I think you'll be surprised. Other than Hazard, what have they improved since last season? Terry will still play when he's fit and he's getting worse by the day. Torres will probably never regain his best form and there's no Drogba to bail them out anymore. Think they'll be 15 points off the pace again as things stand.
Robin van Persie
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I think you'll be surprised. Other than Hazard, what have they improved since last season? Terry will still play when he's fit and he's getting worse by the day. Torres will probably never regain his best form and there's no Drogba to bail them out anymore. Think they'll be 15 points off the pace again as things stand.
Cech; Cole, Terry/Luiz/Cahill, Ivanovic; Obi Mikel, Ramires; Mata, Hazard, Marin; Torres,
is very strong. Torres may not regain his VERY best form, but he's playing bloody good in the last 8 weeks of the season. They have a great LB cover in Ryan Bertrand, who proved he had it in him on the biggest stage (CL final, out of position). Luiz/Cahill are much much better, and again, proved it so in the final. Ivanovic is a good RB, and a better CB. They'll probably sign someone here anyways, although I don't think they'll lose much if they don't. Ivanovic is a very good defender. Obi Mikel showed why everyone wanted him at the close season. If Essien can even become a shadow of his old self, he'll slot into CM and rip everyone apart. Ramires is a good player, very good, and he'll show his Park-like skills next season, in a more settled CM role.
Hazard, we've all jizzed over, Mata's brilliant, and they'll probably sign Hulk whose also meant to be great, and who'll displace Marin in that lineup. Torres, given chances, will score plenty next season.
Plus, they've got acres of depth in their squad. Lampard, Romeu, Sturridge (an unselfish one..). all in midfield. They've got 4 top quality CB's. etc etc.
is very strong. Torres may not regain his VERY best form, but he's playing bloody good in the last 8 weeks of the season. They have a great LB cover in Ryan Bertrand, who proved he had it in him on the biggest stage (CL final, out of position). Luiz/Cahill are much much better, and again, proved it so in the final. Ivanovic is a good RB, and a better CB. They'll probably sign someone here anyways, although I don't think they'll lose much if they don't. Ivanovic is a very good defender. Obi Mikel showed why everyone wanted him at the close season. If Essien can even become a shadow of his old self, he'll slot into CM and rip everyone apart. Ramires is a good player, very good, and he'll show his Park-like skills next season, in a more settled CM role.
Hazard, we've all jizzed over, Mata's brilliant, and they'll probably sign Hulk whose also meant to be great, and who'll displace Marin in that lineup. Torres, given chances, will score plenty next season.
Plus, they've got acres of depth in their squad. Lampard, Romeu, Sturridge (an unselfish one..). all in midfield. They've got 4 top quality CB's. etc etc.
First time I've ever heard Luiz and Cahill referred to as top quality..
I have not followed this story at all, is City the major link or is it up in the air atm?
Being an Arsenal lad is all well and good till you become a truly top quality player and want to win things+ high wages. Arsenal are known to offer their kids great money but are hesitant to match the market when it comes to their top players. Unless they change their upper ceiling and get competitive for titles, i dont see how Wilshere will last for long.
In football, loyalty is great in theory but no one practices it after a level, neither players nor the fans.
Yep, personally i would only give him a couple more seasons at Arsenal. Watching players like Fabregas, Nasri leave, and now RVP not resigning, that will hardly help the likes of Wilshire believe he can seriously win the top honours by staying at Arsenal.
let the ******** begin!
Manchester United and City in bitter battle to sign Van Persie as Tevez heads to AC Milan
By BOB CASS and MARK RYAN
PUBLISHED: 22:58, 14 July 2012 | UPDATED: 22:58, 14 July 2012
Carlos Tevez is poised to move to AC Milan this week, opening the way for Manchester City to make their £30million bid for Robin van Persie.
The champions would appear to be in the driving seat to land the Arsenal striker but Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has still not given up hope of signing the 29-year-old in a cut-price deal.
A wanted man: Robin van Persie is due to return to training at Arsenal this week but is set to leave
The two Manchester clubs were only separated by goal difference at the end of last season and Ferguson is determined to get one over his rivals in the transfer market.
The bidding war will be kicked off by Tevez’s exit, with a source close to City revealing last night: ‘They are selling Tevez to Milan. You’ll see it in the next few days.
Italian interest: Sources say Carlos Tevez will be heading to AC Milan
‘If, for any reason, that deal hits a complication, City may sell Edin Dzeko to Milan instead. But, for the moment, all efforts are focused on selling Tevez. That will open up the Van Persie deal.’
