably outright authoritarian governments. In doing so, it had voted down bids — including those from the United States, England, and Japan — that outperformed the winning nations in both tournament-readiness and revenue potential. England’s bid, one of the most highly praised by the inspection team, received a paltry two votes. Multiple newspapers reported that the delegates from CONCACAF, the governing body of North American soccer, had voted against the country from their own confederation, the United States.
/FIFA
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
same article:
Best of all was Triesman’s meeting with Nicolás Leoz, the six-term president of the South American soccer confederation. “I was guided from the table,” Triesman said, “to a display cabinet, in which there was a large book.” In the book were facsimiles of the honors Leoz had been given by various countries — knighthoods, photos of streets that had been named after him, and so on. Leoz told Triesman through an interpreter that “he believed the appropriate way of recognizing his achievements in world football were not by money, he didn’t need money, he already was personally a very wealthy man.” Instead, Triesman continued, “I was shown the facsimile of his Légion d’honneur.4 I was then told, through the translator but directly after he had spoken, that he believed that a knighthood from the United Kingdom would be appropriate. And it was put to me that as a former Foreign Office minister, I must know how these things are organized and could probably achieve it. … I said that it was completely impossible, that we didn’t operate in the United Kingdom like that. Mr. Leoz shrugged his shoulders and turned and walked away.”
i was aware this was happening but never saw the quotes from Triesman…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:56 AM CDT up reply actions
(assuming this is true that is)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:56 AM CDT up reply actions
xx
When asked after the election about rumors of improprieties in the vote, Blatter — always snifflier and more preening than his mentor — openly teased the questioner: “The match is over, the players have already gone to the changing rooms; I will not respond to this question.” The investigative journalist Andrew Jennings records in his book Foul! that Havelange’s allies in Qatar were rumored to have paid $50,000 each to delegates who agreed to vote for Blatter. In a savory twist, the Qatari bribes that secured Blatter’s election were dealt out by the candidate’s loyal friend, future anticorruption advocate Mohammed bin Hammam.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 7:01 AM CDT up reply actions
looking to read more futbol books
anyone read any good ones recently?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Just saw the Damned United
In which Michael Sheen plays Brian Clough. The movie was great and I’m eager to read the book on which it was based.
Not mediocre. Right about average
I need to read that
Loved the movie.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
same here...
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions
From the BBC
Manchester City are close to agreeing a deal to sign Samir Nasri from Arsenal.
The transfer could be finalised in the next 24 hours, with City paying Arsenal a reported £25m
Well done. Now back to gloom and doom until somebody comes in.
Lends a little credence
to the UCL suspension theory
by Brett Perryman on Aug 17, 2011 10:47 AM CDT up reply actions
Si.
Is BBC the only reliable source out there? Everybody ran with those Nasri quotes yesterday and they turned out to be fake.
FWIW, Blue Moon has been buzzing for several hours now ...
with mutlple ITKs claiming medical imminent, Nasri’s in town, red carpet ready for him down at HQ, etc etc. Photogs are standing around outside the hospital. [Lotsa claims on Twitter, too.]
Thanks for the fee that will go unspent.
That’s about a 70 mil “warchest” Arsene has that will never see the light of day.
But he says he's willing to spend £40M on the right player!
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Arsenal
I’m not sure why they don’t get in on Modric. He fits their needs perfectly. Generally I’d understand why they wouldn’t want to get in a bidding war with Chelski, but they have the money and the need, so Arsene should give it a go.
Not mediocre. Right about average
x
arseblog
L’pool line up: SZCZ – Sagna – Kos – Verm – Fetus – Frimpong – Ramsey – £35m – £25m – Sperm – van Persie – Subs: Arshavin, Dancing Baby
he looked great
wonder what happens with the midfield going forward
feel horrible for afellay going forward
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 7:10 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm so torn
got an email to preorder a fabregas barca shirt, part of me wants it and part of me wants nothing to do with it.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
i wasnt sure how he would look yesterday
and then he and pique bumped into each other and i was worried
but damn, he looked good (as someone who hasnt seen him play a ton outside of spain games)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 18, 2011 7:53 AM CDT up reply actions
I can
made me sick, didn’t enjoy watching him there. I’ve seen him with Spain enough to know how he’d look with most of those guys (not Messi, but still). I doubt if I’ll watch many Barcelona games for a few years.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 18, 2011 8:11 AM CDT up reply actions
Mourinho went up behind some asst coach for Barca and pinched his ear - ha!
There are gonna be some great video clips of that melee coming out soon.
what a god damn motherfucking cunt
pique told him “you’re responsible for this mess” evidently
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:02 PM CDT up reply actions
xx
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions
I assume that's not an eye gouge, and Jose's hand just slipped as the guy turned.
video will show more – 101goals will have tons of it soon
Why is Borat watching the entire thing?
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
yeah that is possibly the best part of the pic
that dude looks like he is a cutout and not even a real person lol
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions
thank you twitter
Qué hace Saddam Hussein detrás de Tito Vilanova??
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:25 PM CDT up reply actions
just watched it again
…looks bad imho. kind of blocked from the view i saw, but def didnt seem like he was going for the ear…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions
hmm more i watch it the less i can tell
more like a cheek pinch maybe?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions
xx
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions
those classless real madrid fucking cunts.
i shouldnt put them all together. but fuck mourinho. fuck marcello. fuck the rest of them.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
this is the angriest i may have ever been about a sporting event ever.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 5:59 PM CDT up reply actions
keep in mind that i already dont care for mourinho
but that man is a fucking classless cunt.
marcello, was already known.
but fuck mourinho.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:04 PM CDT up reply actions
sorry i got so pissed
it was the intent that someone would do that, period, that angered me so much.
because that was done with fucking intent. that was not going for the ball or defensible in any way
then mourinho gets involved
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Just saw it
Total cunt move by Marcelo. The guy’s a disgrace.
