One can hope.
What "absurd" reactions are you referring to? Swearing in to the camera? Oh noes!
(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer
- Thread starter Jax
- Start date
What about the absurd ref...it was a EUROPEAN CUP SEMI FINAL for god sake and Barcelona went on WRONLY imo to become champs, they should of been knocked out in the semi finals.
One can hope.
What "absurd" reactions are you referring to? Swearing in to the camera? Oh noes!
Come on, Drogba was way out of line.
So was the ref, but I'll agree a game or two was warranted for Drogba, not 6 bloody games - that is ridiculous.One can hope.
What "absurd" reactions are you referring to? Swearing in to the camera? Oh noes!
Come on, Drogba was way out of line.
I was thinking maybe we could talk about what some clubs need to do over the summer and since we talk about the top 4 so often I thought maybe we should start with Aston Villa...
They been linked with a few players some good and some not good (Bentley) and cash is not in short supply thanks to that great chairman they have so IMO I feel MON should look at this...
* ADAM JOHNSON - he wants cover for the flanks so why buy a Bentley or Pennant who are only decent on the right and go for this rising star. Can play on either flank and remindsm e of a young J.Cole with his sklls and runs that he does pretty well for ENG U21's.
* TOM HUDDLESTONE - Has all the potential to become a very good player and O Neill is the man to get it out of him. When fit hes a tough tackler and has brilliant passing range way beyond his years.
* JERMAINE JENAS - Villa need someone who can create for others and Jenas would be a solid choice and well priced one too. Has a lot of PL experience as well as being called up by ENG a lot until the last 12 months anyway and would be a perfect partner for Huddlestone.
* MICHAEL OWEN - If the rumors of Carew's immnent departure are true then for a free Owen is worth the risk because if fit and in a team lke Villa his goals could be the difference between an average season or a great one. Heskey or Gabby would play great with Owen.
* MATTHEW UPSON - Curtis Davies is a talented defender but needs experience alongside him and Villa have lost two great leaers in Laursen/Barry so Upson would be perfect. West Ham new owners seem to be willing to sell him and £7-8 million seems to be the price...BARGAIN.
Villa also need a left back but to be honest I can't think who they could get. Bouma is good but they need cover so maybe a loan in the mould of UTD's Fabio would be perfect.
Also I would get rid of Sidwell if they can land Jernas & Huddlestone.
They been linked with a few players some good and some not good (Bentley) and cash is not in short supply thanks to that great chairman they have so IMO I feel MON should look at this...
* ADAM JOHNSON - he wants cover for the flanks so why buy a Bentley or Pennant who are only decent on the right and go for this rising star. Can play on either flank and remindsm e of a young J.Cole with his sklls and runs that he does pretty well for ENG U21's.
* TOM HUDDLESTONE - Has all the potential to become a very good player and O Neill is the man to get it out of him. When fit hes a tough tackler and has brilliant passing range way beyond his years.
* JERMAINE JENAS - Villa need someone who can create for others and Jenas would be a solid choice and well priced one too. Has a lot of PL experience as well as being called up by ENG a lot until the last 12 months anyway and would be a perfect partner for Huddlestone.
* MICHAEL OWEN - If the rumors of Carew's immnent departure are true then for a free Owen is worth the risk because if fit and in a team lke Villa his goals could be the difference between an average season or a great one. Heskey or Gabby would play great with Owen.
* MATTHEW UPSON - Curtis Davies is a talented defender but needs experience alongside him and Villa have lost two great leaers in Laursen/Barry so Upson would be perfect. West Ham new owners seem to be willing to sell him and £7-8 million seems to be the price...BARGAIN.
Villa also need a left back but to be honest I can't think who they could get. Bouma is good but they need cover so maybe a loan in the mould of UTD's Fabio would be perfect.
Also I would get rid of Sidwell if they can land Jernas & Huddlestone.
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My mate who's a Villa fan would probably agree with most of those choices I think, although he's a bit unsure about Owen. I think if Owen did go to Villa he would have to go on the understanding that he's a squad player, not the star player, and that he might spend a lot of time on the bench (but he would be a great asset there, kinda how Kevin Phillips worked for Birmingham last season) Carew, Hesky, Owen, Abonglahor and Young (if they keep him) would be a good front line. They definitely need more defensive cover and to replace Barry in some way shape or form. I think sidwell might flourish next season.
