The Football Thread - Season 2013/2014 & World Cup

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Weird Liverpool news on the internet today with different sites naming players who turned us down. :thinking:

New Everton Signing James McCarthy Reveals Liverpool Snub
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Never mind it was 6 years ago when James McCarthy was 16 years old and not ready to leave the nest. Makes a headline I suppose, and ingratiates him with Everton fans.

Spanish international admits he snubbed Liverpool switch
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Cristian Tello turned us down too apparently because he wanted to stay at Barca. If I had a chance to play at Barca I'd stay too. :bonk: I don't know who this lads agent is but he is earning his money.He's been linked Liverpool for ages, but I've never seen him play. :shrug:

Diego Costa has admitted that he was close to joining Liverpool but stated that he wants to remain at Madrid for the foreseeable future
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And probably got a bumper pay rise to stay too. :shrug:

I know clubs don't get every player they go after, and I don't read footy news of other clubs, but do they go on about players who turned your club down? Just seems weird to get them 3, and from more than one site, in one day. :thinking:
 
redhed17 said:
Weird Liverpool news on the internet today with different sites naming players who turned us down. :thinking:


I know clubs don't get every player they go after, and I don't read footy news of other clubs, but do they go on about players who turned your club down? Just seems weird to get them 3, and from more than one site, in one day. :thinking:
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Probably sponsored by Everton, or Manure....
 
Glen Johnson reporting injury not so bad. Great news.
 
The23rdman said:
I would like to see the Opta stats for these guys playing for club over playing for country. I'd imagine they would show that they are in fact different players. I gave up on international football a few years back when it became obvious that the top players don't actually play for England any more because they're too rich to care. What happens is the FA use conference players and Hollywood level make-up. This can be the only sensible conclusion.
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I think that they are simply shown up in internationals, because they do not have the chance to "hide" behind players such as Van Persie, Torres, or from further back like Henry, Viera, Pires or Drogba.
I don't think that any of our players would get into a World X1, or even onto the subs bench.
 
andy700 said:
I think that they are simply shown up in internationals, because they do not have the chance to "hide" behind players such as Van Persie, Torres, or from further back like Henry, Viera, Pires or Drogba.
I don't think that any of our players would get into a World X1, or even onto the subs bench.
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That's why I mention Opta. States for pass completion, key passes, etc show individual ability despite who they play with. Okay, it doesn't take in to account players be available to collect the ball, but I look at some of these guys who have high 80% pass completion managing half that for the national team and wonder.

Just goes to show what pressure and expectation does to a person.
 
Really looking forward to the real start of the season in two days time. All this international nonsense is a bore.

At least it gives L'Pool supporters more time at the top than they would otherwise enjoy :D
 
2blue4u said:
Really looking forward to the real start of the season in two days time. All this international nonsense is a bore.

At least it gives L'Pool supporters more time at the top than they would otherwise enjoy :D
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At least we're getting to enjoy some. ;)
 
I completely agree with that article in the sense that the midfielder 'destroyer' isn't what we (or indeed most teams these days) need. The double pivot of Arteta and Ramsey in the last 10 or so games last season was absolutely dominant in the middle of the pitch. It's in games where Arteta was absent last season that we had problems so I'm quite happy with the depth that Flamini adds.

Take a look at Scott Parker. A first class tackler but that's literally all he can do with the ball, hence why he's been moved on. Football needs more dynamic players that can not only tackle and intercept but also pass, carry the ball forward and arrive late into the area. That's where Ramsey's skills and energy levels really come into their own.

(This isn't a slight on Lucas - Liverpool are twice the side when he's playing. I don't consider him the limited DM that people were asking Arsenal to sign; he's more talented than that).
 
Should I have read the article as well as the headline then? ;)
 
TriggerHappy said:
I completely agree with that article in the sense that the midfielder 'destroyer' isn't what we (or indeed most teams these days) need. The double pivot of Arteta and Ramsey in the last 10 or so games last season was absolutely dominant in the middle of the pitch. It's in games where Arteta was absent last season that we had problems so I'm quite happy with the depth that Flamini adds.

Take a look at Scott Parker. A first class tackler but that's literally all he can do with the ball, hence why he's been moved on. Football needs more dynamic players that can not only tackle and intercept but also pass, carry the ball forward and arrive late into the area. That's where Ramsey's skills and energy levels really come into their own.

(This isn't a slight on Lucas - Liverpool are twice the side when he's playing. I don't consider him the limited DM that people were asking Arsenal to sign; he's more talented than that).
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Have to agree with this. Without Arteta, Arsenal not only lost their bite, they missed his distribution and creativity. I actually think that Vermarlen could make a great DM. He can tackle, read the game and move the ball. Not far off being back either.

Ozil should make his debut tomorrow, will be interesting to see where he plays. I'm expecting him to be wide on the left for now...
 
