08-22-2006, 03:56 PM | #501 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Quote:
I thought his philosophy was to fake injury before HSV's Champions League qualifying game so that he wouldn't have to play and cup-tie himself and kill his move to Chelsea Nigel de Jong seems to have suddenly justified his transfer to the HSV fans. He's not been doing too well so far but he scored the equalizer tonight to get HSV past Osasuna, so I'm sure they'll be warming to him. |
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08-22-2006, 03:56 PM | #502 | |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Colorado Springs
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Quote:
If anything, it's gonna make the Magpies thoroughly entertaining to watch. All offense, no defense. |
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08-22-2006, 04:03 PM | #503 | |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Providence, RI
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Quote:
Little of column A, little of column B. I don't think he's ever looked up to playing in one of the top leagues, but getting away from Bramble can't hurt. |
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08-22-2006, 06:02 PM | #504 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Quote:
Hey, they just sold Boumsong. That defense improved 10-fold overnight. |
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08-22-2006, 06:05 PM | #505 | |
Head Coach
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Location: Colorado Springs
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Quote:
Bench defense doesn't count. |
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08-22-2006, 11:53 PM | #506 |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Carolina
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Lord almighty, what the hell is going on in Sunderland? We don't have any fans here, do we?
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08-23-2006, 06:56 AM | #507 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Quote:
It's not every day you see a manager fire himself. |
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08-23-2006, 08:31 AM | #508 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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dola....
Two bits of news that may or may not be connected: 1. Carlos Tevez has gone on strike, says he doesn't want to play for Corinthians anymore and wants a transfer to Europe. 2. Ramon Calderon (Real Madrid's president) has hinted that Real Madrid will make a big signing in the next couple of days. So you can add 2+2 there and come up with Real Madrid signing Tevez, or you can get creative with the other rumors and have AC Milan in the mix with Kaka and Ronaldo moving around too. |
08-23-2006, 09:20 AM | #509 | |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Quote:
So when the chairman gives the manager a vote of confidence at Sunderland, who's on the hot seat ? |
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08-23-2006, 05:53 PM | #510 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Newbury, England
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Roy Keane is being reported as the new Sunderland manager - just needs to sort the final details of the contract out.
That was out of left-field: if you're a club in crisis, and you've just lost 5 straight with an untried manager, what do you do? Go get another one of course! Should be fun!
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'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! |
08-23-2006, 09:10 PM | #511 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Quote:
Especially out of left-field when Niall Quinn was talking about how Sunderland had a World Class manager lined up. Not sure how somebody who's never been a manager can be classed as world class. The bookies favorite had been Alan Curbishley, maybe a stretch to call him world class, but at least he's got experience. Good to see Chelsea lose tonight |
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08-24-2006, 12:20 AM | #512 |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Carolina
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I'm really hoping Bayern Munich ends up in Man U's Champions League group. Whatever the outcome of the Owen Hargreaves situation, I think it would be a nice sub-plot.
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Last edited by cthomer5000 : 08-24-2006 at 12:20 AM. |
08-24-2006, 03:51 AM | #513 | |
Pro Starter
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Location: Newbury, England
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Quote:
Now he's saying he always said 'a manager with a world class reputation', 'world class standing' or the like. If I was a Mackem, I would be extremely wary by the whole Niall Quinn thing - Keane may work by simply intimidating his players into improvement, but tbh the start of the Quinn regime has been pure comedy.
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'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! |
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08-24-2006, 04:23 AM | #514 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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So latest rumours involving Arsenal:
1) Reyes to Athletico Madrid for 11million pounds (and maybe first option on Torres) 2) Bid for Kahladze from AC Milan (I remember Kahladze having a good tournament a long time back, hence his move to Milan ... it doesn't bode well that Kahladze isn't a first-team regular there though ... although to be fair Viera was a reserve there as well) I'm watching the Owen Hargreaves thing with interest. It's just getting more and more shocking each year that players are forcing moves for themselves. Maybe it is fair, considering they are employees and not slaves ... but at the same time, they knew full well what they were doing when they signed their contracts. I wonder if it would be possible to sue a player for damages in the future if they forced a move, so the club in question would have to pay not just a transfer fee but have to provide further compensation as well. |
08-24-2006, 07:23 AM | #515 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dayton, OH
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What a great comeback by Boro over Chelsea. Thoroughly deserved, they dominated the last half hour.
