Leif

I remember that ESPN guy ^^^ No idea what exactly he reported, but he got loads of deals spot on last summer if i remember correctly. I guess this is really happening It won't be the same since of course Frank is past his prime, but my dream midfield around 5 years ago had both Lampard and De Rossi in it. I'm finally going to see it

Allegedly this is a photo of him leaving the training pitch for the final time today, showing that his hamstring is fine. (Note the flip-flops.) Here he is leaving the hotel (on his own):

If we get him for free after his contract expires I will cream myself.

Are our matches ever shown on ESPN? Regardless whether they are or not, is there a similar fixture-schedule for ESPN out there anywhere for next season? Never paid for the Sports package with Sky but being a BT Broadband customer I'm getting ESPN for free next season due to some ESPN - BT merging or something Less 10-second-lag streaming for me Edit: For anyone interested, the ESPN/BT Sport schedule: August Liverpool v Stoke - Saturday 17 12:45pm Fulham v Arsenal - Saturday 24 12:45pm Man City v Hull City - Saturday 31 12:45pm September Man Utd v Crystal Palace - Saturday 14 12:45pm Norwich v Aston Villa - Saturday 21 12:45pm Tottenham v Chelsea - Saturday 28/09/13 12:45pm October Man City v Everton - Saturday 5 12:45pm Newcastle v Liverpool - Saturday 19 12:45pm Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Saturday 26 12:45pm November Newcastle v Chelsea - Saturday 2 12:45pm Everton v Liverpool - Saturday 23 12:45pm Tottenham v Man Utd - Saturday 30 12:45pm

Yep. Almost like-for-like technique with how they choose to pass the ball and cross. Both equally adept to playing out wide or through the centre and adjust their play accordingly. Both like a little rabona here and there. Both have this incredible way of getting the ball to dip after shooting it quite high making it really difficult for the keeper to save. Here's Ronaldinho at a similar age I believe to what Hazard is now. Play just like eachother. (Edit: Actually, Hazard is a lot less selfish. So not quite the same.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H6yScZqbEY

Hazard reminds me of Ronaldinho. And Luis Figo. Combined. With not quite as good ball control + crossing. But better finishing. And better pace. And dare I say it, even more excitement. And a better bum. And I find that cool.

If Suarez was re-born and played on the wing instead of occupying a striker role, this is the sort of player he'd be. He's not Ronaldo at all. He lacks the aerial ability, finishing, movement, strength, vision etc. Despite being less selfish than Ronaldo both at the same age and currently, he seems to have these tunnel-vision runs where he genuinely for whatever reason is completely unaware of teammates being around waiting for a pass; quarter of the time (just a bit of a guess from what I've seen) getting himself in front of goal and lacking the composure to finish well. However, I actually think his ball control is equal to Ronaldo's currently and far beyond what he had at United It's like the ball is his best friend just following him around and clinging to his feet. It's incredible and unlike anything I've seen in recent years. So in my eyes,- Positives: Dribbling, Ball Control, Pace, Audacity to try quite amazing things, Pace pace pace (again). Negatives: What I mentioned. I certainly think he has the potential to reach the heights as some of the greats currently in the game, but I think he's currently closer to Quaresma or Nani than he is Ronaldo. I'm also worried this would turn out just like the whole Kakuta roller-coaster. That said, I want him here purely out of curiosity. He intrigues me.

That picture shows what Mourinho brings to a club. I doubt we'd be seeing that picture with any other manager at the helm. I'm sure Mou told someone like Bertrand or whoever to accompany Schurrle for a bit, show him around, make him feel comfortable etc. It makes the whole club feel united and feel like a family. It's important for a player to settle in socially with his teammates and not just on the field. Very glad he seems so happy and comfortable here already.

Well no, the majority of football supporters and pundits rate Casillas and Neuer above him..

Mou says Cech is still best in the world

"Why would you post your own quote?" - Leif

Sell Moses to Everton for £9m or so. Promote Lalkovic or Feruz (sure, there's way more expectations here, but Sterling was thrown into the deep end at Liverpool at the same age without any silly loans). I also think being thrown into the team like a man would do Lalkovic the world of good. Boom. Just an option

Along with the guys over at Juventus I thought Leonardo was probably one of the best Sporting Directors currently in football. Players aren't stupid and they know about Sporting Directors at clubs and with him gone some of the attraction of signing for PSG is also gone with that, especially considering Thiago Silva is now likely to leave next season. Anyone else thinking this Cavani deal might not happen all of a sudden for some unfathomable reason?

