I hate to see Ruud go but the last thing you do is challenge Real's checkbook and expect to win. Apparently agents for Mascherano flew into OT last night to discuss a transfer. He was second behind Gattuso for CDM to me. MUFC will be fine at striker. Saha, Smith, Possibly Rossi and I will always have hope in my heart for Ole.

7/27/2006 2:17:20 PM

Yeah Ruud leaving was not surprising, though i still fell that 12m pounds was a little too little. CArrick being signed is good news, although ive never been a huge fan and at a price of 18 mil, i think he has a lot to prove. Mascherrano will be an awesome signing, i agree with him being second to Gattusso as far as a transfer target goes. So SAF sprung a surprise with Mascherrano, who knows what will happen next??
Any idea if Trezeguet has finally signed for Lyon?

7/28/2006 5:15:03 AM

Liverpool got Maccabi Haifa of Israel in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.

Israeli FA and UEFA said Maccabi's home game will be played in Tel Aviv.

Liverpool, of course, are trying to get the game moved out of Israel altogether to Cyprus, hiding behind the safety excuse.

7/28/2006 10:13:59 AM

^^ I dunno how accurate that figure of 18 million is, I've read stories that range from 12 to 18

7/28/2006 6:34:36 PM

^^i wouldnt want to play in israel...not like they (m. haifa) are gonna have a chance anyway

7/28/2006 11:04:19 PM

So now that its 18 mil, does anyone else think its way too much for Carrick? no news of Mascherrano or Gattusso yet?

7/31/2006 3:28:53 PM

Way too much yeah... but they had to get somebody

7/31/2006 4:04:58 PM

man u is going to suck in my humble little informed opinion.
whos gonna replace ruud?
and the defence is really not that good, ferdinand makes mistakes
i dunno, chelsea seems to be the only team making good moves

7/31/2006 4:19:26 PM

^ I like Liverpool's moves alot

7/31/2006 4:58:40 PM

Chelsea aren't making good moves. The only benefit to snapping up players when you already have too many is that other teams won't have them. Liverpool is looking very good. I honestly think that replacing Ruud by committee won't be a problem. For the past 18 months or so, MUFC have been playing a spread 4-2-1-3 with Giggs-Ruud/Saha-Ronaldo in front, Rooney on top of the midfield and Scholes usually out. There's no problem with putting Rooney back in a true striker's role paired with Saha, Smith, or Ole and going back to a 4-4-2 with Giggs and Ronaldo on the wings and Scholes on top, or the same 4-2-1-3 setup with Rooney on top and only one central striker.

7/31/2006 5:15:40 PM

trust SAF to have them ready to play. Last summer they had no major signings(maybe heinze, not sure) and they still got second. You could say they paid to much for carrick, but if he pans out and has a great career at united then that 18 mil fee wont matter. On paper liverpool has made the best moves but i still think united has the better talent.

7/31/2006 5:32:50 PM

ManYoo might have a good starting 11, but I think the thing that's going to hurt them is their depth in the midfield. If anything, Carrick just gives them another body to throw out there. But in terms of quality depth for the midfielders, they're struggling IMO.

7/31/2006 5:39:20 PM

I actually think they're going to go with a 4-5-1 with Rooney up top and Carrick as the holding midfielder. I don't think Carrick is "just another body," he's one of the main reasons Tottenham is playing in Europe this year. It's why Jol fought so hard to keep him at White Hart Lane.


The word on the street is that ManU is about to make a move for Marcus Senna, the Brazilain Spaniard. Gattuso isn't leaving italy, I don't think.





if you read RedIssue, they'll have you believing that the RVN sale was due to the Glazers' input, and not SAF's. SAF wanted to keep him if no one hit the 15 million mark, and the Glazers jumped the gun because they don't know how to play hardball.

[Edited on July 31, 2006 at 6:03 PM. Reason : RI also said that Manu's summer money was contingent on a RVN sale... which is plausible]

7/31/2006 6:01:30 PM

Quote :

"RI also said that Manu's summer money was contingent on a RVN sale... which is plausible"

if thats the case then the glazers did want him gone. they came out at the end of the season and said that the money would be there to spend this summer.

