woodpecker

The thing is - when DK beat Portugal - their first goal came, when Agger moved the ball forward through the midfield of Portugal, who didn't know if they were to tackle him (as he is very hard to get the ball from), to cover his teammates against a cross (as he often takes long precise crosses - similar to Alonsos) - or defend against a short pass. The short one came - and Bendtner scored from just outside the penaltybox - standing next to Agger. This defender started his career as a striker - and has the ability to play in the midfield (I would suggest Rafa hoped to have been able to field him as replacement for Masch against the Scum). Yes - Rafa migth hope to keep him patient - and to get him into the team when (not if) Carra or Skrtl has an injury or enough bookings - and hopefully to play him in the C.Cup tomorrow - but then we will see a strong and hungry Agger trying to impress a lot.

and he was this close to come here: Forum abt. Michael Laudrup

Morten Olsen has introduced the same system in the Danish international teams at all levels - which means they will know how to play the system from childhood (and then someone like Agger just jumbs ahead of the line, only coming into top footy as 17 y.o.

Banegas runs very much like Michael Laudrup - keeps the body in balance, has the balance at a low point - and moves the ball between the feet so fast, that defenders get afraid to kick him out of the field. I havn't seen him making the Laudrupian-pass-style, but I soppose he can. He would be good - but I don't see instead of whom (should be Voronin or Kewell in a few years). Carlos Eduardo is supposed to be good - at the german second division-version of Chelski. Its meant to be a club, where the owner throws a lot of money in - but currently they play in the middle of the second division, so maybe they should hire Mourinho.... Anyway - C. Eduardo plays on the left - did impress in Copa D. America last year - and more info can be wiki'ed here: Wiki on C. Eduardo

there are other interested teams (and maybe an interesting young Jo): 09/11/2007 14:21 Inter Eye Up CSKA Trio Inter are today being linked with CSKA Moscow’s Joao Jo, Vagner Love and Daniel Carvalho. Inter Eye Up CSKA Trio zoom - galleria The Brazilian trio all impressed during Inter’s 4-2 Champions League win over CSKA on Wednesday night. Twenty-year-old striker Jo, is said to be the player most of interest to the Nerazzurri. The giant hitman is fast, strong and skilful and scored a superb goal against Inter. The ex-Corinthians man would not come cheap though and is valued at between €15-20m. Fellow strike-partner Vagner Love was also a constant thorn in the Beneamata backline and scored the second on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old has already played for Brazil on 20 occasions, scoring eight times, and is likely to command another high fee. Carvalho is the oldest of the three at 24 and is admired by Roberto Mancini for his creativity in midfield. The former Internacional star has only just returned from a serious injury and is still working his way back to full fitness currently. (from: http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=475170)

Then let's get him asap - and not wait for Dec. 16. !!!!

and Rodriguez did super at last WC as well - but he doesn't seem to set the LaLiga aligth, does he???

So you mean this Lulinha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QHy9DPPLkY...feature=related and this Renato Augosto: http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/a...to-augusto.html .... they could be good......

By the way - AGGER will be on leave as well and superhungry for top-footy after a summer of 'being left out'.

G. Barry has been excellent in a set up with Gerrard in the England midfield, although they not get the same sort of time as def/off in a LFC-midfield. Anelka migth be cuptied for Europe trough the UEFA-matches for Bolton. ... still want Laursen from Villa together with Barry....

My shot would be to take Martin Laursen off Aston Villa, as he has come back now from several injuries (they have paid his salary so far), but now he is back to what made him part of the first team at Milan before moving to Aston Villa. His contract is up in January - and they havn't even started to talk yet (according to the Danish Radio 1).

What abt. El-Zabir, who has doen good in some reserve-matches??

It seems like Rafa needs a huge wakeup-bell for this team every time to make them put up a real effort - against Marseille, there were 10 min. at the end, where the play were to get a goal - and just the same here.... buy, buy - Champs League - and UEFA-Cup!!!

We just have to learn from how Besiktas made things simple - fast, concentrated and direct - a little like the a*** (ups - their up next - and will rip us apart). Their second goal is just so similar to Torres' ag. Chelski in style - maybe we could use him..??

You just cannot say that our teams dowsn't keep the ball, when possesion is 39-61% in our favour. They play very good from rigth to left with Besiktas running after the ball a lot. Still Besiktas has 10-11 man behind the ball, and no team find it easy to score against such a team. Porto scored in overtime, and Marseille in the last 15 min. - so just wait, they will eventually run out of energy before our players.

or from Fuertaventure: http://www.fuerteventuradigital.com/notici...8/31/193212.asp

If someone can translate - then, there is more abt. this boy at: http://www.fuerteventuradigital.com/notici...8/31/193212.asp it look like it is for real.....! ... maybe it is the son of someone, who Rafa learned to know, when he were at Tenerife...?

Maybe they are up to get hands on prof. on gymnastics Jens Bangsbo (http://www.ifi.ku.dk/ifi/side1321.asp?personid=7813), were from 1999-2004 fysical trainer and assistant trainer at Juventus. Jens Bangsbo has been playing and coaching soccer for more than 35 years. He spent 15 years as a top-level player in Denmark, playing more than 400 matches in the top Danish league. In international play, he represented Denmark as both a youth player and as a member of the "A" national team. Bangsbo has been an instructor at the Danish Football Association since 1986 and is an assistant head coach for the Juventus soccer club in Italy. He has published more than 100 articles on soccer and conditioning, and he has written several books, including Soccer Systems & Strategies. He has written books (to be seen at this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search...Jens%20Bangsbo)

It's something different, you can find in the Danish press, where it says, that Graversen i upon to return to Goodison on loan from Celtic. It seem like he knows where his extreme temperament and bully-style of play is just about to be accepted (and says a lot abt. the blues...!)

Or he could be the second striker that makes it possible to have Torres (front) + Kuyt (behind), Torres (f) + Voronin, Kuyt + Voronin, Torres + Beast, Kuyt + Beast - and thereby allow Crouch to go to Portsmouth to figth against 3 others as 4th. striker.

... oh - and remember, when Agger came here, he were just such a nice young thin boy, whom everone could push off the ball. Nobody did that after 6 mths. in the gym. - and nobody does now, as he is a sure 1st. teamer. Leto will also become good. Now he's had a taste of it, but he'll get a lot more over the next years. Don't write him off so easy as Gonzo.

Then the mexican should be this one, and the italian this one. It also fits with Agger living nearby, as he told me, when he arrived at LFC.

"As I said earlier, I wish we could show some signs - even one sign - of establishing a pattern of play when we go forward. Unless you count a stubborn reluctance to get bodies in the box as our particular pattern?" Funny - I have had the same thought. Taken in mind, that there are several newcomers - that Rafa moves the players to different positions (Babel on the rigth - though he clearly has had most succes vith Holland on the left) - I still miss the final ajustment of the puzzle, so that the play flows, that everyone knows, where the others migth be (that Kuyt even looks to the left to play a ball).

You can watch him here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5HfXULDSD4 and more abt. him here: http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...oI+look+to+Leto

OK - then: Sebastian Leto from Lanus in Argentina