Argentina’s Tevez had his heart set on joining Milan last season at the height of his ugly stand-off with City.
Competing: Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini are vying for the Dutchman's signature
Since then, he and Roberto Mancini have made up and as a thank-you for helping City win the title, the manager will allow Tevez his dream move to Italy.
Arsenal are still hoping to persuade Van Persie to stay and have scheduled further talks for this week when he returns for pre-season training.
On the move? Van Persie has declared his wish to leave Arsenal
They will want at least £30m if they decide to sell the striker, who has only one year left on his contract. Van Persie has set off a high-level row at Arsenal, with boss Arsene Wenger insisting on getting maximum value whereas other senior figures would accept less after the striker accused the club of lacking ambition.
This would play into Ferguson’s hands as the United board are unlikely to sanction a £30m deal for a 29-year-old.
Sources close to Van Persie have indicated that, if he does move, Old Trafford might be his preference.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...arlos-Tevez-heads-AC-Milan.html#ixzz20dhEnhd6
By BOB CASS and MARK RYAN
PUBLISHED: 22:58, 14 July 2012 | UPDATED: 22:58, 14 July 2012
Carlos Tevez is poised to move to AC Milan this week, opening the way for Manchester City to make their £30million bid for Robin van Persie.
The champions would appear to be in the driving seat to land the Arsenal striker but Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has still not given up hope of signing the 29-year-old in a cut-price deal.
A wanted man: Robin van Persie is due to return to training at Arsenal this week but is set to leave
The two Manchester clubs were only separated by goal difference at the end of last season and Ferguson is determined to get one over his rivals in the transfer market.
The bidding war will be kicked off by Tevez’s exit, with a source close to City revealing last night: ‘They are selling Tevez to Milan. You’ll see it in the next few days.
Italian interest: Sources say Carlos Tevez will be heading to AC Milan
‘If, for any reason, that deal hits a complication, City may sell Edin Dzeko to Milan instead. But, for the moment, all efforts are focused on selling Tevez. That will open up the Van Persie deal.’
Argentina’s Tevez had his heart set on joining Milan last season at the height of his ugly stand-off with City.
Competing: Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini are vying for the Dutchman's signature
Since then, he and Roberto Mancini have made up and as a thank-you for helping City win the title, the manager will allow Tevez his dream move to Italy.
Arsenal are still hoping to persuade Van Persie to stay and have scheduled further talks for this week when he returns for pre-season training.
On the move? Van Persie has declared his wish to leave Arsenal
They will want at least £30m if they decide to sell the striker, who has only one year left on his contract. Van Persie has set off a high-level row at Arsenal, with boss Arsene Wenger insisting on getting maximum value whereas other senior figures would accept less after the striker accused the club of lacking ambition.
This would play into Ferguson’s hands as the United board are unlikely to sanction a £30m deal for a 29-year-old.
Sources close to Van Persie have indicated that, if he does move, Old Trafford might be his preference.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...arlos-Tevez-heads-AC-Milan.html#ixzz20dhEnhd6
So he's going to City then, and they can again claim they have stolen him from under our noses
They should get less vague sources.
Dailymail. Did not read.
But what can you expect them to do, reveal names? Bob Cass is close to Fergie. It suggests real interest is there.
Once they get rid of Tevez and possibly Dzeko
Apparently Juventus is his first choice.
THE negotiations over Robin van Persie's future have been complicated by the Dutch striker having indicated to Arsenal that his first choice of the three clubs pursuing him is Juventus.
Van Persie has not ruled out the possibility of going to one of the two Manchester clubs, and his first choice from those two would be United, but if possible he would prefer to go to the current Italian champions. Of the three, Juventus are the least financially powerful but in an ideal world the player would rather leave the Premier League than play for one of Arsenal's rivals.
Negotiations to sell Van Persie are expected to develop this week with the player's representatives keen to move the situation along. The club have been told that it is Juventus whom Van Persie would prefer to join and it is Arsène Wenger's preference that he would not go to Manchester City, but there are serious doubts over whether the Italians could come up with a deal acceptable to Arsenal. The asking price is thought to be between £20m and £25m with Van Persie seeking a five-year contract worth in excess of £120,000 a week contract. Both sides, the player and the club, are agreed that any deal will not hinge on a question of money for Van Persie – if it did he is well aware that his best option would be City – although it does now appear to come down to whether Juventus can formulate a deal.
