Village Idiot

Or he's just baiting us into closing the deal by invoking the name of the Unspeakable. Would not be the first agent to do that

They have Marcelo, who's good going forward but a definite liability at the back. And Drenthe of course...

They needed a natural winger though, playing Kaká or Marcelo there was just utter waste (one of the reasons Kaká was so poor, too).

One of my favorite tactics when playing as keeper was fouling the forwards when I rushed out to catch a ball excusing myself with the momentum. It drove them mad and I was never sent off in all my career. Guess it comes with the latin genes

Carvalho is a very good player if he can stay fit. That has been a massive question the last few seasons though. Interesting how Chelsea go about replacing him. They've lost quite a few of their older players this close season. Always been a great fan of Carvalho. If he stays fit he'll do a good job for them, only short term but it will work. You'll grow to loathe him. He is the absolute master of the sly foul. Couldn't think of a defender more suited to the Spanish game. He'll wear the white shirt, that's going to make it easy. This is the first galáctico-less transfer window for RM with Pérez in charge, by the way (unless you count Mou as a galáctico signing). Casillas Ramos Carvalho Pepe/Albiol Arbeloa Alonso Khedira Kaká/Van der Vaart Cronaldo Higuaín Di María Can't see this side playing Inter football, to be frank, but they'll be solid.

Cannot stop laughing at this kid's face. Is that really the best shot the photographer got? http://estaticos02.marca.com/blogs/fuera-de-juego/imagenes_posts/2010/08/10/IMG_0392.JPG This one too

For achilles to rupture, something has to occur. Usually you are impactd from behind or it gives out when you push off to jump or sprint. There is no guarantee that this occurs on a different pitch at a different club. The achilles of Senderos as a Newcastle player exists completely seperatly from the achilles of Senderos as an Arsenal player. I see a Schroedinger cat somewhere in this.

I bet they have the money have a big accepted for Cesc That's a good question. They are only slightly ahead of us in terms of revenue but have been consistently spending more, yet we are the ones that apparently are broke.

Carvalho is a very good player if he can stay fit. That has been a massive question the last few seasons though. Interesting how Chelsea go about replacing him. They've lost quite a few of their older players this close season. Always been a great fan of Carvalho. If he stays fit he'll do a good job for them, only short term but it will work.

After being linked with 20m+ moves for the likes of Maicon, Cole, Thiago Silva... they end up with Carvalho at 7m. Reality setting in even at that place, I guess. They are still sitting at about €60m net spend for the season, mind.

He may try to do an Owen Coyle and jump mid-season if they manage to string a few good results.

Gerrard giving interviews after being at the pub, apparently: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6304418,00.html

Bremen have denied any agreement over Özil.

That might explain it then, although Friedel doesn't really have that much gas in the tank to start a career at a new club.

Some Belgian fans gloryhunters have named their newborn son "Barça" http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/gif/20100809/mellamofcb5006.jpg Boy's face is priceless.

Saw that in the MON thread, weird move for Fulham to go after such an old keeper with Schwarzer in goal.

Just saw a guy in a Spanish footie forum claiming that Newcastle are a lock for Europa League, bless. Sometimes it seems that most people outside England are still stuck in the Robson era when they think of you. Personally, I think that if you maintain stability and team spirit you'll edge it (avoiding relegation, not Europa league).

Given your financial position, where is all this money coming from? Reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated. Even though, our net spend so far is just €10m, surely we can afford this. Still a bit of a pointless signing. I appreciate his pace and athleticism - which we lack in the side - but still looks like a kneejerk signing after missing on Cesc.

He's on his last year so it's the kind of money I'd expect.

Well, now both Barcelona rags are reporting we have agreed a €10m fee for Özil, and the club is waiting on Guardiola to give the go-ahead. Surprising development after promoting two centremids from our B team. I'm afraid this might be a political signing.

This is weird, so soon before the season...

From our part, Hleb is yours if you take the wages. Herein lies the problem for you I guess.

Nothing in our media about it.

Maicon deal definitively off, according to several sources and Moratti himself. Great player, don't think Madrid needed him.

His father is Mazinho, WC winner in 1994 with Brazil, who now resides in Spain after he played for Valencia and Celta in the mid-90s. Thiago was born in Italy while Mazinho played for Lecce, but has lived in Spain since he was 8 I think. And yes, he's an AM.