the rumors are swirling like crazy...let's try to follow.

Right now, rumors are Barca's giving up on Marquinhos while Dani Alves is leaving FOR FREE (nice work again, barca board...) to Juventus and Mascherano's headed there too, but barca's fighting that one. Insiders say it's about the wage bill, and if so, i'm ok with alves going--Roberto and Vidal should cover than position decently. but barca still needs a replacement for Masche, especially as every other CB is supposedly on his way out except for smoking grandpa (Mathieu) and there's no CB from the academy ready to move up.


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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

Smart move...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/may/26/granit-xhaka-arsenal-leader-borussia-monchengladbach

apparently Wenger's a big reason he came to the club

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/how-revamped-arsenal-could-line-8052819

who (that's realistically available) is your preference?

>who (that's realistically available) is your preference?

gonna have to ante up for both obviously, but it's time.

His release clause is at something astronomical now. Which, considering what he achieved this past season, seems pretty fair.
Lukaku looks intriguing on paper, but he hasn't done much in big games so who knows

>His release clause is at something astronomical now.

72 million euro is apparently what it is at the moment, though per the rumors he's trying to get that reduced.

But yeah, we shoulda signed him when we had the chance, instead of pretending we actually had a shot a suarez

which is why they're going for wingers/creative spark plug types this mercato season (Neymar, which is not happening/Griezmann, which is also not happening, etc...)
they're much more likely to swoop in for Morata than Higuain

i rate him highly

Marquinhos would be perfect. How about Varane??

Real won't make a direct sale. no way.

Rumors are Umtiti (if only for the name, YES. also, he's good and young) and Mustafi (also YES). Either of them, and the on-field product will be alright, but i'll miss jefecito regardless if this is true.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

http://i.imgur.com/1wZ8drh.gifv

expected signings
CB - Stones (young, english, loads of potential. who could ever look good in a Martinez defense. Jose can make him a god)
CAM - JAMEZZZZZZZZZZZZZ (he'd instantly be the most talented and physically capable 10 Jose has had. cornerstone of the team)
ST - Zlatan (all done but the paperwork it sounds like)

hopeful
RW - Mahrez (i dont see this one happening)
CM - Andre Gomez (mendes connect. all action midfielder. perfect for a Jose side)

ice cold. gotze just need to take the L and leave.

HE SHOULD DEFINITELY LEAVE and I have a great place for him.

https://streamable.com/hl2n

Poch re-signed so I'm assuming Levy has his wallet open. They weren't deep enough to finish the season strong or even field a decent side vs Dortmund in Europa so if they stand pat, they'll get crushed in Champs League next year.

but football referring to free agency as 'selling' a player always struck me the wrong way. It's probably a subconscious reason why I can't get into club soccer.

... and the player still has to agree terms.

"Free Agents" (i.e. players whose contracts have expired) don't attract transfer fees as per the Bosman Ruling of 1995.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosman_ruling

(well, it's not official till July, but the sporting director has said it's a done deal), still fighting over Masche and no one coming in yet.

Gundogan going to City under pep. Has the potential to be a really nice move if he can be healthy. Some Barca fans have been obsessed w/ getting him.

really need to hear about a goddam LB or CB for barca + masche agreeing to stay (hopefully). and maybe a back-up to Bitey McRacist. and then i'd be good.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

dani had a clause that allowed him to leave on a free this summer. masche doesn't and i don't think barca's gonna let him go and if they do, not till after they've signed at least one new CB. Bartra's got an 8 mil buyout now, so he's gone. Verm's probably leaving too. can't have that big a hole, otherwise a 10 mil defender will cost them 50 mil.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2016/6/2/11838448/roberto-di-matteo-appointed-as-new-villa-manager

I'm pretty optimistic about this hire.

I think that's the guy's legal name.

Should be worth at least 3 more wins.

http://www.highsnobiety.com/2016/06/01/air-jordan-5-low-neymar/

i was on the fence until i seen some snapchats from the event and a picture of him rocking em at the mets game.

they are _GORGEOUS_

Leicester are planning to keep him tho, let's see how far this goes

I'll only be OK with this mismanagement by barca if they sign umtiti or mustafi or others of similar quality.
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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

barcastuff @barcastuff
Yannick Umtiti (brother and agent): "Samuel to Barça? I don't know where this is coming from. We're not talking with Barcelona."

unless PSG finally agrees to sell Marquinhos, which I doubt.

