are you Porty in disguise?

Yeah, I think having a claret/blue home shirt and a red/black away shirt would clash, what would we wear against United, Liverpool or Arsenal away!?


Yeah, that's what I like. Better than having the same boring colours every year.

Tax for top earners in the UK is 40%

This is sometimes referred to as 'theft'. But our govornment would never do that!

This is an update of sorts on the continuing Gareth Barry-to-Liverpool saga.

Xabi Alonso is quoted as saying that he's happy at Liverpool. The Italian press is running articles that the Zebras have given up on a possible Xabi-to-Juve deal because of complications and the high price the Scousers are insisting on. According to a couple of sources (including Mediaset), the Zebras are now looking to bring Sevilla's Christian Poulsen to Turin.

If Xabi isn't leaving Liverpool, then the question of whether Liverpool have space for Gareth Barry comes up. Where else (in whose place) would he play? With all due respect to Barry's talent, I don't see him taking Mascherano's starting spot.

So with Xavi seemingly staying, are the Scousers going to get rid of someone else? Are they going to give up on their bid for Barry?

To be honest, kits this season have been generally much better than last season ones. At least for the bunch I've seen up till now. Doesn't matter if it's Adidas or Nike, the overall look is both clean and - oh, how would you put it - full. Even your kit, Kurt, is a step above from last year. The only way I think it could be better would if it were pink and black. The Pink & Black Attack, baby! Then again there is a matter of club colors, so all proper considerations have to be made.

I can't wait for the red+black one to be released. Wonder who'll do the photo shoot for the goalkeeper's kit for us?

Barry is just Mascherano with creativity + the ability to score in my opinion. The only reason he wouldn't be picked in front of him is because Rafa would look an idiot spending £17m on Mascherano only to buy a replacement 6 months later.

I think Liverpool will play with 5 midfielders next season anyways, allowing Gerrard, Barry and Mascherano to all play together. I personally think Alonso is terrible, last season he'd have struggled to get into any EPL side - yes, even Derby.

Villa want £18m for Barry, and Liverpool are only ready to offer £16m. But it seems Steve Finnan may be included in a deal as he wants out and we need an RB, so that'd make sense to me.

Otherwise if Barry doesn't leave, I can see us reporting Liverpool to the FA for tapping up Barry and we'll get some money out of it that way. I wish we'd do this anyway, whether he leaves or not, but it seems our board don't want to report them.

@Acid: On Milans GK kit.. which teams at the Euro's wore Adidas? I'm trying to think of what our GK kit would look like!

@kurt: Germany wears adidas.




Ok...now if Ade refuses this deal and wants to leave, he is a bit of a money hungry so-and-so. I think a double wage is excellent remuneration for one good season.




Heh....suddenly Arsenal are being criticised everywhere. The media hate being made to look like jackasses. Beginning of the season, they're all on about how Thierry Henry's departure leaves Arsenal rudderless and how they'll flop...and Arsenal flip them the bird and run to the top. Then they change their track to how youth is truly the best way to win etc...and Arsenal flop at the last hurdle. So they're left with pie on their faces again. They won't forgive Arsene for some time now. Pundits hate being wrong.

And Peter Crouch sold to Portsmouth. I believe it's on Liverpool's official site. Somebody ask dst to check.

Crouch will be going for £8m/£9m with add-ons, so the final price could be at around £11m, crazy.

Scolari's had a press conference today. Wasn't too many important things really.
-He says he has a 'great' relationship with Roman.
-Lampard has told him he wants to stay at Chelsea.

(In response to Lampard Scolari saying that Lampard wants to stay, Moratti has said that he HAS made an offer for Lampard, but doesn't want to create a problem over it).

Sidwell is having a medical at Villa..

I know I want us to be English, but this is starting to take it too far..

F-ing hell I'm sick of these one-good-season ba*tards.
After Wenger still let them play even when everyone thought they were useless, they have one good season and expect to be treated like once-in-a-decade players. Flamini, Hleb and possibly Adebayor can all go to hell, the only loyal players we have left is Toure, Clichy, Sagna, Fabregas(I think) and Van Persie. Eboue as well but that's only because no-one else playing in a first-division league would want him in their team.

I think that's a problem with buying young players, they let it get to their head a bit too quickly, they think they're God.

Hleb is 27, that should be enough to not act like a total jerk.

Villa agree deal for Chelsea midfielder Sidwell

Updated: July 9, 2008, 7:37 AM ET

Aston Villa have agreed to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell - Martin O'Neill's first capture of what is expected to be a hectic second half of the summer.


