VfB Stuttgart - Pushing for Europe, 08/09 Season Thread Part III (R)

[footyfan1]

:D His contract runs in December and he's completely unproven as well as anyone knows they want him out. What a ridiculous price. I wouldn't even consider it, 5m maybe.


I wouldn't be surprised if someone pays close to it before the end of next month.

Zenit players still carry some value in the market and this year's transfer market is over-inflated unlike any other.

[sean4stuttgart]

nine....NINE days until the first bundesliga game. and we have 35, potentially 50 million euros at our will. and we have nothing, no player to replace the person who by themselves took us to third place this year. I am disgusted and beyond upset. No wonder why there are so many bayern fans. Their management can get sh*t DONE

also.... Stuttgarter zeitung reports that hleb is now back on negotiating terms and progrebnjak will be singed in the coming hours..... never heard of this zenit guy, anyone know anythign about him? still i am not optimistic about any of this until it is reported on vfb.de... until then- f*ck it

[benztown]

nine....NINE days until the first bundesliga game. and we have 35, potentially 50 million euros at our will. and we have nothing, no player to replace the person who by themselves took us to third place this year. I am disgusted and beyond upset. No wonder why there are so many bayern fans. Their management can get sh*t DONE

also.... Stuttgarter zeitung reports that hleb is now back on negotiating terms and progrebnjak will be singed in the coming hours...

Yeah well, what can you expect? We do not have the same cachet as the top clubs, and in Gomez we lost top player. Of course it's going to be difficult, no matter how much money we have. It's much easier for Bayern to get whoever they want.

If there is a chance of signing Hleb, I'd always be happy. I'm still very doubtful, but that would be awesome. Pogrebnyak wouldn't be my choice though. As I said before, I don't think he would strengthen our squad. He would be sort of an alibi signing. And also, €10m would be way too much. We might as well save that money and go into the season with Cacau, Marica and Schieber. Pogrebnyak isn't better than those anyway.

... never heard of this zenit guy, anyone know anythign about him? still i am not optimistic about any of this until it is reported on vfb.de... until then- f*ck it

Well, as was already pointed out, Pogrebnyak is 25 years old. Depending on the source, he has either 11 or 12 appearances for the Russian NT, but he usually comes off the bench there, he did play the full 90 minutes against Germany though in the first leg of the WC qualification.

He also scored at least twice against Bayern in their UEFA Cup debacle, which is what I remember him for mostly I guess.

He's 1,88m, so he is on the taller side, but I don't think that headers are his specialty, I've only seen a few headers from him and they didn't look too well timed.

He also isn't the technically most gifted player, Gomez was definitely better there. But I think that he's just as quick (not entirely sure though). Pogrebnyak can also play physical, which could be helpful, and his nature is that of the typical all out goal scorer. He tries to score whenever he has the chance, without taking much time. That's his strength, to be able to convert immediately, and also his positioning. Not to forget his shot. His shooting technique is pretty good, his shots are usually very precise.

His recent stats however don't look too promising. I looked him up on transfermarkt.de. It also has to be said that they're not always the most reliable source regarding these things. But it looks as if they have the Russian league pretty much covered, so I guess they are correct here. According to that, he scored 35 goals in 84 matches (with 7 assists) for Zenit. Now that wouldn't be so bad, but his only good season was 2007, when he scored 11 goals in 24 league games and 11 goals in 15 UEFA Cup games. So that's already 2/3 of his combined goals for Zenit right there.

Since then, he scored 12 goals in 44 games (league & international matches)...not so stellar...

Also, he profits a lot from Zenit's very fast wing play, from which he got several tap-ins, something that he probably wouldn't get so much in Stuttgart. On the other hand, he can also score from free kicks (as he did against Bayern for example). So that would be something on the positive side.

[benztown]

Here's ALL photo-links for those who have enough time to click on them. :-))

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2848/pic9442.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8776/pic9445.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9150/pic9446.jpg
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3640/pic9447.jpg
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6969/pic9451.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2361/pic9452.jpg
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8367/pic9455.jpg
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/4874/pic9457.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1373/pic9458.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6375/pic9460.jpg
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6026/pic9461.jpg
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7009/pic9467.jpg


http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/9754/pic9468.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/719/pic9469.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/8962/pic9471.jpg
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6929/pic9472.jpg
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/297/pic9473.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9828/pic9475.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/9708/pic9477n.jpg
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4695/pic9478.jpg
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3151/pic9479.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/8014/pic9481.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/410/pic9482.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8844/pic9485.jpg


http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4069/pic9487.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/7448/pic9488.jpg
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3905/pic9489.jpg
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7244/pic9490.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/390/pic9491.jpg
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/5092/pic9492.jpg
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/6080/pic9493.jpg
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/9971/pic9496.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9180/pic9497.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4750/pic9498.jpg
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6734/pic9499.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8481/pic9503.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9751/pic9505.jpg


http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/5004/pic9506.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/492/pic9507.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8067/pic9508.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/1245/pic9510.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/4076/pic9511.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1636/pic9513.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6518/pic9514.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9786/pic9515.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1818/pic9516.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/7995/pic9518.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2397/pic9520.jpg

very nice...

