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Football: Jules Rimet Still Gleaming


Jordan La Cabra

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11 hours ago, Soylent Brown said:

I can never get past how stupid everyone gets after a World Cup. The Pavard transfer rumours, for example. Don't get me wrong, I think Pavard had a good tournament and scored a terrific goal, but 50m for a guy who's been pretty unremarkable up until 7 games ago is just daft. And it happens every time, and clubs get stung every time, and they keep coming back for more.

Sure, some of these players keep playing well, but many don't. I wonder who this year's biggest El Hadji Diouf will be?

This is how fucked up Newcastle are, they bought a world cup winning centre forward who didn't score any goals (Guivarch sp?). 

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I do wonder what Emery is going to do with the Arsenal goalkeeping situation.

Leno is obviously going to be the eventual first choice. You don't spend big money on a 26 year-old benchwarmer. The question is whether we'll go through the typically awkward transitional season of "Two Number Ones" before Cech eventually cedes the ground.

I think Cech is on the last year of his contract, so it makes sense to move him now while he still holds some transfer value. Arsenal would probably come close to recouping the 10m or so we spent on him.

He could be a good stopgap option for Chelsea. Knows the club, might not be a world-class 'keeper anymore but certainly still a decent one who could do a job for a couple of years until someone of real quality becomes available.

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18 hours ago, Jordan La Cabra said:

On top of that, we still have Ross Barkley, .

I totally forgot about Barkley. Man, this guy should have been in the England squad for this World Cup. It's a shame that he's basically stagnated over the last couple of years. 

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7 minutes ago, Soylent Brown said:

Liverpool have reached an agreement with Roma over the fee for Alisson, according to our reliable journalists.

Now it's up to the player. Chelsea may yet swoop in and get him, but at least we've put ourselves at the table.

I still think that's crazy money for a 'keeper but, hey, fingers crossed he's amazing.

I'm not sure Chelsea are going to be paying that kind of money now Abramovich seems more reluctant to fund transfers personally. They'd probably have to sell Hazard to go that high I think, which of course they still might do.

 

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3 hours ago, Raja said:

I totally forgot about Barkley. Man, this guy should have been in the England squad for this World Cup. It's a shame that he's basically stagnated over the last couple of years. 

He arrived at Chelsea while he was recovering from a long-term hamstring injury, that had kept him out of the whole of the first half of Everton's 17/18 season. He got a few games mid-way through last season, for Chelsea, but I don't think he was fully fit. It didn't seem to me like he was a Conte signing, either. The fact he was available to sign for £15m when he was being touted for £40m-£50m a year or two before made it a pretty good deal for Chelsea.

Predominately, we played with Conte's 343 last season, which didn't suit Barkley, as he isn't a wide forward, nor does he appear to be a box-to-box or holding midfielder. As I said previously, I think his best position might be in a midfield three, as the 'free number 8'. But even when Conte chose to play 3511, he preferred to have Kante, Fabregas and Bakayoko playing.

Personally, I was never a huge fan of Barkley's when he was at Everton, but I would like to see what he could do at Chelsea, if given a proper chance.

 

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16 minutes ago, Consigliere said:

Romano reporting that Alisson to Liverpool is done. Reported fee is €75m including addons. 

If true that's seriously crazy money for a goalkeeper, especially one who's only been first choice for one year. I almost wonder whether it's even unconsciously an overreaction to the Karius errors. Alisson's only 25, so presumably if they get him locked up to a long-term contract then it will make the transfer fee a bit more understandable.

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Liverpool literally can't overreact when it comes to goalkeeper. With the addition of VVD in January and Lovren's newly found form since then, goalkeeper was THE weak link in the team. Karius had a pretty good season once he pushed Mignolet out of the lineup but he wasn't really impressive.

Sure, this is a lot of money for a keeper and there's no guarantee that signing Alisson would work out as Liverpool (and its fans) hope it will, but it's a major improvement for the squad.

Also, what Mark Antony said. And let's not forget Suarez and Sterling in addition to Coutinho. Signing fees for three of them alone come to a bit over a quarter of a billion.

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Well, the goalkeeper market is most certainly in motion now.

Courtois to Real (let's assume it'll happen). And Alisson to Liverpool.

Now then, Chelski and Roma need a new goalkeeper. Let's see what happens. Maybe Navas will end up either in Rome or London, Cech could fill in at either club for a year (I don't hink Arsenal will demand a high fee (if any at all)). I wonder what  will happen to Karius, I think he might be a short term option for Leverkusen as their new goalkeeper Hradecky picked up an injury and will be out for a while.

