<div id="attachment_2007" style="width: 330px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2007" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2007 " src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2009/09/UEFA-Champions-League1.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of izalldos" width="320" height="480"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-2007" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of izalldos</p></div>
<p>Tuesday and Wednesday brought about Match Day 2 in the UEFA Champions League, and the four representatives from Spain had interesting ties that helped shape their respective groups.&nbsp; On Tuesday, Sevilla FC visited Rangers FC at the Ibrox Stadium, where the European night atmosphere is second to none, buoying their beloved Gers, and FC Barcelona hosted FK Dynamo Kyiv at the Camp Nou, where both teams headed into this clash with undefeated records in both league and in Europe.&nbsp; On Wednesday, Real Madrid faced Olympique de Marseille at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Gabriel Heinze and Fernando Morientes played against their former employers in white, and Atlético Madrid tried to forget their domestic troubles at the Estádio do Dragão against FC Porto.</p>
<p>Rangers knocked Sevilla on their heels in the first half, keeping up with Sevilla’s passing football as well as using their robust style to wear down the opposition.&nbsp; The height of the half culminated in the 36th minute, when Abdoulay Konko tackled Steven Naismith inside the penalty area, and referee Jonas Eriksson continued play.&nbsp; There was little doubt about the legitimacy of Naismith’s claim for a penalty, as Konko made no contact with the ball and clearly took out the ankle of Naismith.</p>
<p>Up to that point, Rangers was even with Sevilla, but a pivotal call, or non-call in this case, changes the momentum of a match, and instead of a likely 1-0 to the home side and an extra boost to an already rapturous Ibrox crowd, Sevilla rode its bit of luck and scored four goals in a span of twenty-four minutes in the second half to secure the three points and seize control of Group G.&nbsp; Rangers would ruin Andrés Palop’s clean sheet in the 88th minute by a Nacho Novo strike, a goal fully deserved for their valiant performance, but Sevilla is the class of this group and should cruise to first place at the end of the group stage.</p>
<p>Even though Barcelona was at home and dominated their five games in La Liga, they were wary of Dynamo Kyiv and their attacking threats of Oleh Husyev, Andriy Shevchenko and Artem Milevskiy.&nbsp; Dynamo remained competitive for the opening fifteen minutes, but eventually the Barcelona Way overshadowed any attempt of Kyiv to produce any significant buildup play.&nbsp; When Dynamo had possession, either Barcelona took it away quickly, or they resorted to long balls.&nbsp; Barcelona forced them out of character, as they do with most teams, and their possession strategy created a plethora of chances, two of which they converted for a simple 2-0 win.&nbsp; The <em>blaugrana</em> will not be amused with their abnormal amount of giveaways or the lack of finishing that could have spelled another two to three goals, but a solid team effort and a comfortable 2-0 win sends Barcelona to the top of the group.</p>
<p>Real Madrid and Manuel Pellegrini tweaked the formation and lineup for Wednesday evening’s fixture with Marseille by forming a three-man front line with the three big signings of the offseason: Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kaká.&nbsp; With Guti behind the three as the roaming creative force, there was no room for Raúl in the starting XI.&nbsp; At the moment, Pellegrini’s rotational policy has not created any problems in the dressing room, and if they continue to win, the players will continue to buy into him.&nbsp; It is clear that Pellegrini does not quite have the grasp of how to shape this Madrid team in the best way possible as of yet, and the first forty-five minutes showed a work in progress despite its blistering start domestically.&nbsp; A combination of Marseille’s work rate and discipline and Real Madrid’s tentativeness and lack of understanding within the attacking trio led to a dull first half.&nbsp; In spite of a 57/43 possession ratio in favor of <em>Los Blancos</em>, Marseille was on equal footing, canceled out Madrid for the most part, and generated chances of their own.</p>
<p>Similar to the Sevilla-Rangers match, where Sevilla changed the momentum in a short time gap, Real Madrid tallied three times in a span of six minutes, including a penalty resulting from a second yellow card for Marseille central defender Souleymane Diawara that sealed any chance for Marseille to play their way back into the match.&nbsp; Replays showed that Diawara made contact with the ball first, but the apparent severity of the challenge on Ronaldo forced referee Martin Hansson to flash the yellow card and send Diawara off.&nbsp; With AC Milan suffering a shock 0-1 defeat at the San Siro by the hands of FC Zürich, Real Madrid has complete control of Group C. &nbsp; This season, Madrid has had a tendency to let the opposition hang around and not step on their throats when they have the chance, but as the chemistry continues to develop and the familiarity increases, expect Real to salt these types of games away sooner and with more verve.</p>
<p>Poor Atlético Madrid.&nbsp; They need some alone time to figure out their problems and deficiencies.&nbsp; In the limelight of the Champions League and La Liga, however, all their frailties are shown for everyone to see, and they cannot hide.&nbsp; Their Champions League matchup with FC Porto could not come at a better time.&nbsp; Already struggling in the league, Atlético saw this match as an opportunity to leave their past troubles behind and start anew.&nbsp; Even though Porto was a quality side who advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League last season by defeating Atlético on the away goals rule, a positive result could spark a much-needed boost within the team.</p>
<p>An ominous sign came in the 26th minute when an apparent groin injury to backup goalkeeper Roberto forced manager Abel Resino to substitute in eighteen-year-old Atlético Madrid product David de Gea for his first senior appearance.&nbsp; Through the first 70+ minutes, the match was lively yet scrappy with much congestion in the midfield.&nbsp; Porto had the slight edge, but there was hardly anything between them.&nbsp; Then a slice a magic engineered by Porto swung the match in their favor.</p>
<p>In the 75<sup>th</sup> minute, Falcao scored an incredible goal to take the 1-0 lead.&nbsp; Raul Meireles started the move with a pinged cross-field ball to Hulk in the box.&nbsp; Hulk then blasted his shot at the right near post but de Gea brushed it aside.&nbsp; The rebound came straight back to Hulk, however, but he completely mishit it.&nbsp; He was able to recover, settle the ball, and square a pass to Falcao, who attempted a daring back heel and converted the shot to take a late 1-0 lead.&nbsp; <em>Los Colchoneros</em> did not convalesce and eventually conceded a second goal to suffer another defeat.&nbsp; Now they have to travel to Stamford Bridge to confront an in-form Chelsea team who will look to secure a likely spot into the knockout stages with a win over Atlético on Match Day 3.&nbsp; Abel Resino did get a public vote of confidence from the Atlético brass, but that kind of endorsement usually means very little, and more results like this will lead to his sacking sooner rather than later.</p>


