[Football] Owen Goes, Vieira Stays.....

[Sunday8pm]

Been a while since we had a good football tagged thread.

All I want to add is that Real's Galatico's seem to be all bark atm.... I seriously think that the Vieira snub is a major one, you just can't have a 'galatico' team without him... As for the Owen deal, if he doesn't make it over there with the quality of service he will get then he's definately consigned to the English Striker Wastebin of "Hi I've had a couple of good seasons now I'm kaput" that already plays host to phillips, Fowler, cole etc.

With that all said, Who is this nunez fellow? I'm greatly unfamiliar with him... and yet I trust beni has got his midfield sorted now if he get's alonso.

Nunez on the right, Gerrard and Alonso in the middle and a fit Kewell on the left played correctly would be quite devastating I'd imagine. I rate Gerrard I do, I reckon if anyone wants a similar player to him that's spanish it'd be Baraja and I reckon Benitez is happy he has Gerrard already.

Anyway out of all the players in the premiership that Real could of moved for I think they've really 'kopped' out here, I'd of definately stuck Rooney, Henry, Vieira, Van Nistelrooy, Scholes, Lampard, Campbell etc ahead of owen in terms of greatness and real couldn't get any of them.

[Belgarath The Sorcerer]

Real not buying Viera was hardly a snub, considering that they really, really wanted him, as they are desperately short of defensive options. Serves them right for selling Makalele to Chelski if you ask me. you just can't have a 'galatico' team without him - given that they weren't prepared to pay Arsenal's asking price, or Viera's Galacticos wage demands, I don't honestly think they considered him as a Galacticos. Arsenal fans must surely be a bit wary of Viera now, who now 'loves' Arsenal, but was quite prepared to leave for the bright lights of the Bernabau until Real got cold feet.

Owen. As a Liverpool fan I can say that I am gutted that he's gone, but at the same time relieved that the whole affair is over and done with, and they we can now move on into the season with no distractions, and just play football. I totally agree that if he doesn't make it with the likes of Beckham and Figo and all the other star midfielders Real have, then yes, 'has been'. Either way, I see it as a good deal for Liverpool. Nunez is a quality midfielder, risen through the ranks at Real, although he hasn't had much first team football recently.

Benitez has showed interest in him in the past, whilst at Valencia, and last month before Mighty Stevie G showed how large his testicles are and pleged allegience to the club he loves, Baraja was touted as a replacement for him. Benitez has also showed interest in signing Baraja for previous clubs, so how much of that was just press talk based on that knowledge I'm not sure.

Our midfield is one of the best in the league I feel, and we have two excellent main strikers, Cisse and Baros. Pongolle is also pretty damn good, and I feel we'll also see more of young Neil Mellor this season. Our defence is looking in pretty good shape too. The only thing that has let us down in the last two or three seaons has been our manager.

Liverpool to win the league.

[Sunday8pm]

I think if Mellor was to accomplish something on a premiership platform we would of seen more about him now or heard more about him on his various loan deals out to lower divisions, unfortunately I don't think he's produced and will eventually be consigned to joining some League One club where he will inevitably resurrect some sort of striker career.

I really don't think that salary NOR transfer price REALLY gave Real the cold feet, I just reckon that Vieira didn't want to go in the end, wether he had to make that clear by putting in RIDICULOUS wage demands I don't know but I doubt that Real couldn't of paid 150% at least of what he's already getting at Arsenal. Real Madrid are backed by investors of the Roman sort (they own most of madrid, the goverment etc) and money has figuratively been no problem for them in the past, they are just perhaps more shrewd than Roman is with who they buy at times (lest I remind you that Beckham is turning out as successful as McManaman atm.... I reckon their confidence in certain markets is at least somewhat waivering).

I reckon what you'll see with liverpool this season is a lot of the goals come from all over the team instead of lone dependancy on a striker like Man Utd have with RVN. I hope John Arne Riise finds some of his utterly superb form he can demonstrate and that somewhere along the lines liverpool accquire a player of the Scholes/Aimar calibre to give you options with regards to maybe even playing a loan striker at times.

Should you have a fit Harry Kewell for any time this season I should hope to see Baros respond accordingly with top class performances. Perhaps there is someone else lurking in the Youth Squad at liverpool this season that is going to come out of nowhere, much like Rooney did at Everton, which has justified what seems to be a lack of interest in finding another premiership level striker to boost the squad.

With Gerrard in your team you don't need Baraja, good thing too, Perhaps if Real had any sense they'd move for him , but I doubt they'd want to put any more of their money into rival sides in the premier liga, nor do rival sides want to strengthen Real.

Though tbh I think your boast about Liverpool having the best midfield in the premiership is totally overblown, I'd rate it 3rd/4th best.... Purely cause you have no depth for a start, secondly cause Gerrard is prone to playing like a 1 million quid player instead of a 30 million one at times, You have a sicknote who's suppose to be playing left wing....

I'd definately rate a midfield that boasts the likes of Vieira, Ljungberg, Edu, Pires etc over Liverpool's current midfield which has one proven, two unproven and one sicknote. I'd also rate Manchester United's midfield as the second best in the league WHEN fit, purely because I think Miller and Fletcher has so much class in them and will have to fight this whole season to get them first team games ahead of the likes of Keane and Scholes. Finally you have to admit Chelsea have a cracking midfield bested by none, Duff and Cole and Robben down the left, the WONDERFULLY consistent Lampard, the exceptionally talented Parker who has shown glints in pre season that he's definately retained the ability that merited his price tag, the unknown but highly rated quantity that is Tiago, Geremi who I Think we'll see a lot more of this season and Makalele who is much the poor mans Vieira imo.

[JC]

Originally Posted by Sunday8pm

I
I really don't think that salary NOR transfer price REALLY gave Real the cold feet, I just reckon that Vieira didn't want to go in the end, wether he had to make that clear by putting in RIDICULOUS wage demands I don't know but I doubt that Real couldn't of paid 150% at least of what he's already getting at Arsenal.

If i was an Arsenal fan i would have liked Viera to say weeks ago that he was staying at Arsenal if he really does love the club rather than letting the whole thing drag on,

[Belgarath The Sorcerer]

Originally Posted by Sunday8pm

I
Though tbh I think your boast about Liverpool having the best midfield in the premiership is totally overblown, I'd rate it 3rd/4th best....

Maybe I'm slightly biased...

Objectively, what you say is more or less correct.

[LHC]

I agree with Sunday here :eek:

[Smudge]

doesnt matter who they get back, Liverpool are still shite