No idea what Mourinho was thinking with his shenanigans either. I wonder what happened to Ozil, though.
Not mediocre. Right about average
villa slapped him evidently?
villa got a red
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions
*straight red
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions
That seems random
Why go after Ozil? Villa’s a douchebag, though, so that’s probably reason enough.
Not mediocre. Right about average
idk im looking for a better video of it
announcers on golTV were saying ozil got slapped by someone, and ozil was PISSED — and i know villa got the straight red (as did ozil) so…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions
long video
8min but i didnt see anything…
it looks lik ozil got slapped though
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:46 PM CDT up reply actions
The easy explanation being given around the place
is that Villa racially abused Ozil. Of course, there’s absolutely no proof about it, but I suppose one looks at how Ozil basically went off the deep end (which seems completely uncharacteristic for him) and then jumps to an easy conclusion.
His headband is ridiculously sucky though.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
ozil looked like he had been hit or slapped when the zoomed on him w/ a couple of guys holding him back
cant get to youtube but search for villa slap ozil and one pops up @ top of google search
also, the golTV announcers said ozil was slapped…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 18, 2011 6:33 AM CDT up reply actions
ozil did as well
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions
eh
i said it on twitter, but Mourinho looks like a guy who could be driven to madness over futbol lol
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions
He's a massive twat
like Pepe, Marcelo, Ronaldo and occasionally dudes like Ramos and Arbeloa, but Barca’s superdickery outweighs them, at least for me. Even Messi does the “kick ball into stands at Real fans” and “occasional dive yet my fans make me so morally superior to Ronaldo” thing.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
say what you want about barca but i hope they would never pull that pussy shit (trying to hurt a player)
much less when time is basically out (30? secs left in game)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 7:06 PM CDT up reply actions
IT'S LIKE A FREE RIIIIIIIIIIIIDE
WHEN YOU’VE ALREADY PAID.
mou:
Mourinho: “Don’t have anything to say about Pipo Vilanova or what’s the name of that guy….” #fcblive #elclasico
not sure why but that “whats the name of that guy” made me laugh lol
Mourinho: “Pepe and Marcelo overexcited in big games? They played a great game, the rest is the job of the referee.” #elclasico #fcblive
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Mourinho: “Putting finger in eye Tito Vilanova? I don’t know any Pito Vilanova…” #elclasico #fcblive
barcastuff Just now
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:24 PM CDT up reply actions
aaaaaaaaand
now Pito Vilanova is a trending topic worldwide lololol
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:41 PM CDT up reply actions
also, this is a beautiful play.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
oops thought it was the whole play...
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Wondering how this thread got 35 new posts.
Handbags at 20 paces was my first guess and…yup.
you see the game?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 17, 2011 6:50 PM CDT up reply actions
wtf is mourinho doing?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
Barca-Madrid replay on GOLTV right now
And FC Dallas’s CONCACAF Champions’ League match against Pumas is on FSC at 11:30 tonight on tape delay.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
So annoyed the champions league match isn't live
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
damnit pique
"Mourinho is wrecking Spanish football. People are looking for culprits but they are in Madrid. Someone needs to get the video, analyze it and say who is to blame."
“
We hope that on Thursday everyone will be talking about a great game of football and not the melee,” added Pique, a World Cup winner with Spain.
“It isn’t the first time this has happened … it is always the same people. Someone needs to sort this out.”
I get playing mind games. I get that Mou doesnt like Barca. I get that you are a tool. but there is flat out ZERO way to defend Marcelo’s tackle. zero.
“Marcelo got a red card because we all know what happens after tackles in certain areas of the pitch,” the Portuguese said.
“It was a spectacular game from the first to last minute. But from the first minute of the second half, and I don’t criticise it because I know people do it, the ballboys hid the balls. (Barca were winning 2-1 at this point).
“It happens with small teams when they find themselves in difficulties.”
MOURINHO talking about doing anything to waste time is quite funny to me, but bitching about the ballboys? really?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
i know he is
but its fucking annoying.
also, i <3 the bojan gif i posted in the AM thread lol
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 18, 2011 7:16 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm pretty sure every annoying thing that Mourinho says or does
is intending to draw attention to him and away from the team.
And that strategy pretty much works.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
i get that
Mourinho is one of the (in my opinion) prob 5 best coaches in sports (yes, all sports) — i hold him in very high regard.
but he is fucking annoying, and is as big of a cunt as any player on the barca team…
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 18, 2011 7:42 AM CDT up reply actions
x
FCDallas FC Dallas
Match Recap: #FCDallas defeats Pumas behind Chavez goal, become 1st #MLS side to win in Mexico
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
All's quite on the rumor front
considering Gervinho was linked for a month and a half and Oxlade after eight.. I’m thinking a Mertesacker panic sign on the 31st will be the extent of the activity.
How quick is Phil Jagielka in comparison to Mertesacker?
Theo Walcott quick or Bob Hayes quick?
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Well
would you be okay with signing him if he’s guaranteed to be positionally sound, a good inside-the-box defender, makes no Squillaci-esque blunders, plays the ball okay, but is hilariously exploited when he has to step out?
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
No. It's Cahill or bust. Just pay the freaking fee already.
Surprised that Falcao is going to Atletico. Forlan would’ve been nice but looks like he’s going to Inter in place of Eto’o.
