LGP Futbol Thread - (CL, EPL, Serie A, Liga, 2016 Euros)

[Draftnik]

We are all Udinese fans, especially if they sell Chilean Alexis Sanchez to United.

It looks like Inter & Juve take this Cup fairly seriously. I'm watching the match now and it seems like they have plenty of first team players on the pitch. The Special One is prancing around in rare form up and down the touchline.

McCarthy might get the Hammers a few goals if he changes his attitude. Apparently he stopped showing up for training at Rovers. He also was dropped from the South African squad before the Confederations Cup. Since he's signing on with West Ham in a precarious position I doubt his contract will have language about reduced wages if West Ham are relegated. He doesn't strike me as the type of guy that has the stomach for a relegation battle plus he hasn't been playing much for Rovers recently so I doubt his fitness levels are where they need to be. I'd like to see the Hammers stay up because they belong in the 1st division IMO so hopefully they pull through one way or another.

It looks like Zaki will start for Hull at the weekend which is not good news for Jozy Altidore. Jozy has fallen off recently and if Zaki reprises his early Wigan form he will be Hull's target man for the balance of the season.

Donovan looked great in the highlights. He came close to getting a 2nd goal. He has defied the traditional bedding in period.

Corrected FSC+ - Setanta US link:

http://www.epltalk.com/setanta-sports-u ... nnel/15315

[slappybrown]

Juventus have nothing to play for but the Coppa Italia. The Special One is a ******* in general, as I am sure you know.

Juve-Inter is considered the Derby d'Italia, so its generally a special match, which is why they each had 5-7 first team players in the game. The only circumstances Milan would do the same in the Coppa Italia is if they were playing Inter or Juve. Milan ran out a lineup consisting of all second team players, aside from Gattuso, though Leonardo brought Pirlo and Borrielo on in the second half. Meh. I don't particularly like the results of the past week, as the CL ties with ManU are fast approaching, but they should be ok. Three more league games to put these two defeats behind us, none against the teams in the top half, so it should be the perfect medicine.

[pfim]

Jozy was on leave after the earthquake in Haiti. Still, he's yet to score a goal so his place was in jeopardy anyway. Not a good thing for the US.

[Tomas]

Bob Bradley approached Lubos Kubik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubo%C5%A1_Kub%C3%ADk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) to be his new assistant coach. Kubik has already talked to Us Federation and considers the deal "almost certain." He will be dealing with Europe-based players.
Here is a google-translated interview:
http://translate.google.com/translate?j ... l=cs&tl=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jesse]

Looks like the McCarthy deal is all but completed. He won't play against Rovers this weekend, however. Eidur is going to Spurs. Redknapp says that West Ham's courting of the player had nothing to do with T*ttenham's advances towards him.

One reason the McCarthy signing looks good: http://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=124612" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hines out for the year. He is a great young player. When Cole went down I wasn't sure if we'd score another goal for the rest of the year. Hines took the game against Villa over and earned us a vital point. He also flipped the game against Millwall earlier this year. Will be sorely missed.

I wanted to see us run a McCarthy, Cole, Hines, Collison attacking squad.

[slappybrown]

You'll enjoy this Draftnik:

Man City megalomaniac tastes bitter reality

Outspoken Manchester City executive chairman Gary Cook claimed this week that his football club "are, without doubt, going to be the biggest and best football club in the world," so it must have come as a huge blow when Santos upstart Paulo Henrique Gansu dished out a cold dose of reality.

Henrique, who, along with fellow Santos youngster Neymar, were supposed to be part of the complicated deal that allowed want-away Man City flop Robinho to return to his boyhood club, said: "I don't want to play for Manchester City. I'd prefer to play for a big club in Europe such as Milan, Real Madrid or Barcelona."

Ouch! Look away now Gary! And just for the record, Cook's claim that "when, not if, we are at Wembley, having beaten Man United yet again" received equally short shrift when City were dumped out of the Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.

and

The editors of Manchester United's official website set the pulses of the club's fans racing this week when they set up a player profile page for Atletico Madrid striking sensation Sergio Aguero.

Aguero, 21, is one of the most highly-rated prospects in world football and rumours that United were set to sign the Argentina striker spread like wildfire once the page was made public. However, a spokesman claimed it was all a blunder and said: "It was just an unfortunate technical anomaly."

Well, the 'infinite monkey theorem' states that a primate hitting keys at random on a typewriter for a perpetual amount of time would eventually reproduce the works of William Shakespeare, so maybe a 'technical anomaly' can manifest itself in the name of Sergio Aguero.

