The Ali Dia Football/Soccer Thread

[Whis]

double post, sorry.

[Whis]

Anyway, mercato time, oh boy, I think I am going to turn to alcoholism the way Inter's transfer market is shaping up. Gaby freaking Mudingayi signed a contract for two years for 2M a season. We might as well take a dump on that money and set it on fire.

you don't know ANYTHING about football. Gaby it's one of the best physical midfielders out there. and you paid nearly nothing for him.

Also, about people deliberately taking a dump on Serie A and saying 'our league is better', it is not. The difference is the English FA are happy sweeping corruption under the carpet and never letting anything controversial go public. Just look at the way the Capello sacking unfolded, the FA was acting as judge, jury and excecutioner with decisions that shouldn't have been up to them. They're incompetent. The difference is, the FIGC are willing to put their reputation on the line to weed out flaws with Italian football and fix them. Italian football should be praised for becoming transparent and publically showing they are trying to fix the system, rather than shelter the dark reality away from the fans like elsewhere.

transparent? LOL.

they are trying to fix the problem? TROLOLOLOL

it's obvious that you live outside of italy...

[DemocalypseNow]

Anyway, mercato time, oh boy, I think I am going to turn to alcoholism the way Inter's transfer market is shaping up. Gaby freaking Mudingayi signed a contract for two years for 2M a season. We might as well take a dump on that money and set it on fire.

you don't know ANYTHING about football. Gaby it's one of the best physical midfielders out there. and you paid nearly nothing for him.

Also, about people deliberately taking a dump on Serie A and saying 'our league is better', it is not. The difference is the English FA are happy sweeping corruption under the carpet and never letting anything controversial go public. Just look at the way the Capello sacking unfolded, the FA was acting as judge, jury and excecutioner with decisions that shouldn't have been up to them. They're incompetent. The difference is, the FIGC are willing to put their reputation on the line to weed out flaws with Italian football and fix them. Italian football should be praised for becoming transparent and publically showing they are trying to fix the system, rather than shelter the dark reality away from the fans like elsewhere.

transparent? LOL.

they are trying to fix the problem? TROLOLOLOL

it's obvious that you live outside of italy...

I can only assume you're a Gobbi fan, seeing as all the scandals that are starting to become uncovered are all linked to Rubentus in one way or another, and said fans are pissed off that Inter have proven to have a clean reputation. They were ignorant for too long. Things have gotten out of hand. But calcioscommesse had nothing to do with the FIGC, the ring even originated outside of Europe. How were they supposed to act on something they didn't know existed at the time?

As for Mudingayi? He is one dimensional. He can tackle, sure, but what else does he have? He can't pass, he has no vision, he's slow, and your assessment of his quality must only be based on the fact you play Football Manager? Considering his price, he is boss in that game. But this is not a game. This is real life. And in real life, he is not a good enough player for a Scudetto-winning side. We don't need a physical midfielder, Cambiasso is a better DM, and quite frankly we should be doing away with such a role and replacing it with a more versatile player, such as Nuri Sahin, who is not only great as a deep lying playmaker, but also knows how to throw in a tackle. I don't care about his price, that doesn't justify the purchase. If Moratti is willing to throw 25M at stupid targets like Lucas, we should be able to afford 10M for Sahin and 7-8M for Blaszczykowski, two roles ticked off with quality players and not dubious purchases like this. With a loan it's low risk, but still unnecessary.

[Ataxia]

...in other (non-league) news, Charlie Griffin signed for Bath City last week. This news excites me a lot, having been moderately prolific in the lower leagues before.

However, Crystal Palace has cancelled a friendly against us, denying Bath the pleasure of £6,000 (which is a good amount for a BSS team). However, to compensate they might throw a few loanees down our way (hopefully Kwesi Appiah, who scored 35 in 33 games for Margate last season).

I would quite to see Bath get promoted again; if Griffin provides that spark we lost when Kaid Mohamed left, we might go far.

As for Mudingayi? He is one dimensional. He can tackle, sure, but what else does he have? He can't pass, he has no vision, he's slow, and your assessment of his quality must only be based on the fact you play Football Manager? Considering his price, he is boss in that game. But this is not a game. This is real life. And in real life, he is not a good enough player for a Scudetto-winning side. We don't need a physical midfielder, Cambiasso is a better DM, and quite frankly we should be doing away with such a role and replacing it with a more versatile player, such as Nuri Sahin, who is not only great as a deep lying playmaker, but also knows how to throw in a tackle. I don't care about his price, that doesn't justify the purchase. If Moratti is willing to throw 25M at stupid targets like Lucas, we should be able to afford 10M for Sahin and 7-8M for Blaszczykowski, two roles ticked off with quality players and not dubious purchases like this. With a loan it's low risk, but still unnecessary.

