The Round Ball Game - II

[Lat-Literal]

In other transfer news, Saints fans are pretty equally divided about VVD.

Half think he is an utter ****, while the rest think he is a complete ****.

And - you might correct me here - there is still not a transfer in. It is like the rest of the world isn't happening.

I'm quite keen on Austin, actually - underrated when taking out the factor of any likely time away in court.

[teamsaint]

And - you might correct me here - there is still not a transfer in. It is like the rest of the world isn't happening.

I'm quite keen on Austin, actually - underrated when taking out the factor of any likely time away in court.

Oh do keep up Lat, £18m record signing from current CL holders Juventus.........
And he played in the final apparently.
As for Austin, if he decided to run around a bit, he'd be genius. i suspect we will use him as a target against mediocre teams, and let Gabbi run off him. Or whatever. He is a deadly finisher , for sure.

[Lat-Literal]

Oh do keep up Lat, £18m record signing from current CL holders Juventus.........
And he played in the final apparently.
As for Austin, if he decided to run around a bit, he'd be genius. i suspect we will use him as a target against mediocre teams, and let Gabbi run off him. Or whatever. He is a deadly finisher , for sure.

Well, I dunno, do I.

All I know is when QPR were in the top flight and 'arry was barely a glimmer in anyone's eye, I went through a whole season in ff with Kane, Aguero and Austin and achieved a minor miracle, mainly because others didn't have Austin and Kane until far too late. Anyhow, this is Liverpool's year. Which is to say they have no excuse. It is Klopp's to lose - the competition is so weak - and seeing that I have placed them third I am anticipating he will succeed on that losing point. But apart from Newcastle, if it has to go to the North, I'd want it there and I find it a bit surprising that I should be saying so. But, on balance, he's alright in his way and slightly weirdly after all of this time and what comes with it - gawd - it almost seems right.

Signing off for Nowski!

[P. G. Tipps]

In other transfer news, Saints fans are pretty equally divided about VVD.

Half think he is an utter ****, while the rest think he is a complete ****.

He's probably worthy of both these 'industrial' terms but most importantly he is also genuinely world-class. That was evident even when he played for Celtic. Saints got a bargain at £13m (still can't believe Celtic allowed him to go for that) and he was never going to stay at Southampton anymore than he was at Celtic. Big Money Talks. He'll probably end up at a club like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Paris St Germain. Like him or loathe him, he's that good a footballer.

Saints should get rid of him and take the money. They will have made themselves a nice little profit and can buy themselves a couple of decent players into the bargain.

[EdgeleyRob]

Truro City's dream start to season following up a home win on Saturday with an away win at Gloucester last evening. Good to cheer after Owls lacklustre and everything else on Saturday!

Ey up,Top of the league

League

Gloucester City 0 Truro City 3 Top of the league
Welling United 0 Chelmsford City 1 2nd forum 1-2
Macclesfield Town 1 Hartlepool United 1 Forum derby,pool off the mark
Maidenhead United 1 Wrexham 2 Late winner
Stockport County 3 Curzon Ashton 0 Easy Peasy
Blyth Spartans 0 York City 2 Early goals


League Cup 1st round

Wimbledon 1 Brentford 3 AET
Bristol Rovers 4 Cambridge United 1
Coventry City 1 Blackburn Rovers 3
Exeter City 1 Charlton Athletic 2
Sheffield Wednesday 4 Chesterfield 1
Wolves 1 Yeovil Town 0

Scottish League Cup

St Johnstone 0 Partick Thistle 3 Forum derby

Super Cup

Real Madrid 2 Manchester United 1

[Stanfordian]

He's probably worthy of both these 'industrial' terms but most importantly he is also genuinely world-class. That was evident even when he played for Celtic. Saints got a bargain at £13m (still can't believe Celtic allowed him to go for that) and he was never going to stay at Southampton anymore than he was at Celtic. Big Money Talks. He'll probably end up at a club like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Paris St Germain. Like him or loathe him, he's that good a footballer.

Saints should get rid of him and take the money. They will have made themselves a nice little profit and can buy themselves a couple of decent players into the bargain.

Virgil van Dijk is unproven at the highest level of club football and I suspect injury prone but time will tell.

[teamsaint]

Virgil van Dijk is unproven at the highest level of club football and I suspect injury prone but time will tell.

There's unproven and unproven.
He has played a lot of Champions league football . He is , IMO ,occasionally prone to a positional lapse, but he has athleticism and strength to get him out of trouble most times. Having seen both him and Toby Unpronounceable over the last couple of years, I'm in no doubt that he is worth a world record fee for a defender. In addition to defence , he is exceptional going forward, and scores lots of goals, not just with his head. When he can be bothered to play,he is an inspirational leader. It will be a real coup for liverpool if they get him.

