General Football/Soccer Talk

[bigh0rt]

The problem with David Luis is not that he's over-priced. It's that he's just not that good. He's a piss poor defender, and not quality enough to play in the midfield for a team that wants to play with the quality that PSG is hoping for.

[shadowgrin]

Champions League Final.

Luis Figo presenting the CL trophy to the crowd before the pre-match ceremony/show.

Dat Atletico D.
Blink and there's 2-3 defenders pressuring you suddenly.

Diego Costa subbed out early before the 10th minute of the game, Atletico getting themselves familiar with no Costa next season who's on his way to Chelsea.

Godin with the lone goal so far for Atletico, Casillas getting old to had made a mistake like this...

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WTF is that font in the Real Madrid jersey names, Comic Sans? Ugly as feck.

Bale with the nice looking breakaway to the box and is met by two Atletico defenders with a third one on the way, damn that D.

Thibaut Courtois has freakishly long arms, hard emphasis on freakishly.
Had me scared when the camera zoomed in on him ready to block Bale's shot, could be the gloves but afaik keepers wear their gloves tight and not loose, so yeah still freaky.

SERGIO RAMOS GOAL TO TIE THE GAME AT STOPPAGE TIME FOR REAL MADRID. GONNA GO TO EXTRA TIME.
A HEADER GOAL OFF A CORNER KICK!

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Atletico fell asleep in the final seconds of stoppage time for Real to have tied this. I thought Casillas was going to be blamed for the loss for pulling a Gerrard with that lone Atletico goal, Ramos saved his ass.

The commentators jinxed Atletico, they praised Diego Simeone just before regulation time ended and that Ramos goal, calling Simeone "this wonderful leader of men".

"No matter what happens Madrid is going to win this."

Atletico manager Diego Simeone greasing up to the head ref with some smiley chit chat.

Atletico players cramping up, trying to pull a LeBron I see.

Cristiano Ronaldo bitching to the refs about that blocked free kick saying it touched the defender's arm.

GARETH BALE HEADER TO THE RIGHT TOP CORNER TO GIVE REAL THE LEAD 2-1!
Popped that header with a rebound from an Angel Di Maria blocked pass.

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"WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE PLAYER" lived up to his worth with that potential game winning goal.

Marcelo sealing the win with a goal, 3-1.

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Casillas hugging Marcelo for making sure Casillas' ass is saved for pulling a Gerrard.

Ronaldo with a penalty kick, makes it 4-1 for Real.

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Simeone mad, rushing to the pitch trying to pick a fight.

Extra time done. Real wins La Decima.

GG MADRID.

Trophy engraver doing his job on the spot before the trophy is given to Real. Dude's a pro.

Horrible stadium music, BEP song I've got a feeling something while trophy is being engraved.

[shadowgrin]

The problem with David Luis is not that he's over-priced.

Just found out that PSG is paying a transfer fee of £50 million for him.
Now that is overpriced.

David Luiz now holds the record for most expensive transfer fee for a defender beating out his new teammates then record transfer fee to PSG too, Thiago Silva (£35 million) and Marquinhos (£30 million, same as Rio Ferdinand's?)

Dunno if it was true that Barcelona and Bayern Munich were also after Luiz too so PSG had to overpay him fast, that or PSG got played by Luiz's agent or PSG already justifying overpaying for him.

Marquinhos also rumored to be butthurt with the Luiz transfer and wants to move to another team.


AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli is rumored to be plan B for Liverpool and Arsenal.
If Luis Suarez forces a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid and if Arsenal can't sign (again) Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, the latter is more likely to happen than the former.

[Phil89]

David Lulz

Let's put this transfer into perspective. He cost PSG more than Real Madrid paid for (the original) Ronaldo in 2002. Crazy money.


Speaking of Ronaldo, figured I'd post this as the World Cup is coming up.

Most WC goals ever. My all-time favourite player.

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[Phil89]

Forget Balotelli, Liverpool are apparently set to sign Rickie Lambert from Southampton for £4m.

