The Official Soccer Thread

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

I'm pretty positive you've seen this as it was all over the news yesterday - Euros por año = Euros per year

 

1- Samuel Eto'o (Anzhi) 20 millones de euros por año

2.- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) 14.5 millones de euros por año

3.- Wayne Rooney (M. Utd.) 13.8 millones de euros por año

4.- Yayá Touré (M. Citi) 13 millones de euros por año

5.- Sergio Agüero (M. City) 12.5 millones de euros por año

6.- Didier Drogba (Shanghai) 12 millones de euros por año

7.- Fernando Torres (Chelsea) 10.8 millones de euros por año

8.- Darío Conca (Guangzhou) 10.6 millones de euros por año

9.- Leonel Messi (Barcelona) 10.5 millones de euros por año

10.- Cristiano Ronaldo (R. Madrid) 10 millones de euros por año

Yeah, these Russian clubs are going crazy. Zenit just bought Hulk too :(

[Manu Ginobili 61]

Don't get me wrong. If it's about money I totally agree.

 

You just can't have Etoo, Ibra, Rooney, Toure, Aguero, Drogba, Torres, Conca (who ever that is) making more than Messi and CR7.

 

Eto'o makes twice what Ronaldo makes and he's not half as good as he is.

 

Ronaldo should simply takes care of business in the office and not try to get this much attention

 

Conca, FYI, is an Argentinean leftie playmaker, who had 1 good season in Brazil, then everyone there thought he was god, then he was sold to a Chinese team for a fortune. He didn't even play in our National Team.

 

It is really outrageous that this kid makes more than Messi, or even 100 other much better players than him.

 

Eto'o, I think the guy has had a truly amazing career. It's more of a "Lifetime Achievement Award", similar to Roberto Carlos' last season or Drogba now.

 

In terms of current skill and quality, list should be:

 

1- Messi

2- C. Ronaldo

3- Iniesta

4- Xavi

5- Casillas

6- Lugano

7- Rooney

8- Ibra

9- Falcao

10- Dani Alves

[COLOMBIANO 118]

Conca, FYI, is an Argentinean leftie playmaker, who had 1 good season in Brazil, then everyone there thought he was god, then he was sold to a Chinese team for a fortune. He didn't even play in our National Team.

 

It is really outrageous that this kid makes more than Messi, or even 100 other much better players than him.

 

Eto'o, I think the guy has had a truly amazing career. It's more of a "Lifetime Achievement Award", similar to Roberto Carlos' last season or Drogba now.

 

In terms of current skill and quality, list should be:

 

1- Messi

2- C. Ronaldo

3- Iniesta

4- Xavi

5- Casillas

6- Lugano

7- Rooney

8- Ibra

9- Falcao

10- Dani Alves

 

You can't Rooney, Ibra and Lugano ahead of Falcao. He's carrying Atletico with little help and a great coach.

 

Rooney hasn't played at his potential for the past 2 maybe 3 years. Ibra, while still amazing IMO, is slowing down. Lugano had an amazing WC2010 and hasn't been very relevant since.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Lugano? The central defender?

 

wow

[COLOMBIANO 118]

10. David Silva or Bale

9. Mario Gomes

8. Robin Van Persie

7. Roonie

6. Falcao

5. Casillas

4. Xavi Hernandez

3. Iniesta

2. Ronaldo

1. Messi

 

Lugano wouldn't even make the top 25. I'd put Pepe who by the way I hate ahead of him.

[Manu Ginobili 61]

10. David Silva or Bale

9. Mario Gomes

8. Robin Van Persie

7. Roonie

6. Falcao

5. Casillas

4. Xavi Hernandez

3. Iniesta

2. Ronaldo

1. Messi

 

Lugano wouldn't even make the top 25. I'd put Pepe who by the way I hate ahead of him.

