*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[Uppercut]

He's rated incredibly highly in France. Why do you think, when fit, he's preferred to Koscielny for the national team?

Now even I think that's too far, but it's pretty clearly not true that they don't rate him over there.

He's preferred to Koscielny because of the Ukraine play-offs.

In any case, that only tells you that Deschamps rates him. I don't read the French press so they might all think he's wonderful but the journalists on my twitter feed that follow Ligue 1 were pretty lukewarm about the signing last year.

 

[Ikki]

Lahm retires from International football. Weird.

 

[Cabinet96]

Scored the first WC goal I can remember in 2006. Always like him after that. WAG.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Scored the first WC goal I can remember in 2006. Always like him after that. WAG.

Costa Rica match? What a strike.


The beginnings of Germany as a likeable team imo.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just captained a world cup winning team and being pretty much beyond serious argument the best in his position in the world.

Fair to say the boy's gone out on a high.

Still only 30, tho. Big call.

 

[King Pietersen]

Not only the best in the world in his main position, but was converted to a defensive midfielder a year ago, and has become seriously good at that position too. He's an absolute beast, going to be hugely missed by ze Germans.

 

[Furball]

Surprised this wasn't mentioned yesterday:

BBC Sport - Toni Kroos joins Real Madrid from Bayern Munich

No idea why the **** Bayern allowed that to happen. Utter stupidity.

 

[Cabinet96]

Because he had one year left on his contract and wanted to leave? They'll miss him but it's not that​ much of a loss. Thiago is probably better than him and he doesn't want twice as much money as everyone else.

 

[Uppercut]

Presumably Pep had some say in letting him go, and if so I'm inclined to trust his judgement because he's such a Pep-type player.

 

[Cabinet96]

He also had to free up space for more oh his fullback into the midfield fetish

 

[grecian]

Walcott missing the start of the season, honestly, even ATOS wouldn't pass him fit to work.

 

[social]

Lahm retires from International football. Weird.

Won WC

Only way is down from there

Pretty unselfish IMO

 

[BoyBrumby]

Remy to yer Scousers, it seems. £8.5m fee agreed with the R's.

 

[Pothas]

Solid enough but he always gets injured.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah he's a fairly good striker but not a perfect fit and injury-prone. I wonder if he's taking a wage cut to come.

 

[Furball]

Because he had one year left on his contract and wanted to leave? They'll miss him but it's not that​ much of a loss. Thiago is probably better than him and he doesn't want twice as much money as everyone else.

Kroos is probably the best central midfielder in the world and is only going to get better at the age of 24.

Forms a brilliant partnership with Schweinsteiger at club and national level.

Bayern should have thrown everything at him to get him to stay; his contract was probably agreed when he was on loan at Leverkusen so Bayern have probably been underpaying him these last 4 years.

Just a mental decision.

 

[Furball]

Won WC

Only way is down from there

Pretty unselfish IMO

Apart from Lahm being both Germany's best right back and best left back.

Schmelzer will be ok to slot in at left back but there's daylight between Lahm and the next best candidate at right back.

 

[Uppercut]

Kroos is probably the best central midfielder in the world and is only going to get better at the age of 24.

Hard to have watched the RM-Bayern semis and still think he's in the same league as Modric. But I suppose there aren't too many better players there.

 

[Cabinet96]

Hard to have watched the RM-Bayern semis and still think he's in the same league as Modric. But I suppose there aren't too many better players there.

I think was the last game Bayern played with Kroos-Schweinstiger together n the midfield as well. Maybe Furball just didn't see that.

That and the Chelsea penalties. At least Robben had an excuse to bottle.

 

[Pothas]

Iniesta is still really good when he actually get to play there.