Or Inter could try and get Kris Gate, he's a good deep-lying playmaker. Gateshead were mad to let him go.

[Nessafox]

People, watch Sporting Charleroi in the Belgian league this year, the manager (some weird Iranian mafia guy) is turning the 'Andrea Moda of football' into totally new levels of Andrea Moda-ness everyday. Like going into the grandstands to insult his own supporters, after every single match... Also their strategy is 'built on the succes of their championship team'. Well that was division two, and most of your players that might be good enough for first division have already quit, and you havent bought any new ones yet. Nobody wants to be the coach either, so they took some unkown 32y old guy... This is going to be pure reject gold.
Oh and they sold only a few hundreds of season cards yet, remember that this is a team that could fill their 25000 seats stadium now and then.

All they need to do to finish it all is buying a certain Mr. Pentecost as their #10 player.

[Ataxia]

All they need to do to finish it all is buying a certain Mr. Pentecost as their #10 player.

I am looking for a Champions' League side to take me on as a striker. I am completely ripped, and can easily last 90 minutes of high-tempo football. I once scored 4 goals in a match at high school, so I could easily score plenty for any top side. I've also got more skills on the ball than Cristiano Ronaldo, and anyone that denies that fact doesn't know me. I am also looking to start up my own blue-collar team, Force 1 USA FC, and Kim Kardashian will probably play for us. Anyone know Christy Walton's PIN number?

[David AGS]

Ironically IMO, this all sounds like Ali Dia himself!

Poor Graeme Souness.

I remember one game there he was managing Blackburn who were at Southampton. There was a sideline microphone picking up all his bad words live on TV. Very awkward situation by the commentator, but I recall the commentator got out of it beautifully!

[Ataxia]

I've just remembered a moderately rejectful football story, and it hails from the land of kostas22. (Scotland, I mean.)

I think it was at the beginning of the 2004/05 season, Nicolas Anelka's brother Claude started offering cash-strapped teams £300k to be manager. He tried teams like Barnet and QPR, but eventually ventured north to Scottish Div 1 club Raith Rovers, where he found a team willing to take him on. At the press conference to announce his employment, he shocked the Raith directors by stating that "Raith will play like Cruyff and Barcelona." His ambition was to take Raith up to the SPL, and make them "the 3rd force in Scottish football."

Because Anelka was a former youth coach in France, and so he brought 9 or 10 of his former charges to Scotland for the new season. He brought in big names like Rudy Pounoussamy, and slightly smaller names like Hamed Sacko. None of whom you'd have heard of. Because the squad as a whole was so inept, the team spirit was non-existent and if they even managed to get in the lead, the fans knew they'd lose. The assistant manager even described the players as 'fairy dancers', testament to their uselessness. They then picked up a grand total of 1 point out of 30 and thus Anelka left, as did many of the players he'd brought from the French lower leagues. This one point only came as a result of bringing in John Hollins to take training, as Anelka was crap at that too.

Raith were relegated that season, with only 16 points. They're back in Division One now, though the manager that brought them there a season or two ago is now at Hearts.

[FullMetalJack]

Ironically IMO, this all sounds like Ali Dia himself!

Poor Graeme Souness.

I remember one game there he was managing Blackburn who were at Southampton. There was a sideline microphone picking up all his bad words live on TV. Very awkward situation by the commentator, but I recall the commentator got out of it beautifully!

I'd love to know how.

[DemocalypseNow]

I remember there was a thread here about very loose claims to F1 fame. Like having the same barber as Paul di Resta or something (well, that's mine anyway). How about football?

I'm in the same Soccermanager league as Barcelona's third choice GK Jordi Masip. That's all I've got.

[shinji]

I remember there was a thread here about very loose claims to F1 fame. Like having the same barber as Paul di Resta or something (well, that's mine anyway). How about football?

I'm in the same Soccermanager league as Barcelona's third choice GK Jordi Masip. That's all I've got.

My cousin's cousin is Kevin Kilbane.

[Phoenix]

Anyway, mercato time, oh boy, I think I am going to turn to alcoholism the way Inter's transfer market is shaping up. Gaby freaking Mudingayi signed a contract for two years for 2M a season. We might as well take a dump on that money and set it on fire.

you don't know ANYTHING about football. Gaby it's one of the best physical midfielders out there. and you paid nearly nothing for him.

Also, about people deliberately taking a dump on Serie A and saying 'our league is better', it is not. The difference is the English FA are happy sweeping corruption under the carpet and never letting anything controversial go public. Just look at the way the Capello sacking unfolded, the FA was acting as judge, jury and excecutioner with decisions that shouldn't have been up to them. They're incompetent. The difference is, the FIGC are willing to put their reputation on the line to weed out flaws with Italian football and fix them. Italian football should be praised for becoming transparent and publically showing they are trying to fix the system, rather than shelter the dark reality away from the fans like elsewhere.

transparent? LOL.

they are trying to fix the problem? TROLOLOLOL

it's obvious that you live outside of italy...

