JediMindTricks

yea, that nani/anderson deal just came out of nowhere!

and the hargreaves deal finally went through.

this makes united to look really good for the next 5 years or so, and we'll have some real cover when giggs and scholes retire. we still need a right back to backup gary neville.

but with all these new players, some are gonna have to go. i wouldn't be too sad to see keiran richardson and wes brown leave. maybe a little sad to see darren fletcher, john o'shea, and silvestre leave though. and united told alan smith they will not be renewing his contract.

bayern are indeed making big movies. they resigned ze roberto today. and klose too. too bad they won't be playing in champions league next year. but where does that leave makaay? highly underrated in my book. toni, makaay, santa cruz, podolski, and klose...wow.

from all indications, looks like liverpool will sign malouda, who i rank very highly. of course they'll be linked with the entire spanish armada - from david villa to raul to joaquin and simao (since they do every summer).

arsenal will be interesting since they don't normally buy big, and wenger would rather buy some continental 15 year old. baptista's gone, and i don't think he wants reyes back. the henry to barca rumors have started up again. ribery would have been a good sign for them though.

and chelsea have signed, what, 5 players for $1USD, i believe!

as for the galaxy, they're trying to become the new galacticos! figo is one of my favorite players of all time, but i don't see how they'll have another DP slot since they're using one on beckham and will use another on landon. methinks figo will stay another season at inter.

transfer season is fun!

moonraker

yea haha i forgot to put klose in there too, (though i really think he won't be playing for them until 2008, but who knows at this point). i'm not too sure what bayern are doing, they've landed great attacking players, but what kind of lineup will they put out hah i'm really intrigued. 3 strikers maybe? haha they just have so much talent at the top positions now

and i don't see man utd losing o'shea or fletcher at all. o'shea has been incredible for me this season, complete utility player to fill in when necessary. fletch also had some solid games as well, also semi utility role. if there are injury probs again like this season, those boys will fill in wherever necessary! and yea, richardson can go for sure, he will not be missed by many. but if we can score a RB neville replacement in a season or two and then a striker that complements rooney's style, we are set for the future for sure

JediMindTricks

i don't think bayern are done yet, so we'll see. they said they're going to really revamp that team so it should be interesting.

i agree with you...i don't think fletcher and o'shea will leave. especially because they're favorites of ferguson. and i see the value in having them on the squad because it is such a long season and united can expect to play 60-70 games. i'm just saying i wouldn't cry if they left. and i do believe united need another striker. if they can really get berbatov from tottenham, i'd be all for it. there was a rumor floating around for 25m pounds plus saha for berbatov. it was just a rumor, but i'd have taken it.

another player that's been linked with united for awhile is torres. honestly, i think he is so overrated. it seems like everyone rates the guy so highly...except those in spain. what gives?

JediMindTricks

ah forgot to mention this.

i don't expect to see ljungberg back next year. shame because i think he's a terrific player. he's had a rough two years with nagging injury after another. but i can't see him starting over rosicky, van persie, hleb, cesc, and gilberto for any of the midfield positions.

and i reallllly think henry is leaving this time. i think he wants to go but is so loyal to wenger and the fans.

JediMindTricks

real madrid win la liga for the first time in 4 years.

trailing 1-0, they come back thanks to a brace from jose antonio reyes and win 3-1.

becks finally wins a trophy in madrid. it was touching to see how his teammates, fans, coaches, and ex-teammates wanted to win the title so much, especially for him.

the celebrations were insane after the match. beckham and roberto carlos were given heroes' farewells.

MikeCLS6

Brazil!

FastAcura

Who cares about La Liga, the more important news was the U.S. team making the semi's at the gold cup.

I hope Klose leaves for Bayern...He's not by pretty much anyone anymore in Bremen. A exchange between him and Podolski would be just find.

Has anyone been watching the U-21 European Championship? Serbia has really surprised me.

JediMindTricks

the klose saga has been ongoing forever, it seems. who knows what will happen. but werder bremen still have some pieces: frings, diego, borowski, naldo, etc. i don't expect them to win bundesliga, but with a few more pieces, they'll still be competitive.

i've been following the u-21 euros and have been downloading clips and highlights. the england vs. serbia match was pretty insane. i'm still undecided on whether england should have played the ball out. from what i've been told, both teams had been doing that all night. if that's the case, then yea, maybe england should have. but i think derbyshire instigated it even worse by continuing to celebrate in front of the serbs.

BstonBruin

So who is watching the US-Canada semi tonight?

