The new footy thread

[Bloody Brian Burke]

admittedly, my shot at TFC relies on 2 assumptions ... that they initially sold Henry to the Cypress team for less than 1.5 shmill pounds and that tfc retained no sell on rights/% ... until i see otherwise, TFC retain their title of idiots lol

the story says:


why didnt TFC just sell direct to West Ham???



/edit: and i know transfers involving MLS teams are murky so Ill lump the MLS head office into the idiots category if they had a hand in it

These are all valid points.

Worth mentioning that $1.5 million is a drop in the ocean for MLSE, though.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

The Liverpool Oilers

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[jstewismybastardson]

Scalped skrtel scores

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Arsenal really blew one vs. Liverpool yesterday but an exciting game to watch

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Arsenal really blew one vs. Liverpool yesterday but an exciting game to watch

Arsenal played terribly. Just desserts.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Arsenal played terribly. Just desserts.

They have a bunch of injuries

I think Chelsea looks better than everyone, even Man City

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

They have a bunch of injuries

I think Chelsea looks better than everyone, even Man City

They do, but even the injured players aren't that good. They're Arsenal quality.

 

[dash]

The Saints finally got back in the win column with a 3-0 win over Everton on the weekend. I don't think they'll end up in the top 4, but hopefully they can keep things interesting.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

It'd be awesome for West Ham or Southhampton to finish top 4

 

[dash]

Southampton gets their first win over Arsenal in 12 years beating the Gunners 2-nil. Also move three points clear of Arsenal in the table.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Gooners too many injuries

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Southampton gets their first win over Arsenal in 12 years beating the Gunners 2-nil. Also move three points clear of Arsenal in the table.

Great win, even greater when combined with Spurs' demolition of Chelsea.

 

[dash]

Stevie G to join the Galaxy?

Report: Gerrard to join Galaxy on 18-month contract - Article - TSN

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Some random new year thoughts:

Anyone else surprised Borussia Dortmund is in danger of relegation? They finished 2nd in the Bundesliga last year..

Atletico Madrid continues to do more with less in the spanish premier

Arsenal is screwed with all their injuries but I've been very pleased with the Sanchez signing

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Some random new year thoughts:

Anyone else surprised Borussia Dortmund is in danger of relegation? They finished 2nd in the Bundesliga last year..

Atletico Madrid continues to do more with less in the spanish premier

Arsenal is screwed with all their injuries but I've been very pleased with the Sanchez signing

Dortmund has done a poor job of replacing all the stars they've lost in recent years. Even so, it's still very surprising they're doing this badly.

Atletico, on the other hand, held on to almost all their big pieces (Koke, Turan, Gabi, Tiago) and did an excellent job of replacing Costa's goals by signing Griezmann and Mandzukic. Wonder how Torres is going to be used, though...

Arsenal might finish third. The English league sees a serious drop in quality after the top two. If Spurs sell Lloris, they're screwed too. I'd keep an eye out for Valencia in Spain, too. Enzo Perez is a great pickup for them.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Dortmund has done a poor job of replacing all the stars they've lost in recent years. Even so, it's still very surprising they're doing this badly.

In the CL they are in first though, strange season

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Dortmund has done a poor job of replacing all the stars they've lost in recent years. Even so, it's still very surprising they're doing this badly.

Atletico, on the other hand, held on to almost all their big pieces (Koke, Turan, Gabi, Tiago) and did an excellent job of replacing Costa's goals by signing Griezmann and Mandzukic. Wonder how Torres is going to be used, though...

Arsenal might finish third. The English league sees a serious drop in quality after the top two. If Spurs sell Lloris, they're screwed too. I'd keep an eye out for Valencia in Spain, too. Enzo Perez is a great pickup for them.

Especially Lewandowski. League's leading scorer and accounted for a full 25% of their goals scored last year. Tough to replace that kind of production.

I think they'll avoid relegation though. There's only what, 4 points, separating 10th from last place right now, so they could jump up a lot pretty quick.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

In the CL they are in first though, strange season

Weak group.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Especially Lewandowski. League's leading scorer and accounted for a full 25% of their goals scored last year. Tough to replace that kind of production.

I think they'll avoid relegation though. There's only what, 4 points, separating 10th from last place right now, so they could jump up a lot pretty quick.

Losing that goal-scoring production can be cataclysmic for a team. It's been 8 years and Arsenal is still trying to figure out how to replace Henry. Chelsea was headed down the same road before they scooped up Costa. Immobile is young and decent enough, but 3 of him wouldn't compare to 1 Lewandowski.

Like you say, though, I doubt they finish off anywhere near bottom. Even ignoring the small point difference at the bottom half of the table, it would be a fucking disaster for German soccer. Dortmund is likely the second-most popular German team abroad now. If they go down, it could signal the start of a slide back to afterthought status for the league, especially with Serie A finally starting to invest in infrastructure and the bigger teams beginning to turn the tide after struggling for years with FFP. All 4 German CL teams made the R16 this year and besides Bayern, Dortmund are the only ones with a chance in hell of progressing. The Bundesliga need them to not just survive, but do well.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Meanwhile, it seems Barca is imploding from within right now. Zubizarreta is out as sporting director, apparently Puyol was to take his place and then Puyol quit. And Catalan radio stations are apparently reporting that Messi doesn't rate Enrique at all and is furious with the board/Bartomeu for defending him while performances get worse and worse, and with the transfer ban in place until next winter they're stuck with the players they've got, or worse if those players want out. FWIW, Messi sat out practice today with "a stomach bug".

IMO, yesterday was the most confusing thing I've seen a team do all year. Real loses, Barca plays afterward and can go first and Enrique sits Messi, Neymar and Dani Alves?! Gives them "a rest" after the holiday? Da fuq?