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Football Thread 2016/17 |OT| Mou Money Mo Pogba
- Thread starter Lunar FC
- Start date
4-0 at half time, I think it's safe to say, BENFICA TETRA CAMPEÃO!
that's 4 championships in a row for you english-speaking peeps :3
first time in Benfica's history too, even tho they are the Portuguese club with most titles. 3 in a row was the best they had ever done.
that's 4 championships in a row for you english-speaking peeps :3
first time in Benfica's history too, even tho they are the Portuguese club with most titles. 3 in a row was the best they had ever done.
McMoneyman
Member
Could replace Glen Johnson with a goldfish in a bowl and they would forfill the same purpose.
Hughes is a shit manager, it just takes him a few years to fuck up what the manager before him does.
Where's Rory Delap when you need him?
McMoneyman
Member
Just another of these British managers who just keep getting jobs. Hopefully teams will go for more Silvas and Clements(I know he's English, but he got international experience) in the future.
Nothing used to piss me off more than Delap and his damn towel before a long throw-in.
Steverulez
Member
15 points behind us, gonna take City more than 1 fit central defender to close that gap.
2 new full backs, new goalkeeper, holding midfielder and a coach to get them working together, dont see Pep doing all that.
They will probably buy 1 full back, half a goalkeeper and then some more wingers. They'll be lucky to get top 4 if they sell Aguero as well.
Filthy Casual
Member
please football gods let Liverpool win tommorow. Fucking Arsenal got a fetish for that 4th spot can't stay away from it. A great end to the season would be Liverpool finishing 4th and united losing against Ajax, but obviously it's going to be the opposite and Liverpool are going to be the one top six side not in the champs league next year. Yay
McMoneyman
Member
Well they will obviously spend money on new players. But even though how good these players might be, you need at least one player who really love the club. Can't just have a bunch of mercenaries! But for sure, you guys and a bunch of other teams will be in the mix too.
Apparently we want Silva to replace Puel
McMoneyman
Member
Probably a wise choice. Seems to be a good young manager.
Steverulez
Member
They will spend but Pep is stubborn, dont see him being willing to spend the bulk of his money where he needs to because it literally slaps his entire game in the face.
Kompany is a great leader and works hard, his injuries have been a shame for him.
This could be a really good appointment
What?
His Majesty
Banned
I'm more and beginning to think that the PL 2016-17 script is culminating towards an unlikely Arsenal top-4 finish and a Wenger contract extension.
wolfwolfwolf
Member
He'll get that contract extension regardless of whether Arsenal finish in the top 4 or not.
Serbian player Ljubomir Fejsa is now on a 10 league champion streak, that has to be some sort of record no?
3 in Partizan (2008-2011), then 3 in Olympiacos (2011-2013), and now 4 in Benfica (2013-2017).
3 in Partizan (2008-2011), then 3 in Olympiacos (2011-2013), and now 4 in Benfica (2013-2017).
All Liverpool fans know what's about to happen lol.
We know what will happen, but we refuse to accept that it will happen.
Steverulez
Member
Pep isnt the sort of guy imo to go and spend 3/4+ of his budget on defensive and holding players, he wants to play this slick wonderful attacking possession football which is fine but you aren't going to win much if you cant defend.
I dont think he will do what he needs to do because its not where he likes to spend and focus on. Is he going to go and spend £150m+ on another new GK, 2 full backs (at least two unless he wants no back-up as some of the current ones are out of contract?) a holding mid plus anything else he wants?
Moon Presence
Member
BENFICA!
Hardly unlikely. Liverpool have been shite for 5 months and Arsenal always finish well to get over the line.
...or you beat us and draw with Boro and still miss out.
McMoneyman
Member
Honestly that's what I could see happening.
Moon Presence
Member
My phone is stupid, pls delete
wolfwolfwolf
Member
Still think Liverpool will get 4th. This is all just Arsenal making things slightly interesting.
It'd be nice to end the season on a high (of sorts) for once. It's pretty much been non-stop disappointment since Istanbul/the FA cup win. Arsenal, at the very least, are guaranteed 3 points and +1000 GD from their remaining two matches so we really can't afford to drop points.
Fakeknowledge
Member
My feeling on the game will depend on the line up. I like Origi, but if he starts tomorrow I'll fucking weep.
I have no clue what he'll spend on, but I do know not signing FB's above all was a huge over sight over the summer. As well as relying on the oldest squad in the PL with many players past their prime to stay injury free, with Gündogan on top of that. Defintely a poor job of signings overall this season. Don't think anyone saw Bravo being a flop in his first season considering he was one of the best GK's out there prior to joining Man City based of his consistent & stellar performances for La Real, Barca & Chile. Not to mention coming off a great Copa America performance after his skaky first two games. Stones is a long term project as well, but I digress.
Either way based on his history of purchases, he definitely also spends on defense whenever possible. Going off transfermarkt's figures here:
At Barca B his only signing in his run to promotion with the newly relegated team was a full-back for 500k.
At Barca he signed Pique for 5mil Dani Alves for 35.5mil, Maxwell for 4.5mil, Chygrynskiy for 25mil, Mascherano for 20mil, Cáceres for 16.5mil, Keita for 14mil, Adriano for 9.5mil, & Henrique for 8mil.
That's a total of 13mil spent, compared to the 203.5mil he spent on offensive/attacking midfield players. 9 defensive signings to 7 offensive signings. Offensive signings have always, & always will be the most expensive players. Pretty decent balance that imo.
At Bayern he spent 101.5mil on offensive players, 102mil on offensive signings. Nearly dead even. Total of 5 offensive signings & 8 defensive signings. That includes spending 37mil on Vidal, 28mil on Benatia, 10mil on Bernat, Alonso for 9mil, Kimmich for 8.5mil, Ulreich 3.5mil, Reina for 3mil, & Tasci on loan for 2.5mil.
Then we come to Man City. He spent 105.5mil on defensive signings (granted, it's arguable what you classify Gündogan as) & 107.5mil on offensive signings. That's 5 offensive & 5 defensive signings. Which include, 55.6mil on Stones, Gündogan for 27mil, Bravo for 18mil, Rulli for 4.7mil, & Mari for 200k.
So all in all, it's clear Pep places a priority on defensive signings & has through the entirety of his career. Don't think there are many managers out there who spend 3/4th's of their budget on defense unless their attack is completely settled & proven. Especially considering that at the end of the day, it's the best attacks & goals that win you games & keep you in contention for titles. I mean, you only have too look at the CL qualifying teams's in the top 5 leagues to see the pattern here. Each team who's the most goals in their respective league is qualified for the CL as of right now. Probably a big reason as to why attackers are so expensive, scoring goals is by far the hardest aspect in football.
GoldenCrow
Member
Plus there were other defensive targets that Txiki failed to pursued such as Bonucci and Laporte. The main rumours so far have been about defensive targets the main one recently being Sandro with the on going rumours about Bonucci, then Alves, Bellerin, Emerson, Semedo, Rose and Walker. City need to sign defensive players they don't really have a choice. If they sell Aguero then a player of a similar caliber needs to be brought in that is more in line with what Pep wants but there have been few rumours about attacking players only ones I can remember are Sanchez and Aubameyang.
immortal-joe
Member
Quick predictions:
- Liverpool will make the top 4, but by the skin of their teeth
- Real Madrid will fail to pick up the required 7 points from their final three games, and Barca will win the league
- Wenger will extend, cause life finds a way
- Liverpool will make the top 4, but by the skin of their teeth
- Real Madrid will fail to pick up the required 7 points from their final three games, and Barca will win the league
- Wenger will extend, cause life finds a way