It's just being delayed until the next fiscal year so barca's books are clean. but I think it's still likely.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

https://twitter.com/ben_rumsby/status/740190290703749120/photo/1

Chelsea did not want any of their private dealings to go public as they would have if the tribunal doesn't come to an agreement and the case goes to essentially trial with witnesses and lots of open dialogue lol.

Chelsea just fucked up completely in all regards pretty much every step of the way.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11679/10307021/manchester-city-in-talks-over-transfer-for-pierre-emerick-aubameyang-sky-sources

imma have to start disliking this dude smh.

at the very least get top 4.

same agent as Zlatan. Mino Raiola. if nothing else it's interesting he'd just flat out come out and say that.

per Bild.

personally i figured he was destined for Arsenal.

lolz xfer season lolz.

dude racked up something like 23 goals/32 assists in all appearances last season.

Sick pickup. Should play well with payet

making it even more likely benteke gets shipped.


http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36636488


The fee could rise to £36m, making the deal one of Liverpool's most expensive, rivalling £32.5m for Christian Benteke and £35m for Andy Carroll.

Manager Jurgen Klopp wants to boost his attacking options and made Mane a prime transfer target this summer.

It had been thought the Saints wanted closer to £40m for the Senegalese.

The deal is expected to be confirmed on Tuesday.

Klopp was impressed by Mane when he scored twice as Southampton came from 2-0 down to beat Liverpool 3-2 at St Mary's on 20 March.

Alongside England striker Daniel Sturridge and Belgium youngster Divock Origi, Mane, who scored 11 goals in 37 Premier League games last season, would add pace and a goalscoring threat.

Liverpool may seek to recoup most of the money they spend on the Mane by selling fellow striker Benteke, who has struggled since his move from Aston Villa in 2015.

Mane is set to tread a well-worn path between Southampton and Liverpool.

Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert and Nathaniel Clyne have all moved to Anfield since the summer of 2014.

It would also give Saints a handsome profit on a player they bought from Salzburg for £10m two years ago.

They have already sold midfielder Victor Wanyama to Tottenham for £11m.

Southampton are still without a manager following the departure of Ronald Koeman to Everton but have been linked with former Nice boss Claude Puel.

Liverpool also want to sign Leicester City's 19-year-old left-back Ben Chilwell, who did not play in the Foxes' title-winning campaign.

This move is currently on hold because Liverpool are unwilling to meet Leicester's £10m asking price for the youngster who had a spell on loan at Huddersfield Town last season.

that they waited until he left to bring in Sa-Sa-Sadio.

"Liverpool may seek to recoup most of the money they spend on the Mane by selling fellow striker Benteke"

I mean, definitely sell him. But christ, if they can get £12M I'll be happy.

Marseille striker Batshuayi to Chelsea
Barca defender Dani Alves to Juve on a free
Man City defender Zabaleta to Roma
Fenerbache winger Nani to Valencia
Southampton winger Mane to Liverpool
Zenit winger Hulk to some team in China (dude gonna make €20m per year)

Valencia manager Unai Emery to PSG

let the fun begin!

here we go.

Even though swaps never seem to happen, it might involve Darmin and Mata going to Juve to make the number not as astronomical as feared. Or this is all a play to get Real to really slap money on the barrel.

Raiola clearly has decided to put his chips on us for whatever reason steering Zlatan and Mkhitaryan to us

the in-the-know types say we are 100% willing to cut the necessary checks as well where Real has reservations.

WE SIGNED A CB WHO ISN'T ALREADY DAMN NEAR 30!!!!! And he's a good prospect!

and his name is Umtiti. fuck and yes. here's hoping he plays for france in their next euro game.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

>and his name is Umtiti. fuck and yes. here's hoping he plays
>for france in their next euro game.
>

there was the Barca "rumor" (whether flared up by his agent or whatever who knows), then Lyon was a strong contender. It's just two days ago he appeared on PSG's radar, and now we've signed him. I'm guessing Blanc wasn't a fan, and since I don't know that Emery has any sway over transfers at this point, we were free to pounce.

Might be a better signing that the James deal that keeps being brought up, but this is going off 1 season so there's still a big leap of faith.

