Soccer thread 09/10 (contains spoilers)

miget33 · Post by **miget33** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:04 pm

Lescott finally to City, so who makes way for Lescott in the starting XI

Dunne, Richards, or Bridge?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:39 pm

First XI

Given

Zabaleta
Toure
Lescott
Bridge

SWP
Ireland
Barry
Robinho

Wet Dog
Adebayor

Second XI

Taylor (marking spot til Hart comes back from loan)

Richards
Onuoha (excellent cover at CB)
Dunne (ditto)
Silvinho (one year deal, marking time for academy LB)

Weiss (will have SWP out of the first xi this year)
De Jong (may play first xi if going with holding midfielder)
Kompany (can cover CH as well)
Petrov

Santa Claus (still not sure why he's here, but useful in Jan during African Nations)
Bellamy (always puts a shift in)

And amazingly enough, City's net spending on 7 players (all internationals or ex-internationals) is 79.8m....ie less than Real paid for the Ladyboy.

If Moyes wants Dunne, he's paying £10m for him.....after all, he's got the money, assuming that Kenwright has left him with that much after Wolves' 15% cut of Lescott's sell on fee.

In other news, Benitez is busy getting the excuses ready...and a fiver says Torres is back in Spain this time next year.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:25 pm

davet010 wrote: In other news, Benitez is busy getting the excuses ready...and a fiver says Torres is back in Spain this time next year.

I don't need any excuses from Rafa. Just a shockingly bad day from top to bottom. I do need him to realize that all the talking up in the press in the world isn't going to turn Lucas into a serviceable midfielder. He was dreadful. He gave the ball away at least a half-dozen times and committed the stupid foul that led to the FK that he headed into Reina's goal. Hard to have a worse day than that. Gerrard was nearly as lousy, with an astonishing number of unforced turnovers compounded by his totally unnecessary tackle for the PK.

I do wonder if Carlos Cuellar continued to kick the s*** out of Torres as he walked up the tunnel, or if he left his malfeasance on the pitch.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:32 pm

They Reds were a bit unlucky in the first half, and Friedel was just outstanding. Lucas was brutal and that midfield is just lost without Xavi.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:06 pm

Mascherano taking several 30m shots that had zero chance of getting past the keeper didn't help.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:35 pm

Feanor wrote:Mascherano taking several 30m shots that had zero chance of getting past the keeper didn't help.

He also tried a couple of really low percentage passes. I think he's got it in his head to replace Xabi directly, which obviously isn't his game.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:40 pm

Maybe you guys can get Carrick.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:30 am

Might be time for a sneaky £50m bid for Stevie G. Might even be worth City loaning Liverpool one of the Academy kids, so they don't have to play Lucas.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:15 am

Liverpool was probably distracted by sending threats to Cohen's stepkids. Next week they will be back on.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:35 pm

For those that missed Altidore's debut. I think everyone in the stadium thought his chip was going in.

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davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:28 pm

Difficult to tell which is the more orange - Hull's shirts or Phil Brown's skin.

miget33 · Post by **miget33** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:43 pm

West Ham/Millwall, as they media puts it "riots," now who didn't see this coming.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:19 pm

Altadore scores in Hull's Carling Cup match today. Hell of a start!!

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:10 pm

miget33 wrote:West Ham/Millwall, as they media puts it "riots," now who didn't see this coming.

I saw that movie.

miget33 · Post by **miget33** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:52 pm

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10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:05 am

Bloody Hooligans.

In other news Lisandro Lopez, just had a great night. I watched him enough during the past Argentina Aperturas (which has started despite financial woes) and with his hat-trick in 15 minutes, Lyon advances in the Champions league stage. Former Porto player should be called for the National team, eh Diego?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:08 am

Pah - small stuff. Metropolitan Police woefully underprepared as usual, but I think the bloke who scored twice for W Ham, Stanislaus, was stupid as well for inciting what was already a fairly volatile crowd.

Cue the usual disgusted noises from the pundits in the Sky Studio.

Just hope the Lancashire Constabulary are slightly better prepared for Burnley vs Blackburn.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:10 am

10spro wrote:Bloody Hooligans.

In other news Lisandro Lopez, just had a great night. I watched him enough during the past Argentina Aperturas (which has started despite financial woes) and with his hat-trick in 15 minutes, Lyon advances in the Champions league stage. Former Porto player should be called for the National team, eh Diego?

'Bloody Hooligans' - and then you go on to discuss the Argentinian league. Looks like my years of demonstrating British-style irony are starting to hit home with some of you

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:02 am

davet010 wrote:
10spro wrote:Bloody Hooligans.

In other news Lisandro Lopez, just had a great night. I watched him enough during the past Argentina Aperturas (which has started despite financial woes) and with his hat-trick in 15 minutes, Lyon advances in the Champions league stage. Former Porto player should be called for the National team, eh Diego?
'Bloody Hooligans' - and then you go on to discuss the Argentinian league. Looks like my years of demonstrating British-style irony are starting to hit home with some of you

I laughed at that myself.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:36 am

Port Vale knocked Wednesday out of the Carling Cup last night after Francis Jeffers headbutted a Vale player. Jeffers was then given the maximum club fine and put on the transfer list. Amazing that he actually has Caps for the England team.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:08 am

I think playing in Spain has helped Altidore's creativity as show by that lob pass. Things like that aren't really done well in the MLS. And I think the short stint has helped up immensely for an attacker. My .02.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:53 pm

fsquid wrote:Port Vale knocked Wednesday out of the Carling Cup last night after Francis Jeffers headbutted a Vale player. Jeffers was then given the maximum club fine and put on the transfer list. Amazing that he actually has Caps for the England team.

Well, half a cap, in the legendary 2003 friendly against Australia where Sven substituted almost the whole team at half time. I always think of him as Arsene Wenger's biggest ever transfer mistake.

Interesting that Brian Laws should take such a stance...I wonder if Ivano Bonetti approves ?

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:52 pm

I don't know why it would surprise you that Laws would do that. The red card impaired the team a great deal and you should expect this reaction from Laws.

miget33 · Post by **miget33** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:28 pm

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:21 pm

fsquid wrote:I don't know why it would surprise you that Laws would do that. The red card impaired the team a great deal and you should expect this reaction from Laws.

I think Dave's point is that, based on past experience, you should expect Laws to throw a plate of chicken wings at Jeffers and fracture his cheekbone. He who is without sin and all that business.