When did I write that?

[Ataxia]

I remember there was a thread here about very loose claims to F1 fame. Like having the same barber as Paul di Resta or something (well, that's mine anyway). How about football?

I'm in the same Soccermanager league as Barcelona's third choice GK Jordi Masip. That's all I've got.

My mum used to teach Dagenham and Redbridge defender Luke Wilkinson...

I live near Steve Phillips' brother.

James Keene went to my school, though he was a few years older than me.

They're the loosest claims to football fame ever...

[Shadaza]

Like the Olympics or not. The Brazil team is going to be worth watching and I will be cheering them on for sure.

[FullMetalJack]

Like the Olympics or not. The Brazil team is going to be worth watching and I will be cheering them on for sure.

I only watched that game last night because Jack Butland was playing in goal for the second half. Luckily both goals Team GB conceded were in the first half.

[Shadaza]

Like the Olympics or not. The Brazil team is going to be worth watching and I will be cheering them on for sure.

I only watched that game last night because Jack Butland was playing in goal for the second half. Luckily both goals Team GB conceded were in the first half.

Butland was amazing, probably the best player for GB that night, he looks a real star.

[Nessafox]

I went to the same school as former Belgian national team trainer Georges Leekens.
At least according to wikipedia, because i never met him there, he's quite a bit older than me...

[shinji]

If we're talking same school, then Huddersfield Town superstar (and Ireland international back in the dark days of the mid 2000s) Alan Lee went to my school, well before I was there obviously.

[DemocalypseNow]

Like the Olympics or not. The Brazil team is going to be worth watching and I will be cheering them on for sure.

The Brazil football games are one of the few (if any events) I may actually watch. One of their first choice centre backs is Juan Jesus, who Inter signed six months ago. He hasn't started a game for us yet though, so I will be interested to see how good this kid really is. We've also been linked heavily to Lucas Moura who is also in the squad, so this could be considered something of a scouting mission for myself.

[Whis]

I can only assume you're a Gobbi fan, seeing as all the scandals that are starting to become uncovered are all linked to Rubentus in one way or another, and said fans are pissed off that Inter have proven to have a clean reputation. They were ignorant for too long. Things have gotten out of hand. But calcioscommesse had nothing to do with the FIGC, the ring even originated outside of Europe. How were they supposed to act on something they didn't know existed at the time?

IO TIFO BOLOGNA.

and i bathplugging hate Juventus. but you can't say that Inter has a clean reputation... they just cheat considerably less than Juventus and Milan.

and Calcioscommesse has to do with the italian system. because when there's always a scandal the big teams are never touched, trust me. (apart from Calciopoli, but that was way, way, way too big to be overlooked. but also there they punished just Juventus. we were relegated that year, and was proved that Fiorentina was to blame for that. guess what? ridicolous penalties for them).

As for Mudingayi? He is one dimensional. He can tackle, sure, but what else does he have? He can't pass, he has no vision, he's slow, and your assessment of his quality must only be based on the fact you play Football Manager? Considering his price, he is boss in that game. But this is not a game. This is real life. And in real life, he is not a good enough player for a Scudetto-winning side. We don't need a physical midfielder, Cambiasso is a better DM, and quite frankly we should be doing away with such a role and replacing it with a more versatile player, such as Nuri Sahin, who is not only great as a deep lying playmaker, but also knows how to throw in a tackle. I don't care about his price, that doesn't justify the purchase. If Moratti is willing to throw 25M at stupid targets like Lucas, we should be able to afford 10M for Sahin and 7-8M for Blaszczykowski, two roles ticked off with quality players and not dubious purchases like this. With a loan it's low risk, but still unnecessary.

One dimensional? yes. but it's really one of the best in that dimension. in the four years which he played there he was vital. trust me, really. you had to watch a decent amount of Bologna matches to know that. but hey, medias in italy are always biased. they don't talk about Ramirez which is a top player. and Diamanti too

[pasta_maldonado]

I can only assume you're a Gobbi fan, seeing as all the scandals that are starting to become uncovered are all linked to Rubentus in one way or another, and said fans are pissed off that Inter have proven to have a clean reputation. They were ignorant for too long. Things have gotten out of hand. But calcioscommesse had nothing to do with the FIGC, the ring even originated outside of Europe. How were they supposed to act on something they didn't know existed at the time?

