Soccer Thread : 2004-05 (3 Viewers)

[AcStyle*]

Well a few countries hav now qualified for WorldCup 2006...

Japan, Korea, Iran & Saudi Arabia from Asia and now Argentina hav joined the hosts Germany.

 

[...]

fucken brazil

"lets play ultra attacking formation away to argentina"
what kinda big ugly ego is that

 

[Benny_]

Brazil is like a national version of Real Madrid circa 2004. They played 4 strikers (Adriano, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho), and used a winger (Ze Roberto) to partner Emerson in defensive midfield. Worst of all though is the fact that one half of their CB pairing is Roque Junior. As long as Roque Junior is the first choice CB, Brazil will not win the WC.

 

[HeCtic]

That's what you get by benching Gilberto. He makes the defence work.

 

[...]

emerson + gilberto == best midfield combo
imagine that against lampard + gerrard

 

[LMF^^]

LoL 4 forwardz, 2 centre midz, a Roberto Carlos az one of the 3 CBz...? Well you can see the reason why they lost.

 

[Benny_]

Gerrard+Lampard is the opposite of Gilberto+Emerson. One is too attacking while the latter is a tad too offensive.

Better combos:

Spain- Take your pick of Xavi/Xabi/Albeda/Baraja
Italy- Gattuso/Pirlo
Portugal- Maniche/Deco
Holland- Davids/Seedorf (in theory)

Oh and France playing with 2 DMs- Vieira/Makelele

 

[HeCtic]

Gerrard+Lampard is the opposite of Gilberto+Emerson. One is too attacking while the latter is a tad too offensive.

Better combos:

Spain- Take your pick of Xavi/Xabi/Albeda/Baraja
Italy- Gattuso/Pirlo
Portugal- Maniche/Deco
Holland- Davids/Seedorf (in theory)

Oh and France playing with 2 DMs- Vieira/Makelele

Which of those teams mentioned have won major tournaments recently?

 

[Benny_]

If the quality of the CM combination was the sole determinant of the outcome of a tournament, then Kleberson + 2 Greeks whose names I don't know are 3 of the best in the world I'm pretty sure one of Gilberto and Emerson didn't play a big part in WC2002.

 

[LMF^^]

Well Maniche and Deco won the Championz League in 04.

 

[HeCtic]

If the quality of the CM combination was the sole determinant of the outcome of a tournament, then Kleberson + 2 Greeks whose names I don't know are 3 of the best in the world I'm pretty sure one of Gilberto and Emerson didn't play a big part in WC2002.

Exactly, it was you that said the best combination in the centre of the park would be attacking and defensive midfielders playing with each other eg Gattuso/Pirlo etc.

I say it doesn't matter as long as the system which they play in supports their combination. Arsenal play with two defensive mids and they've won silverware the past three seasons. Gilberto and co kept the defence ticking in Japorea and allowed
the Three R's to weave their proverbial magic on defences. If the defensive midfield didn't work so well they wouldn't have won the tournament.

 

[slip]

makalele lampard is the best midfield combo...

one defensive picks up the ball, one aggresive finishes moves off, both great ball players.

 

[LMF^^]

DAILY STAR

* Chelsea have been told it would take £90million to sign Inter Milan's Brazilian striker Adriano - the Premiership champions could move for Parma striker Alberto Gilardino instead.

* AC Milan left-back Kakha Kaladze claims that he will beome a Chelsea player next week after agreeing a move to the Blues.

* Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo will spend another season on loan at AC Milan.

* Malcolm Glazer will hold future Manchester United board meetings in Florida after United fans claimed that the Glazers would be at risk if they set foot inside Old Trafford.

* Liverpool will be offered winger Sidney Govou by Lyon in the French club's bid to sign the Reds' Milan Baros.

* Spurs have lined up AZ Alkmaar's technical director Martin van Geel to replace Frank Arnesen as the club's sporting director.