He's not the English player I'd have wanted from Southampton, but I guess it's a decent move. He is 32 and would be 3rd/4th forward option in our squad. He has been decent in the last two premier league seasons with 28 goals and is likely going to the WC with England.

According to the papers Liverpool have bid for 5 other players as well.

Alberto Moreno (Sevilla) £16m
Adam Lallana (Southampton) £20m
Dejan Lovren (Southampton) £15m
Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern) £16m
Emre Can (Leverkusen) £10m

I'd be happy with any of those players.

[stereoxide]

Not at all surprised that Torres (and Villa) were selected above Negredo and Llorente. Del Bosque seems to have an affinity for Torres. Sad to see the like of Navas and Carvajal snubbed. Just shows how deep the Spanish talents are. I would like to see many younger faces, but Del Bosque must have thought to pick players out of experience because this is the World Cup.

[Phil89]

Torres I wonder what kind of reception Diego Costa will get in Brazil if he plays.


Rickie Lambert official to Liverpool now. He's a Liverpool fan and seems ecstatic. Should be a good squad player.

[bigh0rt]

David Villa signed with NYCFC yesterday. Rumors of the expansion squad also signing Frank Lampard forthcoming. Would be very good for the MLS.

[Phil89]

Weird move for a player who just won the Spanish league and played in the CL final. I guess he is getting some good money to go there.

Apparently he might be loaned to Man City's Melbourne team for a couple of months before heading to NYC.

[bigh0rt]

Weird move for a player who just won the Spanish league and played in the CL final. I guess he is getting some good money to go there.

Apparently he might be loaned to Man City's Melbourne team for a couple of months before heading to NYC.

The move to the United States could easily do what it did for David Beckham. There's an opportunity for him to be a premier goal scorer in the MLS that no longer exists at the highest levels, as well as to grow his fame and bank account. I expect to see him all over billboards and ads and commercials and the like in NYC.

[shadowgrin]

Not surprised with David Villa going there and Frank Lampard rumors to NYC FC, majority owner of the club is an Arab group. ARAB MONEY! Them Arabs should buy a NBA team.


More rumors! With two done deals as the transfer period starts on July 1.

Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) : £30 million : Chelsea
Manchester City and United lost out because Barca and Chelsea rumored to have agreed on a transfer exchange. No idea yet who Chelsea is going to transfer to Barcelona, might not even be this season for Chelsea's part. Arsenal turned down its buy back clause because of age and Ramsey reasons.

Emre Can (Bayern Leverkusen) : £9.75 million : Liverpool
Done deal for both clubs as confirmed by Leverkusen management, it's up to Can now if he agrees with the wage offered by Liverpool.

Paul Pogba (Juventus) : £65 million : Chelsea, Manchester City

Eden Hazard (Chelsea) : £60 million : Paris Saint-Germain

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) : £56 million : Barcelona

Arturo Vidal (Juventus) : £50 million : Manchester United

Koke (Atletico Madrid) : £48 million (release clause) : Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea

Adam Lallana (Southampton) : £30 million : Liverpool
Southampton playing hard ball as they want £30 million instead of the Reds offer of £20 million even if Lallana wants to move to Liverpool.

Wilfried Bony (Swansea) : £19 million : Arsenal, West Ham, Newcastle, Chelsea
Arsenal rumored to be willing to increase the transfer fee for the striker to £25 million to keep him away from Chelsea, Gunners trolling again this offseason.

Alex Song (Barcelona) : £15 million : Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal

Serge Aurier (Toulouse) : £7 million : Arsenal, Liverpool
Rumored to be almost done deal for Arsenal that was until Liverpool joined the bidding for the rightback's services, could be payback for what trolling Arsenal did last season with Suarez. Liverpool knows that Aurier is the first choice as Bacary Sagna's replacement and if the Gunners don't get him Arsenal is fucked.

Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad) : £3 million* : Arsenal, Atletico Madrid
*Transfer cost for Arsenal only since they have a discounted buy back clause.

Free agent Samuel Eto'o wants to go to Arsenal (because of Wenger so they can hate on Mourinho together).

