Odds shorten on a Dingleburn relegation

Crouch > Davies · Post by **Crouch > Davies** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:08 pm

Pretty happy with that, providing he gets his head down and gets on with the game instead of arguing the toss. Fairly bargainous as well, to be fair.

Mar · Post by **Mar** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:32 pm

Blackburn reverting to a bottom 10 side again by the looks of it.

wovlad · Post by **wovlad** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:35 pm

sluffy wrote:
Leyther_Matt wrote:
warthog wrote:It's a done deal. Bellendamy has signed for the Scousers. Fee thought to be £6.5 million.
I certainly wouldn't be keen on having Bellamy in our side had we bid for him, but I rate him higher than Johnson - interesting to note the £2m difference in price between the two...

Bit of a difference in wages to. Bellamy's on 45K a week & Johnson on 30K a week if what the scousers in my office say is true.

H. Pedersen · Post by **H. Pedersen** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:27 am

Did anyone else notice this in the BBC article on the transfer?

Robbie Fowler wrote:"If we are going to overhaul Chelsea, we need plenty of competition for places and Craig's arrival will keep us all on our toes."

Athers · Post by **Athers** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:24 am

They all think they can win it Peds, that an already coasting Chelsea have strengthened by signing two of the top 10 players in the world doesn't seem to have registered..

Must admit I am a fan of Bellamy's ability though.

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:51 am

Athers wrote:They all think they can win it Peds, that an already coasting Chelsea have strengthened by signing two of the top 10 players in the world doesn't seem to have registered..

Must admit I am a fan of Bellamy's ability though.

Well there's not much point in believing that you can't win it, is there? Is there anything to say that a squad that improved by 20+ points last year, with yet more strength in depth, can't improve further? Or if United strengthen that they can't improve on their points total from 2nd place? And who knows how long it'll take Shevchenko and Ballack to settle in to the Chelsea side, or for the Chelsea side to settle in to having them in. Everyone's signings are hit and miss, and some that look like nailed on quality often flop (Morientes being a case in point) and those who you've never heard of go on to be a success.

There's 4 teams realistically in the hunt at the start of the season, not just 1.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 12:30 pm

Crouch > Davies wrote:Pretty happy with that, providing he gets his head down and gets on with the game instead of arguing the toss. Fairly bargainous as well, to be fair.

Best of luck with him, can't doubt the quality of him as a player, but as a person - I'm not sure. Whatever you do don't ask him to play out of position, eventually he will throw his toys out!!!

Crouch > Davies · Post by **Crouch > Davies** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:30 pm

H. Pedersen wrote:Did anyone else notice this in the BBC article on the transfer?

Robbie Fowler wrote:"If we are going to overhaul Chelsea, we need plenty of competition for places and Craig's arrival will keep us all on our toes."

Let's all just not give ourselves a chance then? Let's just give Chelsea the title already then, eh?

Athers · Post by **Athers** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:39 pm

blurred wrote:
Athers wrote:They all think they can win it Peds, that an already coasting Chelsea have strengthened by signing two of the top 10 players in the world doesn't seem to have registered..

Must admit I am a fan of Bellamy's ability though.
Well there's not much point in believing that you can't win it, is there? Is there anything to say that a squad that improved by 20+ points last year, with yet more strength in depth, can't improve further? Or if United strengthen that they can't improve on their points total from 2nd place? And who knows how long it'll take Shevchenko and Ballack to settle in to the Chelsea side, or for the Chelsea side to settle in to having them in. Everyone's signings are hit and miss, and some that look like nailed on quality often flop (Morientes being a case in point) and those who you've never heard of go on to be a success.

There's 4 teams realistically in the hunt at the start of the season, not just 1.

Realistically your goal for this season should be to finish above Man United though. This may come back to bite me in the arse but there is only one team in it for the foreseeable future.

Crouch > Davies · Post by **Crouch > Davies** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:55 pm

Athers wrote:Realistically your goal for this season should be to finish above Man United though. This may come back to bite me in the arse but there is only one team in it for the foreseeable future.

I think that's a pretty bold (geddit?

) statement.

Chelsea have gone out and spent this on Shevchenko, that on Kalou, and x on wages for Ballack. It's pretty formidable I agree. But at the end of the day, they can only have 11 on the pitch at anyone time (unless the ref from the Portugal-Holland game shows his face in the Premiership) and they need to function as a team.

I'm sure that Chelsea will go out and sign more players yet as well - Carvalho supposedly is interested by Real Madrid, Gallas doesn't know what to do, Del Horno and Bridge are awful) but I still think that we COULD be in the shakeup come May next year.

I think Chelsea are a top team, with a top manager. But does it look to anyone else that Roman has said: "Play more attacking football?."

It does to me.

I'm not for one second saying that we're going to win the league, but we're not finished yet. I highly doubt we'll go out and get a Torres or a Joaquin or an Adriano like Chelsea, as that's not Rafa's style. He's a round pegs for round holes manager. Take Bellamy for example. There are pacy players out there better than Bellamy, but they might not be suited to our team. They might be like Cisse (

) who, when we haven't got the ball, stands on the half way line with his hands on his hips.

He didn't sign big money at Valencia either - horses for courses.

Also, if United sign a central midfielder (Carrick being a good example) then I would expect them to come very close as well.

I think talking about the title a bit too early - it's some way to the 31st August.