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My listening habits |
08-24-2006, 08:29 AM | #516 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Ben Thatcher's "tackle" on Mendes last night:
hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH5MyVrCXbE Amazingly Thatcher was only booked, but looks like the FA are going to charge him anyway and he may even be facing an assault charge from the police. |
08-24-2006, 08:46 AM | #517 | |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Quote:
I have a slight issue with this to be honest. The rules are that once you're booked or the referee has seen the incident, it's over. You can't be charged after that by the FA. Yeah, it was horrible and apparently it's not the first time Ben Thatcher has done it. But it's also an arbitrary exception if the FA decides to charge him and it sets a potentially bad precedent imo. It's like the tackle late last season in the Arsenal-Sunderland game where Diaby had his ankle broken. Referee saw it, end of matter, despite the fact it looked horrible/outrageous. Ben Thatcher's offence is more serious ... but the rules are there for a reason. |
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08-24-2006, 09:05 AM | #518 | |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Carolina
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Quote:
Pretty outrageous stuff. |
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08-24-2006, 09:09 AM | #519 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Quote:
I kind of half agree with you, but I kind of half disagree too. There are some incidents that are serious enough that the FA has to do something beyond the booking. A player can appeal using tv evidence if they've been wrongfully booked, so the process should be able to work in the other direction. But I do agree that the FA shouldn't be twisting their own rules for one-off cases, they should change the rule going forward. Thatcher last night, the Sunderland player last season, Michael Brown's attempt to end Giggs' career at the weekend, they're all serious enough that the booking isn't enough to me. Last edited by Critch : 08-24-2006 at 09:11 AM. |
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08-24-2006, 09:13 AM | #520 | |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
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Quote:
I'm leaning this way. If there is a board to review dubious goal-scoring decisions (own goal vs. credited to a shooter), i think you really need to be able to intervene when a referee clearly screwed the pooch or when something is so vicious that the standard red card isn't enough. And it blows my mind that he only got a yellow for this. |
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08-24-2006, 10:06 AM | #521 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Boston, MA
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From where the ref was likely standing, I don't see how he could give more than a yellow. I didn't even see the elbow raised until the replay. It just looks like usual knocking of an opponent after they play the ball.
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08-24-2006, 11:27 AM | #522 |
High School Varsity
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Camano Island, WA
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Interesting that as you watch that video clip, at the beginning when Thatcher gets up, Glen Johnson is running over to check on Mendes - Thatcher thinks he's coming at him and has words with him. Johnson ignores him. To me that shows that Thatcher knew what he was doing and expected someone to come after him right away. I think Mr. Thatcher is looking at a lengthy ban.
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08-24-2006, 01:07 PM | #523 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: The State of Insanity
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http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...340368&cc=5901
Champions League groups drawn. Notable Group Stage matchups: Barca-Chelski (wot, again?) and Celtic-Manyoo
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08-24-2006, 01:32 PM | #524 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Quote:
Well that really messes up my bet that Werder would go further than Bayern or HSV. |
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08-24-2006, 01:39 PM | #525 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Colorado Springs
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It's official. Obafemi Martins completed the deal with Newcastle.
Booyah! |
08-24-2006, 02:33 PM | #526 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Boston, MA
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OK so who's going to score more in the EPL, Martins or Kuyt?
I say neither of them breaks into double digits. |
08-24-2006, 03:40 PM | #527 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Providence, RI
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Anyone want to start taking bets which Chelsea player gets sent off this year?
I say Kuijt outscores Martins, by the way. |
08-24-2006, 04:42 PM | #528 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Maassluis, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
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Hmmm, the draw was a day earlier than I expected it to be. I guess I should kick start the 2006/2007 CL prediction thread soon.
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* 2005 Golden Scribe winner for best FOF Dynasty about IHOF's Maassluis Merchantmen * Former GM of GEFL's Houston Oilers and WOOF's Curacao Cocktail Last edited by MIJB#19 : 08-24-2006 at 05:02 PM. |
08-25-2006, 06:29 PM | #529 | |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Newbury, England
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Quote:
He definitely knew what he was doing - had a look at the bloke before impact (i.e. ignored the ball). Ball going out of play near opponent's penalty box, and Mendes is going to play the ball... The football equivalent of Rodney Harrison seeing a WR making a jumping stretching catch over the middle a couple of yards in front of him. Thatcher played for Leicester for a bit, and while he does have a (deserved) reputation, he has never done anything that bad before. According to Stuart Pearce he was 'ashen faced' when they talked about it, and has realised how serious a challenge like that could be.