IO TIFO BOLOGNA.

and i bathplugging hate Juventus. but you can't say that Inter has a clean reputation... they just cheat considerably less than Juventus and Milan.

and Calcioscommesse has to do with the italian system. because when there's always a scandal the big teams are never touched, trust me. (apart from Calciopoli, but that was way, way, way too big to be overlooked. but also there they punished just Juventus. we were relegated that year, and was proved that Fiorentina was to blame for that. guess what? ridicolous penalties for them).

As for Mudingayi? He is one dimensional. He can tackle, sure, but what else does he have? He can't pass, he has no vision, he's slow, and your assessment of his quality must only be based on the fact you play Football Manager? Considering his price, he is boss in that game. But this is not a game. This is real life. And in real life, he is not a good enough player for a Scudetto-winning side. We don't need a physical midfielder, Cambiasso is a better DM, and quite frankly we should be doing away with such a role and replacing it with a more versatile player, such as Nuri Sahin, who is not only great as a deep lying playmaker, but also knows how to throw in a tackle. I don't care about his price, that doesn't justify the purchase. If Moratti is willing to throw 25M at stupid targets like Lucas, we should be able to afford 10M for Sahin and 7-8M for Blaszczykowski, two roles ticked off with quality players and not dubious purchases like this. With a loan it's low risk, but still unnecessary.

One dimensional? yes. but it's really one of the best in that dimension. in the four years which he played there he was vital. trust me, really. you had to watch a decent amount of Bologna matches to know that. but hey, medias in italy are always biased. they don't talk about Ramirez which is a top player. and Diamanti too

Diamante was absolute dogshite while he was at West Ham

[FullMetalJack]

Like the Olympics or not. The Brazil team is going to be worth watching and I will be cheering them on for sure.

I only watched that game last night because Jack Butland was playing in goal for the second half. Luckily both goals Team GB conceded were in the first half.

Butland was amazing, probably the best player for GB that night, he looks a real star.

It's the first time i've actually seen him play, he spent last season on loan at Cheltenham.

[DemocalypseNow]

I can only assume you're a Gobbi fan, seeing as all the scandals that are starting to become uncovered are all linked to Rubentus in one way or another, and said fans are pissed off that Inter have proven to have a clean reputation. They were ignorant for too long. Things have gotten out of hand. But calcioscommesse had nothing to do with the FIGC, the ring even originated outside of Europe. How were they supposed to act on something they didn't know existed at the time?

IO TIFO BOLOGNA.

and i bathplugging hate Juventus. but you can't say that Inter has a clean reputation... they just cheat considerably less than Juventus and Milan.

and Calcioscommesse has to do with the italian system. because when there's always a scandal the big teams are never touched, trust me. (apart from Calciopoli, but that was way, way, way too big to be overlooked. but also there they punished just Juventus. we were relegated that year, and was proved that Fiorentina was to blame for that. guess what? ridicolous penalties for them).

As for Mudingayi? He is one dimensional. He can tackle, sure, but what else does he have? He can't pass, he has no vision, he's slow, and your assessment of his quality must only be based on the fact you play Football Manager? Considering his price, he is boss in that game. But this is not a game. This is real life. And in real life, he is not a good enough player for a Scudetto-winning side. We don't need a physical midfielder, Cambiasso is a better DM, and quite frankly we should be doing away with such a role and replacing it with a more versatile player, such as Nuri Sahin, who is not only great as a deep lying playmaker, but also knows how to throw in a tackle. I don't care about his price, that doesn't justify the purchase. If Moratti is willing to throw 25M at stupid targets like Lucas, we should be able to afford 10M for Sahin and 7-8M for Blaszczykowski, two roles ticked off with quality players and not dubious purchases like this. With a loan it's low risk, but still unnecessary.

One dimensional? yes. but it's really one of the best in that dimension. in the four years which he played there he was vital. trust me, really. you had to watch a decent amount of Bologna matches to know that. but hey, medias in italy are always biased. they don't talk about Ramirez which is a top player. and Diamanti too

I am surprised you say what you did about Ramirez, because the Inter websites have talked up Gaston for a while now. He clearly has talent, maybe not as much as Stevan Jovetic, but certainly a lot. 20M for him and 30M for Jovetic are steep prices though.

I think Bologna were a bit crazy with their mercato so far anyway. Selling Gillet to Torino? While this makes me very happy as an Il Toro fan (read; anti-Gobbi fan), I don't understand how selling Gillet to replace him with Gianluca Curci is going to help. Toro have great choice in that department after this mercato, both Gillet and Gazzi, while Bologna now only has Roma's 3rd choice GK and in Agliardi, a keeper who has been backup all his life. If I were a Bologna fan I'd be going ape shite at the management right now for a move like that.