La Liga in the UEFA Champions League: A Recap

La Liga in the UEFA Champions League: A Recap - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1908 aligncenter" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2009/09/benzema-xerez.jpg" alt="real madrid-xerez" width="300" height="210"></figure></div>
<p><strong>Real Madrid 5-0 Xerez</strong></p>
<p>1-0 Ronaldo, 1′</p>
<p>2-0 Ronaldo, 75′</p>
<p>3-0 Guti, 78′</p>
<p>4-0 Benzema, 82′</p>
<p>5-0 Van Nistelrooy, 89′</p>
<p>Real Madrid moved to the top of the table Sunday, ahead of Barcelona on goal differential, after a 5-0 rout of Xerez that was a more difficult affair than the final score might indicate. Cristiano Ronaldo netted a second straight brace for his new club and did all the meaningful scoring, giving Real the two-goal cushion upon which they built their late-game goal flurry. Yet even with all the talent in the world – quite literally – wearing white on the pitch, many questions remain for Madrid after a win that was less dominating than one would expect against a newly promoted side.</p>
<p>Despite (or perhaps because of) the quarter of a billion Euros splashed out this summer, Real took the better part of 90 minutes to finally click as a team. Last week I railed against their defensive miscues, but a similar charge can be leveled against their offense, which continues to rake in the goals despite playing a haphazard, individualistic style of football. After Ronaldo scored on a zinger in the first minute, Madrid appeared to go into hibernation for the next 70+ minutes, creating little more than moments of individual brilliance in the midst of mediocre play. Xerez just kept plugging away, little engine that could style, and their midfield did a commendable job of jamming up the works and preventing Madrid from ever finding a rhythm. With no Xabi Alonso to pull the strings in midfield, Real were left with Gago and Lass playing the double-pivot and little creativity flowing from the midfield.</p>
<p>As much was made clear when Pellegrini yanked Raul and Kaka in favor of Granero and Guti, leaving CR9 to partner Benzema as the two out-and-out strikers. All of a sudden the ball was moving more fluidly and play was built up from the midfield to create opportunities for the attacking players. Xerez clung to the one-goal deficit for a surprisingly long time, and the Andalucian side even had a number of chances to tie the game. Their failure to provide any quality service into the box was eventually their undoing, though, and with a quarter of an hour remaining Ronaldo skied in the box to head home Granero’s corner and secure the victory.</p>
<p>After that, the floodgates opened. Benzema whiffed at the ball, missing it completely about eight yards out, leaving it for Guti to clean up and smash past Xerez keeper Renan. The young Frenchman got his shortly thereafter when he drove up the lefthand side, juked the defender out of position just enough, and then blasted a left-footed shot into the net for 4-0 and his first regular season goal with Real Madrid. Even Ruud Van Nistelrooy got in on the act two minutes from time, scoring Real’s fifth on a slotted shot that nutmegged the keeper and rewarded the standing ovation he got from the fans on his introduction.</p>
<p>It was an amazing final fifteen minutes that displayed, in a brief flourish, all that these new-look Galacticos are capable of. But the other 75 minutes painted a more worrying picture, one of a team still struggling to find itself amidst all the new signings and suffering some growing pains in the process. Xerez didn’t possess enough threats to really test them defensively, but in the absence of defensive pressure their offense showed its own lack of fluency for much of the game. Unlike the team’s defensive troubles, though, I’m not exceedingly worried about these offensive hicc-ups. They will be worked out, and in much less time than it will take to get the back line in order. And until all those kinks are ironed out, there will always be a Cristiano or a Kaka or a Benzema etc. etc. to pull another rabbit out of the hat to save them. Today, there were five rabbits to be found, four of them in quick succession, in the dispatching of Xerez. A bit more consistency and a lot more fluency will go a long way toward calming the nerves of the fans who expressed their anxiety as the lack of a second goal weighed heavier and heavier in this one. The goals will quiet the critics for now, but for the sake of La Liga I hope they find their game sooner rather than later.</p>


