The Official Football (Soccer) Thread

[da_notorious_mack]

hopefully not


saha has just joined Everton...Riera is due on anfield for a medical tomorrow i believe

[Antonio]

Barcelona young sensation Iago Falquč was just acquired by Juventus.

[Elano]

MILAN, Italy (AP)—Inter Milan is coming off three straight Serie A titles and new coach Jose Mourinho will be keen to live up to his nickname the “Special One.”

“When this team has had time to work together we will win games 2-0 and 3-0 not 1-0,” Mourinho said of this weekend’s league openers. “I have only worked with the team for one month so we will get much better.”

Though unable to lure Frank Lampard from Chelsea, Mourinho should get midfield help with the acquisition of Amantino Mancini from Roma. Inter also is hoping for another impressive season from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who had 17 goals last season. And Adriano is back for Inter after a six-month spell in Brazil.

Mourinho led Chelsea to English Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, then was fired early last season. Fans and owner Massimo Moratti want the Portuguese coach to deliver Inter’s first European Cup title since 1965.

“I don’t know our rivals sufficiently to say what our chances are, but the Champions League is a rather difficult competition,” Moratti said. “Mourinho is an expert and the players have gained experience. This could be our year.”

Roma, which finished second the past two seasons, must hope coach Luciano Spalletti can once again get the best out of a perennially weak bench and that forward Francesco Totti can stay healthy. Even if that happens, it will still struggle to overcome the loss of Mancini’s fancy footwork in midfield.

“Roma is very strong and has experience and you need to put them at the top of the list (of contenders) because they also have an excellent coach,” Moratti said.

Help in attack arrived with the newly signed Julio Baptista who gives Spalletti another option up front besides Totti and Montenegro’s Mirko Vucinic. The midfield will again include Italy stars Daniele De Rossi, Alberto Aquilani and Simone Perrotta.

Milan, which will be in the UEFA Cup following a fifth-place Serie A finish, has an all-Brazilian attack of Kaka, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldinho, obtained from Barcelona following a disappointing season. Milan lost striker Alberto Gilardino to Fiorentina, but added Marco Borriello, who scored 19 goals for Genoa last year, and Andriy Shevchenko, who returns after two unsuccessful seasons at Chelsea.

While the midfield looks solid with the return of Italy midfielders Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini, the defense is cause for concern for coach Carlo Ancelotti. Paolo Maldini is 40 years old and Alessandro Nesta has had injury problems, although they will be helped with the arrival of Gianluca Zambrotta.

Christian Abbiati, Dida and Zeljko Kalac are competing to start in goal.

“The (league) championship is Milan’s primary objective,” said Filippo Inzaghi, who scored 10 goals in Milan’s final seven games last season.

In its quest for its 28th Serie A title, Juventus has an attack of Alessandro Del Piero (21 goals last season) and David Trezeguet (20). The club’s offseason signings include Brazilian forward Amauri, who scored 15 goals last season for Palermo, and Sweden defender Olof Mellberg.

Fiorentina spent more than $58 million on players during the offseason and rejected Roma’s $29 million offer for Romania striker Adrian Mutu.

“For years I just got by, but this time I really spent,” said Pantaleo Corvino, Fiorentina’s sporting director. “The big teams are no longer in another galaxy. Inter, Milan, Juve and Roma are still far away, skyscrapers, but we are now a big house.”

Sampdoria may struggle to repeat its sixth-place finish from last season, though the creative Antonio Cassano is back to lead the attack.

Napoli finished a surprising eighth last season following its promotion from Serie B. The team might do even better this season with the return of the speedy Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi in attack, supported in midfield by Slovak Marek Hamsik.

“Napoli has improved a lot and will continue to improve,” Ancelotti said.

Genoa may struggle after selling Borriello to Milan and concentrating its efforts on a crop of young players, including Raffaele Palladino, who played for Juventus last season.

Palermo shed several key players, including Amauri, and will likely struggle. The same fate probably awaits Atalanta and Lazio.

Siena, Cagliari, Reggina, Torino and Catania may well repeat last season’s battle to avoid relegation. The three additions from Serie B are Chievo, Bologna and Lecce.

But the focus will be at the top of the standings.

“Mourinho is the man to beat,” Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri said. “Inter is to be feared.”

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

I always thought Lee was a decent enough player, a left back right? He looked solid anytime i saw him.

[wilz]

I always thought Lee was a decent enough player, a left back right? He looked solid anytime i saw him.

wasn't in the same league as tosh Mckinlay tho.

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

I always thought Lee was a decent enough player, a left back right? He looked solid anytime i saw him.

wasn't in the same league as tosh Mckinlay tho.

Nobody is my friend, nobody is...

[K.Dub]

Yeaaah, them Geordies was sent home with -3

[Antonio]

Sampdoria 1 - Inter 1

[JMan]

@ all the Premier League guys: How's  Young-Pyo Lee ?

Who?

I never rated him for us.. he was far too lightweight at times, was okay to have as a back up left back but definatley wasnt worth a starting spot...  I take it your a Dortmund fan then Janitor?

[JMan]

Yeaaah, them Geordies was sent home with -3

Yo k'dub.. i heard last night that Van Persie has injured his ankle again and thats why he was taken off yesterday.. know any information on this?

[K.Dub]

Yeaaah, them Geordies was sent home with -3

Yo k'dub.. i heard last night that Van Persie has injured his ankle again and thats why he was taken off yesterday.. know any information on this?

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-improvement-comes-from-a-different-attitude-
"He is having an X-ray and we have to check his ankle. Hopefully nothing is broken but I don't know yet."

 

[E Dub]

oh my Celtic humped in their own midden

4-2 to the Gers






FAIL

Cheers Artur

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1521396/
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1521414/
Pedro Mendes ROCKET MAN
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1521490/
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1521442/

[KURUPTION-81]

hopefully not


saha has just joined Everton...Riera is due on anfield for a medical tomorrow i believe

saha will prob fail the medical

[K.Dub]

hopefully not


saha has just joined Everton...Riera is due on anfield for a medical tomorrow i believe

saha will prob fail the medical

Lol, what's the fee?

[KURUPTION-81]

hopefully not


saha has just joined Everton...Riera is due on anfield for a medical tomorrow i believe

saha will prob fail the medical

Lol, what's the fee?

undisclosed, wouldnt expect it to be a lot with his history of injuries

Real dont seem too happy ,of hypocrites, they brought this mess on themselves

"Real deplore the way Chelsea's directors have acted despite knowing perfectly well the decision not to sell the player, making statements and even going so far as to sell shirts with the player's name on through their official website.""