*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[cpr]

I'll be surprised if Bale isn't at United in a couple of years. Players who aren't Ronaldo or Spanish don't tend to stay too long at Real. They'll need to make room once Isco is playing regularly, Reus is there and they come for Sterling just like they did with Özil and Di Maria.

Once he's gone to Madrid, I think the chances of getting him are very slim. Although Real do have a fair turnover of players, the truely quality ones tend to stick around until they are either old or lacking the ability to cut it at the very top. Zidane, Ronaldo, Beckham, Figo, all stayed until their best days were gone and were no longer good enough to be a first choice at a team with Champions League winning aspirations. Bale is in that category of quality player, so unless they can find someone to keep him out of the team (much like in a way he did with Di Maria, which allowed us to move for him), I can't see him going. He's just too good to let go

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah, but will he be selling the same number of shirts in two years when there's a new galatico on the market? #Priorities

 

[Pothas]

I'll be surprised if Bale isn't at United in a couple of years. Players who aren't Ronaldo or Spanish don't tend to stay too long at Real. They'll need to make room once Isco is playing regularly, Reus is there and they come for Sterling just like they did with Özil and Di Maria.

Isco already is playing regularly. I am not sure what he will do when Modric is fit.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah that's what I mean. They're going to have to rotate Isco, Bale and James as it is, and if Reus or someone similar arrives in the summer...

Real just have too much of a lust for new players, and every time they sign someone there's always a player who's starting place is under threat who could be the centre of a big champions league club if he wants.

 

[Cabinet96]

Speaking of Real players. https://twitter.com/DezilDez/status/547562827477966848

#RoadtoBerlin

 

[Jarquis]

Imagine it.

 

[cpr]

Don't underestimate Bale's marketing pull. Where the money is at with him is Adidas using him as a marketing tool for boots/peripherals, and if he happens to be posing for his boots in an Adidas made Madrid shirt, then more money for Madrid. Considering Ronaldo is signed up to Nike, Madrid need the likes of Bale to be on every poster in Adidas outlets (you sure wont see Ronaldo posing in a Madrid shirt in the Nike shops....).

Its why James was worth spending £75m on. Adidas/Madrid will use him to push the South American and Spanish speaking US markets, and Bale the European one, especially the UK. Until a more marketable British player comes along who's on the Adidas rota (or until Madrid change shirt manufacturers), Bale is one hell of an asset to have

 

[BoyBrumby]

I don't really understand why Holt gets the best jobs? Is it just an incumbency thing? His writing isn't very good, his opinions are always either wrong or spurious, he doesn't provide any great gossip or insider info. It's not an Adrian Durham thing where he just churns out obvious clickbait, he's reasonably well respected. I don't see the point of him at all.

Nepotism. Isn't his mum the actress who plays Emily Bishop in Corrie?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Forget all this rubbish about Gareth Bale. THE MAN is back.

BBC Sport - Emile Heskey: Bolton Wanderers sign ex-England striker

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Only on cricketweb could you get successive posts about Emily Bishop and Emily Heskey.

 

[Cabinet96]

Reckon Thomas Müller is seriously overrated these days.

 

[Furball]

Nope.

 

[Cabinet96]

Everyone in England overrates him because his scoring record is twice as good in matches they actually care about compared to ones they don't.

 

[Uppercut]

Overrated relative to who though? I haven't seen anyone rate him above the really spectacular guys: Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez etc. And he probably is genuinely better than everyone else in that position, so there's not a lot of room for him to be overrated.

 

[Cabinet96]

Guardian had him 5th. Above Aguero and Suarez. I think it's a relatively new phenomenon, post world cup, which has probably happened to most German players bar ones who play for Arsenal, but I think he's probably benefited the most. I don't think he really stands out amongst his Bayern and German peers and I've legit been laughed at for thinking Reus is better.

 

[GIMH]

Thoughts on sky's best prem XI?

Schmeichel

Neville
Adams
Terry
Cole

Ronaldo
Viera
Gerrard
Giggs

Bergkamp
Henry

 

[Cabinet96]

Should have to have won the competition IMO. #TeamLampard

 

[sledger]

The absence of Ferdinand, Campbell, and Pires would be something I would potentially query. But honestly that side looks about right to me.

 

[grecian]

Ferdinand for Adams or Terry is a stand-out, those centre-halves are so slow.

 

[GIMH]

Should have to have won the competition IMO. #TeamLampard

Team is the operative word of course, it being a team sport and all. Otherwise Sherwood gets ahead of Gerrard too.

Sledger mentioning pires when Ronaldo has his position suggests he's had too many shandies

Shearer unlucky?