All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

Any idea which club?

 

Nah, just a blurb I saw on Ben Maller's BLOG! that he got from here (11th graph) ...

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070723/SPORTS0101/707230314/1007/SPORTS

 

Lots of chatter about Benfica for Freddy. Weren't they tied to EJ last year or before that?

 

Speaking of EJ, I did hear a rumor a while back about newly promoted Derby having an interest in him.

 

The problem with Donovan, however, is that he doesn't do it right now for his club team. He is arguably as good a player as Beckham, and they need him to be playing at a high level consistently. Right now, he isn't, and hasn't so far this season.

When Eddie Johnson has 12 goals in 11 games already in addition to playing both of the U.S. teams summer tournaments, four goals in nine games doesn't look too good. You could make the argument Maykel Galindo is currently the most dangerous MLS player in Los Angeles.

 

I would say John O'Brien saw the field just as well as Reyna. . . . . . .

As for your last line: that's the issue with Donovan. He had a great 2007 Gold Cup, no doubt. And he was solid in the friendlies. But before that, dude had a two-year stretch of blah for the national team, including one Gold Cup and a World Cup. That is why we need players to surpass him.

GB: Donovan was excellent in the early going with the Galaxy; he had a hand in each of their first 10 goals, I believe. And Eddie Johnson is a guy who can do well in MLS for stretches, but is an absolute ghost with the national team.

When qualifying begins in earnest, we'll find out if we have started to develop a striker or two overseas. Because stateside, we're in bad shape.

 

Thanks to my MLSlive sub, I've watched the last two Wizards games online. Eddie Johnson looks like a different player with the Wiz than he does for the Nats, and I think a lot of credit has to go to new KC coach Curt Onalfo. Johnson looks full of confidence, and as I've said here before if Senor Bob tried the same approach with him, it could pay off in a big way.

Johnson scored two goals in 19 games for KC last season. With the way he's playing right now, he could be the league's first 20-goal scorer since Carlos Ruiz in 2002.

 

they reportedly already offered him a contract but Vermes in KC said no deal ...

 

Benfica. MLS is reportedly asking around $7.5 million for Adu, while Benfica is lowballing them at $2.5 million. Benfica won't be hurting for money, though, if they get what they're asking for Simao.

Elsewhere, Wee Gordon and Celtic are apparently looking at Baby Bradley. A younger option than Gravesen, perhaps?

 

Benfica's offer seems somewhat reasonable. MLS is asking for too much.

As to Bradley... I don't see any way in which Celtic would be able to obtain him at the moment. Heerenveen obtained him on the cheap and he's playing well while not costing much. While he would be a vastly superior option to Gravesen, I just don't see how Celtic could spend like they did and suddenly be able to bring in any more players.

Then again, Celtic has been linked with every player everywhere. I was reading that I was rumored to join them last month.

 

18 days until the start of the Premiership! I am however a bit worried about us challenging for Europe. Owen and Martins up front will be pure class, but from those two back to Given I'm a little worried.

 

It's true. I was involved in the negotiations. But Rangers wanted too much in transfer.