*Official* English Football Season 2008-2009

[Craig]

Wonder who they'll replace him with. Hard to see them making it four in a row without him but sadly Ferguson normally gets these decisions right.

Gone back on his word that he would "not sell that mob a virus". If anything I would of expected DCYE's team to top the transfer spending table with the amount of cash they have.

 

[duffer]

Good riddance to him. Praying him and Kaka doesn't work out. Would laugh so hard if they win nothing next season.

 

[James]

I'd put money on Man Utd definately not winning the title next season now.

Can understand them selling him for 80 million pounds though. That's just insane, and if this is true, it really is going to become an unstoppable force in Europe:

Madrid have also been linked with Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, Valencia's David Villa and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery since Perez's unopposed election signalled the return of their vast spending.

 

[Craig]

Good riddance to him. Praying him and Kaka doesn't work out. Would laugh so hard if they win nothing next season.

AWTA, it would be priceless.

 

[duffer]

That being said, £80 million is dead set insane money and his value will only decrease from now on as he’s moving into the third year of a five-year contract and there was no way he was signing another one. If all or most of that £80 million is given to Fergie then it could be exciting times for the club, particularly on top of the kitty we’ve already got plus other sales (Campbell, Manucho, Simpson, a couple of others).

The downside of course is that clubs will now know we’ve got that money to spend and will probably add a few million to their asking price – Bayern have today said that they won’t let Ribery go for less than £65 million, which is even more insane than the Ronaldo money. And regardless of price, neither Benzema nor Villa seem to want to come to England. Valencia is looking a sure thing now though, though also seemingly overpriced at £16 million.

An interesting summer ahead, methinks.

Don't want to piss on your parade or anything, but I have a feeling one big signing and the Glazers pocket the rest of wipe some of that debt off. Negotiations with any big club now got crazy though. If you do actually try for Benzema then Aulas the madman will be a royal pain to deal with.

 

[GIMH]

Hard to see Liverpool being in a position to turn a huge bid for Alonso down. He was one of the top players in the Prem last season they could fetch a fair amount for him. I imagine this new galactico era is also the reason why Charlie barnett is yet to sign a new contract.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Gone back on his word that he would "not sell that mob a virus". If anything I would of expected DCYE's team to top the transfer spending table with the amount of cash they have.

Was never going to happen with Perez. He has endless money PLUS is one of the biggest clubs in the world. City will never be that big.

 

[TT Boy]

I'd put money on Man Utd definately not winning the title next season now.

Can understand them selling him for 80 million pounds though. That's just insane, and if this is true, it really is going to become an unstoppable force in Europe:

Meh, still can't defend.

 

[James]

Surprised there's been no mention of Torres actually in all this crazy money talk. Especially as I saw a few months ago, he was born in Madrid as well.

Edit - ahhhh Wikipedia search, he played for Atlético Madrid didn't he. Guess they're Real Madrid's local rivals?

How about Man Utd putting up 60 million pounds to take Torres from Liverpool?

 

[duffer]

Meh, still can't defend.

Aye,great team on paper but let's see them on the pitch before crowning them kings of the world.

 

[The Sean]

I'd put money on Man Utd definately not winning the title next season now.

Can understand them selling him for 80 million pounds though. That's just insane, and if this is true, it really is going to become an unstoppable force in Europe:

I reckon I'd take that bet. United will be there or thereabouts and depending on how we spend the money I'd still have us as favourites.

As for Real's dream team - what do all those names have in common? Not one of them is going to stop them shipping goals.

 

[Craig]

Don't want to piss on your parade or anything, but I have a feeling one big signing and the Glazers pocket the rest of wipe some of that debt off. Negotiations with any big club now got crazy though. If you do actually try for Benzema then Aulas the madman will be a royal pain to deal with.

Wants £90m for him according to that bit in World Soccer I read

 

[James]

As for Real's dream team - what do all those names have in common? Not one of them is going to stop them shipping goals.

I guess they're backing their ability to if the opposition scores 3, they score 4.

 

[GIMH]

TBH Chelsea & Liverpool were as good as United in the last few months of the season, so if they strengthen and United don't replace the much-loved Portugese with someone of close to this class, then I'd certainly bet against them. Four in a row has never been done and will stay that away I reckon, now.

 

[The Sean]

TBH Chelsea & Liverpool were as good as United in the last few months of the season, so if they strengthen and United don't replace the much-loved Portugese with someone of close to this class, then I'd certainly bet against them. Four in a row has never been done and will stay that away I reckon, now.

Obviously true, and as I said it will come down to how United use that £80 million. The only player we could sign as a direct class-for-class replacement is Messi and that's an absolute non-starter. But two or three outstanding players (a top class forward, a quality wide/creative man and a hard-tackling midfielder - dependent on Hargreaves progress) would see us in good shape I reckon.

 

[James]

TBH Chelsea & Liverpool were as good as United in the last few months of the season, so if they strengthen and United don't replace the much-loved Portugese with someone of close to this class, then I'd certainly bet against them. Four in a row has never been done and will stay that away I reckon, now.

Definitely, time for a clean out at Man Utd I would thought. I'm shocked Scholes and Giggs are going for another season. Regardless of how many games they're planning on playing.

Without their biggest attacking force, I can't see them scoring no where near as many goals and the problem is, Ronaldo scored 26 goals last season, but how many assists did he have as well. You can't replace that.

I personally don't rate Tevez now (we saw the best of him at West Ham ) or Berbatov. It's all on Rooney now.

 

[TT Boy]

Aye,great team on paper but let's see them on the pitch before crowning them kings of the world.

Defenders...
Pepe (lost the plot and is banned)
Ramos (awesome)
Metzelder (most people on this forum are quicker than him)
Heinze (two serious knee injuries too many)
Drenthe (left winger masquerading as a defender)
Marcelo (left winger masquerading as a defender)
Salgado (no longer 2000 and he wasn't good then)

 

[TT Boy]

I guess they're backing their ability to if the opposition scores 3, they score 4.

Aye, Newcastle.

Someone said something similar about Barcelona but anyone who watches them know they defend with the ball and they awesome at that. Real can't defend with the ball, they don't have the players in the engine room.

 

[James]

Aye, Newcastle.

Someone said something similar about Barcelona but anyone who watches them know they defend with the ball and they awesome at that. Real can't defend with the ball, they don't have the players in the engine room.

Plenty of time yet I guess for that.

I suppose one club disappointed in all this is Man City. I expected them to be throwing their cash around like crazy as soon as the season ended. I guess there's still plenty of time, but a bit surprising to see them so quiet in the transfer market thus far.

 

[The Sean]

On a side note, surely it's now nailed on that United and Real will draw each other in the Champions League next season.