I might cop the jersey. Might, because I'm still reluctant walking around as a human billboard.

he and Monchi worked together so well in Sevilla, no way he'd not demand at least some say.

and HBA seems like a potential Emery guy. why i'm saying that? no actually clue, but it's the type of not-quite-a-star that he thrived w/ at Sevilla. Plus, he had been linked to Sevilla before, so Emery probably had an opinion prior to moving to PSG.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

but it's well known that PSG is not looking to bring in a (real) sporting director, to replicate the system he had at Sevilla and which worked so well there. Nasser is still pulling the strings, and he himself is under close watch with this being his last year to prove himself to the overlords in Qatar

wonder who he'd go to.

who knows maybe this time it's true, if Krychowiak does come over it would certainly make some sense

they're reporting it with more and more regularity in l'equipe...and Kricho is now official.

gotta say i dont get this signing. if nothing else he's cheap though.

at least he cant be worse than navas.

like an 11 year old playing Football Manager after drinking 4 gallons of mountain dew

They have success with some of them obvs, but with that kind of money it would be really hard not to. Doesn't make for a coherent squad though

This is how Utd go about their business these days. Hm.

4.1 million the rumor.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-lowdown-transfer-target-11551848

but we got Meunier too? not a bad move at all, he's been one of the best (or should I say least disappointing) Belgians.

http://www.espnfc.us/lazio/story/2909801/lazio-say-marcelo-bielsa-has-resigned-amid-argentina-vacancy

17 mil + 3 in variables. I know he got passed over by Kurzawa, but a backup LB was much needed. I'm a little surprised he's cool w/ backup unless he thinks he's overtaking Alba.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

He was decent last year but only just, and for that $ it's better for Roma to just move on

watched a lot of Roma, he was decent but would sometimes make these questionable marking decisions that made you wonder life's existence. Well-coached he can be an asset as a backup I'm sure, but my faith in him to contribute to EdF for the Putin WC is pretty limited

PSG beat West Brom 2-1, after being down 0-1 at the break (on a David Luiz OG. Never change David Luiz). Surprised by how sharp the team looked, with very positive, forward-thinking futbol on display. Rabiot played like a boss, could be a big season for him if we drop Motta (please let's drop Motta). HBA looking a little chunky but iirc he did the same before last season so I will do no mocking. And some 18 y-o kid Ikone looked very lively. Hopefully he can play during the odd Cup game.

Uh, not that I was paying too much attention or anything

which is so appropriate in my mind because it seems like Hatem Ben Arfa is the kind of guy to rock a lot of Hood By Air.

(i googled Hatem Ben Arfa in Hood By Air and got no results BUT Martial was wearing some *sadface* )

I have a feeling this is more of an image thing, though Leonardo acquitted himself well when he was around so who knows

https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/753559970755543040/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

specifically, what's with the horrible transformer pattern?

i dont have that on my brazil jersey and im pretty sure the player versions do.

a bit suprised since I thought after Vardy decided to stay the top players had some sort of unofficial agreement to give it a year.

I'm not sure he'll progress more under Conte than with Ranieri, but it's definitely a great move for Chelsea

Riyad Mahrez set to leave Leicester City after snubbing new contract offer

Friday 15 July 2016 17.03 EDT Last modified on Friday 15 July 2016 17.11 EDT

Riyad Mahrez is set to reject Leicester City’s offer of a new contract after the Algeria forward decided he wants to pursue a new challenge away from the Premier League champions.

Mahrez, who joined Leicester in 2014 from the French side Le Havre for just £375,000, has attracted widespread attention from clubs in England and overseas after his performances in their title-winning season.

The PFA Player of the Year still has three years to run of the contract he signed last August, in a deal which is believed to be worth £35,000 a week. However, having held talks with Leicester over a new deal believed to be worth in the region of £80,000 a week, Mahrez is understood to be unwilling to extend his stay at the King Power Stadium and has instructed his representatives to find him a new club this summer.

The news will come as a blow to Claudio Ranieri’s side, with the France midfielder N’Golo Kanté set to join Chelsea after a fee was agreed on Friday. The Italian had been optimistic about Mahrez’s future 24 hours earlier saying that he was confident the midfielder would stay at Leicester.

“He remains with us. He not the kind of man who will say: ‘Coach I want to leave.’ He is happy here,” said Ranieri at the club’s training camp in Austria.

The newspaper France Football stated that Mahrez has a desire to join a big European club, with Barcelona among the case to have been linked with him in the past.

