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

[keepie uppie]

#7's...

 

[shannonscrooks]

Transfer news: Tottenham Hotspur will accept Real Madrid offer for Gareth Bale - if it's over £80m

Levy wants a world-record fee for winger who is eager for move to Madrid


Sam Wallace

Tuesday, 30 July 2013
The expectation at Tottenham Hotspur is that if Real Madrid offer a world-record transfer fee for Gareth Bale, in excess of the £80m they paid for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009, then Spurs will sell – although they will not take players as a makeweight in the deal.

The mood at the club on Monday was that the chairman, Daniel Levy, would be able to justify to supporters an unprecedented transfer fee of more than £80m for Bale. He may even negotiate a player from Real Madrid as extra to that, but key to the deal would be the Spanish club breaking their own transfer record in cash, not with players added on to make up the value.

Angel Di Maria and Fabio Coentrao have both been suggested as possible elements of a deal for Bale but Spurs would be keen to portray the sale of the 24-year-old, if it came to that, as a world-record fee, in much the same way as Manchester United made public the fee from Madrid when they sold Ronaldo to them in 2009.

The Tottenham squad returned from Hong Kong in the early hours of yesterday morning and were given the day off. They are not required in for training today either. The club are in no doubt as to Bale’s position that he wants to leave and the onus now is on Madrid to come through with a bid in excess of £80m.

As with United’s sale of Ronaldo, once Madrid hit the figure that Spurs have in mind, there is a good chance that the transfer of the player could happen quickly. The question for Madrid is whether they can come up with that £80m-plus figure in cash without first having to sell players. They have already moved Gonzalo Higuain to Napoli for £31m.

What is clear to the club now is that the process is being driven by the player himself. He wants to leave Spurs and the prospect of being the player for whom the world-record transfer fee is paid, and joining what he regards as the most famous club in football, are paramount for him.

It will be intriguing to see whether the player himself is prepared to voice publicly his own strength of feeling about a move to Madrid. As things stand, Bale and his advisers are hopeful that it will not come to that and Madrid will offer Spurs and Levy the kind of money they simply cannot turn down.

The current holder of both the Professional Footballers’ Association and Football Writers’ Association player of the year awards, Bale can be shy and conservative in his public pronouncements. However, those around the player have been surprised about how sure he is about making the move to Madrid this summer. Bale and his advisers are reliant, though, upon Madrid backing up their admiration for the player with a game-changing offer.

The Spurs chairman, along with technical director Franco Baldini, are working on the £26m deal for Robert Soldado, from Valencia, which would potentially be a record transfer for the club in terms of money spent. Another mentioned would be the Brazilian winger Bernard. Coentrao’s potential arrival at the club, by no means a certainty, would complicate the picture for the promising English left-back Danny Rose, back from his loan at Sunderland.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...or-gareth-bale--if-its-over-80m-8737365.html#

 

[fear the ibis]

Luka is a player I feel Madrid didn't need. He doesn't fit the RM style. Slow and methodical on the ball. Kills the pace on the effective counter attack.

How do you know that he is not being asked to play that role by the manager?

Luka is more than capable of speeding up the pace of the game and playing great balls on the counter attack.


Madrid doesn't need him? They wouldn't have even made it past United in the Champions League quarterfinals without him.

 

[fear the ibis]

Were Madrid's shirts this loose last season?

The fit of Chelsea's kit this year sucks too. Adidas kits this season are garbage for the most part.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I don't think it's just Nike or Adidas. It's both. A lot of the kits I've seen in the friendlies seem to be baggy/ill fitting. Ibra's shirt looks like it was supposed to fit Shaq & Ronnie's shirt def looks baggy. Maybe the players collectively told the kit makers the shirts they had previously were too form fitting. The only kit I've seen so far that looked like normal fitting was Man U's & Barca's.

 

[Beans]

Part of me was thinking they were wearing the replicas during these friendlys.. or maybe the players are opting for large sizes,.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Ancelotti's had Ronnie play as a center-forward in the friendlies with mixed results so far (specifically in the PSG match). The question is if he's comfortable with playing with his back to the goal which is what would happen playing further up on the pitch (right?). Wouldn't that also cut down the amount of field he's used to playing within also?

Edit - wow, Real Madrid already has 10 midfielders on their team as of now; Xabi, Khedira, Illara, Isco, Casemiro, Kaka, Modric, Ozil, Di Maria, & Denis.

 

[JJ Goon]

It's more likely just the playing shirts having been customised to the players needs for these friendlies and they are wearing a set size, Like Medium or Large for example

 

[tomdiginson]

you're feeling your analysis too much.