7/31/2006 6:07:46 PM

Quote :

"I actually think they're going to go with a 4-5-1 with Rooney up top and Carrick as the holding midfielder. I don't think Carrick is "just another body," he's one of the main reasons Tottenham is playing in Europe this year. It's why Jol fought so hard to keep him at White Hart Lane."

Carrick doesn't win balls though. Ferguson will use him in some other way.

And Scholes is going to get hurt again no doubt so they need to get a guy like Riquelme.

7/31/2006 6:20:11 PM

dude I'd love it if they got Riquelme, he's THE guy to replace Keano


but he's not leaving Villareal.


and Scholes is an attacking midfielder anyway, so replacing him isn't mission critical, even if he does get hurt. I don't think he will get hurt though, considering how his eye thing was a one-off condition that could have happened to anybody.

[Edited on July 31, 2006 at 7:01 PM. Reason : the ginger prince!!]

7/31/2006 6:59:12 PM

I think they will stick to their 4-4-2 and have rooney and saha start. Carrick and Scholes in the centre, with giggs and ronaldo on the flanks of course. I would like to see Wes brown and Rio ferdinand pair up as centre-halves because Silvestre sucks ass!! Anyway, its going to be interesting.
Marcos Senna should go to the korean league or something, he's CRAP!!!

8/1/2006 9:03:42 AM

Quote :

" Vieira hints at Man United move : Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has hinted he could join old rivals Manchester United as he desperately attempts to escape Italy's Serie B. The 30-year-old, whose move to Inter Milan last week appears to have stalled, said: 'Every player wants to play for a club like Manchester United at the highest level."

8/1/2006 9:20:44 AM

8/1/2006 9:51:55 AM

*drools at thought of Vieira*

8/1/2006 1:58:50 PM

West Ham for the win (or at least maybe the Top Half?)

8/1/2006 2:05:50 PM

Vieira would be great. I'm afraid that it was a reporter just asking him what he thought man u. With the history it has any player would want to play there. Its like baseball players wanting to play at yankee stadium. I have been wrong before and I hope i'm wrong about this. He would be an immediate impact player.

8/1/2006 5:07:50 PM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=374820&cc=5901

Quote :

"Vieira in Milan for Interazionale medical Patrick Vieira will complete his move to Inter Milan tomorrow, according to the club's owner Massimo Moratti. The Juventus midfielder, 30, arrived in Milan today to have a medical and sign a reported four-year deal."

8/1/2006 7:53:06 PM

Damn...so i guess we are going to have to be satisfied with Carrick!!! Surprise us Fergie.....PLEASE!!!

8/2/2006 7:01:27 AM

a friend set up a fantasy league if you guys would like to get in

If you aren't already playing the game then you can register at
http://fantasy.premierleague.com

Once you have logged in and entered your team, click on the 'Leagues'
link you can find on the the right of the page. Now enter the code
238641-43311 to join the private league.

Enjoy the game.

8/2/2006 2:20:44 PM

What's up with Liverpool? Just preseason, but they have the CL next Wednesday...

Kaiserslautern 3:2 Liverpool
Grasshoppers 2:0 Liverpool
FSV Mainz 5:0 Liverpool

8/5/2006 12:28:29 PM

They're playing their scrubs, I'd imagine.



I mean, Man U had a rough time with Kaiser Chiefs and Preston North End or whoever it was

8/5/2006 12:30:15 PM

This was Liverpool's starting lineup against Mainz (according to BigSoccer):

---------------Carson----------------

-Kromkamp---Hypiä---Carragher---Toure-

-------Xabi Alonso---------Gerrard------

----Pennant-----------------Zenden----

-----------Crouch------Bellamy---------

8/5/2006 12:36:31 PM

oh... hm..



maybe they just suck? (that'd be awesome ahahahaha)

8/5/2006 5:00:36 PM

Nothing better than watching "the best team in the world" LOSE to a bunch of MLS scrubs.

