Paris Saint-Germain

[Nails]

So, with the possible signings of Zlatlan Imbrahimovic and Thiago Silva, are we seeing the rise of another Man City?

Anzhi have bought some amazing talent recently, but PSG look to have trumped them. Can they eclipse Lyon's recent achievements in Ligue 1?

How long until they win the Champions League?

I have secretly always had a soft spot for PSG (mainly because you don't need to put on a wanky French accent), but I feel a little dirty about supporting them now. Hmm...

 

[teppic]

PSG were and always will be boss for saving my life in SWOS.

Back in the day I had a black and white portable hooked up to my Amiga and they were the only team you could play as which guaranteed the away side would switch to light shades.

 

[Azzurri]

I went to see them once when Ronaldinho played for them. Proper, proper boss.

I reckon they'll win the title this year, but only just, and Ancelotti will be sacked. Can't see them winning the Champions' League for a while, though.

 

[turner]

Football sucks at the moment. If they took financial fair play seriously, then it would, to a small degree, makes things a little better. It's not going to happen though, eh?

 

[Nails]

I went to see them once when Ronaldinho played for them. Proper, proper boss.

I reckon they'll win the title this year, but only just, and Ancelotti will be sacked. Can't see them winning the Champions' League for a while, though.

Would have said the same for Chelsea last year. But in a perfect world, no way. You need experience in those tournaments to win it. It's why A. Madrid have been winning that-other-European-league regularly.

Thiago Silva will make a massive difference to PSG. In three or four years they could have a tidy pairing at the back with Sakho and Silva.

 

[andym78]

Football sucks at the moment. If they took financial fair play seriously, then it would, to a small degree, makes things a little better. It's not going to happen though, eh?

So what's the deal with PSG and the whole financial fair play thing? Have they got a dodgy sponsorship deal like City or something?

 

[billycopper]

I'm still not sure what their transfer policy is. Very good players though they are Thiago Silva will be 28 and Ibrahimovic will be 31 before Christmas. If you're building a dream team I'd have thought that you'd have signed players who are about 26 so that they have a couple of years to gel together before they hit their peak. Leonardo and Ancellotti obviously both know Milan very well. From their squad Pato is possibly still a bit too young. Abate seems like he could be top quality though.

Taking City as an example, they came into money in time for the 2008 window and bought Robinho, Jo, De Jong, Bellamy, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Given, Zabaletta, Kompany and Ben-Haim in a £138.5m splurge. I don't think that's the best way to go. As I've said in other threads, Real, Barca and Bayern all have a strong core of their national team complimented by outstanding foreigners. If it was me I would be wanting to put a nucleus of the French team together as well as one or two marquee signings.

Ribery is 29 now. Worth considering, I think.
Would Real Madrid let Benzema go?
Could Nasri be surplus to requirements at City?
Players such as Lloris, Debuchy, Cabaye, M'Vila, Ben Arfa and Remy would all seem to be available at a reasonable price.

Those players already have an understanding from playing club and international football together, so it hopefully shouldn't take too long for the team to find their rhythm. Add in the likes of Lavezzi, Pastore and Motta and you've got a really strong side with their best years ahead of them without breaking the bank.

 

[Nails]

I'm still not sure what their transfer policy is. Very good players though they are Thiago Silva will be 28 and Ibrahimovic will be 31 before Christmas. If you're building a dream team I'd have thought that you'd have signed players who are about 26 so that they have a couple of years to gel together before they hit their peak. Leonardo and Ancellotti obviously both know Milan very well. From their squad Pato is possibly still a bit too young. Abate seems like he could be top quality though.

Taking City as an example, they came into money in time for the 2008 window and bought Robinho, Jo, De Jong, Bellamy, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Given, Zabaletta, Kompany and Ben-Haim in a £138.5m splurge. I don't think that's the best way to go. As I've said in other threads, Real, Barca and Bayern all have a strong core of their national team complimented by outstanding foreigners. If it was me I would be wanting to put a nucleus of the French team together as well as one or two marquee signings.

Ribery is 29 now. Worth considering, I think.
Would Real Madrid let Benzema go?
Could Nasri be surplus to requirements at City?
Players such as Lloris, Debuchy, Cabaye, M'Vila, Ben Arfa and Remy would all seem to be available at a reasonable price.

Those players already have an understanding from playing club and international football together, so it hopefully shouldn't take too long for the team to find their rhythm. Add in the likes of Lavezzi, Pastore and Motta and you've got a really strong side with their best years ahead of them without breaking the bank.

So Thiago Silva is bad because he is 28, while Ribery would be good because he is 29?

