The Football Thread - Season 2013/2014

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Redhead - it took me a while to work out what I'd done too lol
 
dinners said:
Redhead - it took me a while to work out what I'd done too lol
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:lol:

Kolo Toure confirmed as signing for Liverpool, in principle. ;)

I think it is a good signing to get some experience in the team to replace Carragher. He is a leader, and strong character looking from the outside. It is not a signing I had ever envisioned though. :shake: :shrug: But he should have a few more years in him.

I'm not sure how much he'll play though, especially if we get some other defenders out of the half a dozen we've been connected with. ;)

I would have preferred his brother Yaya, but I don't think we could afford his wages, :eek: never mind any fee. :lol:
 
Iago Aspas to Liverpool potentially. Again not a player I know much about besides being very one-footed. Good chance creator though.

Edit: Could Suarez be on his way out of Liverpool? This come get me plea would suggest he doesn't want to stay: "I love #LFC, but I have a wife and daughter, and I'm not prepared to tolerate the English press any more."

From a radio interview according to twitter.

Transcript of some of the interview, translated from Spanish, here http://translate.googleusercontent....8.html&usg=ALkJrhgGSmwj4-QQ25L1DqXgiVVyeu72Hw
 
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Hughes continues to look odds on for Stoke - the new season is looking better already.
 
TriggerHappy said:
Could Suarez be on his way out of Liverpool? This come get me plea would suggest he doesn't want to stay: "I love #LFC, but I have a wife and daughter, and I'm not prepared to tolerate the English press any more."
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Trouble from the press is bo**ox. Don't do stupid things, and keep your head down, which fairness he seems to do, and you have no problem with the press. :shrug:

If he moves, and does stuff like he has done here, does he seriously think there would be no press reaction wherever he was? :bonk:


Just watching the England game and meh! Nothing special. From either side.


I didn't know that England had gone with Nike to produce the kits. :eek: Seems like they were almost forever with Umbro. Though I do remember having an Admiral England kit when I was young. :) But that was many many years ago. :shake: :lol:

Extremely boring design though. As are most Nike designs imho. :shrug:
 
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akr said:
Hughes continues to look odds on for Stoke - the new season is looking better already.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22710396

One fan has already staged a protest against former Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes being appointed at the Britannia Stadium.

A season ticket holder spent Tuesday driving around the Potteries in a van sporting a "Hughes out" banner, a sign that cost him £50 to make.
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One fan has already staged a protest against former Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes being appointed at the Britannia Stadium.

A season ticket holder spent Tuesday driving around the Potteries in a van sporting a "Hughes out" banner, a sign that cost him £50 to make.
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Have to laugh... all these people wanting their manager out...
 
Well that was an uninspiring game of football but I miss football so anything was welcome.

Quite pleased with how Walcott and the Ox played, though they could have finished slightly better. Don't really think a flat 4-4-2 does us any favours at all though. It's too straightforward to defend against these days.

It's slight worrying that Hodgson said "I think Borussia Dortmund play 4-4-2 in the same way we play 4-4-2"!
 
joescrivens said:
That was a dull game and a poor result
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I've completely lost interest in England Friendly matches. I use to watch all of them, looked forward to team selection etc. Ever since the nonsense of millions of subs, players being 'injured' all the time, I give up with them. The worst one I remember was the friendly against Australia which we lost, having to head back to work with numerous Aussies around the place :gag:
 
PMK said:
Gary Linekar hit the nail on the head (for once) - the formation we play is outdated and predictable.
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Funny thing is the team would almost be the one I would pick. My 11:

Hart - has to be although maybe ruddy in a year or so

Walker - nudges Johnson out although neither are that great.
Cahill
Jagielka - although I would be tempted with Terry
Cole - hard to choose between him and baines. Wonders if baines would be any good at rb?

