The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

US with another dominating win. Second squad is looking great. Landycakes looks to be back in form, maybe Klinsmann knew what he was doing all along. If he keeps playing like this, adding him to the threat of Dempsey and Jozy will make us scary.

 

[danielofthedale]

Indeed! Landon, EJ, and Bedoya all looked really good tonight. I can almost taste the cup now!

 

[BrewKnurd]

US with another dominating win. Second squad is looking great. Landycakes looks to be back in form, maybe Klinsmann knew what he was doing all along. If he keeps playing like this, adding him to the threat of Dempsey and Jozy will make us scary.

Whether Klinsmann knew what he was doing will always be open to debate, but what is not, IMO, is that the whole scenario has played out beautifully. He sends the message that you can't spend time away from the team without consequence, he shows that being a star doesn't get you special treatment, and Donovan comes back playing well enough to easily justify getting him back with the A team.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

First EJ scores after just 14 seconds, and then tonight he makes an amazing play. That dummy run "give"-and-go was just gorgeous. I put "give" in quotations since it was a dummy pass, though IMMHO I think dummies should count as assists (but that doesn't apply here... just ranting )

Also, Landy Cakes is playing out of his mind. Maybe the sabbatical was actually needed to reboot his love for the game.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Would be great come september if we can pull the win at Costa Rica and vs Mexico and effectively lock up the top spot in the group. With the form the squad has been in it's not out of the question. They've been winning and winning pretty dominantly.

 

[danielofthedale]

In the bigger picture, a win over Mexico could put them in a world of hurt. Of Mexico is held to a draw at home against Honduras and then lose to the US there is a real and major chance they miss out on the World Cup. Which would be so great!

 

[Grannyknot]

I'm kind of thinking de la Torre might get fired before the end of WC qualification.

 

[aygov]

Higuain is going to Napoli for 30 mil..... and here we sit offering 40 mil for Suarez... fvcks sake!

Let me wheel out my crystal ball here. Now that RM have sold Higuain they will be free to make an offer on Suarez which 'pool will happily accept since they don't have to compete against them. Suarez will be more than happy to go to sunny Spain and there we will sit having faffed away a month of the transfer window with **** all to show for it. Perhaps Shrek will still be on the market then....

 

[Grannyknot]

Higuain is going to Napoli for 30 mil..... and here we sit offering 40 mil for Suarez... fvcks sake!

Let me wheel out my crystal ball here. Now that RM have sold Higuain they will be free to make an offer on Suarez which 'pool will happily accept since they don't have to compete against them. Suarez will be more than happy to go to sunny Spain and there we will sit having faffed away a month of the transfer window with **** all to show for it. Perhaps Shrek will still be on the market then....

I feel your pain aygov. But there's always Darren Bent

Shrek isn't coming. If we are going to splooge much more than 40m for Suarez, I'd rather just buy a decent back up for Giroud for 15m, buy Fellaini, & save the rest of the money for the next transfer window. No more overspending on the last day please.

 

[danielofthedale]

I think Real is going to pester Spuds until they no choice but to sell them Bale at the end of the window.

 

[aygov]

I feel your pain aygov. But there's always Darren Bent

Shrek isn't coming. If we are going to splooge much more than 40m for Suarez, I'd rather just buy a decent back up for Giroud for 15m, buy Fellaini, & save the rest of the money for the next transfer window. No more overspending on the last day please.

Naww man, Emile Heskey!

I agree that Shrek isn't coming. United would rake us over the coals with that transfer fee.

I'd be more content if we went in for Fellani, but we could really do with a prime striker. We have no clear #1 in that department...

I think Real is going to pester Spuds until they no choice but to sell them Bale at the end of the window.

They'd be better to do it now and have time to spend the windfall rather than waiting till the end of the window. However, if they do sell Bale I see them taking a few steps back this coming season. He was their prime scorer and pulled them out of the fire on multiple occasions. Whomever they get in is going to have to take time to get up to speed.

