Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Yes, but 2010 Barcelona vs 2013 Man City? Totally different.
Stopping Messi and the rest of them was a challenge he had to warm up to. Getting more points than Kompany, Fernandinho and Dzeko? He can do that in his sleep
The TT Football Club
- Thread starter Ross K
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Yes, but 2010 Barcelona vs 2013 Man City? Totally different.
Stopping Messi and the rest of them was a challenge he had to warm up to. Getting more points than Kompany, Fernandinho and Dzeko? He can do that in his sleep
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Lot more ITK and general feedback coming in now that Willian and Lamela negotiations are coming to the boil... one or both please! Lamela being my personal choice. Oh, I love this transfer window.
Just like we were talking about a month or so back. Selling Bale = Lamela, Willian, Paulinho, Capoue, Soldado etc..
Spurs are going to be much scarier without him. Although you could do with a defender or two
PED
Legend
Oh, I love this transfer window.
I'm glad someone does
When I think of Kroenke, I think of his Rams in the NFL, he's all about the profit. He could care less about fielding a contender. Great for his pocketbook but stinks as a fan.
Wenger just needs a real boss to hold his feet to the fire and Ivan is not it.
All will be right when Mata moves later this week to us :twisted:
PED
Legend
You're wrong, we won't a pay a penny of 4 mil!
I'll have to say that with my neutral glasses on, City looked the most dangerous yesterday. Just eviscerated Newcastle. Loved the towering header from Silva.
We'll find out tomorrow just how good Villa really is. Hopefully, they can bring their referee with them as well.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Well we're owed a penalty after they didn't give that blatant one on Ivanovic! Will be interesting to see which group of new players will have the biggest impact.. Negredo, Navas, Fernandinho, Jovetic vs Lukaku, Van Ginkel, De Bruyne, Schurrle.
Chelsea obviously spent alot less, with most coming back from loan, they are also alot younger.
Whaaaat. Chelsea have a blip under Mourinho, but City go through the season with a relatively unproven manager, in his first season in the Premier League, without an issue?
Chelsea will be winning it for me, the Manchester teams will be fighting for second imo.
i've been pretty good at predicting the Chelsea position over the last 4 or so years in the thread. People laughed at me with my prediction of 6th a few years ago, but it happened.
City will do well in the Champions League this year under the new manager, but to be more consistent than a Mourinho team (who always wins the title in his first season, usually by record margins)? Don't see it personally.
Haha - we'll see! I think that because, as you've long pointed out, you haven't brought in the bustling, deeper lying midfielders (is van Ginkel the solution here, or Luiz? What happened to Romeu?). The blip usually happens once the weather turns and the quality of the pitches heads downhill - exactly when you need the steel in the middle.
Anyway, bearing in mind the 2nd half vs Hull was reminiscent of Mourinho Mk I, and he seems happy with his squad, I wouldn't be surprised to see Chelsea end up top.
The club actually still holds quite a lot of debt, but the net debt situation is much healthier (about £100m, due to cash assets of over £150m). The stadium will be paid off by 2031 (about £19m a year in interest and principal repayment - easily manageable). But your point is spot on, everything at the club seems to be in place to really kick on, but it's all constrained at the moment by the culture and mentality at the club, embodied by its leaders. This is probably an understandable result of the culture and mentality that was necessary to successfully execute the move to the new stadium: restraint, sacrifice, patience, caution, parsimony etc. That's why I believe we need the senior personnel to be replaced.
I do agree that it would be a tragedy to let someone as talented as Wenger go. However, it's not really a possibility to retain him as a Director of Football, or in any position that interacts with the manager, as he would simply interfere. The guy is pretty much omnipotent and unchallengeable at Arsenal; he is a really intelligent and focussed guy, but it's pretty clear that he is power-hungry and untrusting. Anyway, he'll be snapped up immediately by someone else if we let him go.
Re Gazidis, it's not surprising things have turned out how they have. The appointment was effectively made by Wenger (yes, a manager appointing his boss), so he brought in someone with the skillset to broker the much-needed new commercial deals, but who didn't have the stature or personality to challenge his own authority.
