Village Idiot

Mmmm... Remy and Lukaku are the exact same price. Which one would you get? Lukaku was insane for WBA, but I'm not too sure he'll be the main man at Everton like he became there. Don't think I'll be able to afford Özil without crippling my other player positions or giving up one of Hazard/Sturridge.

I want royalties Barcelona should sue over that alright still what the hell West Ham in what possible way are they "more than a football club" (its also one of the things that bug me about Barca but lets not get into that) It's just what it meant for the Catalan population throughout the years (could go at length with examples), it wasn't coined - and certainly it doesn't mean - as a way to affirm superiority over other football clubs. It's something I'm quite proud as a fan tbf. The phrase was coined in the late 60s, when we were utterly s***. And very proud of it you should be If there is to be any club worthy of being "mes que un club" then it's Barca. VI is correct, it's nothing to do with superiority at all, it's around social history, Franco, Spanish civil upheaval and a view point on it and taking a stand. The Barca story is a truly great one. You'll make me blush. Let's not carried away, however, it's not like we became a social protest force (we'd have been shut down the day after, for starters - although the club was indeed banned under another Junta in the 1920s). But little things, like people organizing clandestine gatherings during matches (you had to ask permission to organize any kind of gathering in a public place, but you could easily disguise that in the terraces of a stadium holding 100,000 people), the Barça anthem being a Catalan anthem in disguise (as affirmed by the original author), so people could sing it at the stadium at a time where the proper Catalan anthem was forbidden (and people were sent to jail for singing it in public). Heck, one of our presidents was shot during the war and the whole squad had to flee to Mexico. It was mostly an example of an oppressed society using whatever outlet they could to (in a limited way) express themselves. There were many others at the time but none so massive as a football club.

The badger thing: Just... how... I mean...

Is Lukaku to WBA confirmed then? Straight into my FF team if that's the case, he wil play every single minute given how desperate they are.

That seems to be your owner's strategy innit? Gamble on what you have, there's always Jan to rectify but no need to spend money now if it's not needed. We have registered Cuenca and Afellay after failing to secure loan moves for them (they are both on long term injuries so isn't surprising).

Has the Özil deal been made official btw? Nothing yet on Arsenal's website but they do have the Vivano loan. I don't want this deal to break down :/

Anelka played on the weekend, so I guess he's staying.

Doesn't he tend to play more forward for Bilbao? Nah. Good, old fashioned CM. Passes it easy but smartly, works hard, runs all day, good first touch and technique. Last I saw was when Bielsa was there so not sure if he's improved or declined since then. I've never seen him play, so I'll take your word for it. I've read a few sites that have him as an AM. Pip's assessment is a good one. I'd say he's stagnated in his second season at Athletic, but all the team was all kinds of awful last season.

Raúl Tamudo has signed for Sabadell in Liga Adelante.

Cabaye's replacement.

ManU's transfer window's been like yours, just with bigger figures that get rejected.

It's a fine point you raise MoleFanMan. Álvaro Vázquez is rather average though. To be honest a lot of their Spanish-based signings this year are pretty drossy, but I suppose they are cheaper than similarly-talented englishmen.

Love all my friends trying to rationalize the Özil sale: "Isco's better", "It's a lot of money", "He's afraid he won't cut it anymore with Isco and Bale coming in". He's one of the best #10s in the world, if you want to be the best, you don't sell one of the best. Period.

Who have they signed besides Sakho?

Also, Barça don't really use a #10, and Iniesta doesn't fill that role, so you can't really compare his numbers and Özil's. Not that the German isn't a fantastic player which I'm happy to see leaving Real Madrid.

Done nothing so far, been in work since 8. Transfer Deadline Day should just be a bank holiday, nobody does anything. Pretty much Same here, fortunately my bosses are in the US and it's a holiday over there, so they won't be bugging me until tomorrow

Madrid are utter crazy to let Özil go. Sneijder/Robben all over again.

Spreadsheet.

Hope it's 10, otherwise I don't think I can make room for him. My biggest worry is that I play in a drafted league and somebody else will jump on him. When do they usually add new signings?

Chestnut is allright imho.

They loaned them Benayoun the other year, not worried about them I guess. I know they have Mourinho and a better squad on paper, but there hasn't been that much between Arsenal and Chelsea these past two seasons.

Would Chelsea strengthen a rival like that? Or they just don't care about Arsenal?

Physicality, his engine isn't the best. It got progressively better, though, as Mourinho forced him to do extra fitness training.

Reports in Spain that Özil has travelled to England. Not Marca, though, although they seem busy :fwap:ing with Bale's unveiling.

Kaká to Meelan finalised apparently.