The fact that they seem so eager
to sell him is pretty unsettling.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 18, 2011 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions
Mertesacker would be obliterated in the Prem.
If you’re as immobile as he is, you have to have the positional awareness of Maldini and a partner that can compensate for your lack of mobility.
by LiamP on Aug 18, 2011 11:39 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
It's hard to believe that could be true
but the days are just coasting by with no news. Arsene has known that Fabregas and Nasri were gone for a long time now, and it feels like he’s just sort of dipping his toe in the water and isn’t excited about how cold it is.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 18, 2011 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Either some signings are coming are Arsene has lost his fucking mind
Arsenal defender Armand Traoré will tie-up a loan move to QPR before the end of the week, Gooner Talk understands.
Suggestions that Jagielka's paperwork here is a contract:
by Brett Perryman on Aug 18, 2011 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
I still don't like the idea of Verm as the full time backup LB
but hopefully this gets done. Posted a picture of him leaving the airport and it definitely looks like him.
Yeah
Frankly I can’t see them loaning Traore without some kind of true LB behind Gibbs. Even if Jenkinson and Vermaelen can both conceivably play it, that’s your #1 CB and #2 RB.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 18, 2011 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Oh and
Jenkinson looks like he’s way over his head anyway. I think I caught all of his preseason work, and I don’t understand why more wasn’t made of his awful turnovers.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 18, 2011 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Spurs muppetry
Leon_Mann Leon Mann
by DarrenArsenal1
Football advisor @CNathaniel1 tweets: ‘Spurs Fans will be pleased in the nxt few days u hav a very special player arriving’ #THFC
Leon_Mann Leon Mann
by DarrenArsenal1
I’m told ‘special player’ isn’t Adebayor… As soon as I know for sure I’ll say + it’ll be across BBC outlets. #THFC
Just to make sure
that sprite and I are as miserable as possible:
This says Lille has said they’ll agree to sell Hazard for €30.
Player ratings in Ligue 1 ... [badly formatted]
Performance Apps Rating
E. Hazard Lille 3 8
L. Pionnier Montpellier 3 7.96
A. Thébaux Caen 3 7.92
P. Machado Toulouse 3 7.74
Hilton Montpellier 2 7.94
Those are some very Frenchy-sounding names.
Not mediocre. Right about average
Rovers in for John
Now, I’ve stayed pretty clean of the muppetry to this point. And I still won’t believe this ‘til I see it, but Rovers are reportedly after FC Dallas’s George John.
Anyway, it would be neat if this came to pass, but I doubt it will.
What's the rumpus?
cool, but I hope it happens over the winter
Losing John now would ruin any chances of success in the postseason. There is little to no depth at CB for FCD. No way a deal happens until the winter. This is my hope, anyway.
Falcao to Atletico
Looks like they found their Aguero replacement. £35m, per Soccernet.
Gotta hand it to Porto- they’ve made around £70m just from selling Falcao, Meireles, and Lisandro the past three summers, never mind what they brought in on other deals.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
isnt his buyout like 80mm?
also, greatest name ever? possibly.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 19, 2011 6:40 AM CDT up reply actions
A close second to Fred.
Not mediocre. Right about average
I think it's 100
I’d love to have him, if it weren’t for that.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions
Rangers lose...might as well see if there is any muppetry to cheer me up... oops
Chelsea have bid £27 million for the Spanish international Juan Mata as manager Andre Villas-Boas made a decisive move to improve his squad before the transfer window closes.
The offer is expected to secure the 23 year-old from Valencia who are likely to accept the bid ahead of interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal dropped their interest in Mata last week, having allowed a £22 million buy-out clause in his contract to expire, and it now appears that was probably in response to Chelsea’s intervention and the knowledge they would trump any offer
Sorry, sprite...
but we need width.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions
So I'm pretty sure I just experienced the most hilariously unfortunate sequence of injuries experienced by one player on FIFA
ever.
Theo Walcott went down for 14 weeks with a broken orbital bone, then tore his ACL his first game back and was out for 10 weeks (yep, because ACL tears heal so quickly), and then tore his ACL again in his second game back and is out for 17 weeks now.
This is the game paying me back for RVP being healthy for the best of two seasons (and even he broken an orbital bone and was out for 10 weeks), and scoring something like 60 goals in 70 games when he was playing.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Nasri's
agent sucks.
Mancini said the deal – believed to have been held up over payments to agents – was close and added "I hope we can close it very quickly now, but I don’t know the last news about him because my concentration is on the game.
i hate when that happens to me in football manager
arguing over the agent fee and then the window closes
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Probably just a body like Bendtner
“Nasri is in the squad tomorrow and is available to be picked,” Wenger said.
The loss of Gibbs and Traore leaves Arsenal short in defence, but Wenger said: “We still have options at left-back. We have Vermaelen, Sagna, Jenkinson.”
Sweet
Two of the three options are key starters at other positions, and the other is Jenkinson. Inspiring.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 19, 2011 8:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Looking at who's available
Szczesny
Fabianski
Vermaelen
Koscielny
Squillaci
Sagna
Jenkinson
Miquel?
Ramsey
Frimpong
Lansbury
(Nasri)
Aneke?
Van Persie
Chamakh
Walcott
Arshavin
Miyaichi
Chamberlain
Bendtner?
If they want to have any hope of getting points from the game they really have to play either Arshavin or Nasri in midfield.
He’s going to need to give Walcott some rest, I suspect.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 19, 2011 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Oof
That’s a team dripping with super quality players.
Agreed about Arshavin, I suspect he starts as an attacking mid and Oxlade comes on for Theo at 60-70 minutes.