In May, Mahrez’s agent told the Guardian that there was a possibility his client could leave the club after contributing 28 goals and assists in Leicester’s remarkable title-winning season.

“When you have been playing the way Riyad has this season it is bound to attract attention,” said Kamel Bengougam. “He is very happy with Leicester and of course it has been a fantastic season. They will play in the Champions League next year as well so he would be happy to stay.

“But at his age if the opportunity comes to play for a big team then we would have to think about it. I’d say it’s 50/50 at the moment whether he stays or goes.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/15/riyad-mahrez-leicester-city?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_b-gdnnews#link_time=1468618031

on the one hand, would love to watch him on my club. On the other hand, he deserves more time than he'd get as a 4th forward. On the other hand, if he wants to, who am I to criticize and he'd be better than the other options being listed. On the other hand, cmon...Leicester's feel good story deserves more time.

damn. if he does come to barca, i plan to act a FOOL on the barca blogs that were bitching about how shitty the transfer period was in early June when the club had already announced they'd do no business before July because of accounting reasons.


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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

I'm going to be livid.

Really, anyone other than barca will be so frustrating

Unless the plan is to play Alexis up front with Giroud, i guess

i never imagined such a thing would even be possible. finally conducting ourselves like a proper megaclub.

>finally
>conducting ourselves like a proper megaclub.

probably #1, but i'll leave room for argument.

another season with Juventus to estalish his legend there and let Mou works his kinks out at United would make more sense. Not that Prince Paul seems to ever shy away from any challenge

- gets to play in The Best League In The World™ for the team that is the biggest story this year win or lose. it's going to be a circus.
- he was swayed by Mourinho's project (he asked Juve to leave. they don't sell otherwise)
- colossal raise, agent fees, sign on fees
- adidas gets their #1 guy on their #1 priority team (they give us the most so we're their #1)
- our sponsorship network will be crazy beneficial for him
- the "homecoming"

it's a perfect storm in our favor. Juve can only offer him CL football over us. We can give him the world. and CL football next season lol.

Barca could frankly use him in midfield IMO (not that that's the most pressing need), but they flat out can't afford him this summer. Real are not opening up the wallet for him, partly because lucking up into a CL title last year eliminated the need to make a record signing for publicity, and they don't really need him in their starting 11 right now...

I can't decide which I want. I enjoy watching Pogba when he's on and I don't care about Man U one way or the other.

On the other hand, FUCK MOU. I want to watch him crash and burn and I think that overrides my enjoyment of pogba as a neutral.



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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

>- adidas gets their #1 guy on their #1 priority team (they
>give us the most so we're their #1)
>- our sponsorship network will be crazy beneficial for him
>- the "homecoming"

There's no way this deal gets done w/o Adidas's involvement.

but I get the feeling Pogba's real "dream" was to end up at Real. Which, after his middling Euros, was never gonna happen. Despite how much Zidane might want him, and especially with Kroos having a very strong tournament.
In that context going to United seems like more of a fallback plan, and not an unrisky one considering Mou. Another year at Juve, playing his favorite position, would've only enhanced his prospects IMO. Although I can totally see him wanting to go back to "conquer" the Prem.

Now I gotta root against Paulo.
Isco leave Madrid yet?

man utd + mourinho will be the best story to follow all season. and they're going to put on a show. he's got everyone he wants.

and the game will be better for a having astrong man utd
then in 2017 we sign griezmann.

Makes sense with Villa signing Pierluigi Gollino, and Guzan will get PL minutes alongside Valdes.

Barca sold him to Hamburg for 5 mil. 10 mil buyback after one season, 12.5 after two.

obviously he's good enough for top flight football but he's not getting into the lineup next year, so it makes sense.

plus, hoping the extra money in the budget = a real shot at a good 4th forward. Rumors still swirling that Vietto is down to be that forward. I'd be intrigued by that option.

also, somehow Alex Song and Adriano and Montoya and Tello are still officially barca players not on loan. and shouts to Douglas for rejecting all the offers he's gotten because he wants another year in spain to get his citizenship. He's played barca like a champ, even if he can't play for shit.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

Klopp on one.

their transfer business of late

FACT: Liverpool have now spent £235m on players from Saints, Newcastle, Sunderland & Villa in the last 5 years. Wow.

the Sacramento Kings where you're just scratching your head, yet he's wildly confident they'll be good somehow.

