Football 2011-2012

[jump]

Hargreaves medical for City

[eFestivals]

Its Liverpool or Spurs for 4th imo, people write Spurs off but they weren't far off last season and only failed to make a proper push imo cause they got knackered having to field their full team in the champs league every Wed. They still looked like a top 4 side outside the end of season though, after all a team who pick up away wins against Stoke, Fulham, Villa, Sunderland etc without playing particually well has to be up there.

unless they sign some world beaters in the next couple of days they don't have a hope. However far Arsenal have fallen they're still above Spurs when all their players are available.

Arsenal could turn it around but need to spend bigger then i think they will - their bench on Sunday was absolutely laughable.

their bench was dreadful, but it does need looking at properly - they had 11 players out for that match, all of whom would have been on the pitch or the bench in preference to those players.

The amount they spend isn't of too much relevance. Far more important is the quality of the players they get and how they fit within the team.

[jump]

.... what the f**k is Wenger doing???? I know Armand Traore is shit, but he's a player and they need players, especially defenders.

[ralph250]

Got a link? There's loads of talk about he going to Spurs, Villa or Albion and Leicester were intrested but I can't see any City news though.

[ralph250]

They've got Gibbs and they are about to sign Santos to cover the lb postion, apparently they are about to sign Mertesacker and are talking to Chelsea over Alex, Malouda & Benayoun.

[Wooderson]

Its Liverpool or Spurs for 4th imo, people write Spurs off but they weren't far off last season and only failed to make a proper push imo cause they got knackered having to field their full team in the champs league every Wed. They still looked like a top 4 side outside the end of season though, after all a team who pick up away wins against Stoke, Fulham, Villa, Sunderland etc without playing particually well has to be up there.

Arsenal could turn it around but need to spend bigger then i think they will - their bench on Sunday was absolutely laughable. I can't see them picking up anywhere near enough wins away to push for top 4. Liverpool i think the jurys still out, looked good but some of those signings are suspect and I think most people are iffy on whether they're 'top 4' quality... certainly got more depth then Arsenal though.

Should have a clearer idea once the transfer window shuts, Arsenal need new players everywhere, liverpool defence, Spurs upfront etc...

[Wooderson]

unless they sign some world beaters in the next couple of days they don't have a hope. However far Arsenal have fallen they're still above Spurs when all their players are available.

[jammy2211]

unless they sign some world beaters in the next couple of days they don't have a hope. However far Arsenal have fallen they're still above Spurs when all their players are available.

their bench was dreadful, but it does need looking at properly - they had 11 players out for that match, all of whom would have been on the pitch or the bench in preference to those players.

The amount they spend isn't of too much relevance. Far more important is the quality of the players they get and how they fit within the team.

[ralph250]

unless they sign some world beaters in the next couple of days they don't have a hope. However far Arsenal have fallen they're still above Spurs when all their players are available.

their bench was dreadful, but it does need looking at properly - they had 11 players out for that match, all of whom would have been on the pitch or the bench in preference to those players.

The amount they spend isn't of too much relevance. Far more important is the quality of the players they get and how they fit within the team.

[The Nal]

100% agree. When I see reports of 'Arry looking to pick up Leiva and Kuyt on the cheap I chuckle to myself.

Looking forward to a Rovers triumph at the Lane in a few weeks time.

[eFestivals]

bensmith_Times Ben Smith

File this one under 'you what?' Owen Hargreaves has reportedly had a medical at #MCFC today

DiscoMirror David McDonnell

Owen Hargreaves said to have had a medical at Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester today ahead of move to Man City #MCFC

Matt_Lawton_DM Matt Lawton

Owen Hargreaves to Man City? Now that would be something. Man on a mission!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3783440/Owen-Hargreaves-undergoes-medical-at-Manchester-City.html

I just read about this on Sky text - along with "it's on twitter so it must be true". It looks as tho Sky think it's bollocks.

[eFestivals]

They've got Gibbs and they are about to sign Santos to cover the lb postion, apparently they are about to sign Mertesacker and are talking to Chelsea over Alex, Malouda & Benayoun.

Mertesacker is already in London for a medical according to Sky so that looks like a done deal.

Sky also mentioned that they're in for midfielder from a french team (i forget the details) for about £26M.

And talking of France, Joe Cole is apparently over there to sign for Lille.

[eFestivals]

we'll see how it pans out then, they were easily top 4 material last season until the last stretch

... I think I must have been watching a different league.

They always looked well short, and the demonstration of just how much they were short was them almost being caught by a Liverpool who had a dreadful dreadful first half of the season.

and from what I've seen they'll need less points this season then Arsenal had last season for 4th. Bale, VDV, Defoe are good enough for top 4 imo, just the problem is Spur's best players are very inconsistent so they drop stupid points against weaker teams.

Defoe scores too few, and VDV is too slow. They're not top 4 players.

