The Official Football Thread 2007/08 (3 Viewers)

[Benny_]

Alan Smith will be used as an attacking midfielder for Newcastle. They'll mostly play a 4-4-3, with Owens and Martins running behind Viduka/Carroll/Amoebi. If Owens/Martins is subbed, Smith will move up and the midfield will be reshuffled.

12 players on the field at one time is indeed the only way Newcastle will win anything

On a lighter note

 

[Benny_]

Selling Heinze to Pool isn't going to really weaken you or significantly strengthen them either. If he's acting the cunt I'd just let him go, the joke would be on the Scousers anyway.

I can so see tonight's game being a replay of the last two snoozefests you put on against each other. It's just good to see some proper football after this ridiculously long break.

Also has anyone seen this . All Cuntski's africans mocking little Lassana. Poor bloke, no wonder he wants to go.

Drogba actually seems like a decent human being for once in that video though.

 

[timlay]

well smith played as a striker in his debut for the toon...

but.. i guess newcastle do have HEAPS of strikers. hence putting smith in midfield would be a better decision... unless theres a heap of injuries. ( hah. injury prone owen . duh)

i think newcastle have a chance. but then again, all teams have improved. guess we'll have to see and find out. wasn't there a fight between 2 newcastle players... that was sorta weird. FIGHTS are rare. and with the same team? like come onnn.

 

[Gilbert1]

You also need to remember Smith was being deveoped nto a defensive midfielder at Man Utd before he got injured. He is fairly versatile

 

[timlay]

haha. my friend says that smith is better at Left Back then at centre mid or striker... (in FIFA 07, the video game..)

i didn't know that. :/

 

[HeCtic]

Drogba actually seems like a decent human being for once in that video though.

Yeah Chelsea's Africans seem like pretty likeable fellas. Too bad their captain is a Nazi cunt. I almost feel sorry for them.

In other news I just finished watching the 1986 Transformers movie, and realised Starscream sounds like William Gallas on crack. They're both cunts too.

But yeah, you reckon we should run a predictions comp on this thread for the Premiership? Sort out the wheat from the chaff?

 

[LMF^^]

Newcastle haven't been the biggest spenders, both Manchester teams have splashed the cash this summer to buy players. Bresciano at City still disappoints me a little though, he deserves better, I'd rather him join West Ham with Neill.

Arsenal have been in good form during pre-season, it might look like they will be challenging this season. I take back what I said earlier about them, I think they're more of a threat to us than Chelsea or Liverpool. Anyway, can't wait for the season to start, hopefully we'll be able to see Tevez in action this weekend.

 

[Benny_]

I've bought Tevez for my Fantasy team. Bargain at 8.5, sure to go up during the season.

Pre-season means nothing. If Pre-seasons are anything to go by Liverpool would have been relegated last season because we got hammered 5-0 by Mainz. Inter would also seriously struggle, they got beaten 3-0 by Villa.

Having said that I don't think there'll be any newcomers to the top 4 as some have suggested.

 

[Mojoman]

woooo man city, with the million signings sven goren has done we should be able to get in the top half!!

 

[matt#1]

haha, love the sig Benny. I bought Tevez for my fantasy team as well for the same reason. Someone should set up a 2007/08 comp.

@ HeCtic..I'm up for a predictions comp. Do you mean weekly predictions or predictions for the overall places?

 

[mat2154]

which fantasy comp are you using? i prefer freefantasyfootball.tv over premierleague.com (better scoring system, includes serie a, la liga, bundesliga), if theres interest i can put up a league in a few minutes

 

[Raiks]

Newcastle haven't been the biggest spenders, both Manchester teams have splashed the cash this summer to buy players. Bresciano at City still disappoints me a little though, he deserves better, I'd rather him join West Ham with Neill.

Arsenal have been in good form during pre-season, it might look like they will be challenging this season. I take back what I said earlier about them, I think they're more of a threat to us than Chelsea or Liverpool. Anyway, can't wait for the season to start, hopefully we'll be able to see Tevez in action this weekend.