* Celtic will make a £1million raid on Newcastle for keeper Steve Harper after being priced out of a move for Southampton's Antti Niemi.

* Portsmouth are to make a £2million swoop for Newcastle winger Laurent Robert.

* Fredi Kanoute insists he has no desire to quit Spurs to join West Brom, who had a £4.5million bid turned down this week.

* West Brom are to sign Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland on a season-long loan.

* Manchester City midfielder Christian Negouai is set to quit the Blues to join Standard Liege.

THE SUN

* Valencia winger Vicente has snubbed a move to Manchester United.

* Premier League chiefs have ruled out hitting Chelsea with a points deduction over the Frank Arnesen row.

* Arsenal have beaten Manchester United in the race to sign Lincoln's 16-year-old defender Jack Hobbs.

* Cardiff defender Danny Gabbidon has issued a come-and-get-me plea to both Birmingham and Fulham.

* Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman is set for a £5million move to Sevilla.

* Middlesbrough are keen on Australian star Ljubo Milicevic, who plays for the Swiss side FC Thun.

* Fulham are planning a £2million bid for Charlton left-back Paul Konchesky.

* Crystal Palace hope to sign Arsenal winger Ryan Smith on a season-long loan.

* Shaun Wright-Phillips reiterates that he has no intention of quitting Manchester City this summer.

* Preston have warned Derby off their manager Billy Davies, while former Rams boss George Burley is set for talks with Millwall.

DAILY MIRROR

* Sir Bobby Charlton is set to become a victim of Malcolm Glazer's ruthless overhaul of Manchester United.

* Marseille keeper Fabien Barthez's agent is in talks over a move for the French keeper to West Ham.

* Newcastle have offered £12million for Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips, with Arsenal and Liverpool also keen Newcastle are set for talks over a £6million move for Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker.

DAILY EXPRESS

* Tottenham are now threatening court action against Chelsea over the Frank Arnesen row after the Premier League "attempted to wash their hands" of the affair.

Man U made a move fo Vicente...? Interestin.
And fuck off Glazer, Sir Bobby Charlton foever.

 

[HeCtic]

Goddamn I hate Mourinho

 

[...]

there is wrong

and then there is way fucken wrong

 

[timbk2]

Ahmad Elrich has joined fulham.... thoughts?

woulda like to see him join a beter team though.

 

[copious]

Hmm its an ok move, from memory fulham didnt have the fastest wingers in the premiership.

Anyway i watched a bit of the kiwi vs socceroos match, socceroos were dominating towards the end and scraped through with a colosimo goal from 20 odd out. Archie Thompson missed a sitter right in front with no one on him :s. Viduka didnt play.

 

[Benny_]

I would be amazed if Kezman managed to fetch £5 after the season he's had. Sevilla would be retarded to pay £2 for the little upstart.

I heard United made an inquiry about Vincente but were told that he wasn't for sale by Valencia, fair enough.

Meanwhile it seems Dirk Kuijt might be coming to Liverpool after all. God I hope we get him instead of shelling out £7 for frigging Peter Crouch.

 

[slip]

i was really suprised how bad australia were and how good new zealand were.

i dont like sterjoski. the team really does need players like kewell, bresciano, grella, viduka, lazaridis fit in november to have a real chance of making the world cup.

elrich should get more game time aswell, he always looks class when he takes the field.

 

[HeCtic]

"The Observer was cock-a-hoop about its exclusive interview last Sunday with footballer of the moment, Ashley Cole. But the feature nearly fell through.

Cole had initially agreed to do the interview on the proviso that The Observer kit him out in a Prada suit. No problem there until he wanted to keep the suit and asked the paper to take care of the matter. Prada wasn't prepared to play ball so editors were left frantically asking favours from other designers to keep the Arsenal footballer happy. He eventually walked off with a £1,000 suit from Paul Smith.

Ashley earns £50,000 a week. In his Observer photo last weekend he wore not only the suit but a wristband proclaiming... Make Poverty History."

Wow, that's bad, really really bad.