Another Impressive Scoreline Conceals Real's Frailties

Another Impressive Scoreline Conceals Real's Frailties - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_1797" style="width: 470px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1797" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1797" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2009/09/cron9-espanyol.jpg" alt="(" how="" poorly="" madrid="" are="" defending.")"="" width="460" height="288"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-1797" class="wp-caption-text">("How poorly Madrid are defending.")</p></div>
<p><strong>Espanyol 0-3 Real Madrid<br>
<span style="font-weight: normal">0-1 Granero, 39’<br>
0-2 Guti, 77’<br>
0-3 Ronaldo, 90’</span></strong></p>
<p>This was a constant refrain from the Spanish language announcers and the theme of most of the match, as the Merengues struggled to hold their nerve at the back, occasionally looking as porous as SpongeBob Square Pants in defense. It should be noted that two of the team’s first choice defenders – Pepe and Sergio Ramos – were out of the line-up, which will take its toll on any squad. But with two Spanish internationals deputizing for them, in Albiol and Arbeloa, Madrid have little to complain about. Regardless of any caveats about missing players, though, the key word for this game was “composure,” which was sorely lacking over much of the pitch against Espanyol.</p>
<p>Despite the clear gap in quality (and paychecks) between the two teams, Espanyol were easily the better side for much of the game. Aside from a bad miss that Metzelder sent over the crossbar, the Periquitos had the best chances in the game’s early stages. Casillas prevented his side from going 1-0 down inside the first half hour when he saved Moises Hurtado’s shot from close range. Hurtado only had such a clear-cut opportunity because of horrible defending by Madrid, who left Luis Garcia completely unmarked near the back post, allowing him a free header back in front of goal to the waiting Hurtado. Fortunately for Los Blancos, Iker’s legs bailed them out and kept the scoreline even. Soon thereafter, Raul Tamudo narrowly missed getting his head onto an Ivan Alonso cross after some more shaky defending.</p>
<p>And then, seemingly out of nowhere, they struck, on a lovely little one-two between Kaka and Granero. El Pirata, who was brilliant all game, secured the ball nicely, dropped it off to Kaka, then darted into the box to receive the return pass and blast it past Kameni. It was very similar to the first goal against Deportivo in Jornada 1, when Madrid suddenly found their attacking boots on a double-nutmeg pass by Kaka to a streaking Benzema. That time, the post intervened and Raul was required to clean up the rebound. This time, Granero made no mistake with the shot to give his side the advantage.</p>
<p>The second came only after numerous chances for Espanyol to equalize, when Kaka dribbled around three defenders on the left, got his nose out in front, and laid it off for Guti to slot home. It was a lovely play by Kaka, who looks to be the team’s most important creative player so far. And finally, substitute Cristiano Ronaldo got his first goal from open play for the team when Guti played a perfect through ball to the world’s most expensive (and most precisely coiffed) football player. Ronaldo streaked with it down the right hand side and coolly put the ball between Kameni’s legs for the goal. It was once again refreshing to see his joy and relief at scoring for his new team, as his new price tag has appeared to weigh on him since arriving in Spain. A couple more goals like that, and those worries will be a thing of the past, like his relationship with Sir Alex at the end of his ManU tenure.</p>
<p>So in the end, they got the goals and outclassed an opponent they had every right to beat, but they made it as nerve-wracking as possible along the way. I couldn’t count how many times I grimaced as a ball rolled past numerous Madrid defenders or an Espanyol player dribbled with ease into the heart of the defense. They looked quite unorganized and, consequently, exceedingly vulnerable to the counterattack. At times, even clearing the ball became an exercise in futility and difficult to watch. It was more Espanyol’s profligacy in front of goal than Madrid’s defense that kept them off the scoreboard, but I suppose they’ll take a clean sheet any way they can get it.</p>
<p>In their first two games, Real Madrid have shown both how high they can go and how much they still have to do to attain such heights consistently. That tricky bit of composure is still clearly lacking, and it hurts the defense more than the offense. They have enough astronomical talent in the attack to come out with little unity or plan and still score goals. The back line is not quite so blessed with riches, but even if it were, defense is another proposition altogether. Individual stars can do little on their own to shut down an opponent, instead requiring a coherent system to which all subscribe in order to excel. It is this system which Madrid lacks at this point, and it is this which Pellegrini must correct, and soon, if he wants to content with Barcelona (and keep his job).</p>
<p>To be fair, this is an entirely understandable predicament for a team that was hastily assembled over the summer and which tends to feature between five and eight new faces in the starting eleven. They were always going to need time to gel, and as long as they are winning, they will probably be granted leniency from the demanding home fans. With lots of players resting due to international action midweek and a looming Champions League clash, they were also fielding somewhat of a B team – if such a term can be applied to a line-up that features the likes of Kaka, Benzema, and Xabi Alonso, but you get the picture. San Iker may just be enough to save them until they get their act together, but this can only go on for so long and the defensive deficiencies cannot be bailed out indefinitely by offensive firepower. At some point, Real Madrid are going to have to learn how to defend. I suspect that with time and the return of some much needed familiar faces, they will settle into their roles and play at least competently together, which is not something that could be said about them in this performance.</p>