Juventus had been favourites to sign the Napoli striker Edinson Cavani this summer but have not yet done so. The club are still recovering financially from their demotion to Serie B after the 2006 calciopoli scandal, and posted losses in their last published accounts of £75m for the 2010-11 season. Like all leading European clubs they are also trying to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
At 29 years old, with a less-than-perfect injury record and the prospect that he will be a free agent next summer, Van Persie, for all his qualities, is not a simple player to arrive at a price for. There has been significant discrepancy on what he is worth to the clubs interested.
United would like to do a deal for the player but they are aware that they are always likely to be outmuscled on the question of price by City, if it comes to that. City have stayed in touch over Van Persie in spite of knowing they are third in the pecking order.
Both clubs are obliged to wait to see whether Juventus can come up with the kind of package that would convince Arsenal to do the deal. The Gunners' players leave for Malaysia on Saturday, arriving on Sunday ahead of the first game of their three-match pre-season tour of Asia, a week today against a select Malaysian XI.
It is agreed that it would be best for Van Persie and the club were there to be some resolution on his future by then, in light of his statement on 5 July that he would not be signing a new contract at the club.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...at-juventus-are-his-first-choice-3171545.html
THE negotiations over Robin van Persie's future have been complicated by the Dutch striker having indicated to Arsenal that his first choice of the three clubs pursuing him is Juventus.
Van Persie has not ruled out the possibility of going to one of the two Manchester clubs, and his first choice from those two would be United, but if possible he would prefer to go to the current Italian champions. Of the three, Juventus are the least financially powerful but in an ideal world the player would rather leave the Premier League than play for one of Arsenal's rivals.
Negotiations to sell Van Persie are expected to develop this week with the player's representatives keen to move the situation along. The club have been told that it is Juventus whom Van Persie would prefer to join and it is Arsène Wenger's preference that he would not go to Manchester City, but there are serious doubts over whether the Italians could come up with a deal acceptable to Arsenal. The asking price is thought to be between £20m and £25m with Van Persie seeking a five-year contract worth in excess of £120,000 a week contract. Both sides, the player and the club, are agreed that any deal will not hinge on a question of money for Van Persie – if it did he is well aware that his best option would be City – although it does now appear to come down to whether Juventus can formulate a deal.
Juventus had been favourites to sign the Napoli striker Edinson Cavani this summer but have not yet done so. The club are still recovering financially from their demotion to Serie B after the 2006 calciopoli scandal, and posted losses in their last published accounts of £75m for the 2010-11 season. Like all leading European clubs they are also trying to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
At 29 years old, with a less-than-perfect injury record and the prospect that he will be a free agent next summer, Van Persie, for all his qualities, is not a simple player to arrive at a price for. There has been significant discrepancy on what he is worth to the clubs interested.
United would like to do a deal for the player but they are aware that they are always likely to be outmuscled on the question of price by City, if it comes to that. City have stayed in touch over Van Persie in spite of knowing they are third in the pecking order.
Both clubs are obliged to wait to see whether Juventus can come up with the kind of package that would convince Arsenal to do the deal. The Gunners' players leave for Malaysia on Saturday, arriving on Sunday ahead of the first game of their three-match pre-season tour of Asia, a week today against a select Malaysian XI.
It is agreed that it would be best for Van Persie and the club were there to be some resolution on his future by then, in light of his statement on 5 July that he would not be signing a new contract at the club.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...at-juventus-are-his-first-choice-3171545.html
Really don't want him here. Nor do I think it would ever happen for a whole host of reasons.
City are waiting to offload some before getting van persie. If they get van persie, it further weakens their position when they try to offload player like Ade, Santacruz, Dzeko and Tevez
That article makes it seem a lot more plausible that he will end up here than I have ever considered it to be. Like Pexbo, I have always thought this was complete fantasy.
The main reason we should not be doing this - and there are a few - is WE SHOULD BE BUYING A MIDFIELDER. The chances are we will be playing one up front more this season than last. We have a great striker and two back ups. Lets buy a quality midfielder, play 5 in midfield and Rooney up top. Let's not blow the rest of our budget on a player we wouldnt need even if he was fit, which he wont be anyway. Insane.
The main reason we should not be doing this - and there are a few - is WE SHOULD BE BUYING A MIDFIELDER. The chances are we will be playing one up front more this season than last. We have a great striker and two back ups. Lets buy a quality midfielder, play 5 in midfield and Rooney up top. Let's not blow the rest of our budget on a player we wouldnt need even if he was fit, which he wont be anyway. Insane.
