Summer 2015 Transfer Market

[ROCcuse]

Is anyone else astonished that Charlie Austin can't get a Premier League offer and is stuck in the Championship with QPR?

Proven PL goalscorer who would be an asset to any team let alone immediately improve the relegation contenders chances of survival.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Is anyone else astonished that Charlie Austin can't get a Premier League offer and is stuck in the Championship with QPR?

Proven PL goalscorer who would be an asset to any team let alone immediately improve the relegation contenders chances of survival.

QPR spent a lot of money last year. Austin is making 60k/week and probably wants a raise if he's moving clubs. Who wouldn't? Aside from that QPR are asking 15 mil. Added together and it's fair amount of money to invest in a player. Look for QPR to lower their asking price or for him to stay planted this year. Teams with that type of money are already sorted at striker... aside from United and he isn't a s e x y enough name for them.

 

[ROCcuse]

good points. The cat's English, I'm surprised the asking price isn't 30M :rolling:

 

[OrangeFoo]

Going off on a tangent but did any of you, who have been following soccer for years, ever think that you could turn on the TV and see the EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A on US TV?

When I got back to the States in 1979, virtually nobody knew what the World Cup was and virtually nobody could name a single European Club team.

In 1982, only the World Cup final was on regular TV and it was shown with standard commericial breaks.

The World Cup finally came to ESPN in 1990.

European Championships did not come until 2004.

Now, all the major leagues and competitions are on US TV and kids, and adults, are wearing jerseys from all the major European clubs.

I was watching the Little League World Series last night and US baseball kids had Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as their favorite athletes.

It is a wonderful thing.

I think the most amazing thing is that I can watch every Liverpool game for free here in the US while I can do that for the Bills, Orange, Mets, Knicks or any other US professional team. I love the fact that NBC has the rights for 6 more years.

It's amazing how far soccer has come in US the last 25 years or so that I've been watching.

 

[OrangeFoo]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! YESSS!!!! I didn't want him at United

I think United is going to regret not getting Pedro. He is widely underrated because everyone thinks he's a product of tiki-takka but I think he's one of the most talented players in the world. He's exactly what Chelsea needed.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Gomez Is an interesting one. Keep in mind his natural position is CB so we could potentially reach a point where he slides over next to Skrtel with Moreno to his left. Lovren plays a different type of cb than most are used to in that he advances out more to break up play. It results in him getting caught out a couple times a game and people losing their marbles but he also breaks up a half dozen would be attacks in doing so. Its almost as if we have a diamond formation at the back at times with Skrtel as a sweeping though not sure if that is by design or not. That said there are some teams (man city) that will dice a standard flat back 4. Too much speed running gaps along with that end line cut back they run masterfully. If Chelsea can't sit back and soak up their pressure the rest of the league better take note. Begovic had a stellar game or City may have dumped 8 on them. Aguero scored 1 but also had 3 great goalward strikes turned aside. Thought it showed a great bit of sportmanship between the 2 when Aguero would congratulate Begovic on the save or reversed Begovic would give him a pat and say nice shot.

I'm taking back all my doubts about the Liverpool D. They were SOLID. Clyne, Firmino, Gomez, Milner, Benteke all look like amazing signings that Liverpool got great value for. On any other day the score today could have been 3-1 Liverpool over Arsenal at Arsenal. All credit to Rogers for protecting his D. Still need to get the ball in the net a bit more but things are looking up especially given Sturridge is coming back. I can't tell you how much I love Clyne and Gomez... so solid.

Amazing that Liverpool had three players 19 or under (Rossitor, Ibe, Gomez) on the field at the end of that game and none of them look out of place.

 

[Alsacs]

I'm taking back all my doubts about the Liverpool D. They were SOLID. Clyne, Firmino, Gomez, Milner, Benteke all look like amazing signings that Liverpool got great value for. On any other day the score today could have been 3-1 Liverpool over Arsenal at Arsenal. All credit to Rogers for protecting his D. Still need to get the ball in the net a bit more but things are looking up especially given Sturridge is coming back. I can't tell you how much I love Clyne and Gomez... so solid.

Amazing that Liverpool had three players 19 or under (Rossitor, Ibe, Gomez) on the field at the end of that game and none of them look out of place.

Cech was the man of that match. 1 point at Emirates is a good result. Liverpool did get lucky with that offsides goal but they played well. They will be really good with Benteke and Sturridge play together. Also the Milner signing may be one of the best this offseason. He has really did the dirty work in MF helping the defense.

 

[ImperialOrange]

good points. The cat's English, I'm surprised the asking price isn't 30M :rolling:

If Sterling Is worth 49m...

