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[Mama Smurf]

Don't you support Villa, Wes?

 

[Wes]

I think Villa and Bolton are the only two who do more often than not.

I would say Bolton are a more traditional 4-5-1 with Anelka up front causing mayhem! Also we (Villa) don't really play a 4-3-3 either, although we would like to because our midfield is cack, although like I just mentioned, Agbonlahor plays a lot like Robbe, getting forward so often he's hardly in the right-midfield area which is his assigned position.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Bolton, when all fit, generally play Anelka, Diouf and Davies up front.

Carew, Agbonlahor and Young definitely form the front of a 4-3-3. Almost no teams play a genuine old fashioned 4-3-3 anymore, it generally means really attacking wingers nowadays, like at Barca.

 

[Wes]

Don't you support Villa, Wes?

I do but yeah I haven't seen them much since them play much since February so things may have changed!

Yeah it's a 4-5-1 or 4-3-2-1 with the wingers in attack.. its rarely if ever a true 4-3-3 ( with three true fowards)

This is what I meant. Maybe it's just the way I look at it but probably what you guys see as 4-3-3 is in my eyes a 4-5-1.

 

[Wes]

Almost no teams play a genuine old fashioned 4-3-3 anymore, it generally means really attacking wingers nowadays, like at Barca.

What can I say, I'm a traditionalist! Also most of the stuff I pass off as my own knowledge comes from Football Manager so take my tactical views with a pinch of salt

 

[kaizoku]

God your an idiot...

Nice post, wtf ryck, why do you have to start throwing insults?

Oh I know why, because I'm not docile enough for your tastes and I say it like it is and I have the audacity to laugh at arsenal trying to sign messi. btw I happened to justify my opinion in that Messi is untouchable and will be Barca for life.

why the hell did I just get called an idiot for finding that hilarious? Arsenal are not in the top 5 clus in the world, Barca are arguably no.1 and in the top 3 for sure. Messi is in the top 5 youngsters in world football. His contract is locked down with the highest ever release clause for any player at £150m.

Its an absurd notion - sorry. I should quantify this further - Messi is the most untouchable player on the planet. No one can sign him. ever. (unless theres some kind of crazy disaster where player/club suffer horrible problems)

as for Liverpool being richer than Utd, sorry but Liverpool are also joining the debt league, right alongside Utd and Arsenal. (and chelsea if you consider Roman's money as loans he expects to one day earn back).

Utd are in debt thanks to stupid glazers, arsenal because of their stadium. Liverpool will be in debt for both of those reasons (owners took debts out AND they have to finance a new stadium) - I would be very wary of any supposed £150m warchest.

oh but wait I'm just an idiot who knows nothing.

 

[Mama Smurf]

You laughed at the idea of a player of Messi's stature playing for Arsenal...yet a player of greater stature is already there. If you'd just laughed at the idea of Messi joining Arsenal then maybe that'd be okay...though I did make it very clear how hard I thought that would be in my psot you were responding to...but you didn't. And why does Eto'o, one of the top 5 strikers in the world want to play for Arsenal then?

Liverpool will be in debt for both of those reasons (owners took debts out AND they have to finance a new stadium) - I would be very wary of any supposed £150m warchest.

Actually you're wrong, they purchased the club with no debt. They'll have a stadium to pay for, but that'll pay for itself in a matter of years. And unlike Arsenal, who might have to hold back a bit on spending until that's done, these guys have promised investment in players too.

 

[Ryck]

why the hell did I just get called an idiot for finding that hilarious? Arsenal are not in the top 5 clus in the world, Barca are arguably no.1 and in the top 3 for sure. Messi is in the top 5 youngsters in world football. His contract is locked down with the highest ever release clause for any player at £150m.

Your right I shouldn't have insulted you...I thought it and typed it and Im sorry, not called for ( I do however still think your an idiot). Ya know if you had just written this in the first place the thought wouldn't have even have crossed my mind.

 

[kaizoku]

You laughed at the idea of a player of Messi's stature playing for Arsenal...yet a player of greater stature is already there. If you'd just laughed at the idea of Messi joining Arsenal then maybe that'd be okay...though I did make it very clear how hard I thought that would be in my psot you were responding to...but you didn't. And why does Eto'o, one of the top 5 strikers in the world want to play for Arsenal then?