Re fans voting with their feet at the stadium (Arsenal is pretty much the only top club where match-day sales constitute over 50% of revenues, due to the crappy legacy commercial deals which made financing the stadium possible), I believe it is starting to happen. The much-publicised season ticket waiting list of 50,000 fans pretty much doesn't exist; 50,000 people may have stumped up £20 to have the option, but the ability and willingness to pay clearly isn't there (they were trying to flog season tickets by email this summer, right until kick-off on Saturday). Games actually go to 'general sale' now (unthinkable two or three years ago), where no club membership is needed, at which point the stadium will always fill up due to the sheer volume of tourists in London at any point.
I'm glad someone does
When I think of Kroenke, I think of his Rams in the NFL, he's all about the profit. He could care less about fielding a contender. Great for his pocketbook but stinks as a fan.
Wenger just needs a real boss to hold his feet to the fire and Ivan is not it.
Agreed - probably the majority of Arsenal fans would turn a blind eye to his tactical oversights and embrace his continued tenure if a new CEO / Chairman came in who could hold him to account, and forcibly take some of the work-load off him. But it's clear that's an impossibility: Wenger would not appoint such a figure, because they would diminish his authority (as stated before, why he brought in a weak-chinned soft-c*ck as CEO); and Kroenke wouldn't make such a move, because he believes his financial interest in the club is tied to Wenger's miserly ways (his understanding of Arsenal Football Club doesn't extend beyond 'I will invest because there is a guy there who has a track record of making the club money').
It's a shame, because if Wenger was appointed director of football, they could retain the structure and bring in someone awesome like Klopp (and give him Piski Stojkovic as his assistant), give him 100 million to spend; and from there on out Arsenal would straight up dominate.
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Bale to go for 93 mil?... Willian, Lamela, Concentrau in?... If this comes to pass I am officially declaring this the best transfer window seen at WHL ever. Pardon me for sounding OTT but it wasn't that long ago we were bringing in the likes of Ryan Nelson and Louis Saha and calling it "triffic business".
It was a great result, and everyone's fully behind the team, but I don't think tonight has anything to do with some of the inefficiencies in how the club is being run. Even if we finish 4th, how the club is being run still needs to be sorted out. Just some basic steps that are necessary to give us a chance to maximise the use of our resources. Our first XI, even without additions, IS strong enough to beat Villa and Fener, but with the resources available it SHOULD be stronger, and there certainly SHOULDN'T be a shambles in transfer activity / squad management like this summer.
Good night for Arsene and Arsenal fans, though.
norbac
Legend
The solution is simple. Bid 40 million pounds for Russian international superstar Andrei Arshavin.
Goosehead
Legend
wenger is a known ditherer in the transfer market, and it ends up with the player feeling slightly insulted through a perceived lack of interest, or another club come in and beats him to it,
david dein was the ideal foil for wenger, he could follow and close a deal in no time..
now you hear wenger say.."we will offer what we think is the right amount for the player"..talk about deluded, the buying club don't call the shots it always the selling club..
expect a last minute panic buying spree like last august...every year is groundhog day, no wonder the fans were going mental on Saturday.
david dein was the ideal foil for wenger, he could follow and close a deal in no time..
now you hear wenger say.."we will offer what we think is the right amount for the player"
..talk about deluded, the buying club don't call the shots it always the selling club..expect a last minute panic buying spree like last august...every year is groundhog day, no wonder the fans were going mental on Saturday.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
wenger is a known ditherer in the transfer market, and it ends up with the player feeling slightly insulted through a perceived lack of interest, or another club come in and beats him to it,
david dein was the ideal foil for wenger, he could follow and close a deal in no time..
now you hear wenger say.."we will offer what we think is the right amount for the player"
expect a last minute panic buying spree like last august...every year is groundhog day, no wonder the fans were going mental on Saturday.
The latest i'm hearing is they want Benzema. Why is Wenger wasting his time? Madrid have already sold Higuain this summer, so Benzema is the only striker they have left. No chance of Madrid selling him.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23724904
Only recently heard about him, some of the descriptions of how football was back then were funny though.
"England would run with the ball in a rolling maul, like in rugby, but with the ball at the feet rather than in the hand," says Southwick. A player dribbling would be protected by his team-mates barging opponents out the of way.
