Printable View
They have started a little early this year. Barca have wrapped up the signing of David Villa for €40 million from Valenica a short time ago.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0519/villad.html
Competitive European football is now over as we know it :D
Is that Ibra off then?
Jesus thats actually not bad transfer!Quote:
Originally Posted by Roo69
You'd imagine so. If anyone will pay his wages.Quote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
Likely the Fabregas is heading "home" too.
jaysus, they'll have some team next year
I would imagine that is the end of Zlatan alright, will be very interesting to see who would take him. With Fabregas being strongly linked as well they will be some team next season, although if he plays that will leave them very short of defensive midfielders and god knows there not great at the back as it is.
Ibra will stay and Villa will play on the left imo
They do have the best centre back in the world though
Fabregas and Iniesta are kinda injury prone so I doubt there'd be too many games with a midfield trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas 9as lovely as that sounds...)
Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas does sound rather lovely alright :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Barca, Best Centre Back in the world ? are you sure :eek:
Still weaknesses in that team, keeper and center backs are not world class esp as Puyol is getting on a bit. Agree they are strong going forward but they could still be exposed by a defensive team that can hit quickly on the break.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roo69
Yes, I firmly believe Pique is the best centre half in the world at the moment. I'm not saying the others are up to scratch but Puyol has some superb qualities (leadership, reading the game).
How did Chygrynskiy fare for them this season? Didn't see him in any of their Champions League games. Any time I saw him play for Shakhtar looked very comfortable on the ball.
Really? You're the 1st person i've ever heard think or say that about Pique. I would agree in saying he is a very good centre half but the worlds best at present? Theres a few others who i think have had better seasons than himQuote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Thats fine. I don't mind people disagreeing with me on footballing talent. A few of the British/european columnists love him too though (Sid Lowe/Marcotti)
Chygrynskiy has been very disappointing. Couldn't get up to the speed of La Liga and is behinf Pique, Puyol, Marquez, milito and probably even Toure in the centre half lines
I would probably say Lucio and maybe Burdisso are better center halfs than Pique. Thiago Silva would be in contention soon too, I might put Vidic ahead of him too, but he's had a stop start season, Andre Dias who Lazio just signed is very good too.
Agree with Dodge about Piquenbauer, he would seem to be the best at the moment. I'd say any offer for Ibra and Henry and Barca will take it too.
A possible team for next year:
-----------Valdes------------
Alves---Pique--Puyol---Abidal
--------Toure/Keita----------
-----Xavi------Fabergas-----
----Messi--Villa--Iniesta------
With the likes of Pedro, Bojan etc. on the bench.
It's a dream team but its still mainly Spainsh and acamedy players.
that defence is still pants though......................Quote:
Originally Posted by sligo23
Can ya name a better one in world football at the moment?Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Inter Milan's defence?Quote:
Originally Posted by sligo23
All 11 of them?:pQuote:
Originally Posted by Infadel
If it was that bad no way they would have won the leagueQuote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Pique and Puyol are both fine players
wow, were u not watching the Inter gameQuote:
Originally Posted by sligo23
As mentioned previously - Pique is up and down performance wise all the time, Puyol WAS world class but needs to think about retiring at this stage, Abibal well is a joke
Abidal isn't 1st choice left back this season and Pique was named in pretty much every Team of the Season going
Lads dont underestimate Ibra! i also taught he was muck but the amount of assists he gave Messi is unreal!! I know his job is a goalscorer but he can pull centre backs out of posistion and open up spaces for Messi to run into!! He wont be going anywhere!!
Personally i'm not saying Pique is a bad player, he is a very good centre half. I just think there are others who had had better seasons, Lucio from Inter would be one, even though Vidic has had a stop start season through injury i think when he has played he has been a better centre half.Quote:
Originally Posted by gustavo
Puyol will be a year older next season and that bit more injury prone and slow. Inter's defence in terms of center backs is slightly better than Barca's and if you include the goalies with the center backs then Inter's is far, far superior... Valdez couldn't hold a candle to Julio Cesar.
I would even be tempted to say that if Bayern sorted out their goalkeepers they could be deemed as having a better defence (center backs + keeper) than Barca. De Michelis and Van Buyten are pretty solid. Bayern's trouble has been with full backs this season. Goertliz has had the contract dispute (demoted to reserves) and Lahm and Lell have had bad injuries, so fringe players Badstuber, Contento even Tymoshuck (normally a midfielder) have had to fill in along the back line.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gustavo
Not that he is any good anyway.............even with France
Apparently arsenal want kevin doyle, Wenger says that he always liked him. . Id be very suprised if that happened thought
Madrid to offer £95mill for Rooney?
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2010/06...al-madrid-bid/
cant see it happening ... unless glazers / board agree to sell over fergie's head ,, which could see major conflict between both parties at old trafford .... :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Dunny
Liverpool FC are delighted to confirm the signing of Joe Cole on a four-year deal.
The England midfielder has agreed personal terms with the Reds and will undergo a medical in the next 48 hours.
Cole becomes the club's second signing of the summer after Milan Jovanovic.
The 28-year-old arrives from Chelsea, where he won three league titles and two FA Cups during a seven-year spell.
He is a product of the West Ham youth system and has represented his country 56 times, scoring 10 goals in the process.
Really good signing to Liverpool
Amazing signing for Liverpool. He always made a big difference for Chelsea when he was in the side.
Swapping Benayoun for Cole is a very good move by Liverpool. Benayoun is a good player but I'd take Cole over him any day.
I'd take Cole over Benayoun, too.
And I'd DEFINITELY take Cole + £5,500,000 over Benayoun :p
Being the nature of these signings. I would say Cole got a £3million signing on fee and about £15,000 more than he would have gotten from the clubs who were interested in him.
I would also think that Chelsea wouldn't be paying the Benayoun transfer in one lump sum either.
Never the less it's a good bit of business for Liverpool in terms of the player they acquired.
If Woy can keep him fit that is which judging by Duffers (32games) situation he will manage it properly.