 

[BrewKnurd]

They'd be better to do it now and have time to spend the windfall rather than waiting till the end of the window. However, if they do sell Bale I see them taking a few steps back this coming season. He was their prime scorer and pulled them out of the fire on multiple occasions. Whomever they get in is going to have to take time to get up to speed.

I've seen it mention a couple times recently in articles that Spurs tend to wait til the last minute "playing hardball" around transfer fees, so that they technically end up "winning" the transfer from a dollar and cents perspective, but then end up losing out for the beginning of the season for exactly the reason you mentioned. They have a harder time finding replacements and getting them worked into the team because of pushing things to the last minute.

 

[Grannyknot]

I've seen it mention a couple times recently in articles that Spurs tend to wait til the last minute "playing hardball" around transfer fees, so that they technically end up "winning" the transfer from a dollar and cents perspective, but then end up losing out for the beginning of the season for exactly the reason you mentioned. They have a harder time finding replacements and getting them worked into the team because of pushing things to the last minute.

same exact thing happened when they sold Modric.

Something we should all remember is that a lot of these transfer fees are Amortized over the life of the contract, especially when selling expensive players to Spanish clubs. So, if Spurs do sell him, its likely they won't get an 80m windfall the day of the sale. They may get 20m or so a year over the life of his contract with them, and If he re-signs with RM a few years down the road, it can stretch out the amortization even further.

 

[aygov]

I've seen it mention a couple times recently in articles that Spurs tend to wait til the last minute "playing hardball" around transfer fees, so that they technically end up "winning" the transfer from a dollar and cents perspective, but then end up losing out for the beginning of the season for exactly the reason you mentioned. They have a harder time finding replacements and getting them worked into the team because of pushing things to the last minute.

It's opposite of how Arsenal work. We tend to wait till the end of the window to grab the scraps at ridiculous prices. Technically I don't think we end up winning anything by doing that....

 

[Grannyknot]

It's opposite of how Arsenal work. We tend to wait till the end of the window to grab the scraps at ridiculous prices. Technically I don't think we end up winning anything by doing that....

The worst was the summer we sold Cesc & Samir right at the end of the window & then overpaid for Arteta, Santos, & Mertesacker.

Last summer wasn't too bad. We had Giroud & Podolski in early, and I think we added Santi in July.

 

[danielofthedale]

I think Giroud could be a #1Striker. I think his first season mirrored Henry's pretty closely. The young Sanog'o I think could be a decent option of the bench this season too. Like most Gunner fans on here have said I too think the DM is the most glaring need we have. Fillaini does not really fill that I think him and Arteta is better the options we have now. Although I think playing Vermalen at DM could work out great. I think we need one more CB to provide some cover but I like the Laurent and Big F'ing German paring. And not to be a homer but I would I would love it if they went after Brad Guzan too.

 

[hopstupid]

should be a great year for NCFC

Norwich City have completed the signing of the striker Gary Hooper from Celtic.

The 25-year-old, who scored 31 goals for the Scottish champions last season, becomes the Canaries' seventh summer signing after he agreed personal terms and passed a medical at Carrow Road

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

should be a great year for NCFC

Norwich City have completed the signing of the striker Gary Hooper from Celtic.

The 25-year-old, who scored 31 goals for the Scottish champions last season, becomes the Canaries' seventh summer signing after he agreed personal terms and passed a medical at Carrow Road

Hooper? Not good enuff for Southampton.

 

[hopstupid]

Hooper? Not good enuff for Southampton.

Southampton should be pretty good next year too. One of my fav teams to watch last year.

They play some pretty football

 

[Grannyknot]

should be a great year for NCFC

Norwich City have completed the signing of the striker Gary Hooper from Celtic.