Regardless of Mudingayi's tackling ability, I don't like his purchase because there were better options available. Napoli are looking to get rid of Walter Gargano for a price of 6M, which is a good price for a player of his quality. His tackling is still great, and he has great attributes in other areas as well which Mudingayi does not. Gargano is a player I would like at Inter. A great partner in midfield for Guarin. Mudingayi, not so much. But if you think my attitude towards Gaby is negative, you should see the Inter forums...they're popping plenty of Prozac pills at the news.

Although, in fairness, these pictures do give me some hope for the future;

[Barbazza]

Diamante (sic) was absolute dogshite while he was at West Ham

I thought Diamanti had his moments, and I was sad when he went. He was the last proper entertainer we had really, before the current brand of shite that passes as football took over. I don't care that we got promoted, I won't be happy until Fat Sam disappears.

[FullMetalJack]

Diamante (sic) was absolute dogshite while he was at West Ham

I thought Diamanti had his moments, and I was sad when he went. He was the last proper entertainer we had really, before the current brand of shite that passes as football took over. I don't care that we got promoted, I won't be happy until Fat Sam disappears.

I understand what you mean, Big Sam is a great manager, but Christ is his managerial style boring. More suitable to Stoke City.

[Barbazza]

Unfortunately yes, not the West Ham way at all. And just look who wants to play for him - judging by our transfers this summer, no-one! (bar some free signings and some striker I've never heard of)

[DemocalypseNow]

Diamante (sic) was absolute dogshite while he was at West Ham

I thought Diamanti had his moments, and I was sad when he went. He was the last proper entertainer we had really, before the current brand of shite that passes as football took over. I don't care that we got promoted, I won't be happy until Fat Sam disappears.

I understand what you mean, Big Sam is a great manager, but Christ is his managerial style boring. More suitable to Stoke City.

On that note, I'm looking forward to what Laudrup does at Swansea. I am a little concerned though he's sticking to buying his old players from his time at RCD Mallorca so far, needs to start looking elsewhere...there are some bargains to be had, the likes of Jermaine Lens and Ibrahim Afellay are available for £4M each for example.

The thing I'm looking forward to most in the EPL this season is Papiss Cisse BOSSING EVERYONE. 30 goals next season easy, he's going to tear defenses to shreds with Ben Arfa and Debuchy flanking him.

@Barbazza Said striker, Modibo Maïga, I rate quite highly. Or at least I did, until the Newcastle saga. He was on the verge of a transfer there until he failed his medical. But look at it this way; how many Toon scouted players from France have failed recently? I think if anything he's West Ham's best purchase of the summer so far, unless that unknown reason he failed his medical at Newcastle comes back to haunt him.

[Barbazza]

@Barbazza Said striker, Modibo Maïga, I rate quite highly. Or at least I did, until the Newcastle saga. He was on the verge of a transfer there until he failed his medical. But look at it this way; how many Toon scouted players from France have failed recently? I think if anything he's West Ham's best purchase of the summer so far, unless that unknown reason he failed his medical at Newcastle comes back to haunt him.

If he does as well as the last striker we bought who failed a medical, Demba Ba (whose failed medical was at Stoke and who ended up at The Toon - how's that for a nice circular discussion in this thread?!) then I'll be quite happy I think!

[FullMetalJack]

The thing I'm looking forward to most in the EPL this season is Papiss Cisse BOSSING EVERYONE. 30 goals next season easy, he's going to tear defenses to shreds with Ben Arfa and Debuchy flanking him.

I'm so grateful for Papiss Cisse, we may not have signed Peter Lovenkrands otherwise. Not to mention how amazing Cisse is anyway, some of his goals last season were indescribable.

[DemocalypseNow]

The reason I don't like the EPL is their traditional approach to football. It's why England never win anything at the world stage, their tactical approach is out of date and lacks fluidity. Why won't anyone play a 4-2-3-1? I love this formation, if were a football manager I'd stick to it religiously. A DM paired with a deep lying playmaker, an offensive and defensive full back, a free roaming attacking trio, a trequartista flanked by two players who can switch sides and still play just as well as their normal side, and a devastating finisher up front. Not some boring as shite 4-4-2 nonsense.

Also, guys, if English football gets too boring for you, watch a Roma game next season. All 38 games will be fireworks. They have Zdenek Zeman as coach again. He has a full out attacking philosophy. He has crafted out and forced the players to precisely memorise over 100 different attacking plays. He doesn't do defense, period. He just tells them to do whatever the bathplug they want properly, he has no time for them. He was Pescara manager last season, and has raised three of the best Italian prodigies in Europe right now. Lorenzo Insignie, an AM/LW/SS in the same mould of Lavezzi, has moved back to parent club Napoli to be the aforementioned player's direct replacement, Ciro Immobile has moved to Genoa after being the top goalscorer in Serie B last season, and Marco Verratti, who has been dubbed "the new Andrea Pirlo", has moved to PSG for 12M euro. So that's about £9.4M for a 19 year old. You get the idea.