Que Mal Que Marca El Madrid

Que Mal Que Marca El Madrid - World Soccer Talk

<p style="text-align: left">
</p><div id="attachment_1732" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1732" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-1732" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2009/08/Real-Madrid.jpg" alt="Together for the moment" width="500" height="345"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-1732" class="wp-caption-text">Together for the moment</p></div>
<p>The much-anticipated return of La Liga began with a scintillating match between the new galácticos of Real Madrid and the pesky Deportivo La Coruña, who always gives Madrid a run for their money, literally.&nbsp; Because of the continued suspension of Pepe and the tendinitis suffered by Sergio Ramos, the Real Madrid defense was not at full strength, and Ezequiel Garay and Álvaro Arbeloa started in their positions respectively.&nbsp; All of Madrid’s big signings started, and they began in a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation with Lass and Xabi Alonso in central midfield and in front of the back four, Cristiano Ronaldo on the right of the three, Raúl on the left, and Kaká roaming in the middle behind the striker Karim Benzema.</p>
<p>Early in the match, Madrid played tentatively as expected, trying to figure the best strategy to incorporate the strengths of the new players.&nbsp; They created a plethora of chances but did not construct the decisive pass to generate a genuine goal-scoring opportunity.&nbsp; Then the magic materialized that <em>los madridistas</em> expected since the formation of this second <em>galáctico</em> team.</p>
<p>In the 26th minute, on another attacking situation, Kaká’s vision and audacity came to fruition.&nbsp; Cutting inside towards the “D,” Kaká sensed the diagonal run of Karim Benzema and slotted a pass to him that traveled first between Pablo Álvarez’s legs, then between Juan Rodríguez’s legs to spot Karim Benzema.&nbsp; Benzema then fired his shot first time, split through goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubía’s legs, and hit the post; Raúl cleaned up the rebound, and it was 1-0 Real Madrid.&nbsp; It was debatable whether Benzema was onside when Kaká played his through ball to him, but nevertheless, that was why Florentino Pérez sought out these world-class players: for this kind of ingenuity and flair.</p>
<p>No sooner than four minutes later did Depor expose Real Madrid’s defense with a training ground free kick routine.&nbsp; Depor caught Madrid sleeping, and Riki headed home the equalizer.&nbsp; Madrid gave both Riki and Alberto Lopo an ample amount of space, and Riki ended up scoring, but to have two players so open from a relatively short free kick was inexcusable.</p>
<p>Real Madrid scored five minutes later on a penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo.&nbsp; Lass made another decisive pass into the box for Raúl, and Aranzubía felled Raúl whilst trying to take the ball off his foot.&nbsp; Ronaldo took the penalty with his famous stutter step and beat Aranzubía to retake the lead 2-1. &nbsp;Ronaldo then showed his panache a minute later when he did a series of step-overs, breezed by the defender, and crossed a beautiful ball to Raúl in the box.&nbsp; Unfortunately, for Real, Raúl’s shot went straight into Aranzubía’s stomach, but Ronaldo’s individual brilliance lit up the Bernabéu yet again.</p>
<p>The combination of Lass and Xabi Alonso controlled the midfield, akin to their rivals Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández at Barcelona, and they were able to keep possession and take possession back whenever Madrid lost the ball.&nbsp; These two hold the key to unlocking opposing defenses; if they dictate the middle of the park, the front line will be able to be free to set up their one-two’s and other intricate positions.</p>
<p>The Real Madrid defense was caught ball watching in the first minute of the second half.&nbsp; Andrés Guardado worked the left flank and crossed to Juan Carlos Valerón, where he had the ability to control the cross, take the shot, and score from the top of the penalty box.&nbsp; No one was close enough to Valerón, and even when Ezequiel Garay attempted to close down Valerón’s shot, it was only in vain as Valerón blasted his shot passed a frozen Iker Casillas.&nbsp; Garay and Raúl Albiol did not have the chemistry required for a central defensive pair, and that was the kind of situation where Madrid missed the calm and positioning of Pepe.</p>
<p>Real almost gave up a third goal in the 57th minute when Guardado again paced down the left wing and sent a heavenly ball to Valerón.&nbsp; Valerón sliced through the center of the defense again but inexplicably sent his shot wide of the post.&nbsp; Casillas had no chance, and from the six-yard box, it was harder to miss than to score, but somehow, Valerón managed to do so.&nbsp; Depor paid for their missed golden chance when Lass scored three minutes later from just outside the “D”.</p>
<p>The final was 3-2 in favor of Real Madrid, and each of the new players had their distinct moments of skill.&nbsp; Their defense needs major improvement, and maybe when Pepe and Sergio Ramos return, these defensive gaffes will not occur as often.&nbsp; The statistics suggest that Madrid dominated the match with 59% of the possession, twenty-eight shots with eleven on goal, and ten corner kicks to Depor’s three.&nbsp; When watching the match, there was always a feeling that Deportivo La Coruña could get a draw or even win.</p>
<p>Real is definitely still a work in progress, and it will take more than one match to develop the chemistry needed to gel as a unit.&nbsp; Offense was not the problem last year, and they will likely surpass the eighty-three goals they scored in the prior season; however, they cannot expect to outscore teams on every occasion.&nbsp; Benzema, Ronaldo, Kaká, Xabi Alonso, et al. will not be the problems.&nbsp; If the back line continues to leak goals as if it were the Exxon Valdez, Real Madrid will not win La Liga or any other competition this campaign.</p>


