Soccer

Right its five hours to kick off. Im really looking forward to it. Who's gonna watch it and comment on it after with me??? come one.....who's going to?

 

Here is a recent quotation from Sky News, referring to the deal Man Utd did with New York Yankees/Giants:

 

I can't be believe you quoted Sky news. Their are really trust worthy.
Sounds like the swords maybe coming out, which team is the best. Who will win the chalenge.

 

Man Utd should stuff Barcelona no problems. In terms of club finances, buying a player like Beckham for £25 million is one helluva deal. I predict Real Madrid make £50 million from merchandise rights easy within two years.

His No 23 shirts are going of the shelves quicker that a digested vindaloo coming out of my ass. True that Ferdinand and Veron are good expensive players but they are harder to market than the likes of Figo and Ronaldo.

 

There's no doubt Beckham will financially improve Real Madrid. But there is also no denying he is a quality player.

He may be a media hungry superstar but deep down we all know he has true talent and with Real Madrid both he and the team will benefit.

Can you imagine the damage his crosses will do to the opposition with the likes of Ronaldo, Raul and Morrientes on the end of them.

Real Madrid also lacked a quality free kicker. Carlos just boots it as hard as possible which is why his average of scoring from free kicks is less than 10%. Beckham has a greater average.

 

Glad to hear you are tuned in Dela, and i do sympathise with you on the Skysports issue. It doesnt really seem they are reaching all demographics of their watchers.

Sabrelord, you forgot to mention the best striker in the world there: Van Nistleroy. Man Utd dont need players who are flamboyant and in the medias eye all the time. Man Utd learnt a very good lesson over media and one man nearly lost his life. I am of course talking about George best. The media ruined him. It lead to his alcohol problems. So Real Madrid can help strengthen their finances with David Beckham, but it is not needed at Old Trafford. We only need players, not fashion icons. We are financial secure, the most financially secure team in the world. It is nice to be in our shoes ;-)

 

SabreLord, my friend willis has just pointed out a big mistake in your Harry Kewell statement. You said

Harry Kewell isnt actually a striker. He is a winger with an attacking role. Therefore it would be inaccurate and an injustice to point out a strike rate for someone who isnt actually a striker. ;-) Just thought id point that one out. Cheers Willis!

 

[bold]Man Utd 3 - 1 Barcelona[/bold]

A truly wonderful performace by the men from Old Trafford. They had a semi-shaky first 10minutes in terms of possession and let in a very lazy goal, but then they really performed.

Tim Howard: What a signing he has turned out to be. Very very fast reflexes, quick off his line and very alert. His handling is truly excellent.

Rio Ferdinand: A very calm and composed display from rio, defended well, just one lapse in concentration leading to a lazy goal for Patrick Kluivert. Sound performance yet again.

John O'Shea: The Irish man just gets better and better. Read the game brilliantly, brought the ball out of defence with ease, defended well and was able to put the long passes into the midfield under pressure. A great performance by him securing a place at Bolton i would presume.

Philip Neville: Excellent display from the younger and less ecperienced neville. Quick to make the tackle on the opponent and covered well for the other defenders. shows a good ability to move around the box and can play in various positions. his ajility matches that ability and will probably be a starter for the game against Bolton.

Quinton Fortune: What can i say, a man of the match performance for the South African, truly brilliant. He didnt let any barca player by him and got forward brilliantly to set up some great chances. Shows his ability to be able to play in different positions with ease.

Paul Scholes: A man with more vision than the entire Liverpool team put together. An excellent display from the ginger magician, working tirelessy and creating chances for himself and others. A true United Hero!!

Roy keane: In my opinion, the greatest captain united has seen. His skills and vision are extremely good. His ability to organise the somewhat quiet team, a pure necessity. Another brilliant display from keane, broke up play brilliantly along with his midfield partner, kept the team alert and true to its cause. The irish man is a legend already, yet he still impresses each time.

Nicky Butt: Coming back from injury this man has improved with each game he has played. As with keane, butt broke up the play brilliantly and made a couple of telling runs forward, helping out forlan in the process.

Ryan giggs: The man from Wales showed his blistering pace up the left hand wing that he has dominated since he is early days at United. Today was no different. He never stopped moving about the pitch, kept the barca defenders on their toes and he set up a number of chances for others, faultless display by him again. On his way out??? I think not!

Diego Forlan: The man with the many chances. for all his faults as a striker, he does keep producing the goods. A wonderful performace from the man from Uruguay. A 2 goal hero tonight with excellent movement never giving up. Diego could be a star this season.

Darren Fletcher: The united youngster didnt look out of place on the right, got forward brilliantly, putting in a few telling crosses and helped out the defence by getting back and defending. He is a promising and skillful player coming through the reserve team. I expect to see a lot more of him this season.

David Bellion: On as a sub with some nices touches. Not really on long enough to make a telling contribution but with his pace, he's sure to frighten defences.

Ole Gunner Solskjaer: The baby faced assassin is performing so well, it makes me wonder why we ever needed David Beckham. He is a more skillful player, with a good passing ability as well as the tackling skills tht are required as a United Midfielder. I expect he may well hold no to that right hand midfield position for the coming seasons.

Kieran Richardson: Came on as a sub for the last couple of minutes, not enough time for him to get in the game but hes got a bright future ahead of him. The young man from Greenwich (previously of West Ham unitd) showed what he has for us in the future.