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08-26-2006, 08:46 AM | #530 |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Carolina
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Kuyt looked pretty good in his first game for Liverpool (but no goal).
Peter Crouch is on fire lately. 5 goals in his last 5 games: Community Shield, 2 for the national team against Greece, CL Qualifier, and his first league goal of the season today. A nice little move on his goal today (the eventual game. winner) |
08-26-2006, 01:19 PM | #531 |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Herndon, VA
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Yeah, Kuyt looked good today. Don't know if anybody could play with that much energy for a full 90 minutes though, he was buzzing everywhere for his 30mins.
I'm glad I'm not an Arsenal fan. Today's game against Man City and last weeks v Villa were two of the most frustrating games I've seen, the kind of games I thought only happened in FM. I'd be suicidal if I actually wanted them to win |
08-26-2006, 03:02 PM | #532 | |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Quote:
Over-elaborate unlucky Arsenal ... sigh |
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08-26-2006, 08:16 PM | #533 | |
Coordinator
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Quote:
__________________
* 2005 Golden Scribe winner for best FOF Dynasty about IHOF's Maassluis Merchantmen * Former GM of GEFL's Houston Oilers and WOOF's Curacao Cocktail |
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08-26-2006, 09:13 PM | #534 |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Carolina
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So i had to stop watching the Tottenham match at the half today... it was 0-0 and they had a one-man advantage.... I was stunned to see they lost 2-0... un-freakin-believable boys.
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08-29-2006, 02:18 PM | #535 |
Hattrick Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada
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Cleat is a pretty cute comic strip about kids who play soccer. Well I find it cute because many of the strips talk about stuff I go through with my son playing soccer...
They had a good one today: FM
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08-29-2006, 10:49 PM | #536 |
Strategy Moderator
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Mido back with Tottenham. Good news for the club, bad news for Jermain Defoe I think.
Amazing to me that at age 23 Mido has played in the Egyptian, Belgian, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and English Premier Leagues.
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Last edited by cthomer5000 : 08-29-2006 at 10:50 PM. |
08-30-2006, 04:21 AM | #537 | ||
Pro Rookie
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Quote:
To me, the good: 1) The penalty was legit. I hate losing to crappy penalties. 2) We're playing with a young right-back at left-back. I expect us to look much better when Clichy gets healthy. Or, Heaven forbids, Ass Hole, er, Ash Cole stays. 3) Djourou is doing a solid job covering for Senderos. When Senderos is healthy, I will be quite happy with our 3-man rotation in the middle. 4) We hit the post twice and Henry had a one-on-one that the keeper made a brilliant save on (fucking FM-style superkeeper at City! ). 5) Our attack looked much better with Rosicky in the lineup. Basically like having another Cesc (ie, distributor-playmaker) on the pitch. The bad: 1) The panalty was legit. I hate losing. 2) Henry and Van Persie have shown HORRIBLE first touch in the first two games. If their first touch were up to their standard, we have 6 points. 3) Clichy is (again) hurt, Flamini has looked bad this preseason and Hoyte is just not (yet) ready. The left-back position needs a solution. 4) And there should be neither 'Cy' nor 'gan' involved in that solution. 5) Hleb seems to still be phasinig in and out of games. We need him to be more involved over 90 minutes. 6) Eboue has looked horrible. His final ball is not improving and he's still making poor choices at the end of his runs (which are very good). 7) Mascherano is still not wearing the red-and-white of the Gunners. |
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08-30-2006, 04:26 AM | #538 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Don't get me wrong, it's not that Arsenal sucks ...