Angel Di Maria spits on Tottenham Hotspur saying rumors linking him to the club is insulting
Prefers top 4 EPL teams (Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal) and Man Utd.


Also waiting for Phil to make a World Cup thread, would have made it myself but figured Phil should do it since he's the one that kept the football thread alive.

[formx]

Them Arabs should buy a NBA team.

As I was saying during this whole Donald Sterling crisis.

[Phil89]

Not surprised with David Villa going there and Frank Lampard rumors to NYC FC, majority owner of the club is an Arab group. ARAB MONEY! Them Arabs should buy a NBA team.

They wouldn't know what to do with that puzzling "salary cap" thingy.

Emre Can (Bayern Leverkusen) : £9.75 million : Liverpool
Done deal for both clubs as confirmed by Leverkusen management, it's up to Can now if he agrees with the wage offered by Liverpool.

Seems promising. 20 years old and can't blame him for not breaking into that Bayern midfield. Hopefully Rodgers can improve him like he did with Coutinho, Henderson and Sterling.

Paul Pogba (Juventus) : £65 million : Chelsea, Manchester City

Absolute beast of a player. £65 million is huge money though. Hilarious that SAF let him leave Man Utd for free.

Adam Lallana (Southampton) : £30 million : Liverpool
Southampton playing hard ball as they want £30 million instead of the Reds offer of £20 million even if Lallana wants to move to Liverpool.

I still think £20 million for him is generous. I understand he is their captain and they have to pay 25% to Bournemouth, but he's 26 and only had one stand-out season in the PL.

Apparently we're looking at Shaqiri from Bayern for €20 million as an alternative if Southampton don't lower their price. Who I'd actually probably prefer.

Serge Aurier (Toulouse) : £7 million : Arsenal, Liverpool
Rumored to be almost done deal for Arsenal that was until Liverpool joined the bidding for the rightback's services, could be payback for what trolling Arsenal did last season with Suarez. Liverpool knows that Aurier is the first choice as Bacary Sagna's replacement and if the Gunners don't get him Arsenal is fucked.

All I know about him is that he is highly rated on Football Manager. Seems like a Wenger type signing, if not a bit too old.

Angel Di Maria spits on Tottenham Hotspur saying rumors linking him to the club is insulting
Prefers top 4 EPL teams (Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal) and Man Utd.

"It hurts when you're always doing your best for your club and then you hear that you might be going to Tottenham"

Also waiting for Phil to make a World Cup thread, would have made it myself but figured Phil should do it since he's the one that kept the football thread alive.

Ok, I'll put something together.

[Phil89]

Weird move for a player who just won the Spanish league and played in the CL final. I guess he is getting some good money to go there.

Apparently he might be loaned to Man City's Melbourne team for a couple of months before heading to NYC.

The move to the United States could easily do what it did for David Beckham. There's an opportunity for him to be a premier goal scorer in the MLS that no longer exists at the highest levels, as well as to grow his fame and bank account. I expect to see him all over billboards and ads and commercials and the like in NYC.

It's official now that he will be loaned to Melbourne City for 10 games next season. This is arguably a bigger deal for football in Australia than Alessandro Del Piero signing for Sydney a couple of years ago. Villa is still a top quality player.

Shame that he will be playing for the rival of the team I support though

[shadowgrin]

Rumors!

Alexandre Song (Barcelona) : £20 million (Barca demand), £10 million (Chelsea offer) : Manchester United (no offer yet)

Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) : £18 million : Atletico Madrid

Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal) : £15 million : Manchester United

James Milner (Manchester City) : £10 milllion : Arsenal, Liverpool

Micah Richards (Manchester City) : £5 million : Arsenal, West Ham
Richards butthurt of Bacary Sagna moving to City.

Radamel Falcao (Monaco) : made available by team : Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan (transfer swap offer of Mario Balotelli)

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly doesn't want Luis Suarez in Real Madrid, Ronaldo scurred that Suarez will steal goals from him.

[Phil89]

The latest I've read for Liverpool is that moves for Adam Lallana and Alberto Moreno have stalled over transfer fees. But we're supposedly after Xherdan Shaqiri from Bayern; and Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim as an alternative to Lallana. Very promising.

