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[Hooker]

Bah, quite ugly indeed . Why must shirt-makers intervene with their designs?


The original design is fine, get some backbone like Barça!! Their shirts are never influenced by their shirt designers

 

[Lakitu]

http://www.skysports.com/football/player/0,19754,11669_35860,00.html

............................

 

[Karakand]

Sounds like Javier Garrido is coming to Eastlands...

edit: Vedran Corluka too.

 

[Falch]

Woohoo, my first post in this sure to be legendary 2007/2008 thread. I'll be sure to make it in the top 10 of posters this time.

Good thread opening, Mr Ping. Don't mess with PSV though.

I'll be posting an extended analysis of PSV's squad shortly. I'm sure you all can't wait for it...

 

[psycho_snake]

Well done MrPing. Good opening post. Lets make this thread even bigger than the last one.

Todays goss

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/gossip_and_transfers/6925380.stm

TRANSFER RUMOURS

Chelsea have resigned themselves to losing winger Arjen Robben to Real Madrid. (The Sun)

Jose Mourinho's side will use the cash they get for Robben on Seville's Daniel Alves. (Various)

Derby are lining up a £3m bid for Charlton winger Jerome Thomas. (Various)

US wonderkid Freddy Adu has agreed a £1m deal with Portuguese side Benfica. (The Sun)

Spurs have opened talks with West Brom over highly-rated defender Curtis Davies. (Daily Mirror)

Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing has told Tottenham to forget any attempts to sign him. (Daily Express)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has denied that he needs to sell Obefemi Martins to fund a £6m swoop for Manchester United's Alan Smith. (Various)

Juventus are lining up a bid for Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele. (The Independent)

Fulham have had a £3.9m bid for Watford striker Hameur Bouazza rejected as the Hornets are holding out for £5m. (The Times)

Rangers, Bolton, Recreativo and Valladolid are chasing Lens striker Daniel Cousin. (The Sun)

Former Celtic trialist Andrea Capone now looks likely to choose between Bologna, Bari, Lecce and Livorno. (Daily Record)

Morton are hoping to sign forward Paul McGowan from Celtic for a six-figure sum. (The Sun)

Dundee United want to sign striker Joe Garner from Blackburn Rovers on loan. (The Sun)

West Brom have slapped a £250,000 price tag on striker John Hartson. (The Sun)

Colchester have agreed a deal to take Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie to Layer Road. (The Sun)

Hull boss Phil Brown wants to sign Sunderland's out-of-favour Republic of Ireland midfielder Graham Kavanagh. (Various)

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson has lodged a £1.5m bid for Wigan's Kevin Kilbane. (Daily Star)

Leeds boss Dennis Wise is hoping he can sign Newcastle keeper Tim Krul on a season-long loan to solve the club's goalkeeping crisis. (The Sun)

Bradford are to re-sign Wales midfielder Paul Evans. (Various)

Swansea want to sign Derby defender Darren Moore as a replacement for injured captain Garry Monk. (Various)

Kilmarnock are in signing talks with Derry City centre-half Darren Kelly after Gretna ended their interest. (The Scotsman)

OTHER GOSSIP

Striker Carlos Tevez could be made to appear in the dock at the High Court over his complicated transfer from West Ham to Manchester United. (The Sun)

New Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves will make his debut for the club this weekend - not in Sunday's Community Shield, but in a Man Utd XI playing against Peterborough. (Daily Mirror)

Ashley Cole says he was injured for most of his first season at Stamford Bridge. (Various)

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson has re-iterated his belief that Liverpool will not sign Gabriel Heinze. (Various)

Former Liverpool star Steve McManaman says Rangers will regret not signing former Reds striker Robbie Fowler. (Daily Record)

Arsenal's William Gallas says the club has to toughen up to succeed next season. (Various)

FA bosses are to announce a massive revamp of their disciplinary system in a bid to restore the games' credibility. (Daily Mirror)

