English Premier League 08/09 thread

£80m for Ronaldo...thanks for popping in.

Pretty incredible. I didn't really think Madrid would manage to sign him this season (although it was inevitably just a matter of time) - I'm still a little shocked at how quickly Madrid have reverted back to the whole galactic policy. Two seasons ago they were winning titles and being praised for showing the sort of unity and team work (the squad, not the club which has always had problems) that Real haven't showed in decades. Now suddenly because Barca won the treble, they're completely abandoning it?

What's your feeling on the move Im_Neutral and other United fans? Does this saga represent great business or do you feel hard done by?

Apparently Alonso is Madrid's next target. They can fuck right off. But it doesn't seem like that has ever stopped them. Liverpool need to keep hold of Alonso and Macha otherwise we really could be on the decline. On the other hand, if either of those players actually admit they won't to go, I don't see how Rafa can keep them at Liverpool. Surely they're both worth 25m, but in today's market, it's questionable whether 50m could replace the talent Liverpool would be giving up, let alone improve upon it.

No one player is worth 80m. and considering we payed 12.8m its one hell of a good deal. The problem is everybody now knows we have 80m to spend. So automatically everybodys prices just got higher. On the good side Tevez will almost certainly stay. Id suggest we need two other players aswell, i'd get Valencia, we need a good left sided player so Rooney isn't wasted and Nani is just shit, we should have some players coming back like Hargreaves who make a huge difference. We will miss his goals an awful lot, I just cant see the club selling without replacements already in place..or atleast in negotiations..Ribey..Benzema etc

Its good financial sense. Were £100s of millions in debt. That needs to be cleared. With the £59m+ or so from the CL final. I think we'll be ok.

Looking forward to la liga next season thats for sure.

P.S it wont change nothing, he wont have the success there hes had here, its a big mistake but when someone wants to go, thanks for popping in. I notice they're not buying any defenders...

I'm sad to see him go, but it was quite obvious last season he wanted out. However, this football club was great before him, and it'll be great after him. I have a sneaky feeling he won't be a great in La Liga, it's too slow and more defensive minded (somewhere between the Serie A and EPL), and in a team full of superstars, will he really shine? I have doubts.

Neutraul, I very highly doubt Ribery is in place, if anything he'll go to Madrid as well, as he's said he's fed up of German/English climate (German is actually better...), so I reckon either it'll be Park and Nani on the wings, or SAF will bring in Valencia.

Benzema, however, seems to be an option... but you would have thought if he signs Tevez (more likely than getting Benzema I feel), buying a fourth striker would be madness. Rooney must already be worried he's gonna be spending next season on the left-wing.

For this close-season:

Out:

Berbatov
Neville
Nani (Loan)
Kuszczak

In:

Valenica
Benzema
Pele
Naughton

Four replacements for four overrated players. Left-wing and righ-back are the emergency positions, we need to sort them quick.

I think the biggest talking point should be how unethical Madrid are. This is how football is getting progressively worse and worse. It's annoying to read how people comment (on seemingly always English clubs) that they're 'raping' another county's football talent, yet Madrid's financial muscle and pure ignorance of player contracts is surely morally wrong? It's a marketing tool, Valdano himself even said it yesterday. Last year I watched a lot of Championship games; anyone who wants to rememeber what real football is like, watch that this season. But yeah Neutral, it is funny how they're buying no defenders, and that is their weakest area... and they've sold their best defender in Cannavaro. Woops, looks like it's going to be an attack-focused team of Galacticos like last time...

As for Barry's City move, I'm actually happy for Liverpool. It had all the makings of another terrible Benitez transfer; buying an overrated player for too much + possibly one of Liverpool's top 3 players going elsewhere. Alonso is a cracking player. Madrid and Juventus only want one of the two aforementioned, and it isn't Gareth Barry.

Strat, they want both Alonso and Mascherano. Nobody, even Benitez, would see fit to sell both players. I think you'll still have both come season kick-off.

Robsy said:

Strat, they want both Alonso and Mascherano. Nobody, even Benitez, would see fit to sell both players. I think you\'ll still have both come season kick-off.

I hope so. I\'d much rather Rafa spent the summer searching the bargain bins than letting those two world-class players leave.

As for the whole Madrid thing, I have a feeling that UEFA might step in reasonably soon. The money being spent on players these days is absolutely ridiculous and ultimately it\'s not healthy for anyone. If transfers continue to rise like this, it\'s going to promote an even worse state of elitism that many clubs will suffer from. It\'s not just going screw over mid-table teams, I hate to say it, but major clubs like Liverpool, who have a world-fan base but lack seemingly unlimited resources - could be ruined by this.

