The Ultimate Soccer Thread 2012-2013 Vol. 3 Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga etc

[Beans]

I thought with de gea they deff didnt wanna call him up this summer due to the Under-21 European Championships.

 

[fear the ibis]

World Club Rankings: http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/club/index.html



Also in the top 5 most valuable clubs in the world...if that's not elite then you don't know the meaning of the word.

Im not talking in terms of value, so save the figures for someone else. Despite what uefa says , I wouldn't consider Chelsea to be amongst the ranks of Bayern munich, Barcelona, Real madrid, Juventus etc. Chelsea is a great club who has ran into some blockades but is back on track and on the rise to reach those ranks, but as of now I wouldn't consider it to be up there.

Well, your opinion is flat out wrong. Chelsea isn't on the level of Bayern, or Barca, or United, or Madrid. But it's certainly on the next tier after them.

Diff between us is I dont have to tell you how elite my club is.. because you already know it

Chelsea is deff on the rise as a club but they need to continue this for atleast another 10 yrs.. this consistancy/history is the reason liverpool/arsenal are able to still sign players. Its still an honor to play for these clubs.If roman left tomorrow and took his wallet with him, you wouldnt be able to produce that kind of commitment from players (atleast not yet). Winning one CL doesnt do that either, I'll remind you Aston Villa has a European Championship and ppl arent clamoring to go there.

Ibis- Im not even sure why you quoted half of us, most of us werent doubting his return but just saying it wasnt the best move. I wish he would have stayed one final yr in madrid and finally brought them that 10th CL.. IMO that would have been a much bigger talking point then anything he can do with chelsea (aside from winning a treble). I deff think Chelsea gains more from his return than he does. As a BPL fan, I will enjoy him back in the league.. especially with SAF retiring he will ensure there is still some entertainment.

1. You're just talking out of your *** now. We've already been a top 5 club overall in Europe for the past decade...so you're say we have to do it for 2 straight decades to be considered elite? Stop it. Please show me one recent example of any "elite" club who had a run of 20 straight years of being on top of Europe? I beg you.

2. Why do all of Liverpool and Arsenal's best players keep leaving for better clubs then? All that consistency and history didn't keep RVP did it? Or Fabregas. Or Song. Or Alonso. Or Mascherano. Or Torres. And eventually Suarez.

If it's such an honor why would players like Ashley Cole leave Arsenal for no history Chelsea? It's not all money because they could always go play in Russia somewhere and make tons.

Everybody knows we fire managers every 8 months and yet still all the top managers want to come here. Meanwhile Liverpool is run by the likes of Brendan Rogers.

Sorry but for all your history and "honor" Chelsea is in a whole nother league right now compared with these historic teams you speak of. They are history, Chelsea is right now.

Stop living in the past.

3. Even if Abramovich left, Chelsea has risen to the level where it could sustain itself. The brand and the club are big enough now to whereas it'd still be able to sustain itself at a high level even w/o him.

4. What's to understand about why Mourinho came back? It's simple. He said it himself yesterday. He loves the club. He feels like he's one of us. The fans love him. And so Chelsea is where his heart is. That's all there is to it.

Reporter today : "Things have changed since you left Chelsea".

Jose Mourinho : "No, Arsenal still haven't won a trophy"

 

[fear the ibis]

Just realized Diego Lopez was not selected for Spain .. did he retire from international duty? He should deff be slotted ahead of Pepe or Valdes..
Spain also need to identify a replacement striker for Villa before the WC.. they cannot limp through that tourny with sub par strikers like they did in euros. Hopefully llorente or somone else can have a break through yr.

Zorres.

 

[fear the ibis]

And for those of you still on that "Mourinho doesn't like David Luiz" nonsense....here you go....

David Luiz boost for Chelsea as Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid are priced out of race for Benfica star
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER UPDATED: 07:44 EST, 29 July 2010
2 View
comments
Jose Mourinho has cleared the path for Chelsea to sign David Luiz by signalling that the Benfica star is too expensive for Real Madrid.
The Bernabeu boss made Luiz one of his primary targets when taking over from Manuel Pellegrini at the end of last season, but a spiralling price tag has put off the Spanish giants.