Here's just a sample of what to expect of Roma this season. Serie A will be very exciting with this guy back in the league.

[FullMetalJack]

Not some boring as shite 4-4-2 nonsense.

After nearly 4 years of McLeish and his shitty 4-5-1 formation, I welcomed back 4-4-2 with open arms. Plus we probably couldn't play 4-2-3-1, especially as we don't have midfielders that are particularly defensive minded. For the three attacking midfielders, we can at least use Burke and Redmond on the wings.

[midgrid]

Diamante (sic) was absolute dogshite while he was at West Ham

I thought Diamanti had his moments, and I was sad when he went. He was the last proper entertainer we had really, before the current brand of shite that passes as football took over. I don't care that we got promoted, I won't be happy until Fat Sam disappears.

I understand what you mean, Big Sam is a great manager, but Christ is his managerial style boring. More suitable to Stoke City.

On the subject of Big Sam and connections to football, he bought a big house a couple of minutes walk away from me during his brief tenure at Newcastle United a few years ago. I think he was sacked less than a month later.

The thing I'm looking forward to most in the EPL this season is Papiss Cisse BOSSING EVERYONE. 30 goals next season easy, he's going to tear defenses to shreds with Ben Arfa and Debuchy flanking him.

[DemocalypseNow]

Not some boring as shite 4-4-2 nonsense.

After nearly 4 years of McLeish and his shitty 4-5-1 formation, I welcomed back 4-4-2 with open arms. Plus we probably couldn't play 4-2-3-1, especially as we don't have midfielders that are particularly defensive minded. For the three attacking midfielders, we can at least use Burke and Redmond on the wings.

Birmingham City could play any formation possible and still lose anyway

It doesn't help your squad is completely devoid of talent. Unless that Butland kid delivers on his promise. But outfield you've got squat. A poor man's Peter Crouch, and as Scottish wingers go Burke is average. James Forrest is only 21 and he's already a better player.

[FullMetalJack]

Not some boring as shite 4-4-2 nonsense.

After nearly 4 years of McLeish and his shitty 4-5-1 formation, I welcomed back 4-4-2 with open arms. Plus we probably couldn't play 4-2-3-1, especially as we don't have midfielders that are particularly defensive minded. For the three attacking midfielders, we can at least use Burke and Redmond on the wings.

Birmingham City could play any formation possible and still lose anyway

It doesn't help your squad is completely devoid of talent. Unless that Butland kid delivers on his promise. But outfield you've got squat. A poor man's Peter Crouch, and as Scottish wingers go Burke is average. James Forrest is only 21 and he's already a better player.

We're not that devoid of talent.

Butland

Carr Davies Caldwell Murphy

Burke Elliott Ambrose Redmond

Zigic Lovenkrands/King

Not a bad starting 11 at all.

[Whis]

Anyway, mercato time, oh boy, I think I am going to turn to alcoholism the way Inter's transfer market is shaping up. Gaby freaking Mudingayi signed a contract for two years for 2M a season. We might as well take a dump on that money and set it on fire.

you don't know ANYTHING about football. Gaby it's one of the best physical midfielders out there. and you paid nearly nothing for him.

Also, about people deliberately taking a dump on Serie A and saying 'our league is better', it is not. The difference is the English FA are happy sweeping corruption under the carpet and never letting anything controversial go public. Just look at the way the Capello sacking unfolded, the FA was acting as judge, jury and excecutioner with decisions that shouldn't have been up to them. They're incompetent. The difference is, the FIGC are willing to put their reputation on the line to weed out flaws with Italian football and fix them. Italian football should be praised for becoming transparent and publically showing they are trying to fix the system, rather than shelter the dark reality away from the fans like elsewhere.

transparent? LOL.

they are trying to fix the problem? TROLOLOLOL

it's obvious that you live outside of italy...

When did I write that?

i think that the forum doesn't like too much the multiquoting. or maybe i just messed up

[DemocalypseNow]

After nearly 4 years of McLeish and his shitty 4-5-1 formation, I welcomed back 4-4-2 with open arms. Plus we probably couldn't play 4-2-3-1, especially as we don't have midfielders that are particularly defensive minded. For the three attacking midfielders, we can at least use Burke and Redmond on the wings.

Birmingham City could play any formation possible and still lose anyway

It doesn't help your squad is completely devoid of talent. Unless that Butland kid delivers on his promise. But outfield you've got squat. A poor man's Peter Crouch, and as Scottish wingers go Burke is average. James Forrest is only 21 and he's already a better player.

