Breaking news...Benzema to Madrid for 35m euros!!!

Jaime wrote:Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but both Florentino and Llorente have denied that the deal is done.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

borocooper wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Who cares what Totti's personality is like? Not like any of us are ever going to speak to him.

He's a great passer and lots of genuine football fans love watching him play because of that.

Still a c**t though. Same as Henry, which is why people slag him off too.

Not sure about Henry - he whinges alot which some people might find annoying, but he seems like a decent guy. I guess i can see where you are coming from though, because he can sometimes come across as being a bit arrogant.

I think the main reason why people slag Henry off because he is a pace merchant who chokes in the big games, though of course i can't speak for everyone.

But anyway my point is that i'd prefer to judge players on their footballing abilities rather than their personality.

Jaime wrote:Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but both Florentino and Llorente have denied that the deal is done.

MadVillain wrote:Are we doing Onree vs. Totti again?

At Onree's best Intl. Tourney - Euro 2000 - Totti was better

TM wrote:

Jaime wrote:Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but both Florentino and Llorente have denied that the deal is done.

Which one the Kaka or Villa deal?

Rosicky wrote:

MadVillain wrote:Are we doing Onree vs. Totti again?

At Onree's best Intl. Tourney - Euro 2000 - Totti was better

No. But obviously you want too.

Messiah wrote:if real sign kaka and ronaldo and barca sign ribery and/or ibra, will people start calling la liga the best league in the world again, considering that the league will have 5/6 of the top 10 players in the world.

and will people start to talk about how though the epl is the best league in europe for the past 4 years, it has really has struggled to take the worlds best players to the epl

Super Ribery wrote:

Messiah wrote:if real sign kaka and ronaldo and barca sign ribery and/or ibra, will people start calling la liga the best league in the world again, considering that the league will have 5/6 of the top 10 players in the world.

and will people start to talk about how though the epl is the best league in europe for the past 4 years, it has really has struggled to take the worlds best players to the epl

Why do you care what pundits around the world say. It doesn't matter because there is no real consistency when talking about league strength. We have no measure really of this so rather pointless. Only thing I look at is how the teams play and if they have good players. As I see it Serie A has the best depth in terms of talent but they have had weak top teams. This is changing now and I expect the big teams in Italy to do more next year.

Jaime wrote:

Super Ribery wrote:

Messiah wrote:if real sign kaka and ronaldo and barca sign ribery and/or ibra, will people start calling la liga the best league in the world again, considering that the league will have 5/6 of the top 10 players in the world.

and will people start to talk about how though the epl is the best league in europe for the past 4 years, it has really has struggled to take the worlds best players to the epl

Why do you care what pundits around the world say. It doesn't matter because there is no real consistency when talking about league strength. We have no measure really of this so rather pointless. Only thing I look at is how the teams play and if they have good players. As I see it Serie A has the best depth in terms of talent but they have had weak top teams. This is changing now and I expect the big teams in Italy to do more next year.

I think Messiah's point is a fair one though. If you think back to the late 90s when the whole "Liga de las estrellas" was the slogan Spain really was the top destination for top players. Lately England has attracted those top players and I do think that players like Kaka or C. Ronaldo coming to Spain would put more of a spot light on la Liga.

Super Ribery wrote:

I think Messiah's point is a fair one though. If you think back to the late 90s when the whole "Liga de las estrellas" was the slogan Spain really was the top destination for top players. Lately England has attracted those top players and I do think that players like Kaka or C. Ronaldo coming to Spain would put more of a spot light on la Liga.

Six wrote:How many teams can afford to buy established world class players anyway? Liverpool and Arsenal never really have, United had more success buying stars from the EPL (Veron vs Rooney, Ferdinand), only Chelsea and City have the desire and money to buy a player like Kaka in the same way Madrid do. And Ballack and Shevchenko did not live up to their names anyway.

Six wrote:To add to that, I think when Latin players reach a certain age it becomes very difficult for them to adapt to the English game if they are coming from Italy or Spain. The younger hungrier players are more successful here generally speaking. Whereas Italy is where the old pros go off to die.

Super Ribery wrote:

Six wrote:To add to that, I think when Latin players reach a certain age it becomes very difficult for them to adapt to the English game if they are coming from Italy or Spain. The younger hungrier players are more successful here generally speaking. Whereas Italy is where the old pros go off to die.

Agree with that but certain type of players shouldn't go to England all together like Pirlo who im hearing Chelsea is going after. I can see that one failling a milion miles away. English football has it qualities but it is sad that geniuses like Pirlo/Riquelme/Totti can't play in England because of the style there but then again that is what having different styles is about.

The Professor wrote:

Super Ribery wrote:

Six wrote:To add to that, I think when Latin players reach a certain age it becomes very difficult for them to adapt to the English game if they are coming from Italy or Spain. The younger hungrier players are more successful here generally speaking. Whereas Italy is where the old pros go off to die.

Agree with that but certain type of players shouldn't go to England all together like Pirlo who im hearing Chelsea is going after. I can see that one failling a milion miles away. English football has it qualities but it is sad that geniuses like Pirlo/Riquelme/Totti can't play in England because of the style there but then again that is what having different styles is about.

Cesc, Bergkamp, Arshavin......

MadVillain wrote:Cesc is not a genius, the mere notion of that is absurd.

Bergkamp was big & strong as well as being incredibly gifted and Arshavin has speed to go with his talent.

If you look at all the really gifted foreign footballers in the EPL's history that have done well they all had great physical qualities or the ability to beat a man regularly through quick feet & good acceleration.

Pirlo might work out if Essien & only Essien was his regular partner in the Chelsea CM, he'll fail badly if partnered with anyone else for an extended period (like Deco).

Kimbo wrote:

MadVillain wrote:Cesc is not a genius, the mere notion of that is absurd.

Bergkamp was big & strong as well as being incredibly gifted and Arshavin has speed to go with his talent.

If you look at all the really gifted foreign footballers in the EPL's history that have done well they all had great physical qualities or the ability to beat a man regularly through quick feet & good acceleration.

Pirlo might work out if Essien & only Essien was his regular partner in the Chelsea CM, he'll fail badly if partnered with anyone else for an extended period (like Deco).

Pierre Littbarski wrote:I disagree that the top Italian teams will be good next year.

The signings of Cannavaro and Milito by CL teams would suggest that they haven't learnt their lesson.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:I disagree that the top Italian teams will be good next year.

The signings of Cannavaro and Milito by CL teams would suggest that they haven't learnt their lesson.

Ray Parlour wrote:As Pierre has said though the signings of Milito are hardly going to strike fear into anyone.

The Italians need to up the physical aspect if their game. At the moment they have a soft under belly and never look like they can cope with the pace that the English teams move the ball at.