I would agree with this for the most part. Chelsea were supported well in the 50's and 60's. When they would go down, the attendance dropped major. There was a time when QPR could draw a bigger gate than Chelsea. West Ham have their own support base, mostly east london and essex.
Malaga is quite the destination, but if good weather decided the success of a club, then clubs in Spain would routinely be better than English clubs. Outside of Real and Barcelona, that is usually not the case.
So it looks like I was about right. Liverpool just announced they agreed to the fee for Downing. So this looks likely. Reina Johnson Carragher/Kelly Agger/Skrtel New left-back Gerrard/Henderson Lucas Mereiles/Adam Suarez Carrol Downing With Kuyt substituting in across the front 3 when needed. I am not happy at all, but I just hope this works out.
Liverpool is being taken for one hell of a ride when it comes to English players... Carroll, Downing, and Henderson... LOL.
I agree, Henderson is young and has a lot of potential. He could become a key player over the next 5 years. However, Downing is what he will always be, and he will never be anything more. An decent player, who is about Europa League quality, who isn't good enough to solve Liverpools left-wing problem, and be the difference that gets them into the Champions League next season. It really does depress me. PS. When was the last time a big 6 club signed an English player who turned out to be a good value for the money? It has been a long time. The only thing I can think of is Joe Hart in 2006, but City were not a big club then. I suppose you could say Peter Crouch at a stretch, because even though he isn't great, he didn't cost that much either.
I know, it is hard. And that has been 7 years. If the rate of signing quality English players is one in 7 years, that would be pretty bad. However, Ashley Cole went to Chelsea in 2006, and I think he is pretty clearly a good value. That is the last player I can think of who you would say was definitely a good value for an English player going to a big English side. And British players don't have a great record either, there is Gareth Bale in the last few years, and that is about all I can think of.
England was ranked like 4th at one point because South American teams were preparing for the Copa America. Probably the most overrated team out there. I heard that between the men and women, England have lost 9 out of the last 10 penalty shootouts... Don't know if that's true but it is funny. Weak midfield, moderate back-line, moderate strike-force. Moderate team. Most of Europe is better..
I think Englands best chance was 06. They just needed a manager with the courage of Lippi to make the tough decisions. Lampard should have been on the Bench, and Scholes should have been talked out of retirement. Then their line-up would have looked like this. Robinson(he isn't very good, but they had no good option). Neville Ferdinand Terry Cole Hargreaves Scholes Beckham Gerrard Cole Rooney Is that a great squad? No, but it is pretty good. Good enough to beat Portugal in the QF for sure. On top of that, they would have had these options on the bench. James, Campbell, Carragher, Bridge, Carrick, Lampard, Lennon, Owen, Crouch. That is pretty solid, even if unspectacular outside of Lampard. However I think that starting 11 would offer a balanced team, with Hargreaves as the ball winner, Scholes as the midfield general, Gerrard as the attacking creator, and Rooney finishing off their moves. Plus that was a world class back four at that time. All four of those defenders were among the best in their position in the world at that time. I think that team could have easily made the semifinals, and with the right bounces won the tournament. However that window for success has passed. Of all the world class players they had in 06, Rooney, Terry, Ferdinand, Neville, Cole, Gerrard, Scholes(who was actually retired from international football, but then again so was Zidane before he was talked into coming back), Beckham, and Lampard. 2 are retired, one is in semi-retirement in America, and all the rest are no longer at their best with the exception of Rooney(who was and continues to be overrated). Now they are lacking that sort of quality across the field, especially in the midfield.
Yeah, that would be a great line-up. But alas, England will suffer falling behind. I'm awaiting this Uruguay Argentina clash..
20 million quid for Downing is absurd. Who is to say any of those players were really interested in Liverpool?
Crouch is a useful player and I believe he is better than some want to believe. His strike rate for England is quite impressive. English players are almost always valued too high because the media drives speculation about certain players and creates them into celebrities more than footballers. I believe English players and British players in general, are needed if a big club wants to win the league. United have perfected the balance between british players and imports. Arsenal have failed at this.
They wouldn't but that's not the point. Arsenal are paying world-class prices for above average players. Crouch.. lol. United got lucky, in all reality, with their English players.
I meant Liverpool, whoops. and wooot. MODRIC, new avatar of the week or so. Saw him getting off the plane on tour in SA and he looked nice.
Unless a player is at Barcelona, Real Madrid, Man U, Chelsea, and possibly the big 3 in Italy, they would fall over themselves to go to Liverpool. Liverpool are the most successful club in the biggest league in the world. They have been very successful recently, and the only way players would turn them down is if Liverpool is directly competing with one of the clubs I mentioned above. PS. Even if they cannot get Sanchez if Barcelona want him(for example), they absolutely could scout and find the next Sanchez somewhere. There have to be 100 attacking players in the world better than Stewart Downing(and that is being generous). Some of them are obviously going to be less known than others. Sign one of them over wasting 20 million on Downing!! I tell you the Downing signing really has me depressed. Henderson is young and has potential, and he created the third most goal-scoring opportunities last year, behind only Nani and Nasri. That is impressive company. I also don't mind the Adam signing, as he was cheap, and for that price need be nothing more than a squad player. However Downing is expected to come in and solve the left-wing problem. The problem with that, is that he can't!!
True, but I think Liverpool's spending is very alluring. I think Dalglish stayed on because he was promised funds and players joined in the winter because Liverpool told them that it was just the beginning in their side's rejuvenation. I see Liverpool making the top 4 if they try hard; but Spurs, Chelsea, Utd, City, and Arsenal are going to make it difficult.
I remember the Scouser glory days very well because I grew up during that period of English football. Liverpool were what United currently are and the gloryhunters flocked to support Liverpool. They are still a very big club, but I would expand your list to include Manchester City and possibly the Gooners at this point. City because of the money are looking to be a more attractive option for top players than Liverpool or Arsenal. Even Chelsea, a club that has history, but nothing near Liverpool have surpassed the Scousers as a destination for top class players. It is the way football is today and it will be very difficult for Liverpool or a club like Spurs to win the league in this climate.
United, City, and probably Chelsea are almost a given to make up 3 of the top 4. It will be a tight competition between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Spurs for the fourth spot. A couple clubs could even contend that may not be favourites for the fourth spot (Villa, Everton, maybe Sunderland).
I left out Arsenal for one reason, and one reason only. They have a very strict wage structure. Same thing for spurs. Because of that, they aren't able to compete with the other clubs as far as the wages they can offer. So Arsenal are just as appealing as Liverpool as a club, have the added incentive of being in London, but are incapable of matching the wages the other big clubs in England can offer. Spurs are even more hindered by their wage structure. You are right about City to an extent. They are a club on the rise, but it still seems to me that most of the top players City goes after avoid them like the plague. Like Sanchez, when City agreed a fee with Udinese, and Sanchez refused to board a plane to discuss personal terms with them. The best players still don't want City. I would be surprised if that were still true in 5 years, but right now I think it is.