Rumors making the rounds that nobody wants to come until they’ve secured a CL spot. I don’t buy it.
I wouldn't be surprised if
we see Miyaichi at some point as well.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 20, 2011 3:50 AM CDT up reply actions
Hmm?
Canal+ claim Samir Nasri’s talks with Man City have broken down and he is likely to stay at Arsenal
yeah, its not like he can threaten to stay if Arsenal won't match the
market set by City’s offer – so the threat is to float until the Jan window or next summer – sounds like this agent could talk him into not signing tho’
This post from BM is pretty good ...
Not in Arsenals interest for the deal to collapse, they lose 23m because of 1m. Sorry, this will be sorted.
City’s offer is millions over market to begin with. Why would Arsenal miss out getting PAID over Arsene’s agent grudge – pay the million, solve the problem and get the massive, if slightly-lessened, cash windfall.
Well on the plus side he looks pretty good today so far
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
This transfer is nutzo - been far worse than the franchise critical Kun saga.
Hanging on the whims of 3 Frenchmen ain’t fun. I am one baffled baguette.
This is kinda what I figured.
But the deal is rumoured to have been held up by a row over who should pay Nasri’s representatives, who stand to make £1m-plus from the transfer.
City think Nasri should pay them, but the player wants the club to fork out.
City has stated that they are cracking down on agent’s fees. This could drag on a bit.
didnt remember there were this many:
The last 7 encounters between Barcelona and Real Madrid, have produced 62 yellow cards: 37 for Real Madrid and 25 for Barcelona.
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
So
the excuse, or at least the media rumor, for why they didn’t buy anyone as the Fabregas and Nasri deals lingered on was that they needed the money in hand. Now:
DarrenArsenal1 Darren
Not quite so sure Nasri is a done deal out of club, noises within saying that he will ONLY be allowed to go when we do get a replacement
This, combined with the need to clear out other outgoing players, is more likely the case, but we are hearing nothing about a replacement, except for Arsene reminding that he’s already bought studs in Gervinho and Chamberlain, and that Ryo and Vermaelen are as good as transfers.
I have no idea what's going on
but I lost faith after the botched Mata deal. You can’t let him slip through your fingers because you’re waiting to sell Cesc first.
beyond that
you shouldnt drop out bc you think chelsea will overbid you
right?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 19, 2011 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions
They should at least give it a go since they have the money
but it’s almost impossible for Arsenal to come out on top if Chelsea gets involved.
Yup.
Trying to outbid Chelsea or City is pointless, more because of the differences in wage structures between those 2 clubs and everyone else.
by LiamP on Aug 19, 2011 10:19 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
well yeah
but do you use that as a reason to say “fuck it, im out” before you even get in a bidding war?
do nt you do it if for nothign else then to drive up the price?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 19, 2011 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions
We don't
necessarily know that that didn’t happen. The problem is that Arsenal probably wasn’t willing to go very high, so beyond that they’d have just been bluffing (which can be dirty, risky business).
by Brett Perryman on Aug 19, 2011 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions
this is true
i just assumed they didnt value him at more than whatever their offer was (22mm?)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 19, 2011 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions
I just think it's worth noting
that Arsenal are very private about their business. They’re a lot like Jon Daniels in that regard, while some of the other high profile teams choose to use the media more like the Yankees and Red Sox do.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 19, 2011 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions
yeah
i assumed that was the case when they let the date pass (the buyout date) that they valued him at 22mm or a little more, but nowhere near 27mm
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 19, 2011 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Setting the bar high
Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Marseille have rejected an Arsenal loan bid for midfield ace Lucho Gonzalez.
Chelsea get Mata.
Way to strike while the iron’s hot, Arsene.
by LiamP on Aug 19, 2011 5:47 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
In on Modric still.
Weird end to a transfer window that I thought would see their biggest signings as Lukaku and The Oriol.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Funny
Just read this story on the LFC website:
“Christian Poulsen’s agent has revealed Liverpool are willing to let the midfielder leave the club.”
I believe the original source was www.noshitsherlock.com.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
At least denielson isn't around too make it worse
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
He learned it by watching balotelli
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Wonder how many ejections frimprong will get this year
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
I think so
Was wondering myself
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Arhsavin shouldn't be allowed near free kicks
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Suarez is just touched by the Angels - good things just happen when he's near the goal.
And Ramsey has sucked massive donkey nutz – has he really dropped off since the leg break? [not picking on him for the OG here]
suarez is prettty lucky but i think he creates a lot of it with his runs....
I expected to see more from ramsey and walcott, vermaelen has looked really strong though
Hup Holland Hup
What the hell just happened
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Vermaellen has had to be a one man defensive unit today
Having to cover everything himself
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
watched the replay of that 2nd Liverpool goal a coupla times ...
Miguel was utterly lost on that play.
That United match should be fun
No Song/Frimpong/Gervinho/Wilshere/Nasri. Ramsey’s going to boss in midfield
Just watched Neville and that other guy discuss Arsenal's next week of critical matches ...
they did not paint a pretty picture.
the crux of their TV pundit biscuit is that Arsene has GOT to buy players
Remember when JD took over the Rangers he made some bad trades right off the bat and years later he admitted that the FO over-estimated the team and should have kept their powder dry and rebuilt? I wonder if Arsene is thinking that way – why spend money on a team he doesn’t think will truly contend with the added talent. Rebuild, start over, bite the bullet … might be the conclusion he’s made. Would he be wrong?
You can't do that though.
