Beautiful Game 12/13 Thread (Major EPL slant)

[10spro]

Just hang on for a thrilling 2nd half at Supercopa part deux as Messi scores a key goal on the 45th minute.

[Naples39]

Berba having physical at Fulham right now, apparently. Dempsey still there.

Speaking of Dempsey, the US faces a pretty terrifying prospect in upcoming qualification games:

Donovan suffered a hamstring injury early in the USA's win at Mexico on Aug. 15 and has not played since. Dempsey, who asked to be transferred by Fulham, hasn't played since the Guatemala-USA World Cup 2014 qualifier in June. And Bradley, who debuted with Italian club Roma, suffered a quadriceps injury that could keep him sidelined for up to a month.

...

-- Bradley, Dempsey and Donovan scored all five goals for the USA at the 2010 World Cup. Dempsey's goal gave the USA a 1-1 tie with England in their opener, and Donovan put the Americans through to the second round with his last-second goal against Algeria, the second of three in four games.

-- Bradley, Dempsey and Donovan combined for six of the eight goals the USA scored in its run to second place at the 2009 Confederations Cup.

-- Bradley, Dempsey or Donovan had a hand in 15 of the 19 goals the USA scored in the Hexagonal, the final round of World Cup 2010 qualifying in Concacaf. Bradley had three goals -- including the two against Mexico to kick off the Hexagonal with a 2-0 win in Columbus, Ohio. Dempsey had only one goal and one assist, but Donovan carried the team with three goals and nine assists in the 10 games he started.

http://www.socceramerica.com/article/48 ... and-b.html

[fsquid]

I guess EPL talk reported it too early. Berbatov will probably actually do decently at Craven Cottage.

[Macca00]

United continue to have a horseshoe up their ass when it comes to the CL draw. Next year they're going to be drawn in a group with my Sunday football team.


City got screwed but I still think will be fine to qualify.

Are City really going to sign Richard Wright.....yes, THAT Richard Wright..... WTF?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -deal.html

Bloody surreal that one.


EDIT: Celtic in a group with Barcelona. Celtic going to the Nou Camp.... That's going to be a rugby score by the end of it.



Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Paris St-Germain, Dinamo Zagreb

Group B: Arsenal, Schalke, Olympiakos, Montpellier

Group C: Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht, Malaga

Group D: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund -

Group E: Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Nordsjaelland

Group F: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Lille, Bate Borisov

Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Spartak Moscow, Celtic

Group H: Manchester United, Braga, Galatasaray, Cluj

[10spro]

That group pf Champs looks like a killer.

[fsquid]

As a Bayern fan, I really tired of playing Valencia every damn year.

[Macca00]

Some interesting transfers the last few days.

I think Fulham picking up Berbatov for only 5 million is an absolute steal. I would have loved to have seen him play for Liverpool but there was no way Fergie would sell him to a 'rival' club (inverted commas because I think we finished a 100 points behind them last season). I am surprised he picked Fulham over Fiorentina or Juve though.

Dembele to Tottenham is a great pick-up for Spurs - absolutely brilliant player and a steal at 15 mil IMO. Not a like-for-like replacement for Modric though and will be interesting to see how him and Sigurdsson are used.

I don't know what's going on at City but they need to do some business, yes they've spent money the last few years but you can't stand still and I'm not sure why Mancini hasn't been given more to try and improve the squad. The next 24 hrs should be interesting. Basically trading Scott Sinclair for Adam Johnson is an interesting change.

Sad to see Andy Carroll go to West Ham on loan but he clearly doesn't fit into Rodgers' plans and that system (he just doesn't have the movement or the intelligence) but I think/hope he does well at West Ham where everything is set up to play to his strengths. I can't be too sad because at the end of the day he was a 35 million pound striker (I'm trying not to start crying again) who only scored 4 league goals last season. I'm not sure Sturridge though is the man to replace him - though that may be a loan signing from Chelsea if they get Schürrle in the next 24 hrs. I know it sounds crazy because he's so inconsistent but I'd rather we sign Walcott. Hopefully, we make a last minute low ball bid for Dempsey tomorrow after absolutely f***in over Fulham in that whole transfer saga.

Great pick ups by Chelsea though IMO. Sure they need maybe another central defender and another striker but Hazard, Oscar, Moses (I think that transfer was a steal), Azpilicueta and Marin are all quality signings.

