Other football summer transfer SWOOPING thread

[thebish]

Have to say I've never quite go the hype that goes with Eto'o. Not that he's a bad player, not even close, but like Ibrahimovic, whenever I watch him I never quite seem to get quite what all the fuss is about.

Put it this way, there's rumours Mr Drogba could be on his way out of Chelsea, and he'd be waaaaaay higher on my list if I were Mark Hughes. Not to say he hasn't tried and we don't know mind.

Ibrahimovic has something about him that just gets him into a position to finish with some part of his body. Pace isn't an asset, strength is only a small part, but there's an instinctive part of his game that gets him there to score goals. Even his first touch isn't that good. Eto'o does have pace, but it's the way he can change direction before the ball gets to him that sets him apart from most other strikers. Not 100% sure what to do when the ball's at his feet, despite the first goal in the Champions League final. Almost a taller version of Owen without the ability to head the ball, for me.

Both strikers can be stopped if their wingers can be stopped. Service, and all that.

sound military strategy... cut the supply lines... it's all about logistics...

[Prufrock]

They are both good players, but I don't get how they are mentioned up there with some of the names they are. I've heard both touted as the best player in the world, which to me is nonsense. Both are a couple of levels down from Drogba and Torres, and I'm struggling to think of any other top class out and out strikers.

The main thing that sets Drogba and Torres apart is their mentality. They are both big game players, and if you want to challenge, you need that. I've been really surprised with Mark Hughes transfer policy, if they are indeed his own. First thing I'd have expected would have been backbone. You could argue he has gone for that with Barry, but the rest....First thing I'd do if I was him, and allowed, would be flog Robinho.

Ibrahimovic is a craaazy bastard too. He talks about playing in slow motion, and if he is on form it feels slower and clearer as he plays. He can be a fantastic fantastic player to watch, but week in week out it'd be Nando and Didier over both of them.

[Village_Idiot2]

I don't think you can deny that Eto'o is a big game player, having scored in each of the 2 CL finals he's played. That's what I like about him, he's a very hungry player and he's always there, and always tries to be there. Even when a lot of other players slipped into complacency you could see on the field how truely pissed off he was. He runs to balls that anybody else would just let go, and sometimes he gets the prize for that (I remember him ridiculing Casillas - and Casillas doesn't get ridiculed easily - when Eto'o chased a ball meant for him and got there first)

His technique is limited, certainly, and is very reliant on service. Sometimes he will just frustrate himself running towards the defense like a headless chicken. But he does a few things quite well: mobility (he is very good at leaving the box to get the ball), and even though he's not a great passer or anything, he effectively gets himself in positions that help the buildup of our attacking game. He is also very fast not only in pace, but in receiving the ball and doing something with it immediately afterwards, I just love his direction switches with the ball.

[H. Pedersen]

These discussions remind me of an early scouting report of Van Nistelrooy (could be apocryphal) . . . something like "lazy, slow, doesn't work hard, but scored a hat-trick." Bolton fans seem to have a limited appreciation for players who put the ball in the net regularly.

[Puskas]

They are both good players, but I don't get how they are mentioned up there with some of the names they are. I've heard both touted as the best player in the world, which to me is nonsense. Both are a couple of levels down from Drogba and Torres, and I'm struggling to think of any other top class out and out strikers.

The main thing that sets Drogba and Torres apart is their mentality. They are both big game players, and if you want to challenge, you need that. I've been really surprised with Mark Hughes transfer policy, if they are indeed his own. First thing I'd have expected would have been backbone. You could argue he has gone for that with Barry, but the rest....First thing I'd do if I was him, and allowed, would be flog Robinho.

Ibrahimovic is a craaazy bastard too. He talks about playing in slow motion, and if he is on form it feels slower and clearer as he plays. He can be a fantastic fantastic player to watch, but week in week out it'd be Nando and Didier over both of them.

He also has De Jong.

A midfield three of De Jong, Ireland and Barry, with a front three permed from Robinho, Santa Cruz, Bellamy, Tevez (presumably) and Wright-Phillips (not Eto'o, now, it seems, at least not according to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... ester-city)

That has the look of being a half-decent team. But they need a quality defender or two. And I still think Given's too small to be a real goalkeeper.

Plus, it is, of course, City. So there's every chance they'll f*ck it up, in an amusing fashion. But it's shaping up interestingly at the moment.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

Bolton fans seem to have a limited appreciation for players who put the ball in the net regularly.

It's more a case of limited experience, sadly.

[BWFC_Insane]

These discussions remind me of an early scouting report of Van Nistelrooy (could be apocryphal) . . . something like "lazy, slow, doesn't work hard, but scored a hat-trick." Bolton fans seem to have a limited appreciation for players who put the ball in the net regularly.

Aye of course we do. I mean we really hated Andy Walker and John McGinlay.

[CAPSLOCK]

And Ricketts, Taylor, Whatmore, Worthington, Byrom, Caldwell, Oghani, Chandler

[FD]

If we spent the money on a player like Van Horselroy and built the team to provide him, he'd score loads. I think were we to built to Elmo's strengths, he'd score 10 at least as well.

Trouble is, we're still an inbetweeners team, we aren't quite the long ball team we once were and we aren't nearly as good on the ball as we will be next season.

[jaffka]

Rags have signed Valencia from Wigan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 127596.stm

[Bruno]

[jenkz]

Rags have signed Valencia from Wigan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 127596.stm

Yawn, pace yes, good player, but he could find himself in deep water at Utd

[jenkz]

Just a thought, if Wolves continue to sign decent/good Championship players they might actually be a difficult team to face come the start of the season

Oh yeh and just wait till we play them at the Reebok, Super John will be back I'm sure

[Village_Idiot2]

Benzema to Real for €35 million, according to Spanish press.

That makes their investment so far €215M and counting.

[Bruno]

Aye, I read Marca this morning too

No-one wants to join United

[FD]

Aye, I read Marca this morning too

No-one wants to join United

...and I say again, if I were a Utd fan, I'd be worried.

[Village_Idiot2]

Aye, I read Marca this morning too

No-one wants to join United

...and I say again, if I were a Utd fan, I'd be worried.

No worries, all these Singapore fans are already buying Real Madrid shirts.

[Bruno]

Paul Ince to McDons?!

[Bruce Rioja]

Paul Ince to McDons?!

Actually, that's possibly a very good call. I'll pretend that I've put a Tenner on it!

[jenkz]

"DAILY STAR
After securing Wigan's Antonio Valencia, Manchester United could now bolster their forward line with a move for £11m-rated Toulouse forward Andre-Pierre Gignac. "

Weren't we after him last year?!