*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[Cabinet96]

And isn't guaranteed first team football.

 

[Cabinet96]

Btw, surprised 10 and 8 are free for James and Kroos. I know Özil was 10 but who was the last person to wear 8 for Real?

 

[Uppercut]

Real should be looking at getting a new DM; unless they're planning to play Modric there, which I think is workable in some cases, but it requires someone who plays alongside him who's a real ball winner and Kroos/Rodriguez aren't that person.

Who was it last season? Alonso?

 

[Tom Halsey]

Btw, surprised 10 and 8 are free for James and Kroos. I know Özil was 10 but who was the last person to wear 8 for Real?

Kaka.

 

[Tom Halsey]

The whole overpriced thing depends how much money you have. By any reasonable standards he would certainly be overpriced, but it is hard for Real Madrid to sign someone for too much money looking at the money they have, disregarding FFP for a minute.

He is definitely someone they don't really need though, relative to other signings they could have made in other positions.

 

[Pothas]

Arsenal don't have Ronaldo, Bale, Di Maria, Kroos and Isco fighting for 3 positions already though, and I'd still have severe reservations (we'd be blowing the whole budget in an area we're strong). I think it's the unpracticality of it and that his price is so vastly inflated by a good WC that annoys me, and that Real just feel they have to have all of the world's superstars.

Real should be looking at getting a new DM; unless they're planning to play Modric there, which I think is workable in some cases, but it requires someone who plays alongside him who's a real ball winner and Kroos/Rodriguez aren't that person.

If I was a big club I would be looking at putting in a bid for Isco, he is going to be so brilliant but you can't see him getting many starts at Madrid now.

 

[Cabinet96]

Who was it last season? Alonso?

Yeah, and he wasn't great and obviously had a bad world cup. Think he's a bit past it and they could do with an upgrade.

If I was a big club I would be looking at putting in a bid for Isco, he is going to be so brilliant but you can't see him getting many starts at Madrid now.

Yeah, he's fantastic and yet Real have signed two global superstars who play in his position.

 

[Uppercut]

The whole overpriced thing depends how much money you have. By any reasonable standards he would certainly be overpriced, but it is hard for Real Madrid to sign someone for too much money looking at the money they have, disregarding FFP for a minute.

He is definitely someone they don't really need though, relative to other signings they could have made in other positions.

FFP won't affect Real Madrid even slightly. The Swiss Ramble: Real Madrid And Financial Fair Play has the details, but it's looong so I'll try to summarise.

Basically they sign the best players in the world every summer, and by doing so ensure that everyone wants to come there. And because everyone wants to come, they can get away with offering much worse terms than those players would get elsewhere (specifically by holding onto their players' image rights). They sell the most shirts, too. But a downside is that they kind of have to buy the biggest world superstar every year, even when it's not what the team needs, because otherwise they couldn't maintain that reputation. And probably as a result, the whole galactico thing hasn't actually been that successful on the pitch.

So the mass of bloggers saying they've overpaid for Rodriguez are completely missing the point- buying a superstar every year is a hugely successful financial strategy, and these signings almost always work out well as an investment. The only question we need to ask is whether they work out as footballers, and I do think it's fair to wonder where Rodriguez will actually fit in.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, and he wasn't great and obviously had a bad world cup. Think he's a bit past it and they could do with an upgrade.

Illaramendi was being groomed for that position, right? Maybe the plan is for him to step up. Haven't seen him play so don't know whether he's up to it.

 

[Cabinet96]

I think it's pretty widely known Real are fine with money and even FFP, and that them buying the hottest property in the market kind of works economically. That's what sort of makes it **** though. I didn't really agree with his move to Monaco last year but it worked out quite well after a while (Ranieri didn't always play him originally) and they could've built a side around him in the CL. Now he's just part of the everyday furniture.

 

[Nate]

So pumped for the new season. Really hoping we go back to a 4-5-1/4-3-3 when we were dominating the midfield so much.

Enjoyed our pre-season games so far too - it's always fun watching the fringe/younger lads.

 

[GIMH]

Was good to see Kristoff Peterson on the scoresheet. I enjoyed his little spell with us last season and by all accounts so did he.

 

[Nate]

2 in 2 so far.

 

[Burgey]

Who have United signed for this season? Weren't they after some young Kraut who was out of the WC with injury, whose name escapes me?

 

[Ikki]

Nah, don't see it.

-----Gerrard--Henderson----
-Sterling-Coutinho-Lallana--
-----------Sturridge-------------

I haven't bothered to even see where the new bloke plays so can't fit him in. There's Cam as well.

We don't play 4-5-1 much. It's more of a 4-3-3. If Milner came, he'd be one of the shuttlers next to Gerrard.


-----------------Gerrard/Lucas
---Milner/Henderson------Lallana/Coutinho

And Allen can play all 3 positions. I have a hard time believing we're in for Milner though. It seems overkill, we have Can as well. There are rumous of Lucas leaving though.

 

[GIMH]

Milner for Lucas is an upgrade at this point in their careers IMO. Lucas hasn't been the same since his injury.

 

[Nate]

Was doing fine at CDM, but really struggled to adapt to the CM role.

Screw this whole SG8 as a deep-playmaker I say!

 

[social]

FFP won't affect Real Madrid even slightly. The Swiss Ramble: Real Madrid And Financial Fair Play has the details, but it's looong so I'll try to summarise.

Basically they sign the best players in the world every summer, and by doing so ensure that everyone wants to come there. And because everyone wants to come, they can get away with offering much worse terms than those players would get elsewhere (specifically by holding onto their players' image rights). They sell the most shirts, too. But a downside is that they kind of have to buy the biggest world superstar every year, even when it's not what the team needs, because otherwise they couldn't maintain that reputation. And probably as a result, the whole galactico thing hasn't actually been that successful on the pitch.

So the mass of bloggers saying they've overpaid for Rodriguez are completely missing the point- buying a superstar every year is a hugely successful financial strategy, and these signings almost always work out well as an investment. The only question we need to ask is whether they work out as footballers, and I do think it's fair to wonder where Rodriguez will actually fit in.

It's pretty simple

Virtually all of their infrastructure was funded by a fascist government to the detriment of the people

They borrow money from SOE's at mates rates (again to the detriment of the people)

They are routinely forgiven their tax liabilities (again to the detriment of the people)

They take the lion's share of La Liga TV rights (to the detriiment of every other club bar Barcelona)

And a bunch of dickheads buy their shirts

Best scam going outside of being one of Putin's mates

 

[Tangles]

Who have United signed for this season? Weren't they after some young Kraut who was out of the WC with injury, whose name escapes me?

Herrera and Shaw. They were allegedly interested in Kroos at one point. That's the only German I know of. Don't know much about Herrera but hopefully he's a proper midfielder and not another Mata/kagawa who really want to play behind the striker.

 

[King Pietersen]

Spanish papers reporting that United have beaten Barca to Hummels, fee of £16m. Cracking signing if true.