Currently this is a side that if everything, EVERYTHING, works perfectly, MIGHT have a shot at 4th place.

They didn't buy good players during Brendan Rodgers last year or two. And they're not doing it now.

I'm beginning to think it's not the manager.

Is this the right move, or is England just throwing up their hands in hopeless despair?

we all know the FA was always gonna pick an Englishman for the job. In that scenario Allardyce seems like a surer pair of hands than say Steve Bruce or Pardew

they're not going with a foreigner again.

they're not handing the keys to somebody that isn't a name.

he's about all they got left.

Pogba will be 6

#summerofyouth

interesting. That pretty much destroys the transfer budget but still no backup striker. though barca boards say Vietto's practically confirmed. that'd be a good signing. and another 22 year old. lol.

gotta mean a midfielder's on their way out. Every fan wants Turan gone, but he was a Lucho approved signing. Can't imagine who else could be the odd man out, tho.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

Still a potentially great signing...

I wonder if Barca really have a first right of refusal on Gabigol from Santos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x0_OiFDC2A

lol@Rojo sitting down

i mean, keep him for backup i suppose, but our wing backs better be Fosu-Mensah and Shaw.

and i BET'NOT see ONE Borthwick-Jackson appearance this season or i'm putting forks in my eyes.

Higuain gone for 90mil? yawn (and ridiculous)
Pogba to Utd about to be confirmed? yawn
PSG running this exhibition shit? yawn

Read any good futbol articles lately? There's only so much baseball I can watch (not a lot), and this might be the least psyched about the Olympics I've ever been, so the next 3-4 weeks are looking pretty dire.

https://vine.co/v/5m96b17ZqUj

Neymar did that shit in a game against atletico bilbao and they just thugged it up on him after and said he was disrespectful.

man, you get schooled on the pitch, deal with it by playing the game, not by bitching about unwritten rules. La Liga has so much backwards concepts of sportsmanship to it like that.

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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

lmao at them complaining about it tho.

They tried to injure. Not OK.

And the they whined.
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you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia

or at least since the summer of the 07/08 season.

i cant wait for this season.

also i suspect PSG has another attacking move to make in the market. it should get exciting for you all soon.

it's OK tbh it's kinda nice being able to wake up whenever on the weekends. Also I just realized the season actually starts in just 2 weeks (with the Community Shield+Ligue 1 equivalent next week), so I really should just stfu and enjoy this relative peace and quiet.

-Schweiny out; not even training with the first team or reserves, just on his own. Have to find a club and they will let him go. Little/no chance it's Bayern, Turkey likely.
-Janujaz is a hard out, not even a loan. I could see him landing in Spain somewhere if Moyes can't stupidly take him to Sunderland.
-Wilson also told to move on along with Will Keane.
-Paddy McNair is the odd man out of the midfielder/centerback utility men that Van Gaal collected and Jose doesn't like. How Phil Jones wasn't the fall guy is hard to fathom.
-Darmian supposedly not in the plans for Mourinho, could be used as part of the Pogba package or going to Napoli with their Higuain money.
-Which leaves us really sort of thin at right back since Vareala was loaned to Frankfurt.
-Andreas Pereira, the great "never was", is going out on loan, too, likely to Portugal, although if you believe the bullshit, Leicester want to buy him. Whatever.
-And Fosu-Mensah and Bothwick Jackson have been asked to go on loan, too, somewhere that they can get a lot of minutes. A day after the Mail reported wrongly that Fosu Mensah was transfer listed, they are now saying he is upping his contract. Whatever.
-Memphis, Rojo and Fellaini are hanging around because I think they just haven't gotten the offers to move them, but their time is nearly out. Fellaini supposedly on his way to Italy (either Napoli or Roma), Rojo wanted in Villa Real and Memphis who gives a fuck the guy is a half-notch above a youtube trick dribbler.

Jose wants just 25 on his first team roster, so by my count (not by squad number), here is where things are:

1. De Gea
2. Romero
3. Johnstone

4.Shaw
5.Smalling
6.Bailly
7.Jones
8.Blind
9.Valencia
10. Axel

11.Memphis (somehow)
12. Mata (barely0
13. Schneiderlin
14. Herrera
15. Lingard
16. Mkhitaryan
17. Martial
18. Fellaini (for now)
19. Pogba shapped hole
20. Carrick

21. Rooney
22. Young
23. Rashford
24. Ibrahimovich

25. Forgot about Rojo...for now.

you really hate Memphis like that though?