The midlands club have settled on what is believed to be a fee of around £5 million for the former Reading player, subject to him passing a medical.


If that goes to plan, Sidwell will then fly out to link up with Villa's pre-season tour of Switzerland.

Sidwell has been one of manager O'Neill's main transfer targets since the season ended.

A club statement said: 'Aston Villa have agreed to sign Chelsea's former England Under-21 midfielder Steve Sidwell, subject to a medical.'

The 25-year-old played a major part in Reading establishing themselves in the Premier League two years ago before moving to Stamford Bridge last summer.

The former Arsenal trainee, who has also attracted interest from Manchester City, had limited opportunities under Jose Mourinho and then Avram Grant as Chelsea narrowly missed out on Premier League and Champions League glory.

His arrival will offset some of the disappointment surrounding the club over the expected departure of Gareth Barry to Liverpool.

Sidwell was part of the Arsenal side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2000 and 2001 and had loan spells with Brentford and Brighton.

He was unable to force his way into the first team with the Gunners and moved to Reading in January 2003 on a four-and-a-half-year deal.

Sidwell played a big role in Reading gaining promotion to the top flight for the first time two years ago.

But he rejected a new contract that summer and left the Royals on a free transfer to move to Chelsea in 2007.

The England Under-21 player struggled to hold down a regular spot after claiming he had not gone to Stamford Bridge 'to make up the numbers'.

Now the England Under-21 player will be looking to rebuild his career under O'Neill.

The Northern Irishman has a number of other potential targets in the pipeline, namely Paul Robinson, James Milner and David Bentley.

He is aware of the need to bolster what was the smallest squad in the Premier League last season having already lost the services of Olof Mellberg, Patrik Berger and Thomas Sorensen.

And midfielder and skipper Barry is certain to leave once Liverpool match O'Neill's valuation of around £18 million.
SOURCE

I agree with you on Hleb and Adebayor but certainly disagree with you on Flamini. And because he joined Milan. The guy asked for an extension last summer and he did not get it... if anything he is the one that was betrayed and not the other way around.

And yeah, I agree the youngins think "Holy **** im worth $40E, Im awsome". I personaly would get slightly like god myself, I mean I wont see that much money in my account ever in my entire life.

Ex-Villa player Ivor Powell awarded an MBE
This is old news but that man was presented with his award only a week or so ago. He's the world's oldest manager, at 92 he is still the manager of Team Bath F.C.

Eboue, how I can't stand that arrogant guy who seems to think he was meant to be in G-Unit...

It's good to see him have turned sh...

Soccernet must be slow, we signed Curtis Davies last week..


Ah, that's true. Not sure what his problem is. But I do think that Wenger needs to take some blame, he's very stubborn and this is clearly getting to some players.

Personally I feel that all players should just shut up, and finish up their contracts. Why sign one for 5 years when you think your gonna leave in 3. And to the young players, respect the club that made you who you are, dont go demanding money, or transfer, be honerable and finish the contract you started... "woohh, ahh"

Still, before this season Flamini was regarded as pure, undiluted shite.
Not even birmingham wanted him, so he was given one last chance to prove his worth in order to get a new contract and he did it. Then a big money offer came up and off he went.

@kurt, the problem was never Wenger. Players like Bergkamp, Campbell, Parlour and Seaman all stayed at the club until they knew they couldn't produce high-quality football anymore.

The difference between those and the current players - and no disrespect intended - is that they had a chance of winning the league and we're being paid more, these younger kids aren't getting as much which is why they complain and want out. Also, most of the players you mention are English, and it's uncommon for them to move abroad.

Not completely true.
Bergkamp, Parlour and Seaman all stayed on during that horrible period 1999-2001, when there was lots of clubs who wanted to sign them, hell Man U made more than one offer for Bergkamp.
And about being payed more, Bergkamp accepted several pay cuts during his later years when he could have gone off to Quatar and played not even remotely hard opponents and still cash in several millions a year.

Well if you want to raise that argument, I'd have to point out what we did to Gila. He was given a contract extension, the year before last, inspite of it being a disappointing season. I think it was a public gesture of confidence. Perhaps Flamini wanted the same thing?

The big money offer is I guess a matter of conjecture. I don't know how much Arsene offered him. I doubt, Flamini asked for 100,000 a week. To understand this situation, I placed Brocchi in a similar situation and asked myself how I'd react if he played well next season, and then refused a contract extension. And I think it would be difficult for Milan to outbid the player, if Arsenal truly wanted to keep him.

Sepp Blatter has once again showed his love towards the Premier League. He's comparing what United are doing with Ronaldo as 'slavery' and that if a player wants to leave, you must let him go.