 

[ImperialOrange]

I'm taking back all my doubts about the Liverpool D. They were SOLID. Clyne, Firmino, Gomez, Milner, Benteke all look like amazing signings that Liverpool got great value for. On any other day the score today could have been 3-1 Liverpool over Arsenal at Arsenal. All credit to Rogers for protecting his D. Still need to get the ball in the net a bit more but things are looking up especially given Sturridge is coming back. I can't tell you how much I love Clyne and Gomez... so solid.

Amazing that Liverpool had three players 19 or under (Rossitor, Ibe, Gomez) on the field at the end of that game and none of them look out of place.

Cech was unreal In the first half and Migs had some moments of his own in the second half. Gomez is a revelation seemingly out of nowhere. Time and time again teams attack the right wing especially Arsenal given how their offense is run and he met the challenge. Also amazing what his and Clynes presence do for the center halfs as well.

Firmino, while still not fully match fit, showed glimpses of his potential. I thought Ibe off the bench could give Arsenal trouble but he was about our only player on the day he looked poor.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Is anyone else astonished that Charlie Austin can't get a Premier League offer and is stuck in the Championship with QPR?

Proven PL goalscorer who would be an asset to any team let alone immediately improve the relegation contenders chances of survival.

He's a bit slow footed. I could see him at Stoke or Sunderland, some place like that, but QPR's asking price is a bit high for those clubs. I agree he could be an asset, but when people were saying Chelsea should bid for him, I felt like "no, pass on that".

 

[IthacaMatt]

Cech was the man of that match. 1 point at Emirates is a good result. Liverpool did get lucky with that offsides goal but they played well. They will be really good with Benteke and Sturridge play together. Also the Milner signing may be one of the best this offseason. He has really did the dirty work in MF helping the defense.

I think the key is that Rogers realized that he has to tweak his set up and his offensive style to better use a target man. It was dreadful how they wasted Balotelli and the other big lug, Rickie Lambert. Sure, neither one is top class, but he got literally zero production from them. If they used a hold up man and put in some crosses, there was no reason that those guys couldn't each have had 5-10 goals while Sturridge was practically out all year. Yes, Benteke is better with the ball at his feet, but it is clear that Rogers is finally changing his style. He mocked Mourinho last year saying "anyone can teach defense". Well, he's finally getting around to that part of the game.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Cech was unreal In the first half and Migs had some moments of his own in the second half. Gomez is a revelation seemingly out of nowhere. Time and time again teams attack the right wing especially Arsenal given how their offense is run and he met the challenge. Also amazing what his and Clynes presence do for the center halfs as well.

Firmino, while still not fully match fit, showed glimpses of his potential. I thought Ibe off the bench could give Arsenal trouble but he was about our only player on the day he looked poor.

I was surprised that Firmino wasn't faster on the ball. I understand that he's getting up to match fitness. He had good moments, but I was expecting someone a bit more dynamic. He seems more about picking the good pass, at least so far, than running at defenders.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I was surprised that Firmino wasn't faster on the ball. I understand that he's getting up to match fitness. He had good moments, but I was expecting someone a bit more dynamic. He seems more about picking the good pass, at least so far, than running at defenders.

Agree here... I thought he would be more of a burner but he's not. Will be interesting to see how he does in the EPL where he'll see a lot of LB's and CB's who can keep up with him. If he had been a hair faster he would have had a few run ins on the goalie. I just hope its him getting up to speed. Having said that Markovic is one of the fastest people I've seen with the ball and he's terrible and Ibe is pretty fast and he looked terrible once he got in so I'll withhold judgment until at least the turn of the year.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I was surprised that Firmino wasn't faster on the ball. I understand that he's getting up to match fitness. He had good moments, but I was expecting someone a bit more dynamic. He seems more about picking the good pass, at least so far, than running at defenders.

There's a bit of hesitancy/uncertainty to his game at the moment similar to Lallana. I'm a bit more understanding with Firmino though being his first year in the league and adjusting to a new system. He's certainly shown glimpses of what he's got in his locker and enough to be optimistic. Given he is only 23 years old he's not yet the finished article unlike Pedro who looks like a master signing for you but will inevitably slow in the coming years before his contract runs. Firmino certainly has goals in him but given we've got Benteke for that and Coutinho still improving the fact that he hit 25 assists over the last 2 seasons and should've had one yesterday have my expectations set different then some for him. He will create space as will Coutinho. If either of them are given space though, they can take it.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Agree here... I thought he would be more of a burner but he's not. Will be interesting to see how he does in the EPL where he'll see a lot of LB's and CB's who can keep up with him. If he had been a hair faster he would have had a few run ins on the goalie. I just hope its him getting up to speed. Having said that Markovic is one of the fastest people I've seen with the ball and he's terrible and Ibe is pretty fast and he looked terrible once he got in so I'll withhold judgment until at least the turn of the year.

