Thread: New Soccer Thread+An EPL Preview

Originally Posted by Mr. Irreverent

I heard Lampard was getting booed in the end...

I wasn't shocked because I have always thought Lampard benefits from Chelsea's elite D-mids.

Originally Posted by VEGASKING

As Arsenal and Liverpool fans we can hope they suck as much as those two did.

We don't have to hope. They ARE going to get a rude awakening in their first season in the EPL.

Whether they sink or swim is another story.

I totally agree. Next year isn't what i'm worried about. If they perform and United decide to keep them along with Ronaldo the next decade is what I'm worried about.

Originally Posted by Mr. Irreverent

I'll be annoyed if both of those things happen... But why in god's name would the Hammers pay decent money for Craig Bellamy??? He sucks.

Bellamy isn't a bad player. He's just has not lived up to all the expectations that have been thrust upon him since his Newcastle days. He's talented, but Liverpool did not ever really use him correctly. If West Ham sell Tevez, Bellamy is a decent replacement in that he excels as a withdrawn striker, the position Tevez played for the Hammers.

Originally Posted by redxalonso

Craig Bellamy had a better second half of the season. He has attitude problems, but he is a very intelligent player. i.e. His assist to Riise for Riise's goal vs. Barcelona. He is at his best when he gets the chance to go wide because he has a nice cross and can create for his teammates.

However, Benitez asked him to play off the shoulders(lead the line) of the defenders, but that isn't something he can do, or perhaps willing to do.

Bellamy's best season in England was with Blackburn where he played almost entirely as a support striker. Not sure why Benitez insisted on playing him as a target man.

Bellamy isn't very godo out wide and pretty much hates playing there. Newcastle asked him to do so and he sulked and whined his way to Celtic. Bellamy can be a productive player but I think under the big stage he can't succeed. A move to West Ham would probably do him good as there would not be as much pressure on him, plus I think West Ham would use him correctly.

Originally Posted by VEGASKING

After paying £18 million for Carrick why are they going to spend another £17 million on Hargreaves?

Originally Posted by redxalonso

They lack the option of fielding a defensive midfielder.

Alonso pretty much sums it up. Hargreaves gives United a dimension they lacked last season in fielding a true holding midfielder. Carrick did a good job of holding things together last season, giving Paul Scholes freedom and at the same time was smart enough to attack freely himself. The second leg of the Roma tie is a good example of what happend when things were clicking. But the Milan tie is a good example of how dangerous it can be fielding so many attacking players. Man U under Sir Alex will be an attacking side, but against a team like Milan that has many dangerous attacking options as well, its smart to field a dedicated holding midfielder to break up attacks and keep possesion.

Also keep in mind that Paul Scholes is getting fairly long in the tooth. With his smarts and skill he probably has a few more really good years left in him since he doens't really rely on pace but I see Carrick taking is role and Hargreaves sliding in beside him. I'm guessing that Ferguson hopes that Carrick-Hargreaves can be a midfield duo he can count on for the next 5 years or so.

Originally Posted by Herman Hesse

I think Utd could do worse than to buy Mido. I know he an self indulgent dick but on his day he is a peasure to watch. This will only work if SAF could tame him.

I don't thinK Mido is good enough for Man U. He's big and pretty good in the air but he's not all that great technically. No thanks.

Originally Posted by Mr. Irreverent

Mido huh? I think SAF is looking to buy Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid who I think would be a better fit, plus he's still pretty young.

Torres has been rumored to be coming to Manchester since last summer. I believe he has a gigantic buy out clause that has swayed teams away from buying him. I've never been a big Torres fan, I tend to think he's a bit overrated. I'd rather have Berbatov or Huntelaar. Torres is a good player but not the sort of striker United needs.

Originally Posted by redxalonso

SAF has had Cantona, Roy Keane, and now Rooney, so it should be routine for him to deal with another one in Midos.

Except Cantona, Keane, and Rooney are all uber talented who were also known as tremendous workers. Mido is anything but a hard worker and he's not that talented.

Originally Posted by Mr. Irreverent

I thought you refered to him as "blockhead"?
Someone needs to photoshop a Man U jersey on this kid...

I always thought he looked more like Shrek.