Cough up: Benfica defender Luiz will cost Chelsea more than £30m
Mourinho has instead opened talks with AC Milan defender Thiago Silva, who has also long been a target for Chelsea.
And the boss is ready to raid his former club for Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho.

Brazil international Silva, 25, has been tipped for a £21million move to La Liga and his agent Paulo Tonietto said: 'First of all, Thiago Silva is very happy at Milan. But there is interest from Real Madrid, who are dealing directly with Milan.
'A Madrid manager came to ask about the situation of Thiago, and I told him that apart from being flattered by the interest of a team like Real, he has a contract until 2013 and is at ease in Italy.
'I do not know if Milan will accept, it does not depend on me or Thiago. It's a deal that is developing between the two presidents.'
Chelsea are preparing a new £27m bid for Luiz, though Benfica are demanding more than £30m for 23-year-old and hope Manchester City will re-enter the race.
Mourinho is a confirmed admirer of the versatile defender, who is in line to make his full Brazil debut next month, but the Portuguese said: 'I like him a lot, but he won't come to Madrid this year.
'It will be very difficult for him to leave. I'm not thinking about him at all this year. There was some contact, but the price is prohibitive.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...uiz-Jose-Mourinho-gives-up.html#ixzz2VFs4nfJ7
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Since he actually tried to buy Luiz from Benfica while he was at Real CLEARLY he must not like him right?

 

[eiddyfouw]

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3. Even if Abramovich left, Chelsea has risen to the level where it could sustain itself. The brand and the club are big enough now to whereas it'd still be able to sustain itself at a high level even w/o him.

I'm not too sure about this. Without Roman's money, it would be a fast decline from what we know Chelsea today. Without the regular big spending every transfer window, Chelsea would begin to crumble. I won't lie and act like I know too much about their youth academy, but I haven't heard much about it. Maybe someone else can chime in about some of their prospects coming up internally. However, to say that the club would sustain itself at it's current level without Roman's (or someone like him) money, feels like a stretch.

 

[Beans]

again

 

[Beans]

double

 

[Biggsy]

I'm not too sure about this. Without Roman's money, it would be a fast decline from what we know Chelsea today. Without the regular big spending every transfer window, Chelsea would begin to crumble. I won't lie and act like I know too much about their youth academy, but I haven't heard much about it. Maybe someone else can chime in about some of their prospects coming up internally. However, to say that the club would sustain itself at it's current level without Roman's (or someone like him) money, feels like a stretch.

Second that. Behind big spending clubs lies a wealthy family or person or big bank. It would be hard for Chelsea

 

[mastamind89]

I'm not too sure about this. Without Roman's money, it would be a fast decline from what we know Chelsea today. Without the regular big spending every transfer window, Chelsea would begin to crumble. I won't lie and act like I know too much about their youth academy, but I haven't heard much about it. Maybe someone else can chime in about some of their prospects coming up internally. However, to say that the club would sustain itself at it's current level without Roman's (or someone like him) money, feels like a stretch.

Second that. Behind big spending clubs lies a wealthy family or person or big bank. It would be hard for Chelsea

WD, I thought that was the point you were trying to make, when you posted about being a young player wanting to join a club, about their academy? Over the years Chelsea's youth academy has been on the dull side. Recently, Roman has taken it more seriously and there are a number of exciting players. I'm not sure what the club would do with Josh McEachran, but I know at one point he was highly rated. Hazards, younger brother Thorgan. Loftus-Cheek and Christensen traveled to the states and started against Man City in both games. Ake has played at the first team level. And Chalobah had a good loan spell at Waterford. The Musonda brothers from Belgium, I remember Arsenal tried to sign them. Those are all the players I have heard, hopefully Chelsea fans can give better input. Hopefully Mourinho doesn't ruin it

@ussoccer An American bald eagle just flew over the team charter as it waits for departure. Everyone is feeling a little jazzed about it!