Meanwhile, Scottish FA chiefs are to launch a crackdown on persistent fouling and diving in the game. (Daily Record)

Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann says a broken hand will not keep him out of the opening-day match against Manchester United. (Various)

Newcastle fans have launched a hate campaign against wantaway star Kieron Dyer. (Various)

New Blackburn signing Roque Santa Cruz reckons he will form a partnership with Benni McCarthy which can fire Rovers into the top four of the Premier League. (Various)

New Scottish FA president Gordon Smith will today announce radical plans to weed out football cheats. (Various)

AND FINALLY

Leicester boss Martin Allen is getting his players ready for the new season - by making them clean the Walkers Stadium toilets. (The Sun)

Former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock says Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson phoned him to apologise after the Red Devils' final-day loss to West Ham which condemned the Blades to relegation. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, Blades fan and Hollywood hard man Sean Bean has denied launching a foul-mouthed attack on the Sheffield United boss in front of his family. (Daily Mirror)

 

[psycho_snake]

mama you should be worried. Moyes wants a striker, McCarthy was at the game. Coincidence? I think not!

 

[Lakitu]

Heinze faces axe to Man Utd reserves

Manchester United defender Gaby Heinze faces a season in the reserves.

The Guardian says United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is so appalled at the defender's conduct that there are misgivings within Old Trafford about whether the Argentina international should be considered for first-team action for as long as the dispute remains unresolved.

Heinze is so desperate to leave Manchester that he has appointed Liverpool's own solicitors, Hill Dickinson, in an extraordinarily confrontational move which has left Ferguson and several others at Old Trafford feeling badly let down.

The manager intends to talk the matter through with his assistant, Carlos Queiroz, before they decide whether Heinze is in the right state of mind to play any part for the club when their title defence opens at home to Reading on August 12.

.

 

[h0pper]

^ Well that was bound to happen.

 

[Lakitu]

^ Well that was bound to happen.

Can Heinze do anything about it? I'm not talking about the transfer but I mean sticking Heinze in reserves is horrible for his career.

 

[hadareud]

Nicely done MrPing.

You shall be rewarded with Arsenal winning the league this year

 

[Shinobi]

WE'RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE
WE'RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE
AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA BELIEVE US yada yada etc etc

I don't know what to make of this Heinze thing. On one hand the fact that he could want a move to Liverpool so badly does sound kind of insulting to Man U, just because of how fierce the history is between the two clubs. On the other hand, why should any team get in the way of a player who has a desire to move? And demoting him to the reserves for the entire year? How the **** does that help anyone? That's just being pointlessly stubborn. If he wants to leave, just sell him for a cutrate price to someone abroad and leave it at that. Cause having him be a reserve player is gonna destroy his market value anyway.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

Why did Heinze fall out with Ferguson?

P.S. New thread woo!

 

[velvet_nitemare]

Aww hellz yea...bring on the new season.Gooners FTW

 

[Ghost]

It'll be a shame if they blame Heinze, I'd bet $10 that all this lawyer crap is his agents doing and Heinze would have just stayed put at the first time of asking if it were up to him.

 

[h0pper]

Can Heinze do anything about it? I'm not talking about the transfer but I mean sticking Heinze in reserves is horrible for his career.

I'm not sure. Maybe there is something in his contract where his lawyers could step in and demand a transfer. If there isn't, I guess he'll be screwed.

Mama will know. He is the all-knowing football thread master.

 

[Lakitu]

PREMIER LEAGUE SQUADS 2007 / 2008 (Scroll down the page)

Arsenal F.C.
Aston Villa F.C.
Birmingham City F.C.
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Chelsea F.C.
Derby County F.C.
Everton F.C.
Fulham F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester United F.C.
Middlesbrough F.C.
Newcastle United F.C.
Portsmouth F.C.
Reading F.C.
Sunderland A.F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
West Ham United F.C.
Wigan Athletic F.C.

