2012-2013 Soccer Thread (Premier League, ECL, etc)

Here's the latest bit said by Wenger about RvP: http://www.football365.com/news/21554/7927964/here


Also, I saw this in F365's transfer blog:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm now praying for Diaby to break his leg/abscond/die before the start of the season.

 

How much can you ever believe Wenger, though? But assuming he stands by that, the only really solid midfielders we'll have are Arteta (who's 31) and Wilshere (if he plays and his ankles don't re-explode). Oh boy.

 

I've always had confidence in Wenger. I may not always have agreed with him, but generally I have. First half of last season, I trusted in him to make something happen, and he did. But I really thought he would have used this transfer window to clean up and fix the issues that have been trailing since last summer's transfer window. It's really starting to bother me.

Anyone else spending way too much time tweaking their Fantasy football squads? I'm up to alternative 7 at the moment, and really can't decide. So difficult to predict which players are going to be doing well (except for the obvious choices) and choose a squad that will work out in the long term, but also work best in the first few games.

 

I'd have confidence for Wenger to fix the problems but he doesn't seem to see them as most other people do. Still hoping for at least one midfield arrival and at least 2 departures (Ramsey and Diaby have to go - even Liverpool's Henderson looks better than the pair of them).


I don't know of any Fantasy Football games that are up and running yet? The new one on Yahoo! should be up by the end of next week, though. Whomever would like to join, send me a PM. I need to turn on notifications for it though, and not let it be uncommunicative like last year. If I forget shit like I did last year, anyone in the group is welcome to kick my ass in a PM.

I'm dumb sometimes, and forgetful.

 

The official PL one is up and running, though there is a bit of lag between players being signed and it being represented in the league now that a lot is happening. Still waiting for Michu to be in the Swansea squad, for example.

Haven't played the Yahoo! one, would you recommend it?

 

I've played the Yahoo one for much of the last decade. It's free to play for anyone who has a Yahoo ID - if you don't have one, it takes about 5 minutes to sign up for one.

The website for the Yahoo! FF game is http://uk.premiership.fantasysports.yahoo.com.

EDIT: Looks like Yahoo's one is up and running, as is a TiB Group. Anyone who wants in, PM me and I'll supply the details.

 

Given that I have no interest in watching people swim or spin around in leotards in London, I've been watching some of the WFC games taking place in America, and holy he ll, is Liverpool serious when they talk about UCL aspirations? I understand that they are not playing with their full roster, but (with the exception of games against MLS opponents, neither is the opposition) they just don't look all that strong. They start off by drawing with Toronto, who are currently last in the standings in MLS, follow it up with a loss to Roma in which their team chemistry seemed nonexistent and then they draw against Spurs.

To add to this, they have to start qualifying for the Europa league fairly soon, and that's going to entail a bunch of travel and playing against some horseshit teams, and when they finally do qualify, Europa play is just going to be taxing on their roster. The Europa league is solid for clubs like Fulham in the EPL because the money they get out of it is somewhat of a big deal for them but for LFC the money isn't going to make a big difference to the Fenway ownership.

For the life of me I do not understand why Clint Dempsey would ever want to be moved there.

 

I'd imagine it's the exposure. Fulham's a big enough club, but it's not Liverpool "trophies in the cabinet" big.

Speaking of preseason friendlies, Arsenal's currently doing its Asia tour. Yeah, it's the youth etc, but we're losing 2-1 to KitChee FC from Hong Kong right now. Wilshere's confirmed out till October, and Wenger says:

At least this kid Ryo looks like he has potential - he's a fast winger, and apparently he's been solid in defense this game. Loves his stepovers by the looks of it. And Gervinho's been styling on some poor Asian right back.

fake edit: Arsenal just scored.
real edit: You should catch some of these games. The cameraman has a talent for finding cute Asian girls.

 

Ryo was on loan last season at Bolton and played in most of their league fixtures - Bolton more went down to an inability to score goals (Klasnic was guilty of more than a few sitters) and a porous defense which was not helped by the sale of Cahill to Chelsea. He looks like a decent player with, most importantly, a good cross - making him a much better option than "cut-in-and-lose-it" Arshavin.

Also, it looks like Rosicky is broken again for another 2 months. I often wonder if the guy is held together by bird shit and duct tape. He breaks down more often than a rusty Alfa-Romeo.

And Wilshere is only back in October. Wenger HAS TO buy a midfielder now. You all know Diaby will be broken after 2 games and make another triumphant return in the last match of the season for 10 minutes. Fucker. I HATE.Diaby.so.unspeakably.much.

 

AHAHAHAHAHAHA oh man.

 

Seems he might get what he wanted, though.
Interesting move, this:







Cazorla looks to be a great compliment to the squad.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19086404" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19086404</a>

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing Cazorla, but I don't think Wenger will go for a loan for Sahin - it'd be a permanent deal. Wenger doesn't usually bring in loans.

I had to laugh at the one comment that mentioned Diaby being back - he'll break down for another 10 months after 1 match.

Also, I think Diaby may be related to The Coneheads.

 

Cazorla's in at Arsenal for £16.5 million. http://www.football365.com/news/21554/7970118/Is-This-Enough-Ambition-For-You-Robin-

Thanks for your time Arshavin, please fuck off now.

 

So RVPs agent is demanding that he get like 4m from any potential transfer fee (according to f365), enjoy another season at Arsenal Robin.

 

Yep. That's fine with me. Maybe he'll play well until April, get an 8 month injury lay-off (remember, this is an Arsenal player we're talking about. Geriatrics manage to injure themselves less than this lot) and won't be able to sign for anyone for the next season. Hahahaha. How do you like them apples, RvP?

Barcelona are being tappy-up cunts again. Pique tapping up Song - £20 million or you can continue going Song-less. I really wish these scumbag fuckasses would go raid another team and leave Arsenal the fuck alone.

 

Barca just couldn't resist the chance to make Song the best bench-warmer in the EPL.

 

Maybe I'm dumb (quite probably, actually) but I'm not sure where you're going with this? Rosicky is out until October following surgery and Wilshere is out until at least October following his surgery. That leaves Arteta, Song, Diaby and Ramsey as the only players with any first team experience. Odds are good that Diaby will fuck himself up by September (if you're going by his past injury record) and is most likely NOT ahead of Song in the first team roster and Ramsey has been about as effective as trying to chamber a 9mm round into a 12 gauge shotgun (i.e. not) when playing for Arsenal. So, logically, Song will most likely be playing next to Arteta. If I was Wenger, at least, I'd start Song ahead of Ramsey (ineffective, useless at shooting and passing) and Diaby (just useless and injury-prone). Wenger cannot afford to bench Song. It just pisses me off that, yet again, Barcelona are coming after Arsenal players and, this time, with a completely unrealistically low valuation in mind.

Also, Ryo Miyaichi has gone off to Wigan on loan for the season. That, to me, sounds like Wenger is keeping Arshavin. FUCK.

 

I meant he'd be warming the bench at Barca.

 

Looks like Sahin is going to Liverpool on loan. Man, if Liverpool can still lock up Dempsey, a summer of picking up Joe Allen, Fabio Borini, Dempsey, and grabbing Sahin for a year is a really nice start for Brendan Rodgers. Hopefully Agger stays put.

 

Well I'm a bit surprised that this deal actually got done but multiple outlets are saying that United and Arsenal have agreed on a price for RVP (f365 is saying its either 20 or 24 million pounds), he still has to pass a physical and agree on personal terms but yeah, looks like it's going to get done, and good for Arsenal for managing to get a decent chunk of cash in return.