This is what Mourinho is. He has tagged Axle and Rashford as the only two young guys he will work with and the rest can go on. TFM is a great and powerful player that I don't see being too dissimilar than Bailly, but Bailly is Jose's signing so he is the chosen one. If he stays and works with him, I could Jose converting him to a midfielder possibly or using him as the backup right back should Darmian go. I rate him really highly, too.

IIRC, LVG used TFM as a fill-in RB or LB last season. i don't recall him playing anywhere else.

i was HOPING Mou would employ Bailly at CB and TFM at RB to replace Darmian who is basically proven himself a worthless signing. at the point the LB and RB would be SOLID to me assuming Shaw is able to make a full return.

also, re: Memphis - i think dude is really talented and his season went to shit when Shaw got hurt. he wasn't scoring goals but he was driving defenses mad and making chances for others when Shaw was healthy. they seemed to work well together.

i mean, c'mon - who can work with Borthwick-Jackson. * I'M * better than Borthwick-Jackson (not really, but maybe).

>IIRC, LVG used TFM as a fill-in RB or LB last season. i don't
>recall him playing anywhere else.

He played some at RB and started twice at CB and came on once in centermid.

>i was HOPING Mou would employ Bailly at CB

Looks to be happening.

and TFM at RB to
>replace Darmian who is basically proven himself a worthless
>signing. at the point the LB and RB would be SOLID to me
>assuming Shaw is able to make a full return.

Looking that way so far in the Wigan and Dortmund games.

>also, re: Memphis - i think dude is really talented and his
>season went to shit when Shaw got hurt. he wasn't scoring
>goals but he was driving defenses mad and making chances for
>others when Shaw was healthy. they seemed to work well
>together.

He still pressed way too much when he was having bad games. You have to just let the game come to you and not try so damn hard; he tries way too hard at times and not at all others. And the EPL is not the Eredivese, you can't ghost past every defender unless you are truly fast (Martial).

>i mean, c'mon - who can work with Borthwick-Jackson. * I'M *
>better than Borthwick-Jackson (not really, but maybe).

CBJ is actually a pretty deceivingly good player. He is really languid and it looks like he isn't doing much, but his positioning is fantastic. Not worth throwing away at this point. He should have had a bag full of assists last year but for some woeful finishing on some really great left-footed crosses (something we don't have a lot of right now).

>He still pressed way too much when he was having bad games.
>You have to just let the game come to you and not try so damn
>hard;

>and Memphis
>who gives a fuck the guy is a half-notch above a youtube trick
>dribbler.

youtube freestylers at least have actual tekkers. memphis looks too jacked and stiff to play properly lol.

He played one really good game against the 3rd place Dannish team last year and that's about it. I think they should just mothball him at this point because the more he plays, the more other potential buyers will see him and decide not to.

He's worse than Bebe.
He's worse than Djemba Djemba.
He's worse than Kleberson.
He's worse than Zaha.
He's worse than whoever.


The worst part is how highly he rates himself and how it disconnected it is with the historically bad season he just came off. Whatever universe it is that he sees himself as this huge success, I am curious about it. He tries too damn hard, thinks he can dribble anybody/bodies in front of him when he has maybe a 10% success rate right now, he doesn't cross, his first touch is nearly unprofessional and his back tracking is the comical "run hard at your man and let him sidestep right past you" sort.

He is legitimately bad and, from what I can tell, the only supporters still giving him any sort of time are pretty new to the team and love them some step over youtube dumbness.

Memphis can go but I want to see a season under Jose before I write him off.

The rest can go w/ no regrets from me, however we need to put buybacks in all their deal just in case they turn out good.

in my mind he'd had a ghost of a season, but I just looked up his 15/16 stats and he had 29 appearances and started 7 of United's last 11 EPL games. It doesn't sound like he ever found his role though, and stats do show a very middling season, at best (35% of duels won doesn't sound very formidable)

He's 26 so it's not as if he needs to pounce on an opportunity in January. But if Everton came to call, maybe he'd want to cut his losses...

my buddy and I nicknamed him "Passback Pete."

why is this relevant? i saw way too much of that from Schneiderlin last season. i dunno if being at a big club got to him because he wasn't like that at Southhampton (he came from there, right?) but he would looked really rattled when he'd get the ball at his feet. i feel i could count on two hands the number of times i saw him play the ball forward last season no matter who he was paired with.

he wasn't TERRIBLE (Pete Vagenas was, btw) but he definitely didn't show the talent that got him TO Old Trafford. jury is still out and i dunno how Mou will use him.