What’s going to keep RVP from walking? Rebuilding is fine but you need to replace the players you sell. Bring in Mata, Cahill or swoon Hazard and you’re rebuilding and giving the fans something to look forward to. You can’t play the reserve team and say it’s a rebuilding process. I think it comes back to his stubbornness about the market and only paying what he thinks is fair no matter the need.
one of the Arsenal fans at BM just posted this ...
What angers me is what I have been hearing for months that the board do not wanna spend money and we have been taken over by a guy who says he knows nothing about football and is here to make a profit. Not once has Kroenke come out and talked to the fans and explained what his intentions with the club is. We pay the highest tickets in the world and the last 15 years we have spend on players as much as we have sold for. When we the fans ask where the money is going, we get told to get on with it.
Arsenal will be last seasons liverpool. The frustration from the fans is more than the media let you on and I expect to see protests and ugly scenes to be seen very soon. The club is rich as hell, but the board wanna keep the money for themselves, thats worse than when your club is poor and you know the people at the top is doing their best with the resources they have
maybe he will go all in on hazzard
hey, i can dream.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
I can't see them beating Udinese right now
Basically playing the entire reserve team sans Verm and RVP.
if he doesnt make the CL
think there might be a real risk of him being fired?
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Think about it
from an owner’s perspective. The guy is running one of the few self sustaining football operations among the big clubs, and unless it does go ahead and fall apart this year he’s been remarkably consistent. Plus, firing him would probably be a lot like firing Tom Landry. Even though everyone was bitching about him in 1988, he became a martyr in 1989 when a hillbilly from Arkansas (which I would guess is fairly equivalent to an American) decided to fire him before he even had the team.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 20, 2011 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions
x
a hillbilly from Arkansas
As far as Londoners as concerned, the majority of Americans may as well be hillbillies from Arkansas.
or tried to say
wasn’t real clear after looking at it
by Brett Perryman on Aug 20, 2011 7:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Sounds like they need a good scoreboarding.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah wasn't saying he would or should be fired
Just figured there would be much more calling for it if it falls apart
Though isn’t the lack of spending on the board as much as it’s on wenger ?
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Autodraft is generally pretty competent in FF leagues.
Most of the teams I’ve autodrafted have ended up winning or doing fairly well. Just supplement it with good FA adds and you’re fine.
I realize nobody here cares about Newcastle or the Tyne-Wear Derby
but I feel that I must take just one comment to gloat. Krul was solid in goal, the defense was resolute, and Ryan Taylor is still dangerous on free kicks. 1-0, should have been 2-0 (How does Webb not see that handball?). I still don’t feel great about this team, but the sky isn’t falling, either.
Back to your regularly scheduled hand-wringing over Arsenal. (Sorry about Koscielny. I hope it’s nothing.)
by Robert L. Bishop on Aug 20, 2011 8:46 AM CDT reply actions
Hey guys, come over to 7500 To Holte
where we can watch Emile Heskey take on Blackburn!
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
I'll scrounge one up, though MyP2P is down.
But I hope you weren’t taking my thing seriously, because I wouldn’t want to put you through this.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Good lord
Wenger: ‘Frimpong was a victim of his inexperience… we had eight players out but we had a good performance’ “It looks like both goals were offside. The referees are (supposed to be) professional.”
Morning, everyone
Good start to the day!
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Aquilani
Yeah, I think he’s probably gone. He’s not injured, so there’s no obvious reason he shouldn’t be in the lineup or bench.
Also- and not to bitch too much after a win- but could someone tell Kenny you’re allowed to make three subs per match? Seems like he rarely uses more than two.
"Napoli batting regularly in Arlington will be the biggest explosion in the American Southwest since Robert Oppenheimer tested the Manahttan Project."
-- RevHaloFan
Typical performance
Always show up against the big teams, but play like crap against the scrubs. Definitely one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen by them
tweet spotted ...
Getintothis Peter Guy
by TheRealFbloke
Depressing football stat of the day: Everton FC have become the first side in Premiership to lose 100 league matches at home.
I watched most of this game. You guys always manhandle City yet QPR stood nose-to-nose with you for 90 mins. Bunch of weirdos …
Pretty sure, yeah.
When they showed Lukaku, the announcers were quiet.. they know they messed up.
Probably trying to kidnap Mata.
BBC guy
philmcnulty
Samir Nasri move to Man City still alive. Framework of deal in place between clubs & player. Financial details still to be ironed out. #fb
I think City will be without NDJ - so who plays in MF will be kinda interesting ...
and whether Tevez and Kun see much action. Also, Clichy hurt his knee in training, so Kolarov will have a chance to eff up all over the place.
im still holding out hope that he's the special player wenger claims he would spend on
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Do want.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:31 PM CDT up reply actions
terrific goal by Agbonlahor there for Villa, just walked it in... gets his defender to slip, then wraps a wide open shot around the keeper,
the only way to do it, and he does it magnificently
Hey muppets
Arsene Wenger is plotting an audacious bid to take Kaka on loan from Real Madrid after key members of the Frenchman’s backroom team told him he must make a marquee summer signing.
Close allies of the Arsenal boss urged him to bring in a big-name star during a meeting at the club’s London Colney training complex last week.
And, on the back of that gathering, Wenger has made an enquiry about the former world player of the year.
Also some Honda BS out there.
x
Reports coming out of Japan that Keisuke Honda is Arsenal bound.