 

[fear the ibis]

For those of you concerned about Chelsea's youth acadamy or still blinded by the false media perception that Mourinho doesn't utilize/develop youth players please read this:

Entrusting Mourinho to identify and nurture our special ones

The return of Jose Mourinho, we’re told, is great news for Chelsea, but not for the Chelsea academy.



Yet the reasons for conjuring such a statement are not immediately clear. Mourinho, allegedly, has built the majority of his high-profile success at Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid by signing expensive, ready-made starts with considerable experience who are closer to 30 than 20.

Upon further investigation though, the numbers tell a different story, and beyond that, the implications for Neil Bath and company on the other side of the road at the Chelsea training ground in Cobham need not necessarily be negative. Quite the contrary, in fact.

Let’s take a brief look back before casting our eyes further forward. Mourinho’s double European trophy-winning Porto side was built on the strengths of future Chelsea trio Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, and Deco, who were each in their mid-20s at the mid-point of their great successes. Maniche and Derlei were of similar age, and there were only four regular contributors over the age of 30.

At Stamford Bridge, a youthfully exuberant core of Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba formed the spine of a team which would go on to enjoy a decade of excellence at home and abroad. They were ably supported by Duff, Cole, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Bridge, Wright-Phillips and others, with just Claude Makelele providing the ‘veteran’ status.

The squad he inherited and took to Champions League victory at Inter was the oldest of any of his teams, but even then he actively sought out and signed Mancini (27 at the start of the season), Muntari (23), and Quaresma (24) in his first year, then Thiago Motta (26), Samuel Eto’o (29), Goran Pandev (26) and Wesley Sneijder (25), all of whom would play key roles in their European Cup run.

In Madrid, meanwhile, he leaves behind a team set for years to come. They’ve enjoyed the peak mid-20s years of Cristiano Ronaldo and not one of Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil, Marcelo, or Fabio Coentrao are older than 25. Even Luka Modric and Sami Khedira are only marginally older whilst Xabi Alonso seems grandfather-esque by comparison at 31.

The rhetoric doesn’t add up. It’s a lazy line peddled by a lazy media who relished their battles with Mourinho during his years in England and likely haven’t paid quite as much attention to his overseas exploits as they might claim to have.

In addition to building ultra-competitive squads out of the best twentysomethings in world football, the Portuguese has also consistently proven himself open to blooding teenage talent, so long as it’s exceptional and ready in all facets of the game; technically, mentally, and physically.

A nineteen year-old John Obi Mikel was entrusted with a key role in the team immediately after joining the Blues in 2006. There had been brief flirtations with Robert Huth, Carlton Cole and Glen Johnson while they were each fresh-faced kids but Mikel was the breakthrough performer in his first spell.

Bolder still was the decision to promote then 17-year-old Davide Santon and 18-year-old Mario Balotelli early in his reign at Inter. Both earned incredible plaudits and saw their careers take off; Santon would surely be at a more suitable home than Newcastle United were it not for some injury issues, whilst Balotelli is... Balotelli.

The jewel he’s left sparkling at the Bernabeu, though, is arguably the most precious of all. Raphael Varane was an expensive 18-year-old signing after the first year of Jose at the club, but after being brought along slowly in 2011-12, he made his mark this past season and is not only the premier young defender in the world, but could quite easily lay claim to being amongst the best in his position regardless of age.

All the way through, from his first job at Benfica in 2000 to the present day, the ‘Special One’ has offered cup opportunities and lesser league outings to those coming through the club’s own youth ranks. They might not be so obviously talented, but they’ve always been given the courtesy of a look and a chance, and a message was sent to all; the youngsters could show their stuff, and the pros were given notice that they could be replaced if they didn’t meet standards.

But aside from that, however, is the discussion about the academy he now inherits back in London. Take yourselves back to the 2004-05 season and think about some of the names in the reserve and youth ranks at the time. Danny Hollands, James Simmonds, Adrian Pettigrew and the Younghusband brothers featured heavily in the second string, whilst Brendan Rodgers’ Under-18s included Ben Hudell, Joe Tillen and Ed Brand among others.

