SeB

Who needs £60m Falcao when there's cheaper and potentially as effective? 12 goals out of 28 shots on target, 2 goals out of 2 attempts for Sunderland so far. £17m for him ? Absolute madness.

Capoue likes to go forward with the ball, he can be a good link. I don't want to speak again about the requirement of a disciplined DM. Capoue should then play alongside a DM He's far more interesting than a ball wanker like Dembele.

I don't want to be harsh. But I saw him several times, he's quality on the paper but has the same problems than Luiz or Sakho, they are convinced they can revolutionize the center back position and bring it some fantasy, dribbles etc. On the paper he's solid, quick, intercepts a lot, has a proper long distibution. But in the facts he wants to dribble at the back too often (what pisses me off the most is when he waits for the striker to press him and then he dribbles him whereas he loses some time and could have put rythm into the distribution instead) and he wants to intercept everytime. And you cannot do that, especially for a CB. CBs who intercepts shall not only have reading skills but have excellent ratios as well, thet cannot come out if they aren't sure to get the ball. To be very fair I don't see anything more impressive than Mamadou Sakho , they have the same qualities (solid, intercepts, quick) but also the same weaknesses (concentration swings, dribbles at the back, gives the ball away under pressure or via a too ambitious distribution). 2 or 3 years ago "everyone" was prasing Sakho as the future defender of the French NT. Where are we now? Carlo doesn't want him due to his inconsistency and his bad mentality (thinks he's proven something since he's at Paris, he threatened the club to quit this summer). Mapou isn't as arrogant. But anyway both are what pisses me off in modern football. I'm not against ball playing center backs (I'm very impressed by Spurs' Caulker). I'm pissed of about center backs who thinks they can dribble at the back and give assists everytime they attempt a long ball

I'm surprised he hadn't a thread yet. But anyway Loïc Remy, current Marseille's versatile striker. Came through the ranks at Lyon, never got a chance there (yet Benzema, Ben Arfa from the same 1987 generation did) and was loaned at Lens under Jean Pierre Papin's disastrous spell (Lens relegated in Ligue 2 after finishing 5th the season before). Signed for Nice where he was the main asset to provide goals (30 goals in two seasons) in a team facing relegation. He was expected to sign for Marseille but doctors did find a cardiac problem. After more analysis it appears he hadn't the problem expected and signed for OM. He has 43 goals in 105 games (18 + 25 in all competitions including Internationals) in two seasons His stats sheets (I was too lazy to be precise just above) http://www.lequipe.f...oueur25024.html I was wondering if we couldn't eventually enter on the market for him. We got Azpi for a friendly price and they want money (and incidentally Kakuta too). He could be the player we need as a different player from Torres: Rémy likes to cut crosses, he's an increadible heading player despite his size (1.85m, 6 ft 1⁄2 in). He used to play on the wings because of his quality to dribble, he's good and quick on the ball. His movements are good and he has a huge potential in front of goal. I always though he'd fill a central position somewhere and have a great career (no, I'm absolutely not linking Remy's possible career to the carrer of the Martiniquais player he's been compared for years. No, not at all)

As KieranVogel said, he's tired, there's no other explanation. He played 57 games last term, went to the Euros (even if he didn't play, he trained) and then the olympic Games. He's an outstanding technical ability which allows him to manage passes and other stuff when he's not under too high pressure... But look at his touches, he looks like an overweight Wayne Rooney of the bad days, the ball litteraly rebounds on his foot and sometimes he has to touch it 3 times to control it!

But now that's several players, the linking play includes Torres. There's slight improvement. Otherwise Torres proved one more time that with short service arount the box, he scored goals... I'm saying it for months though he already showed it from Anelka or Mata's service througout the last 15 months. His commitment is brillant considering that's his 5th 90mns in just three weeks!

I was happy with Bertrand's performance, tactically that's a good pair with Cole When we haven't the ball, Bertrand closes the wing and the passing angles through the inside When we have the ball, Cole makes a run forward and is covered by Bertrand, so then Cole has even less to worry about what happens behind him Sometimes Bertrand was really close to the touchline to provide width, Hazard did it as well in 2nd half In defensive transition, Bertrand acts as a full back until Cole comes backs, and when Cole regained his position Bertrand can come out on the adverse winger (Ben Arfa). Newcastle was organised in a flat 4-4-2, no movement between the lines and so then we outnumbered the opponent for the first time for quite some time. Bertrand's rigor forced the only player who could organise their play (Ben Arfa) to play backward, go by himself with his trademark selfish runs eyes on his own shoes or just give the ball away. Otherwise that's "work in progress", without the ball the movements are improving (mainly due to the quality of the players to be fair) but we are too often static until a player takes the initiative with the ball, sometimes our players seems to wait some movement from a team mate to start asking the ball.

Not a conventional winger because he likes to do runs on the entire width of the pitch, to cut inside as well. But Martinez praised several times his tactical discipline, when Moses' handed a role, he holds it anyway. Many speak about he 'width', the main thing is the tactical discipline. Same with Moses' strength, he's powerfull but first of all he keeps his body balance. One thing doesn't implies the other, cf Lukaku He played upfront at Palace, in 2008/2009 by example but he wasn't that great, he didn't manage to fulfill the promises of his 1st season. On a personnal plan I'm very excited about the fact we finally signed him, usually I'm not right to the start. The last time shall be Deco or Zhirkov. He has raw talent, he's been praised all his career for his hard working mentality (and we can see his improvement season after season). His personnal background is kind of a guarantee he won't just earn his paycheck every month, that's the reason I'm so eager to see him playing and improving at Chelsea My personnal bet is two years from now, to laugh about the possibility to sign Hulk for such a ridiculous amount of money whereas we've a potential who can become at least as good in some time now.