QPR have a great squad on paper, not sure why they're so s***. I think they just picked up Granero from Real.

Outside of the EPL I think Bayern have a hell of a player in Javi Martinez. Will be interesting to see where his former teammate Llorente ends up. I'm not sure I understand Milan getting Bojan from Roma but I guess with signing Destro (I need to get a Roma jersey with his name on it for shits and giggles) they don't need him. I don't get the '25 cents for a quarter' switch of Pazzini and Cassano. Cassano is the better player but only if he's mentally stable that day (which only happens half the time). Real need another right back, I think they're going to get Debuchy which means, if it's true, Newcastle have no chance.

Should be an interesting next 24 hrs.


EDIT: How the hell did Blackburn find 8 million to get Jordan Rhodes?

[10spro]

I think City would love to add some insurance in the back end should Lescott or Kompany run into injuries. Will young Nastasic who's shown great poise in the serie A be that guy? To cover the CB position being so young is an incredible feat and I think Nasty is that good.

Another midfielder wouldn't hurt either.

[RobVarak]

I've always rated Berbatov, although I don't think he'd work hard enough to play in BR's system. His attacking movement has always been smart, but I don't think he'd close down the ball they way Rodgers wants.

The Dembele buy was a fantastic piece of business by Spurs. Not like for like as you mentioned, but on quality he's at least 80% the player Modric is at half the wages and transfer fee.

I remain hopeful that all the Sturridge to LFC talk is nonsense. The last thing I think Rodgers would want is a player known for being a black hole with the ball to play in a possession-based system. Suarez is ball hog enough for the side, I think.

Stoke got quiet a deal on Charlie Adam. 4m for a guy who's corner kicks alone are worth 10m!

[fsquid]

Dempsey has turned down a move to Aston Villa.

[fsquid]

De Jong to AC Milan.

[10spro]

Maicon played for Mancini in the serie A before and despite his age, he should add some insurance in the back end for City who also added S. Sinclair.

[Macca00]

I want to have Falcao's babies. What a striker!


Gaston Ramirez to Southampton
Fulham have turned down a bid from Liverpool for Dempsey
Van Der Vaart to Hamburg

EDIT: Falcao's just added a 3rd. What a player ( and I think he cost less than Andy Carroll too). Chelsea proving that they're clearly the European Champions.

[pk500]

QPR have a great squad on paper, not sure why they're so s***. I think they just picked up Granero from Real.

Because Mark Hughes isn't nearly as great of a manager as he thinks he is.

[Jimmydeicide]

I want to have Falcao's babies. What a striker!
EDIT: Falcao's just added a 3rd. What a player ( and I think he cost less than Andy Carroll too). Chelsea proving that they're clearly the European Champions.

Never heard of him Macca , clearly your master league nerdness is showing.
It is funny to see those hidden gems from master leagues past actually blossoming into great players like predicted.

[Jimmydeicide]

Stupid American Bastard!!!!! Dont like him anyway.
Can we get Vorinin back Geez, what are we gonna do when Suarez is suspended.
Maybe on the Money Liverpool saved Rogers can get a suit that fits him.
Not very happy

[Macca00]

Never heard of him Macca , clearly your master league nerdness is showing.
It is funny to see those hidden gems from master leagues past actually blossoming into great players like predicted.

Nah, Falcao was banging them in for Porto before he went to Atleti. What will make you laugh is that a guy called Miranda scored for them and all I could hear was echoes of Jon Champion screaming "Minanda!"

Stupid American Bastard!!!!! Dont like him anyway.
Can we get Vorinin back Geez, what are we gonna do when Suarez is suspended.
Maybe on the Money Liverpool saved Rogers can get a suit that fits him.
Not very happy

Not Clint's fault that Liverpool wouldn't pony up a paltry 6 million. Also, unlike the masses of hysterical Liverpool fans, I don't actually blame FSG for being tight with their pursestrings - the last time they listened to 'football men' they spent 76 million pounds on Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Charlie Adam. SEVENTY MILLION!!! Could you imagine what Rodgers could have done with that money? (Or Rafa...who bought Raheem Sterling and Jonjo Shelvey before he left). I still think spending the cash on Clint would have been worth it because we are so light in attacking options but the budget was spent and I guess this just reinforces that the owners also think this is a rebuilding period.




