On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[Annasfield]

Keef Wrote:

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> I hope so Matt, but they say everyone has a price.

I think Matt is right in this instance. Torres is one of the only players left that looks as though he has some form of loyalty.

Love him!!

[ratty]

Don't want to piss on your chips Anna, but Glen Johnson and his partner said something very similar to me, personally at the beginning of the month.

Looks like he is now going back to Chelsea. Loyalty is sadly a concept that 99.999% of all footballers struggle with immensley, whereas the concept of ?????????????????????????s they all seem to be able to grasp!

[matthew123]

I thought Glen Johnson was coming to Liverpool, until I read we were signing Micah Richards.. maybe the papers are correct on both and they'll be fighting for the right back slot..

I'd have thought Glen Johnson going back to Chelsea would be a footballing mistake as all the ingrediants that took him off the tracks in the first place are still going to be at the Bridge..

[ratty]

Liverpool probably cannot afford him. I think they merely started off the bidding process with Man City and Chelsea wading in, however I believe his release clause relates to Champions League and the England manager has ben pressing him to get CL experience ahead of the world cup.

Of course, Chelsea could activate the release agreement, and that basically means he is available to any club, because Pompey would then take the highest bid regardless of CL involvement. Either way, it aint liverpool.

[Annasfield]

"Apparently" we've had a bid accepted for Johnson. ?18.5 mill...................................

::o Surely not.

[matthew123]

If Liverpool are bidding ?18.5m for Glen Johnson then obviously our finances are a lot rosier than previously reported...

[ratty]

City have bid that for him. I understood the Liverpool bid was less than ?12m.

Good luck to him. Whoever gets him gets the best right back in the country!

[Annasfield]

I think you owe us about 7-8 mill for Crouch, so that would cover the difference.

Would rather we spent that sort of cash elsewhere, however IRWT if it's true.

[ratty]

Crouch money not due for another 12 months but is outstanding. Looks like we will be offloading him to Tottenham however (note this is not from the player himsef though so could be wrong). That'll pay up the 'Pool debt.

As soon as we get our takeover complete the better, cos with all these players leaving we could really do with a manager to identify some new ones!

[matthew123]

I think ?18.5m would be too much for Glen Johnson - I'm not even sure we'd see much of his attacking ability as he'd soon have to follow the party line of sitting deep to cover Carragher's lack of pace. I'd like to keep Arbeloa as he can do a good job at left back or right back. Hopefully Rafa can raise some money by flogging Dossena back to Italy.

[Ladygooner]

Hoorah! Football fixtures due out tomorrow at 10am!

[Ladygooner]

Carling Cup Draw - Fixtures w/c 10 Aug

Accrington Stanley v Walsall

Huddersfield v Stockport

Rotherham v Derby

Tranmere v Grimsby

Sheff Weds v Rochdale

Bury v West Brom

Notts County v Doncaster

Lincoln v Barnsley

Scunthorpe v Chesterfield

Coventry v Hartlepool

Darlington v Leeds

Preston v Morecambe

Crewe v Blackpool

Carlisle v Oldham

Nottm Forest v Bradford

Macclesfield v Leicester

Sheff Utd v Port Vale

Cardiff v Dag & Red

Wycombe v Peterborough

Southampton v Northampton

Barnet v Watford

Hereford v Charlton

Bristol Rovers v Aldershot

Millwall v Bournemouth

Gillingham v Plymouth

Colchester v Leyton Orient

Reading v Burton Albion

Exeter v QPR

Cheltenham v Southend

Brentford v Bristol City

Yeovil v Norwich

Crystal Palace v Torquay

MK Dons v Swindon

Swansea v Brighton

Shrewsbury v Ipswich

[matthew123]

Why the interest in the 1st round draw LG, have you moved on to supporting a club with better prospects!? ;-)

[Ladygooner]

Just thought people might be interested in the draws for the local clubs

[ratty]

Sky already leaked some of the Arsenal fixtures......

http://i42.tinypic.com/5uk0i8.jpg

[Ladygooner]

Why have they just leaked Arsenal's?

[ratty]

Dunno - it was an accident I guess. Silly Sausages!

[SimonM]

Hmmm....Sheffield Utd v Port Vale - exactly the same as last year!

[matthew123]

Times are tough, the Mirror are reporting, 'Liverpool sign Bent'

 

[Annasfield]

SimonM Wrote:

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> Hmmm....Sheffield Utd v Port Vale - exactly the

> same as last year!

Bit like our CL draws then Simon.

Matthew - that's an old one.

[SimonM]

Yep...Liverpool & Sheffield United...practically indistinguishable >:D

[lard]

matthew123 Wrote:

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> I think ?18.5m would be too much for Glen Johnson

> - I'm not even sure we'd see much of his attacking

> ability as he'd soon have to follow the party line

> of sitting deep to cover Carragher's lack of pace.

> I'd like to keep Arbeloa as he can do a good job

> at left back or right back. Hopefully Rafa can

> raise some money by flogging Dossena back to

> Italy.

Johnson would be good in those home games like Stoke etc.

We only need a RB a centre back cover and a striker cover in my opinion, so if he thinks 18 mill gets one of those then is OK by me.

[????]

I can exclusively leak the score of the first game of the season at White Hart Lane....

........*drum roll*

0-8

[Annasfield]

Never fails to make me laugh.

[Mick Mac]

Celtic have a new manager - did anyone notice - no me neither - his name seems to be Mogga. Who would give a job to a Mogga?