World Soccer Thread IV

[C0ckney]

well i dunno mike, if he goes then it wouldn't be the end of the world, he didn't have the best of seasons last year and if we get £15 million for him i think that would be a good bit of business on our part.

maybe we could use the money to buy shaun wright-phillips, now that man city are losing patience with chelsea

[MikeH]

I don't know what's happening with that. I don't think they want Michael Essien AND SWP so maybe they are holding out for Essien and will get SWP if he doesn't come.

I think Viera will stay, he's linked with a move every summer.

and £14m for a 29 year old is good business.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I don't think Essien is going anywhere. His club is playing hardball and want to drive up the price to the stratosphere. I think Chelsea may just say, screw you, and get SWP.

[C0ckney]

they might just buy both, it's not as if they're interchangable, and it's not as if chelsea are short of a few quid.

[reds4ever]

I've never seen Essien play, is he that good?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by C0ckney
they might just buy both, it's not as if they're interchangable, and it's not as if chelsea are short of a few quid.

Yeah, but they may tire of the BS.

Reds, Essien is supposed to be amazing. He did very well for Lyon.

[C0ckney]

short answer: yes.

long(er) answer: he's not quite the finished article yet, he's a tough tackling defensive midfielder, but can get forward as well, more patrick viera than claude makalele. he's not far off viera now and (IMO at least) has the potential to be better than viera at his best in a couple of years.

[reds4ever]

Like a poor mans Sissoko?

[C0ckney]

in fact tbh after the season vieras had essien is probably better than him, but playing in france isn't the same as playing in england

sissoko, when i heard you signed him i thought he was going to be at your opening game singing 'thong song'

[MikeH]

Sissoko was recipient of the "Most Ludicrous Lie" award in The Sids 2005

http://football.guardian.co.uk/continentalfootball/story/0,15758,1500447,00.html

Most ludicrous lie

Valencia's Mohammed Sissoko unexpectedly missed two Valencia training sessions because, he explained, he was playing in an international for Mali against Kenya - a match in which he played for 48 minutes and Mali won 1-0. So far so good, but there was just one tiny flaw in the explanation: it was complete rubbish. The match didn't exist; Sissoko had made it up. Which was a bit odd - after all, if you're going to invent internationals, you might as well invent yourself a goal or two.

[Az]

[MikeH]

Back to Essien, I think he's seen as the long term replacement/backup for Makalele who is getting on a bit.

[MikeH]

Oh and Liverpool start their bid to maintain the Champions League title today.

Must be nearly time for me to change my signature.

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by MikeH
Oh and Liverpool start their bid to maintain the Champions League title today.

Must be nearly time for me to change my signature.

Feel free, as long as you've learnt your lesson!

[MikeH]

The lesson is the second line of the signature.