So do we have the best back up 'keeper in the league now? Or am I forgetting someone obvious? Would anyone else like us to do something similar to what City did last season (but keep our class if we reach the final) and play him in all League Cup or F.A. Cup games? Gives Cech a good rest, gives Mark a good chance to continue showing his worth before the World Cup and gives our Aussie fans something to dribble over . I certainly believe he's good enough for such a run personally.

PSG are fucked. They have so much money, yes, but it was Leonardo doing all this incredible stuff for the club. He had a hand in transfers, marketing, communications; everything. He was the glue which held so much potential chaos together. The reason for him leaving however is because he got a year-long ban for THIS:

The moment he makes an appearance for us he becomes a record breaker here. He'll be the oldest player we've ever fielded. Not the biggest of records but it's something

Well not undisputed #1, yet he still managed to be their top scorer (by far) and ended the season as the 4th highest scoring player in the league. Isn't that something which should be amplified a bit? I mean there's talk about 'we need to sign a top striker' etc. but surely ending the season as the 4th highest scorer in the toughest league in the world at the age of 19 when his team was packed with players less technically gifted than Bosingwa suggests he is a top player. I still don't see any reason why he shouldn't just be given the #1 striker role. Cavani would have been given it had he arrived, as would have Lewandowski and Falcao. Why do they get a pass?

Still unsure as to why people think he's not good enough to be our #1 striker. He has almost everything. The only thing he lacks I think is set-piece taking ability, but that's not a huge deal given the amount of players we have in our team who're perfectly capable. He's got the best physique out of all strikers in the top 5 leagues in my opinion; balancing strength, pace & stamina very well; great finishing, decent enough heading which I'm sure Jose will improve, good passing and even a good first touch now (the major gripes I had with him when he first joined). I don't understand what any other available striker; bar Suarez and his unmatched dribbling ability; could possibly offer us which Lukaku can't.

Strootman to Roma all but done according to reports in Italy. Good for us if true.

He commits too many fouls for me personally. 8 cards last season including that red vs. us. As a striker that's shocking. Regardless how good or not good he may or may not be however, It'd be spitting in Lukaku's face if we signed him. If the argument for not getting Suarez is 'we want to be a club with class' then this thread shouldn't even exist.

I think he's average. He's just had 'his season' last season. Just like Jelavic, Cisse, even Ba etc. had theirs. I remember those first 2 exact players been preached about by quite a few on here saying we should replace Torres with one of them. Look at them now. Shadows of their break-out seasons in the league. I expect Benteke to follow the same path.

Ooooo, Feruz training with the first team I see.

Wages around £200k a week. Won't be as cheap as the transfer fee suggests. However I am absolutely loving the idea of seeing him in an Atletico kit next season. Courtois, Villa and O.Torres (assuming he gets more playing time) will be beautiful to watch assuming there's no unfortunate injuries.

I know there's the 'he's not a pure striker' talk which goes on, and I agree for the most part when the talk is that he's not the blueprint striker we should look for, but was Zola a pure striker? No. Messi? No. Totti? No. Del Piero? No. I could go on and on. But all of them did occupy a striker role at one point or another; Totti & Messi doing so as lone strikers with the others usually acting as support strikers. Jovetic is a lethal finisher, incredible dribbler, even a decent playmaker. I'd never go into a season thinking "Right, Jovetic is the main guy up front for us!" (Lukaku would be my preferred option) but he would be perfectly capable of playing as a striker, really, if we wanted him to. He reminds me of Suarez in a way you know. Watch a couple vids of him, do some research, and you should see what I'm getting at. He'd also offer us the chance to play with 2 strikers up top some games. Lukaku - Jovetic would be a huge upgrade on the highly successful Toni - Jovetic partnership which Fiorentina used to great affect last season. Literally the only concern regarding him is his fitness. He's still being linked to Juve though more than any other team. Jovetic, Tevez and Llorente would be a rather decent stockpile of strikers wouldn't it?

Reports in Spain that Atletico Madrid want to sign him. They have £30m to spend in this window and don't want to spend more than £10m on any player meaning Gomez who was previously linked is out of the question, hence Ba's name popping up.