But United are not the only team to fall foul of private pages falling into the public domain. Back in August 2008 Chelsea's website advertised Robinho shirts for sale in the club store, only for the Brazilian to sign for Manchester City.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/st ... al&cc=5901" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Draftnik]

Cook is a buffoon. He's been declaring citeh's alleged superiority ever since he was recruited by the tortuous human rights violator. Chelsea "stole" (I think he would have been shown the door sooner or later, especially because he bottled the Ronaldinho transfer) Kenyon who was also a buffoon, but at least he brought as much United IP to Chelsea as he could fit into his minuscule brain. What credentials does loser Cook have? He claims he built Air Jordan or some such nonsense. He is not a football man. He's a drunken idiot that is the perfect mascot for citeh's inadequacy.

I don't think United will go after Kun. That probably was just a webmaster messing around IMO. United never get into bidding wars with clubs that bid up transfers beyond their operational means. United never competed with Madrid during the first Galactico era. They let Chelsea take Essien and Robben during Abramovich's period of exorbitance. citeh will bid Kun's transfer fee and wages up to astronomical heights. United will not chase him. United would have nabbed Berbatov for £20M if citeh did not intervene at the last second to give Levy leverage. If SAF weren't already invested in chasing Berbatov and expecting him to arrive before the Summer 08 window closed I doubt he would have gone to £30M+. Plus Kun plays the same position as Rooney and his father-in-law had a bit of a quarrel with SAF last year for not making the little Argy part of the starting XI on a regular basis. I also think United have not had much success handling Spanish/Portuguese speaking players well since Carlos Queiroz departed, although Nani has been in cracking form the last 2 matches. Valencia was already settled in England with Wigan and he flamed out in Spain before that so I think he arrived at United with a much more compliant/coachable frame of mind.

I think United will have to lay low on mega transfers for the next few windows and wait until the Abu Dubai guys grow weary of subsidizing citeh's massive losses and the second Galactico era flames out.

Ironically if the UEFA fair play rule comes to pass it could be United's salvation. If UEFA includes non-operational losses as part of the plan the Glazers would be forced to sell United since the lack of European football would crush their business plan. Then United would be in pole position to dominate Europe since they have the best operational income of any club in Europe. Chelsea and citeh would be ruined, Madrid wouldn't be able to inflate the transfer and wage market, and all the other clubs would not be able to financially compete with United and still be profitable.

I got a chance to intently watch Kun last week on a Jet Blue flight. They have Gol TV and I had nothing else to distract me so I watched him in the Copa del Rey while I was flying back to PGH. He is tougher than I thought. He has powerful lower body strength with great quickness and control. I have my doubts about his ability to adapt to the English game if his insane father-in-law is one of his primary mentors.

[slappybrown]

I love El Kun. The rumors on the Italian websites I follow have been really pushing Inter as a destination for him this summer, and I really hope that doesn't happen.

Milan, for the most part, are taking a similar tact as ManU (aside from the Glazer debt load). Spend wisely, and let the other major clubs spend themselves into oblivion and financial ruin. The recent downturn in the economy led them to sell Kaka; they simply will not operate at the massive losses that Chelsea and RM will. Milan's operating income isn't near ManU's (I've seen estimates between 60 and 70) but they also have no debt. While Berlusconi could subsidize the losses out of his own pocket, he doesn't run the club like that and really hasn't since the 80's, when he made the initial outlays during a dark period to bring in the Dutch triumvirate of Gullit, Rijkaard, and Van Basten. He hit on all three, and the club has been the most successful in Europe since the mid to late 80s to the present time as a result. I'm not sure where the financial side of the game is headed, but it will be interesting to see if the major clubs ever do bolt UEFA and create the European Super League some dream of. I do think it will come to a head in the next decade or so.

By the way, not sure if the English websites you read have these same reports, but the Italian press is hot on Benitez to Juventus come the offseason. Pool is a sinking ship -- both on the pitch and financially -- so I wouldn't be surprised to see him bolt.

[Draftnik]

I've read about Rafa going to Juve. His tactical obsession seems like it is made for catenaccio. I don't follow Italian football that closely, but The Special One intimates Italian football is very insular and not hospitable when it comes to foreign managers. I could see Rafa torn to shreds by the Italian press and supporters. He's done a great job lowering expectations and blaming others at Liverpool, but I don't think his excuses would stand up in the Italian fishbowl unless he won the Euro Cup with a talentless squad his first season.

The Super League is a great point. I forgot about that with my previous post about the fair play initiative. I think the fair play initiative could be the impetus to force the big clubs to create their own Euro League. United are kind of screwed as long as the Glazers own them so I'm looking for some kind of good plan for the future. The potential income from the Euro League might be the Glazers plan to pay off their debt. It would significantly increase their revenues, but on the other hand the prices and wages for the best players would go through the roof. It might end up being a zero sum game. I agree it will be interesting to see where the game heads financially in the next decade. I wish I were able to watch it unfold in a detached manner instead of wondering what will happen to United.