Arsenal wil oud-VVV’er Keisuke Honda
Na de miljoenentransfer van Cesc Fabregas naar FC Barcelona heeft Arsène Wenger bij Arsenal geld te besteden voor transfers. Hoog op het lijstje staat een voormalig speler van VVV-Venlo, Keisuke Honda. De Japanner speelt nu voor CSKA Moksou.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 20, 2011 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Muppetsrus.com
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
by jonthefon on Aug 20, 2011 9:14 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
The Kaka thing
was in some of the major paper sites. Dutch sites had some stuff on Honda, but the only people saying there was anything to it were on japanese twitterings.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 4:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Ugh
Rennes reportedly reject €20M Bid for Yann M’Vila.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Dont really get that one.
M’Vila’s a promising talent but he’s a true CDM. That’s not an area of need.
by LiamP on Aug 21, 2011 7:52 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Well
relatively speaking it probably isn’t, but I have been very unimpressed with Song sans Fabregas. If you could play M’Vila and Wilshere at the back end of a truer 4-2-3-1 and improve on Ramsey on the ACM (obviously the hard part, but they’re getting linked with a slew of them now), that would be a much more promising MF. Then, Song, Frimpong, Ramsey and maybe Diaby are good depth.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 9:28 PM CDT up reply actions
Who's the "winger who Arsene probably attempts to convert into a central attacker type"?
Would it be Marvin Martin?
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
That's one of the names
I think that everyone thinks his main target is Hazard.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions
If you have a finite amount of funds (applies to everyone but Chelsea and City, I suppose), why not ensure that the majority of those funds go to CAM and CB?
Those are the two most pressing areas of need that need real quality immediately. Spending 20mm+ on M’Vila, who’s the right quality of player but the wrong type of player IMO, would be unnecessarily frivolous for Arsenal.
Well
I don’t know that adding Phil Jagielka improves CB that much more than M’Vila would improve CM. Koscielny is pretty good, and what they really need is another dimension and depth. If there were a stud CB out there who added that dimension or was so good that he noticeably upgraded Koscielny, I could see spending big money. Short of that, I don’t know that they’re all that smart to throw 18M at it just for another viable guy, particularly one who’s late 20’s given that they aren’t going to finish top 4 even with one if they don’t fix midfield.
Also, while they have finite funds, they do have enough to fund a quality signing at ACM, DCM and CB.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 22, 2011 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions
More reports that
he really wants M’Vila, offering £22M now.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 24, 2011 4:42 AM CDT up reply actions
I wonder how much of it is
him really wanting M’Vila, and how much of it is him having confidence in Wilshere/Ramsey to be the dude who does work in the final third.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
I guess we will
probably find out in the next week.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 24, 2011 6:47 AM CDT up reply actions
22mil for a player that doesn't fit an immediate need?
when it was floated out there that lille wanted 30 for hazzard?
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
They have the money to do both
You could get M’vila for 22-25, Cahill for 15-17 and Hazard for 27-30. Take the high end and that’s 72 mil of a supposed 90-100 mil transfer budget.
like that would ever happen
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
It could easily happen
if the other parties are agreeable. I’m very skeptical about Hazard, as I always have been, though.
Basically the only way Arsenal would ever get him is if he and Lille hand pick them because of favoritism. Real Madrid might not do it this summer, but one of the giants would certainly offer more in transfer fee and salary than Arsenal.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 24, 2011 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions
saw this at 101 goals - dude looks pretty frosty to me
Despite his undoubted physical abilities, it is M’Vila’s passing that will likely have also impressed Wenger. In March last year he set a new record for France, notching a 92.5 pass completion rate against Luxembourg and he also claimed the Ligue 1 record in 2010/2011 against Valenciennes.
Yeah, that's the thing
He moves the ball really fast and can be accurate. He looks like he’d be a big upgrade over Song (even if he partners him).
by Brett Perryman on Aug 24, 2011 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions
And at least the one place I saw it
you’re talking about 22M pounds versus 30M euros, too. I just don’t think it’s an either/or, as sprite said.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 24, 2011 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions
That would amuse me greatly.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:29 PM CDT up reply actions
lolololol
this has to be the “special player”
heh
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Aug 22, 2011 7:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Horrible PK given against Norwich - along with a red card
justice – PK saved
Not only was the ‘foul’ well outside the box, it wasn’t even a freakin’ foul.
Pretty much the expected starters for City -
Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner, Barry, Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero
Just that I haven't heard anything about City picking anyone.
I know it means shit apart from symbolism, but Mancini seems like a guy who would use the captaincy to do the entire message sending business.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
Man City
trying to watch Leicester City this year, too, because Michael Johnson was loaned there
follow Real Madrid kinda because I like Ozil – Sahin should be fun to watch also
follow Arsenal because I have to since every other word written about soccer mentions Arsenal these days
City has some guys loaned out in the Eredivisie – NEC and Feyenoord – so might catch their games
and the Toluca Diablos is my Mexican League team
nice list,
especially the eredivisie teams. I have a lot of friends and family that are Rotterdamers so I follow Feyenoord as well. I also follow my dads hometown team De Graafschap. I like liverpool but also am partial to fulham…even though they’re looking pathetic right now.
Hup Holland Hup
tbh - not sure the loans to the Eredivisie have been completed - know more sept 1st
yeah, I kinda pay attention to Liverpool, too – interesting last coupla years for them
Did you
get much impression last season of Miyaichi?
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions
How did Aguero miss that?
Their front group looks like it finally works, though.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 10:19 AM CDT reply actions
Yeah
with those two little maestros both flanking him he looks much more dangerous than he ever did last year.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions
gotta believe Aguero or Dzeko are gonna bag at least one the 2nd half - Tevez might even get some run
Bolton has their work cut out – at least the ref is rewarding their flagellating.
BTW, Stu Holden is not a bad pregame/HT commentator.
Wolves beat Fulham!
