The Footy Megathread!

[Horhay]

Well we keep finding more and more fans, garlad you are just adding to the group. So let's keep all football related content in this thread since we are small group of fans who actually follow we can't make threads that only one person will reply. Anyways Scott, Baliey, Dattebayo and myself all follow pro football. The same people in addition to Bravesfan and jrocca have/play FIFA09.

To answer your question from the other thread, yes I do follow. I don't have a particular team in the EPL, but I enjoy watching the games. However I am liking Liverpool this year, I think if they don't win it now they won't in a long time! they are finally reaching that talent threshold and it's their time! Torres is in a fantastic level and Benitez is having no issues with players so what else can I say? ManU is finally losing grip. Chelsea is a mess I think, they keep buying players and more players that bring a huge ego and that's why the teams is so inconsistent! the egos that team has will not let them find their rhythm. Arsenal has a relatively young team that will only get better and I keep reading everywhere that they might lose Fabregas this next summer....

I used to watch plenty of the Spanish league, but I lost GolTV which used to show all the games every weekend. Fox Sports channel now shows the EPL and the Serie A Italian league which is not bad, but not the same.

 

[HighDefSamurai]

Well the difference for us since losing RvP is 2 goals fewer, but we also conceded fewer goals. We're much better as a whole since we stopped relying on him. That being said, if anyone can get 20+ goals a season out of Jovetic then it's AW. Plus he has fantastic dribbling skills and a huge amount of talent.

I think you have looked a lot less dangerous this year in terms of attacking prowes you still play quality football excellent passing and link up play especially between your midfield players Arteta has been a revelation this year looked fantastic think I read he has the best pass completion in the league also.

 

[Thisisnotsparta]

Back when he was at Lyon I would have loved it if we signed Benzema. Having watched him playing for RM lately I think he has got very lazy. For instance, when he came on in the second leg against Dortmund, he eventually scored but he wasted about half a dozen chances by being offside. And not because he moved too soon either, he was just standing in offside positions to begin with. We don't need someone like that.

HighDefSamurai: I agree we have lost a little of our spontaneity in attack, particularly the explosive finishing of RvP. And it would be nice to create more shots on goal, but while the finishing is less spectacular, it is still efficient. I would be more worried if we couldn't score goals. Giroud should have scored more, he missed some great chances, but he's only human after all.

 

[HighDefSamurai]

Back when he was at Lyon I would have loved it if we signed Benzema. Having watched him playing for RM lately I think he has got very lazy. For instance, when he came on in the second leg against Dortmund, he eventually scored but he wasted about half a dozen chances by being offside. And not because he moved too soon either, he was just standing in offside positions to begin with. We don't need someone like that.

Took the words out of my mouth I think he feels because he's at Real that he can be lazy because the likes of Ronaldo,Modric,Di Maria will make up for it, When he was Lyon though he was unbelievable I always thought he was arsenal bound due to Wengers connections in France and his bias towards French players and players from the French leagues

 

[nickforall1987]

Took the words out of my mouth I think he feels because he's at Real that he can be lazy because the likes of Ronaldo,Modric,Di Maria will make up for it, When he was Lyon though he was unbelievable I always thought he was arsenal bound due to Wengers connections in France and his bias towards French players and players from the French leagues

Benzema has not been used the same as in lyon.
He had more of a role to take the team on his back rather than just being the areas number 9.
Plus mourinho, alwayas prefered di maria and callejon in most games this season which for me they shouldnt even be in madrid )see di marias right leg cross against dortmund...didnt even reach the defender infront of him 2 meters)
Benzema was kind of lost in the talent and the competition upfron of real as higuain did....the media were bombarding them non stop...mourinho was rpovoking them even more...
saying that...the psychology of scoring a goal is amazing to what it can take out of a player. if you all remember modrics goal against united in the champions league and from there after he replaced khedira xavi alonso and ozils role in one in some sense

 

[frankfish44]

I think the perceived laziness is due to the counterattacking ways of RM. Conceeding possession most of the time doesn't bring forwards into the game. I think he is a better forward than Higuain just stuck in the wrong system

 

[Thisisnotsparta]

When your team is passing around the edge of the area and you're just standing there at least 2yds offside before the ball gets played in to you then there's definitely an element of laziness involved. He's just become complacent. While I do feel he needs to leave Madrid if he hopes to reach anything like the level he used to be at, his work ethic would make him better suited to the slower paced Serie A. And unlike Benzema, Higuain does track back to win the ball.

 

[HighDefSamurai]

I think the perceived laziness is due to the counterattacking ways of RM. Conceeding possession most of the time doesn't bring forwards into the game. I think he is a better forward than Higuain just stuck in the wrong system

Higuain is more of a team player though remember watching him in a game this year and he lost the ball and tracked back all the way to his own box and made the tackle, Benzema is a better finisher mind you.