[Draftnik]

I usually not interested in the pop culture aspect of sports, but this has the potential to torpedo Chelsea's season IMO. They are old and I've always thought they will wear down when the fixtures pile up, but any little bit to take them off their form helps:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 009128.ece

[Jesse]

Anyone have any information on this kid?

http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-a ... Ilan/5445/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jesse]

West Ham just got Mido at the window deadline. I dunno. People seem split. Kid has some skills apparantly and wants to prove he isn't an EPL reject. $1,000.00 a week. Pretty cheap.

Might as well get him in there with McCarthy.

[pfim]

$1000 a week? That's less than what I make!

Mido is large and in charge. Emphasis on large.

[Jesse]

$1000 a week? That's less than what I make!

Mido is large and in charge. Emphasis on large.

Supposedly that problem was taken care of.

[slappybrown]

West Ham just got Mido at the window deadline. I dunno. People seem split. Kid has some skills apparantly and wants to prove he isn't an EPL reject. $1,000.00 a week. Pretty cheap.

Might as well get him in there with McCarthy.

Mido's skills and technique were never in doubt. He's a complete headcase though. Thus, he should fit in nicely with West Ham.

[pfim]

From his wikipedia page:

Mido joined West Ham United on a four-month loan on 1 February 2010. he is not a good player

We'll see. As slappy points out, he has the skill, but rarely the desire.

[Jesse]

Headcase is per the usual. I just want him scoring goals. I can't remember the last time we potted one.

(Portsmouth, but you get the idea).

[Draftnik]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... urn-rovers

£1,000 per week for the Egyptian Magician. That is stunning. His weekly expenses living in London will be probably be much greater than that. I remember Mido seems to start off making a good impression in his first few games then tapers off. He also (unfortunately) is the frequent target of ethnic abuse. Maybe he is really motivated or maybe he wants to limit his pie budget.

I had not heard of the Brazilian guy before today.

I predict the Egyptian Magician will be a better signing than Benedict. Lets keep bumping the thread until the season ends in May to see how it plays out.

[Jesse]

I'm desperate to talk Football right now so you can bet I'll be updating this. I would say most of you guys in here are my go-to for information.

You're right about Mido's starts. I believe he had a pair for Wigan his debut there. I know he scored for Boro in his debut there as well. He doesn't have staying power.

It doesn't appear that Zola has plans to put Mido in at first. He'll go with a Cole/Cannon front. I have to say I like Benedict in front with Diamanti bending those balls towards the box.

The only reassuring thing about these two is that Cannon wanted to play for West Ham instead of Blackburn. He got spurned on that deal, I believe, by his old club. He's claiming rejuvination due to wanting to have played here in the first place. Mido is trying to prove he isn't some piece of fodder. He's taken less money to prove so.

What irkes me is that we could have had Keane but he went to Celtic. Something tells me Celtic doesn't have the $$$ to pay what Spurs were asking. I bet they screwed us again, however, it may have worked out, because from my research I'd rather have Mido than Eidur.

[pfim]

I'm sure Keane had more to do with moving to Celtic more than anyone else.

I really don't get it for Spurs though. Seems like they're weakening the squad for no reason at all.

[pfim]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 88,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What in the world is Rio Ferdinand doing? He elbowed a guy, he deserved his suspension and he deserved the extra game because the appeal WAS frivilous.

[Draftnik]

Rio elbowed Fagan, but Fagan had it coming to him. I don't think the FA will accept that defense.

Maybe SAF wants to use the appeal to launch a tirade vs. the FA. There is no consistency with these calls. I've seen plenty of worse infractions not penalized during matches or post match. I don't think SAF would launch an 2nd appeal and risk Rio missing an extra EPL game, but I think he is confident starting Evans & Brown in the League Cup, even at Wembley. SAF doesn't have a quarrel with O'Neil and Villa. They don't need to know their role and shut their mouth like citeh.

Vidic might be back then as well. He wasn't sold to Madrid and the window is closed, so maybe his sulky calf will be fit by then.

Agbonlahor torches United. He even scored vs. new boy Smalling last week vs. Fulham. I don't think United will have a clean sheet regardless of who plays central defense in the final.

[Draftnik]

Keane is in rapid decline. I thought he was misused by Rafa at Pool, but he hasn't been effective with Spurs the 2nd time around. He had some good mojo with Berba and was teed up for some easy goals, so that probably inflated his perception the past few years.

[Draftnik]

Terry will not get a moment of respite. Hostility and contempt will rain down on him at every visiting ground the remainder of this season and longer...

Terry was abused repeatedly and his every touch of the ball was jeered by home fans in his second appearance since allegations of an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the former girlfriend of his England and one-time Chelsea team-mate, Wayne Bridge, were made public.

[Jesse]

Here's a gem from the West Ham board I frequent...

Oh Johnny Terry
You shagged another man's wife
Oh Johnny Terry
She was the love of Wayne's life
Oh Johnny Terry,
Have you shagged Lampard too?

And that's seriously the only one postable. There were some seriously questionable ones that are downright disgusting, yet all the more hilarious.