Funny that... He's that poor yet has the highest assist rate in Europe over the last 5 years. Sounds like somebody looking for excuses to appease fans to me...
 
Jelster said:
Funny that... He's that poor yet has the highest assist rate in Europe over the last 5 years. Sounds like somebody looking for excuses to appease fans to me...
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Aye, I thought as much. God, I'm missing real football. Why are we playing Monday, ffs!
 
Well I've had a shocker in the first few weeks so ended up playing my wildcard as half my players were out.

Finally up and running by the looks of it this week with clean Sheets for all my defenders and keeper, assists for Paulhino plus some goals from Ramsay and RVP.
 
Fantastic return of the premier league today. Lots of talking points!

I'm content to just sing the praises of Özil, Giroud and especially Ramsey, who was absolutely sensational today!
 
I'm struggling to get into the footy just now. The transfer window kind of overshadowed the start of the season and then the Internationals came along.

Missed it all today as I was enjoying the hills (caught the scores) and may be off for a pint later in which case I'll miss MOTD

PS

640 mins or so since Everton last conceeded at home. That's pretty impressive.
 
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TriggerHappy said:
Fantastic return of the premier league today. Lots of talking points!

I'm content to just sing the praises of Özil, Giroud and especially Ramsey, who was absolutely sensational today!
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Plus Atkinson!! He helped a lot!!

On a negative koscielny again showed his poor decision making but Ramsey looks a different player. Great first goal, girouds was a good one too and pleased he is getting the goals his effort deserves. Ozil oozes class!!
 
Have United been on MOTD yet ?

Pint calling........
 
cambsno said:
Plus Atkinson!! He helped a lot!!

On a negative koscielny again showed his poor decision making but Ramsey looks a different player. Great first goal, girouds was a good one too and pleased he is getting the goals his effort deserves. Ozil oozes class!!
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They say bad decisions even themselves out, I'd say we're still in credit from the first game of the season.

As for kos, solid player and leader that was harshly booked for winning the ball with a good tackle..... soft penalty IMO.
 
The Greek said:
As for kos, solid player and leader that was harshly booked for winning the ball with a good tackle..... soft penalty IMO.
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Good God... I've got very Arsenal tinted spectacles, but that was a foul, good and proper. He needs to stop trying so hard....

Flamini, 2 games 2 yellows, he needs to sort himself out too. The link up play between Ozil, Ramsey & Wilshire was very impressive for a first game.

Chelsea lost, oh that makes me laugh.... I hate Mourinho with a passion, he's such an arrogant a***.
 
Jelster said:
Flamini, 2 games 2 yellows, he needs to sort himself out too. The link up play between Ozil, Ramsey & Wilshire was very impressive for a first game.
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No he doesn't. Its what we've being missing for years..... Backbone!
OK, Flamini is no Vieira, but its some one that not scared to mix it.

Arsenal don't like it up em? Bring it on!
 
The Greek said:
No he doesn't. Its what we've being missing for years..... Backbone!
OK, Flamini is no Vieira, but its some one that not scared to mix it.

Arsenal don't like it up em? Bring it on!
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Agree. Most players in that position will pick up plenty of yellows.
 
Just look at Gustavo. I wanted him at Arsenal. He's played 3 games for Wolfsburg and now been sent off in 2 of those. It's a position where you will pick up yellows (but you can't justify reds, in my opinion).

As for Flamini. His bite is sometimes just what we need. This tackle against Spurs shortly after he came on lifted all the players and the stadium!

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As for Koscielny, it was a foolish tackle and rightly a pen. He's a top quality defender that's sometimes prone to lunging at a tackle when staying on his feet and pressing is the better option. He's improving all the time at that and his decision making now compared to 2 years ago is vastly better. I honestly think he's one of the very best CBs in the league, despite his errors.
 
He should have been sent of for that tackle. Both feet in the air??
 
The23rdman said:
He should have been sent of for that tackle. Both feet in the air??
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Possibly, to be fair, even though it wasn't dangerous and he did take the ball first. It certainly snapped all the Arsenal players back into focus!

That's probably the most inconsistent area of refereeing. You only have to cast your mind back to Kompany's red last season that was later rescinded after appeal only for a similar two footed lunge by Glen Johnson on Lescott to be completely ignored by the ref. The decisions really are all over the place when it comes to two footed tackles and challenges that players lunge into. That said, if you watch 'slide' tackles closely, an awful lot have no element of slide and are actually just both feet off the ground jumping at/into the path of the opposition player.

I don't envy refs!
 
I agree completely on all point actually. Unless it's really obvious I can't see how refs can police it effectively.

I'm very much looking forward to tonights game. 4-0 Liverpool anyone? ;)
 
They were peretty shocking a few weeks ago when we played there so you could be right.
 
Oh, and you were right about Januzaj - he looks fantastic.
 
Yeah, after being burned with Pogba I'd imagine you'll be concerned. We had the same issue with Sterling.
 
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