 

[nickforall1987]

I think the perceived laziness is due to the counterattacking ways of RM. Conceeding possession most of the time doesn't bring forwards into the game. I think he is a better forward than Higuain just stuck in the wrong system

benzema might be a better forward around the box but not an overall player...just because he did last season good doesnt mean anything the season before and after that he was dreadfull

When your team is passing around the edge of the area and you're just standing there at least 2yds offside before the ball gets played in to you then there's definitely an element of laziness involved. He's just become complacent. While I do feel he needs to leave Madrid if he hopes to reach anything like the level he used to be at, his work ethic would make him better suited to the slower paced Serie A. And unlike Benzema, Higuain does track back to win the ball.

i agree with you,
benzema cant keep up with the fast pace of liga with the weight he gained,
always offside, always wrong judgement when to make a drible,
misses the chances that you see in bloopers almost...at that level, although not expected to score everything....you are expected to score some....
he scored so many offside flags this season as well as so many lost challenges and so many missed shots...
and yes i do feel he needs to leave madrid...as a package with callejon di maria and pepe aswell

 

[HighDefSamurai]

i agree with you,
benzema cant keep up with the fast pace of liga with the weight he gained,
always offside, always wrong judgement when to make a drible,
misses the chances that you see in bloopers almost...at that level, although not expected to score everything....you are expected to score some....
he scored so many offside flags this season as well as so many lost challenges and so many missed shots...
and yes i do feel he needs to leave madrid...as a package with callejon di maria and pepe aswell

I think there will be a big clearout at Madrid this summer agree with your saying of Benzema, Callejon and Pepe, I think they need to sell Arebola and Kaka also.I don't see Di Maria leaving anytime soon though..Will be interesting to see which players they focus on getting I think if Ronaldo leaves Neymar will be his replacement.Can also see them bidding for Bale if he decides to leave

 

[Thisisnotsparta]

From what I've read so far, it seems Neymar has no intention of leaving Brazil til after the next World Cup. I do think Real would be a better destination for him. If he went to Barca he would be in Messi's shadow and he doesn't have the temperament to play second fiddle. I can see him agreeing to move to Real next year though.

Real will most likely try to get Bale this summer. Whether they can get him is another matter, but they would be the most likely destination should be leave. While Spurs have sold star players to Utd in previous seasons, the sale of Modric to Madrid showed they would no longer strengthen teams they are trying to compete with.

 

[HighDefSamurai]

From what I've read so far, it seems Neymar has no intention of leaving Brazil til after the next World Cup. I do think Real would be a better destination for him. If he went to Barca he would be in Messi's shadow and he doesn't have the temperament to play second fiddle. I can see him agreeing to move to Real next year though.

Real will most likely try to get Bale this summer. Whether they can get him is another matter, but they would be the most likely destination should be leave. While Spurs have sold star players to Utd in previous seasons, the sale of Modric to Madrid showed they would no longer strengthen teams they are trying to compete with.

Agreed would be a silly mistake to sell him to another club in the same division said that on a previous post, the only place that boy is going is abroad and Spain is the likely destination.

I have read abit on Neymar the past few weeks saying he want to stay at Madrid but if Santos get a big enough offer they will accept and I believe he would go in heartbeat countless players have expressed there desire to stay at a certain club then moved a players word nowadays is meaningless but that been said I think it would benefit him to stay in Brazil and the only place the boy is going is Madrid.

 

[bidou]

Benzema is a better finisher mind you.

Wow mate, you need to see a game of the French National Team...
1100+ minutes without scoring a single goal

 

[HighDefSamurai]

If The Sun and Talk Sport can be called accurate they believe that Thomas Vermarlen will be moved out of Arsenal for £5 million in a clearout at Arsenal with Andre Santo,Arsharvin,Chamakh,Bendtner and Park Chu Young

 

[shejon01]

If The Sun and Talk Sport can be called accurate they believe that Thomas Vermarlen will be moved out of Arsenal for £5 million in a clearout at Arsenal with Andre Santo,Arsharvin,Chamakh,Bendtner and Park Chu Young

The things I would rather do than listen to TalkSport.

Utter garbage.

 

[HighDefSamurai]

The things I would rather do than listen to TalkSport.

Utter garbage.

Take it there not 'reliable' then haha!

I normally only look on Goal.com as there right on quite a lot of things when it come's to transfer news.

 

[frankfish44]

Bayern are KINGS of Europe. Congrats to a well played final.

On the other hand, its time for my BARCA to reinvent themselves and take back their throne. Gonna be an interesting off season with transfers

 

[HUBMUSWELL]

Congrats to FCB

Enjoy a double ration of...

 

[shejon01]

Take it there not 'reliable' then haha!

I normally only look on Goal.com as there right on quite a lot of things when it come's to transfer news.

Haha goal.com and caughtoffside.com are the worst websites anywhere for making up nonsense.
I wouldn't even trust the date on those two haha

 

[Thisisnotsparta]

Those sausages don't look cooked.

And TalkSport should be called TalkSh*t.

So Neymar is going to play second fiddle to Messi. Bad decision imo but we'll see.

And Lyon interested in Gervinho. Do a swap deal for Gonalons and I'll pay for his plane ticket.

 

[HighDefSamurai]

Knew Neymar was leaving as I said a few days back surprised it to Barca I imagine that Bale will be the main want for Madrid know! Also think the gunners may resign Fabregas £25 million well spent if they do.