Carrick
Lampard- edges gerrard out partly due to goals

Rooney
Wilshire
Walcott

Carroll

What this shows is how little talent we have, that there are too many foreign players here. Fair enough when the likes of man u or Liverpool want to buy a foreign player as they are normally decent, but there's far too many average players even in the championship which stifles development.
 
cambsno said:
Funny thing is the team would almost be the one I would pick. My 11:

Hart - has to be although maybe ruddy in a year or so

Walker - nudges Johnson out although neither are that great.
Cahill
Jagielka - although I would be tempted with Terry
Cole - hard to choose between him and baines. Wonders if baines would be any good at rb?

Carrick
Lampard- edges gerrard out partly due to goals

Rooney
Wilshire
Walcott

Carroll

What this shows is how little talent we have, that there are too many foreign players here. Fair enough when the likes of man u or Liverpool want to buy a foreign player as they are normally decent, but there's far too many average players even in the championship which stifles development.
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I don't have a problem with the number of foreign players in the league. I want to watch the best players in the PL, and the fact is we aren't as good at producing those as the likes of Spain, Germany etc.

The real problem is why many of our youth systems place so little value on developing technical skill, creativity, footballing intellect etc (or they value it but fail to develop it). Many of our clubs are still very much in the age of if you're over 6', beefy, and can kick the ball reasonably well then you're probably a half decent footballer. Of course, as soon as you square them against a team who have more finesse, awareness and so on they get made to look bang average. You take a side like Germany, who craft players that are not only physically imposing but also with huge intelligence and skill (Schweinsteiger), and compare them with the likes of Scott Parker and James Milner who - bless them - run for days for the cause but aren't actually capable of doing much more, then we get shown up time and again.
 
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Best players in the pl are one thing, but look at Wigan, loads of mediocre foreign players. Same at so many clubs. Even the lower leagues are having more and more foreign Players. We struggle to have 30% English players, Germany have some 60% German players so that goes a long why to explain why they have a strong squad. Agree on technique but I would argue that wenger is not pro 6ft lumps yet we only have jack and Gibbs who have come up from yth team. They never get the chance. Fair enough if u have a rvp or podolski ahead of you, but not when u look at squillaci or djorou (and am sure fans of other clubs would say the same).
 
cambsno said:
Best players in the pl are one thing, but look at Wigan, loads of mediocre foreign players. Same at so many clubs. Even the lower leagues are having more and more foreign Players. We struggle to have 30% English players, Germany have some 60% German players so that goes a long why to explain why they have a strong squad. Agree on technique but I would argue that wenger is not pro 6ft lumps yet we only have jack and Gibbs who have come up from yth team. They never get the chance. Fair enough if u have a rvp or podolski ahead of you, but not when u look at squillaci or djorou (and am sure fans of other clubs would say the same).
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The other factor is the price. English players, for some bizarre reason, carry a huge premium. If you want any sort of value for your money you either need to snap up youth in their formative years or search abroad in the other leagues. Teams like Wigan just couldn't assemble a decent team on their budget if they were relying on the British production line.
 
cambsno said:
Germany have some 60% German players so that goes a long why to explain why they have a strong squad.
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There have never been that many German players playing abroad, which has helped their National team. While there has been even less British players playing abroad, we have embraced the cheap foreign players, who flocked here because of the money of the Premier League. Whereas the German's kept predominantly German players in their teams, and took the better ones. :shrug: Until quite recently Germany was not one of the wealthier leagues.

There has to be a minimum number of 8 Homegrown players in each 25 man squad, so the good British players come at a premium. :shrug: You can also use an unlimited number of under 21 players though.

However, Homegrown players don't have to be British. Homegrown players are defined as those having been trained at a club or clubs in England or Wales for three years before the end of the season in which they became 21, which is why the larger teams are scooping up the young talent from around the World. It seems to undermine the reason for installing the rule. Cesc Fabregas qualified as a Homegrown player for example. :thinking: I think British teams are allowed to offer contracts to players at younger ages than they can in Spain, which is how Arsenal got Fabregas I think.