[Rainer24]

I wouldn't be that upset with Pogrebnyak. He was supposed to be Russia's top striker ahead of Pavlyuchenko heading into the last Euros, but he injured his knee right before the tournament. He's had a season to work his way back from that, so we might be getting him for a relative bargain just as he is about to hit stride again. I think that could well be worth the risk at 10 million.


I wouldn't mind him at all to partner Cacau. Cacau is good on the ball and pretty creative, but not the best finisher. This guy seems to be sort of the opposite, so that could be a good pairing. We could use a big forward and he looks like a lefty who can finish with the right as well.

[footyfan1]

nine....NINE days until the first bundesliga game. and we have 35, potentially 50 million euros at our will. and we have nothing, no player to replace the person who by themselves took us to third place this year. I am disgusted and beyond upset. No wonder why there are so many bayern fans. Their management can get sh*t DONE


And yet, Bayern fans complain more than anyone else.


The problem here is, you guys are going after "big names" with that money, everyone knows you have that money, so when they see the "+49-711" code on their caller ID, the price goes up.

I think you guys are going to have to set your sights a bit lower to make a "quick" deal.





also.... Stuttgarter zeitung reports that hleb is now back on negotiating terms and progrebnjak will be singed in the coming hours..... never heard of this zenit guy, anyone know anythign about him? still i am not optimistic about any of this until it is reported on vfb.de... until then- f*ck it

Pavel Pogrebnyak is a cog at Zenit who didn't get enough press. Even though he scored goals, he was one of the workhorses.

I guess you couldn't follow Zenit from the U.S. when they were winning the UEFA Cup or you would have heard of Pogrebnyak.

Best striker out there? No. Not by a long shot.

Will he work his ass off for you, score some goals and more importantly, WANT to come to Stuttgart?

I think he would.

Problem is, I don't think Pogrebnyak is truly worth the money Zenit is asking. I'd rate him above Marica and Cacau, but talking about the entire league, he would easily be second echelon.

And I don't think he would want a second echelon salary.

Plus, I don't know that getting Pogrebnyak would be any better than just going back in for Jovanovic. :o

[sean4stuttgart]

i'm not in the U.S. and I still havent heard of him. Maybe when zenit played bayern, but I dont remember. And yea, I know we arent a top-club- but this transfer market has to of been the most over-inflated, dissapointing ones I have ever seen. It was bad enough how dissapointed everyone was after gomez.... now this.... not to add we are playing in a horseshoe with 38,000 for champs league.... great year ahead of us guys....

[footyfan1]

i'm not in the U.S. and I still havent heard of him. Maybe when zenit played bayern, but I dont remember. And yea, I know we arent a top-club- but this transfer market has to of been the most over-inflated, dissapointing ones I have ever seen. It was bad enough how dissapointed everyone was after gomez.... now this.... not to add we are playing in a horseshoe with 38,000 for champs league.... great year ahead of us guys....


I'm sorry. Confused you with another guy.

Actually, Heldt didn't make a bad move in going after Huntelaar. The mistake Heldt made was in waiting too long.

All this means is that you guys probably won't get a "big name" cheaply.

That's OK. No one had heard of Mario Gomez before you guys worked your magic with him.

Get someone close and finish the job.

Time is running out.

[footyfan1]

also.... Stuttgarter zeitung reports that hleb is now back on negotiating terms



According to the Munich press and the guys at the Bayern sub-forum, Bayern is in the running for Hleb too.....

[benztown]

According to the Munich press and the guys at the Bayern sub-forum, Bayern is in the running for Hleb too.....

Every source I've read so far quote Hleb's manager saying that he has two offers from the Bundesliga. That pretty much means that Bayern is in the running also, since they are the only ones who are also known to have an interest.

Some sources even say that Hleb will definitely go to the Bundesliga on a loan deal, which means either Stuttgart or the "mysterious" other team.
But they also say that Hleb prefers Stuttgart over Bayern. According to Sport1.de (not the most reliable source) Hleb is already in Stuttgart for a medical check-up.