 

[Ghost]

Please tell me you aren't going to post 20 squad lists. Post a link, leave it at that.

 

[Lakitu]

Please tell me you aren't going to post 20 squad lists. Post a link, leave it at that.

Oh yes I am.

Edit: Actually, this is taking too long. I have time but not that much time. I'll post URLS instead.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Mama will know. He is the all-knowing football thread master.

This is true. If heinze wanted to move, he should have bought out his contract at the end of last season, it's too late now. He can just abandon his contract, but FIFA can ban him from football for up to 6 months. Liverpool will be accused of inducing the breach of contract and can be fined, deducted points, or booted out of competitions.. Either the player, the club, or both will have to pay compensation to United.

They have the option of arguing that it's "sporting just cause" to terminate the contract, but I don't see how they could successfully argue that. That's normally because you're injured badly enough that you don't want to continue, or you're old enough that you don't want to play on, or you're being played completely out of position etc.

Sounds like Javier Garrido is coming to Eastlands...

edit: Vedran Corluka too.

Yep, and Bojinov, a Juve/Fiorentina young striker. Looks like we're getting quite a clear view of the Man City line up this year:

-------------------Isaksson------------------

Richards---Corluka-----Dunne-----Garrido

Elano-----Geovanni---Fernandes----Petrov

-------------Bianchi------Bojinov------------

Possibly Richards would go at centre back and Corluka at right back, as they're both really right backs who can play centre back, but Richards is only 5' 11 (he just has a massive leap) and Corluka is 6' 3, so I'm pretty sure it'd be like the above.

mama you should be worried. Moyes wants a striker, McCarthy was at the game. Coincidence? I think not!

Pfff, he was just sitting by Everton's new South African signing.

 

[Lakitu]

Yep, and Bojinov, a Juve/Fiorentina young striker. Looks like we're getting quite a clear view of the Man City line up this year:

-------------------Isaksson------------------

Richards---Corluka-----Dunne-----Garrido

Elano-----Geovanni---Fernandes----Petrov

-------------Bianchi------Bojinov------------

That is a very good team.

 

[Ghost]

Bojinov as well? ffs.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well there are 4 players in that potential team who haven't signed yet, any one of the moves could collapse.

If they do all go through though, City will have spent over £30m, and that includes the sale of Barton.

 

[Mama Smurf]

United have a clause in Villarreal's contract with Rossi so that they can re-sign him if they want at some point. Sounds like a good deal for everyone then.

Looking forward to Man Utd - Inter tonight. Nani, Anderson and Hargreaves won't be playing, but it's still two champions of the big leagues facing off.

 

[psycho_snake]

Smith could be moving to west ham. He's had talks with Curbishley

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_2635594,00.html

So if west ham do get him, then they will have zamora, ashton, bellamy and smith. Thats pretty damn decent. I can see west hambecoming the new premierleague thugs. Having bellamy and bowyer on the same team is bad enough, but you could also be getting smith and dyer.

 

[Ghost]

Dammit Curbs, BUY A ****ING LEFT BACK!


Im starting to think Curbs just has a thing for Bowyer and will do anything to get him back on form...even sign all his old Leeds mates.

 

[Lakitu]

I thought West Ham were getting Keiron Dyer?

 

[Ghost]

Big Sam wants big cash for Dyer, but no one wants to pay that much to watch him rot in the treatment room.



It could be history repeating itself though because earlier in the summer when we bought Parker talks stalled for a bit, then we developed an interest in Newcastle top target Joey Barton, within a couple of days Parker was on his way to West Ham and Newcastle immeadiately spent the cash recieved on Barton.

Actually this situation is virtually identical to that so I'd wager thats exactly whats happening, we are trying to force Allardyce to accept our Dyer offer by threatening to poach Smith.

 

[Cornballer]

Arsenal signed a couple more kids: Gilles Sunu (French forward) and Kyle Bartley (right back.)

