Footy thread (soccer)

[Esteban77]

On a scale of one to Steve McClaren how upset are you over Sparky getting his hands on the chequebook?

Sparky was obviously a great player, but great players don't always make good managers. He will have relegation battle if they do not get better talent.

Esteban

[CaptainQuintero]

Sparky was obviously a great player, but great players don't always make good managers. He will have relegation battle if they do not get better talent.

Esteban

I wouldn't worry about him not spending! He's emptied the coffers at every club he's been at!

[Tino]

I wouldn't worry about him not spending! He's emptied the coffers at every club he's been at!

Pulis spent £80m in five years

[CaptainQuintero]

At QPR he signed players on wages that in total made up 91% of revenue, just on their wages, that doesn't even include their signing fees

Man city £120m in one month!

Take a look at this doozie!

£252.7 million!

The scary thing is that it doesn't seem to matter how much money his current club has, he will blow it all like a 7 year old on Playstation soccer manager then get sacked or resign before the owners realise how much trouble he's put them in. I really like Stoke and their ability to make other footballers cry when they get stuck in but I honestly fear for them now, not just their premiership status but their long term stability as a club. Cue huge wages, crippling debts, poor results and freefall then administration :S

[Esteban77]

Captain,

It seems to me that the owners of the club are the ones holding the purse strings. Sparky will only be allowed to spend what the owners allow him to spend. I hope that Stoke does not go wild on spending because I think they have great fan base that is very enthusiastic. But looking at your list, many of those players are the players that won Man City their premier league title. Although, Sparky was obviously the wrong manager for the job.

Esteban

[CaptainQuintero]

De Jong and Kompany, £22.7m combined I reckon were the only good buys there.

£232m flushed down the toilet.

According to Wiki he's already started ripping apart the Squad that Pulis built and awarding big new contracts to the mid-table journeymen:

Hughes's first task was to release Rory Delap, Mamady Sidibe, Matthew Upson, Dean Whitehead, Carlo Nash and Matthew Lund whilst he gave Jermaine Pennant a new contract.

Pennant?!! Pennant?!!!!!!

[Ken Gargett]

hey, don't complain.

you know the transfer season is not over until wenger has bought four or five 16 year old wannabees no one has ever heard of, and sold our best players to man u or man c.

[CaptainQuintero]

Even Wenger got rid of Pennant!

I think on the whole Wenger has it right with transfers, the only part he doesn't imo is with strikers, it's not something normally that develops into 20+ goals a season until the mid 20's

If he had two 20 goal a season strikers the last five years some silverware would have come I reckon. If he managed to get a player like Hernandez from Man U and someone strong like Dzeko (Stunning players and both chronically underused, could realistically get each for about £15m) then they would be right up there

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Just saw that Tevez is off to Juve for £12m, good riddance to that ****, should have been flushed a long time ago. Must be a big name coming in, Rooney maybe if the gossip is true

[Ken Gargett]

Even Wenger got rid of Pennant!

I think on the whole Wenger has it right with transfers, the only part he doesn't imo is with strikers, it's not something normally that develops into 20+ goals a season until the mid 20's

If he had two 20 goal a season strikers the last five years some silverware would have come I reckon. If he managed to get a player like Hernandez from Man U and someone strong like Dzeko (Stunning players and both chronically underused, could realistically get each for about £15m) then they would be right up there

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Just saw that Tevez is off to Juve for £12m, good riddance to that ****, should have been flushed a long time ago. Must be a big name coming in, Rooney maybe if the gossip is true

he had one and gave him away!

i can't see rooney at arsenal. just doesn't fit??

higuain much more likely.

[CaptainQuintero]

To be fair I never saw Van P never do anything like he did that final year at Arsenal and then last year at Man U. Injuries and playing second fiddle to Henry didn't help I guess.

Higuain looks like a done deal supposedly but he isn't a typical Arsenal player either he's very much no nonsense, in fact quite similar to Van P just not as technically astute. I would love to see Hernandez come, he would get absolute bag fulls, never happen though!

