The Ultimate Football Thread 2013-2014 Vol. 4 EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A etc

[lyonbc1]

Special One tried to hold us back

Mou on Ba's loan deal: "I stopped Demba Ba moving to Arsenal because the best no. 10 in the world in Ozil they'd have been title contenders"

 

[jr23]

Special One tried to hold us back

Mou on Ba's loan deal: "I stopped Demba Ba moving to Arsenal because the best no. 10 in the world in Ozil they'd have been title contenders"

I was just reading this. 

 

[chippedtoothsmile]

Curious as of who you guys have finishing in EPL since deadline is over. Still think Chelsea's taking it with city 2nd then united

 

[fear the ibis]

Mo should have offered them Torres instead

 

[mastamind89]

Special One tried to hold us back


Mou on Ba's loan deal: "I stopped Demba Ba moving to Arsenal because the best no. 10 in the world in Ozil they'd have been title contenders"

I was just reading this. 

Saw this earlier

@ESPNFC Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign teenager Saidy Janko from FC Zurich
- Who made the grade out of the non-Premier Euro clubs during the transfer window? @JamesHorncastle evaluates. http://es.pn/15AV4Ro

 

[Coupé It]

I did not realize that Monaco won in Marseille this past weekend. Wow, thats impressive. Saw some highlights, my boy Moutinho with a slick game winning assist. That's a big win.

 

[wings90]

Not even an Arsenal fan and I'm excited to see what Avatar Eyes can do for them.

 

[nychiphophippo]

Special One tried to hold us back


Mou on Ba's loan deal: "I stopped Demba Ba moving to Arsenal because the best no. 10 in the world in Ozil they'd have been title contenders"

I was just reading this. 

Could just be him trying to motivate his attacking mids and pissing off Arsenal, Giroud, and the fan base.

 

[fear the ibis]

Excellent troll by Mourinho

Arsenal were left fuming on transfer deadline night after Chelsea made a late U-turn on Demba Ba’s proposed move across London.

Arsene Wenger thought a deal to sign the Senegal striker on a season-long loan deal was in place on Monday night after hours of negotiations between the clubs. But the Stamford Bridge pulled the plug on the deal, leaving Arsenal irate.

After initially agreeing to the deal, Emirates chiefs were baffled by Chelsea’s late decision to veto Ba’s move because they did not want to strengthen a direct rival. It is understood Ba’s move across London was so far advanced that Arsenal had arranged the former Newcastle forward’s medical.

Wenger was desperate to sign a centre-forward on Monday, knowing Olivier Giroud is currently his only fit recognised striker. And Chelsea’s decision to end the deal meant Arsenal had no time to pursue alternatives, leaving Wenger worryingly short of attacking options.

 

[ice city fc]

Excellent troll by Mourinho

Arsenal were left fuming on transfer deadline night after Chelsea made a late U-turn on Demba Ba’s proposed move across London.

Arsene Wenger thought a deal to sign the Senegal striker on a season-long loan deal was in place on Monday night after hours of negotiations between the clubs. But the Stamford Bridge pulled the plug on the deal, leaving Arsenal irate.

After initially agreeing to the deal, Emirates chiefs were baffled by Chelsea’s late decision to veto Ba’s move because they did not want to strengthen a direct rival. It is understood Ba’s move across London was so far advanced that Arsenal had arranged the former Newcastle forward’s medical.

Wenger was desperate to sign a centre-forward on Monday, knowing Olivier Giroud is currently his only fit recognised striker. And Chelsea’s decision to end the deal meant Arsenal had no time to pursue alternatives, leaving Wenger worryingly short of attacking options.

Frustrating as an Arsenal fan. I'm still high off the Ozil move but you have to think they could have been working harder on a second/third option just in case something like this happened. Someone with a much lower profile than Ba could have been had for relatively cheap, just to provide some kind of depth up top, and who knows maybe you end up with an absolute bargain. 

 

[Coupé It]

Ew, Bruma got transfered to Gala. Wanted him to stay in Portugal or go to England. Hope Gala know what they're doing with the kid.

 

[luisfigo]

Ew, Bruma got transfered to Gala. Wanted him to stay in Portugal or go to England. Hope Gala know what they're doing with the kid.

got high hopes for the kid. please let him be the striker that we desperately need. him or oliviera. somebody! anybody! please!

 

[eracism]

"He is a teammate and a friend; he's different. Mesut is a different kind of player. If it were up to me, he would be one of the last ones to go. But Özil and the club have made the decision and I can only wish him the best."

"I'm a little surprised about the transfer. It's a shame and a big loss in our locker room, personally and in footballing terms. He said goodbye on Sunday, but I thought he was joking. Ozil is different, there is no one else like him in the world. He makes such a difference.

