The Other Teams Thread 2012 offseason

How do you rate Baggio? I'd assume "just a good player" then, correct?

I. Want. Falcao.

He'd me my #1 choice, but i wouldnt mind Higuain

I agree. I'd be thrilled and also non-believing if we actually got either of the two.

Davey - Don't use that trick of changing the subject. Besides, are you kidding about Baggio? Anyway, let's hope that Cavani does his Houdini act tomorrow.

It's a funny old game. Drogba has been one of the clutchest big game players in the world at club level, no doubt, but he has led a talent-stacked Ivory Coast to one underachievement after another. You just never know how a quality like "clutch" will manifest itself from situation to situation. Forlan and Pazzini were each coming off several years of massively clutch performances when they arrived at Inter...
I certainly wouldn't say that Cavani is a proven choker, and to say he hasn't performed as well in big games as Drogba... well, who has? Also, like Drogba, Cavani will run his socks off for the team even when he is having his worst match. And he DOES have the pure ability to conjure goals from NOTHING. Those are qualities you CAN count on him bringing.

If we get Cavani, fine. But those who expect that he will take Juve to the next level are kidding themselves. He would be a nice addition. But nothing more.

I'm not saying Falcao isn't awesome, but...
...the absence of marking on that goal made it look almost choreographed...
...good luck getting 10 yards of space inside the 18 on a corner in Serie A...
and...
...as far as clutch goes, has everybody already forgotten the last Copa America?
At least be consistent people.

Drogba is still the best power CF in the game today. Nobody is in his league and Chelsea would be stupid to let him walk. Compare him to that donkey Mario Gomez who had like 6 chances but came up with a O.

Blah, blah, blah nitpicking. Its clear as day Falcao is the best striker after Messi. He would do wonders on any team

Osvaldo scored a goal that was not too dissimilar to Falcao's this season. It was wrongfully disallowed.


Serie A defenses ain't what they used to be and I'd be willing to take the risk with Falcao.

As for the Copa America, I could care less if he chokes or not for Colombia. Di Natale is fantastic for Udinese but useless with the Azzurri. Only club form matters to me and I don't think international performances are any indication of a player's club suitability.

I can show you a million goals like that from different players around the world. Pepe's was nicer anyway.

No trick. But, from your posts, you seem fixated on whether a player leads his team to winning the CL as a benchmark of whether he is worthy or not (you indicated Aguero and Cavani would be no more than decent signings as did not lead their teams to CL victory yet you seem to love Drogba who has and indicated a willingness to sign him). So, I sincerely bring up Baggio and ask how you rate him because he fails in the benchmark you set but is largely considered one of the best, if not the best, Italian to ever play the game. I do so to show you that leading your team to a CL victory is too narrow of a guideline on whether a player is very good or not. And, especially for guys like Aguero, Falcao and Cavani who are all in the young-to-mid 20s and still have plenty of time to win a Champions League trophy or two (just as Drogba only did now, at age 34).

I think his point is dont matter how many useless goals players score like that donkey Gomez who had over 40 this year. What matters is how you perform when the chips are down. Was it any suprise that Ribery limped off like the loser he is or Robben choked that PK? Not to me because this is what they have shown their whole career. That they'll choke and lose when the money is down. So I'd be very careful who we'd buy. We dont need another Amauri or that total loser Diego. Of all these players mentioned only Suarez has shown capable of delievering in the biggest of games. The others have not.

So Falcao hasn't delivered in the big games? Lol ok

Torino and Pescara have won promotion to Serie A. It's Torino's first trip back since 2009, and for Pescara since 1993.

The third team will come from one of Sassuolo, Verona, Varese, or Sampdoria. Sassuolo has never been in Serie A, but they were in the promotion playoff 2 years ago, where they lost to Torino. Verona was last in Serie A in 2002. They were in a playoff last year when they won promotion to Serie B, despite finishing 5th. Varese was in Serie A in 1975. In 2004, they were forced to start from scratch down in Eccellenza, but they earned promotion in two consecutive seasons to Serie C2. They toiled there for a few years before going up a level, then spent two years there before getting promoted to Serie B. Their last playoff was last year in Serie B, where they lost to Padova in the semifinals. Sampdoria is looking to get back into Serie A after their first season in B since 2003. They've never been in a playoff before.

Since the Serie B promotion playoff was instituted in the 2007-08 season, no other team except the third place team has won the promotion playoff. Whoever finishes in third - either Sassuolo or Verona - has the inside track to earning promotion.

And, that is a valid point. But gumba made a post awhile back about how Cavani has scored and/or assisted in some big games for Napoli this season. Like juventino insinuates above, Falcao has been absolutely huge for Porto and Atletico in their EL victories, scoring in both finals. So, while these players haven't yet won the CL, they sure have shown the proclivity to score in big matches. Just a little recognition. Up until two days ago, Droba hasn't led his team to the CL or even scored in the final. He accomplished this at age 34. Falcao, Aguero, Cavani are all in their young-to-mid 20s. Give them time.

I just simply can't understand this love for Suarez. What has this clown done in club play for a big team? He hasn't guided Liverpool to shit other than the Carling Cup. They played Cardiff and had to go to penalties to win that. He only won one league title with Ajax. He's been good in international play, but that's not club play. What's he really done in club play? What makes him so great, and what makes him so much better than Falcao? Also, he's had discipline problems from the get-go. Who would want a player like that?

If I could find that on TV I'd problably watch it.

The point is that Cavani is mentioned too often around here and he has shown that he is no different than what we have already. He scored the PK last night. That was it. Otherwise, put him along Borriello for his performance. That is my point. He is not a match winner on a consistent basis. If he comes fine. But for some of you to expect that he will be the big striker we need to carry us through, keep dreaming.

But, how many players on this earth are a crucial match winner on a consistent basis?

Not many. You fail to see that. So bring up all the names you want. They are all the same. There are a few at the top. The rest are in the same category.

Let me add, Cavani is not worth 45 million. I think 20 million is too much.

No, I do not fail to see that. In fact, I rightly acknowledge that few, if any, in the world will cosnistently be decisive for their teams in crucial matches. Those few are the Messis, Ronaldos, etc. of the world. However, those names seem out of reach and out of our price range. But, just because those very few are unattainable doesn't mean we shouldn't try to sign some of the next tier of strikers in the world. This is what you fail to see. I do not perceive it as 'Messi/Ronaldo or bust.' I perceive it as trying to get the best possible talent that is attainable for our club, that is within our price range and is consistent and harmonious with our system and Conte's ideas. In this next tier of players after Ronaldo, Messi, etc., I do put Aguero, Falcao, Higuain, etc. but I most certainly do not put Borriello, Quagliarella and Matri.