Liverpool have really been active with this policy over the last few years, instigated by Rafa Benitez, but have also been trying to get the best British talent, some local, but some from other Academies too, such as Raheem Sterling, who came from QPR. It is slowly starting to bare fruit, and pleasingly some local players have got into the first team. :)

The other big teams are also doing similar things. :shrug:
 
Arsenal have just announced that Freddie Ljungberg is to join us in an Ambassadorial role. Couldn't be more happy to have him around again! :D
 
Suarez officially wants out of Liverpool for the sake of his family and his image....surprised he didn't say he was looking for a new challenge to sink his teeth into!
 
you're worse than the daily mail :lol:

There's nothing official about it.

He's said he would find it hard to turn down an offer from RM - but who wouldn't?

And he said he has found life with the media very difficult

He's also said he loves playing at the club. There''s plenty of contradictions in what he has said.

He hasn't said officially he wants to leave the club and has not put in a transfer request. I would have thought you of all people would look at all the facts before saying anything was official after what you see so often on twitter
 
Popcorn, and RAWK tin foil hat conspiracies tonight then :lol:

Blaming the press - never his fault then.

I'm sure he loves the club - they've defended his indefensible behaviour often enough.

He left Ajax with an 8 game ban not served, wouldn't surprise me if he runs away again.
 
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joescrivens said:
you're worse than the daily mail :lol:

There's nothing official about it.

He's said he would find it hard to turn down an offer from RM - but who wouldn't?

And he said he has found life with the media very difficult

He's also said he loves playing at the club. There''s plenty of contradictions in what he has said.

He hasn't said officially he wants to leave the club and has not put in a transfer request. I would have thought you of all people would look at all the facts before saying anything was official after what you see so often on twitter
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Quite right. My mistake for jumping the gun on the use of "official".
 
dinners said:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...90/Luis-Suarez-I-want-to-leave-Liverpool.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/31/luis-suarez-wants-leave-liverpool

The whole persecution angle for wanting to leave is pretty lame but it's a way out without upsetting the fans as they'll buy into the whole victimisation thing.
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you can read things two ways.

Since Suarez has come out and said clearly he was at fault for bringing it on himself I read it simply that he is basically saying - he finds it hard to work and live under the conditions. He's not saying he didn't bring them on himself and is the innocent victim. More that the press make it impossible to live with the mistakes he made.

Is it so wrong to feel like that and want out?
 
joescrivens said:
you can read things two ways.

Since Suarez has come out and said clearly he was at fault for bringing it on himself I read it simply that he is basically saying - he finds it hard to work and live under the conditions. He's not saying he didn't bring them on himself and is the innocent victim. More that the press make it impossible to live with the mistakes he made.

Is it so wrong to feel like that and want out?
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Are you ready to call his exit? What does the Scrivens crystal ball say? Will he still be with you by the end of this transfer window?

I'm calling it now, he will be gone! What say ye?
 
Lots of confusing stories during Confederation and Africa Cup competitions. :eek: Suddenly journalists can't understand, or talk to players they have been talking to all year. :thinking:

I don't know if Suarez is manoeuvring a move, or the media is trying to unsettle him. :shrug: Considering there has always been stories about him, even before, and not including his misdemeanour's, they just like talking about him and trying to unsettle him, and/or Liverpool. :shrug:

First season he should have moved because he wasn't scoring enough, then because of the Evra affair, then others are in for him because he is scoring lots of goals, then the biting incident, and now he wants to leave. :shrug: In all that he has allegedly said he was happy. Who knows what to believe. :shrug:

If a player wants to leave, then go, but come out and say it, and ask for a transfer. I don't want players playing for Liverpool who don't want to be there. :nono: There are millions who would take their place at the drop of a hat. Some of them are even Football Players. :eek:

Don't disrespect the fans, and try and do the dirty on the club by either trying to get a smaller fee, or leaving at the last minute of the Transfer Window. :bang: A la Sr. Torres. I think most fans would think the same about their own club.