We're not that devoid of talent.

Butland

Carr Davies Caldwell Murphy

Burke Elliott Ambrose Redmond

Zigic Lovenkrands/King

Not a bad starting 11 at all.

Caldwell is average, but at least he isn't ridiculously error prone like his brother Gary. Murphy is a decent player but not EPL class. Burke plays big in a small league and fails at the top level, because he's not got class, only form. Darren Ambrose had one good season at Crystal Palace and then faded into obscurity again as usual. Zigic and Lovenkrands is an absolutely terrible front duo, they're no good with their feet. Davies and Elliott I won't comment on because I don't know them. Carr is the only rock solid player in that lineup, and Butland and Redmond are the only ones with serious potential. Also, Jonathan Spector is woefully under-utilised at the club because he always plays in bad positions. Playing him at CM was a joke, he should play DM to properly utilise his skills. But, of course, no formation the team plays has such a role for him.

In the Championship that lineup may do fine, but if you get to the EPL and expect that to be good enough, the results won't be pretty...

If that team played any EPL side it would get torn to shreds. Also, it's a slight double standard you criticise Alex McLeish so often, yet Zigic, Burke, Caldwell and Murphy were all brought in under him. I think the Villa/City rivalry is clouding your judgement somewhat...

[Whis]

I am surprised you say what you did about Ramirez, because the Inter websites have talked up Gaston for a while now. He clearly has talent, maybe not as much as Stevan Jovetic, but certainly a lot. 20M for him and 30M for Jovetic are steep prices though.

I think Bologna were a bit crazy with their mercato so far anyway. Selling Gillet to Torino? While this makes me very happy as an Il Toro fan (read; anti-Gobbi fan), I don't understand how selling Gillet to replace him with Gianluca Curci is going to help. Toro have great choice in that department after this mercato, both Gillet and Gazzi, while Bologna now only has Roma's 3rd choice GK and in Agliardi, a keeper who has been backup all his life. If I were a Bologna fan I'd be going ape shite at the management right now for a move like that.

Regardless of Mudingayi's tackling ability, I don't like his purchase because there were better options available. Napoli are looking to get rid of Walter Gargano for a price of 6M, which is a good price for a player of his quality. His tackling is still great, and he has great attributes in other areas as well which Mudingayi does not. Gargano is a player I would like at Inter. A great partner in midfield for Guarin. Mudingayi, not so much. But if you think my attitude towards Gaby is negative, you should see the Inter forums...they're popping plenty of Prozac pills at the news.

Although, in fairness, these pictures do give me some hope for the future;

we're already freakin angry with the management. they got just money for the new training centre, and nothing else. we already sold 4 of the 11 starters of last season (Gillet for just a few bucks, Raggi as a free transfer, Mudingayi just as Gillet, and Di Vaio), without more or less no one to replace them, because Curci it's crap, and i honestly prefer Agliardi to him. Right now for replacing Mudi we're trying to take Guarente, which was injured all last year

anyway, about Gargano... i don't wanna be boring but he's Diego Perez's reserve on the Uruguay national team.

and about the prices... if you pay Pastore 35 millions and Verratti 15... Ramirez could easily stand at a price of 25. and Gaston has shown in two years the same quality as Pastore IMHO.

[Whis]

The reason I don't like the EPL is their traditional approach to football. It's why England never win anything at the world stage, their tactical approach is out of date and lacks fluidity. Why won't anyone play a 4-2-3-1? I love this formation, if were a football manager I'd stick to it religiously. A DM paired with a deep lying playmaker, an offensive and defensive full back, a free roaming attacking trio, a trequartista flanked by two players who can switch sides and still play just as well as their normal side, and a devastating finisher up front. Not some boring as shite 4-4-2 nonsense.

Also, guys, if English football gets too boring for you, watch a Roma game next season. All 38 games will be fireworks. They have Zdenek Zeman as coach again. He has a full out attacking philosophy. He has crafted out and forced the players to precisely memorise over 100 different attacking plays. He doesn't do defense, period. He just tells them to do whatever the bathplug they want properly, he has no time for them. He was Pescara manager last season, and has raised three of the best Italian prodigies in Europe right now. Lorenzo Insignie, an AM/LW/SS in the same mould of Lavezzi, has moved back to parent club Napoli to be the aforementioned player's direct replacement, Ciro Immobile has moved to Genoa after being the top goalscorer in Serie B last season, and Marco Verratti, who has been dubbed "the new Andrea Pirlo", has moved to PSG for 12M euro. So that's about £9.4M for a 19 year old. You get the idea.

