Football 2011-2012

[The Nal]

ronaldo and messi probably the 2 footballers man city would never be able to buy.

Edited December 5, 2011 by The Nal

[thetime]

Kaka turned their £107 million, 500k a week offer down. Milan were desperate to sell him and he said no. I’ll love him forever for that.

[The Nal]

they probably get kaka for 10m now!

Edited December 5, 2011 by The Nal

[Steve P]

Looking forward to the next couple of days and watching ManU, ManC and Chelsea sweat on thier results. Didn't imagine for one minute we'd be the club who were through with a game to spare. Not that our group was that tough, but certainly no easier than ManU's and Chelsea's. Will be god to see Frimpong and Coquelain playing tomorrow night, both look very good propects.

[TheGayTent]

Cracking cup draw. A visit to a proper old style football ground. Big allocation and a winnable tie.

Only downside is that it'll no doubt be moved by the plod to Sunday, what with the blades being at home too...

[pink_triangle]

Only because hes nearly 30. Playing some great stuff at the moment for Madrid.

Couple of observations from the weekend:

Wolves - Are they ever not in 17th position? Come on lads, get a couple of wins on the bounce.

RVP - Scored one and set two up. Are Arsenal totally fucked if he gets injured? Steve?

Lindegaard - Quality.

Steve Kean is still an idiot.

[Steve P]

RVP - Scored one and set two up. Are Arsenal totally fucked if he gets injured? Steve?

[kaosmark2]

usual suspects for world player of the year

ronaldo, messi and xavi.

not sign of darren fletcher sadly!

http://soccernet.esp...-d%27or?cc=5739

[The Nal]

Yes. Although we do have a lot of players getting assists - 4 of our team already have 5 or more assists this season. If we want to have a proper go at finishing in the top 4 this season we simply have to sign a striker in January. RVP will have to be rested at some point, but as it stands we just don't have a replacement. I know Wenger's come out in the press saying that he's not intending on making a signing, but I can't (or should that be won't) believe that's going to be the case. The rest of the team are doing well though our midfield of Ramsey/Arteta/Song is proving to be very good, and when ack comes back in the new year we can really begin to rotate a bit. The difference Vermalen makes to our defense is impressive. When Sagna is back in the side I'm looking forward to seeing Vermalen and Koscielny in the middle, as i think they'll be a very god combination.

[thetime]

Any truth to these Gotze rumours?

[pink_triangle]

Would wenger pay best part of 30m for him?

[The Nal]

Would wenger pay best part of 30m for him?

[eFestivals]

Doubt it.

you're probably right, tho I reckon he'd probably be more prepared to spend that amount on a proven youngster than he would an older player.

And along with that he does seem to have got a little more realistic about his spends more recently.

[ralph250]

Manchester United star Anderson received a shock after his two Burnese Mountain Dogs multiplied to ten!

The Brazil international, 23, purchased two dogs without realising they were male and female and they duly provided him with eight new pups.

The United midfielder - currently sidelined with a knee injury - will want to find home for the young mutts before they become too big.

Adult Bernese, which were originally bred to work on farms, can pull wagons and weight up to eight-and-a-half stone when fully grown.

A United source said: 'He's been asking the lads if they fancy a dog - they all think it's hilarious.

'He’s even approached people in parks while walking the dogs to see if he can find any takers. But at the moment he’s stuck with them and these things grow to be enormous.

'He'll have to buy a castle to house them all.'

[jump]

I would say Gotze is the highest rated young player in europe. I dont think arsenal would win a bidding war for his services. Also theres not much of a record of german players (particularly young) leaving germany, I wonder if he would be more likely to go to bayern.

[The Nal]

Imagine 10 of these running around your house.

[ralph250]

Madrid have got a few in recent years; the current team has Ozil & Khedira, plus Gotze's old teammate Sahin (though Turkish). If they were interested I could see Gotze going there to join up with that lot. Nice little group to help integrate into. I think part may depend on the future of Hazard too. Might all be bollocks but from what I've read Wenger's first choice targets are either Gotze or Hazard. Zidane at Madrid has been advancing Hazard, and similarly they're linked to Gotze. I can't see Madrid getting both, so possibility opens up the other. Wenger won't want a bidding war, so maybe he's waiting for them to show their hand, though to be fair I think he'd face competition from a fair few clubs for both and Arsenal don't tend to do great in bidding wars.

Edited December 5, 2011 by ralph250

[Steve P]

Madrid have got a few in recent years; the current team has Ozil & Khedira, plus Gotze's old teammate Sahin (though Turkish). If they were interested I could see Gotze going there to join up with that lot. Nice little group to help integrate into. I think part may depend on the future of Hazard too. Might all be bollocks but from what I've read Wenger's first choice targets are either Gotze or Hazard. Zidane at Madrid has been advancing Hazard, and similarly they're linked to Gotze. I can't see Madrid getting both, so possibility opens up the other. Wenger won't want a bidding war, so maybe he's waiting for them to show their hand, though to be fair I think he'd face competition from a fair few clubs for both and Arsenal don't tend to do great in bidding wars.

[kaosmark2]

There's certainly a fair bit of smoke around the Gotze rumours, but I doubt it will happen. Ignoring the money for a moment, if he came in in our current formation, once Wilshere is fit again, then he'd be replacing Ramsey. The club thinks incredibly highly of Ramsey, so i'm not sure they'd bring in someone ahead of him. I'd love to see Gotze come in, but blocking the development of a younger player doesn't sound like a Wenger signin, especially at 30million. As for Hazard, he's just the kind of player we need, but again I just can't see it. As I said, our first priority has to be signing a new striker to take some of the weight off of RVP's shoulders.

[thetime]

Walcott shifted to the centre and someone else operating as a winger?

[ralph250]

Gotze often operates the flanks, and drifts in. Wouldn't necessarily have to be replacing Ramsey. He's versatile.

[kaosmark2]

Wasn't gervinho bought in as a striker? Not giving chamakh much time he's only been there a year.

Will wenger play 2 upfront though?

[ralph250]

Didn't Lille have pretty much a similar setup though? Hazard and Gervinho flanking Sow.

[kaosmark2]

Didn't Lille have pretty much a similar setup though? Hazard and Gervinho flanking Sow.

[thetime]

Ronnie wallwork, jailed for 15mths!

Must have had a very good living being in the prem/championship so long.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-england-manchester-16012632