I'm looking at their full squad online and still think it's far too thin injuries or no injuries. You keep playing this 'injury' card on Man U and other sides but Arsenals defence is ruined without Vermalen, Chamakh looks the best replacement for VP etc... Arsenals team can become dessimated a lot faster then any of the other top sides.

I agree that Arsenal's squad is very thin but those 11 players who were out at the weekend definitely takes it up a big notch.

Gervinho is going to be much better than Chamakh - I reckon he's already shown that with the little he's played. Once the other players click onto how he plays he'll be knocking them in for fun or helping others do the same.

I reckon a good indicator of the strength of both squads are the defenders they've both just let go - with Traore going out of Arsenal for more than Hutton from Spurs.

If Arsenal get most of the players they're chasing then they'll be streets ahead again. And while they might not get those players they're not a club chasing ghost signings which don't stand a chance of happening 'Arry.

[ralph250]

I just read about this on Sky text - along with "it's on twitter so it must be true". It looks as tho Sky think it's bollocks.

[ralph250]

Gervinho is going to be much better than Chamakh

[ralph250]

... I think I must have been watching a different league.

They always looked well short, and the demonstration of just how much they were short was them almost being caught by a Liverpool who had a dreadful dreadful first half of the season.

[The Nal]

I'm better than Chamakh.

Edited August 30, 2011 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

11? I thought Wenger said 8.

I've not counted them myself, but 5live kept saying 11 during Sunday's match when both the bans and injuries are included.

At the end of the day the way their squad is, they had their first choice keeper, one of their first choice centre backs (Kosc) and first reserve (Djou), their first backup left back (Traore) and first back up right back (Jenkinson), Coquelin was making his debut, but Ramsey, Rosicky, Arshavin, Walcott and Van Persie are reasonable regulars. It was a naive performance but the starting backline weren't 4th-5th in line, they were 1st,2nd, as the squad stands currently.

If Traore was their 1st back-up left back, why didn't he come on for Gibbs in the game where Gibbs got injured? Add to that that he's been sold today, and there's no way he's the back-up.

I didn't watch Sunday's game, but the criticism on 5live was being chucked at Rosicky, Arshavin, & RVP from the first choice players you name, plus some other more-forward players who I forget now (plus Chamakh when he came on and did zilch).

But anyway, the problem is more their midfield than anywhere else - it's almost like it's not there, so those backs are always going to struggle when they're left so open to the opposition getting forwards.

[eFestivals]

They were 4th with 12 games to go. 2 points ahead of Chelsea and 2 behind City in 3rd, though Spurs had a game in hand.

City with 6 games to go had 56 points, to Spurs 53 with a game in hand.

They weren't that far off before struggling to balance the league and CL.

Just as much as Spurs over-performed earlier in the season some of those others under-performed. Spurs always looked short for the top 4 - the lack of goals for a start.

[ralph250]

I reckon a good indicator of the strength of both squads are the defenders they've both just let go - with Traore going out of Arsenal for more than Hutton from Spurs.

[eFestivals]

I'm reading £1.2m for Traore and £3m for Hutton.

I've read somewhere today (can't remember if it was the beeb or sky) that Traore cost QPR £4M.

But it did seem a lot I've got to admit. I'd certainly have guessed at Hutton costing more.

[Jaybles]

Can't really understand the Hargreaves to Man City developments. Purely because I have closely followed Hargreaves' developments over the last few years, and I know how much he wants to prove to the world that he is still the top class player we saw of him a few years ago.

I don't blame him if he does join City, I am sure it would be a great pay packet and a chance to play with some top footballers. If he really wants to play regular football though I just can't see it happening at City. He would get so many more chances at 90% of the rest of the premiership. At city he has to compete with a midfield already full of talent.

Wish him the best of luck though, he deserves a change in fortunes

[ralph250]

So am I.

So was Russell Beardsmore.

[The Nal]

Can't really understand the Hargreaves to Man City developments. Purely because I have closely followed Hargreaves' developments over the last few years, and I know how much he wants to prove to the world that he is still the top class player we saw of him a few years ago.

I don't blame him if he does join City, I am sure it would be a great pay packet and a chance to play with some top footballers. If he really wants to play regular football though I just can't see it happening at City. He would get so many more chances at 90% of the rest of the premiership. At city he has to compete with a midfield already full of talent.

Wish him the best of luck though, he deserves a change in fortunes

Edited August 30, 2011 by The Nal

[ralph250]

I've not counted them myself, but 5live kept saying 11 during Sunday's match when both the bans and injuries are included.

If Traore was their 1st back-up left back, why didn't he come on for Gibbs in the game where Gibbs got injured? Add to that that he's been sold today, and there's no way he's the back-up.

I didn't watch Sunday's game, but the criticism on 5live was being chucked at Rosicky, Arshavin, & RVP from the first choice players you name, plus some other more-forward players who I forget now (plus Chamakh when he came on and did zilch).

But anyway, the problem is more their midfield than anywhere else - it's almost like it's not there, so those backs are always going to struggle when they're left so open to the opposition getting forwards.

Edited August 30, 2011 by ralph250