*Official* English Football Season 2008-2009

[aussie]

Gourcuff da da da da damnnnnnnnnnn.

This is the same cat that was stuck @ AC Milan seemingly looking out of depth. Haa, i tell ya the with him along with other super youngsters like Briand, Nasri, Ben Afra, Benzema, L Diarra. France easily have the most talented team in Europe.

Luckily with Domenech in charge he is unlikely to get the best out of them in time for 2010. I hope..

 

[The Sean]

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.

Well deserved after an amazing year of achievement. Completes the clean sweep of personal awards too - he's been voted player of the year now by the players, the coaches, the journalists and the fans. Can't get much more comprehensive than that.

On another note, I see that United are now odds-on favourites for the title - which seems ridiculously optimistic. I've got no problem with us being slight favourites after Sunday's performance, but even with two wins in our two games in hand (far from guaranteed) that would put United just a point clear, with nearly half the season remaining and FA Cup/Champions League commitments to play a part. Far too early to have anyone odds-on for the title IMO.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

da da da da damnnnnnnnnnn.

That's Beethoven's Fifth, not Eminem.

 

[Pothas]

Gourcuff da da da da damnnnnnnnnnn.

This is the same cat that was stuck @ AC Milan seemingly looking out of depth. Haa, i tell ya the with him along with other super youngsters like Briand, Nasri, Ben Afra, Benzema, L Diarra. France easily have the most talented team in Europe.

Luckily with Domenech in charge he is unlikely to get the best out of them in time for 2010. I hope..

More talent than Spain? I think not.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Amazing bit of skill from the boy. More Bergkamp-esque tho, for mine. Although I suppose it's odds on that lazy journalists are gonna compare a French talent to Zidane. Reckon "the next Zidane" could become as big a millstone as "the next Botham" was if they aren't too careful tho.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Amazing bit of skill from the boy. More Bergkamp-esque tho, for mine. Although I suppose it's odds on that lazy journalists are gonna compare a French talent to Zidane. Reckon "the next Zidane" could become as big a millstone as "the next Botham" was if they aren't too careful tho.

It'll never be as big a millstone as "the next Maradona". Ortega, Aimar, Riquelme, Saviola, D'Alessandro and Messi have all been labelled as such by the Argentinian fans and press. Messi is the only one who looks like coming close to justifying it so far. Ortega, Aimar and Riquelme have all become top class players in their own right, but they're still light years from being a reincarnation of Argentina's favourite pie-guzzler.

 

[Uppercut]

Zidane was just the next Platini.

 

[grecian]

Zidane was just the next Platini.

Very good point, I bet Zidane had the label of "next Platini", all through the start of his career, he did alright though.

Hard to split them, actually. Zidane had a World Cup, but Platini's goal-scoring record was incredible, particularly in Italy when hardly anyone got near twenty goals a season, back then. Michel could well of had a WC mind, if it wasn't for that Scum German 'keeper and the worst reffing decision of all-time, IMHO.

Tempted to go for Zidane, 'coz Platini's pissing me off nowadays

 

[cpr]

Amazing bit of skill from the boy. More Bergkamp-esque tho, for mine. Although I suppose it's odds on that lazy journalists are gonna compare a French talent to Zidane. Reckon "the next Zidane" could become as big a millstone as "the next Botham" was if they aren't too careful tho.

Or the next George Best. Plagued many a utd player for years. Signed Ralph Milne as an attempt to convince the fans everyone will look **** in comparison

 

[aussie]

More talent than Spain? I think not.

Call it even then. Especially in the under 25 category.

Benzema/Nasri/GourcuffBriand/Ben Afrra/L Diarra/Clichy/Sagna is definately on part with talent wise with, Torres/Fabregas/Bojan/Silva/Mata/Ramos/Pique.

Although with Spain a few obvious names their have had more exposure on the bigger stage in high pressure match situations.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Call it even then. Especially in the under 25 category.