Rudd Van Nistelroy: Van the Man. What can we say about the dutch master, he just gets better and better. Coming on as a sub in the second half and scoring a truly wonderful goal.Cool, calm, and collected at all times, never panicks and makes it look soo easy, a truly world class striker.

The great Man Utd will surely be dominating the Premiership and Europe this year. Look out everyone, the giant of a club has awoken, and means business!!!!!!!

 

Harry Kewell has actually started many games up front alongside Viduka/Smith. He is one of the few players, like Scholes who can play in two positions. It's not really fair comparing him to a quality midfielder like Scholes.

True that he is not always a striker but still his goal tally for an attacking midfielder/Striker is far from excellent.

 

He has started up along side Viduka and Smith, though he usually played off them rather than with them. The same position Scholes would play with Van Nistelroy. If Harry Kewel was half the player Scholes was, he would be a very good player indeed. In my opinion, Paul Scholes is one of the greatest players to come out fo England. He has more vision than the entire Arsenal Team and more skill than the entire Liverpool team. The ginger magician is on form for another great season.

United Untied!!!

 

When Smith was injured it was Kewell and Viduka up front and as a stiker he was not as prolific as your Henrys and Nistelrooys.

My Dream Team would be as follows:

Buffon (Juventus)
J Stam (Lazio)
S Campbell (Ars)
R Ferdinand (Man Utd)
P Maldini (AC Milan)
L Figo (Real Madrid)
Z Zidane (Real Madrid)
D Beckham (Real Madrid)
Rivaldo (AC Milan)
T Henry (Ars)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Now that's a kick ass Dream Team.

 

Mine would be:

Tim Howard (manutd)
G.Neville (manutd)
R. Ferdinand (manutd)
M.Silvestre (manutd)
R.Carlos (r.madrid)
R.Keane (manutd)
P.Scholes (manutd)
Jaoquin (betis)
D.Duff (chelsea)
Raul (r.madrid)
v. Nitleroy (manutd)

And that team would slaughter yours ;-)

 

Oriphus I think it is time you and me challenged each other on Champuonship Manager online.

Not sure about having Howard in goal he ain't even played a competitive match yet!

 

Sounds good, ill have to try and get Championship manager first though. I do it in the paper all the time. I think Howard has proved his skills in his two matches for Man Utd and in his player of the year performance two years running in the MLS

 

'player of the year performance two years running in the MLS'

The major league soccer in US has no real competition, heck the US womens team are more exciting to watch than the mens. The only real sports in the USA are Basketball, Baseball, Ice Hockey and American Football.

The americans like their athletes to be big huge muscular blokes. If soccer took off in America their league would eclipse the the European leagues. Players like Beckham earn peanuts compared to the likes of Michael Jordan.



I also need to buy Championship Manger in order for us to challenge as the one I have does not have internet play.

 

Actually its not that much more than what European players get payed. The average US basketball players salary is $1,895,630 per year, thats £1,171,721 Sterling. The average baseball New York Yankee player's salary is $3,656,542, thats about £2,273,674 in sterling. Last year the avarage salary in the premiership in the UK was £600,000, roughly $1,000,000 US. The average salary of Man United players is £1,798,564, roughly $2,892,465 US. Thats not far off the extortionistic prices the americans pay in their team. Real Madrids total salary is a minimum of $117,000,000 US.

David Beckham has been named as the world's second highest paid footballer, with total earnings estimated at £6.6million a year. Zidane, Real Madrid's midfield genius, is said to be earning £8.7million a year in a top 20 table compiled by France Football, the magazine that awarded Michael Owen the Golden Ball as European Footballer of the year.

The best paid US baseball player, Alex Rodriguez, makes $22 million. David Beckham makes $25 million.

I dont honestly see it as a problem. Manchester United sales were at £146 mllion last year, with an operating profit of £33.9 million. The average premiership operating profit is something like £2 million, we look pretty sweet. Real Madrids operating profit was 26million euros, £11 million. Once again Manutd look like they can hold their own.

Just to give a comparison to the New York Yankees, their operating profit was $40.8 million, thats £25,369,848 sterling. They had the highest in the whole Major League.

 

Oh deary me. the tiredness, jet lag and general levels of the team did not look to good tonight. Our new signing Eric Djemba Djemba shows a lot of potential and looks like his style of play will fit right into the United squad no problem. However, David bellion isnt performing as well as hoped. He has the pace, but no the ability, maybe that will come with time.

The match tonight was minus many of our star players. The difference in the team was very noticeable as soon as the great Van Nistelroy came on in the last 10 mins. However, the score finished 3-1 to Sportin Lisbon. A reflectin on the game as a whole.

More importantly, the game no Sunday is against Arsenal and we WILL have our big guns on the pitch, firing as they have done before. We will show the Old Gunners how to play football.

Another big name has departed from Old Trafford. veron has finally left for the money packed Chelsea team where he will be getting £100,000 a week over the 52 weeks. Thats £5.2 million a year. Roman Abromivich obviously doesnt like his money too much, because although Chelsea will improve their Premiership and European games, they will never beat Man Utd in the standings as the worlds greatest football club. Chelsea *Spits on floor*, who the fu*k is Chelsea??