World Football Thread XVI - The demise of one Ronaldo and the rise of another

[Maquiladora]

Chelsea are playing awful as usual, currently drawing 0-0 at Newcastle with 5mins left. It's amazing if Mourinho tells this group of quality players to play the long ball so often.

The title race may be close, but its anything but exciting. I want neither of them to win it now.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Adam Smith
Three questions:

1. What would the "moaners" team look like in two or three years time? Swap Henry for Eto? Add Ribery? Who to add on defense? Others?

2. What would the "ostrich" team look like in two or three years time?
Akinfeev
Hoyte(?) Toure ???? Clichy
Rosicky Fabregas Silva(C) Ribery
RvP Walcott

+ Adbeyor, Bendtner, Denilson (?), others?

3. Could either team be expected to win the Premiership or the Champions League?

The short answers are Yes, Yes, and No.

Alves is also high on the shopping list of many, but if the collective wisdom of the moaners was taken, every single player with the possible exception of van Persie would be replaced as "not good enough", as would the manager, coaching staff, board, owners, stadium and fans. Footy management games have a lot to answer for when it comes to hoardes of armchair experts, as does being spoiled by success, glory-hunting and rose-tinted historical spectacles.

I met a bloke in a pub last week who was saying "I might give up my Season Ticket - this is not what I signed up for. I've had an ST since I was 5 and this is crap, and the new stadium is crap, and the players are crap blah blah". Hmmm .... he was about 30, so after 15+ years of his Dad paying his way and getting him nicely installed in the limited capacity of Highbury, he's had less than 10 years of mostly successful seasons from his own wallet. Two seasons of no glory that he has to pay for and he wants out. Fine - there are plenty who will take his place, and if a few years of failure shakes out a few thousand glory hunters this is not a bad thing.

I fear that Cesc will be playing at Barca within 2-3 years, with Denilson or Merida taking his place. As long as Arsene is in charge, I don't bother making predictions or suggestions, as he knows obscure players better than anyone. Having watched the Youth Team a couple of time (in addition to the youngsters playing in the Carling Cup), the club has some cracking young talent coming through. This is Arsene's five-year plan.

Nothing can guarrantee winning the PL or CL, but I would happily sacrifice silverware for another two-to-three years if it meant that the club could then reap the financial rewards of the new stadium, practically debt-free, and able to genuinely compete with the biggest in England and Europe. My only real concern about a change of ownership is the prospect of either a billion pound debt ruining the carefully built financial plans, or an owner that treated the club as a cash cow to milk, rather than something historically special to nurture.

I also fear the way US 'franchise-owners' move their clubs around the country - if what I have heard is true. That makes my blood run cold.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Krill
yeah, for those games using a countrywide market designed without market pressures, but you can't compete in a worldwide market.

We're Americans. We'll find a way to make money .

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Colon™
To get back to the OP: Onyewu is returning to Standard Liege. Newcastle opted out of purchasing the player at the end of the loan-period.

****.. I was hoping he'd be kept. For Newcastle and for US Soccer (Star defender in in high profile, competitive league).

[Locutus]

One more week in the regular competition, and what can I say? Gods, I love this game

1. AZ		33	72	+53
2. Ajax		33	72	+47
3. PSV		33	72	+46
4. FC Twente	33	63
5. Feyenoord	33	53
6. Heerenveen	33	52

AZ and Twente for Champsions League? But for next week, go Heerenveen

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
We're Americans. We'll find a way to make money .

Halliburton

[Colon™]

Originally posted by Locutus
One more week in the regular competition, and what can I say? Gods, I love this game

1. AZ		33	72	+53
2. Ajax		33	72	+47
3. PSV		33	72	+46
4. FC Twente	33	63
5. Feyenoord	33	53
6. Heerenveen	33	52

AZ and Twente for Champsions League? But for next week, go Heerenveen

It's amazing the Dutch competition is having such a thrilling closing. Who could have thought PSV would squander their double-digit lead? I hope AZ wins it.

[Locutus]

Yeah, it's a mystery to everyone including PSV why they utterly imploded after the winter break, but they did. Makes for a much more exciting competition though, with lots of teams outside the traditional top three playing very attractive football

Even objectively speaking (my opinion is obviously a bit coloured ), based on quality of play alone AZ and Twente *do* deserve those Champions League berths more than the other top 5 teams. Unfortunately attractive play alone doesn't win you the play-offs...

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Locutus
Unfortunately attractive play alone doesn't win you the play-offs...

No, it doesn't even assure a win against PSV.

[Colon™]

To get back to the OP again (it's on the first page reds4ever): has it occured to anyone already that Ronaldo the elder has scored 7 goals in 9 games for AC Milan?

Here's his chest-technique:

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
I also fear the way US 'franchise-owners' move their clubs around the country - if what I have heard is true. That makes my blood run cold.

Franchise movement requires approval of the league, and is usually done to extort a better deal on the public facilities the franchise rents. Arsenal own their own stadium, so they would not have this motivation.

[Imran Siddiqui]

That, and the fact that US professional teams move because there is a closed gate on which teams are in the professional league. A team can move from City A to City B because City B will never have another professional team (unless it becomes so large that the league allows a 2nd team or expansion franchise).

Not the case in Britain.

[Colon™]

Please don't say "franchise" in this thread.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Colon™
Please don't say "franchise" in this thread.

Regrettably, an understanding of what this word means in the USA has become necessary. When the Anderlecht Redskins are playing matches at 1.00am to meet the requirements of a US TV audience you'll see the relevance.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Colon™
Please don't say "franchise" in this thread.

The reference were to US sports teams moving. They are commonly refered to as franchises of the league over here.