Oh, and another thing - when madrid came sniffing round Ricky did Galliani threaten to let him rot in the stands? I can't remember him say anything like that!

Then maybe you don't understand what double standards is.

Double standards would be if: United complained about the slavery comments made the other day (Which they haven't) and then wanted a player for another team, and that team refused to let him go, and then united accused them of treating the player like a slave.

What you're saying is completely irrelevant. The Real Madrid/Ronaldo saga has nothing to do with the Sheva/Chelsea one, they don't even involve the same teams.

It seems you're mistaking double standards with a teams choice. So what if United say they are going to let Ronaldo rot in the stands? This is their choice, it's not double standards at all. Doulbe standards would be if they then complained at another team for letting a player rot in the stands.

The only double standards I see involves is this: When Milan refused to sell Sheva, did Blatter get involved? No, did he say Milan were treating Sheva like a slave? No. Yet he soon got involved when it was revealed that a top player could be leaving the EPL, wonder why he never got involved when it was revealed a top player could be joining the EPL?

I also think you're missing the point. The only talking point is the whole Blatter thing, which the Sheva transfer didn't involve, so that's why the Sheva transfer has nothing to do with it. Hundreds of transfers happen this way, but the only reason anyone is complaining about this one is because of Blatters comments, NOT the way the transfer came about, but as Blatter did not get involved in the Sheva transfer, it has nothing to do with this one. So I really don't know why you keep bringing the rot in the stands thing up? Is that not a teams choice to say this? Just because Milan has more class than United and doesn't say this has nothing to do with double standards, so I really don't see what that, or Shevas transfer has to do with it. you're comparing nothings. Why hasn't the Barry-Liverpool saga been bought up? Surely that's exactly the same.

... when exactly did that happen?

You probably do not remember how things happened... a press conference took place just when the season ended and Sheva announced he had had decided to go. From that moment on he was free to go... Milan never said they'd keep him against his will.

Your'e probably right there, but I won't ever back down on the media thing.
They are obsessed with his "sour" image, and they're doing their best to strenghten it.

Oh, and Nasri is now officially an Arsenal player.

Well then, so these two cases are even more unalike, so I really don't see the comparison in them. Two completely different saga's, with two completely different happenings.

@Locke: I do agree that the media blow things out of proportion with Wenger, they do try and make him look like the bad go, while SAF can do no wrong.

Good signing as well.

Dear lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It seems to me that you are just being as awkward as possible just to ignore what I'm saying. It seems dst grabbed it straightaway yet you choose to miss the point by a mile

Right then just for you I will try and explain it as simply as I can just so you might just grasp my point. When Chelsea(an EPL club) came sniffing round Sheva(still under contract) did Galliani say "we would rather see him rot in the stands before selling him"? No we let him go. Yet when madrid sniff around CR the response from Manu is to say "we would rather see him rot in the stands than sell him" which is why Blatter has intervened. It has got nothing whatsoever to do with Blatter hating the Premier League(IMO if you think that then you must have a massive chip on your shoulder).

As for the double standards, why is it ok for a Premier League club to sniff around a player from a different country who is under contract and expect him to sign for them, yet not the other way round? Because Chelsea got Sheva yet won't let Lampard leave(I heard he will have to see his contract out)!

Yes, and dst basically proved to me that these saga's are nothing alike. And clearly I'm being awkward, of course.

As for the Blatter intervention, obviously he doesn't know what slavery is.
Man U "Ronaldo, we won't sell you, you can sit in the stands instead of leave." This would be like my boss saying "Kurt, we don't want you to go ans work elsewhere, so you don't have to come into work, but we'll continue to pay you" - And this is slavery? Hell, I wish my boss would do that, getting paid for doing nothing.

Let me ask you this then, why has Blatter not intervened with the Barry transfer? Quite simply for one thing - Liverpool haven't met our valuation. What do you expect United to do if Madrid aren't willing to pay £100m for Ronaldo? Sell him for a cut price just because Blatter says so, why should they?


It's not okay, and I never said it was to sniff around other players. Chelsea got Sheva, yes. And how did they get him, did they steal him? No, Milan decided to sell him. It is not double standards, it's a clubs choice. if they want to make Lampard honour his contract, they have a right to do that, just like Milan did with Sheva. But Milan decided to let them go because they're a classier club, that is all it is.

Don't bother replying if you're going to use one of your "You're an idiot, let me break it down for you" comments just because I don't agree with you. It's pointless and shows you're attacking the poster rather than just having a discussion, so don't bother.

Ok then, under the same analogy imagine you get a job with someone and later on in your career a similar vacancy comes along with a different company. It is the same job you have been doing but the pay far exceeds what you're currently earning and you would have more holidays etc. Now how would you feel if your current employer forbid you from applying for that job? IMO that is tantamount to slavery

If I've signed a contract of employment which states I will be there for x number of years, then I don't even have the right to complain.

But why would I even want to complain? I would still get paid, but it'd be for nothing, I could sit at home all day and do whatever I liked, so I'd be getting paid for the remainder of my contract for doing nothing, then I could leave and get the better job.