 

[MrPing1000]

Sven must be some charmer. Who knew he had so many contacts and friends in European football. I'm betting part of each new players contract includes an option to buff his noggin at any time.

 

[Shinobi]

 

[MrPing1000]

I saw the mastercard one as well.

Apparently some people don't have any concept of what being injured is.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Kyle Bartley (right back.)

He doesn't sound French *confused*

 

[Osorio]

Hey Osorio, Blackburn beat Bolton 6-2 in the Lancashire Cup Final which I didn't know existed. Suck it.

We had no left or right back and the centerbacks never played together. Since there were midfielders playing in the back our midfield couldn't do shit I'm guessing. So whatever Mama wait 'till the big boys play. Remember what happened at Ewood last year?

 

[Maverick]

So:

Chelsea to sell Robben
Only to buy Alves
But may lose Makalele

Curious business Chelsea are doing this summer.

 

[Mama Smurf]

We had no left or right back and the centerbacks never played together. Since there were midfielders playing in the back our midfield couldn't do shit I'm guessing. So whatever Mama wait 'till the big boys play. Remember what happened at Ewood last year?

Pfff, we won at the Reebok. And you're Fat Sam-less this year, it's gonna be a slaughter. Selling Ben Haim, a good chance Anelka will go...and here we are just adding to our squad, crazily.

 

[Osorio]

Pfff, we won at the Reebok. And you're Fat Sam-less this year, it's gonna be a slaughter. Selling Ben Haim, a good chance Anelka will go...and here we are just adding to our squad, crazily.

Pfft you won at the Reebok, but the way we won at Ewood was hilarious. Missing two penalties in the 88th and 89th minute? :lol :lol Also, you haven't seen us play this year. We're a better team with more talent. We're keeping Anelka and Faye has decided to sign for 3 years. And instead of playing boring, shit football with players out of position they're playing with a 4-4-2 designed around the strength of our winners and letting Davies and Anelka be actual strikers. So don't think just because Fat Sammy Allardyce is around that Bolton's become bottom feeders.

 

[Shinobi]

:lol @ Blackburn/Bolton shit talking...good stuff.

I saw the mastercard one as well.

Apparently some people don't have any concept of what being injured is.

Oh I know...I just thought the sign was hilarious.

 

[MrPing1000]

So:

Chelsea to sell Robben
Only to buy Alves
But may lose Makalele

Curious business Chelsea are doing this summer.

Well Alves would solve their right back problem. Ferreira was a waste of money, has never been good enough. Guess he'll be cover if u get Alves now.

Essien is to take over Makaleleleleleleeleleleleles role, should be interesting to see how he copes, Claude is still an outstanding player and muchly overlooked in a team of stars.

If Joe Cole and Malouda battle it out for the left wing position.

A bit of a reshuffle but nothing major, they still have cover all over the shop.

 

[psycho_snake]

So:

Chelsea to sell Robben
Only to buy Alves
But may lose Makalele

Curious business Chelsea are doing this summer.

Not really. Robben is an excellent winger, but he's very injury prone. Despite how good he is, he can be replaced, which is what chelsea have done by buying malouda. Its not like chelsea are short on wingers anyway. They've got cole, wright-phillips, malouda, kalou and they could be getting alves who can play as a winger. Thats more than you need really and all of them are good.

Losing makelele isnt a blow either. He's past his best and he wont get to play much because chelsea have got better players and because he's old. In midfield chelsea have got lampard, ballack, essien, sidwell and mikel.

Thsi summer chelsea have done the best bit of business they've done in a long time. They've bought in 4 players on free and They've only had to pay for malouda. Although they have to spend to get alves, they can use the moneythey get from robben to buy him. The rest of their signings have been free's. Its not like chelsea needed to buy any star players. They just needed to strengthen the squad a little and make sure that there are enough players to cover for the injured ones.