First Impressions of Real Madrid and the Second Galacticos Era

First Impressions of Real Madrid and the Second Galacticos Era - World Soccer Talk

<p><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-311" style="margin-right: 25px;border: 0px initial initial" src="/files/2008/10/coffee_newspaper.gif" alt="coffee_newspaper" width="225" height="168"></figure></div>Just a few news stories that caught my interest over the last couple of days. Enjoy!</p>
<ul>
<li>Karim Benzema <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jul/10/karim-benzema-manchester-united-real-madrid" target="_blank">admits turning down Manchester United</a> and Barcelona</li>
<li>Jonathan Wilson’s article on <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jul/08/romanian-football-gica-popescu-dinamo-bucharest" target="_blank">the ties that existed between Romanian secret police and&nbsp;Dinamo Bucharest<br>
</a></li>
<li>Ever think your video game managerial skills would make you a good boss of a real team? <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1198594/From-game-glory-real-life-Championship-Manager--mans-pathetic-day-Watford-dug-out.html" target="_blank">Think again</a>!</li>
<li>Tired of the same old names in the silly season rumours? Try these <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfers/5768367/Football-transfers-Top-50-alternative-European-transfer-targets.html" target="_blank">50 alternate transfer targets</a> (Thanks to <a href="http://my.thescore.com/footyblog/archive/2009/07/09/20978.aspx" target="_blank">The Footy Blog</a>‘s Joe Ross for that one.)</li>
</ul>


