Soccer thread 08/09 (will have spoilers!)

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:51 pm

Russia did move up three places this past year That let them drop a Uefa Cup spot and gain a Champions League one.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:43 am

MACTEPsporta wrote:
davet010 wrote: And any scenario where the Russian League is anywhere near as strong as the Bundesliga is, quite frankly, a joke.
Umm... yeah, it's at the level now where EPL was 7-8 years ago, right under German and French Leagues. And I wouldn't use how "bent" it is as any sort of argument, as the best league in world, La Liga, is the "bendest" of them all.

Garbage - in terms of proveable corruption, Serie A has a good lead over any league you care to mention, but the Russian one is well known for it.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:33 am

Just read that Bayern are after Berbatov as well, although not sure why they would want to be doing that, with the strikers they already have - still, it'd annoy the Purple Faced Drunk, so more power to their elbow.

Nice to see Johnathan Woodgate lecturing Berbatov on his responsibilities as a footballer etc with regard to behaviour. Obviously can't be the same Woodgate who was arrested by the police when at Leeds in connection with a serious assault on a student while he was pissed up - no, couldn't be, no-one could be that stupid....

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 9:30 am

Only if Podolski is gone. Can't imagine that Klinnsman would want to play with 3 strikers

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:10 am

davet010 wrote:Just read that Bayern are after Berbatov as well

Not gonna happen

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:24 am

we'll see, don't need him though

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:34 am

I'm watching Everton vs Portsmouth live on the net. Everton is getting their @ss kicked 0-3 and David James is a beast in front of the net.

The broadcast is a feed from Setanta. You guys are right they are much better than Fox World Sports.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:36 am

ok, aside from the fact that both Ribery and PigStagger (Schweinsteiger) are fessentially forwards, they have Klose, Podolski, and Toni. All, tall penalty box type, target men. Which is exactly what Berbatov is. If Klinsmann even expresses interest in him, he is suffering from major case of lunacy.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:40 am

MACTEPsporta wrote:ok, aside from the fact that both Ribery and PigStagger (Schweinsteiger) are fessentially forwards, they have Klose, Podolski, and Toni. All, tall penalty box type, target men. Which is exactly what Berbatov is. If Klinsmann even expresses interest in him, he is suffering from major case of lunacy.

nah, just having money. Ribery is great as a side midfielder though.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:17 pm

Everton set to sign Loui Haha which could be a good signing for them if he stays fit. Great game today against Portsmouth, feed the Yak...and he will miss....

Pavlyuchenko has signed for Tottenham, I hope he does well for them.

What odds for Barry to score tomorrow? No Gerrard for us and a good signing for them in Milner, I have a bad feeling but that could also gas.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:31 pm

There seems to be a glass barrier around the city of Liverpool, that prevents players from coming in. Barry is still banging his head on it. So, until he is uniform, I will remain sceptical. It is a good transfer for all sides involved. Unless Ferguson states that to sell Saha, he needs to get Berbatov first, which wouldn't happen until Spurs get Arshavin, which wouldn't happen until Zenit bosses get a brain, unless that happens, the deal should go through...

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:25 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote:There seems to be a glass barrier around the city of Liverpool, that prevents players from coming in. Barry is still banging his head on it. So, until he is uniform, I will remain sceptical. It is a good transfer for all sides involved. Unless Ferguson states that to sell Saha, he needs to get Berbatov first, which wouldn't happen until Spurs get Arshavin, which wouldn't happen until Zenit bosses get a brain, unless that happens, the deal should go through...

Arshavin isn't the replacement for Berbatov, Pavlyuchenko is - so there is plenty of chance for Berbatov to go to The Swamp, where hopefully the result of his first touch is a complete rupturing of every ligament in both knees.

Saha is an injury prone waster, so if Gollum is hoping that he will pull Everton out of the mire, then he's had it - they got a spanking today and the new stadium plan is back at least a year as the Kirkby site plan has gone to a public enquiry.

I might even put a few quid on the pop-eyed Jock being the first to resign - they'll do nothing this season and they haven't got the cash to bring in many players.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:10 pm

Rodster wrote:I'm watching Everton vs Portsmouth live on the net. Everton is getting their @ss kicked 0-3 and David James is a beast in front of the net.

The broadcast is a feed from Setanta. You guys are right they are much better than Fox World Sports.