 

[Cornballer]

Eduardo's work permit appeal hearing is tomorrow. I guess that means he won't be playing against Lazio because that game is tomorrow, as well.

I wonder how Wenger is going to use Hleb this season. He can't really line up behind a lone striker in a 4-4-2, but Wenger doesn't usually play a 4-5-1 unless it's in Europe. Maybe that'll change this season.

 

[Osorio]

:lol @ Blackburn/Bolton shit talking...good stuff.

Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man Utd. aren't the only teams in the league ya know

 

[Mama Smurf]

Pfft you won at the Reebok, but the way we won at Ewood was hilarious. Missing two penalties in the 88th and 89th minute? :lol :lol

So you admit you were lucky?

Also, you haven't seen us play this year.

Yes I have. You should have lost 6-0 to Lyon, but Jaaskelainen kept you in it.

We're a better team with more talent. We're keeping Anelka and Faye has decided to sign for 3 years.

Faye's no Ben Haim. And maybe you'll keep Anelka, but he wants to go to a CL club and Lee says he'll sell him if one comes in for him, so I wouldn't be so sure. I know if Blackburn had lost Nelsen on a free and said McCarthy is available to CL clubs, I'd be shitting myself. Then again, a lot more clubs would come in for McCarthy than Anelka.

And instead of playing boring, shit football with players out of position they're playing with a 4-4-2 designed around the strength of our winners and letting Davies and Anelka be actual strikers.

Davies is a terrible striker, I hope you do play him.

So don't think just because Fat Sammy Allardyce is around that Bolton's become bottom feeders.

Oh I don't think you'll be relegated, just drop down the table.

 

[Cornballer]

Osorio - is there a website for the Superliga? I was trying to find standings, but I couldn't figure out where they are.

 

[Outdoor Miner]

Osorio - is there a website for the Superliga? I was trying to find standings, but I couldn't figure out where they are.

www.superliga2007.com

Galaxy and Pachuca advance from Group A, and DC United and Dynamo are leading for Group B (though that could change today).

:lol

 

[psycho_snake]

Eduardo's work permit appeal hearing is tomorrow. I guess that means he won't be playing against Lazio because that game is tomorrow, as well.

I wonder how Wenger is going to use Hleb this season. He can't really line up behind a lone striker in a 4-4-2, but Wenger doesn't usually play a 4-5-1 unless it's in Europe. Maybe that'll change this season.

I think he could play behind a lone striker. Hlebs a good player. if you see youtube clips of him at his old club you'll realise just how much talent he's got. He's the type of player that could actually do really well by playing behind a lone striker. Its certainly one option wenger has if he feels he needs to change things.,

However I think he's going to be used as a winger most of th time. There isnt anything wrong with that. he can play well there. He's quick and he can dribble, but he's got to work on his delivery. Everytime he gets into a position to cross or pass, he screws it up almost everytime. Its the same with his shooting too. he should be ore confident about shooting and have a shot more often. The same could be said with all of arsenals midfield.

 

[Cornballer]

www.superliga2007.com

Galaxy and Pachuca advance from Group A, and DC United and Dynamo are leading for Group B (though that could change today).

Thanks!

Group A
TEAM 		W 	L 	T 	PTS
LA Galaxy 	2 	1 	0 	6
CF Pachuca 	1 	1 	1 	4
CD Guadalajara 	1 	1 	1 	4
FC Dallas 	0 	1 	2 	2

Group B
TEAM 		W 	L 	T 	PTS
D.C. United 	1 	0 	1 	4
Houston Dynamo 	1 	0 	1 	4
Mon. Morelia 	0 	0 	2 	2
Club América 	0 	2 	0 	0

 

[psycho_snake]

gallas said he would be delighted to be the captain. I dont think the fans could say the same thing, and rightly so. One week your moaning about the club, the next week your happy. Someone with that sort of personality shouldnt be captain. Henry did a lot of sulking and I think thats one of the things that didnt make him such a good captain.