The 25-year-old, who scored 31 goals for the Scottish champions last season, becomes the Canaries' seventh summer signing after he agreed personal terms and passed a medical at Carrow Road

What about Ricky Van Wolfswinkel?
Norwich have done well this summer. Got rid of Holt as well.

 

[hopstupid]

What about Ricky Van Wolfswinkel?
Norwich have done well this summer. Got rid of Holt as well.

still got him can't wait for the new season to start with 3 new coaches for the top 4 teams so many unknowns. You better hope Arsenal gets Suarez or even benteke would be nice

 

[FlyDoctor]

Good game with a good result. USA seemed to play crisply with nice passes. Few opportunities, and of those some shamefully missed, but at least one in the back if the net. Panama with good defense.

 

[danielofthedale]

Very solid game and a good way end what was a dominate run through the Gold Cup. Landon cemented himself back on the first team. I think EJ also booked his ticket to Brazil of it was not already. I think Mix, Bedoya, and Corona all really helped themselves and I think probably two of these could end up in Brazil too.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Every goal of the Gold Cup by the US set to Team America theme

 

[user 107007]

Higuain is going to Napoli for 30 mil..... and here we sit offering 40 mil for Suarez... fvcks sake!

I would not pitch a fit if Arsenal took Suarez, even though we'd be competing against him. However I doubt Suarez would accept the transfer. He's always whined that the BPL has a grudge against him. Add on top of that his discipline record and it's hard not to have a grudge against him. He's been a louse for club and country going back past his Ajax days.

My WAG is that he'll hold out for a Spanish or even Italian side before swapping BPL clubs. I just hope he goes somewhere.
He's not doing LFC any favors with his behavior and between the recent deals including Sturidge I don't think we'll miss him.

 

[danielofthedale]

So what does 11 wins in a row get you? The Gold Cup Championship, but that's not all. It gets you a 22 year old striker in Aron Johannsson to file his one time switch to the USA and it gets John Anthony Brooks to accept a call up for the Bosina friendly! This additions might not matter much in Brazil but they could be huge parts of the team going to Russia.

 

[hopstupid]

I would not pitch a fit if Arsenal took Suarez, even though we'd be competing against him. However I doubt Suarez would accept the transfer. He's always whined that the BPL has a grudge against him. Add on top of that his discipline record and it's hard not to have a grudge against him. He's been a louse for club and country going back past his Ajax days.

My WAG is that he'll hold out for a Spanish or even Italian side before swapping BPL clubs. I just hope he goes somewhere.
He's not doing LFC any favors with his behavior and between the recent deals including Sturidge I don't think we'll miss him.

Suarez is to good for Liverpool. He was the only striker they had for the first half last year because they were to cheap to sign Clint Dempsey. That's pretty cheap without him last year you would of been bottom half.

Suarez has more class then this.

http://pepereina25.com/en/2013/07/2...el-liverpool-gracias-por-todo-os-vere-pronto/
Pepe Reinas goodbye letter states he was loaned out without being consulted.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Stuart Holden with a torn ACL. Damn poor guy cannot get a break.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Suarez is to good for Liverpool. He was the only striker they had for the first half last year because they were to cheap to sign Clint Dempsey. That's pretty cheap without him last year you would of been bottom half.

Suarez has more class then this.

http://pepereina25.com/en/2013/07/29/carta-de-despedida-para-los-aficionados-del-liverpool-gracias-por-todo-os-vere-pronto/
Pepe Reinas goodbye letter states he was loaned out without being consulted.

To be clear, you think that a loan situation, regardless of how it's handled, could be less classy than biting people?

 

[Grannyknot]

Stuart Holden with a torn ACL. Damn poor guy cannot get a break.

Terrible news for sure. I assume he will part ways with Bolton, and his next likely chance to play will be the 2014 (Maybe 2015) MLS season, assuming a year for recovery & fitness....makes me wonder if he might call it a career.

Some of his play at Bolton was so promising. Amazing free kicks. F-ing Jonny Evans.