Now the last I heard, United never forced him to sign a 5 year contract. And earning 120,000 a week is hardly slavery now is it. Contracts are pointless now, to the point where they may as well not even be signed, players should just choose whoever they want to play for.

And... ?

I really don't see what he did wrong... he was out of contract and a couple of big offers came by... I don't see why he should have stayed... ?
You honestly confuse me when you compare him to Hleb and Adebayor who are under contract and considered vital members for the team's future...

He hasn't done anything wrong in terms of legality, it's more of a moral thing. Arsenal bought in this very average player, paid him and made him who he is.. so he leaves. Not illegal, but just not a very classy thing to do.

Completely agree, I feel if players sign it then they should abide by it. Not just flake out cuz they want a new city or "challenge"

He was not given many chances and when that happened he was fielded at LB. I don't think Arsenal made him who he is. I mean... it was just one season for all we know he could turn out to be a big flop. A player does not turn from **** to great in one season because of somebody else. If he had been consistent for let's say 3 seasons and then he went out like that then yeah I'd agree with you.
I don't think class has anything to do with it but if anything he was class. He gave everything until the end even when he had decided he would go, he did not create any problems that we know of, he never talked about any transfer and he never talked bad of Wenger. If you care about not classy things, look at what Wenger said about him and Milan... the Alsatian is a whiner and a jerk.

That's two completely different scenarios.
Gilardino had proven himself to be a great player before he came to Milan, so you always knew the potential was there. Flamini was seen as a complete waste of space, and Wenger was the only one who saw any kind of talent in him, gave him the chances, and basically made him the player he is today.

@dst, the reason I'm so disapointed about him is that when no top-side in Europe would even think about signing him he was complaining about lack of playing time. Then, this season, he talked non-stop about how he loved the club and everything about it, and how this was a team with a glorius future and how he could see himself staying for maaany years to come etc.
Then big money enters the scene and off we go.

Yeah he could have avoided speaking about his future but I don't think it's just money that drove him away.
In any case, whether he's class or not and whether he's a mercenary or not I don't think one can put him in the same basket with Hleb and Ade.

We'll have to disagree on this one then dst. If you're given a chance by a lub and you play well, I think you owe that club something, otherwise you'd be a nobody. Martin Laursen was the same at Villa, he was injured for 3 years, we decided to give him a chance and he was amazing, his contract was up at the end of the season and he could have walked away to a bigger team. But he owed us, and he signed a new deal. That's exactly what Flamini should have done in my view.

I do agree about Wenger though, he's very hypocritical and whines an awful lot. Maybe Flamini leaving for free is karma for him taking all these young players.

Oh damn no! We had 100% coincidence of views up until now!


How can you give that example for this case? What you did for the guy was amazing! I don't think giving a chance to someone you chose to buy is the same as what Villa did with Laursen... what if Flamini had blew the chance he was given? Would you still consider it to be immoral if he left? I mean the chance was given in both cases that's what matters to me...
In any case, I think he was already frustrated with the fact that he was refused a contract extension last summer.

I do agree with what you've said regarding the whole if he wasted his chance thing. This one is a tough one really, but some of the blame does need to fall on Arsenal for not giving him a deal sooner. You can't expect to let the contract run down and expect him to stay I suppose.

In defence of Wenger..I assume most of the animosity you feel for the guy comes from his comments about Milan, no?
Those were indeed hasty words, but I'll give him the benefit of doubt on this one. It was a time when half our squad was linked with practically everyone and I think he did not mean it in the way the press publicised it.
He has said a ot of good things about Milan as well, but like every time Wenger says something that isn't critical or complaining, then the press doesn't care. They want whinge-stories from him, nothing else.

In the similar situation we let Sheva go and didn't send him to the stands to see out his contract

And he went to a Premier League club!

Not for me. The thing that annoys me with him is how - if you go buy what he says - every single decision in football history has gone against Arsenal. If one of his players makes a bad foul or does a clear handball that isn't given, all you ever hear is "I didn't see it". If that happens to his teams, the player fouling the Arsenal player is an "Animal" and the handball thing means the refs are against him.

That's what gets me with Wenger.


Yep, and did Blatter complain about Milan 'treating Sheva like a slave', of course not, he wouldn't want a great player to join the EPL.

Anyways. Sidwell officially signed with Villa today for £5m, he looked genuinly happy/releived that he is here. We had a friendly in Switzerland tonight, we beat FC Wil 1900 6-0 with Harewood (2), Carew, Delfouneso, Maloney & Routledge getting the goals.