I'd imagine Fergie would want 4 strikers if Berbatov goes.
That article is pretty shit, can't see him at Juve unless City aren't interested. If both clubs want him then both Arsenal and Van Persie will recieve better offers from City.
Don't think we are really in for him at all, it's just completely unnecessary given the forwards we already have.
Don't think we are really in for him at all, it's just completely unnecessary given the forwards we already have.
Kagawa is the 4th forward. If we get Moura we have 5.
I said strikers.
4 strikers is good for 442. But there is a strong case to be made we should be moving away from that. In which case the need for a 4th striker is not quite so strong. Even if we do need 4, we dont necessarily need RVP. Rooney is obviously the main man, Welbeck is doing everything right and has earned our trust. Chicharito offers another option and having got hsi 2nd season out of the way can hopefully start to progress again. The 4th position can go to a young hopeful or a cheap veteran of the Owen / Larsson variety. Why break the bank on it? Look at Berbs, barely got a game last season and that was with 2 up top.
Agreed. Just don't see Fergie going from 5 strikers down to 3.
You are just getting wrapped up in semantics.
Kagawa is the 4th striker/forward. He will play the same role as Rooney off the striker. We don't need any more out and out strikers when we already have three for one position, Hernandez, Welbeck and Rooney.
Why would you want 4 for one position? fecking definition of unnecessary.
You can't use a player we haven't signed as a reason Fergie won't sign somebody. We had 5 strikers last season. None of us know what goes on in his mind.
Eh? We have signed Kagawa, so have four fowards...
Bryan said we needed four strikers, but I pointed out we already have four, as Kagawa will take up the deeper striker role.
Owen didn't start a single game last year ffs, and Berbatov was rarely used as well. It's hardly as if we used five forwards, we pretty much made do with three.
You included Lucas in a potential 6.
You haven't a clue what Fergie wants so shouldn't pretend you do.
He wanted five forwards last season. That's why he gave Owen a contract.
Yeah I also included Van Persie in a potential 6, what are you on about. Why is that relevant? I'm saying we have four fowards, so don't need another. It's not hard.
Of course nobody knows what Ferguson wants you muppet, doesn't change the fact that this is a discussion board to, you know, share our opinions. 90% of posts are just filled with conjecture, it's the whole purpose of a forum.
You talk a lot of bollocks. There is a big difference from having Owen sitting on the bench and being a token '5th forward' to signing Van Persie to take up the role. If you can't see the difference then there's not much point carrying this on.
This was your response to Brian for suggesting Fergie might want to sign Van Persie. Did he say that he wanted both Lucas and Van Persie? No. He said he thinks he might want another forward. Brian hadn't even intimated what you're saying. It's there in black and white for anyone who understands it.
The main point is you, or anyone here, does not have a clue what Fergie is thinking and it's a fools game to pretend otherwise.
Are we really doing this? No, that isn't what happened. Considering it is, like you say, in black and white for anyone to read I'm surprised you haven't grasped this yet.
Bryan said he thinks we need 4 strikers if Berbatov goes, so could do with Van Persie.
I say,
He dismisses Kagawa and Moura by writing,
So he was saying that it doesn't matter if we signed Moura and Kagawa, Bryan thinks we need four strikers regardless. Hence my next comment,
Get it now? He was saying that in addition to/regardless of signing Moura and Kagwa, we still need four strikers. Which would, should those signings happen, give a total of 6 forwards.
It looks more and more likely we won't be playing 4-4-2 much this year. If so, 3 strikers is enough.
It really does seem to be happening.
What I said was, I'd imagine Fergie would want 4 strikers if Berbatov goes.
That doesn't change anything Bryan but cheers for the clarification..
You were still talking about signing Van Persie.
You were still talking about signing Van Persie.
Exactly.
I wrote this before but, if we signed Van Persie you are looking at Rooney, Kagawa, Van Persie, Chich and Welbeck fighting it out for two spots. Rooney started 32 games last year in the league, so if he starts 30 this season then that's 46 starting places to share around four players.
Say Kagawa gets 20, which is conservative and he is probably expecting more, and RVP gets 20, which if he's fit is just an absurd situation as he's far too talented to miss half our games, then that leaves 3 each for Welbeck and Hernandez - which is less than Berbatov got this year.
Since when is Kagawa a forward. Did I miss something?
He plays in the hole. Where did you think he plays?
The memo was handed out this morning. Tell him, Greyjoy.
Not as a forward anytime Ive seen him to date.
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