JediMindTricks

i'm probably the only one, but hey, i'm a fan and supporter. as a matter of fact, i need to rush out asap after work to get home by 6.

i desperately wanted to get tickets to the semi and final matches...plus it's in chicago.

now...copa america is around the corner, and being grouped with argentina, columbia, and paraguay, i knew it was gonna be tough for us. but after seeing argentina's lineup...

BstonBruin

yeah I'm looking forward to it as well.

Yeah the group is tough, however Switzerland just tied Argentina a few weeks ago 1-1.

JediMindTricks

true, but i think argentina are really focused to win it. and that was a friendly...this is a full strength squad that could win the world cup if it was this summer. and even worse, riquelme is back. heck even veron is back!!

this is what ayala said:
When asked (Ayala) by a spanish reporter "if he'd take a break after the LONG Euro season and by pass copa america" He looked at him with disgust and said " I have time to rest when I retired." The reporter said "You want it that bad" He said "Winning with Argentina is worth more than any champions league, league cup, ANYTHING."

i mean, when you have to choose between riquelme, mascherano, veron, aimar, messi, cambiasso, lucho gonzalez in midfield.

then tevez, milito, messi (again), crespo up front...and there's no place for saviola!!

BstonBruin

^^ yeah they have an unbelievable squad, what a luxury for Basile to have. It will be an interesting game to watch, but i'll predict a 3-0 win for Argentina.

JediMindTricks

3-0 would sound about right.

i would be surprised if we have 40% possession...

but this is exactly the kind of competition we need to prepare our players for 2010 though,

BstonBruin

Doesn't look like a very big crowd in Chicago which is too bad.

On another note what an exciting young player Clint Dempsey is...he could develop into a very potent forward/mid by the time the 2010 Cup comes around.

JediMindTricks

eh, i think the crowd will get better around half time. kickoff was at 6 so i'm sure most people are still getting there from work.

and yea, clint dempsey is a very exciting player. he's confident, brash, ballsy, and has no fear. i got goosebumps when he started doing stepovers against italy in the world cup.

and it's a shame that he's been our best forward in the gold cup.

BstonBruin

O wow did anybody just see the tackle on De Guzman by Bocanegra...Guzman did a complete flip in the air...ref could have given Bocanegra a red

JediMindTricks

yea dude just flipped.

this ref has been all over the place though. pretty intense and entertaining game so far.

JediMindTricks

penalty! dmb!

BstonBruin

This is going in................................................ .................................................. ..................2-0

JediMindTricks

landon needs to get yellow carded for his stupid pk routine.

looks like nomar garciaparra on speed.

BstonBruin

^^ Yeah I was going to comment on that too. Its obnoxious, there really is no need for it...just go up there and take it. I never liked waiting around before taking the pk.

IlliNorge

Is the game in espanol for you guys? The second "GOL GOL GOL GOL GOL GOL" was comical.

You got to root for Guadaloupe in the second game. Two islands, a total of 600 sq. miles.

JediMindTricks

yea but i want to see:
1. a usa-mexico final
2. usa beating mexico again
3. gooch staring down borgetti again.

JediMindTricks

what an incredibly sad but comical sequence that just took place..

IlliNorge

Looked like Canada got hosed there at the end. Did the ref call offside?

JediMindTricks

yea he called offside. dude was on.

sucks to win this way, but we actually benefitted with a mexican ref.

BstonBruin

He was clearly onside since it was headed again by Onyewu (sp?) I mean he could have conferred with the other ref on the touch, however that opens a whole other can of worms...Keller pretty much stopped playing because he heard the whistle for the offside. So its a tough call either way. Pretty hectic last 15 minutes of the game

JediMindTricks

well the bottom line is that the u.s. failed to convert chances and opportunities and once again let the opponent get back into the game.

sucks to have won the game this way, and i do feel for canada as it's a horrible way to get knocked out.

but this is further proof that the concacaf refs are just pure difference, this time we benefitted from a miscall. there were so many times in this tournament alone that the refs just turn a blind eye towards us.

BstonBruin

^^

Speaking of Argentina futbol...I will be seeing them play Australia on September 11 in Melbourne at the MCG. I will be there in Melbourne for my study abroad program beginning July to late November. I can't wait to see the Argentinian (sp?) team.

JediMindTricks

awesome!

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=473412&CPID=8&clid=3&lid=2&title=Ba rca+'agree'+Henry+fee

oh shit...

looks like the henry to barca deal is really going down. bbc and sky sports have both reported a 16m pound deal is in the works.