In contrast, their Scottish opponents ran forward in pairs, passing the ball between themselves. It was called the "combination game", an early version of modern football.
Sounds like how England play today
Only recently heard about him, some of the descriptions of how football was back then were funny though.
"England would run with the ball in a rolling maul, like in rugby, but with the ball at the feet rather than in the hand," says Southwick. A player dribbling would be protected by his team-mates barging opponents out the of way.
In contrast, their Scottish opponents ran forward in pairs, passing the ball between themselves. It was called the "combination game", an early version of modern football.
Sounds like how England play today
Saw that one too. Is Arsene drunk?
PED
Legend
Even Real is not made out of money and might need to sell to stomach that Bale transfer.
I've often wondered what would happen if things ever got back to "normal" economic wise.
If interest rates were not manipulated lower by every central bank around the world. The dollar would likely rally over time,
Oil, being denominated in Dollars, in would dip dramatically in response. Oil demand is already down over the last five years so that would be natural.
The coffers might be a little bit bare at the petro dollar clubs. Not picking on them but look at what happened at Anzhi with the collapse of potash prices.
I realize that a player is worth what the market says he's worth.
Is Bale worth north of 90 mil, not IMO. Is Higuin is really worth 30 plus mil? Napoli said he was but they said that because took receipt of PSG's funny money that said Cavani was worth north of 50 m.
I really rate Suarez as a player (but not as a person) but I'm a bit relieved we didn't end up with him.
I've often wondered what would happen if things ever got back to "normal" economic wise.
If interest rates were not manipulated lower by every central bank around the world. The dollar would likely rally over time,
Oil, being denominated in Dollars, in would dip dramatically in response. Oil demand is already down over the last five years so that would be natural.
The coffers might be a little bit bare at the petro dollar clubs. Not picking on them but look at what happened at Anzhi with the collapse of potash prices.
I realize that a player is worth what the market says he's worth.
Is Bale worth north of 90 mil, not IMO. Is Higuin is really worth 30 plus mil? Napoli said he was but they said that because took receipt of PSG's funny money that said Cavani was worth north of 50 m.
I really rate Suarez as a player (but not as a person) but I'm a bit relieved we didn't end up with him.
Re Willian, hideous reports and speculation building that Chelsea have stepped in at the very last second (and this is after he's had the flipping medical at WHL for crying out loud!) and offered him twice as much wages and that he's now favourite to sign for the blues...
Well, with that legendarily slimy agent in tow, I wouldn't be surprised, though very disappointed. However, if something similar happens with Lamela, I'm am going to be seriously... ahem... let's call it 'hacked off.'
Anyhow, will see how events unfold. But re Willian going to Chelski, only the movement of Mata headed the opposite way would significantly soften that particular potential blow, and that's pretty unlikely.
Well, with that legendarily slimy agent in tow, I wouldn't be surprised, though very disappointed. However, if something similar happens with Lamela, I'm am going to be seriously... ahem... let's call it 'hacked off.'
Anyhow, will see how events unfold. But re Willian going to Chelski, only the movement of Mata headed the opposite way would significantly soften that particular potential blow, and that's pretty unlikely.
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PED
Legend
That blows but at this point, you've got another four great signings. Still a great transfer season. Levy's not afraid to pull the trigger and AvB knows how to play them. Should be fun.
I'm still loving the idea of Man City playing unshackled by Mancini. All that talent running free on the pitch. Neutral heaven
Too true re first point. And I completely agree re 'Citeh'.
Right now though it's all bit weird. Bale still hasn't actually been sold yet. Lamela not confirmed officially. And the one that really seemed all but clinched - Willian - appears to be the object of a late dirty manoeuvre via Roman giving the Anzhi chairman a last-gasp phone call. Which takes us into Fena territory...
Where the heck would Willian play in your side lol?... Have CFC finally accepted Rooney ain't happening?... Is there perhaps something in the long-standing suspicion of quite a few that JM doesn't actually want Mata?... Is the Willian move a JM/Real conspiracy to spite Spurs'/Levy?! :shock:
In other Spurs news, apparently we've made a serious enquiry about L. Podolski (not sure quite what to think of that.) Great to see Soldado scoring a few more earlier today, and that our man of the match wasn't some multi-million quid signing from abroad but actually the home-grown youngster, Andros Townsend.