Cillessen might be an option, but I think he is most certainly a step down from Courtois or Alisson.

Talking about him.

20 hours ago, Consigliere said:

Those Cech rumours are strange indeed. If Chelsea can't get Alisson, they should go for Cillessen instead. He wants to leave Barca as he isn't going to get much playing time with Ter Stegen there and he's too good a keeper to be sat on the bench. 

Well, that he would be in the position of a benchwarmer was obvious from the moment he signed. That's also why I didn't understand this move. Dutch #1 is leaving a starter position at Ajax to sit on the Barca bench. I think @mormont argued that the move made sense as in competing over the starting duty back then. 

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In more depressing Liverpool news

Quote

 But the truth of the matter is that we are preparing this season knowing he will not be with us on the pitch for competitive matches for the majority of it. If we do see him back this season it will be a bonus.” -Klopp on Ox 

shame he was so good in midfield in 2018. Kinda makes Fekir important to try and secure imo.

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5 hours ago, Jordan La Cabra said:

 

Personally, I was never a huge fan of Barkley's when he was at Everton, but I would like to see what he could do at Chelsea, if given a proper chance.

 

Yeah, I disagree. I think he was great for Martinez's Everton. I just don't think Chelsea is the club for non established players to flourish. He should move. Maybe it'll change with Sarri. To be fair, with Koeman, there were suggestions of an attitude problem, but to be fair, Koeman and Everton went south very quickly. 

It's a lot of money for Allison, but you couldn't go another season with those other clowns in goal. 

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It's a massive amount for a goalkeeper but Liverpool have just plugged the two biggest holes in their squad in the space of 6 months. Just need a creative midfielder to round out the squad. Klopp has assembled a genuine title contending squad.

 

Meanwhile.... it looks like we will be going into another season with Valencia and Young as our starting fullbacks (the two worst attacking fullbacks among the top 6 in the league). 

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48 minutes ago, Mark Antony said:

In more depressing Liverpool news

shame he was so good in midfield in 2018. Kinda makes Fekir important to try and secure imo.

Terrible news. :( He was starting to gel with the team last season and i was hoping for more better things from him this season.A pity we won't find out.He looks to be one of those players showing great promise but hampered by regular injuries.

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8 hours ago, Consigliere said:

It's a massive amount for a goalkeeper but Liverpool have just plugged the two biggest holes in their squad in the space of 6 months. Just need a creative midfielder to round out the squad. Klopp has assembled a genuine title contending squad.

Alisson is a bit risky with only one season of experience at the top tier, but if the manager and scouts have decided he’s the real deal then I’m impressed that the club made it happen instead of messing about.  Karius was an inexpensive smart buy but it didn’t pan out.  Ineffective GKs have cost us in recent seasons, especially when you see how many points DDG has been worth each season.  Why pay 100m for a striker when his goals will be nullified by a limited GK?  At current prices, a good GK costs 35m, so worth it to pay 67m for what you expect to be a great GK.

(Courtois would have been 50m easily this summer if not for his contract and family situation)

Now that the GK musical chairs has started, we’ll hopefully find a buyer for Mignolet and Karius, then keep Ward as our #2.  Just so long as Chelsea don’t gazump us for Alisson.  Don’t Fek that up.

I’m glad we have moved decisively within six months to plug the two biggest holes in our team at CB and GK.  Not to mention adding a DM specialist, which was the third weakest point.  And a year ago we added a great LB on a bargain and a new top scorer.  That’s a lot of weak spots patched quite quickly. 

But our squad still doesn’t look ready to contend for a title.  It still lacks some depth, especially with Ox out for the full season, unless we get lucky with injuries   like KDB, Sterling, Sane playing almost every game last season.  And our attackers might be exhausted this season.  But it’s a big improvement.  Perhaps the stars will align for us soon. 

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Adam Rooney of Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen signs for Salford City FC, who play in the National League, otherwise known as the fifth tier of English football. 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11789/11441508/salford-sign-adam-rooney-from-aberdeen

 

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54 minutes ago, Jordan La Cabra said:

Adam Rooney of Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen signs for Salford City FC, who play in the National League, otherwise known as the fifth tier of English football.

In fairness Salford City FC is owned by a billionaire (and the Neville brothers, Giggs, Scholes and Nicky Butt.)

ETA: Looks like Danny Ward's going to Leicester so you'd think Kasper Schmeichel might be going somewhere else.

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