Sure, future full internationals Dean Furman and Liam Bridcutt were fledgling youngsters, as were Jack Cork and Michael Mancienne, but the fact remained that there was very little to speak of in terms of promoting players to compete within his title-hunting squad in the short term.

He knew this, the club knew this, and more importantly they acted upon it. Lavish investment saw Frank Arnesen hired to procure some of the world’s finest schoolboy talent to accelerate the progress of the team on the pitch whilst the fundamental groundwork was laid at the club’s new training ground both in terms of facilities and in the expansion of the coaching ranks.

It was always planned to be a long-term model; Academy Manager Neil Bath warned that it would be ‘8-10 years’ until they really started seeing a steady flow of produce into the first team. Mourinho spoke after a Carling Cup tie at Wycombe in 2007 bemoaning the lack of a B Team and appropriate options in reserve.

We’re now eight years removed from the re-launch of the academy. Ryan Bertrand is an established first-team squad player. Nathan Aké has made fine strides this season. Josh McEachran and Patrick van Aanholt have flirted with breakthroughs, and Scott Sinclair, Fabio Borini, Gökhan Töre and others have done so elsewhere.

The standard of player being developed now is a world away from that which Mourinho had at his disposal way back when, and that’s said with every respect to what was a group of good players. Good wasn’t enough then though, and it isn’t now. In addition to the requisite technical skill set, he also demands ‘pride, style, integrity, unity and leadership’ from players coming into his plans.

Even casual fans of the junior Blues will testify that a select number amongst the young hopefuls have these qualities in abundance, and while they’ve watched in frustration as many have gone onto prove capable elsewhere, they still cling to eternal hope for the day a Chelsea manager truly entrusts these eminently capable teenagers with the roles they’re longing for.

There’s an assumption too that this particular leopard isn’t for changing his spots. In the eyes of onlookers, once somebody has defined themselves, they are pigeon-holed for life, never to err from their well-trodden course. Why can’t Mourinho, with now well over a decade in management behind him, decide that this is the right time to settle, to build something, and to assimilate more academy talent into his team than he ever has done before?

It’s not a far-fetched proposal; in fact it’s rather in keeping with his ideals. It might just also be the making of the latest and most unpredictable stage of his career. For the first time, the Special One’s stock has fallen. Don’t presume to know what he’ll do next – he’ll more than likely prove everybody wrong, just as he’s done many times before.

http://www.ohdenniswise.com/2013/05/entrusting-mourinho-to-identify-and.html

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I think Abramovich found his new PR director...

Go on Ibis, do you thing!!!

 

[champcruthik]

I'd like to see Chelsea or City win the league next year.

 

[jada2001retro]

Arsenal 13/14 Champions.

 

[champcruthik]

Or even Spurs, for a radical change.

 

[imasoleman18]

if arsenal or spurs are ever going to win the league this year is the year

 

[Beans]

Well, your opinion is flat out wrong. Chelsea isn't on the level of Bayern, or Barca, or United, or Madrid. But it's certainly on the next tier after them.
1. You're just talking out of your *** now. We've already been a top 5 club overall in Europe for the past decade...so you're say we have to do it for 2 straight decades to be considered elite? Stop it. Please show me one recent example of any "elite" club who had a run of 20 straight years of being on top of Europe? I beg you.

Everybody knows we fire managers every 8 months and yet still all the top managers want to come here

Wait so your saying history means nothing? That speaks volumes about not only you but also your choice in clubs to support.

I think what you failed to understand is these clubs that just pop up from no where with rich owners might be relevant right here and now.. but the true elite teams have been relevant for many decades.. Sure they don't dominate Europe yr in/ yr out.. but they still win trophies domestically and are competitive in Europe. Look at united.. we won a UCL 2 in last 20 yrs... but have dominated domestically.. but that wasn't anything new for us. I dont recall saying elite clubs dominated 20 straight yrs in europe.. what i did/am mentioning now is your club needs to also be relevant for decades in both europe and domestically before you can speak.