Sit at the top of the Premier League table! Hooray! Huzzah! Yippee! Doyle & Jarvis, boyeee!
It's too bad that
I wouldn’t think of buying a City jersey. I like these road ones.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 11:38 AM CDT reply actions
I like to get them
without names sometimes. Probably would just do that.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 21, 2011 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Shaun Wright Phillips
or Emmanual Adebayor
Not mediocre. Right about average
Hmm. Never heard of this site but interesting...
The Board believe that offering to rise a players wage from £60K – £70K a week to £90K or £100K is more than enough, but Wenger believes that this is not enough, when City, Utd and Chelsea are paying their best(£180K – £250K), and that if we want to keep our best players we have to go to the next level, he wants the pay scale risen to £150K for our best.
…………….
The Board are willing to pay big transfer fees, as is Wenger (he is not lying when he says he would pay £30M – £40M), it is also where the difference of opinion comes. The Board would willingly meet the transfer fee, but will not meet the sort of wage demands a £30M signings asks for.
……………
The Board had no problem meeting the Juan Mata transfer fee, but once Chelsea let it be known to his agents what they would offer, it blew Arsenal’s contract offer out of the water. We ran into the same situation with Jones and Utd.
…………….
Wenger had a major discussion with Kroenke and the Board on Members day. He was told in no uncertain terms that Nasri would have to be sold if he did not sign a contract, and between them they came to the decision to let Cesc go for less than his worth. But Wenger fought his corner, and made it clear the sort of player he wants and that our star men have to be given contract that will keep them, as you can not build if every year there is doubts who are staying and who are going. Arsene also reiterated his view that we need top quality players, not just one as good or possibly slightly better, and that these players come at a premium cost and that the club has to go up a level not only on fees but on wages.
Yeah,
I was going to say, the problem here is that Mata didn’t sign for more than 90K.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 21, 2011 10:28 PM CDT up reply actions
I've been pondering whether this scenario is behind the scenes ...
He wont’ walk, and it will cost the club dear to sack him, and even more to shut him up if he is sacked, if they thought the deal David Dein struck with Bruce Rioch to keep him quiet was expensive, they will be blown away by what it will take to buy Arsene Wenger’s silence.
Phil Jones is on like 60-80k a week
by LiamP on Aug 21, 2011 10:51 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
That may be high.
Think it’s actually 55k a week.
xx
England manager Fabio Capello has told Arsene Wenger to start spending before Arsenal’s season goes up in smoke: “Wenger needs to buy some new players – some important ones – but it’s difficult to find top names at this moment.”
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
I haz a sad
Kyrgiakos sold to Wolfsburg. I’m gonna miss that swarthy Greek bastard.
"A guy opens his door and gets shot, you think that of me? No, I am the one who knocks."
Looks like
Kenny’s targeting CB Sebastian Coates as our final summer signing- guess our first Uruguayan worked out so well, he wants another one…
"A guy opens his door and gets shot, you think that of me? No, I am the one who knocks."
This lineup makes me nervous
Average age of 23 & Smalling at RB against Bale.
by LiamP on Aug 22, 2011 2:00 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
These pretzels
are making me thirsty!
by Brett Perryman on Aug 22, 2011 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Friedel plays at a superhuman level against United
It’s a bit silly.
by LiamP on Aug 22, 2011 2:09 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
This United team plays like I play FIFA
Turbo trigger permanently depressed, ball goes straight out to the wings.
by LiamP on Aug 22, 2011 2:32 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Smalling pushing further forwards now.
by LiamP on Aug 22, 2011 3:15 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
tweet spotted 17 mins ago ...
@DarrenCanalPlus Darren Tulett
Info Canal+: Asked at OTrafford if he thinks Nasri will play vs Udinese, Mancini said no. Remains confident #mcfc will conclude deal.
whatev …
Would love
to be a fold in Arsene’s cerebral cortex right now.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 22, 2011 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Chris Smalling part 2 for Arsene as far as Phil Jones goes.
He’s only 19.
Fap.
by LiamP on Aug 22, 2011 3:34 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Soccernet FAIL
Soccernet posted this story today about Kuyt possibly leaving for Inter:
But…per the Liverpool Echo, it’s nothing more than a re-hash of rumors from last summer:
No retraction as yet from ESPN.
"A guy opens his door and gets shot, you think that of me? No, I am the one who knocks."
Looks like George John sold to Blackburn from fcdallas
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Wow
so it was true after all. The Dallas exec’s recent comments suggested that there was something to it, but still pretty surprising.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 22, 2011 9:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Wow indeed
Knowing Venky’s propensity to fuck up anything and everything and MLS to do the same I thought this wouldn’t happen.
Good shit though because Grant Hanley is a fucking disaster on the backline. Wonder how John will do in England. lightning struck once with Nelsen…let’s hope it strikes twice with John
What's the rumpus?
Good for him
Always good to see Americans get out there, but its terrible for FCD. Hopefully Ugo and the rest of the back line can pick it up.
Also, anyone have any idea on Ferraira?
Could see an insane flurry of transfer activity before the deadline.
For the bigger clubs, the chain starts with Nasri to City and Modric to Chelsea.
by LiamP on Aug 22, 2011 10:43 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Yay. Leaves me 8 days to fantasize about this
BBC Sport understands Arsenal have been monitoring Hazard closely and could make a move for the player before the transfer window shuts on 31 August.
Lille came out today
and said he wasn’t going anywhere. Hopefully their minds can be changed, but it didn’t sound like it.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions
It sounds like
not until the January transfer window at the earliest.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 23, 2011 8:16 AM CDT up reply actions
Well, see....erm, I feel bad for you and all, but...