Friday Links: Benzema Admits Turning Down United

Friday Links: Benzema Admits Turning Down United - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_8397" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8397" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8397" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/utd.jpg" alt="Who will be in at Old Trafford this summer?" width="240" height="240"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8397" class="wp-caption-text">Who will be in at Old Trafford this summer?</p></div>
<p>With the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo adding £80 million to Sir Alex Ferguson’s usual £25-30 million yearly budget. A summer spending spree is surely on the cards. Looking at the side, it would appear to me a winger and some quality in centre midfield are needed, with possibly, a striker as the icing on the cake.</p>
<p>Looking at the players linked to Old Trafford, it would seem we have some familiar names.</p>
<p><strong>Luis Antonia Valencia – £15-18 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8398" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8398" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8398" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/valencia.jpg" alt="Luis Antonio Valencia" width="200" height="256"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8398" class="wp-caption-text">Luis Antonio Valencia</p></div>
<p>A flying right-winger has player over 80 games for Wigan and looks a very tidy player. His premier League experience will mean he can fit right into the side and wont need much time to settle. Nominated for the Best Young Player at the 2006 World Cup it appears the 23 year old who has 34 caps for Ecuador has a bright future. Some downsides may be the size of the fee, and doubts as to whether or not he is better than what United already have. In addition, his goal scoring record is quite woeful with only 7 goals during his time at Wigan and only 4 for Ecuador, he does have potential, but I only see him as a squad player at most. Wigan Chaiman Dave Whelan will not stand in his way and Sir Alex is a long time admirer, this transfer is pretty much nailed on.</p>
<p><strong>Franck Ribery – £40-50 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8402" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8402" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8402" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/ribery.jpg" alt="Franck Ribery" width="250" height="233"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8402" class="wp-caption-text">Franck Ribery</p></div>
<p>A world-class player, a player, who would be the ideal replacement for the departing Cristiano Ronaldo. Apparently United put in a £60 million bid a few months ago and Sir Alex is keen to have him as part of the Old Trafford set up. His abilities are unquestioned, great dribbler, pace and immense skill, he also added goals to his repertoire scoring 14 in all competitions this season. Bayern have stated they would not keep him against his will and he has stated his desire to play in Spain. United would have a fight on their hands to persude him his future lies in Manchester, added to the hefty fee; Barcelona and Real Madrid are also circling thus increasing the price further.</p>
<p><strong>Karim Benzema – £30-40 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8403" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8403" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8403" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/benzema.jpg" alt="Karim Benzema" width="400" height="254"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8403" class="wp-caption-text">Karim Benzema</p></div>
<p>The next great French striker in my opinion, and at 21 years old has plenty of time on his side. A seasoned Champions League performer, 24 caps for France and over 50 goals for Lyon in two seasons. He is tall, powerful and strong yet possesses pace coupled with a deadly eye for goal. Lyon have said he is not ‘untransferable’ and Ferguson has had an eye on him for years. The only issue would be his intention to stay in France during a World Cup year to maintain his place for <em>Les Bleus</em>.</p>
<p><strong>David Silva – £30-35 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8423" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8423" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8423" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/silva1.jpg" alt="David Silva" width="240" height="211"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8423" class="wp-caption-text">David Silva</p></div>
<p>A player I like a lot, he has pace, skill, vision, great technical ability and a lethal shot on him. Part of Spain’s Euro 2008 winning team he can play on either flank and behind the strikers. With Valencia harbouring a mountain of debt and in dire need to sell, Silva’s days are numbered at the Mestalla. Ferguson bid for him last summer and another attempt appears to be on the horizon, but with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool all interested, competition will be fierce for <em>el Chinito</em>. For me he would be an excellent addition and should be pursued vigerously.</p>