Actually, I was surprised that Ozil left and moreso because he said last week that he was going to stay. Ozil, we all know, has great quality and is a player can change the balance of a game."
 

 

[champcruthik]

No secret Mes was well liked in the RM dressing room. Team chemistry likely impacted on and off the pitch.

 

[Coupé It]

Wonder what Ronaldo is going to say.

Ozil would have never left if Mourinho was still manager.

 

[mr marcus]

I think it'll be b/t Chelsea and city...hopefully city wins it

 

[jada2001retro]

I still can't believe we signed Mesut ******g Ozil.

 

[lyonbc1]

I still can't believe we signed Mesut ******g Ozil.

He's not a difference maker though Giroud has to be salivating

 

[ROYGBiV]

Not on Ozil's level...................

But I'm still amazed how Roma where able to sign Strootman.

 

[champcruthik]

I'd rather have Strootman based on value only, if you're a financially limited club.

 

[mastamind89]

@hughwizzy @hughwizzy #Spurs fans have started a petition to "End the "Strategic Partnership" with Real Madrid." http://www.change.org/petitions/tot...-the-strategic-partnership-with-real-madrid-2


So this is what our senior squad looks like at full fitness

 

[mastamind89]

Ander Herrera's Manchester United move: what made the deal collapse
• Three lawyers were not imposters, Spanish league sources say
• Instead legal complexity of buyout clauses led to withdrawal

Sid Lowe in Madrid

The Guardian, Tuesday 3 September 2013 15.45 EDT
Ander Herrera
Manchester United's bid for Ander Herrera, left, foundered on the complexities of Spanish players' buy-out clauses. Photograph: Action Images / Pool Pic/Action Images
Manchester United missed out on signing the Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera not because the deal was hijacked by "imposters", but due to their failure to understand the complexities of Spanish buy-out clauses. The Guardian understands that the club were not prepared to risk testing the legal framework of the system and pulled out of the deal, later seeking to distance themselves from another unsuccessful bid by claiming the lawyers were "not acting on their behalf". Yet according to well-placed sources at the Spanish league, the three men who visited their offices were indeed working for United.

Rodrigo García Lucas, Alvaro Reig Gurrea and Guillermo Gutiérrez were photographed entering the league's offices on Monday afternoon, with less than 12 hours to go in the transfer window. The three men represent the Spanish law firm Laffer, which oversaw Bayern Munich's successful move for Javi Martínez. That deal was completed by paying the buyout clause, against the wishes of Athletic Bilbao.

It is understood the lawyers had been instructed by United to attempt to find a resolution to the transfer and, according to sources at the Spanish league, did so with the formal authorisation from Manchester United.

Herrera's agents were not directly involved in the operation and nor were Athletic Bilbao; they later confirmed to the league that they would seek to block the move, refusing to accept the transfer of money.

The lawyers did not deposit the €36m stipulated in the clause and were not able to meet the necessary requirements as far as documentation was concerned but they did hold talks with league officials. They departed over an hour later citing "bureaucratic difficulties".

They later briefed United as to the difficulties of closing a deal so late in the window; they could not guarantee that it would be completed successfully and without subsequent risks. The Martínez deal, by contrast, had been put together over more than a month.

Faced with the uncertainty and potentially extra costs involved in tax, United decided not to proceed, thereby forcing Herrera to stay in Spain, the sources state. United had told the midfielder to be prepared in the event of a deal going through. Once the deal collapsed, United claimed that the three men had nothing to do with them.

Spain's official buyout clauses are complex and United appeared not to be fully aware of the difficulties inherent in using them. In principle, it is the player, not the buying club, who is supposed to deposit the money with the Spanish football authorities.

However, Manchester United insiders again insisted on Tuesday night that the lawyers were not working directly for them and the deal collapsed at an early stage because they were not prepared to meet the €36m buyout fee.

Milan apologise for UEFA error
By Football Italia staff

Milan have released a statement apologising for an error in the Champions League squad list which robbed Mbaye Niang of a place.

The Rossoneri included Stephan El Shaarawy in the A List of players, even though he is eligible for the B List.

That is reserved for players born after January 1 1992 with at least two years at the club.

Because of El Shaarawy’s placement, Niang was left out of the UEFA squad entirely.

This evening Milan released a statement from director Umberto Gandini, who took “full responsibility for the error” in putting together the Champions League squad.

It is now too late to change the list, so Niang remains ineligible.

If true, then just what a screw up

 

[jcs11702]

If healthy, Arsenal has the talent to contend at the top of the EPL.

 

[nychiphophippo]

Wow I really feel bad for Niang more than for Milan.

 

[champcruthik]

SMH at Umberto Gandini.

Milan's squad is already weaker than many years previous.

Il Faraone, throw on that backpack.