Delfouneso is one that excites me, has Gabby like pace, but great upperbody strength and finishes very well. Looks like our youth academy coaches are doing their job.

The thing is, Wenger is shielding his own players and allowing the blame to fall on him, but that doesn't mean he don't take action against the players off the pitch.
Remember the 99-01 period when we were picking up cards and suspensions left right and center and Wenger spammed "I didn't see it" all over the place? Well, a few years later Arsenal tops the fair play league.

And I reckon Mourinho and Ferguson are worse by far.

Speaking as someone who generally likes very little at all having to do with the English league, I can say that I find good and bad things about Wenger.

The good: he's a good coach for building a team that plays flowing, attractive football. He's got a good eye for talent and is good at nurturing that talent.

The bad: he never sees when his players are naughty, I'll freely admit that I REALLY didn't appreciate the nasty dig at Milan, and, well, there are times when he reminds me a little TOO much of Raymond Domenech.

Would the fish doll have him over for milk and cookies? Probably so.

That statement is a joke if it was the other way around he'd be putting transfer sanctions on United and fining them for 'tapping him up'...

Ronaldo has now agreed with Blatter that players are treated like slaves nowadays.

Teams should start signing players to 1-year contracts from now on, the only reason big contracts are made is for a player to have a protection policy in case he gets injured.

I'm starting to wish I was a slave, earning £120k a week don't sound all that bad.

How could Milan treat Sheva like a slave when we let him go? Like I said we didn't say "we will let him rot in the stands". And like I say he went to an English club, and an English club is moaning about the same thing!

Double standards in my eyes

The guys a clown 3 years ago Blatter said this...

Fifa president Sepp Blatter wants to see a situation where clubs are suspended from buying players during the transfer window.

"I think that is a good idea," said Blatter.

"We need more discipline and more respect for the regulations."

Now he says what he has today...

Oh and for the source of that quote for disbelievers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4599103.stm

What?

I have to be honest and say I'm not sure what you're getting at. Who said Milan treated Sheva like a slave? What does that even have to do with it?

Which English club is moaning? The only person moaning at the moment is Blatter. But Blatter does have double standards, when Milan refused to sell Shave to Chelsea at first, did Blatter complain? Of course he didn't, because he would be happy to see Sheva stay away from the EPL. But he soon started complaining at Man U.

@Ash: Blatter is a fool. Platini is just as worse. THey let their own likes and dislikes interfere with their job, which is why they're going to ruin football.

Right then, when Roman first met Sheva he told him he wanted him to play for Chelsea(which is wrong as they should have gone through Milan first). Luckily at the time Sheva was happy at Milan and declined, even though he was offered anything he wanted. The following season they tried yet again and were told Sheva was not for sale, but being Chelsea they just ignored that. Anyway when Sheva decided he wanted to leave (even though he was under contract) I didn't hear any of the Milan management say "he will rot in the stands before signing for them" in fact Galliani tried to give him a contract equal to what Chelsea offered him and he refused. Do you see the similarities now? Or does your love of the premier league stop you?

Like I said, double standards

Yes, this is also what has happened in the Ronaldo-Real Madrid saga, so I see no difference here.


Again, which is the same as Ronaldo-Real Madrid. They wanted him last year, he said he was happy at United, and they offered agains this season and United told them to F off.


So? What does Milan not saying that and United, allegedly, saying that have to do with each other?


Okay. I'm beginning to think you don't know what double standards means..

Answer me this question as you seem to have avoided it until now - WHO EXACTLY HAS DOUBLE STANDARDS? I don't see why you keep saying this double standards thing.

Hmm, my love for the EPL, or your jealousy, pick one.

I don't think Sepp Blatter likes any league except perhaps for Spain. He's probably even less popular in Italy than he is in England. His comment re: Ronaldo moving to Real was out of order.

As for the bad things about him, I can only say to yo what I said to kurt.

And for the Domenech bit...Wenger and Domenech are known for disliking each other to the extreme.

It's true, not everything he says is negative and I remember him talking nice of Milan in the past.
For me, what he said about Milan was only the motive. The cause is his behavior in general.
I think you like him too much and you're biased when it comes to him so you don't see somethings that I do or you don't see them as negative. I don't blame you, I'm not different.

Right then seeing as you still don't understand, what i'm saying is that when Sheva wanted to leave we let him leave(even though he was under contract), yet Manu have threatened to let him rot in the stands - hence the slavery comments. The double standards come from the nauseating "Blatter hates the EPL" - yet it was an EPL club that did exactly the same thing and yet no one said anything then!

I do hope you can understand that as I have put it in as simple terms as I could