+1

 

[champcruthik]

Ronnie and Becks.

Even as an ardent Madrid supporter, I enjoy abovelegit's opposing analysis. He's very pragmatic and tactically aware, if nothing else.

Ibis: While that United performance is true (once Luka subbed on), one CL match doesn't overrule a campaign full of disappointment. Modric's very methodical on the ball thus slowing the run of play. That is undeniable. His role on the squad with Mes and Isco? Surplus.

 

[AZwildcats]

I actually like Modric's burst when he plays for Madrid. I feel he brought something to the table that Xabi couldnt last season, which was a little bit of extra speed. IMO he is every bit as good as Isco (isco has the bigger upside though) and is more experienced.

 

[champcruthik]

Isco has the far higher ceiling. He's a significantly better goal scorer when necessary as well.

It will take him no longer than two campaigns to surpass Luka.

 

[lucho]

That MARCA cover 

This Bale transfer is just getting out of hand now. 

 

[ziostilon]

I don't think it's just Nike or Adidas. It's both. A lot of the kits I've seen in the friendlies seem to be baggy/ill fitting. Ibra's shirt looks like it was supposed to fit Shaq & Ronnie's shirt def looks baggy. Maybe the players collectively told the kit makers the shirts they had previously were too form fitting. The only kit I've seen so far that looked like normal fitting was Man U's & Barca's.

 

[quik1987]

Maybe its hot in the summer and dudes just want to feel a breeze

 

[fear the ibis]

Chelsea on the way to the states

 

[gma 11]

The latest on Bale is that RM have officially offered £90 million + Coentrao. I love Bale, but we'd be crazy to turn that down.

 

[Coupé It]

Porto just bust out this white 3rd kit out if nowhere vs Celta. Never unveiled it. Guess it's there champions league away, maybe. I hope they make them available to buy, last years (alternate) white kits weren't.

*wish I had the time to debate abovelegit on Bale and DiMaria's defensive capabilities. Maybe later.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Chelsea on the way to the states

Ibis-
Given the pic in your avy, I'm assuming you live in the Bmore metropolitan "urea". Are you a member of the Charm City Blues? An ex co-worker of mine has been a member for a minute. They gather at Slainte Irish Pub for match days (in Fells).

http://charmcityblues.weebly.com/

 

[fear the ibis]

Chelsea on the way to the states

Ibis-
Given the pic in your avy, I'm assuming you live in the Bmore metropolitan "urea". Are you a member of the Charm City Blues? An ex co-worker of mine has been a member for a minute. They gather at Slainte Irish Pub for match days (in Fells).

http://charmcityblues.weebly.com/

Yeah I grew up there, but I live in Florida now. I've heard about that club though, I' might have to check it out next time i go back to visit.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

First tax troubles & now this pic? :x

@ how they put the Pope on the same page...

Not being a Barca apologist, but the pic does look a little photo shopped...

Not sure why you would need to step out when you have Antonella Roccuzzo....

 

[dlo13]

Yeah I grew up there, but I live in Florida now. I've heard about that club though, I' might have to check it out next time i go back to visit.

There's a Chelsea supporters group that meets in Atlanta, as well. Went a couple of times last year...there were a few old expat types (might be actual Pensioners, who knows) and some families with small children.
I enjoy yelling profanities at the TV at 9AM on Sunday, so that wasn't my scene.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I don't think it's just Nike or Adidas. It's both. A lot of the kits I've seen in the friendlies seem to be baggy/ill fitting. Ibra's shirt looks like it was supposed to fit Shaq & Ronnie's shirt def looks baggy. Maybe the players collectively told the kit makers the shirts they had previously were too form fitting. The only kit I've seen so far that looked like normal fitting was Man U's & Barca's.

I'll rep you when my ability is restored. That's Porto's 120 year anniversary third kit... That's the fit that's typical. Maybe some of the players asked for looser fitting shirts or something...

 

[illionaire]

 

[ajiiiplatinum]

Nonsense, Real can def use Bale effectively. You're a hardcore Barca fan so of course you'd make that assumption. Try to be more objective. Bale is obviously a better upgrade than Di Maria and he covers way more ground, he's a machine.

Do they need his score 30 goals? Not so much but he would absolutely make Real better. That's absurd to think otherwise.

As for the price rumors - that's insane without a doubt. But Real has never been the type of team to shy away from making ridiculously expensive transfer offers. It's what they do - its what they will always do to get the man they want.

I agree that RM would benefit from Bale
but dude Bale will not play DiMarias position better. Bale is a number 9 goal scorer....DiMaria is not.