Much better. I love watching Friday night football on Setanta.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:14 pm

davet010 wrote: Arshavin isn't the replacement for Berbatov, Pavlyuchenko is -

And once again, you are incorrect. Ramos announced that unless Arshavin joins, Berbatov will stay. Now, whether that's the way it will play out - we shall see...

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:29 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote:
davet010 wrote: Arshavin isn't the replacement for Berbatov, Pavlyuchenko is -
And once again, you are incorrect. Ramos announced that unless Arshavin joins, Berbatov will stay. Now, whether that's the way it will play out - we shall see...

The only part of that that matters, surely, is the last sentence. I note, after all, that Milner is still a Newcastle player as Keegan wanted, and Curbishley stuck to his guns to ensure that Ferdinand A ran out at Upton Park this weekend, along with...oh, right.

I'm struggling to see what's wrong with Dave's statement that Pavlyuchenko is the replacement for Berbatov - do enlighten me.

squid, we've got Leeds away in the next round of the Carling. Not exactly what we were looking for after beating West Brom in midweek, but I trust I can count on your support.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:49 pm

Of course. I fecking hate Leeds

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:24 am

After finally getting around to watching the Super Cup I'm not sure that Berbatov is what ManU needs anyway. Tevez played decently, I don't see Fergie benching Rooney anytime soon so why are they fiending after Berbatov so badly? Saha isn't a terrible option to have on the bench. Their defensive midfield is their weak spot and it seemed like Zenit figured that out and pressured them all night long.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:59 am

macsomjrr wrote:After finally getting around to watching the Super Cup I'm not sure that Berbatov is what ManU needs anyway. Tevez played decently, I don't see Fergie benching Rooney anytime soon so why are they fiending after Berbatov so badly? Saha isn't a terrible option to have on the bench. Their defensive midfield is their weak spot and it seemed like Zenit figured that out and pressured them all night long.

Saha's just been sold to Everton, where he will warm their bench when he's not on the treatment table.

The Drunk wants Berbatov to lead the line, which neither Rooney or Tevez are really able to do.

Defensive midfield ? They've got two England internationals, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick, aka 'The Poor Man's Owen Hargreaves' (though Carrick only gets his caps because he's at MU).

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:05 pm

Two more signings for the blue 3/4's of Manchester today

Zabaleta (Espanyol)
Glauber Berti (Nuremberg)

You seen anything of the latter, Squid ? Tell you what, though, that Kompany is looking properly classy - excellent today again.

MM, and now City are in the top 4....not bad for the 'club with 2 weeks to live', as some of the more moronic tabloids over here had it.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:43 pm

Dave, never did doubt that Kompany is a quality player. Just the transfer came out of the "blue".

Glauber is just a solid back player. He doesn't do the fancy crap that Lucio tries to do. He just does his job. I think he just got an Italian passport, so no work permit required.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:31 pm

davet010 wrote:
Saha's just been sold to Everton, where he will warm their bench when he's not on the treatment table.

The Drunk wants Berbatov to lead the line, which neither Rooney or Tevez are really able to do.

Defensive midfield ? They've got two England internationals, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick, aka 'The Poor Man's Owen Hargreaves' (though Carrick only gets his caps because he's at MU).

Don't get me wrong I think that Berbatov would be a stellar signing for ManU but it'll be interesting to see where Tevez and Rooney go.

Funny how "England international" just doesn't seem to have the same ring to it lately with all the troubles they've been having. Hargreaves knee is probably going to be a problem all season and I'm not sure where Carrick has been lately.

******
Did you guys see that Spurs just reached an agreement with Pavlyuchenko? Didn't Dave call that?:)

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:57 pm

Not down to me, Pav has been common knowledge for a while. Transfer deadline is tomorrow at midnight, so there may be a few more moves yet.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 7:26 pm

Will J. Pennant accept a move to Stoke?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:24 am

And watch - 'poof' - as all our debts disappear as City are taken over by some consortium from Abu Dhabi with proper ding in their pockets....be afraid, Liverpool and Arsenal, be very afraid....

I may be slightly euphoric at this point. It is City we are talking about though, so expect the dark cloud to be revealed in the next day or so.

Till then - who can we sign today ??

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:34 am

davet010 wrote:And watch - 'poof' - as all our debts disappear as City are taken over by some consortium from Abu Dhabi with proper ding in their pockets....be afraid, Liverpool and Arsenal, be very afraid....

I may be slightly euphoric at this point. It is City we are talking about though, so expect the dark cloud to be revealed in the next day or so.

Till then - who can we sign today ??

Pretty crappy timing though. Good for City:)