I dont he is injury prone either....a stamp on the top of the foot from Vardy would put most people out for a few months.he missed very few games for Saints or Celtic prior to that.ink

[Stanfordian]

There's unproven and unproven.
He has played a lot of Champions league football . He is , IMO ,occasionally prone to a positional lapse, but he has athleticism and strength to get him out of trouble most times. Having seen both him and Toby Unpronounceable over the last couple of years, I'm in no doubt that he is worth a world record fee for a defender. In addition to defence , he is exceptional going forward, and scores lots of goals, not just with his head. When he can be bothered to play,he is an inspirational leader. It will be a real coup for liverpool if they get him.

I dont he is injury prone either....a stamp on the top of the foot from Vardy would put most people out for a few months.he missed very few games for Saints or Celtic prior to that.ink

Hiya teamsaint,

We will see how he progresses! What puzzles me is why the big clubs didn't buy him from Celtic.

[P. G. Tipps]

Virgil van Dijk is unproven at the highest level of club football and I suspect injury prone but time will tell.

What does he have left to prove? You don't get a much higher level than the Champions League! I agree that there are top players who are injury-prone and that may well be a factor in his case as well but his rare ability to almost effortlessly stroll through games against good opposition has been there for all to see. He reportedly joined Celtic simply to acquire CL experience and decent training facilities because it was well known his goal was to move on to a bigger league like the Premiership. As teamsaint says he is prone to the occasional lapse at times but that can be put down possibly to almost falling asleep due to match boredom.

Many top European clubs are reported to be interested in him including Real Madrid. Liverpool would only be his next step up the ambition ladder. Unless a serious injury ruins his career he'll finally end up at a club like RM. So remember ... you read it here first, folks ...

[Stanfordian]

What does he have left to prove? You don't get a much higher level than the Champions League! I agree that there are top players who are injury-prone and that may well be a factor in his case as well but his rare ability to almost effortlessly stroll through games against good opposition has been there for all to see. He reportedly joined Celtic simply to acquire CL experience and decent training facilities because it was well known his goal was to move on to a bigger league like the Premiership. As teamsaint says he is prone to the occasional lapse at times but that can be put down possibly to almost falling asleep due to match boredom.

Many top European clubs are reported to be interested in him including Real Madrid. Liverpool would only be his next step up the ambition ladder. Unless a serious injury ruins his career he'll finally end up at a club like RM. So remember ... you read it here first, folks ...

If VVD is that good he will no doubt be interesting Real, Barca, Paris or Munich.

[zola]

If VVD is that good he will no doubt be interesting Real, Barca, Paris or Munich.

No, central defenders aren't sexy enough. Those clubs only want the latest shiny new toy striker or attacking midfielder to please the sponsors ( and in Spain ensure the president's re-election )

[Stanfordian]

No, central defenders aren't sexy enough. Those clubs only want the latest shiny new toy striker or attacking midfielder to please the sponsors ( and in Spain ensure the president's re-election )

Hiya zola,

I thought central defender Sergiu Ramos was magnificant last night for Real Madrid.

[teamsaint]

If VVD is that good he will no doubt be interesting Real, Barca, Paris or Munich.

He is that good. I have watched him for two years, and in a top side he would be sensational. I think zola has a point. Also there may be FFP reasons that leave them short of spend when they have blown the Cash on , for instance, Lukaku.
Also the end game is qualifying for the CL group stages, Because that is where the money is. Winning trophies is good, but not the be all and end all.

[zola]

Hiya zola,

I thought central defender Sergiu Ramos was magnificant last night for Real Madrid.

Ramos is RM's second most influential player ( if you concede the top spot to Ronaldo, which some may question ) But he is home grown, I think it still doubtful that the Spaniards would pay out huge money for a player in his position.

[eighthobstruction]

There's unproven and unproven.
He has played a lot of Champions league football . He is , IMO ,occasionally prone to a positional lapse, but he has athleticism and strength to get him out of trouble most times. Having seen both him and Toby Unpronounceable over the last couple of years, I'm in no doubt that he is worth a world record fee for a defender. In addition to defence , he is exceptional going forward, and scores lots of goals, not just with his head. When he can be bothered to play,he is an inspirational leader. It will be a real coup for liverpool if they get him.

I dont he is injury prone either....a stamp on the top of the foot from Vardy would put most people out for a few months.he missed very few games for Saints or Celtic prior to that.ink

....I will definitely say "Coo" if Liverpool get VVD....

....So it's Smalling and his motley band of bruvvers, and halfway housers, 6-7 Utility players, Bassetts All Sorts, anyone not injured for us MU's for about the 5th year running....