SOCCER SPORT !

[Raza]

Arsenal was the only team in the top 5 leagues to not sign an outfield player this transfer window.

They don't need anyone, right? I think Giroud is good enough, but they need a backup. Chicharito would have been perfect, but he went to Germany for pennies. I guess you could argue that Welbeck will fill that role, but I think he's a bit of a garbage forward. Hard worker, but not a finisher at all. Defense needs strengthening, but so does Liverpool's, so what can I say? Coquelin is growing pretty nicely into that DM role, but cover would be welcome.

Don't know what they're thinking, really. Especially with their injury record.

[93EXCivic]

They don't need anyone, right? I think Giroud is good enough, but they need a backup. Chicharito would have been perfect, but he went to Germany for pennies. I guess you could argue that Welbeck will fill that role, but I think he's a bit of a garbage forward. Hard worker, but not a finisher at all. Defense needs strengthening, but so does Liverpool's, so what can I say? Coquelin is growing pretty nicely into that DM role, but cover would be welcome.

Don't know what they're thinking, really. Especially with their injury record.

Their start of the season hasn't been brilliant but I think they have 10 starters to challenge for a title (Giroud is IMO probably not good enough for a title chasing team). The problem is their defense and DM doesn't have any cover/ good enough cover so injuries could be a problem.

I am kinda starting to think that the only team with enough cover at defense in the big 6 is Man City (despite their terrible showings in preseason). I thought Chelsea had it but Terry, Matic and Ivanovic have looked very very poor so far. Also I think Cahill is a decent but not great centerback.

[tribe125]

Heathrow Airport were having some fun on Twitter -

[GaryF]

That's not really my argument but it may be true.
The whole football landscape has changed in recent years. Fergie had pulling power, the club had continuity, they regularly won titles and progressed in the Champions' League. All of this was built on the foundation of being the richest club in the World. Jose was a young exiting manager but many (outside of its fandom) harboured the suspicion that Roman's Chelsea might be a plaything/political safety net that might not last long.

Now Jose is arguably the second most important manager in the World and the centre-piece of a major part of Mendes'e empire. We shouldn't be too surprised that Mendes-owned players keep arriving at the bridge despite looking destined for other clubs.

Meanwhile, Man U. has become a bit of a basket case club with Champion's League qualification far from guaranteed and a Prem' title a million miles away. They are helmed by a manager who is famous for treating players poorly and Woodward has done nothing to make us think that he is particularly capable of landing top players. There a many reasons besides geography that a player might chose Chelsea at the moment, but principally, it offers almost guaranteed success and any agent would want his books filled with successful clients.

I'm not saying that Mendes is responsible for Chelsea's success but I am saying that, while his crown jewel is managing there, Chelsea will continue to have an advantage when pursuing Mendes-owned players.

Sir Alex himself said Mendes was the best in the business and brokered many deals with him: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...-agent-4176969

Jose was coaching then as well, yet somehow he didn't manage to steal all SAF's players. Now if your argument is that Ferguson had clout with Mendes and LVG does not, then United should look within at who they choose for manager and what his reputation is.

[Raza]

United has grabbed a couple of top players over the last two years though. Juan Mata is excellent and was unceremoniously dropped by Mourinho after winning player of the year at Chelsea for two years in a row (I believe). Unlike Mesut Ozil, there is no debate that Angel Di Maria is a world class player. And they got him. And then wasted him. And dumped at a huge loss. Schweinsteiger may be over the hill, but his quality is hardly in doubt. And Schneiderlin has been one of the most sought after DMs in the past two years. They got him. Memphis is a high potential player, that's for sure.

Putting the pieces together seems United s bigger problem than getting them.

[OTGabe]

United has grabbed a couple of top players over the last two years though. Juan Mata is excellent and was unceremoniously dropped by Mourinho after winning player of the year at Chelsea for two years in a row (I believe). Unlike Mesut Ozil, there is no debate that Angel Di Maria is a world class player. And they got him. And then wasted him. And dumped at a huge loss. Schweinsteiger may be over the hill, but his quality is hardly in doubt. And Schneiderlin has been one of the most sought after DMs in the past two years. They got him. Memphis is a high potential player, that's for sure.

Putting the pieces together seems United s bigger problem than getting them.

Agreed. I'm just not buying the argument that United can't get top talent. Sure, they're not dropping cash like City, but they're second in the league behind them. The Pedro deal was bungled, the whole De Gea nonsense is a joke, and now they spend £36m on Anthony Martial, which by all accounts seems to be a very high price. They are spending and getting players, but the question is whether they are the right ones for van Gaal's system. Of course that would assume he has a system, which it's fairly apparent that he doesn't. He's now been given a quarter billion pounds worth of new players since he arrived, so I can't imagine that there is much more time for excuses, no matter what sort of incompetence has occurred with the front office.

[tribe125]

I was right about Watford fans being ecstatic about the return of Adlene Guedioura. There's page after page of dancing gifs and general delight. Guedioura himself is almost in tears being interviewed about his return. He had two loan periods from Palace and became a near-legend for Watford whilst never being a Watford player. He seemed to embrace the irrepressible spirit of Watford's heyday in the 70s and 80s. More than any other player, his drive and enthusiasm were responsible for Watford's promotion. His loan period terminated before the end of the season but he got Palace's permission to return and wear Watford kit on the open-top bus parade through the town.

Palace valued him at £3.5 million, Watford valued him at £0.5 million, considering that he's 29. Gino Pozzo only buys players at his own valuation, although he will have paid more than £0.5 million. Palace received many offers at £3.5 million during the summer, but Guedioura turned them all down, still hoping that he could get back to Watford.

Guedioura trained with Palace yesterday morning, went home and changed into his suit - just in case there might be any signing to do - and pointed his car in the direction of Hertfordshire.





Now there's a picture of a man happy to be joining a football club. He said "I was physically in South London but my heart and mind was always in Vicarage Road. Now I have come back and brought my body back to my heart".


Gino Pozzo, who hadn't said anything about Guedioura while Watford fans were enduring a long and hopeful summer, says it was always the intention to bring him back.

It's a small story, and Guedioura isn't even guaranteed a start, but it's good to see some heart in the passionless frenzy of the transfer market.

[tribe125]

The Pedro deal was bungled

As I understand it, Pedro's wife didn't want to live in Manchester and van Gaal had some doubts about his pace. All gossip, though.

[OTGabe]

As I understand it, Pedro's wife didn't want to live in Manchester and van Gaal had some doubts about his pace. All gossip, though.

Numerous reports stated that personal terms had already been agreed between player and club. At issue was the 30m fee, and Woodward was in Barcelona to negotiate how to pay it. Now perhaps after all that, both LVG and Pedro both changed their minds, but those explanations seem like excuses made after the fact. According to Pedro's agent, everything was in place for a deal, but United was moving slowly and was caught flat-footed when Chelsea joined the fray.

No doubt the London factor as well as the Spanish influence on Chelsea's squad helped move things along, but ultimately it's the job of a front office to make sure the deals get done quickly. You don't hammer out personal terms with a player and send your Vice Chairman to Spain when the manager thinks he doesn't have enough pace for the squad. I don't think anyone outside the Old Trafford faithful is buying that line of bull.

[tribe125]

Now perhaps after all that, both LVG and Pedro both changed their minds, but those explanations seem like excuses made after the fact.

From memory, the reports were coming out of Spain before the fact. It was looking like a done deal in most British newspapers, but Spanish sources were saying 'Don't be so sure...'.