Actually you're wrong, they purchased the club with no debt. They'll have a stadium to pay for, but that'll pay for itself in a matter of years. And unlike Arsenal, who might have to hold back a bit on spending until that's done, these guys have promised investment in players too.

they didnt join arsenal, from one of the top 5 clubs in the world, AS one of the best players in the world.

wenger signed them either from smaller clubs or clubs who didnt want them anymore - as relative no-names or prospects and made them into world stars.

THATS what Messi's stature is. and I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at the thought. Its not just hard mate, its preposterous. Seriously, this isnt football manager.

Its like Kaka leaving Milan to join Lyon.

 

[kaizoku]

Your right I shouldn't have insulted you...I thought it and typed it and Im sorry, not called for ( I do however still think your an idiot). Ya know if you had just written this in the first place the thought wouldn't have even have crossed my mind.

so you apologise for calling me an idiot before calling me an idiot again. wtf. I'm here to talk football if you're not up for it please judt dont get involved. if you have something to add to the discussion at hand I am all ears.

 

[Mama Smurf]

And what happened when Barcelona came in for Henry? What was his decision again? I forget. What happened when Real Madrid came in for Fabregas? Didn't he sign an 8 year contract...with Arsenal?

Arsenal have never bought the top players before because they haven't been able to afford the top players before. They've never even paid over £13m for a player, how could they possibly have bought one of the best players in the world for that even if they wanted to come.

Besides, I think Gallas is in the top 5 defenders in the world and he wanted to join them. And they got him because they could swap a player, if they;d had to pay I'm sure they;d have been priced out as they always were.

Its like Kaka leaving Milan to join Lyon.

But not like Eto'o wanting to join Arsenal? You'd have a hard time convincing me Eto'o wasn't one of the top 5 strikers in the world.

 

[Ryck]

so you apologise for calling me an idiot before calling me an idiot again. wtf. I'm here to talk football if you're not up for it please judt dont get involved. if you have something to add to the discussion at hand I am all ears.

I apologized for saying it ( not thinking it) and I won't say it again... Ill just ignore you next time.

 

[kaizoku]

And what happened when Barcelona came in for Henry? What was his decision again? I forget. What happened when Real Madrid came in for Fabregas? Didn't he sign an 8 year contract...with Arsenal?

Arsenal have never bought the top players before because they haven't been able to afford the top players before. They've never even paid over £13m for a player, how could they possibly have bought one of the best players in the world for that even if they wanted to come.

Besides, I think Gallas is in the top 5 defenders in the world and he wanted to join them. And they got him because they could swap a player, if they;d had to pay I'm sure they;d have been priced out as they always were.

But not like Eto'o wanting to join Arsenal? You'd have a hard time convincing me Eto'o wasn't one of the top 5 strikers in the world.

er...first of all how do you know Etoo wants Arsenal?

you're making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Arsenal is a good team with some loyal players - great. But Messi is not loyal to Arsenal. He's loyal to Barca.

Messi is Messi ok? He's untouchable. Etoo is not Messi. Etoo, Ronaldinho are not untouchable. When I say Messi's stature, I didnt say "the best players in the world wont join Arsenal". I said players of Messi's stature.

There is a subtle difference there. Its like trying to sign Gerrard, Rooney, Raul etc. Except probably even harder considering Barca are in great shape and Messi has everything he could want from Barca right now and vice versa.

There are some players at some clubs who simply cannot be purchased, not without some kind of disaster or breakdown in relations happening.

 

[Mama Smurf]

er...first of all how do you know Etoo wants Arsenal?

He said he'd love to play for them.

you're making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Arsenal is a good team with some loyal players - great. But Messi is not loyal to Arsenal. He's loyal to Barca.

Lots of players appear to be loyal to a club until something happens to make them unhappy. Change of manager, split in the dressing room, poor form leading to fans turning on him, contract problems...could be anything.

Messi is Messi ok? He's untouchable. Etoo is not Messi. Etoo, Ronaldinho are not untouchable. When I say Messi's stature, I didnt say "the best players in the world wont join Arsenal". I said players of Messi's stature.

Well I don't see how I'm supposed to know what you mean by stature unless you say. Why is Messi more untouchable than the other two?

There is a subtle difference there. Its like trying to sign Gerrard, Rooney, Raul etc.