In fact I can't really figure out Wengar's striker ideology, he buys them then sticks them out on the wing. Arshavin was an out and out striker but has been converted into a winger and sure enough no goals. Podolski was a goal machine for Germany and in the Bundesleague playing up front, but again he's been played as an attacking winger. So who knows! I know Wengar likes his Total Football style but sometimes you just need a goal machine. Without Henry I don't think they would have won much during the Invincible era despite the pretty football. They've never managed to find another 30+ goal a year striker since

Rooney I can't see either, not enough technique, passed his best, expensive. So he probably will actually end up going and playing as a winger! Couple of rumours about Rooney going to PSG, Barca and Real but the poor guy can barely speak English never mind adding another into the mix. I'd guess either Chelsea or Man City but wouldn't be surprised if he stayed where he is and fizzle out, two transfer requests in three years, already on the downward slope and can get good money for him, if I was Moyes I'd cash in (Especially if the rumours about Cavani's transfer to Man U are true and he supposed £300k a week salary)

[Ken Gargett]

To be fair I never saw Van P never do anything like he did that final year at Arsenal and then last year at Man U. Injuries and playing second fiddle to Henry didn't help I guess.

Higuain looks like a done deal supposedly but he isn't a typical Arsenal player either he's very much no nonsense, in fact quite similar to Van P just not as technically astute. I would love to see Hernandez come, he would get absolute bag fulls, never happen though!

In fact I can't really figure out Wengar's striker ideology, he buys them then sticks them out on the wing. Arshavin was an out and out striker but has been converted into a winger and sure enough no goals. Podolski was a goal machine for Germany and in the Bundesleague playing up front, but again he's been played as an attacking winger. So who knows! I know Wengar likes his Total Football style but sometimes you just need a goal machine. Without Henry I don't think they would have won much during the Invincible era despite the pretty football. They've never managed to find another 30+ goal a year striker since

Rooney I can't see either, not enough technique, passed his best, expensive. So he probably will actually end up going and playing as a winger! Couple of rumours about Rooney going to PSG, Barca and Real but the poor guy can barely speak English never mind adding another into the mix. I'd guess either Chelsea or Man City but wouldn't be surprised if he stayed where he is and fizzle out, two transfer requests in three years, already on the downward slope and can get good money for him, if I was Moyes I'd cash in (Especially if the rumours about Cavani's transfer to Man U are true and he supposed £300k a week salary)

sometimes you do wonder. i've never been as much of a walcott fan as many. henri was the opposite - winger wenger brought in as striker. but what a magical player - just ask ireland!

no doubt having henri benefited the invincibles, as it would any team, but even without him, a formidible team. many great players. remember that sans henri, there would have been someone else of quality brought in (and what quality striker would not have wanted in back then). but undefeated for 49 games (from memory?)? soccer is more than a one man game. who knows what they would have won but they would have been very serious contenders.

look at barca with messi - nothing like that record.

[CaptainQuintero]

There are rumblings of fabregas coming back, good news if true

Walcott seems to have been stuck back on the wing, I think he got more than a goal per game when played as a striker though, I always thought a box player like Owen would suit their play style to finish off their attacks, maybe 'fox the the box' Francis Jeffers is free? Ironically one of mark Hughes signings after he was dumped at highbury!! Full circle!

[Jason]

nothing like that record.

94-95 Ajax undefeated in domestic league as well as the Champions League, whale of a team there as well

[Ken Gargett]

94-95 Ajax undefeated in domestic league as well as the Champions League, whale of a team there as well

sorry - the reference was to barca with messi. obviously possible to find great undefeated runs in other comps (look at the brizzy roar!) and other sports.

re the fabulous fab, don't see it. i think he won't leave barca till he has made a major success of his time there and that isn't yet. there was talk of him going to man u. just don't see that. he'd go from a gunners legend to detested. and i read where the gunners had an option for 20 mill so if man u are paying forty or whatever, the gunners can actually step in and say bugger off, we'll take him for 20. perhaps they could then sell him on to man u and make a quick 20. that i could see.

[khomeinist]

Wow. That is a lot of Goon analysis. Who needs Ambien?

Arsenal are good for 3rd or 4th every year. Spurs will finally pass them this year. I see mid-table mediocrity in the Goon future. Leave London glory for the boys from White Hart Lane.