Chelsea need some creative types, see?
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 23, 2011 8:23 AM CDT up reply actions
I'M NOT SURE MODRIC GETS DONE
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 23, 2011 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions
I just listened to the Times podcast.
FWIW – one of the guys on there said that Harry Redknapp told him that the Mata deal kills the Modric deal.
Hazard would be a bit pointless.
You’d have Torres, Mata, Sturridge, Kalou, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka and Hazard as forward players. That would be overkill to say the least.
by LiamP on Aug 23, 2011 10:32 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
But
Drogba, Anelka and Malouda are aging and a couple could be on the outs.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions
Forgot Lukaku
I’m just not sure why Hazard would go somewhere where he’s not guaranteed to start for the next couple of years.
by LiamP on Aug 23, 2011 11:52 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Yep.
And Kalou is hardly a favorite. Mata offers some flexibility as a MF, though it sounds like he was brought in mainly to play on the wings higher up.
"I’d love to walk in and hug everybody every day, but that’s not critical to us winning." - Jon Daniels
by GhettoBear04 on Aug 23, 2011 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions
Valencia said the same about Mata
A week left and the departures are basically done other than Bendtner. His options are limited.
Think it’s safe to say they’ll get Cahill or Jags. Then maybe Parker and one of Martin/Jadson? Linked to Zarate and Montolivo but Wenger ruled that out. M’vila maybe.
You pretty much have to go big for Hazard and hope they sell.
Cahill played pretty well against City last weekend.
Word is that Boyota is about to seal a loan to Bolton, which might indicate Cahill is expected to head out the door soon.
Any chance at Hazard
would seem to hinge on today’s game. Hard to see him going from a CL club to a non-CL club at the deadline.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 24, 2011 4:39 AM CDT up reply actions
The Europa League should be fun
henrywinter NOT on #afc flight to Udine…Bendtner, Koscielny, Wilshere, Gibbs, Squillaci, Lansbury, Diaby (and Nasri who’s off to #mcfc)
He has more personnel
to play a 2-2-6 than a 4-6-0, unfortunately.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions
Yes, but they've scored once in three games.
and they were having trouble creating before. Looking at a lineup of
Sagna/Verm/Djourou(if fit)/ Jenkinson
Frimpong/Song
Ramsey
Walcott/RVP/Gerv.
On the other hand a Frimpong/Song mid is so much fun to say it has to work.
A part of me
is glad that Frimpong just had that disaster, so he’ll hopefully reign himself in. I actually thought that he was pretty effective aside from the crazy tackle. He passed the ball better than he did in preseason, and he cleaned quite a bit up without being overly aggressive in the middle of the game.
Of course he probably will be on the bench anyway with a repeat of Song-Ramsey-Rosicky in the midfield.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
johncrossmirrors
#Arsenal boss Wenger says Wilshere has had setback on injury. Rosicky fit
With everything else that's happened
it’s the injury to Wilshere that could make this month such a disaster.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions
I can only come up with
17 possible guys for the squad tomorrow unless Traore or Afobe is in. The bench: Chamakh, Arshavin/Walcott, Chamberlain, Frimpong, Miquel, Fabianski.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions
Maybe Aneke?
I forget who all they named in their 25.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 9:54 AM CDT up reply actions
This is the reserve squad for today
Mannone; Yennaris, Boateng, Angha, Meade; Ebecilio, Ozyakup Aneke; Miyaichi, Freeman, Watt.
So that leaves Afobe, Miquel and Traore. Ryo scored today so yay.
Maybe Afobe
will be in the lineup in the place of Chamakh, a la Miquel/Squillaci vs Liverpool.
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions
x
EmmanuelF4 Emmanuel Y Frimpong
“@JackWilshere: Good luck to my friend @Nanas08 (mr Nasri) learnt a lot from him. World class player! Will be missed!” Pffffff comeon Jack
by Brett Perryman on Aug 23, 2011 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions
So Citeh have the following attacking players in their squad now:
Silva, Nasri, Dzeko, Aguero, Balotelli, Johnson, and it looks like Tevez is staying til January.
shroom should explain to me who’s starting the league/CL games, and who has to play alongside James Milner in the annoying unexciting midweek League Cup games.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
x
De Jong/Barry-Toure
Nasri-Aguero-Silva
Dzeko
Something like that?
by LiamP on Aug 23, 2011 9:38 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Haven't watched either of City's first two games.
Has Mancini gone away with the three-man holding midfield thingy which he seemed to like? Because if he has, yeah, I think you might’ve gotten it.
i tell the truth; i lie a lot
He played 2 in midfield away at Bolton
Which isn’t the easiest fixture…so I assume he’s willing to move away from it? Probably goes a bit more conservative for bigger clubs though.
by LiamP on Aug 23, 2011 10:03 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I've tried to think about the lineup options ...
but I always come back to what you mention here – what will the future MF look like? I think NDJ as a given is going to be phased out. Shape discipline and ball-possessing-demon talent will replace the need for a mono-faceted ball-winner – 6 of City’s 7 goals have come with NDJ off the pitch this season. In some games Mancini will find a place to insert another twinkle-toes by removing NDJ and having the more soft-footed group of Barry/Milner/Yaya split up the CDM duties.
Barry - Yaya
Silva -——— Nasri
and 2 strikers up front …
… might be a home option against some top squads we might face – or middling road games like Bolton. NDJ might find himself in a rotation as much as AJ, Milner and Barry. BTW, the thought of cutting into NDJ’s PT is not going over well with the BM masses – change hurtz.
[having said all that, injuries and form will solve lineup probs once multiple comps get rolling]
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