Liverpool is going through a transition.. if you truly supported chelsea, you would know enough about your own history to recognize that. Your club use to pride itself on mid-table results.

Every manager wanted that chelsea job? tell me again how Pep/Jurgen opted Germany over working with your owner... truth is Chelsea have really hurt themselves when it comes to being able to draw every manager. Really didnt leave themselves much options other than taking Mou back.. not that its the worst option.

 

[fear the ibis]

Well, your opinion is flat out wrong. Chelsea isn't on the level of Bayern, or Barca, or United, or Madrid. But it's certainly on the next tier after them.
1. You're just talking out of your *** now. We've already been a top 5 club overall in Europe for the past decade...so you're say we have to do it for 2 straight decades to be considered elite? Stop it. Please show me one recent example of any "elite" club who had a run of 20 straight years of being on top of Europe? I beg you.

Everybody knows we fire managers every 8 months and yet still all the top managers want to come here

Wait so your saying history means nothing? That speaks volumes about not only you but also your choice in clubs to support.

I think what you failed to understand is these clubs that just pop up from no where with rich owners might be relevant right here and now.. but the true elite teams have been relevant for many decades.. Sure they don't dominate Europe yr in/ yr out.. but they still win trophies domestically and are competitive in Europe. Look at united.. we won a UCL 2 in last 20 yrs... but have dominated domestically.. but that wasn't anything new for us. I dont recall saying elite clubs dominated 20 straight yrs in europe.. what i did/am mentioning now is your club needs to also be relevant for decades in both europe and domestically before you can speak.

Liverpool is going through a transition.. if you truly supported chelsea, you would know enough about your own history to recognize that. Your club use to pride itself on mid-table results.

Every manager wanted that chelsea job? tell me again how Pep/Jurgen opted Germany over working with your owner... truth is Chelsea have really hurt themselves when it comes to being able to draw every manager. Really didnt leave themselves much options other than taking Mou back.. not that its the worst option.

Didn't even read the rest of the post after this. You just completely made that up. Nowhere in any of my posts have I said anything close to that. Don't put words in my mouth.

 

[quik1987]

Arsenal linked with Michu



I wish

 

[Beans]

Sorry but for all your history and "honor" Chelsea is in a whole nother league right now compared with these historic teams you speak of. They are history, Chelsea is right now.

Stop living in the past.

nope.. didnt mention history what so ever........

at the end of the day son ya won europa league.. and where blown out domestically but hey enjoy that whole nother league

 

[eiddyfouw]

Arsenal linked with Michu



I wish

Would be a good buy...

But I feel like Arsenal needs a more creative midfielder...

 

[blue lion]

Chelsea aren't a club with a historic prestige, only a money club that came out in recent history trying to buy their way to elite level.

Elite Clubs: Man U, Barca, R. Madrid, Milan, Inter, Juve, Bayern

throw your bs financial power rankings in the toilets, when the money teams aren't able to buy mercenaries anymore the game will get back to normal and the historic clubs will remain

 

[lyonbc1]

Can they file a petition to get Warrior to stick to Lacrosse and hockey equipment? :x :x :x :x

http://www.footballshirtculture.com...14-warrior-home-and-away-football-shirts.html

http://www.footyheadlines.com/2013/02/liverpool-13-14-home-away-third-shirts.html

The second two Liverpool kits are the most hideous soccer uniforms I have seen in the modern time

 

[blue lion]

 

[elchapulincolorado]

Chelsea aren't a club with a historic prestige, only a money club that came out in recent history trying to buy their way to elite level.

Elite Clubs: Man U, Barca, R. Madrid, Milan, Juve, Bayern

throw your bs financial power rankings in the toilets, when the money teams aren't able to buy mercenaries anymore the game will get back to normal and the historic clubs will remain

left out inter & juve

 

[blue lion]

fixed