Villarreal CF

[The Rule]

What's the current situation with Matias Fernandes?

Any chance of him leaving this summer?

[Sven]

He still one of the flairest players I have ever seen, but still not performing , Why he doesn't allways start, mainly used as a sub.

I don't see them selling, though I think they should snap up his fellow country man Mark González what a talent he is(only in Spain it seems)

[The Rule]

Mark González is a wonderful player. Great pace and ability. I'd love to see him come back to Liverpool in a couple of seasons when he's a bit more experienced. He suffered from injuries when he was with us.

We sold him, Sinama-Pongolle and Barragan for more than we paid for them, and despite all their values rising over the past 2 seasons, we retain options to buy them for what we sold them for. Happy days.

Fernandes is an amazing talent, i haven't followed La Liga much this season but from what i've heard he's not been a regular at Villareal.

[Pat Murphy]

I haven't seen a lot of Mati this season, he's only started 10 games but has come on as a sub in 18 times so he's definately one for the future. Pires is prefered on that left attacking side at the moment but I think Mati will overtake him as the main playmaker of the side, maybe as soon as next season.

Pongolle's had another great season, linked to Valencia for next year but Barragan hasn't play much, Depor play a 5-4-1 with Manuel Pablo at RB so Barragan will be the long term replacement for him.

[Pat Murphy]

El Villarreal ficha al 'Toro' Altidore y Flores será el siguiente en caer - Marca.com

Villarreal sign Jozy Altidore and Robert Flores.

Altidore was signed with the 10m they got from their 50% of the Caceres transfer. He'll be loaned out to Recre next season just like Santi Cazorla and Martin Caceres were the last 2 seasons and they've both become stars.

[Pennywise]

What a player Marco Senna is. One of the best DM in the world IMO. Maybe Spains best player in Euro 08?

Shame that he is 31. Should've played for a big gun long time ago...and I find it strange that he he's not in a big club, because most of the big guns in Europe had been able to buy him from 'small' Villarreal.

[Pat Murphy]

I agree on Senna. He's done a fantastic job for Spain and has just made into UEFA's top 10 players of the tournament so is rightly being recognised.

He not only makes the tackles but his long and short passing is excellent. At Villarreal he gets to play a bit further forward with Eguren behind but he can be disciplined too as he's showed with Spain.

United almost got him before Hargreaves for 10m euros. Would have been a bargain.

[Pat Murphy]

Goal.com - Real Mallorca - Ibagaza Signs For Villarreal

Ibagaza signs for 1.5m euros. Which is a good signing I think as he gives you a great option off the bench. He got a massive 15 assists last season, 1 better than 3rd placed Dani Alves and 1 less than Guti who got 16 assists.

Also Josemi has gone to Mallorca on a free transfer, some say in the same deal.

Mavuba has also left for between 5-7m euros to join Lille and fill the gap that Makoun left.

---------------------- Diego Lopez
-- Angel ----- Gonzalo ------ Godin ------ Capdevila
---------------- Senna -- Eguren/Edmilson
-- Cazorla ----------------------------------- Pires/Mati Fernandez
----------------- Rossi ---------- Nihat

Hopefully with Gonzalo fit they then have Rossi dropping back a bit to be the support striker and have great options like Viera for goal, Fuentes and Cygan in defence (yes Cygan is good now ). Also Cani, Ibagaza and Bruno in the mid and Llorrente, Franco upfront and possibly Jozy if he stays. Also a bunch of new nobodies who will become somebodies like Flores, Escudero.

Nihat, Capdevila, Llorente, Edmilson, Pires were all free transfers.

[lionel]

Originally Posted by Pat Murphy

Hopefully with Gonzalo fit they then have Rossi dropping back a bit to be the support striker and have great options like Viera for goal, Fuentes and Cygan in defence (yes Cygan is good now ). Also Cani, Ibagaza and Bruno in the mid and Llorrente, Franco upfront and possibly Jozy if he stays. Also a bunch of new nobodies who will become somebodies like Flores, Escudero.

I don't think they will need him, diego lopez is, imo, the 2nd or 3rd best goalkeeper in the league.

villareal will be decent in CL next season, but I don't see them running so far in the league again.

and ibagaza is a fantastic signing, I love this player.

[Pat Murphy]

Villarreal's CL Group is....

Group E:

Manchester United
Villarreal
Celtic
Aalborg BK

United and Celtic are tough, forgive my ignorance but I'd never heard of Aalborg before this draw so they could be european super giants but I doubt it.

Villarreal could even win the group but usually there's a strain on them when they're in the Champion's League so I think they'll go far in the CL or the League, not both.