Owen would probably get more games at Everton, but and Owen/Saha partnership? Moyes better buy 2 or 3 other strikers to play when those two get injured!
Owen would probably get more games at Everton, but and Owen/Saha partnership? Moyes better buy 2 or 3 other strikers to play when those two get injured!
Personally, I think Villa blew their chance, much like Spurs in 2006. I doubt we will see anyone break into the top four any time soon.
Villa aren't even the best of the rest - they have a tiny squad, and O'Neill is an overrated manager. They were playing brilliantly when Carew was injured, with a smart, counter-attacking 4-3-3, but as soon as the transfer window opened, MON returned to his long-ball instincts with the Heskey signing. Much was made of their long season, but they chose the enter the Intertoto Cup, knowing they would have an extended season, yet then decided the UEFA Cup wasn't worth bothering with.
Without Laursen, their defence is a shambles, and they will struggle to replace Barry. Jenas and Huddlestone aren't anywhere near as good.
I expect Everton, Man City, and Spurs to finish above them next season.
Villa aren't even the best of the rest - they have a tiny squad, and O'Neill is an overrated manager. They were playing brilliantly when Carew was injured, with a smart, counter-attacking 4-3-3, but as soon as the transfer window opened, MON returned to his long-ball instincts with the Heskey signing. Much was made of their long season, but they chose the enter the Intertoto Cup, knowing they would have an extended season, yet then decided the UEFA Cup wasn't worth bothering with.
Without Laursen, their defence is a shambles, and they will struggle to replace Barry. Jenas and Huddlestone aren't anywhere near as good.
I expect Everton, Man City, and Spurs to finish above them next season.
^I think Hesky was a bargain really for the money, as my Villa mate points out though, their probelm is that they don't have a plan b, and teams rumbled em. I do think MON is a good manager personally, but he made one huge mistake in sending the reserve side to Russia and saying players were starting to look tired. From that point on they lost it. Ok the team might be tired, but don't admit it, to them or worst of all to the whole world. Terrible bit of management from a man I'd expect better from.
Theres no way that MON is a bad manager his track record is too good and the nly reason he has yet to win cups left, right and centre is that Fergie never retired in 2002 when O Neill seemed to be Alex's choice to replace him..
* Broke RANGERS's hold on the SPL and made Celtic a force again in European football which included that UEFA Cup Final run.
* Got a unfancied Leicester City to the PL, kept them up and made them a top 10 team which got into Europe by winning silverware
* In 2 seasons he's taken a struggling Aston Villa side from 14th to 6th and while spending he's never spent same amounts like Spurs & Man City have.
However Villa will struggle for me compared to this season unless they buy Upson, Jenas, Huddlestone, Owen and a decent left back then there is no reason why they could challenge this season much better then last season.
* Broke RANGERS's hold on the SPL and made Celtic a force again in European football which included that UEFA Cup Final run.
* Got a unfancied Leicester City to the PL, kept them up and made them a top 10 team which got into Europe by winning silverware
* In 2 seasons he's taken a struggling Aston Villa side from 14th to 6th and while spending he's never spent same amounts like Spurs & Man City have.
However Villa will struggle for me compared to this season unless they buy Upson, Jenas, Huddlestone, Owen and a decent left back then there is no reason why they could challenge this season much better then last season.
so if they dopn't buy exactly those players they're screwed?
Do they need people for those positions, yes, those exact players? Not neccesarily. MON is a good manager (even if he is ex Forest and Leiecester!) but this coming season will prove harder. Man City have to perform better, Spurs will have a better season and Everton will be no less of a threat. I certainly won't rule them out.
so if they dopn't buy exactly those players they're screwed?
MON is a good manager (even if he is ex Forest and Leiecester!) but this coming season will prove harder. Man City have to perform better, Spurs will have a better season and Everton will be no less of a threat. I certainly won't rule them out.
Players of that calibre but out of them all Upson could be the most important, they need a experience centre back.
It is now official, Arsenal complete the first of their summer signings with Thomas Vermaelen.
Don't know too much about him. But on paper, looks good. Time will tell.
Um ... 5 ft 111⁄2 inches. 
Um ... 5 ft 111⁄2 inches.
A Gooner mate claims people just think that because Football Manager says so, and he's actually 6'1".