<p><strong>David Villa – £35-40 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8424" style="width: 183px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8424" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8424" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/villa1.jpg" alt="David Villa" width="173" height="240"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8424" class="wp-caption-text">David Villa</p></div>
<p>If a well-known brewer made strikers they would probably make David Villa. As with his namesake Silva, his days at Valencia appear to be numbered due to the moeny he would bring in to help clear debts. A fantastic goal scorer and leader of the Spanish front line, a transfer to Real Madrid collapsed last season and it could be the same again this season. Although it looks far more likely he will remain in Spain, Chelsea and Liverpool have both announced interest but United have apparently put in a cheeky bid. Villa would add some much needed goals previously brought to the Stretford End by Ronaldo. A transfer to United however, seems just out of reach.</p>
<p><strong>Mirko Vucinic £20-25 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8414" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8414" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8414" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/vucinic1.jpg" alt="Mirko Vucinic" width="240" height="164"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8414" class="wp-caption-text">Mirko Vucinic</p></div>
<p>The 25 year old Montenegrin currently ply’s his trade for AS Roma. This season having established himself as Roma’s number one striker, he has scored a number of important goals including two against Chelsea in the Champions League. With an impressive record of 48 goals in 83 games for the <em>Giallorossi</em>, he seems ready to step up another level and play for a top European club. Along with his excellent finishing ability he is also versatile, playing as a left-winger, and behind the striker during his time in Rome. Coupled with Roma’s lack of Champions League football and huge debts, it may be time to cash in on a very saleable asset.</p>
<p><strong>Douglas Maicon – £30-35 Million</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8419" style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8419" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-8419" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/maicon2.jpg" alt="Douglas Maicon" width="350" height="230"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-8419" class="wp-caption-text">Douglas Maicon</p></div>
<p>The Inter right back is arguably the best in the business. He controls the right side, from corner to corner, strong in the tackle and great positional sense; he bombs forward with consummate ease to deliver a phenomenal quantity of crosses. Athletic and agile, he could be the answer on the right side. Sir Alex tried to sign him in 2003 but was refused a work permit. Reportedly unhappy in Italy, a move appears ever closer for the Brazilian.</p>
<p>Honourable mentions must go to Victor Valdes of Barcelona and Douglas Costa of Gremio. Both have been on the radar but I don’t see any developments in the near future at least.</p>
<p>Every one of the above has been linked with Manchester United at some point over the last few weeks. For me a ball winning midfielder should be high on the list of priorities though the rumour mill seems obsessed with attacking players.</p>
<p>A very eventful summer could come into fruition very soon and you may well find a few new faces strutting their stuff in the Theatre of Dreams.</p>
<h3><strong>Pre-Order The New Man United Home Kit Today</strong></h3>
<p>Pre-order the new home Man United shirt or kit today so you’ll be the first to get it. <a href="http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=36679&amp;merchantID=791&amp;programmeID=2461&amp;mediaID=0&amp;tracking=&amp;url=http://www.kitbag.com/stores/kitbag_4_5/products/kit_selector.aspx?selector=121" target="_blank">UK residents can order here through Kitbag</a>, while <a href="http://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=30305&amp;merchantID=2544&amp;programmeID=7010&amp;mediaID=0&amp;tracking=&amp;url=http://www.kitbag.com/stores/kitbag_4_5/products/kit_selector.aspx?selector=121" target="_blank">US residents can order here, through Kitbag USA</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Related Posts:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://epltalk.com/manchester-united-change-transfer-tact/8430" target="_self">Manchester United Change Transfer Policy</a>,</li>
<li><a href="http://epltalk.com/epl-talk-podcast/paddy-crerand-interview/" target="_self">Interview With Man United Legend Paddy Crerand</a>,</li>
<li><a href="http://epltalk.com/rafa-or-fergie-who-spends-more-in-the-transfer-market/8339" target="_blank">Rafa Or Fergie: Who Spends More In The Transfer Market</a>.</li>
</ul>