That's absolutely correct. Newcastle have spent SFA in terms of dollars for players. But mind you they've got a few players in.

Out:
Parker - 6mil to West Ham

In:
Claudio Cacapa - Free
Ndjitap Geremi - Free
Mark Viduka - Free
David Rozehnal - 2.9mil
Alan Smith - 6mill
Jose Enrique - 6mil
Joey Barton - 6mill

Total Outlay = 14.9mil

Not bad considering the mammoth amounts of money that Man U and Liverpool are splashing. Allardyce has been shrewd with the spending (as expected from Big Sam) and if we can land another quality defender and midfielder (Deco has been rumoured)... we should be in business for Europe next year.

As for the end of season:

Winners
Man U or Chelsea

3rd
Liverpool

4th/5th
Arsenal/Tottenham

6th/7th/8th/9th
Newcastle/Man City/West Ham/Everton

 

[Gilbert1]

Not bad considering the mammoth amounts of money that Man U and Liverpool are splashing. Allardyce has been shrewd with the spending (as expected from Big Sam) and if we can land another quality defender and midfielder (Deco has been rumoured)... we should be in business for Europe next year.

He would be prett bloody expensive wouldnt he? I don't think big sam has enough money left to buy Deco

 

[HeCtic]

It's all well and good bringing in a billion players in the window and saying how much better off you'll be, but by the time they all 'gel' if at all they do gel you could be well out of the running for a Euro spot.

All this Spurs wanking that's been going on will look hilarious by season's end.

@ HeCtic..I'm up for a predictions comp. Do you mean weekly predictions or predictions for the overall places?

I was thinking a weekly thing. Who's interested?

in other news ; hell has officially frozen over . Give me the gun, I'll do it myself....

 

[LMF^^]

I was thinking a weekly thing. Who's interested?

On another forum I go to, there's a weekly prediction comp. It's Chinese, so we play Asian Handicap. The odds are updated everyday, and whoever accumulates the highest score by the end of the week wins the round. It's interesting, but I have never won a round before.

It'll be a good idea. I personally like Asian Handicap. If there's enough ppl up for it I might as well make a thread.

PS. LMAO@Gallas being captain, that is ridiculous.

 

[Benny_]

Raiks- I'll eat my hat the day Deco goes to Newcastle. Liverpool have a total outlay of £24m this season, nothing compared to United
HeCtic- Would be interested in comp, have no experience however. And Gallas is a very odd choice for the armband. Maybe Wenger is hoping he'll tie him to the club with some responsibility?

 

[matt#1]

Yep, im interested in the weekly predection thread too.

 

[Raginsheep]

Gallas is fuking off next season then.

Wenger knows

 

[Led-Zep]

benny,
united dont have that much more of an outlay compared to liverpool, let see around $12-15 million pounds for hargreaves, free 2 year loan deal for tevez (with an option to buy after the 2 years), and around 8mill each initially for anderson and nani, with future incentives and bonus structures which would push their respective totals up, which we did a similar thing with rooney. so all in all uniteds actual expenditure is probably around the $24million to 35 mark.

 

[Benny_]

benny,
united dont have that much more of an outlay compared to liverpool, let see around $12-15 million pounds for hargreaves, free 2 year loan deal for tevez (with an option to buy after the 2 years), and around 8mill each initially for anderson and nani, with future incentives and bonus structures which would push their respective totals up, which we did a similar thing with rooney. so all in all uniteds actual expenditure is probably around the $24million to 35 mark.

Well, you'd know better than me. Where did you hear that Nani and Anderson are only £8m each initially though?

Also isn't Tevez gonna cost you £30m in 2 seasons in wages + transfer?

My understanding is that our real with Mascherano was quite similar, because really it was the only legal way to sign these third party players. We got him on a short term 2 year, £10m deal with an option to extend at the end of the 2 years.

Also who's playing the Premier League's fantasy football? I figure there probably won't be enough interest here this year.

My team is

Reina/Kirkland

Finnan/G.Neville/Ben Haim/Richards/Baines
Taylor/Arteta/Gerrard(c)/MGP/Noble
RvP/McCarthy/Forssell