The SOCCER Thread 2013/2014

[Tater Totts]

here's my fantasy balls team Mannone; Toure, Mertersacker, Dawson, Garrido; Countiho, Hazard, Paulinho; Bentekke, Van P, Sturridge.

what's the chances of Paulinho ever scoring for Spurs? I think Arteta takes penos so might exchange him.

here's my fantasy balls team Mannone; Toure, Mertersacker, Dawson, Garrido; Countiho, Hazard, Paulinho; Bentekke, Van P, Sturridge.

what's the chances of Paulinho ever scoring for Spurs? I think Arteta takes penos so might exchange him.

I can see Paulinho getting a couple of goals this season but he is never going to have a scoring record to rival Lampard.

[wasted]

I might switch him out for Johnson.

Liverpool have a few cheap players like Sterling, Alberto, Aspas.

[Guest Len B'stard]

United have lost like 3 out 4 friendlies...not exactly a flying start by Moyes.

[wasted]

relegation beckons. Van P hasnt been playing, or he limped off with a thigh strain. That's there team, get the ball to Van P.

[Guest NGOG]

United have lost like 3 out 4 friendlies...not exactly a flying start by Moyes.

To be fair though, preseason never really gives an accurate prediction of how each team will do competitively.

relegation beckons. Van P hasnt been playing, or he limped off with a thigh strain. That's there team, get the ball to Van P.

He's back to full fitness and available for Friday's friendly.

[Tater Totts]

Not like friendlies mean much, more about fitness but winning would certainly be nice.

I remember one year Spurs won allof our games in preseason easily including beating Roma who were in the CL that year 5-0, that was of course the year we had our worst ever start and ended up with 2 points for 8 games

[Guest NGOG]

I remember one year Spurs won allof our games in preseason easily including beating Roma who were in the CL that year 5-0, that was of course the year we had our worst ever start and ended up with 2 points for 8 games

Last year Celtic had an absolutely woeful preseason to the extent that many were unconfident in Lennon's management going into the first set of games. That was of course the year that Celtic slayed the mighty Barca.

[Guest Len B'stard]

To be fair though, preseason never really gives an accurate prediction of how each team will do competitively.

Well, they do and they don't, everyone knows the games ain't worth a shit and it ain't really no skin off no ones cock if they don't win but at the same time it's hardly a good sign, these are professional teams, they do have a certain sense of duty and pride, friendly or no friendly, to not fold to the likes of Borehamwood or whatever. If it's a friendly against a shit team you are expected to dominate and put a scoreline in place from where you can try out different things on the pitch and see how your clock ticks, not make an arse of it and lose to sub-standard competition.

[Tater Totts]

Madrid and Marca's ridiculous pursuit of Bale has continued with fake quotes!

http://www.marca.com/2013/07/26/en/football/real_madrid/1374823857.html

"You made me a promise. You promised me if we didn't qualify for the Champions League and a good offer turned up you'd listen to it. Well that offer has arrived and I want to play for Real Madrid. So keep your word and negotiate". Daniel Levy, who is famed for being a hard business man, discovered the hard way that 24 year-old Gareth Bale doesn't beat about the bush. Accustomed as he is to tough meetings, the one Levy had with the player last Wednesday in London was a real eye opener.

Bale was just as direct in his approach to the Chairman as he is when he plays on the pitch of White Hart Lane. The Welsh forward left little room for doubt: "I'm not interested in Manchester United or any other club. I only want to play for Real Madrid." Bale is under contract at Spurs until 2016 but his agent, Jonathan Barnett, struck up a deal with Florentino Pérez and José Angel Sánchez in a meeting held in Madrid on 25th June. Should the deal be accepted, Bale will spend the next six seasons at the Santiago Bernabéu, where he stands to earn between €9 and 10 million.

The clock is ticking and although there has been no official response to Real Madrid's initial offer as yet, which amounts to just over €60 million, at Tottenham an air of resignation is seeping in as they are beginning to accept the inevitable. It is clear that where Bale would really rather be next week, rather than in Hong Kong, is in LA...and dressed in white.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Tottenham Hotspur

[Guest Len B'stard]

Its universally understood in the football community that Marca chat a load of breeze anyway.

[Tater Totts]

Seems like they took an old Modric quote from last year and replaced his name with Bale.

[wasted]

utd are probably learning a new system under moyes. it's called "how to come 7th every season"

[Chris1989]

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/the-magnificent-7th.html

[The Sandman]

Doomsayers.

Playing in such heat, Rio lost 4kg in that last game. Really take no notice!

[Guest NGOG]

Celtic have now lifted 12.5 million for Wanyama and 5 million for Gary Hooper. I'd like to see the club invest in a big name striker to bolster the Champions League campaign.

[Tater Totts]

You can have Adebayor on a free.

[Guest NGOG]

You can have Adebayor on a free.

As an Arsenal fan too, I respectfully decline.

[The Sandman]

Celtic have now lifted 12.5 million for Wanyama and 5 million for Gary Hooper. I'd like to see the club invest in a big name striker to bolster the Champions League campaign.

They're too busy propping up Scottish football.

[Tater Totts]

[Ryan95]

Liverpool want 50 million for suarez. What a joke. Why would anyone pay that for a albeit gifted player but one with such a flagrant history of incidents. One of which will see him miss the first six games of the season anyway, he is irresponsible and far too unreliable to pay such a heavy cost.

[Chris1989]

Liverpool want 50 million for suarez. What a joke. Why would anyone pay that for a albeit gifted player but one with such a flagrant history of incidents. One of which will see him miss the first six games of the season anyway, he is irresponsible and far too unreliable to pay such a heavy cost.

Have you not paid attention to the Liverpool player valuation method?

Downing £20m

Henderson £20m

Carroll £35m

Makes sense now doesn't it?

[Ryan95]

Ahhh yes now I get it they over value mediocre english players which in turn inflates one of their only decent players.

[Guest NGOG]

The irresponsible spending at Liverpool was largely attributable to Damien Comoli. They're probably still attempting to heal that expenditure but also, Suarez is a player of the highest quality. Many of the game's greatest players were volatile characters; Diego Maradona, George Best, Paul Gascoigne.

[Tater Totts]

Ah Damien Comoli, was so glad when he got fired from Spurs.

[Chris1989]

The irresponsible spending at Liverpool was largely attributable to Damien Comoli. They're probably still attempting to heal that expenditure but also, Suarez is a player of the highest quality. Many of the game's greatest players were volatile characters; Diego Maradona, George Best, Paul Gascoigne.

I think Liverpool could be "recovering" from that era for 2-3 more years. Although Football is a business, the brand will take a hit if they ship out the players mentioned previously. Downing and Henderson's big price tags were justified as they were players for the future.

That was the moment they were stuck with them longer term, the players become an investment that Liverpool have to make work. Had they been in a position to ship them out this summer then the rebuilding could take place ASAP, instead it is hanging on an extra 12 months.