I know he was supposed to be really good at Southampton, but whenever I'd catch one of their games I'd have to force myself to pay attention to him.
For some reason he reminds me of a (lesser) Jeremy Toulalan, who's one of the more underrated French midfielders these past 10 years, but who's got that same sort of stealth presence, if a lot more versatile in how he approaches the position.

When you demand that both your centermids either sit or come back BEHIND the centerhalves to receive and play the ball, and get no more forward than that, then there isn't much room for a player as dynamic and capable of creating as he is. I'm a bit worried because Mourinho can be equally boring in his defensive approach, but, as a foil to Pogba and playing behind Martial/Rooney/Ibra/Mkhytarian, I've got high hopes for him if they let him move further forward to provide the square link from the wings and play a part in buildups. It was clear that he was one of the many players that was really jaded by LVG's "philosophy" by the end of the year. Also, he was a purchase that was lined up, along with the likes of Darmian and Herrera, without LVG's input (it seems). From what I can tell, in hindsight, the club's scouting network have been after him and those other players for a while, since Moyes times and maybe before, and LVG just sort of said "okay, yeah, I can work with anyone in my 'system'". He didn't fit that boring approach. Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini fell in line, he didn't and stopped getting tick at the end of the season for it.

it's always tempting to blame the exiting gaffer for the squad not playing up to its potential, but nowhere clearer than for the 15/16 Utd midfield IMO.
As much as I find Mou tedious and ridiculous, it's gonna be fascinating to see his approach to the game and how he responds to the attack-minded United fans' expectations.

Unless there are HUGE cuts coming (Rooney, Mata). I really doubt that will happen. The price on Payet's head right now must be insane. We are throwing money around in epic fashion, but not like that. Another defender, though, seems likely. Can't remember a Mourinho team without one immovable centerback, and that player isn't in this team.

the only targets we're still in for are Fabinho for RB and for some reason Mourinho things we can throw enough money at Juve to get Bonucci.

https://techxplore.com/news/2016-07-years-england-world-cup-scientists.html

Scientists from The University of Manchester have used state-of-the-art science to solve a mystery surrounding the Jules Rimet trophy, the football World Cup won by England in 1966.
When the trophy was stolen before the 1966 competition – before being found by Pickles the dog – the FA made a perfect replica in secret, and both versions of the trophy were at Wembley when England won in the final. The replica was used until 1970, when Brazil were awarded the original trophy permanently for winning the World Cup three times, and a new cup was created for subsequent competitions.

The trophy Brazil were given was stolen and melted down in 1983, and Manchester's National Football Museum has the other version – but nobody has ever been sure which version was which. Therefore, the museum decided to solve the mystery once and for all by taking it to be scanned at The University of Manchester's Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging Facility, which received a Queen's Anniversary award in 2014 and is one of the world's most comprehensive facilities of its kind.

Scientists used a newly-developed X-ray computer tomography (CT) scanner, which was able to view the trophy in three dimensions and reveal its elemental composition using X-ray fluorescence. This enabled its 3-D shape to be recorded as a virtual model, and provided information on its chemical composition.

The original trophy was silver and gold plated, while the replica was bronze and gold plated. The chemical analysis did not find any evidence of silver present, but there were strong signals for tin and lead. This suggests that the National Football Museum has the replica trophy.

Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging Facility deputy director Dr Timothy Burnett: "With our analysis, we could measure the elemental composition of the trophy beneath the gold plating. The original trophy was reportedly made of cast silver, however our analysis failed to detect any signal of this – therefore, we do think this trophy is a replica of the original Jules Rimet World Cup. We think it is possible that it is made from either cast pewter or bronze."

Dr Kevin Moore, Director of the National Football Museum, said: "While we've always been fairly certain that we have the only surviving version of the Jules Rimet trophy, there has always been a slight question mark over which one it was. We've been delighted to work with The University of Manchester on solving this mystery once and for all."