PED
Legend
You are welcome to him. Not a bad player but he's not particularly fast, not great in the middle and hates tracking back. Kind of a svelte version of Arshavin.
His best days have all come in a Germany shirt and not at club level.
Int'l football isn't what it used to be, for that, I think CL is the place to be.
BlackSilver
Semi-Pro
90 millions? Hum........ I would pay twice that value, as long as I never more need to listen anything thing about Gareth Bale's transfer .
Flamini going back to Arsenal
Flamini going back to Arsenal
So the rumor is that Mourinho is eager to give United 15 million PLUS Mata for Rooney?!?!?!?!?!? That's nuts. If I was United I'd offer Rooney and 20 million for Mata, not the other way around.
Absolutely bonkers what you read in the papers these days.
And Luiz is apparently in talks with Barcelona? Mourinho, what the hell are you trying to do?
Absolutely bonkers what you read in the papers these days.
And Luiz is apparently in talks with Barcelona? Mourinho, what the hell are you trying to do?
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
The news i've heard is that Man Utd want Mata in any deal for Rooney, which is probably why they said he was involved in the original offer to put it out there. Chelsea won't do that.
Haven't heard anything about Luiz, seems all quiet to me.
The Willian thing seems to be genuine, which i'm hoping isn't true. He's not that great imo, with the problems we're having in the striker position it makes no sense spending money on another attacking midfielder.
We still need a defensive midfielder who can pass. Against Villa and Hull, after the great starts it all went slowly downhill. During the second half in both games Hazard and Oscar were getting the ball around the half way line, they're incredible players but you can't expect them to produce from that position on the pitch. We need someone who can use the ball well and get them ball to them where they can be dangerous.
Look at the first goals against Hull and Villa, Hazard and Oscar did work around the penalty area (De Bruyne was involved in the first from the edge of the box). That's where those players are lethal, we have to get them in those positions more often, that's where a creative deeper player comes in.
Indeed... baffling.
Not sure Spurs wouldn't be better off ditching any remaining interest in Wilian (specially with Kia K. representing him and whoring him around) and making last-minute bid for Eriksen or Pjanic instead.
Re gooners, see that Benzema is being linked... wonder how he'd do in the PL? Looked like an awesome player a few years back.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
He really isn't all that great, Mkhitaryan was Shakhtar's best player the last few years. Willian left in Janaury, the price he's comanding is way over the top.
Spurs might aswell go for Suarez and give him the free role from the left Bale had, if they're getting near enough £100 Million and they can handle him being an idiot.
What the hell will Chelsea do with Willian? Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle, De Bruyne, Moses and all the youth team players we have in that position (Piazon, Traore etc..). Would be pure madness to throw big money at someone as average as Willian.
Get Eto'o for £5 Million and try to get a deeper midfielder with the other £25 Million makes much more sense.
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Forget all those players, Spurs should ask for 65 million and Ozil in exchange for Bale as all the other left-sided players are being cleared out of Madrid. He would absolutely wreck the Premier League.
Meanwhile Wenger used his presser to inform everyone that there is not as much money to spend as people think.
If so, what is the 154m cash on the balance sheet for? And where is the 65m per annum positive cashflow generated each season going?
Or could it be that Wenger is trying to change perceptions (that he's desperate, and loaded with cash) prior to the trolley dash, after his CEO set the stage for negotiating so well at the start of his summer by making a big fuss about 70m to spend?
If so, what is the 154m cash on the balance sheet for? And where is the 65m per annum positive cashflow generated each season going?
Or could it be that Wenger is trying to change perceptions (that he's desperate, and loaded with cash) prior to the trolley dash, after his CEO set the stage for negotiating so well at the start of his summer by making a big fuss about 70m to spend?
Great shout... but man do I hate Willian. :evil: And I can't fathom for the life of me how he can expect to play regularly at CFC. Crazy as Spurs clearly need such a player in such a position and the blues have at least 5 options there.
