Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread (2013-2014)

[Evil Lord Sauron]

For £5 mill.... seems absolute bargain considering Liverpool blew £20 million on him. Liverpool really do need to re-evaluate their transfer policy. Blowing millions on every transfer is insane.

[Serrland]

For £5 mill.... seems absolute bargain considering Liverpool blew £20 million on him. Liverpool really do need to re-evaluate their transfer policy. Blowing millions on every transfer is insane.

I think that was during Kenny's weird waste-money-on-overpriced-transfers phase, wasn't it? Before he got the boot?

In other news, looks like Hyde got Louis Almond on a free from Blackpool. The kid netted 20 goals for me in my most recent season of FM! I had to reformat my computer a few weeks ago, lost my FM saves and reinstalled, and decided to go as Luton. Got the kid on guy and he's been fantastic on the wing for me. Wonder if he'll work out well in real life?

[Evil Lord Sauron]

Not likely:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23558736




Why Luton? Wrexham's the club to be! We just signed N'tame, so now Cameroon taking over.

Sounds about right, but hugely overpriced English/British players, Carroll, Henderson, Adam, Downing.

[Serrland]

Not likely:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23558736




Why Luton? Wrexham's the club to be! We just signed N'tame, so now Cameroon taking over.

Sounds about right, but hugely overpriced English/British players, Carroll, Henderson, Adam, Downing.

Jesus. That's just embarrassing.

Not sure why I went with Luton. I wanted a professional team in Conference NAtional, so that eliminated a fair number. I'd done Hereford before, and Grimsby too, but for some reason I was drawn to either Mansfield or Luton. Went with Luton. Maybe if I get sacked I'll try my hand at Wrexham. Not looking likely though - sitting in third place (safely in the promotion zone, by I think 7 points), even on points but down on goal difference to the second place team (Mansfield), and two points out of first (Braintree, but I don't think they'll keep that spot for long. They've been slipping and their first team goalkeeper is out for four months or so). I'm cautiously optimistic I can get promotion.

[DesAnges]

For £5 mill.... seems absolute bargain considering Liverpool blew £20 million on him. Liverpool really do need to re-evaluate their transfer policy. Blowing millions on every transfer is insane.

I think that was during Kenny's weird waste-money-on-overpriced-transfers phase, wasn't it? Before he got the boot?

More like pre-Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter. Rodgers's signings last year could also be called overpriced in a way.

[Serrland]

I think that was during Kenny's weird waste-money-on-overpriced-transfers phase, wasn't it? Before he got the boot?

More like pre-Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter. Rodgers's signings last year could also be called overpriced in a way.

Apart from Allen at £15 mil and probably overspending on Mignolet this summer, I can't think of any that are too overpriced. His only other spending over 10 mil was on Borini and Sturridge, right?

[I V Stalin]

Downing to West Ham confirmed.

WhoScored: Stewart Downing: Since joining, Liverpool have won 43.4% of their PL games with Downing starting, compared to 30.4% without him

Meh. Small sample size (23/53 and 7/23). Doubt that's significant.

In his first season with Liverpool, didn't he manage to achieve the rather remarkable statistic of zero goals, zero assists in the league?

[DesAnges]

More like pre-Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter. Rodgers's signings last year could also be called overpriced in a way.

Apart from Allen at £15 mil and probably overspending on Mignolet this summer, I can't think of any that are too overpriced. His only other spending over 10 mil was on Borini and Sturridge, right?

The £4m for Sahin's loan want exactly money well spent. Which is Rodgers's fault in execution, although it was a good idea. Borini was also a mite overpriced, and Allen definitely didn't have a £15m season last year.

Although I'm not a big fan of judging on one season.

[Serrland]

Apart from Allen at £15 mil and probably overspending on Mignolet this summer, I can't think of any that are too overpriced. His only other spending over 10 mil was on Borini and Sturridge, right?

The £4m for Sahin's loan want exactly money well spent. Which is Rodgers's fault in execution, although it was a good idea. Borini was also a mite overpriced, and Allen definitely didn't have a £15m season last year.

Although I'm not a big fan of judging on one season.

It's hard to say with Allen if he'll be worth it this year - he got off to a great start least season, if I recall correctly, and did pretty well in the Europa League. That he was able to find his feet so quickly reflects well on him. I imagine there's something of the footballing equivalent of culture shock in moving from Swansea to a team like Liverpool at a young age, with the increased pressure and expectations and whatnot.

And he's signed until 2017. That means Liverpool will have him until he's around 27/28 years old (so pretty much the peak age for a midfielder), when they can possibly sell him for profit if he really shows up.

[DesAnges]

The £4m for Sahin's loan want exactly money well spent. Which is Rodgers's fault in execution, although it was a good idea. Borini was also a mite overpriced, and Allen definitely didn't have a £15m season last year.

Although I'm not a big fan of judging on one season.

It's hard to say with Allen if he'll be worth it this year - he got off to a great start least season, if I recall correctly, and did pretty well in the Europa League. That he was able to find his feet so quickly reflects well on him. I imagine there's something of the footballing equivalent of culture shock in moving from Swansea to a team like Liverpool at a young age, with the increased pressure and expectations and whatnot.

And he's signed until 2017. That means Liverpool will have him until he's around 27/28 years old (so pretty much the peak age for a midfielder), when they can possibly sell him for profit if he really shows up.

Oh I don't doubt he is going to be an excellent player, but that's the point. Big transfer fees are pretty meaningless unless it's already established talent or until the player has had a few years. I'm of the opinion that £16m for Henderson will be quite cheap in five years time.