Leicester v United is just about the most interesting matchup you could've had in terms of storylines going into the season IMHO

first it was hot as dick out there in charlotte

observations
- inter are utter shit. whew.
- bayern as an organization must have a fairly uniform tactical setup.
- it was interesting to see an absolute fuckload more muller jerseys than lewandowski.
- there were hardly any inter fans.
- alaba' skill level really stood out to people in the crowd

A side: oh shit moment of the week, Paris is about to hire this douchebag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm6loGj-gY0
gotdamn, this might be the WOAT. featuring De La Ghetto.

B side: this is most likely your miss of the year, bright and early
https://www.facebook.com/lequipe21/videos/493174974221413/
and with that the French U19 women's team wins the 'ship, just like the men's team

http://25.media.tumblr.com/018d50145db7ccdef85195fad6ef360a/tumblr_mjiw2fzjAv1qd3nmgo1_500.gif

we need strong leadership (c) the Antichrist

nothing Emery can do transfer wise can even come close to being that terrible

Dude had the second most interceptions in the Prem behind Kante for a terrible Villa side.

btw I'm still confused by my 2pt win last year (tks to a 92nd minute Chris Smalling og), that the site never reflected in the rankings

I tried to do it, and uh, he needs more servers
http://unai-emery.com/app/once/crear

which I don't think will ever see the pitch (ever)
that'd be a 4-2-3-1 like this
Areola - Kurzawa / Silva / KIPEMBE / Aurier - Matuidi / Verratti - Di Maria / Pastore / HATEM - Cavani

but the game was really about guessing tomorrow's line up, given injuries, recent returns, Unai's faves and all, which I think is gonna be a 4-3-3 like this
Areola - Maxwell / Luiz / Aurier or Kipembe / Meunier - Krikowiak / Motta (bleh) / Pastore - Di Maria / Cavani / Lucas (bleh again)

with Cavani out it looks like we might see this infamy again tho.

https://twitter.com/belreddevils/status/760929874202820609

He has the squad to play his videogame football style and when they fall apart in the 80th minute of each game, it won't be surprising there.

And they are:

- Mou sets clock on Pogba, swipes at Wenger
- Mourinho hits back at Schweini criticism
- Mourinho blasts Ronaldo's Euro 2016 joy

This fucking guy...

fuck yeah . . .

all the usual madness for this last day of the window:

-the Hart thing almost feels like a panic move. Torino, seriously? Although there's a very strong chance Allardyce does not watch the Serie A, so anonymity might be Hart's goal here

-lmao at this tweet by the London transport authorities: https://twitter.com/TfL/status/770962321053257728/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

-Bony to Stoke; meh

-Slimani to Leicester sounds like potentially very good business, although it won't exactly help them in January around ACN-time

-Brahimi to Everton: see above

-Surprised Sissoko still hasn't been confirmed elsewhere. After his Euros I was sure he'd be back in the Premier League in a heartbeat

when I read about it yesterday I laughed it off, but apparently they are really keen on him coming back to the Bridge. For 30mil!! God bless whoever made sure their transfer department did not watch the Monaco game on Sunday

he still suck?

the long answer: YEEEESSSSSSS

:(

good for him tho.

seems about right.

He turned down the contract extension so it was known he wanted to leave. Glad to get something for him although I'm certainly sad at "what could have been"....his terrible loan spell last year didn't help matters.

coming off the form he showed in rio, it was the right time for him to make his play. i can't be mad at that. he'll do well out there.

.

Nice might get fucked again next offseason though

they need to go for M'Vila next

Balo, Belhanda and Bodmer

solid move (if this was 2012)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DqyE0TATc3Q

at least he's not going to the B league

https://twitter.com/MoussaSissoko/status/771104537453232128

Spurs called saying they eventually decided to match the 35M offer, they U turned and drove right back to London.

Great news for both parties

also Netflix released part B of their Juve doc today. I read recently in a French paper about how the new national sport in Italy is pretending you're too busy for the WC. Looks like they've got another way to stay occupied today!

Madrid doesn't sit on money. Can't see them signing on off on this without having Neymar already 90% done, which will cement him as the heel of heels in the game right now.

kinda weird they let him start the pre-season but when your owner can't even get back into the country these things happen

asd

sounds like he's about to be our first addition of the offseason. i'm not going to pretend to know much about him, other than he's had some off the field stuff.

didn't know it would catch on