I don't want Willian....he's not good enough to get into Brazil's 18 so Chelsea have no use for him. 32 million for him is absolutely insane.
PED
Legend
What happened to the "happy one"
2 victories and he's already back to his old tricks. Great to have someone to root against again other than just JT.
Mourinho could barely conceal his satisfaction when asked how confident he was of pipping Spurs to the player.
“That’s a good question because I think he already made his decision,” he said, before nodding like the cat that got the cream when asked if that decision was Chelsea.
Mourinho accused Spurs of making a fatal mistake by not managing to keep details of the player’s medical a secret before Chelsea swooped to steal him from under their noses.
2 victories and he's already back to his old tricks. Great to have someone to root against again other than just JT.
Mourinho could barely conceal his satisfaction when asked how confident he was of pipping Spurs to the player.
“That’s a good question because I think he already made his decision,” he said, before nodding like the cat that got the cream when asked if that decision was Chelsea.
Mourinho accused Spurs of making a fatal mistake by not managing to keep details of the player’s medical a secret before Chelsea swooped to steal him from under their noses.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
:lol: come off it. You sound like those grumpy Aussie's at the cricket today. When Watson said Pietersen was there to babysit Bell, and KP said "You what? He's got 20 centuries, you've only got 3 mate"
There were 4 decisions in the Villa game, Ivanovic could of gone for that elbow, Benteke retaliated and threw his own 3 minutes later. Both players were awarded yellow cards for the respective incidents, no problem, as long as the referee is consistent you know where you stand and it's fair all round.
The other were the two handballs. Terry had it headered down onto his arm from less than a foot away, whilst at the other end Hazard kicked it from a yard away onto a Villa players arm (the move where Lukaku ended up getting that quick shot away into the side netting). Both players were too close to the ball to do anything about it, both weren't penalties, both weren't given.
Refereeing was consistent all game, that's all you can ask for.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Aren't the Spanish known for making monkey noises at games? That could get awkward...
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
Haha, they've spent alot of it already on their new players. At least they don't have £100 Million to use to add to what they already have. That would be scary.
Goosehead
Legend
I think modric could come back to Tottenham.. seeing as they were gazumped today by Chelsea (Daniel levy was outmanouvered in the transfer market, lol wut ?. he must be turning purple with rage)
I can see bale on the left at Madrid, and Ronaldo having his ego massaged by ancelotti telling him to play centrally (no drifting out left)..get in his head that he keeps being outscored by messi and what is he going to do about it...:twisted:
*mind games*..
I can see bale on the left at Madrid, and Ronaldo having his ego massaged by ancelotti telling him to play centrally (no drifting out left)..get in his head that he keeps being outscored by messi and what is he going to do about it...:twisted:
*mind games*..
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
hum :???: no one seems too be paying attention to financial fair play do they ?.
maybe lawyers have told the top clubs that ffp is unenforceable in European law ??.:twisted:
Seems like Arsenal are the only ones that really care about it
Had to laugh when Moyes said Everton should let Fellaini and Baines move because they need a new challenge in their careers, yet he has flat out refused Rooney's request to do the same thing.
Feña14
G.O.A.T.
He's our new keeper. Jose wants one who can use the ball a bit better and play with his feet.
Cruyff will be proud, taking total football to a whole different level.
Haha... now I understand why you've opted for Willian.
After the highly acrimonious very drawn out exit when he eventually left for RM, well, doubt very much this will happen...
Re Levy and rage comment, undoubtedly true but it's not just Willian not joining taken in isolation, it's how that impacts on whole picture of not wanting Bale sold until 2 top top draw replacements were in place first... as soon as Bale is sold whoever we enquire about is suddenly valued way way higher. It should also be pointed out that Lamela (other player in this equation) also still isn't signed and there's a ton of complicated random factors and dodgy agents to pacify, a la Willian...
Re Spurs and there new found money, not sure actually it's all spent and indeed can all be put down to it being Bale money. Joe Lewis (man/money behind Levy) is rumoured to have given Spurs 50m in lieu of anticipated income to be generated from, among oher things, CL football, a new stadium and it's revenues, new rights deals, etc. Plus there's a long-standing story that Arab management is waiting in the wings and may already be tied up in all of this.
