*Official* English Football Season 2006-07

[BoyBrumby]

Interesting to see the quality of the opposition argument bandied around here, the one Scaly gets constantly slated for....

Fair point, although Scaly does have a habit of selectively ignoring any goals a certain French striker does happen to score in the CL for whatever reason. When someone points out (say) the hat-trick v Roma (in Rome) or brace v Inter (in Milan) he points out that Terence, er rather a certain French striker, has missed literally dozens of other chances in that game.

 

[GIMH]

Fair point, although Scaly does have a habit of selectively ignoring any goals a certain French striker does happen to score in the CL for whatever reason. When someone points out (say) the hat-trick v Roma (in Rome) or brace v Inter (in Milan) he points out that Terence, er rather a certain French striker, has missed literally dozens of other chances in that game.

Ah well fair point, but Scaly wouldn't be Scaly if he ever gave an inch

 

[Loony BoB]

I said the injuries weren't relevant (and he played a lot more than 17 games) as he still had 2 good long runs in the side, I believe there was one of 9 or 10 without scoring.

Career History

93-94 FC Den Bosch - 2 Games (League)
94-95 FC Den Bosch - 3 Goals, 15 Games (League)
95-96 FC Den Bosch - 2 Goals, 21 Games (League)
96-97 FC Den Bosch - 12 Goals, 31 Games (League)
97-98 SC Heerenveen - 13 Goals, 31 Games (League)
98-99 PSV Eindhoven - 31 Goals, 34 Games (League) - 6 Goals, 7 Games (UCL)
99-00 PSV Eindhoven - 29 Goals, 23 Games (League) - 3 Goals, 8 Games (UCL)
00-01 PSV Eindhoven - 2 Goals, 10 Games (League)
01-02 United - 23 Goals, 32 Games (League) - 10 Goals, 14 Games (UCL)
02-03 United - 25 Goals, 34 Games (League) - 14 Goals, 11 Games (UCL)
03-04 United - 20 Goals, 32 Games (League) - 4 Goals, 7 Games (UCL)
04-05 United - 6 Goals, 17 Games (League) - 8 Goals, 7 Games (UCL)
05-06 United - 21 Goals, 35 Games (League) - 2 Goals, 8 Games (UCL)

http://www.footballdatabase.com/site/players/index.php?dumpPlayer=657

Both UnitedRant and Football Database seem to agree that he did indeed play just 17 games.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Fair point, although Scaly does have a habit of selectively ignoring any goals a certain French striker does happen to score in the CL for whatever reason. When someone points out (say) the hat-trick v Roma (in Rome) or brace v Inter (in Milan) he points out that Terence, er rather a certain French striker, has missed literally dozens of other chances in that game.

Exceptions do not make or break a general rule and I usually point out chief poseur has missed loads of chances in virtually every game.

 

[roseboy64]

I said the injuries weren't relevant (and he played a lot more than 17 games) as he still had 2 good long runs in the side, I believe there was one of 9 or 10 without scoring.

Those games he wasn't scoring in were when he had just come back from injury.

 

[marc71178]

Both UnitedRant and Football Database seem to agree that he did indeed play just 17 games.

Erm no, they don't - that's 24 games.

The United site reckoned 27, but as I said the injury thing isn't as key because he had the 2 long spells.

 

[marc71178]

Those games he wasn't scoring in were when he had just come back from injury.

So how many games grace is he allowed then?

9 or 10?!

 

[roseboy64]

As was said earlier he didn't look fully recovered and you can't just find form immediately when coming back from injury.

 

[marc71178]

9 or 10 games is not "just after an injury" though.

Especially when it was pointed out before that season started that they should sell him as he was beginning to fade...

 

[roseboy64]

Well you can hardly call 20+ goals a bad season can you especially considering he was benched for the latter part.

 

[GIMH]

yawwwwwwwwwnnnnnn

Man U fans staunchly defending everything to do with their club as usual

 

[Loony BoB]

Or, you know, going by logic. How many players score over 20 goals per season in the Premiership again? How many did this last season? If that's a faded player, I'd love to know what was expected of him! 25? 30? Every season? Get off it!