Manchester United: Summer Transfer Targets

Manchester United: Summer Transfer Targets - World Soccer Talk

<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/serie-a.jpg"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-114630" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/2014/08/serie-a-600x373.webp" alt="serie-a" width="600" height="373" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></figure></div></a></p>
<p>I’ll be watching Juventus vs. Reggina on Saturday and of course the big one, Roma vs. Fiorentina, come Sunday morning.</p>
<p>Should be interesting to see how Fiorentina respond after dropping out of further Champions League action&nbsp;mid-week with the defeat to the lads from Lyon.</p>
<p>In listening to&nbsp;post-match interviews&nbsp;by Fiorentina&nbsp;keeper <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastien_Frey">Sébastien Frey</a>, the Viola simply didn’t get out of the blocks quick enough,&nbsp;allowing Lyon&nbsp;too many&nbsp;chances early on. &nbsp;<a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karim_Benzema">Karim Benzema</a> scored the second and winning goal&nbsp;for the&nbsp;visitors&nbsp;in only the 27th minute allowing the Frenchmen to cruise out the rest of match.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Serie On TV Update</span></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a title="serieaontv-Totti vs. Ibrahimovic (by Kevin Walker)" href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-matchday-14-schedule/671/serieaontv-totti-vs-ibrahimovic-by-kevin-walker/" rel="attachment wp-att-674"><div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/files/2008/11/tvset-serieatalk-prostars-new.jpg" alt="serieaontv-Totti vs. Ibrahimovic (by Kevin Walker)"></figure></div></a></p>
<p>check out our <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-on-tv/">Serie A Talk TV</a>&nbsp;page for updates on your weekend Serie A viewing in North America</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Matchday Predictions</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">The&nbsp;Serie A Talk Team Predictions for Matchday 14 are,</span></p>
<p><a title="serieatalk-matchday14-predictions" href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-matchday-14-schedule/671/serieatalk-matchday14-predictions/" rel="attachment wp-att-675"><div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/files/2008/11/2009-matchday14-predictions.jpg" alt="serieatalk-matchday14-predictions"></figure></div></a></p>
<p>(screenshot courtesy of Footbo social networks)</p>
<p>Hey we’ve got more new stuff at Serie A Talk with the <em><strong><span style="color: #800000;">Ser</span></strong></em><em><strong><span style="color: #800000;">ie A Talk and Footbo Prediction Game! </span></strong></em></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">Are you tired of just hearing pundits’ predictions? Want to prove you know your stuff?<br>
Play the Prediction Game by clicking on the predictions tab above and join in the fun.</span> </span></p>


Serie A Matchday 14 Schedule

Serie A Matchday 14 Schedule - World Soccer Talk

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