Here's just a sample of what to expect of Roma this season. Serie A will be very exciting with this guy back in the league.

i love Zeman, he could make a "striker" like Fausto Rossini score 15 goals in Serie A. and he's the anti-Juventus hero

[DemocalypseNow]

I am surprised you say what you did about Ramirez, because the Inter websites have talked up Gaston for a while now. He clearly has talent, maybe not as much as Stevan Jovetic, but certainly a lot. 20M for him and 30M for Jovetic are steep prices though.

I think Bologna were a bit crazy with their mercato so far anyway. Selling Gillet to Torino? While this makes me very happy as an Il Toro fan (read; anti-Gobbi fan), I don't understand how selling Gillet to replace him with Gianluca Curci is going to help. Toro have great choice in that department after this mercato, both Gillet and Gazzi, while Bologna now only has Roma's 3rd choice GK and in Agliardi, a keeper who has been backup all his life. If I were a Bologna fan I'd be going ape shite at the management right now for a move like that.

Regardless of Mudingayi's tackling ability, I don't like his purchase because there were better options available. Napoli are looking to get rid of Walter Gargano for a price of 6M, which is a good price for a player of his quality. His tackling is still great, and he has great attributes in other areas as well which Mudingayi does not. Gargano is a player I would like at Inter. A great partner in midfield for Guarin. Mudingayi, not so much. But if you think my attitude towards Gaby is negative, you should see the Inter forums...they're popping plenty of Prozac pills at the news.

Although, in fairness, these pictures do give me some hope for the future;

we're already freakin angry with the management. they got just money for the new training centre, and nothing else. we already sold 4 of the 11 starters of last season (Gillet for just a few bucks, Raggi as a free transfer, Mudingayi just as Gillet, and Di Vaio), without more or less no one to replace them, because Curci it's crap, and i honestly prefer Agliardi to him. Right now for replacing Mudi we're trying to take Guarente, which was injured all last year

anyway, about Gargano... i don't wanna be boring but he's Diego Perez's reserve on the Uruguay national team.

and about the prices... if you pay Pastore 35 millions and Verratti 15... Ramirez could easily stand at a price of 25. and Gaston has shown in two years the same quality as Pastore IMHO.

But those are PSG prices. PSG prices are not market prices. Paris buys players for stupidly inflated values. By PSG prices, Milos Krasic is worth 30M, Eljero Elia is worth 15M, Andrea Caracciolo is worth 5M and Amauri would be paid the 100K a week wage he got at Juve. No Italian team has any money, apart from Juve, who must have robbed a bank to purchase all the players they did so far. Wouldn't surprise me if Moggi was giving Marotta some guidance as to how to defraud some people out of money so he can spend it in the mercato.

And the fact Gargano is backup to Perez at NT level doesn't prove anything. I think Maradona leaving Zanetti at home for the 2010 World Cup is proof of that. What a freaking idiot Maradona is

As for Zeman, he's a hero at Inter for his anti-Juve stance. “How many titles do Juve have? I count 22 or 23…Everyone can put whatever they want, even I could deserve a couple of stars. Juventus fans feel this way, I would say of their Scudetti I would count 22, maybe 23.”

It would be great to have him coach Inter and kick gobbi arse in the Derby d'Italia on the way to the Scudetto

[David AGS]

Caldwell is average, but at least he isn't ridiculously error prone like his brother Gary. Murphy is a decent player but not EPL class. Burke plays big in a small league and fails at the top level, because he's not got class, only form. Darren Ambrose had one good season at Crystal Palace and then faded into obscurity again as usual. Zigic and Lovenkrands is an absolutely terrible front duo, they're no good with their feet. Davies and Elliott I won't comment on because I don't know them. Carr is the only rock solid player in that lineup, and Butland and Redmond are the only ones with serious potential. Also, Jonathan Spector is woefully under-utilised at the club because he always plays in bad positions. Playing him at CM was a joke, he should play DM to properly utilise his skills. But, of course, no formation the team plays has such a role for him.

In the Championship that lineup may do fine, but if you get to the EPL and expect that to be good enough, the results won't be pretty...

If that team played any EPL side it would get torn to shreds. Also, it's a slight double standard you criticise Alex McLeish so often, yet Zigic, Burke, Caldwell and Murphy were all brought in under him. I think the Villa/City rivalry is clouding your judgement somewhat...

Curtis Davies been around a while. Very talented defender whos got over his injuries and looks good again. I remember Elliott with Burnley, good solid player. Carr is still good, but getting on a little. Ambrose, IMO is a gun. Should be in the EPL, was in and out of the Ipswich and Newcastle side, but has a lethal long shot. Wheres Colin Doyle at. I remember he replaced Taylor for a few games and dis very well, apparently all the big clubs were interrested for a while.

Isnt Heskey available! LOL

Im still slightly bitter in Birmingham stealing that League Cup over the Gunners.