You've been Mertesackered! Otherwise due to Cissé's first goal celebration last year at SB, he rather has to be good today

This a good piece on him in french http://www.sharkfoot.fr/2012/08/azpilicueta-une-perle-rare-a-chelsea/ They praise his tactical awareness, his standing defending. Chelsea fans will discover his long throws in as well!

You really should look at his figures: http://www.whoscored.com/Players/33064 He won't be our main goascorer but in a first time he'll be very usefull to dynamite the flanks and obtain good free kicks. His defensive workrate is impressive for a young player, and for a winger.

For the ones who still wants to make blue dreams tonight, I can tell you that Anigo and Labrune are really bad in communication, they often use to say one thing to say another later. But the funniest is when they both say the contrary of each other on the same day. Or when Deschamps and Anigo clashes via the journalists on the same day, true story, happened last season

French football changed so much after 1998, the coverage simply followed and did evolve the same way. As I said it used to be a quality newspaper until the media group did encounter some financial issue just some years ago. I use to be shocked when I see 4 or 5 old papers I've at home so I can't imagine the difference between a 10 y.o or more newspaper and a current one... During the week it costs more than 1€ for 3 (yes, three) slides of fucking printed paper!

When so? Their tabloidification is not that old, a hand of years not more. But yeah, overally that's better than what we can find elsewhere.

I cope with it, in fact that's completely different from English medias with several newspapers which you know the reliable ones, the ones to enjoy rumours that won't ever happen... In france we've L'Equipe and nothing else. The others newspaper's coverage of sport is weak, the rest is local newspaper (same as in England). France Football's actually the same media group than L'Equipe so their informations are usually the same Le10Sport makes The Sun looking like The Times really, that's the 1st (and miserable) french sports tabloid

He was specifically send to Chelsea, L'Equipe mentionned some Manure scouts, Liverpool ones as well during big games (never understood that, you've just to watch the DVD from that kind of game. Head scout really is the best fictitious job ever). Otherwise it was Chelsea, Chelsea... there was even a controversy about an offer in January 2011 if I recall well with Chelsea reportedly having contacted the player straight (instead of the club before the player). I didn't remember if it did cross the channel

To be fair he's been scouted hundred of times since he's came to Lille, that's not hard for journalists to spot scouts considering things like that end up by being known. But yeah otherwise he's linked with Chelsea since 2009 in l'Equipe. 3 years long, it would have ran some people crazy here haha

And people still question why Torres' that bad? He's just smarter than you all, he knew it from the start!

That may be a strategy from Marseille as well, they know the player is among the ones valued, still they need their qualification, they need some cash as well. So they're resting him in order to prevent any injury who'd end a possible deal

L'Equipe is saddly becoming some tabloid shit for some years now (they changed their board). Thet've to adapt to what society wants: scandals, controversy etc... Splashing out Ibrahimovic's wages to annoy the lefties among other things lol. They announced Beckham, are responsible for all the "post new Zidane" traumas diagnosed on Gourcuff & co. Actually I buy it every week for the presentation of the week end games with local correspodants and little articles before each game. All the rest is shit, no analysis, the coverage of the European football is so bad as well

I'm fed up with this shit really, I started to be real about it today for the first time because it seemed accurate... but that's not even. Journalists from a local paper building up stories, that's really bad... they aren't even a tabloid or anything, actually they aren't anything outside the Marseille area

I though that was the player and the agent signing the contracts... especially in modern football. Marseille needs cash because they ended the last season 10th, they're selling their best players. Otherwise Azpi would have stayed at Marseille, he's a professionnal and didn't seem unhappy there

Fuck it, Labrune weren't at London and we only made one offer, the 4m one which has been refused http://www.foot01.com/equipe/marseille/labrune-n-etait-pas-a-londres-et-nie-un-accord-avec-chelsea-pour-azpilicueta,92829

An agreement has been reached last night around midnight, Labrune and Anigo went to London yesterday evening. Azpilicueta will sign tomorrow for 5 years. Our first offer was 4m€+3m€ various bonuses and was rejected, the second offer was accepted http://www.laprovence.com/article/om-a-la-une/mercato-accord-om-chelsea-pour-azpilicueta

M'Vila :banghead: I'd keep an eye on Witsel, he's dynamic and likes to go forward. Tiote becames a specific player, I was really happy with his first season because he was able to regain the ball but to distribute and be available at times on the wings to support and cross. His second season he was more Cabaye's complement in the double pivot, after a crappy start of the season I didn't saw his passing game as still as good as the season before. He may be a player between two roles in MF even if I would question his ability to make the link. He can make the link between the defense and midfield but woudn't be that good with a similar link up role up on the pitch. But at the moment we have to expect from Hazard or Mata some abilities to ask deep and organize the play (as would a MF do) for the belgian the ability to keep the ball and be the one who manages the rythm and not suffer from it: Mata I've high hopes on Oscar, when he came on he hold several roles in such a short amount of times, that's really encouraging for the future!