Gilberto or Toure should get it. Both of them are well disciplined players, they keep their mouths shut and they love the club.

 

[Cornballer]

I think he could play behind a lone striker. Hlebs a good player. if you see youtube clips of him at his old club you'll realise just how much talent he's got. He's the type of player that could actually do really well by playing behind a lone striker. Its certainly one option wenger has if he feels he needs to change things.

I guess they could line up in a 4-4-1-1.

However I think he's going to be used as a winger most of th time. There isnt anything wrong with that. he can play well there. He's quick and he can dribble, but he's got to work on his delivery. Everytime he gets into a position to cross or pass, he screws it up almost everytime. Its the same with his shooting too. he should be ore confident about shooting and have a shot more often. The same could be said with all of arsenals midfield.

He's much happier and effective playing through the middle. If Wenger is going to put him out on the wing, he's wasted out there. It's almost not worth it.

I read this on an Arsenal blog this morning....

1) Aleksandr Hleb is not a winger. He was never one at Stuttgart, and he’s never really looked like one at Arsenal. When he first arrived at the club, he was filling in for Pires and Ljungberg, which meant having the freedom to roam around the pitch almost wherever he wished. However, since the advent of Emmanuel Eboue at full-back, Hleb’s role has become more restricted. He has served primarily as a foil to the Ivorian, combining with Cesc to play the full-back in behind the defence. And with that, disillusionment has caused his work ethic and combative qualities to decline.

The Emirates Cup was the first time I can remember Arsene fielding Hleb in his preferred position, just off the striker. And the Belarussian revelled in it. Playing in the centre gave him room to turn and run at defenders, when he suddenly looked incredibly dangerous. He also showed a greater determination to get into the box, and hell, even scored a goal. I get the feeling that with Hleb, goals are like Pringles. Or Heroin. Once he’s had a bit of them, he’ll want more.

Against Inter, the cameras failed to pick up one interesting moment. When Bendtner replaced Gibbs, Hleb was moved out to the left-wing. Gutted, Hleb looked to the skies before imploring Arsene, “Why?” He doesn’t like it out there, and that almost certainly means he’ll never do well at it.

Of course, the biggest problem for Hleb is that we tend to play a 4-4-2, with no room for his linking role between midfield and attack. It’s more likely to be in tricky away fixtures or Champions League games when his abilities could come to the fore - both Rosicky and Hleb could revel in a free role behind a lone attacker. As for seeing Hleb on the right of midfield, that idea could be put to bed by…

 

[Osorio]

So you admit you were lucky?

Jaaskelainen saved both of them so no. Plus they were bullshit calls.

Yes I have. You should have lost 6-0 to Lyon, but Jaaskelainen kept you in it.

So you picked the game which proves my point. They were playing the old system for this game, and it proved how inadequate it really was.

Faye's no Ben Haim. And maybe you'll keep Anelka, but he wants to go to a CL club and Lee says he'll sell him if one comes in for him, so I wouldn't be so sure. I know if Blackburn had lost Nelsen on a free and said McCarthy is available to CL clubs, I'd be shitting myself. Then again, a lot more clubs would come in for McCarthy than Anelka.

I think we're fine with Faye, Meite, and Cid playing centerback. As for Anelka we'll just have to see but he said he wanted to stay and I'm hoping Little Sam doesn't **** up.

Davies is a terrible striker, I hope you do play him.

Davies is an ugly striker. He still gets the job done when he needs to. He's just horrible as a lone striker and he won't have to do that anymore.

 

[Kinan]

Oh, fresh thread. Gonna keep you guys informed about crazy world of eastern european football in this thread as well.

Heh, Shakhtar announced that Nery Castillo was bought for 20M Euro. Its a biggest transfer for any Ukrainian or Greece club to date. Even Shevchenko was sold to Milan for 25M$ only, which is a bit less than 20M€ at current exchange rate.