Benzema/Nasri/GourcuffBriand/Ben Afrra/L Diarra/Clichy/Sagna is definately on part with talent wise with, Torres/Fabregas/Bojan/Silva/Mata/Ramos/Pique.

Although with Spain a few obvious names their have had more exposure on the bigger stage in high pressure match situations.

France probably have the better array of talent in that list, but just as Spain aren't going to be able to fit Silva, Bojan and Mata into the same team, France will rarely if ever get to field Gourcuff, Nasri, Ben Arfa and Benzema together.

Which one of the two becomes the better team is going to depend not on the top-class talent that leads their team, but on the team players that make up the rest of it. If Spain can't find a good workman to replace Senna, or if France can't find a couple of good central defenders, then neither of them will win a World Cup in the near future.

 

[Pothas]

World cup is not that far away and Spain have an excellent chance of winning it. Would say they are probably favourites at this stage. Obviously Argentina and Brazil have good chances as well but both have a few problems at the moment.

 

[Barney Rubble]

World cup is not that far away and Spain have an excellent chance of winning it. Would say they are probably favourites at this stage. Obviously Argentina and Brazil have good chances as well but both have a few problems at the moment.

Not sure Spain will quite get all the way, TBH. Would say the Dutch have a great chance if they can get a front line of Van Persie, Robben and Huntelaar firing on all cylinders, with a midfield of Sneijder, Van der Vaart and Engelaar behind them.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah they certainly have a lot of talent but Spain have finally proven that they have what it takes to win an international tournament and they have two of the best strikers in the world and some fantastic midfealders. Will be a very intersting tournament actually, traditionally the Europeans have struggled outside Europe but we will have to wait and see.

 

[aussie]

Ye Spain are in better position than France. The centre of their defense which supposed to be strong isn't & they aren't playing with the fluency that is clearly with in their ranks.

The French still haven't found a way to play post Zidane. The best thing they could do is let Ribery take up that role as the playmaker behind a lone striker & stop playing him out-wide.

 

[aussie]

Not sure Spain will quite get all the way, TBH. Would say the Dutch have a great chance if they can get a front line of Van Persie, Robben and Huntelaar firing on all cylinders, with a midfield of Sneijder, Van der Vaart and Engelaar behind them.

Yea but their defense is garbage that will surely cost them in latter rounds presuming they don't get a group of death.

Will be a very intersting tournament actually, traditionally the Europeans have struggled outside Europe but we will have to wait and see.

Thats a good point actually. The conditions in SA during june/july isn't likely to be that hot though, so it should help the European sides.

I know its wayyyyy early, but i'm tentatively feeling England's chances. If Capello keeps building this side through the qualifiers. England will easily have the most balanced team in Europe behind Italy & Spain & once the injury curse of 06 stays away i'll back England againts anybody...

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Not sure Spain will quite get all the way, TBH. Would say the Dutch have a great chance if they can get a front line of Van Persie, Robben and Huntelaar firing on all cylinders, with a midfield of Sneijder, Van der Vaart and Engelaar behind them.

Defence? A good attack can only do so much, don't see the dutch defence containing a Spanish or Argentine front line.

 

[chalky]

Apparantly Man City are in talks with AC Milan over a possible deal for Kaka. Figures been quoted are mind blowing transfer fee of 100 million & wages of 1/2 million per week..

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4790200,00.html?20090113230558

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Apparantly Man City are in talks with AC Milan over a possible deal for Kaka. Figures been quoted are mind blowing transfer fee of 100 million & wages of 1/2 million per week..

No way re: those wages. I believe the figure quoted most places is around 220k (pounds) a week. Would still make him the highest paid player around though.

Won't happen anyway.

 

[GIMH]

Not sure Spain will quite get all the way, TBH. Would say the Dutch have a great chance if they can get a front line of Van Persie, Robben and Huntelaar firing on all cylinders, with a midfield of Sneijder, Van der Vaart and Engelaar behind them.

Nah, the Dutch are just as bad as the English for failing to deliver on the big stage