*Official* English Football Season 2008-2009

[Johnners]

Goal.com talk so much **** it's ridiculous. I don't believe £200million for a second.

Most football sites spout rubbish when it comes to transfer talk from what I've seen, goal aren't alone in that category.

 

[The Sean]

The news this morning is that City's official bid is £107m and that Milan are "considering" it. As you would.

An observation here - City have the second best goalscoring record in the Premiership this season, yet sit 15th in the table. As much as I can see Kaka as the "marquee" signing to attract other big names, I would have thought that improving the team's shambolic defence might be priority number one.

 

[Craig]

Well the story on Ch4 is that Kaka is allowed to speak to Man City. I trust Ch4 more then places like goal.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Most football sites spout rubbish when it comes to transfer talk from what I've seen, goal aren't alone in that category.

Yeah, but there's speculation and then there's stuff that is quite clearly ridiculous. How could £200million possibly be correct? No statement from anyone involved has ever included that figure, nor has it ever been suggested by any other media outlet that the figure would go that high. Indeed, it's now becoming clear that the confirmed fee is £107million, so clearly goal.com were way, way off the mark.

At least most places base their stuff partly on stuff that's actually been said. It's like the goal.com article linking Barton with Pompey - included absolutely no quotes from anyone, just a mention of the fact that Barton and Tony Adams are both former alcoholics. It's just dire, sensationalist journalism. Even F365, which is prone to speculation from time to time, is more reliable than goal.com.

 

[Loony BoB]

Here's a question we've been discussing at work... if you were Mark Hughes, which defenders would you be going after at the moment? Second question is if you were the owners of Man City, which defenders would you be going after at the moment?

 

[GIMH]

awta, such a champ. Gimhs vocal support for timmeh was one of the reasons he was in the top 10 imo.

gagf

 

[Barney Rubble]

Here's a question we've been discussing at work... if you were Mark Hughes, which defenders would you be going after at the moment? Second question is if you were the owners of Man City, which defenders would you be going after at the moment?

If you can get Kaka, you can get the best that leagues outside the Premiership has to offer. Which means you'd have to think that the best option for City in terms of someone who will provide leadership, ability and a role model for Richards, would be Carles Puyol. That's in an ideal world, of course.

In the real world, I think City would be more likely to get someone like Mexès or Chiellini.

 

[The Sean]

If you can get Kaka, you can get the best that leagues outside the Premiership has to offer. Which means you'd have to think that the best option for City in terms of someone who will provide leadership, ability and a role model for Richards, would be Carles Puyol. That's in an ideal world, of course.

In the real world, I think City would be more likely to get someone like Mexès or Chiellini.

There's a lot of talk at the moment about City going after Lescott from Everton. Nigel de Jong as a holding midfielder is doing the rounds as well - would allow Kompany to move back into central defence, which is where he learned his trade.

 

[Uppercut]

Nah bringing someone in from overseas mid-season is a bad idea. Particularly not Puyol, he holds a high line that could land a team like City in trouble, and Mexes and Chiellini would take time to settle in. For now i'd go for a stereotypical English rock, someone like Matthew Upson or Lescott to plug a hole until the end of the season and see how that goes before starting to look long-term in the summer.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Nah bringing someone in from overseas mid-season is a bad idea. Particularly not Puyol, he holds a high line that could land a team like City in trouble, and Mexes and Chiellini would take time to settle in. For now i'd go for a stereotypical English rock, someone like Matthew Upson or Lescott to plug a hole until the end of the season and see how that goes before starting to look long-term in the summer.

You could be right there about the short-term, but if City have real Champions League ambitions next year, is Matthew Upson really going to be the sort of player they need? I think they need to have a little bit of faith that they already have enough to stay up - which they really should do - and start building for next season.

Although to be honest, they could very easily just buy Lescott now and then Puyol in the summer.

 

[The Sean]

Speaking of Upson - rumour is that Arsenal want him back and would be prepared to pay West Ham £12m plus Bendtner.

So about £9m.

 

[Uppercut]

You could be right there about the short-term, but if City have real Champions League ambitions next year, is Matthew Upson really going to be the sort of player they need? I think they need to have a little bit of faith that they already have enough to stay up - which they really should do - and start building for next season.

Although to be honest, they could very easily just buy Lescott now and then Puyol in the summer.

I don't think Upson would be a weak link in any side tbh, there's not a squad in the premiership he wouldn't strengthen, if only as a third CB in some cases. Lescott too, and he can play left-back too, so even if they want someone better it'll do them no harm at all to pick up a player like that. I don't think they should take it for granted that they'll stay up either- if you (unreasonably) assume that both Stoke and West Brom will be two of the teams to go down, you're looking at one of Bolton, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Man City, Spurs, Middlesborough, Blackburn going with them. None of those teams are relegation material. Clubs like that aren't safe this year IMO, and we could see a team down with 45 or 46 points.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Goal.com reporting the possibility of a bid in excess of 200m for Kaka now...

You obviously didn't read the article. It said that the fee was 120 and they were apparently offering him 150 in wages for his 5 seasons.

Heard it was like 250million.

From the Daily Telegraph.

Don't know whether to believe it or not, but ****, they are desperate, flashing that much money around.

Tele would be reporting it in aus dollar. Which would make 100ish-million pounds about 250ish-million Australian.

 

[Johnners]

Yeah, but there's speculation and then there's stuff that is quite clearly ridiculous. How could £200million possibly be correct? No statement from anyone involved has ever included that figure, nor has it ever been suggested by any other media outlet that the figure would go that high. Indeed, it's now becoming clear that the confirmed fee is £107million, so clearly goal.com were way, way off the mark.

At least most places base their stuff partly on stuff that's actually been said. It's like the goal.com article linking Barton with Pompey - included absolutely no quotes from anyone, just a mention of the fact that Barton and Tony Adams are both former alcoholics. It's just dire, sensationalist journalism. Even F365, which is prone to speculation from time to time, is more reliable than goal.com.

FTR, I agree with what you said. Was just pointing out they aren't alone when it comes to spouting rubbish

Oh and re: Barton/Pompey, fairly certain I'd read articles linking the 2 outside of goal.com

 

[GIMH]

Millwall away tomorrow, first game of 09, you heard it here first, three nil to the whites

 

[Johnners]

You obviously didn't read the article. It said that the fee was 120 and they were apparently offering him 150 in wages for his 5 seasons.



Tele would be reporting it in aus dollar. Which would make 100ish-million pounds about 250ish-million Australian.

Nah, read it, just did my own bit of sensationalistic journalism.

 

[Craig]

Millwall away tomorrow, first game of 09, you heard it here first, three nil to the whites

You going down?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Apparently Kaka was spotted crying yesterday. Feel pretty bad for the guy, nobody should be forced to leave a club they love, especially when their best years are likely still in front of them. As a City fan, if he's that against playing for us then he shouldn't come. It's what's best for him that should come first.

 

[chaminda_00]

Pretty sure he was crying at the prospect of playing for side as crap as City, not leaving Milan. Him leaving Milan been on cards for a while, as he not completely happy there.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Yeah top quality post that one. You're a credit to humanity.











































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