8/5/2006 8:44:18 PM

^amen to that haha.

8/5/2006 8:49:54 PM

Carrick's out 3 weeks for United

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375166&cc=5901

8/6/2006 12:40:04 PM

http://www.yourdailymedia.com/media/1154513529/The_Ronaldo_Action_Figure

8/8/2006 1:21:37 PM

http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/

thank me later

[Edited on August 8, 2006 at 2:05 PM. Reason : This site is FULL of games on weekends in season btw..]

8/8/2006 1:48:52 PM

Chelsea are seriously hurting this preseason. They needed a late equalizer from Lampard just to manage a 1-1 draw with Watford.

In other news, C. Ronaldo scored twice and Ole got preseason goal number five while wearing the #10 shirt as Man United beat Oxford United 4-1.

8/9/2006 11:39:30 AM

I hope they dont have Ole in #10 all season


it defeats the purpose of the 20LEGEND banner

8/9/2006 6:09:20 PM

everybody ready for the Community Shield tomorrow?

8/12/2006 5:02:30 PM

I'm readying myself by watching Dema Kovalenko strip Ronaldinho and set up an equalizer for Red Bulls.

8/12/2006 8:26:29 PM

holy shit... Riise coast to coast

8/13/2006 10:14:24 AM

Fucking ACE!

That's gotta be a Top 10 play, even if Dan Rydell is compiling the highlights. Coast to coast and a 30 yarder to boot.

Here's to Ballack getting another yellow and being suspended on opening day.

In other news, these kits are bland as shit, and the collar on the Liverpool shirt is heinous.

[Edited on August 13, 2006 at 10:18 AM. Reason : toooh]

8/13/2006 10:16:41 AM

I was kind of disappointed with Liverpool's lineup at the beginning of the game, but they have pretty much dominated the first 15 minutes.

Yeah, I couldn't figure out if it was just a tall collar or if some were just wearing them up... and they're all flimsy looking. I don't mind the rest of the jersey though.

[Edited on August 13, 2006 at 10:21 AM. Reason : jersey]

8/13/2006 10:18:59 AM

Sissoko is looking more than dominant, and the speed and precision of play in the Liverpool midfield is impressive.

8/13/2006 10:20:25 AM

yeah, those Chelski kits have way too much white in them


the Umbro ones from last season were so much better looking

8/13/2006 10:34:07 AM

^^ Totally agree about Sissoko, I've been very impressed. I hope Bellamy gets some pt in the 2nd half

8/13/2006 10:36:59 AM

I realize that Liverpool have had Adidas kits before, but after looking at the Reebok ones for so many years that had little white patches under the arms at the very most, so much white is a little disconcerting and I keep thinking I'm looking at Charlton in change shorts. The arm stripes would be fine if they didn't have all that piping...but why can't they go with red stripes on the red arms like NYRB?

8/13/2006 10:40:15 AM

Two minutes from half, an absolutely clinical strike from Sheva, and it's 1-1.

8/13/2006 10:49:20 AM

Fantastic ball from Lampard but the marking there was horrible from Liverpool

8/13/2006 10:49:51 AM

I'm glad FSC did away with the 7:30am EST games (they are on Setanta). This was rough getting up at early out here for this one even.. couldn't imagine 4:30 games here...

GG tall, goofy guy. I love seeing Chelski lose, even if it doesn't count for shit..

[Edited on August 13, 2006 at 11:40 AM. Reason : x]

8/13/2006 11:15:14 AM

Fabulous ball from Bellamy... he's going to be awesome this year. Watch out for Liverpool this year, they have a squad.

8/13/2006 11:40:43 AM

Crouch makes it 2-1 on horrible defending from Chelski, but the robot didn't make an appearance.

Jesus, what is up with the Chelsea defenders? I mean, I know Ferreira and Carvalho suck and all, but today more than usual.

[Edited on August 13, 2006 at 11:47 AM. Reason : toooh]

8/13/2006 11:41:04 AM