You mean like how Gerrard was on the verge of signing for Chelsea a couple of years ago and Liverpool would have let him go for the price offered?

Except probably even harder considering Barca are in great shape and Messi has everything he could want from Barca right now and vice versa.

Well...not brilliant shape. Rumours of big players wanting to leave, dressing rooms splits, poor league form (much lower points total than last year, no guarantee of success), out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals to the fourht strongest team in England, having done quite poorly in the group...it's been better.

There are some players at some clubs who simply cannot be purchased, not without some kind of disaster or breakdown in relations happening.

Luckily for the rest of us, those happenings aren't that uncommon.

I don't think Arsenal will get Messi anytime soon, don't get me wrong, I just think he's the sort of player they should chase and that it is indeed possible that a player like him could want to join them.

 

[kaizoku]

I apologized for saying it ( not thinking it) and I won't say it again... Ill just ignore you next time.

oh ok you're one of those who insults others because people have *shock* different opinions.

this is merely a football debate. please keep in mind I have not hurt or actually done anything to anyone. ...

 

[Ryck]

oh ok you're one of those who insults others because people have *shock* different opinions.

this is merely a football debate. please keep in mind I have not hurt or actually done anything to anyone. ...

No I insult people who say stupid shit especially people who do it so consistantly... I said I was sorry what else do you want from me?

 

[Mama Smurf]

Please stop. There was an insult, there was an apology, let's not keep going. It's like a civil war.

 

[kaizoku]

He said he'd love to play for them.

Lots of players appear to be loyal to a club until something happens to make them unhappy. Change of manager, split in the dressing room, poor form leading to fans turning on him, contract problems...could be anything.

Well I don't see how I'm supposed to know what you mean by stature unless you say. Why is Messi more untouchable than the other two?

You mean like how Gerrard was on the verge of signing for Chelsea a couple of years ago and Liverpool would have let him go for the price offered?

Well...not brilliant shape. Rumours of big players wanting to leave, dressing rooms splits, poor league form (much lower points total than last year, no guarantee of success), out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals to the fourht strongest team in England, having done quite poorly in the group...it's been better.

Luckily for the rest of us, those happenings aren't that uncommon.

I don't think Arsenal will get Messi anytime soon, don't get me wrong, I just think he's the sort of player they should chase and that it is indeed possible that a player like him could want to join them.

exactly like how gerrard almost left - but didnt. or rather couldnt. and liverpool werent even succesful at the time.

barca ARE chellenging, Messi was raised at Barca, he has the most complex and most locked down contract ever, Barca ADORE him. They will not let him go. and he loves Barca in return.

Then you add that Barca are one of the glamour clubs. Its actually more likely that Barca will sign Fabregas.

besides Messo os a big fan of gary nevile. if he leaves he will join Utd I'm kidding. I dont even think of Messi as a viable target. He's simply not attainable.

 

[Ryck]

Please stop. There was an insult, there was an apology, let's not keep going. It's like a civil war.

Agreed...

 

[Lakitu]

In other news

 

[Ryck]

exactly like how gerrard almost left - but didnt. or rather couldnt. and liverpool werent even succesful at the time.

.

See this I do agree with Liverpool wasn't doing jack shit that year, in fact I think they only WON THE ****ING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

In other news

:lol :lol :lol See if Red Bull was smart they'd be their shirt sponsors.

 

[Ghost]

In other news

:lol :lol

 

[kaizoku]

No I insult people who say stupid shit especially people who do it so consistantly... I said I was sorry what else do you want from me?

I'm sorry but I have had my fair share of baseless abuse on this thread. if you guys are so intelligent and mature - shoot my opinions down with reasoning or dont bother at all. Not with insults. Its gotten to the stage where I just have to pin you down and ask you for an explanation cos I'm fed up. The stuff I've directed at the arsenal boys was tongue in cheek to wind them up, they did the same to me, if you're on about that stuff.

I'm glad some of you at least can keep things football focused like mama smurf.

 

[hadareud]

Your right I shouldn't have insulted you...I thought it and typed it and Im sorry, not called for ( I do however still think your an idiot).

:lol

anyway, to add something to the discussion - why would anyone want to join Arsenal? Why did players like Vieira, Petit, Bergkamp, Henry, Gallas, Pires, Overmars, Lehmann join the club? All of them joined in their prime, some of them World Cup winners at the time, all of them within the best 5 in their position at the time.