[Osarius]

In his first season with Liverpool, didn't he manage to achieve the rather remarkable statistic of zero goals, zero assists in the league?

Yeah but wasn't that more to do with Liverpool simply not converting the crosses he was putting in? I'm sure I read something about that. He was basically creating as many chances as he had at Villa, but they weren't being converted. Unless that was his second season and I'm getting mixed up.

Though I have to say the thought of Villa being more efficient in front of goal than ... well, almost anyone... is really weird. I'm pretty sure in my lifetime only two Villa strikers have ever broken 20 league goals in a season, and Agbonlahor has less than 100 goals but is our top scorer in that time.

Downing's main weakness is that he appears to be perhaps too direct for some teams, and otherwise... for lack of a better word, gutless. I would have welcomed him back to Villa personally. *shrug*

[HC Eredivisie]

Huh.

The average age of PSV's youth team (Young PSV) playing today is 20.235. The average age of the first team that won 5-0 at the weekend was 20.216.

But only because Schaars (29) was injured and replaced bij Wijnaldum (22) in the first team.

[DesAnges]

In his first season with Liverpool, didn't he manage to achieve the rather remarkable statistic of zero goals, zero assists in the league?

Yeah but wasn't that more to do with Liverpool simply not converting the crosses he was putting in? I'm sure I read something about that. He was basically creating as many chances as he had at Villa, but they weren't being converted. Unless that was his second season and I'm getting mixed up.

Oh yeh, the season of the many woodworks I'm still of the opinion that if Downing had scored his Maradona at Anfield on the first day of the season both he and the team would have been much better that year. It's the little psychological things.

Huh.

The average age of PSV's youth team (Young PSV) playing today is 20.235. The average age of the first team that won 5-0 at the weekend was 20.216.

But only because Schaars (29) was injured and replaced bij Wijnaldum (22) in the first team.

That's still a hell of a team achievement. Big things to come from the youngsters?

[HC Eredivisie]

That's still a hell of a team achievement. Big things to come from the youngsters?

I hope so, they play AC Milan in the CL next week so that'll be their first test with Ajax, Twente and AZ in the competition in the following weeks. They are building a new team with a new coach.

[I V Stalin]

In his first season with Liverpool, didn't he manage to achieve the rather remarkable statistic of zero goals, zero assists in the league?

Yeah but wasn't that more to do with Liverpool simply not converting the crosses he was putting in? I'm sure I read something about that. He was basically creating as many chances as he had at Villa, but they weren't being converted. Unless that was his second season and I'm getting mixed up.

Yeah, my point was more that statistics are often unreliable indicators of reality. Got to admire his self-confidence, though - still shooting after 70+ shots with no reward.

[Serrland]

Bosnia v. USA in just under two hours. I'm looking forward to it, should be a good friendly. It doesn't matter too much, but lets Klinsi do a little bit of tinkering with the back line before qualifiers start again. And with Dempsey being left behind to adjust and settle in to Seattle and Donovan being off the roster (but almost sure to be on the qualifiers roster come September) there'll be some open spots on the first team for peripheral players to make a strong case against on of the better sides the US has faced since beating Italy.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the back line performs. Gonzalez, Goodson, and Besler were all left off the roster, so it could be a good chance for Geoff Cameron to impress at center back (despite playing fullback at Stoke under Pulis, I'm not sure how he'll be used under Hughes) and possibly Tim Ream from Bolton, who has plenty of potential but has been pretty absent from the USMNT since his blunders at the 2011 Gold Cup.

Lots of young guys, which is good for a friendly. Tim Howard is the oldest at 34, Jermaine Jones second oldest at 32.

[The Licentian Isles]

Bosnia v. USA in just under two hours. I'm looking forward to it, should be a good friendly. It doesn't matter too much, but lets Klinsi do a little bit of tinkering with the back line before qualifiers start again. And with Dempsey being left behind to adjust and settle in to Seattle and Donovan being off the roster (but almost sure to be on the qualifiers roster come September) there'll be some open spots on the first team for peripheral players to make a strong case against on of the better sides the US has faced since beating Italy.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the back line performs. Gonzalez, Goodson, and Besler were all left off the roster, so it could be a good chance for Geoff Cameron to impress at center back (despite playing fullback at Stoke under Pulis, I'm not sure how he'll be used under Hughes) and possibly Tim Ream from Bolton, who has plenty of potential but has been pretty absent from the USMNT since his blunders at the 2011 Gold Cup.

Lots of young guys, which is good for a friendly. Tim Howard is the oldest at 34, Jermaine Jones second oldest at 32.

Hopefully, Ream will be able to survive a game with you lot without getting injured, unlike another American player with the Whites

[DesAnges]

This is awesome.

[The Licentian Isles]

James Morrison, you fucking dancer !!

[Rubiconic Crossings V2 rev 1f]

England v Scotland

LOL

[Eastfield Lodge]

The moment you realise that Scotland are getting in behind much more than England...

[Rubiconic Crossings V2 rev 1f]

The moment you realise that Scotland are getting in behind much more than England...

Some tabloid had a bye-line..."England - The New Scotland

I thought that harsh on Scotland to be honest

[Pretty Awesome Persons]

walked into a bosnian cevapi restaurant to get some cevapi for the game...but i wore a USA shirt to see what reaction id get...i was refused service.

[The Blaatschapen]

walked into a bosnian cevapi restaurant to get some cevapi for the game...but i wore a USA shirt to see what reaction id get...i was refused service.

Pity.

I <3 Cevapi.

[Souseiseki]

rip england

e: fuck