I'd prefer to see £20m spent on Firmino instead of £25m+ on Lallana. First off he is 4 years younger, but also he scored 16 goals and had 12 assists in the Bundesliga last season. Can never have too many goal threats

Dejan Lovren is apparently also a target and reportedly handed in a transfer request. Him and Sakho would be a solid partnership in defense.

Don't see the point of Milner. He is like 28 and we already have Henderson to play his role.


Chelsea not messing around with transfers. Fabregas official. Diego Costa and Filipe Luis soon to sign from Atletico. They will be favourites with Man City next season at this rate.

[stereoxide]

That overly inflated transfer fee from David Luiz really boosted Chelsea's finances this transfer window. Man United fans must be really mad for getting Fellaini instead of Fabregas last summer. They cost nearly the same.

[shadowgrin]

Arsenal going after Pepe Reina (Liverpool, loaned to Napoli) for £5 million as backup keeper or to challenge for the number 1 so Szczesny will stop making bonehead mistakes like taking a red card.

[Phil89]

Doubt he would go to Arsenal to be #2 keeper. Why not just stay at Liverpool if he was happy doing that?

From what I've read he wants to stay at Napoli with Rafa Benitez, but Napoli are being cheap with the transfer fee. They don't want to pay the amount that Liverpool want because he has big wages.


Apparently Liverpool are "preparing" a £27million offer for Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona. Yes please

[shadowgrin]

Paul Pogba (Juventus) playing FM. Himself in Chelsea.

Jese
Hazard Oscar Mata
Pogba Lampard
Asamoah Cahill Ivanovic Azpilicueta
Cech

[shadowgrin]

Luke Shaw (Southampton) : £40 million (Southampton demand), £30 million (Manchester United offer)

Ander Herrera (Athletic Bilbao) : £29 million : Manchester United (reports saying it's a done deal)

Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid) : £20 million : Chelsea

Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven) : £17 million : Tottenham, Liverpool

Sami Khedira (Real Madrid) : £15 million : Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United

Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich) : £15 million : Inter Milan, Chelsea, Arsenal (what's up with them wanting Mario's)

Mauricio Isla (Juventus) : £15 million : Liverpool, Arsenal

Alex Song (Barcelona) : £15 million : Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Napoli

Dejan Lovren (Southampton) : £15 million : Liverpool, Tottenham

Nani (Manchester United) : £12 million : Inter Milan, Juventus, Arsenal (£8 million offer in a transfer trade with Thomas Vermaelen)

Reports of Mario Balotelli (AC Milan) transfer trade for Joel Campbell (Arsenal)

Rio Ferdinand to Queens Park Rangers

Barcelona offering £56-£68 million plus Alexis Sanchez for Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

[Phil89]

Barcelona offering £56-£68 million plus Alexis Sanchez for Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

If Suarez decides he wants to go to Barca and they offered £68 million plus Alexis Sanchez, I could live with that.

Get a top quality replacement and use that money to improve the defence and midfield.

Of course I'd prefer him to stay. But his latest misadventure really does test my patience as a fan.

[Phil89]

Adam Lallana is having a medical at Liverpool ahead of his apparent £25 million transfer. Probably too much, but he's a good player.

Luke Shaw to Man Utd seems all but done as well.

[shadowgrin]

A report that four years ago Manchester United was offered an 18 year-old James Rodriguez for the price of only £5 million and the club turned it down. In hindsight, ouch.
Safe to say he won't be transferring to Old Trafford when this World Cup is over.

[Phil89]

That reminds me of the story that Liverpool could have signed Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003, but we didn't because he wanted high wages.


How convenient that Suarez today released a public apology to Chiellini, just a couple of days after it was reported that Barcelona wouldn't bid for him unless he did.

It appears as though he will be leaving this time. Barcelona will be in for a shock if they try and get him cheaply though. John Henry proved last season that he wouldn't sell the team's star player for peanuts.

I fully expect a "What do you think they're smoking over there at the Nou Camp?" tweet from him if they put in a low offer.