Why do the best youth players in the world want to join the club?

Is it for the big salaries that Arsenal pays?

Or is it because it's a big club with a great reputation, a club that won 7 major titles in the last 10 years and was to 2 European finals in the same time?

 

[kaizoku]

See this I do agree with Liverpool wasn't doing jack shit that year, in fact I think they only WON THE ****ING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

yes they did...he was all set to leave the summer before due to death threats from scum liverpool fans.

 

[Ryck]

yes they did...he was all set to leave the summer before due to death threats from scum liverpool fans.

IIRC he was still set to leave even after they won be opted to stay.

 

[kaizoku]

:lol

anyway, to add something to the discussion - why would anyone want to join Arsenal? Why did players like Vieira, Petit, Bergkamp, Henry, Gallas, Pires, Overmars, Lehmann join the club? All of them joined in their prime, some of them World Cup winners at the time, all of them within the best 5 in their position at the time.

Why do the best youth players in the world want to join the club?

Is it for the big salaries that Arsenal pays?

Or is it because it's a big club with a great reputation, a club that won 7 major titles in the last 10 years and was to 2 European finals in the same time?

its convenient that henry, vieira etc go from being "top 5 at the time" to "unknowned who was developed by wenger into top 5" depending on what argument arsenal fans are in at the time !

but you missed the point, i did not say top players wont join. i said players of messi's stature, which is untouchable barca bred most locked down player in the world level.

 

[Shinobi]

Not to mention the fact that we (along with Barca) play the most entertaining football on the planet.

edit: interestingly enough - Domenech has not watched a single Premiership game in person so far. Wenger has not even got to personally talk with the guy yet, as Wenger confirms in above interview. What kind of person is this?

Tells you everything you need to know. I've noticed Wenger, Ferguson and Jose in attendance at games on their days off, and both Sven and now McLaren are at games all the time. It at least gives the pretense that you give a shit about your job, and the sport in general.


Barca would sell off Roladinhio LOOOOONG before they even think of putting Messi on the auction block. So let's get that dream out of our heads. I assumed that's what kaizoku was saying, as opposed to Messi being too good for us (he isn't, he's just too ****ing expensive). So for once, I agree with the bugger. :lol But if Messi was gonna leave for one team and the finances were somehow available, I think we'd have as good a shot as any club in the world, simply because of our style of play.

Please stop. There was an insult, there was an apology, let's not keep going. It's like a civil war.

To be honest I'm rather enjoying it. :lol They'll kiss and make up after United do Bolton in.

 

[kaizoku]

IIRC he was still set to leave even after they won be opted to stay.

he was set to leave but couldnt due to death threats. he then won the champions league - and decided to stay. (not that he could really leave with all the death threats etc anyway).

he was untouchable before they won it and after they won it. doesnt that just prove my point?

 

[Mama Smurf]

exactly like how gerrard almost left - but didnt. or rather couldnt. and liverpool werent even succesful at the time.

Not couldn't. Didn't. And he was right on the verge, if Liverpool hadn't finally caved and given him the contract he wanted he would have.

barca ARE chellenging, Messi was raised at Barca, he has the most complex and most locked down contract ever, Barca ADORE him. They will not let him go. and he loves Barca in return.

Things change. Maybe he will stay his whole career, but players I thought would never go anywhere have done.

Then you add that Barca are one of the glamour clubs. Its actually more likely that Barca will sign Fabregas.

Oh I'm sure he'd be welcomed back with open arms.

I dont even think of Messi as a viable target. He's simply not attainable.

Well, Chelsea could get him for certain if he wanted to leave at any point. £100m? Abramovich has people killed for more.

 

[Lakitu]

£100m? Abramovich has people killed for more.

:lol

 

[Mama Smurf]

Henry was a first team regular at Juventus and a World Cup winner when Wenger signed him.

 

[Lakitu]

Wenger won't buy big in summer

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he would have a dilemma over where a big-name signing would fit into his current Gunners side.
Horse racing

The past few weeks have been poor for Wenger's side, whose hopes of silverware were ended with defeat in the Carling Cup final swiftly followed by exits from the FA Cup and Champions League.

While the battle to secure third place in the Barclays Premiership remains a realistic goal, there can be no doubt about the disappointment another barren season brings.