Aaaaanyway, City did some good business before the window closed. He's not as good as he was a few years ago but I still think Maicon is ace.
Real got Essien on loan which is interesting.

[Jimmydeicide]

Dempsey for 6 mill is a steal how can you not pony that up? Hes american coulda punted him hard in the U.S. got that 6 mill back on Gatorade sponsorship for crying out loud.
So Liverpool are shopping at the 99c stores only from now on because of the shite they bought with their last 70 Million .
So in the words of the great Clark Griswold "Worse how could it possibly get worse".

Over reacting ! clap, clap, clapclapclap


I'm off to the River have a great weekend all!

[RobVarak]

I don't mind them not getting Dempsey specifically. If he went for over their valuation, so be it.

I'm a bit pissed off though because the squad is now desperately short of out and out strikers and the club was clearly planning on bringing someone in when they shipped off Carroll. Quite a failure of planning to have no fallback option when the Dempsey deal fell through. Even if it were just a couple of championship-level players for pocket change, someone should have come into the side to provided cover in weeks where the fixture list gets congested with cup matches and European games.

Given BR's comments after the Carroll departure, there is going to be one hell of a tale to tell. He was unambiguous in saying that they would be bringing in another forward.

[10spro]

I just like the new renamed stand at Turf Moor: The 'Totally Wicked Bob Lord Stand'. Just seems fitting.

[10spro]

I am curious to see how Villas-Boas does with his Spurs now. Besides Dempsey, Lloris should be solid in between the pipes and they should be quite a challenge this season.

[Naples39]

I am curious to see how Villas-Boas does with his Spurs now. Besides Dempsey, Lloris should be solid in between the pipes and they should be quite a challenge this season.

I am pleased to see Dempsey come over, as I haven't watched much EPL the last few seasons and this gives me some new intrigue. I thought they were okay in goal with Friedel, but he's old and won't be around much longer.

Really not sure about Villas-Boas though, and here they are with 2 points in 3 games, having conceded in the 80+ minute in each game. A very troubling sign.

[RobVarak]

(Or Rafa...who bought Raheem Sterling and Jonjo Shelvey before he left).

...and who also wanted the Texans to pony up 4m for Falcao only to be told that he had to sell to buy.

[Macca00]

...and who also wanted the Texans to pony up 4m for Falcao only to be told that he had to sell to buy.

*sigh* same deal for Daniel Alves and Aguero before he went to Atleti.

I can only imagine the blood pressure spike Rafa must have felt when he first heard Kenny spent $35 million on Andy Carroll. His head must have exploded. lol


I think we're definitely short options, moreso because Lucas is injured - I think (hope) Rodgers preferred midfield would have been Lucas, Sahin and Allen with Gerrard playing as one of the front 3. On the plus side I guess we're going to see a lot more of Sterling, Adam Morgan (who I think Rodgers rates) and that new German kid Yesil (who's supposed to be pretty good).

I am pleased to see Dempsey come over, as I haven't watched much EPL the last few seasons and this gives me some new intrigue. I thought they were okay in goal with Friedel, but he's old and won't be around much longer.

Really not sure about Villas-Boas though, and here they are with 2 points in 3 games, having conceded in the 80+ minute in each game. A very troubling sign.

I think Villas-Boas is a very talented manager - he just needs time to put his stamp on the team. At Chelsea he wasn't given enough time and then the senior players didn't like him, hopefully neither of those two will be a problem at Spurs. He had an amazing record at Porto - not just in that domestic league but they won the UEFA Cup as well. The new signings will take time to gel but I think he'll come good.

[Feanor]

I am curious to see how Villas-Boas does with his Spurs now. Besides Dempsey, Lloris should be solid in between the pipes and they should be quite a challenge this season.

I am pleased to see Dempsey come over, as I haven't watched much EPL the last few seasons and this gives me some new intrigue. I thought they were okay in goal with Friedel, but he's old and won't be around much longer.

Really not sure about Villas-Boas though, and here they are with 2 points in 3 games, having conceded in the 80+ minute in each game. A very troubling sign.

They were terrible yesterday. The goal was a nice bit of individual skill from Demeble, but apart from that they didn't threaten Norwich at all.