I agree with you on the media thing and I would not even try to make you back down from it if I did not anyway...

Nasri is a good player from the few that I have seen but not the kind of player Arsenal should be after in my view. Not that he should not have been bought but experience is essential even if not in the starting line-up... also Arsenal right now desperately need a DMF and a sub for him cause Silva is also leaving right?
And you also got Ramsey, right? I liked that signing cause United and Fool also wanted him!
Pretty weird situation for Arsenal now, I think you need 3 or 4 players. Apart from the one or two DMF's you also need a forward if Ade goes. And in my view two forwards cause Eduardo will not be at 100% until November, van Persie, sadly , is injured too often and Walcott is too young. This guy should take Bendtner's place in the squad cause the latter is simply nowhere near being good enough for Arsenal!


I'm afraid it's too late for that now, we've already filled up that position.

*hangs up*

Ha! That guy thought we'd just wait for him, what a wanker. I bet he'll be doing slavery work soon!

If only life was as black and white as that...

*Sigh* ... if only it was.

Well, I certainly agree with you on that, but I don't think Gilberto is leaving.
As for forwards, well, there's quite a lot of good strikers on the market isn't it? Guiza, Huntelaar, Fabiano etc.

Oh, I'm sorry, maybe I'm mistaken and thought we were making a comparison to Ronaldo here? Since that's what the whole arguement is about.

So you think when Ronaldo's contract runs out Madrid won't pick him up on a free? Okay.


Exactly. So the whole double standards thing is irrelevant, as you'd have to consider the many factors involved, which you didn't. and like you said, life isn't black and white, which is how you made it sound with your case.

Gilberto is now 99% a Panathinaikos player! I feel bad for him, he is still a very good player and can play top football and he chose Hellas?
And now Arsenal are interested in Villa's Barry?!?!!!
Guiza has signed for Fenerbahce (where Aragones went) but yeah there are some good strikers available. In my view, Arsenal should go for Villa who has already said he prefers the football they play. If Adebayor brings in big money it should be spent on the Spaniard but sadly I can't see Wenger doing that...


We already told you the position is filled and you call again to talk about CR? You should try to find a job instead, bye!

Where did you hear about the Gilberto-Pananthinaikos connection???
As for Villa, well, I think we'll end up in a bidding war with Chelsea that we simply can't win...

Whatever.

Dear oh dear

EDIT: Forget it, you're not worth it.

It's amusing you know, watching two other forum members having a go at each other...brings me back to times when I went wild on someone like twice a week...

Villa have agreed a fee with Chivas USA for GK Brad Guzan. We couldn't get a work permit for him in January, but we can now. Funny, Liverpool and Spurs have managed to sign GKs lightyears away from their respective NT, yet they get work permits right away. But I suppose rules only exist to be broken.

Liverpool are looking into trying to get Robbie Keane to partner Torres.. but Spurs want over £15m, which they can't afford. United are after Berbatov, but Spurs are likely to want anything from £25m up for him. Crouch has completed his move to Pompey for £9m (Which could rise to £11m.)

Gee, Spurs do seem like they are pretty charged up this time around. Berb for £25m is on a bit of a high side, to be honest. £15m to £20m (at most) is enough. Maybe it's got something to do with who's talking (in this case, United). But still.

There's about 10 clubs in England that don't really need money. So when one of their key players is being chased after - that they don't want to sell - they'll put a ridiculous price on them. So either the player stays, or they get stupid sums of money.

And If I were Benitez for that kind of money I'd be looking far more interestingly at another certain Spanish attacker

Yeah, same. Torres and Villa both worked well together at the Euro's (Though I do think Spain played better with 1 up front.) and with Valencia in a bit of turmoil at the moment, and big debts, I'm sure he'd be a cheaper option than Keane. But do Liverpool really have the money.


I'm surprised we let him back to train, maybe he apologised or something.

Personally I don't think they should get Barry, but get Villa.

I'm pretty sure there central midfield is just as good without him currently (if they were playing 4-4-2 and not using him on the wing anyway).

Don't get me wrong I'm a great fan of Barry's especially these past couple of seasons but I just don't see him improving on Mascherano/Gerrard that much.

Up front now they only really have Fernando to rely on what happens if he gets injured? Rafa seems to play Kuyt more and more on the right wing now and with Crouch gone who do they have? Voronin?!

Agreed. I think they need more in terms of goalscoring rather than creating goals. Right now they're just relying on two players each and every week.


With Alonso now staying they only have the money for either Barry or a striker and a striker is definitly more of a need for them, so buying Barry would be a waste. There's no need for Gerrard/Barry/Alonso/Mascherano.

But if they don't buy Barry, I think they'll find themselves on the end of a fine anyway. They've massively unsettled our captain with an illegal approach. Now they can't afford him and need a striker. I hate the b******s.


I think Kuyt will find himself listed as a winger now, he plays much better there as well in my opinion. So they definitly NEED another striker. To be honest, if they don't bring in a good striker, they could very well finish 5th. The teams below them are showing more ambition and haven't got tough CL games every week to worry about.

