paolo

Mechanical phantoms
They could qualify for the Champions League if they have a stormer for the rest of the season - that's gotta be worth battling for right? Presumably, if they can pull that off, they will consider it money well spent.

I really can't see them displacing any of the current top four this season. If Carroll and Suarez can form a decent partnership and they get some midfielders and defenders who can actually play they could be a threat to the likes of Chelsea next season
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
This is quite a good article on the Carroll transfer I think. It puts it into some perspective and makes it seem a little bit less crazy.

http://tomkinstimes.com/2011/02/andy-carroll-is-he-worth-it/

Interesting, but it kind of contradicts itself in saying Suarez could be worth £40m following the comments on Shevchenko. Yeah, he could...

So we're saying age, interest from other clubs, Englishness and reasonable wage demands explain Carroll's transfer fee.
 

crackerjack

Well-known member
I really can't see them displacing any of the current top four this season. If Carroll and Suarez can form a decent partnership and they get some midfielders and defenders who can actually play they could be a threat to the likes of Chelsea next season

Meireles is coming good, now he's playing in the right place.

But yeah, CL is like a 50/1 punt at this point. Even if one of the top 4 collapse (and that's what's needed, the kind of disintegration Chelsea underwent in Nov/Dec), overhauling Spurs is a big ask for this squad.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
I concur but they've got to go for it while it's possible. If they succeed then it will be seen as a triumph over adversity, a saved season, Kenny a hero, money well spent etc If they don't, then, well depends how far they miss by, but at least hopefully they won't need to spend big next season.
 

mrfaucet

The Ideas Train
Interesting, but it kind of contradicts itself in saying Suarez could be worth £40m following the comments on Shevchenko. Yeah, he could...

So we're saying age, interest from other clubs, Englishness and reasonable wage demands explain Carroll's transfer fee.

I wouldn't say that's Tomkin's says that that explains it (apart from the Englishness), more that the transfer fee might not be so bad in the long run - it doesn't seem quite so ridiculous when you consider these factors. At least a decent portion of the money could be made back given Carroll's age, which can't be said for Shevchenko or Villa. Obviously what explains the size of the fee is the nature of the circumstances in which it was agreed. There wasn't much time, Newcastle didn't want to sell (at least not that much) and they knew Liverpool had a fair bit of money to spend and were determined to sign someone.
 
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crackerjack

Well-known member
and that is why the Arse won't win the PL.

though judging by the Soccer Saturday commentary it sounds like the ref didn't help
 

paolo

Mechanical phantoms
he's on the wane. such a shame because i think he is my favourite premiership player of the last decade.

Don't think there's many non-Chelsea fans who'd say that. I've always thought of him as one of those players that fans of the club love and everyone else hates (see also Gary Neville, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robbie Savage)
 

routes

we can delay.ay.ay...
what an amazing game! arsenal right to feel aggrieved tbh, nolan and barton in particular both lucky to be on the pitch cos both did worse than diaby..
 

crackerjack

Well-known member
Pardon me for patting myself on the back for predicting this a couple of weeks back. This is a very average United side with 2 brilliant centre backs. Break that partnership up and they're vulnerable to any side that refuses to be overawed by their rep.
 

bandshell

Grand High Witch
what an amazing game! arsenal right to feel aggrieved tbh, nolan and barton in particular both lucky to be on the pitch cos both did worse than diaby..

Arsenal must have been tearing their hair out.

Can't stand Nolan or Barton. Thugs.

I can't believe Nolan didn't get sent off for trying to put the Arsenal keeper in some sort of headlock in front of an official.

Poor decision.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Don't think there's many non-Chelsea fans who'd say that. I've always thought of him as one of those players that fans of the club love and everyone else hates (see also Gary Neville, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robbie Savage)

I kinda like Drogba (def not a Chelsea fan). There was a vid of him going back to the banlieue in France where he grew up, and he seemed like a genuine, fairly humble guy. Ok, he dives, but I can forgive him that. Certainly a cut above the players you mention.
 

crackerjack

Well-known member
Arsenal must have been tearing their hair out.

Can't stand Nolan or Barton. Thugs.

I can't believe Nolan didn't get sent off for trying to put the Arsenal keeper in some sort of headlock in front of an official.

Poor decision.

He got a booking, which is fair enough. I can't stand players being sent off for pushes etc, just cos they've "raised their hands" (is football run by the anti-party police?). Diaby saw red cos he pushed both Barton and Nolan in the same incident.

I say this in complete impartiality and not cos Nolan is a mainstay of my Fantasy Football team.
 

hucks

Your Message Here
He got a booking, which is fair enough. I can't stand players being sent off for pushes etc, just cos they've "raised their hands" (is football run by the anti-party police?). Diaby saw red cos he pushed both Barton and Nolan in the same incident.

Totally. I really hate when fans want players sent off for bullshit handbags, too. Or celebrating in front of them. Jeez.

Interesting interview with Henry the Liverpool owner in the Guardian last week. Basically, they wanted Torres to be Carroll + 15m, cos then with the Babel money, they could afford Suarez for £22m, and end up equal. As the Carroll price went up, so did the Torres price. Simple math(s).
 

bandshell

Grand High Witch
He got a booking, which is fair enough. I can't stand players being sent off for pushes etc, just cos they've "raised their hands" (is football run by the anti-party police?). Diaby saw red cos he pushed both Barton and Nolan in the same incident.

I say this in complete impartiality and not cos Nolan is a mainstay of my Fantasy Football team.

It wasn't even during play though (You could argue either way based on this). He just tried to grab him round the head.
 
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