 

The fact that you and Mauro disregard Lugano makes me think you have not been watching a lot of South American / International football lately. In South America, whenever a team's defense is bad/mediocre, first thing that comes up in regular cafe discussions is "we need a Lugano".

 

Lugano has become the most dominant defensive presence that this sport has seen in a long time . IMO, he is twice as good as Pepe. Opposing strikers fear him. He is not the best talent-wise, but he is marking-wise, jumping-wise and phisicality-wise. But you have to take into account that Pepe is 29 and Lugano is 31. Not only that, he is a much better scorer than Pepe (Pepe scored 3 local goals in last 6 seasons...Lugano 21 in 5 in Turkey) and his offensive header is probably unmatched for a central def.

 

I agree that the Falcao/Rooney/Ibra positions are debatable. But Lugano cannot be discounted.

[COLOMBIANO 118]

The fact that you and Mauro disregard Lugano makes me think you have not been watching a lot of South American / International football lately. In South America, whenever a team's defense is bad/mediocre, first thing that comes up in regular cafe discussions is "we need a Lugano".

 

Lugano has become the most dominant defensive presence that this sport has seen in a long time . IMO, he is twice as good as Pepe. Opposing strikers fear him. He is not the best talent-wise, but he is marking-wise, jumping-wise and phisicality-wise. But you have to take into account that Pepe is 29 and Lugano is 31. Not only that, he is a much better scorer than Pepe (Pepe scored 3 local goals in last 6 seasons...Lugano 21 in 5 in Turkey) and his offensive header is probably unmatched for a central def.

 

I agree that the Falcao/Rooney/Ibra positions are debatable. But Lugano cannot be discounted.

 

Lugano is good, but if he was great, wouldn't big teams like Madrid, Barca, Bayers, Milan, Chelsea, ManU be after him? Instead he went to Paris Saint Germain. He had an amazing world cup as well as his entire national team, but that's pretty much it.

 

I'm gonna give you a name of an excellent defender who just learned to play Lugano's position and is excellent at it...I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.....that's right Javier Mascherano. I watch ever Barca game and the dude is an impressive, impressive defender. He's smart, in shape, not injury prone and while short, isn't a liability on high balls.

[Manu Ginobili 61]

Lugano is good, but if he was great, wouldn't big teams like Madrid, Barca, Bayers, Milan, Chelsea, ManU be after him? Instead he went to Paris Saint Germain. He had an amazing world cup as well as his entire national team, but that's pretty much it.

 

I'm gonna give you a name of an excellent defender who just learned to play Lugano's position and is excellent at it...I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.....that's right Javier Mascherano. I watch ever Barca game and the dude is an impressive, impressive defender. He's smart, in shape, not injury prone and while short, isn't a liability on high balls.

 

That's why I mentioned Lugano's age. Is highly doubtful that the giants would sign a 30 year old guy. Still, it was also his decision. What's Ibra doing there then? He is still young...but PSG is the new Man City.

 

Lugano is great, make no mistake about it. You will see it in his farewell tournament, Brazil 2014. I wish we had a central defender like him.

 

I respect your opinion, but I could not agree less in Mascherano's assesment. First of all, his height is a liability against tall striker. Second, he is just learning the position. Sabella doesn't even plays him as central back, even though he perfectly could, since Gago is now earning the def mid spot, and deservedly so.

 

I think that being covered by that great Barca defense minimize his flaws. But make no mistake, Mascherano is far from anything special, as we have learned here in the last 8 years since he left River.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Real vs City was easily game of the year

[You're Fat, Pat! 98]

Real vs City was easily game of the year

 

Absolutely. Incredible stuff.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Yaya Toure is top 10 in the world right now IMO. Has been for 2 years

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Paul George: Shout out my Portuguese brother @Cristiano for these ass whoopings I'm handing out in the new FIFA 13 tonight ! Twitter

 

 

Pretty funny.

 

Can't wait to play FIFA 13, the Demo was pretty sick