Wenger has, though, maintained he will only add only "super, super class" to his playing staff this summer should anyone be on the market and willing to come to the Emirates Stadium at the right price.

The futures of both Julio Baptista and Jose Antonio Reyes, on loan at Real Madrid, have to be sorted out one way or another - along with that of veteran goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who is out of contract.

Several players such as striker Nicklas Bendtner, midfielder Alexander Song, Fabrice Muamba and full-back Kerrea Gilbert are all gaining first-team experience elsewhere, but are likely to return next season.

All this leaves Wenger with something of a conundrum should he decide to make a bold move in the transfer market this summer.

"Where would I put him?" said Wenger

"It would be detrimental to the development of some of the younger players who have come into the side and done well.

"We never had everybody fit and available at the same time this season - [William] Gallas, [Thierry] Henry and [Robin] van Persie.

"But the advantage we got from this year is that some young players had to play and they developed well."

Bendtner, 18, has proved a big hit for Birmingham, where he has chalked up 11 goals for the Championship leaders.

Wenger expects the young Danish striker to feature regularly in his squad when the new campaign begins in August.

"He will come back and challenge for a first team place next season, I have spoken to him about that.

"He is 18, strong and has a big future.

"He knows we want him back and he is happy about that."

Wenger added: "There is a lot of competition, a lot of good young players - but if they are good enough then they will come through."

England Under-21 forward Theo Walcott turned 18 on Friday, but is unlikely to be involved again this season as he is set for surgery on a troublesome shoulder problem.

Wenger confirmed: "Theo Walcott has his surgery on Tuesday.

"I will consider him if I need him, but once you know he is having surgery it is obvious.

"We need to do it now because if we do not do it now then next season is under threat already."

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,2483_1991861,00.html

 

[kaizoku]

Not couldn't. Didn't. And he was right on the verge, if Liverpool hadn't finally caved and given him the contract he wanted he would have.

Things change. Maybe he will stay his whole career, but players I thought would never go anywhere have done.

Oh I'm sure he'd be welcomed back with open arms.

Well, Chelsea could get him for certain if he wanted to leave at any point. £100m? Abramovich has people killed for more.

lets start being fair to me now, I did leave the door open to things going wrong at barca, but they would have to be on disastrous levels. Look at Raul at Madrid, total lock down. Even when things go wrong for both, he is still the king there. but yeah if a disaster happens to break the bond then its open season. i happen to think he's there for better or for worse.

about Gerrard Liverpool didnt cave and give him the deal he wanted. they were terrified of losing him, but he was adamant and theres no point keeping him. but his family got death threats and he had to stay.

luckily for him they won the champions league and started to make progress, the guy has had a tough time of late. i kinda feel for him depsite him being a scouser, his wife has been cheating on him with a local gangster who is rumoured to be the real father of the children he's been fathering for awhile!

only way he can leave liverpool is if they find a new hero or he stops performing for a season and they orchestrate some kind of media campaign to make it look like its not a big loss.

 

[Mama Smurf]

"Where would I put him?" said Wenger

That's a strange quote. Arsenal have good players all over the pitch, in a few positions players who couldn't be topped, but there are plenty of places to improve, like with every team.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

Not the 'death threats' nonsense again. All of the well-known players get death threats every single day. I bet your mate Ronaldo has got sackfulls of them, and he probably gives them as much thought as Gerrard did.

 

[Mama Smurf]

about Gerrard Liverpool didnt cave and give him the deal he wanted. they were terrified of losing him, but he was adamant and theres no point keeping him. but his family got death threats and he had to stay.

Media bullshit. I'm sure he did get death threats, along with half the other beloved Premiership players who've changed clubs. How many of them have died, or had a family member killed? Oh I dunno...none?!

This isn't Colombia, no one's going to be stupid enough to think these death threats will actually result in death. He stayed because he got the contract he felt he deserved, don't listen to the media, of course they want to hype up the death threats angle, it's far more sensational.

As if deaths threats would be a good answer for Gerrard being a player a club would never let go and a player who would never leave even if it was true. That's basically saying Gerrard would never leave Liverpool because he'd die if he did.

lets start being fair to me now, I did leave the door open to things going wrong at barca, but they would have to be on disastrous levels. Look at Raul at Madrid, total lock down.