But it's just the same old story don't you think? Outplay the other side but not score? It's so pretty but sometimes it's so frustrating because it's just so much ... fluff. I understand Wenger saying the players like playing the ball to feet ... but that's completely different from asking your players from shooting and taking chances. Look at the Aegar goal for Liverpool, he just gave it a solid whack (good strike though). You just seldom see that with Arsenal. Instead, you see a pass here, a pass there, a flick to another player, a ball to Henry on the wing, he beats one man, passes to the edge of the box, another attempted pass to another player ... and the ball gets cut out by the Defence. On an aside, Henry is clearly not ready for the season still. He's nowhere near ready imo. Cole has to go. There's no point keeping him I think. Same for Reyes (dickhead). Looks like it's more likely to be Teves than Mascherano btw. I haven't seen much of Teves so I have no idea what kind of striker he is .. I hope he's the direct sort. PS: Doesn't it really seem that keepers have super games against Arsenal? |
08-30-2006, 04:30 AM | #539 | |
Pro Rookie
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Quote:
I wonder how long it'll be before Mido implodes, though, whether through injury or, more likely, being a headcase. Why is the club so down on Defoe? I was under the impression that he is very good. |
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08-30-2006, 04:53 AM | #540 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I would like to see Arsenal buy Defoe actually
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08-30-2006, 06:04 AM | #541 | |
Strategy Moderator
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Quote:
My guess is that they're not really down on him, but he just doesn't seem to complement anyone too well. I dunno really. I mean, he's on the national team, so he's obviously not crap. I just think they wanted Mido back for a more physical presence and counterpart to Keane. And with the signing of Berbatov... this honestly makes Defoe the most expendable of the bunch, though I haven't heard a whisper about him going anywhere. They might end up with multiple whiny players if they they try to keep all 4 forwards happy. I'd like to see them make a move for some more help before the window closes, but everything that has been rumored this offseason simply hasn't come to pass (Duff, Martins, etc). Then when something seems promising (Stuart Downing rumors) you hear that Middlesbrough want Lennon, so you pretty much know nothing is happening there. If they can get a good price for him and send him somewhere where he's a definite first-team guy, it might be worth moving him. Although from a depth standpoint I guess it doesn't really hurt to keep him, provided they can keep him happy. |
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08-31-2006, 03:32 AM | #542 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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So in absolutely shocking news (to me anyway), it appears Tevez and Mascherano are joining West Ham on a year long loan (BBC news ... based on a comment from Tevez's website).
Wow ... |
08-31-2006, 03:53 AM | #543 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Back in Norway
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Other big news is football today:
Inter and Real Madrid looks to have agreed on trading Ronaldo and Adriano Ronaldinho and coach Frank Rijkaard might be in a conflict and the reason he missed the first match in the Spanish league was not due to injury as Barcelona claims. The last one might not be that big but because I’m Danish I mention it anyway. Thomas Gravesen is finished in Real Madrid and will be the best-paid player in Scottish football for Celtic. |
08-31-2006, 04:36 AM | #544 | |
High School JV
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Quote:
something fishy about this one, dont trust that MSI Arsenal are getting Julio Baptista from Real for J.A. Reyes in daul loan deals w/option to buy. as an Arsenal fan not that exciting but Wenger wanted him a year ago, hard to tell if he still wanted him bad or was just settling Last edited by Dunleavy : 08-31-2006 at 04:39 AM. |
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08-31-2006, 04:53 AM | #545 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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So the Guardian has reported that the reason why Tevez and Mascherano have joined West Ham is because of MSI.
Rumour is that MSI is partially owned by Abrahimovic and MSI owns the contracts of these players. MSI has blocked the move of these players to Arsenal, Man U, Bayern and AC Milan .. because they are Chelsea's rivals. Also, another of MSI's rumoured shareholders is a businessman who was interested in taking over West Ham. So this is what I see happening. At the end of the year loan, either these players join Chelsea (think of it as a trial at West Ham) or the businessman takes over West Ham and he has 2 brilliant players there already. How cloak and dagger. |
08-31-2006, 05:00 AM | #546 |
Pro Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Newbury, England
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One for your interest: Giuseppe Rossi has joined Newcastle on loan - seeing as they only have Ameobi & Martins, he will see a good amount of action I would have thought.
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'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! |
08-31-2006, 06:05 AM | #547 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Btw, if you're bored at work and can access the Guardian website, they're keeping up a relatively entertaining running commentary of the transfers that are going on ...
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08-31-2006, 06:13 AM | #548 | |
Strategy Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Carolina
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Quote:
Should be a pretty wild day I would think. I'm hoping Spurs pull some moves today, they really haven't done much with the Carrick money, and they need midfield and/or defensive help really. And if Defoe has to go... so be it. |
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08-31-2006, 07:42 AM | #549 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Steed Malbranque to Spurs, that should add a bit of hard work to the Spurs midfield. Good move, I hope. |
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08-31-2006, 09:07 AM | #550 | |
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Although with him being out for 10 weeks, and then a couple of games to get sharp, it will be the next transfer window before Malbranque is back up to speed...
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