Any Liverpool or Arsenal fan will tell you (probably not United and Chelsea because they\'re not in any danger) - being knocked out of the top four by a hard working side that planned and grafted for their opportunity is one thing. Being hurled out by the latest billionaires is quite another.

( Edited 11.06.2009 18:59 by TheStratMan )

Yeah i also read that interview about Manchester United 'raping' brazillian football, cant quite remember who it was, was it dunga? it was 4 letter name anyway, dont think it was pele. But they never mentioned the fact that La Liga teams have been doing it for years. I tell ya what La Liga next year will be very interesting indeed. The top 3 players in the world all playing there now. I'll be watching for sure. Platini has come out and said hes concerned about how much Real Madrid are spending.. instead of being scared do something about it, because its quite ridiculous. Personally i feel the sale of Ronaldo will only benefit the team, I still dont think RM are anywhere near as good as Barcelona, Ronaldo & KaKa vs Henry Messi Etoo..Id still pick barca as they have decent defenders.. then when they win nothing again there will be questions asked.

The influx of billionaires into the game is very dangerous, its probably damaging the game, lets be honest, if it wasnt for abramovich Chelsea were getting relegated, administration etc. So in that respect its good hes saved the club but there needs to be a cap on spending. But how can you implent that without affecting EU fair trade rules etc. Its a tough one.

Nani is going to have to step his game up otherwise he'll be out aswell, hes been here 2 years now and hasnt progressed at all, where as Anderson and Hargreaves... well Hargreaves is proven but Anderson..even rafael have been here the same time and less and progressed a lot better. I expect to see valencia even though i dont see him as world class. He will develop at United and hopefully fill the left side leaving Rooney, Tevez, Berba to rotate up front. Park will be playing a lot more but he will probably also try and find a right winger. Unless Valencia plays on both ..

I dont want ribery, hes over priced. I would have preferred Diego but he went to Juventus. Why anybody would go to Serie A is beyond me, especially after the whole corruption charges.

I guess they go because they can get into the Inter Milan team and win a serie A medal instead of a mid team EPL team and win nothing ...

P.S - new song.

You Put Your Transfer In, Your Transfer Out, In Out, In Out, You Fuck Your Club About! You Do The Christiano And You Change Your Mind, Thats What It's All About!!! Ohhhhhhh Ronaldo Is a Wanker. Ohhhhhhhh Ronaldo Is a Wanker. Knees Bent, Arm Stretch, Dive Dive Dive

The billionares revolution will have to stop at some point though, and it\'ll be clubs like Chelsea, Real Mardid and Man City that will really feel it. Manchester United aren\'t in the best position themselves debt-wise, but better than the aforementioned. As criticised as he is, Wenger has the right idea, Arsenal always have little if any debt, and they are still a class team, minus a few areas (GK, CB).

I know it sounds ridiculous and it isn\'t feasable but I would like to see UEFA intoduce a transfer cap. Each league is given a sum of money each season, and is distributed at the end of the season depending on final league standings. It would make the transfer market more tactical, stop these ridiculous sums of money, and most iomportantly give smaller clubs more power in preventing their stars going to bigger clubs. The January window would have to be abolished completely, or have a smaller transfer cap. It will never happen, but I feel it would be good for the game, and maybe bring some Englishness back to the Premier League.

Agree with Valencia not being world class... he just seems like a standard winger to me. United need a balance, Park is an aggressive player, Nani a technical one, which is fine (though I again agree that Nani needs to up his game, the man has no clue about tactical awareness), but say playing Nani and Valencia at the same time would be dangerous, they\'re too similar.

But yes, United need to get a left-midfielder quick. Ribery is a good player, here in Germany he\'s rated as some sort of God, but the price-tag is ridiculous. Diego is another great loss to the Bundesliga, though this last season he\'s not been great. I\'m sure he\'ll stand out in the Serie A; he\'s a fast player with great technical skill and the league is... well slow and quite a chore to watch. I\'m at a loss to be honest who to buy, right now no super left-sided players spring to mind.

The transfer speculation on United buying another forward is becoming worrying. We don\'t need another, not least another world-class one who will whinge and moan, and most importantly push Rooney onto the left-side once more. Keirrison from Palmeiras would be a good buy. And right-back, my word we need a right back. I know some people like O\'Shea, I like Rafael, but they both have their downfalls.

Neutral, it was Carlos Alberto who made the comment about Brazilian football being raped

( Edited 12.06.2009 17:41 by Robsy )

Waaaaaaaaheeeeeeeyyy!!!!

3 - 1