I know you left the door open, but they don't have to be totally disastrous. Maybe he'll get big headed and greedy, maybe he'll just want a change. Maybe some other club will rise up to be even more attractive to him than Barca, maybe he'll hate new managers and presidents. Maybe an even better player than Messi will emerge at Barca in the same position, causing friction and one of them has to go. Any one of those things and more could result in an exit.

 

[kaizoku]

Not the 'death threats' nonsense again. All of the well-known players get death threats every single day. I bet your mate Ronaldo has got sackfulls of them, and he probably gives them as much thought as Gerrard did.

so he agreed a deal with chelsea and changed his mind at the last second for no reason then? decided he loved the club too much?

he didnt get death threats directed at himself, his family got death threats, grafitti etc.

but hey you guys believe what you like. liverpool fans are prepared to throw human feces onto the anfield pitch, they're capable of weird things. I'm not here to brain wash you with what is kind of common knowledge in these parts.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Because "common knowledge" is always true.

so he agreed a deal with chelsea and changed his mind at the last second for no reason then? decided he loved the club too much?

CON.

TRACT.

 

[Ryck]

so he agreed a deal with chelsea and changed his mind at the last second for no reason then? decided he loved the club too much?

he didnt get death threats directed at himself, his family got death threats, grafitti etc.

but hey you guys believe what you like. liverpool fans are prepared to throw human feces onto the anfield pitch, they're capable of weird things. I'm not here to brain wash you with what is kind of common knowledge in these parts.

??????

 

[Lakitu]

but hey you guys believe what you like. liverpool fans are prepared to throw human feces onto the anfield pitch, they're capable of weird things. I'm not here to brain wash you with what is kind of common knowledge in these parts.

Mancs...

 

[kaizoku]

this is interesting. you're saying liverpool didnt offer him an awesome contract in the first place??

he wanted to win things and felt it wasnt gonna happen at liverpool. they happened to somehow pull off a miraculous win but the day he announced he was staying he looked like he was gonna cry and he was resigned to not winning a major trophy for awhile.

but ok fine he stayed cos he got a nice contract. if you guys say so!!

interesting that that wasnt ever the story from either party at the time, and when he decided to stay the reason was not contract related at all. it was always about winning things.

 

[Shinobi]

Well, Chelsea could get him for certain if he wanted to leave at any point. £100m? Abramovich has people killed for more.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[kaizoku]

images

so when your text ends up proving my point you resort to ridiculing me again?

you are obviously developing some kind of complex with me here....

anyway it doesnt matter, its still hilarious that Arsenal could bid for Messi

 

[Mama Smurf]

interesting that that wasnt ever the story from either party at the time, and when he decided to stay the reason was not contract related at all. it was always about winning things.

Chelsea last night tabled a British-record bid of £32m for Steven Gerrard in an attempt to prise the Liverpool captain from Anfield, leaving the England midfielder facing the biggest dilemma of his career.

A chaotic day of bitter stand-offs and rushed attempts at reconciliation on Merseyside ended with Gerrard, accompanied by his representative Struan Marshall, back in talks with the Liverpool hierarchy at Melwood. The chairman David Moores and the chief executive Rick Parry departed a scheduled board meeting at Anfield to convene at the training ground after the players' second session of the day, in a last-ditch attempt to persuade the 25-year-old to stay.

Their offer, now put to the player and his agent, constitutes a two-year contract extension running to 2009 on improved terms of £100,000 a week, the deal Gerrard had been seeking when talks began last Wednesday. The player was thinking over their proposal last night but the initial apparent indifference to settle his long-term future has damaged relations between club and captain.

Liverpool are privately pessimistic about their prospects of persuading the player to stay and Gerrard now has a straight, if agonising, choice to make. He can either climb down from his decision to break off negotiations for good, confirmed in conversation with Rafael Benítez at the weekend, or he can maintain his hardline stance and actively seek a passage away from the club he has supported since his youth and joined as an eight-year-old.

Gerrard's frustration at the delay in beginning meaningful contract talks with Liverpool in the wake of the Champions League final in May prompted him to call off discussions on Saturday after only one meeting

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard looks set to leave Anfield after his agent said talks over a new deal had broken down and were unlikely to start again.

He said: "Stevie's decided to stay. It's a little bit like last year, only even more dramatic.

