EPL Hot Stove

[drobny23]

I start this thread to distract Celtic from the throes of wedding dread, and for the five or six of you who will care about it. As for the rest of you, commence analogies to drying paint and grass growth!

I love the soccer transfer system juxtaposed against a hungry Euro media without substance to report.

Ronaldo -- genuinely interested in transferring to Spain, or just trying to shake a few bajillion more out of Sir Alex?

Chelsea -- those guys really serious about the Special One's desires to lure them to Italy? Lets hope so.

And of course, Rafa's Liverpool. Desiring Gareth Barry, but without the funds, he's shipping off Xabi Alonso, whose boner giveaway had us out to Barnsley in the FA Cup, and Peter Crouch (to Portsmouth) to pay O'Neill's asking price of L18M. Enter bookend CBs (Degan, Dossena). Still desiring a striker to play LWF in the 4-2-3-1.

Friendies start this week!

[Greenmachine]

Fullham added five players:
MARK SCHWARZER a back up from Middlesbrough , now they have 5 on the books, just crazy.
ZOLTAN GERA a free transfer from West Brom
ANDRANIK free from Bolton
DAVID STOCKDALE one of the 5 GK, but is a project I wonder where Keller is going?

[drobny23]

Fulham should re sign Jaroslav Drobny.

[Greenmachine]

Ronaldo being out with the ankle injury/ surgery will hurt a lot of peoples Fantasy team. Ronaldinho rejected City, would have like to see that. Deco's move to the blues may cause more mayhem with a non cohesive side.

[Greenmachine]

I hear you, they need a player with a winning pedigree

[drobny23]

Ronaldo being out with the ankle injury/ surgery will hurt a lot of peoples Fantasy team. Ronaldinho rejected City, would have like to see that. Deco's move to the blues may cause more mayhem with a non cohesive side.

Chelsea is going to be a circus, again, this year. New coach (inexplicably). Crowded midfield.

[JimmyG37]

In looking at Liverpool's transfer situation, you have to think that eventually Gareth Barry ends up at Anfield. There's no way he can stay at Aston Villa, as he has ripped manager Martin O'Neill lately to the point where he has been barred from pre-season training. O'Neill seems resigned to the fact that Barry will leave for Liverpool, all that is left is for Liverpool to meet O'Neill's price, which he has set at 18million. Liverpool is said to have gone about as high as 15 million, and reports are that Steve Finnan might be added to the deal for Barry. From some of the stuff I've read, 18 million is a bit steep of a valuation for Barry, so in my ideal situation, Rafa would tell O'Neill to screw himself over the 18 million, then after a week or two, O'Neill would realize that he has a captain that he can't put back on the field, so he goes to Rafa and accepts something in the 12-15 million range.

The big one I'm waiting on for Liverpool would fill the need for another forward/wing. About a week or two ago, news broke that Rafa had made an offer for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane. Upon hearing of the offer, Keane expressed the desire to go to Liverpool, the team he followed as a child in Dublin. The thought is he would be promised the #7 jersey number worn by his hero and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish. Not sure of the progress of the transfer possibility, as the offer I saw most mentioned was Some money + Peter Crouch, and Crouch appears headed to Portsmouth, so the deal would now likely have to be cash for Keane. If this goes through, I would be very excited.

Other Liverpool players leaving are John Arne Riise, who is off to Roma and Harry Kewell, who is off to Galatasary.

[Celtic]

Robbie Keane has been rumored to be transfered since he was in the cradle.

Don't underestimate St Martin. He would sell Barry to Hamilton Accies for a bag of balls just to piss him off.

I am convinced Kewell is insane. WTF was he thinking? One round on the CL then back to man-love central.

My question is this, when will Damien be set free of that piss hole Newcastle?

[backstop]

My question is this, when will Damien be set free of that piss hole Newcastle?

I guess Arsenal is poking around at Martins. Newcastle could really suck next year. I guess like last year.

[drobny23]

Robbie Keane is wishful thinking. Rafa will be desperate to spend as O'Neill says for Barry, considering the prospect of starting the season with Plessis as a MFer considering Mascherano and Lucas will be at the OoOoO.

Kewell, quite possibly the love child of Rafa, was given every opportunity. Kewell:Liverpool as JD:Cardinals. So long 'arry.

I like Riise. I'll miss him. And his crippling own goal.

Finnan can go.

I wanted to see 4-4-2 CL games with Torres and Crouch. Oh well. I fear Crouch is going to rip 2 points away from us this year.

Newcastle can trot out Martins and Damien, David Villa and Ronaldo and it still won't change the fact that defense makes them a middle table side. Entertaining nonetheless.