John Doe · Post by **John Doe** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:31 pm

I was impressed with how liverpool improved last season, they were a lot more solid at the back with reina making a difference. There wasn't the slip ups away from anfield like the previous year (burnley, palace etc.) and they seem to have got under chelski's skin. That said, it will be a few more seasons yet before anyone else wins the league IMO.
Btw how long can hyppia go on for?!, hes been lfc's most consistent performer for the last few years.

Back on topic, i think as we found out last time, the dingles european exploits could really catch up with them if they don't strengthen. Jeez we looked knackered at the back end of the season, with our otherwise excellent captain suffering the most from an obvious loss of form due to burn out.

With jackburn, barcodes and spuds all having their heads turned by europe (provided they go far enough) and the couple of big name signings that we all hope BSA has up his sleeve, the top 6 is a real possibility again.

Crouch > Davies · Post by **Crouch > Davies** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:36 pm

John Doe wrote:Btw how long can hyppia go on for?!, hes been lfc's most consistent performer for the last few years.

Possibly his last season at the very top, possibly one more. I expect him to spend a lot more time on the bench this season, as Daniel Agger has always looked a class act when he's played, save his first shaky twenty minutes. If Agger can learn to be a good as Sami has been and still is, I'll be a happy man.

John Doe · Post by **John Doe** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:10 pm

Forgot about agger, will have to see what he can ahem do.

Nozza · Post by **Nozza** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:11 pm

Bellamy's attitude isn't as bad as people think. He got sick of Newcastle (his words), and wanted to leave ASAP.

Met him once, in a Newcastle nightclub, said he loved playing football, and realised he owed a huge huge debt to the lower league clubs, Norwich and Coventry, for taking a risk on him. Seemed a canny bloke. Would love him at Sunderland (I could see past the link to Newcastle, others probably couldn't). Plus, any person who tells Alan Shearer to feck off is a legend in my eyes!

Said it before, say it again, give him decent service, and he will be a 25+ goal a season striker. Plus, could be what L'pool are after.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:53 pm

John Doe wrote:Forgot about agger, will have to see what he can ahem do.

Crouch > Davies · Post by **Crouch > Davies** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:29 pm

John Doe wrote:Forgot about agger, will have to see what he can ahem do.

The joke has been done millions of times, but not like that. Superb. And you live near St Helens, so you're a good egg in my book.

Hoolio wrote:Said it before, say it again, give him decent service, and he will be a 25+ goal a season striker. Plus, could be what L'pool are after.

He's a pacey goalscorer. We've not had one consistently since Owen left. Cisse is a joke, Baros, whilst good, not consistent enough. I'm more than happy with his signing, so long as the array of nightclub incidents cease. Definitely what we're looking for.

I think the 25+ target is a little bit too much. It's not like he had bad service last season with Gamst Pedersen. 15-20 is about right. I'd be delighted with that. Definitely a snip for £6 million.

But we need to replace Morientes, and quickly. And NOT with Kuyt, Rafa, please.

blurred · Post by **blurred** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:30 am

Athers wrote:Realistically your goal for this season should be to finish above Man United though. This may come back to bite me in the arse but there is only one team in it for the foreseeable future.

Don't think you can ever really make assertions like that though, Dan. Yes they're the strongest squad in the league, that's without a doubt, but the teams behind them are shaping up, and defending titles ad infinitum isn't easy, teams work you out.

Our record against them is becoming better, and their record with injuries has been incredibly good in the last 2/3 seasons. If you look to United or Liverpool or Arsenal all of them have had spells with their most influential players out for months at a time (in the 2005 season, for example, we had Alonso, Gerrard, Baros, Cissé, Garcia, Kewell, Smicer all out for 6 weeks plus at various stages of the season among others) whereas they've not really had to deal without Lampard or Terry or Makelele for 6-10 games at a time. I'd like to see their squad really tested, to be honest, and see if Jose is worth all the hype.

I honestly think that Us, United and Arsenal all have a decent shout of running them close. I can't see any one of us blowing them out of the water, obviously, but I don't see them running away with things as much as everyone seems to think.

H. Pedersen · Post by **H. Pedersen** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:52 am

He didn't sign big money at Valencia either - horses for courses.

For somebody who supposedly supports Liverpool, you sure seem to know very little about your manager's transfer record. Let me sum it up:

Cisse - £14 million
Luis Garcia - £6 million
Alonso - £10.5 million
Morientes - £9 million

Crouch - £7 million
Bellamy - £6 million
Agger - £6 million
Sissoko - £5 million (?)

By my count, that's over £60 million, and that isn't even including players I was too lazy to find data on like Reina. Chelsea territory? No, of course not. But you're hardly wanting for cash. So please spare me this grotesque "Chelsea have billions, United millions" charade because you have plenty of money to spend - you just don't do it very wisely.

Crouch > Davies · Post by **Crouch > Davies** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:03 am

Cisse was Houllier's signing, you complete and utter moron. Benitez did everything in his power to prevent that deal coming through.

Your Morientes fee is another farce - try £6 million.

And the two mentioned are the only transfers I have problems with.

Mustard Dust Sand · Post by **Mustard Dust Sand** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:19 am

Just shy of £50m from the above players then.

Out of all of them I'd say only Alonso and Bellamy represent value for money.

Horses for courses................hmmmm.

Connect with your social network account

Odds shorten on a Dingleburn relegation

Who is online