"In the language he used to us, he never said he wanted to go. He never said 'I wanted to go'.

"I think in the last 24 hours he has reflected on it, he's thought it through and he wants to stay.

"There were lots of late-night phone calls and early morning phone calls. I couldn't be more delighted. It is what we wanted all along."

And he added he expected no problems over the new contract, saying: "I think that's already hammered out. I don't think there is an issue with that any more."

Gerrard's discontent is believed to have sprung from a feeling that he was not wanted at Liverpool because of delays over agreeing a new contract.

And Parry admitted: "I've apologised to Stevie if I have misread his emotions.

"I guess after winning the Champions League in Istanbul I thought I knew where we were going but he clearly thought for whatever reason that the club wasn't as enthusiastic about keeping him as we might have been. He was anxious.

"There were one or two issues with the contract which he took to mean a lack of enthusiasm on our part, which it wasn't. He understands that now.

"We've had some emotional moments together, cleared everything up and I don't think this will happen again."

I can see how you could have missed all that.

 

[Ryck]

I can see how you could have missed all that.

:lol :lol I'd say I've given up but you guys are the ones doing all the hard work... Nice post Mama, futile but nice nonetheless.

 

[kaizoku]

you're on about AFTER the champions league win?

I'm on about the season before that, his contract was winding down, he'd agreed to join Chelsea and it was pretty much a formality when suddenly everything went quiet, there were reports of death threats. Then Gerrard is on TV looking miserable, pale, and just ill to be announcing that he was staying as he couldnt leave the club he loved after all.

he stayed the extra year, who knows what would have happened had they won nothing again, but they did and he was never leaving after that.

(if you guys could approach my posts as if I'm not the insane child of the family you might have an easier time seeing where I'm coming from, if I'm not spelling things out clearly its cause I'm used to football discussions where everyone already knows all the different angles)

its not like I'm inventing things from thin air in this thread. I keep things relatively simple and stick to the well known stories for the sake of those who dont follow it as closely. I hear much more weird and controversial stuff all the time - but you guys explode over weird stuff.

how about arsenals world class youth system is actually causing damage to much of the football economy and many see it as a bad way of doing business?

again, not my opinion, but that of a well known journalist and clubs etc.

 

[Lakitu]

This is a rollercoaster, first it was about Eto'o or Messi not joining a club like Arsenal, then about Gerrard leaving Liverpool, then about Liverpool fans throwing feces, then about Gerrard again, then a bit of ownage by Mama and now the Arsenal youth system ruining football.

 

[Ryck]

This is a rollercoaster, first it was about Eto'o or Messi not joining a club like Arsenal, then about Gerrard leaving Liverpool, then about Liverpool fans throwing feces, then about Gerrard again, then a bit of ownage by Mama and now the Arsenal youth system ruining football.

Hey mate stop looking at him like the insane child in the family... seriously

 

[Mama Smurf]

Please don't act like we're all ganging up on you and you're the poor misunderstood guy...we understand what you're saying, we just don't agree. Or when we do, we say we do.

Does it matter when it was? The point we're arguing is whether or not Gerrard and players like him are untouchable. He clearly wasn't. Now maybe the season before that he did stay because of death threats (though I specifically remember the death threat rumours being connected to this time I've quoted, so it'd have to have happened twice), though he was never nearly as close to joining as the season after the CL win, but either way the next year he could well have gone. So not untouchable.

its not like I'm inventing things from thin air in this thread. I keep things relatively simple and stick to the well known stories for the sake of those who dont follow it as closely. I hear much more weird and controversial stuff all the time - but you guys explode over weird stuff.

Like most fans, you're trusting the media too much, it seems to me. Most of what they come up with is pure bullshit. We hear the weird and controversial stories too, it's not like you've justs surprised me with the death threat stuff, I've heard that explanation before...we just don't believe a lot of the stuff. Especially when there are other perfectly reasonable explanations out there.

how about arsenals world class youth system is actually causing damage to much of the football economy and many see it as a bad way of doing business?

again, not my opinion, but that of a well known journalist and clubs etc.

What about it, that's not been brought up. If you want to talk about it, give us your opinion and we'll respond. You might even get some support from me this time, depending on where you go with it, as I would prefer some changes to Arsenal's youth system (and youth systems in general).