Roiling football blather

[IdleRich]

Pretty amazing result for West Ham, shame Trevor Brookin isn't on telly any more beginning every sentence "My old club West 'am" can't help thinking he'd be pretty pleased.

Anyway Bellingham going to Real... I do like it when English players get experience playing outside the prem for top European sides... but Madrid? I guess Beckham and McManaman did well there... in fact over the last few years if you look at the players they signed from the prem... Ronaldo, Bale, Modric, Courtois etc a lot of em worked out pretty well, part of me wonders if there is a deliberate tactic where they look for a certain type of player with a certain set of skills who have gone to the premiership and added a second set. The classic example is Ronaldo who was a light-weight show pony when he joined United, tricky winger and all that but hardly competing for crosses, by the time he left for Madrid he'd added a more physical element to his game and was a much more complete player.

Though Bellingham is coming from Bundesliga cone to think of it so ignore me.

 

[WashYourHands]

MacAllaster or however he spells it to Liverpool, neat tidy player, mad how many Argentinians play in non-title challenging clubs

 

[version]

I do like it when English players get experience playing outside the prem...

Yeah, I was impressed when Trippier went to Atletico. It's such an oddity to see a British player abroad.

 

[IdleRich]

It was hilarious when Woodgate went to Real and he was either injured or suspended when he signed so he couldn't make his debut for months; the anticipation was huge and it built and built as time went by until finally the big day arrived. I think he scored two own goals and was sent off, then he played a couple more games and fucked off back to England.

Another weird one was Michael Owen, also at Madrid (definitely a pattern right?). When he signed he was second in the pecking order, basically a luxury priced squad player. I remember one of the guys I played five-a-side with saying "Owen will score his way into ANY team" - and he was half right, problem was his rival for selection was fan favourite Raul who was one of Madrid's all-time top scorers.

The choice of starter should have been an easy one, despite his record Raul had never been the quickest and in the twilight of his career his top speed was slower than Owen's walking pace.

But it was a weird time at Madrid - after the Galactico era they had actually made a statement pretty much admitting that they had been blinded by glamour "From now on we play with men not with names" - and then they completely ignored this to select the decrepit legend over the lightning fast goal machine.

So a pattern waa quickly established; Raul started, played sixty odd ineffectual minutes until he was replaced by Owen who would invariably bang in a goal or two and win the game. After a couple of months Owen had the best goals to minutes ratio in the league, had more than one goal a game and was still being kept out of the team by an old codger who tired himself out running to the centre to take kick-off. A ridiculous situation which ended when Owen left and Madrid were shit for a few years until they actually practised what they preached.

 

[luka]

im not sure Bale or Beckham were unqualified successesssses. Bale scored some extraordinary goals mind.

 

[version]

Bale to Madrid did wonders for his golf game.

 

[luka]

i hope bellingham is the one unqualified success. it's possible. but just as possible he rots.

 

[IdleRich]

im not sure Bale or Beckham were unqualified successesssses. Bale scored some extraordinary goals mind.

I think Beckham was considered a success, he had the work rate to combine with his skill and he fitted in to what Madrid were trying to do at the time. I think he was part of them reestablishing themselves as a serious team.

Bale it all ended badly but fucking hell he won two or three CLs with them, banged in several qoals in the finals including winning it for them against Liverpool with that unbelievably ridiculous overhead volley... he also scored that goal running the length of the pitch v Barca. I agree that he was not seen as a success but that's cos Real fans are spoilt.

It seemed that Real's strategy was buying players with crazy wages that noone else could compete with, and which they didn't intend to fully honour, planning to ship them out when the next big name came along. Just cos Bale expected them to pay him what they promised instead of quietly fucking off with a wage cut the fans deemed him selfish. Fucking crazy.

 

[WashYourHands]

No other club expects to plunder the market for players like Real, Owen failing there was funny though, lad thought he was the dog’s “look how fast I am” but nah

Italians can’t compete, look how many PL rejects play in Serie A, PSG sort of but they’re shit, which leaves England and Spain and even with England it’s a top 3-4 vs City

With so many Barca legends leaving, the Spanish league has to have a pinnacle of spending. Not many pros are going to turn down a Real approach

 

[version]

I had a feeling Inter would frustrate City. They look like a nightmare to play through.

 

[WashYourHands]

DBro-ner going off, not good

not a bad game, not zinging either

 

[version]

I wouldn't be surprised if Inter won this 1 - 0 or something, Lukaku coming on and scoring on the counter.

 

[WashYourHands]

No Walker

John Stones is no Busquets either

commentary here is with Macca, thickest scouse, only English player to really crack Real

 

[WashYourHands]

so City score and Inter hit the bar!

 

[IdleRich]

No other club expects to plunder the market for players like Real, Owen failing there was funny though, lad thought he was the dog’s “look how fast I am” but nah

Italians can’t compete, look how many PL rejects play in Serie A, PSG sort of but they’re shit, which leaves England and Spain and even with England it’s a top 3-4 vs City

With so many Barca legends leaving, the Spanish league has to have a pinnacle of spending. Not many pros are going to turn down a Real approach

Think Owen can be happy with himself... basically say that he went there, played well and scored loads but they still weren't happy - fuck em

 

[IdleRich]

No Walker

John Stones is no Busquets either

commentary here is with Macca, thickest scouse, only English player to really crack Real

I honestly think Beckham did too. It's weird cos he was never quite the super talent he was made out to be - but he did put in the effort to make the most of what he had. I feel that he's a player who was kinda simultaneously overrated and underrated.

 

[IdleRich]

Anyway wasn't a great game today, I guess City shaded it... they won't exactly be complaining that it wasn't a vintage win

 

[jenks]

Think Owen can be happy with himself... basically say that he went there, played well and scored loads but they still weren't happy - fuck em

Have to remember the injury that he sustained - never had the mythical yard of pace. People forget how fucking deadly he was - that goal against Argentina, robbing the FA cup from Arsenal. He was totally unplayable- and no one expected Liverpool to win the CL next season. Gerrard was all lined up for Chelsea then the ‘miracle’ occurred. How history might have looked differently…

 

[version]

I honestly think Beckham did too. It's weird cos he was never quite the super talent he was made out to be - but he did put in the effort to make the most of what he had. I feel that he's a player who was kinda simultaneously overrated and underrated.

 

[WashYourHands]

I honestly think Beckham did too. It's weird cos he was never quite the super talent he was made out to be - but he did put in the effort to make the most of what he had. I feel that he's a player who was kinda simultaneously overrated and underrated.

he had a great, honed right peg, quarterback passes, critical England goals but Fergie saw the roadshow coming and fucked him off, Scholes and Keane stayed

Macca had gas, good dribbler, pass and move less static than DB very different player again, agree to disagree, maybe Macca got lucky timing of winning cl run