With regards to the season beforehand, he had more than one problem that season that affected his scoring ability, so you can't put it all down to one injury. It's also well documented that they pushed him out of injury earlier than they should have in order to get him into the AC Milan game, and because he was still not match fit he was ineffective.

To say he's past it when he scored 21 goals last season though... don't see the logic at all.

EDIT: He had a knee injury, a groin operation and a supposed calf problem which was later found to be an achilles injury. He played with the latter problem for around six weeks before being taken off. He would return early to play AC Milan but he was not match fit, and it was eight games before he scored again.

 

[Craig]

7mil is the now mooted price for Vieira, and it looks as though Van Nistelrooy's transfer to Real Madrid is going to be completed soon. Either they're planning on having way too many strikers, or this is evidence Raul and Ronaldo are going to be sold.

Other news Damien Duff is reportatly about to complete his move to Tottenham (he should go abroad IMO instead of staying in England), meanwhile Valencia hope to sign Asier del Horno this week, while Wenger is interested in WBA defender Curtis Davies, but is not in the reported transfer fee on his head (which I can't see the logic since Albion went down, and proof that Englishmen are over priced which is why clubs go for foreigners).

Man Utd shave £28m off annual debt burden

Now Marc is the finicial expert among us here (well more then me anyway), although it gives them money to buy players, but doesn't make it more of a high risk thing? These Glazer's seem to know a thing or two...

 

[Goughy]

Other news Damien Duff is reportatly about to complete his move to Tottenham (he should go abroad IMO instead of staying in England), .

Why?

and proof that Englishmen are over priced which is why clubs go for foreigners)....

Without a doubt. Its been the case in all the recent past. There are small reasons for it eg Seeing them already play in the competition against the same level of opposition, no language barrier, a wealthy domestic league etc but certainly not enough to justify most of the inflated mark-up.

 

[Loony BoB]

You're telling me. Carrick for £15m? Yikes.

In other news, Man Utd are hoping for a £15m sale for Ruud to build their transfer 'warchest' up to £40m - so they can bring in Torres, Vieira and possibly more - or else (one might expect) that 'more' might be 'more money off that debt'.

 

[Craig]

Why?

Well I think he is good enough to play in other league, on the continent and it is a chance to try something different. You only play once.

 

[Goughy]

Well I think he is good enough to play in other league, on the continent and it is a chance to try something different. You only play once.

Yes but why risk a decent reputation and a good career to 'try something different'? It could all go Rush or Anelka on him.

 

[Loony BoB]

Don't know about most football players but being in an English speaking nation when you're an English player seems pretty sensible to me, unless a massive offer is coming in from a foreign club (and I don't see one coming in for Duff, with all due respect to him).

 

[Craig]

Yes but why risk a decent reputation and a good career to 'try something different'? It could all go Rush or Anelka on him.

Well you could say that about any player really. From the traditional Frenchman at a Premier League club, or to the custom Argentine or Brazilian at a Spanish or Italian club.

Buy that token would Crespo, Veron, and Mutu's reputation's for example by playing in England?

Of course in the same boat is John Charles (Juventus) and Kevin Keegen (Hamburg) who were success' overseas.

 

[Goughy]

Well you could say that about any player really. From the traditional Frenchman at a Premier League club, or to the custom Argentine or Brazilian at a Spanish or Italian club.

Buy that token would Crespo, Veron, and Mutu's reputation's for example by playing in England?

Of course in the same boat is John Charles (Juventus) and Kevin Keegen (Hamburg) who were success' overseas.

Actually the situation is very different. Crespo, Veron and Mutu do not come from countries like England (with Ireland included with Duff being the case in point) with major European Leagues. The guys you mentioned are by nature going to spend their entire careers outside their domestic leagues. Duff is already in a strong domestic league where he is comfortable and wealthy. He does not have to be like the others and play overseas in order to be a success.

For Duff it would be very different and there is a poor recent history of Premier League exports.

The risk/reward ratio makes any potential overseas move look like folly. I mean with Charles and Keegan being the examples given is hardly a testamant to recent success. Apart from Linekar and Beckham there are not many that have worked out well.