PSG now have a Serie A All-Star team. Motta, Pastore, Lavezzi, Silva, and Ibra. It's like FIFA12 FUT with maximum chemistry.

Zabaleta, Jo, Kompany, and Wright-Phillips were all bought with the Thai money. I'm pretty sure. Different types of transfers to this bottomless Arab money.

 

[BlueTak]

If these two sign, surey someone like ESPN will buy the viewing rights to Ligue 1. I'm tired of watching it on my laptop.

 

[billycopper]

So Thiago Silva is bad because he is 28, while Ribery would be good because he is 29?

PSG now have a Serie A All-Star team. Motta, Pastore, Lavezzi, Silva, and Ibra. It's like FIFA12 FUT with maximum chemistry.

Zabaleta, Jo, Kompany, and Wright-Phillips were all bought with the Thai money. I'm pretty sure. Different types of transfers to this bottomless Arab money.

I didn't say Thiago Silva was bad. I said that if I could buy any player in the world I would tend to be looking for them to have their prime still ahead of them. You could make allowances for Ribery because of his significance and reputation in France.

It would certainly be a talented side that they're assembling but this season those players will turn 30, 24, 28, 28 and 31 respectively. I would question the wisdom in signing players who will be 30+ during this campaign.

If you look at Barca: Valdes (30), Alves (29), Pique (25), Puyol (34), Jordi Alba (23), Busquets (23), Iniesta (28), Xavi (32), Fabregas (25), Messi (25), Villa (30) their average age is 27.6. If Mascherano replaces Puyol it comes down to 27. And they've been winning trophies for at least the last 4 years.

Look at Real: Casillas (31), Arbeloa (29), Pepe (29), Ramos (26), Coentrao (24), Khedira (25), Alonso (30), Ronaldo (27), Ozil (23), Di Maria (24), Higuain (24). Their average age is 26.5.

If it was me I would be buying more players in the age bracket of Pique, Jordi Alba, Fabregas, Ozil and Higuain to try and bring the average age of the squad down rather than buying too many players in the age bracket of Ibrahimovic, Alex or Maxwell.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

I'd just be buying players as good as possible

 

[Nails]

If it was me I would be buying more players in the age bracket of Pique, Jordi Alba, Fabregas, Ozil and Higuain to try and bring the average age of the squad down rather than buying too many players in the age bracket of Ibrahimovic, Alex or Maxwell.

How do you know PSG haven't sniffed around players in that "age bracket" and been turned down by their clubs. A lot of teams aren't willing to let go of their world class, younger players. Especially the big clubs. Unless that players is increasingly restless or wants out, they usually stay.

I think the players PSG really want is different to the players they are getting.

 

[billycopper]

How do you know PSG haven't sniffed around players in that "age bracket" and been turned down by their clubs. A lot of teams aren't willing to let go of their world class, younger players. Especially the big clubs. Unless that players is increasingly restless or wants out, they usually stay.

I think the players PSG really want is different to the players they are getting.

If the difficulty that PSG are experiencing is simply that clubs don't want to let go of their best players then how do you explain Hazard to Chelsea, Kagawara to United, Jordi Alba to Barcelona or Giroud to Arsenal? Burlesconi has said that Milan need to save 150m euro over the next 2 years, so why not take Abate and Pato off their hands? Dzagoev and Nani have both hinted at moves. And Newcastle are virtually inviting offers for Cabaye and Ben Arfa. What about Moutinho, Falcao or Neymar too?

Even though City are in the Premier League they didn't have the lifestyle, European tradition or Champions League football to attract the world's best and still brought in Robinho, Silva, Aguero, Tevez and Yaya without too much difficulty.

Most of the best players are already with big clubs and the amount of ambitious sides with new money means that you have to move fast to hoover up attainable players. Chelsea have done that with David Luiz, Lukaku, Mata, Hazard, De Bruyne, Marin and Sturridge. I just don't get why they wouldn't look at the proposed moves of Debuchy to Newcastle, M'Via to Arsenal and Remy to Spurs and think that there was a French international that they could sign for a reasonable price to help develop the squad while they seek more global stars.

 

[Neiler]

There like a mini serie a team.

 

[ChrisHolley_EFC]

Zlatlan Imbrahimovic would be a great signing but can be replaced easily by Milan. However Thiago Silva is brilliant for AC Milan and will be very hard to replace.

PSG will be ruining the French league, it's become so much better with the likes of Montpelier and Lille challenging and winning the league, but now PSG look like they will be getting these two it's going to be less entertaining and seeing a team dominate a league is boring prefer seeing lots of challengers.