*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[grecian]

No I realise that but the point stands. In fact the fact he went to us at an even older age only reinforces the point. Also it is worth remembering that West Ham side actually came 5th which is quite a lot better than anything Southampton have done.

Yeah they did finish fifth once, relegated next year though I think, good ol' West Ham.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yeah they did finish fifth once, relegated next year though I think, good ol' West Ham.

Nah they weren't relegated until 2003, which was a few years later. They did look like getting relegated for a while in 01/02 though as well, when Roeder was appointed.

 

[The Sean]

Only a year later though wasn't it, and he went for 15 mil to Leeds.

It was two years, but I'm happy to be corrected on the fee.

It was £18m though.

 

[The Sean]

Yeah they did finish fifth once, relegated next year though I think, good ol' West Ham.

Nah they weren't relegated until 2003, which was a few years later. They did look like getting relegated for a while in 01/02 though as well, when Roeder was appointed.

That West Ham team which got relegated in '03 was ridiculous - so much talent. No defence though.

Wasn't it Ipswich who finished 5th one year (coincidentally enough in that '03 season I think) and then got relegated the next?

 

[NUFAN]

Southampton would have won a heap more games if fat Boruc hadn't been injured and they had a better striker than Lambert.

Potentially a better striker would have helped, but not necessarily.. I mean a better striker than Lambert may not have fit into the system and actually produced less. Or if that was the case, would you just say the other striker wasn't better than Lambert? I'm thinking of someone like Soldado here.

 

[Nate]

Or Osvaldo.

 

[duffer]

What the **** happened to all the black players in our squad?

 

[Furball]

No I realise that but the point stands. In fact the fact he went to us at an even older age having played CL football and still everyone thought it mad only reinforces the point. Also it is worth remembering that West Ham side actually came 5th which is quite a lot better than anything Southampton have done.

Who thought it was mad?

He'd always been identified as having enormous potential, had moved to Leeds for £18m and utterly strolled through the World Cup in 2002. The only daft thing was the size of the fee considering Leeds' financial plight, but that didn't become apparent for another year or so. £30m for the best English centre half of his generation and a player you got 12 good years from is and was always going to be an absolute steal.

 

[Furball]

That West Ham team which got relegated in '03 was ridiculous - so much talent. No defence though.

Wasn't it Ipswich who finished 5th one year (coincidentally enough in that '03 season I think) and then got relegated the next?

Ipswich finished 5th in 2000/01 and went down the next season.

 

[King Pietersen]

Did beat Inter Milan 1-0 at Home the next season to maintain their unbeaten at home in European matches record, and then qualified for Europe for the following season also. For a small side, they've got a ridiculous home european record, have wins over Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter, Lazio and Barcelona.

 

[GIMH]

Who thought it was mad?

He'd always been identified as having enormous potential, had moved to Leeds for £18m and utterly strolled through the World Cup in 2002. The only daft thing was the size of the fee considering Leeds' financial plight, but that didn't become apparent for another year or so. £30m for the best English centre half of his generation and a player you got 12 good years from is and was always going to be an absolute steal.

Ferdinand in the 2002 WC was unreal. Don't think he ever quite hit those heights again internationally.

 

[The Sean]

Ferdinand in the 2002 WC was unreal. Don't think he ever quite hit those heights again internationally.

He was excellent again in 2006, though not quite as brilliant as he had been in '02.

Bafflingly, in both of those World Cups his central defensive partner for England (Campbell in '02, Terry in '06) got voted into the Team of the Tournament ahead of him.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Who thought it was mad?

Everyone. If you go through the CW threads of that sort of era you'd see it. I was one of his (sort of) defenders in that sort of era but only in the sense that I didn't think the transfer (or Ferdinand) was as bad as others did at times - I still didn't think that either he or it were brilliant.

General feeling regarding Ferdinand as a player was that he was silky but far too lacking in concentration etc to be classed as a top defender roughly until the Rooney/Ronaldo side was winning its first title. Then the view (on CW at least) changed. That's my memory anyway.

 

[Cabinet96]

Of course, this is also interesting with regards to another Barca player, but probably doesn't help us know where he's heading.

 

[sledger]

Sounds as if it won't be Liverpool, wherever he ends up.

 

[grecian]

Man U's new strip is horrific.

Good.

 

[King Pietersen]

Only a year later though wasn't it, and he went for 15 mil to Leeds.

Rio joined United after 2 years at Leeds, and it was for £18m.

Not sure if this link will work, but give it a go: Leeds clinch $25-million deal for West Ham defender

 

[sledger]

Man U's new strip is horrific.

Good.

Yeah, it's really bad. May as well start calling them "Chevrolet".

Really like Southampton's new kit though. Good to see them going back to the red and white stripes, looks really smart.

 

[King Pietersen]

£11m for Ross McCormack. Huh? Easily the highest overspend on a transfer so far this summer. Fulham have spent £23m on McCormack and Mitroglou. Liverpool spent £20m on Sturridge and Coutinho. Nice work Fulham.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Man U's new strip is horrific.

Good.

Liverpool away looks bad too.