If you've watched him at Hoffenheim or with Brasil he won't run away from faster players in the prem. That said, he's a bit like Coutinho in that he has the agility and touch to operate in tight spaces and get the half step he needs.

I feel overall speed is over rated in the prem since most everyone can run well enough. If you're first touch and decision making let you down the chance will be gone regardless of how fast you are. I'm sure you, I and the rest in this thread can name dozens of speed guys that never really provide and end product. Marko could still come good but he needs confidence, I feel Ibe's speed is over rated a bit vs his acceleration which is above average. Look at Agbonlahor at Villa or Walcott at Arsenal for speed guys that are missing other parts that cancel out what advantage their speed gives.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I feel overall speed is over rated in the prem since most everyone can run well enough. .

Tell that to Ivanovic! He's toast. Every left back in the league has been eating him alive this season.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Tell that to Ivanovic! He's toast. Every left back in the league has been eating him alive this season.

Honestly, Ivanovic just looks a bit lazy at the moment and hasnt shown any type of urgency this year. Call it Glen Johnson syndrome if you will but he looks far more interested in attack vs defending.

 

[General20]

I'm far from convinced that Chelsea is going to sign Pogba, but if they do and they have Costa, Pedro, Fabregas, Hazard, Matic, and Pogba in mid/attack to go with a usually well organized Mourino defense, do they become the favorites again? Where do they stand up against Bayern and Real? I'd still call Barcelona top of the heap, but maybe Chelsea number 2?

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm far from convinced that Chelsea is going to sign Pogba, but if they do and they have Costa, Pedro, Fabregas, Hazard, Matic, and Pogba in mid/attack to go with a usually well organized Mourino defense, do they become the favorites again? Where do they stand up against Bayern and Real? I'd still call Barcelona top of the heap, but maybe Chelsea number 2?

Me neither - I think they're trying to stoke the fires for a bidding war. But Chelsea would certainly take him if they could. You fit Pogba in as the left side holding midfielder and Matic on the right. You move Fabregas upfield into the number 10 spot, or you alternate him with Oscar as the #10. Willian is going to be Pedro's back-up, and will play (like Ramires) when we want to be more defensively sound and play more on the counter-attack.

I think Stones is going to through. I think Mourinho really would also like have Varane, who is unhappy with Ramos and Pedro recently getting big deals from Real Madrid. If somehow they got both of them, he might play sometimes with Stones at right back, as a converted fullback, just like he has done with Ivanovic, who used to play central defense before he came to Chelsea. I guess that Ezequiel Garay is the back up plan. They have also been keeping tabs on him for a couple years.

 

[Alsacs]

I think Man United are going to get Bale and that Neymar crap from Barca was to get Bale from Real. By flashing a big number they can sign Bale for a little more than Real realized.

What will be the group of Death? UEFA changed the seedings around instead of the top 8 overall in po1 1 its the top 8 champions in pot 1 and thus pot 2 is stacked. Roma was the biggest winner they avoided pot 4 by some upsets yesterday.

 

[CanadianSU]

I think Man United are going to get Bale and that Neymar crap from Barca was to get Bale from Real. By flashing a big number they can sign Bale for a little more than Real realized.

What will be the group of Death? UEFA changed the seedings around instead of the top 8 overall in po1 1 its the top 8 champions in pot 1 and thus pot 2 is stacked. Roma was the biggest winner they avoided pot 4 by some upsets yesterday.

Man City, Juve, Sevilla, 'Gladbach hands down group of death. From my perspective I like Dynamo Kyivs group, meanwhile Shakhtar drawn with Real and PSG shouldn't bother showing up...

Sleeper teams : Sevilla, Valencia

, My predicted winner: Bayern. Chelsea may have something to say about that.

 

[Alsacs]

Liverpool's Markovic going on a season long loan to Fenerbahce. If they play in Europa League does he have to sit?

 

[ImperialOrange]

Liverpool's Markovic going on a season long loan to Fenerbahce. If they play in Europa League does he have to sit?

He would but I really hope we don't loan him out. We've barely seen him play In his proper position. I'd rather send Ibe

 

[Alsacs]

He would but I really hope we don't loan him out. We've barely seen him play In his proper position. I'd rather send Ibe

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/27/lazar-markovic-fenerbahce-loan-liverpool

It looks official but its only a season loan. Liverpool wants him back.

 

[Alsacs]

Why is Rodgers sitting Sakho? Is this your version of the De Gea situation? Or is he just not one of your top XI.