Liverpool have said he's not for sale though, but again, that could just be to get the best fee possible, which is as it should be.


Looks like Monaco are going to be this years Chel$ki/City/Anzhi/PSG. Lots of money to spend, and in a hurry to spend it. :shrug:
 
Get Suarez out asap. Get good money for him and buy a player who isn't a ****.

Job done.
 
The23rdman said:
Get Suarez out asap. Get good money for him and buy a player who isn't a ****.

Job done.
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I'm not sure which you would find harder, finding someone as unhinged as him, or someone as good a player as him. He will be incredibly hard to replace talent wise, I think you should keep him another year and see if you can sneak a CL spot,I think you've no chance without him. If you did get that CL spot replacing him would be easier, or he might even stay.
 
Isn't Liverpool's win percentage higher without Suarez on the pitch? Maybe all his suspensions are doing you a favour :exit:
 
My LFC pals want him out. They feel the club have been dragged through the mud for backing him in the past and just think he owes them something in return rather than coming out in the press like that.

Me - I'm not bothered if stays at Liverpool or goes to another country but if the likes of City or Chelsea came sniffing - I'd rather he stayed at Liverpool.
 
akr said:
Are you ready to call his exit? What does the Scrivens crystal ball say? Will he still be with you by the end of this transfer window?

I'm calling it now, he will be gone! What say ye?
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I think he'll stay at least through the summer and if he goes it will be in January.

There's my prediction.
 
The23rdman said:
Get Suarez out asap. Get good money for him and buy a player who isn't a ****.
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You can get loads of players who aren't ****s, well some, they are Professional Footballers after all, ;) :lol: but getting as good a player as he is, at a price Liverpool can pay, even including any fee you get for him, is something totally different. :nono: It would take some serious searching, and whoever came in would have to up their game because at the moment there is no obvious replacement.

We all know the negative aspects, but he never stops working, he never gives up. He obviously has a strong (perhaps too strong ;)) will to win, and he does some things that other players don't/can't do. :eek: :clap: And most importantly he is a prolific goalscorer, and they are hard to find, and very expensive to buy.

I understand that people don't acknowledge how good a player he is because of the negative things he's done, and the on field personality, I had the same problem with Cantona when I was younger, but he is an exceptional footballer. As was Cantona.


Monaco get Falcao for £50m. :eek: Obviously moving for the money, as Monaco may not be in a position to win much for a year or two. That's £110m for Monaco so far. Only the City and Chel$ki fans know how it feels to spend that much so quickly. :lol: And there is still a couple of months left to spend some more. :eek: :lol:
 
What's happening at Monaco is crazy. Their average home attendance this season was just 5,841 for last season.

The Falcao situation is an interesting one too because of the role his third-party ownership plays in any career decision. The likely explanation could be that he's seeking a move to Real Madrid and rival Atletico would never sell directly to them.

On top of Falcao, they've brought in Rodriguez and Moutinho from Porto who are both exceptional players. They're also rumoured to be interested in Hulk, who's had a rather unhappy season at Zenit from what I've gathered.

It's a crazy side for any team to assemble in a single transfer window, let alone one that is newly promoted.
 
TriggerHappy said:
Hulk, who's had a rather unhappy season at Zenit from what I've gathered.
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Another move just for the money. :bonk: Surprise surprise that it may not have worked out for him.


Monaco is, I think, the ultimate rich man's play team. Firstly it's in the most glamorous Tax Haven.

Then they have never had, and probably never will have, huge crowds, the stadium has a capacity of 18,500 apparently. :eek:

And whilst many teams with so much money being spent may have success, and so become popular amongst the easily influenced, I can't see them generating a huge Worldwide fanbase. So how are are they ever going to function within the Financial Fairplay Rules? :shrug:

Some extremely questionable sponsorship deals in the offing I think. :thinking: :lol:


I think some of the locals may be able to pay for any (very) expensive match tickets increases. ;) :lol:
 
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