1.) 14 Feb 2019
14 Feb 2019 20:42:14
Great read Ed. my perfect summer transfer window would be Saul Niguez and Wan Bissaka, thus creating a new midfielder in TAA

Ta la.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome mate, Saul is one of my favourite players around currently.}

2.) 14 Feb 2019
14 Feb 2019 20:52:25
He is without a doubt a Klopp type of player and would excel under him in my opinion, he would knock the aggression out of him straight away, if it was ever there as you say it probably comes from Simone.

{Ed001's Note - I think Saul would excel anywhere and Barcelona should have paid whatever it took to sign him, rather than wasting the money on Coutinho and Malcom.}

3.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 04:14:56
Ed, on the subject of Saul playing in a Simeone system, what do make of Simeone as a manager?
His style of play does not entertain me in the slightest, but I do believe he is a top class manager who has been fantastic for Atletico as a club. They are a match made in heaven looking from the outside.

{Ed001's Note - so long as I don't have to watch them too much it is fine, but I would hate that to be what I had to watch every week. He has done ok, but Real Madrid and Barca have not been that special for a long time, both have been massively over-reliant on one player, yet Simeone has not found a way to consistently beat them, so I am not convinced to be honest. Good manager but a top class manager should have them top regularly. They are a much bigger club than most people realise.}

4.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 07:04:21
He sounds like an excellent Milner replacement when he leaves us!

{Ed001's Note - except for being unable to play full back he would be.}

5.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 07:28:43
I agree with a lot of what you said about Simeone, Ed, and I have to admit I’m not fully aware of how big Atletico are.
Whilst both of his chief rivals have been over-reliant on one player, the era of football from 2009 to 2018 was about having one generation-defining player to allow teams to win things. Real and Barcelona have also had other fantastic players within that period to compliment Ronaldo and Messi. Only 3/ 10 times in the above period has the Champions League not been won by a team without either of them. I would even suggest that in no period since around the 1950’s (excluding Argentina in the 70’s and 80’s) have elite teams been so reliant on one genius. If Barcelona and Real were not winning the CL every season, I would agree that perhaps Simeone should be doing more. But he’s been up against two clubs with two of football’s all-time greats in their line-up who have consistently been dominating in Europe and setting numerous records along the way.

{Ed001's Note - I am not interested in the cup competitions, I am talking about the league, which is the true measure of a team, rather than just if one player can perform on one particular day. That is where Simeone should be performing better. Champions League panders to these poorly constructed teams by allowing them to be overloaded with attackers at the expense of a well-balanced team, because luck and having them turn up for the TV cameras is all it takes. The league is when a manager's skill matters.}

6.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 07:34:11
fell in love with saul maybe 2 seasons ago. can't remember the game but he set up a goal with a cross kind of on 10-15 yards from the corner of the box using the outside of his boot. beautiful shape straight onto the head of his team mate for a goal.

7.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 11:46:51
Anyone remember stoicov (spelling) Bulgarian who scored that amazing World Cup worldie, where he drove at the defence that seemed to open before him like the red sea for moses. What a goal.

Where did he play his club footy. It was in the day when we didn't have many foreign players in the league over here.

That goal reminds me of the ox.

8.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 19:58:51
I knew Saul when he was on loan at Rayo Vallecano and that was the time we were linked to him around BR's time. Since then, he has stepped up a couple of notches. Saul is a beast of a player, one who makes football look easy. I would not mind him at LFC, either. Simeone? He is a very good manager. Top class? No way. Like Ed01 said, he needs to do more cos since they won La Liga in 13/ 14, they have not stepped up in the league to fully challenge RM and Barcelona who really, have not been pulling any trees for the reasons Ed mentioned.

9.) 15 Feb 2019
15 Feb 2019 21:41:44
Great read Ed. I must admit I've only seen him play a handful of times but after reading that I'd like to see more of him. Thanks mate.