16m pounds?!?! granted he's turning 30, but how in the heck does arsenal only sell him for 16m when darren bent nearly transferred to west ham for 17?!?! that's ridiculous, and i'm not even an arsenal fan. the arsenal supporters must be going nuts right now. it seemed inevitable that he was gonna go but you at least want to get some good money for him to get more players.

16?!?

expect fabregas to real rumors to start heating up.

BstonBruin

^^ Yeah if I was a Gunner fan I would be going crazy just thinking about it...Henry is gone and all you get is 16 million pounds. I think he definitely has another 4 real good years in him. Isn't there a big Arsenal fan on these boards, I'm thinking from Chicago. Say goodbye to Cesc as well.

JediMindTricks

yea there is one member that's a pretty big arsenal fan. don't remember who...

but yea, 16m.

too bad cesc will leave because i really thought HE was the scary one on that team. he will be a legend before he's done.

and to wenger too.

the board messed up by letting dein leave.

moonraker

wow damn. if this actually all starts to break down, there could be a huge chain reaction here, arsenal could be seriously FOCKED

talk about rebuilding. wow, time to wait and see i guess. i mean dont get me wrong, i'm happy since i hate the gooners haha but still, you'd think they wouldn't let something this big happen all at once.

JediMindTricks

it'll be interesting. they're a weird club. of all the "big" clubs, they're so different. they don't buy established stars and prefer 16 year old phenoms. granted wenger does have a keen eye for emerging talent, but it's gotta be so frustrating for the supporters when you see chelsea, manu, liverpool, tottenham, and even newcastle buying stars and arsenal has the next great 16 year old frenchman.

but there's still A LOT of talent. van persie, adebayor, fabregas, gallas, rosicky, hleb, ljungberg (he'll probably be gone soon), gilberto, senderos, djorou, walcott, the young striker (can't remember his name), diaby (the next vieira), etc.

it's just that those guys are all so young. i think it's safe to say arsenal are now rebuilding and the transition stage is over once ljungberg leaves too.

and wenger is reportedly barca's first choice as manager after rijkaard's contract is up.

JediMindTricks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...pe/6231950.stm

well it's a done deal. henry leaves for an estimated 16m pounds.

1. i think the price is wayyyy too low.
so far the big signings have been ribery, hargreaves, nani, anderson, and the rejected darrent bent deals. each of those were estimated around 17-18m pounds. even though henry is older and will turn 30, i don't understand how he can only be sold 16. this is a steal for barca.

especially when you consider shevchenko went for 32m pounds and the reported asking price on fernando torres is 27m pounds.

2. in his open letter to the sun, he said one reason he decided to leave is wenger refuses to commit to the club after his contract is up after next season. if that's the case, say goodbye to arsene and cesc, who's said repeatedly that if wenger stays, he stays. arsenal as we currently know it will be over.

3. though i'm not an arsenal fan, i am a huge fan of henry, and i believe he's been the greatest foreign import if not the greatest player to play in the epl. with that said, it's a bit sad to see him leave. he was indeed a talisman for the club. but i can't fault him wanting to leave. he's expressed his frustrations about not winning titles recently and he knows he's not going to at arsenal with the lock-down man.utd and chelsea have. he will be in a constant battle for 4th place with tottenham and even everton breathing down their necks. though it would have been nice to see retire a gunner, i don't blame him and i think all arsenal fans should be grateful and indebted for the years or service and greatness he's displayed.

and the u.s.'s copa america roster was finally released. no donovan, no dempsey, no beasley, no gooch, no boca. lots of young players. can't see us winning a game in the first round, more or less advancing. how disappointing.

herbalist

well, shevchenko > henry

16m pounds is pretty low though

JediMindTricks

ehhh, perhaps. but even so, the margin isn't that great.

BstonBruin

what do you base that on?

herbalist

where to start.....

All time club performance
Shevchenko: 513 caps, 281 goals
Henry: 521 caps, 257 goals

Trophies
Shevchenko: 15 trophies overall in Ukraine, Italy, and England
Henry: 12 trophies overall in France, Italy, and England

Shevchenko won the title of European Footballer of the year in 2004; a trophy Henry has yet to win.

Shevchenko is UEFA's second all time goal scorer with 59 goals in 107 caps. Henry has 50 goals in 110 caps.

shall i continue.....

not to take anything away from Henry because he is a fantastic player, but the stats speak for themselves.