Football 16-17

[zahidf]

8 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

apparently not ... tho dick van dyke is one of the hottest out there, so if they land him it's quite a statement.

They've also picked-up a hot kid from Chelski, who turned down a whopping contract from them to join a team where he might get to kick a ball now and then.

They were competing with City for van dijk as well...

 

They are also probably getting Salah, who was very good at Roma (15 goals as a winger or something like that!)

[eFestivals]

Just now, zahidf said:

They were competing with City for van dijk as well...

more than just City. Chelsea and Utd have supposedly been having a sniff too, and overseas.

 

Just now, zahidf said:

They are also probably getting Salah, who was very good at Roma (15 goals as a winger or something like that!)

I can't say I've been particularly impressed with the limited amount I've seen him, and I wasn't aware of the goals. Hearing of the goals has me thinking he's a much better fit than I was thinking, as they're a team who plays without a striker.

[thetime]

Isn't the Southampton defender going to cost around 60m, that's serious money spent on a Centre Back.

[mjsell]

I think Van Dijk is the best proven Premier league defender available this summer. He oozes class, good on the ball, reads the game well enough, is a physically dominating brute but is fast with it and times his tackles very well. Obviously every defender has their weaknesses but I think he would get into any team in the league. Great buy, and for the reported fee is even better. Had he played through to the end of the season at the level he was at, he would be going for 10/15 mil more than what is being reported.

As you can tell, I'm a big fan.

[mjsell]

4 minutes ago, thetime said:

Isn't the Southampton defender going to cost around 60m, that's serious money spent on a Centre Back.

I heard yesterday £44mil with £8m potential add ons. If thats wrong I stand corrected.

I think thats good value in the current climate

Edited June 6, 2017 by mjsell

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, thetime said:

Isn't the Southampton defender going to cost around 60m, that's serious money spent on a Centre Back.

there's £50M being said by Soton, tho it's usually the case that the price comes in a little lower when the player has expressed a preference (which he has).

Prices are going nuts again because of the extra TV money. If L'pool get the £30M they're hoping for Sakho then £50M for dick isn't dreadful.

[TheGayTent]

47 minutes ago, zahidf said:

They were competing with City for van dijk as well...

Well they still are....everyone else too...

47 minutes ago, zahidf said:

 

They are also probably getting Salah, who was very good at Roma (15 goals as a winger or something like that!)

I saw Salah for Roma just over a year ago - he was very impressive, and scored. Though it was a one off game and against lowly Carpi so impossible to judge properly. 

[Hugh Jass]

Southampton could put out an incredible team of players they've sold over the last few years:

Boruc (OK, keeper is a stretch)

Clyne Alderweireld* Lovren Shaw

Lallana Wanyama Oxlade-Chamberlain

Sane Walcott Bale

*I know he was a loan

Edited June 6, 2017 by Hugh Jass

[The Nal]

Find it odd that Liverpool are going to break the world record fee for a defender given their recent lack of spending. Maybe FSG realise they finally need to.

[zahidf]

30 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Find it odd that Liverpool are going to break the world record fee for a defender given their recent lack of spending. Maybe FSG realise they finally need to.

Sounds like Liverpool may not get him... Some tapping up may have happened!

http://www.football365.com/news/southampton-ask-pl-to-investigate-liverpools-van-dijk-approach

 

[The Nal]

7 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Sounds like Liverpool may not get him... Some tapping up may have happened!

http://www.football365.com/news/southampton-ask-pl-to-investigate-liverpools-van-dijk-approach

 

[eFestivals]

36 minutes ago, The Nal said:

because it's nothing fergie ever did, eh?

 

1 hour ago, The Nal said:

Find it odd that Liverpool are going to break the world record fee for a defender given their recent lack of spending. Maybe FSG realise they finally need to.

Lack of spending? They spent £50M or something last summer.  Just because they're not spending £90M on crap doesn't mean they have no money to spend.

 

[The Nal]

3 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Lack of spending? They spent £50M or something last summer.  Just because they're not spending £90M on crap doesn't mean they have no money to spend.

Their lack of spend last year - 13 players out and only 5 players in where they made a profit of £6m - was exposed badly in January. And they've the Champions League this season, which starts in mid August. They badly need players. 

[thetime]

54 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Sounds like Liverpool may not get him... Some tapping up may have happened!

http://www.football365.com/news/southampton-ask-pl-to-investigate-liverpools-van-dijk-approach

 

 Transfer ban for 5 years... 

[TheGayTent]

15 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Lack of spending? They spent £50M or something last summer.  Just because they're not spending £90M on crap doesn't mean they have no money to spend.

 

£50m is small beer. 

[eFestivals]

12 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Their lack of spend last year - 13 players out and only 5 players in where they made a profit of £6m - was exposed badly in January.

The squad is mighty thin, but there was little bad about the approach over the whole season. It worked out exactly as they'd planned.

Which can't be said for your own club.

 

12 minutes ago, The Nal said:

And they've the Champions League this season, which starts in mid August. They badly need players. 

they do - and they're getting them by the look of things. It looks like plenty coming in and no one going out. Perfect!

 

[eFestivals]

6 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

£50m is small beer. 

but was more than enough all the same.

They achieved their target. Few clubs can say the same.

[thetime]

7 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

but was more than enough all the same.

They achieved their target. Few clubs can say the same.

I would of thought that the only clubs not to reach targets at the top end were Arsenal and City.

Edited June 6, 2017 by thetime

[TheGayTent]

11 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

but was more than enough all the same.

Which presumably is why they're spending now and didn't (relatively speaking) last summer?

[eFestivals]

6 minutes ago, thetime said:

I would of thought that the only clubs not to reach targets at the top end were Arsenal and City.

Utd. You can't tell me that their target was to be out of the top 4.

Utd got lucky in that they were still in the mickey-mouse when their league chances had turned to shit. Without that it would be regarded as a dreadful season.

[eFestivals]

2 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Which presumably is why they're spending now and didn't (relatively speaking) last summer?

they need a big upgrade for the Chumps. They didn't need that upgrade for the season just gone.

Mane was still a pretty big statement last summer. It only looks like they didn't spend because they had a lot of surplus that they sold off, and did an Arsenal of making a profit.
(tho of course without it being the same as Arsenal, where Arsenal did it forever).

 

[Hugh Jass]

4 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Utd. You can't tell me that their target was to be out of the top 4.

Utd got lucky in that they were still in the mickey-mouse when their league chances had turned to shit. Without that it would be regarded as a dreadful season.

Their league campaign was terrible, and Mourinho deserves some serious criticism for it (not that the press ever will). However his brief for the season will have been to achieve CL qualification, something he managed along with two pots. The method is largely irrelevant.

[TheGayTent]

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

they need a big upgrade for the Chumps. They didn't need that upgrade for the season just gone.

I think you're looking at it back to front.

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

Mane was still a pretty big statement last summer. 

Really? Looked like a best of the rest signing to me after the bigger moneybags clubs had taken their choices. 

[eFestivals]

7 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

I think you're looking at it back to front.

It was squeaky, but it worked. Can't really knock a plan coming in.

 

7 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Really? Looked like a best of the rest signing to me after the bigger moneybags clubs had taken their choices. 

yep, could well be how it was, but without being able to offer chumps footie they weren't in with a shout of attracting the very best names.

Within what was available to them, Mane is a good'un. 

[thetime]

40 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Utd. You can't tell me that their target was to be out of the top 4.

Utd got lucky in that they were still in the mickey-mouse when their league chances had turned to shit. Without that it would be regarded as a dreadful season.

The objective was champions league, they have  got that with 2 trophies.