I reckon Rafa could be gone by christmas.

I'm not sure with him, everyone moans about his rotation and stuff but he has certainly made them into a prestigious European club again.

On other news, for some reason Chelsea have given Wayne Bridge a 4-year contract extension...!

Wayne Bridge is Chelsea's Favalli.

Hleb has joined Barcelona for an undisclosed fee.


Dirty sh*tter...

Things just get better for Arsenal.

Think you may struggle to stay in the top 3 at this rate.

If Arsenal don't finish top 3, I'll eat my hat. There's only one team who can catch then in my opinion. Spurs, and that's if they don't have a complete mental breakdown like last season.

kurt...you don't wear a hat. Easy to make bets you can't keep.

Say you'll eat your boxers...and you're on.

With Queiroz gone, I think SAF is hitting a bit of a brick wall. It's kinda like what happened to Rijkaard when Ten Cate left.

Ramos is doing good from the looks of things. He's always been smart on the transfer market.

Chelsea have again got a new coach, so it might take them some time to get the momentum going.

Arsenal are the only club which seems to have the continuity and the relative stability to continue. If their strikers can stay injury free, I'd go so far as to say there's a top 2 finish in the offing.

Today the last results of Arsenal.com's summer poll were revealed, subject: Arsenal's 50 greatest players as voted by the fans.
Here is the top 15:

1.Thierry Henry
2.Dennis Bergkamp
3.Tony Adams
4.Ian Wright
5.Patrick Vieira
6.Robert Pires
7.David Seaman
8.Liam Brady
9.Charlie George
10.Pat Jennings
11.Freddie Ljungberg
12.Marc Overmars
13.Kanu
14.David O'Leary
15.Sol Campell

Bergkamp should be number one!

well it's hard to argue with 226 goals in 380 matches...but in terms of "leaving on a high note" then I agree with you.

I think United will suffer if they lose Ronaldo, but until they lose him, it doesn't really matter who their manager is. But I personally feel Queiroz has just as much importance to the team than Fergie does of late, I think Fergie is just there as a symbol to be honest.

I'm not so sure with Ramos' transfers to be honest. He spent £20m on a new defense in January, and it didn't really work and now he's gone and spent nearyl £40m on midfield an attack and another £10m on a keeper. If they don't finish in the top 5, he should get the sack, he's made silly transfers - Modric for £16m! - and he hasn't learned from Jol one bit. I think having a DoF doesn't help at all, worst position on the football staf, it just ruins teams. Better not to have obe.

Chelsea will be fine I reckon, 1st is Ronaldo leaves, 2nd if he stays. As for Arsenal, 3rd, no matter what.

Second that with all my heart. If there is one player I remember when I recall the name Arsenal, it's Bergkamp. Henry at a distant second, and then all them other players. Then again, that's just me. The fans think different. Maybe the numbers are skewed with younger fans voting in favor of Timbo (my brother likes to call Henry that). I wouldn't be surprised.

We have to remember that in terms of skill, Henry and Bergkamp are far ahead of the rest, and while Bergkamp edges out Henry on technique, Henry's scoring record has been out of this world during his Arsenal career.

-Makelele off to PSG.

-Lampard still training in Chelsea. I dunno... but Ballack, Deco and him in the same squad just doesn't make sense. I believe he'll go to Inter at the end.



-Chelsea in talks with Robinho and Real might sell him (meaning C.Ronaldo in)

-Berbatov to United?! Robbie Keane to Liverpool?! Both good players, would improve both teams.

Spurs are gonna offload both Berbatov AND Keane in the same transfer window? Well... Good luck.

With that kinda transfers Liverpool are going to celebrate 20 years without a legue title next summer.

Rafalution.

Keane is a good foward though a **** sometimes (ever seen his goal celebration?!). Better than Shuyt and Voronin.
I'm just suprised they're willing to splash some millions on a foward when what they need is top-class wingers.

Naughty term removed.

They already have a world class striker in Torres and few mediocre ones. So why do they need to buy another mediocre+ forward in Keane? Sell Kuyt and try to purchaise a good enough partner to El Niño. Or if Rafa plans to play with one striker again buy a wc winger. Every summer Liverpool are doing the same mistakes and fighting for 3/4 place. Without a few wc players they stand no chance against United and Chelsea again.

The fact that Scolari is in Chelsea (he won't last 5 months) and Ronaldo will leave United, Liverpool might have the chance of the century for the EPL (Arsenal too).

But obviously - like you said - they need more world-class players. They're going nowhere with the likes of Degen, Dossena... etc

I'm sure Kuyt won't go anywhere. He's probably Rafa's favorite player as he's RBFW = Right Back Forward... the Dutch is essential for his anti-football tactics.
I'd be surprised if they got Keane. He's not a worker.

I'd be disappointed if they bought Keane personally, he is top class in my opinion - much better than Berbatov. Most under-rated striker in the league, he's scored 94 goals in his last 5 seasons, and that's with Spurs.. at United he'd have a ridiculous scoring record.