I'm still skeptical about all this and don't wanna get my hopes up. Sport1 also says that we're apparently also in the running for Tuncay now...don't know what to think about that...Negredo has apparently ruled out a move outside of Spain. Vagner Love is still the favorite, but Moscow's demands are still a little high.

[Kirsten19]

Would like to ask how do the Stuttgart fans rated Schieber?

From the recent firendly agianst Furth, seemed like he is very welcomed and is seen as the replacement of Gomez in the long run.

And is scoring goals for the team consistently in the offseason friendlies, that doesn't mean anything........but at leeast Babbel realizes his existence.

[benztown]

Would like to ask how do the Stuttgart fans rated Schieber?

From the recent firendly agianst Furth, seemed like he is very welcomed and is seen as the replacement of Gomez in the long run.

And is scoring goals for the team consistently in the offseason friendlies, that doesn't mean anything........but at leeast Babbel realizes his existence.

I can't speak for the Stuttgart fans as such, only for myself. Personally, I don't see him anywhere near Gomez talent wise, so I don't think he could be a replacement, not even in the long run. But then again, I didn't see Gomez' talent until after he replaced Tomasson.

What Schieber has is that he's a very physical player, which could be a great feature for us, seeing as none of our other strikers has that. I do think that he could take Marica's place if he continues to do well. But since we're bound to get another striker, this pretty much means that he would come off the bench every other game.

I won't predict the future beyond that though. And I still hope that Fischer will get his act together eventually, so there could be another prospect. And if we go even further, Riedle is already rather promising at 17 years of age, so at 20, he might be an alternative as well. But that's all very far down the road...so much could happen till then. And Fischer is a good example. Two years ago, he was the next big thing, one year ago, he had his first Bundesliga goal when he got three brief appearences, now he's back in the second team and is behind Schieber and Riedle.

[sean4stuttgart]

i cannot handle gomez AND hleb going to bayern. There are no soccer gods...

[footyfan1]

i cannot handle gomez AND hleb going to bayern. There are no soccer gods...


If Hleb goes to Bayern, I think that would be a strong indication that Bayern will go ahead and sell Franck Ribery to Real Madrid.......

[benztown]

If Hleb goes to Bayern, I think that would be a strong indication that Bayern will go ahead and sell Franck Ribery to Real Madrid.......

I don't see Hleb going to Bayern. Bayern wants to reduce the numbers of players on their roster. If they need any additional players, it's in defense, certainly not midfield. So, yeah, Hleb is only an option should Ribery leave, but that would be a big surprise.

I think the mysterious second team could actually also be Schalke. I think Hleb is exactly the kind of player they'd want/need. Plus, Magath is their coach now, and he still knows Hleb from his Stuttgart days.

[footyfan1]

I don't see Hleb going to Bayern. Bayern wants to reduce the numbers of players on their roster. If they need any additional players, it's in defense, certainly not midfield. So, yeah, Hleb is only an option should Ribery leave, but that would be a big surprise.


We know about their defense, but the thing is, Louis van Gaal doesn't see it that way.

I think Beckenbauer's comments about how much it would take to get Ribery is not more confirmation that Bayern won't sell, but rather a sign that if Real ups their offer, Bayern will listen.



I think the mysterious second team could actually also be Schalke. I think Hleb is exactly the kind of player they'd want/need. Plus, Magath is their coach now, and he still knows Hleb from his Stuttgart days.


I think you could be spot on here.

I was going to talk about how Schalke already has enough midfielders with Rakitic, Moravek, Holtby, and Jones, not to mention the others who'll have to fight to play, but your comments make total sense.

And having a number of guys at one position has never stopped Magath before.

Schalke can certainly pay him too......

[footyfan1]

Transfermarkt.de quotes Spox.com speculation (http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/news/30116/hleb-rueckkehr-nach-stuttgart-offenbar-perfekt.html) that VfB will announce Hleb's return on a loan deal at a 1:30PM CET press conference.

[benztown]

Transfermarkt.de quotes Spox.com speculation (http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/news/30116/hleb-rueckkehr-nach-stuttgart-offenbar-perfekt.html) that VfB will announce Hleb's return on a loan deal at a 1:30PM CET press conference.

Wow, that would be awesome...


I'd love to see more of that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MNg4ghM194&fmt=18

[benztown]

http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/castellano/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090729107794.html

It's now on the official Barcelona web page...it's definitely time to get the hopes up...:D

[footyfan1]

http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/castellano/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090729107794.html

It's now on the official Barcelona web page...it's definitely time to get the hopes up...:D



I'd say it's done! Congratulations!

Even if it does wind up being just for a season, this will be a great help in your CL campaign and of course in the Bundesliga!