I want to use this opportunity to appreciate Jorge Mendes and Mr Christiano Ronaldo for openly giving Mr Ronaldo up for the most entertaining dragging in recent memory.
In one week, man scored, removed his shirt and was yellow carded only for the goal to be disallowed and now nobody wants to sign him.
Thank you Mr Mendes, Thank you Mr Ronaldo

samuelson06:


The cost of maintenance for any car depends on the defective part. On this platform and particularly on the car maintenance thread, I've seen a part for all these Toyota Corolla quoted between 70-75k. I've forgotten the exact part. So it's usually not about the car but the defective part.

I drive a Ford Focus 2009 and it's going 2 years now. Got it from the guy here. So far, I can say that its maintenence has not been that tough. The most important thing is servicing within two or two months plus. The engine sound still seems like when I got it even though I've had a serious accident with it.

Ford makes their cars in such a way that when the car is very sick it literarily cries. For example, after the accident, I was still driving it that evening but by morning, water hard dried because the radiator was affected and I never knew. The engine light was blinking on the screen yet I was just naive about what it meant. And then the car started vibrating - the steering and even the sit, in fact, everything was vibrating and I was forced to stop. Someone had to check for me and then told me I was very lucky that the car didn't develop overheat even when all the water had leaked out. I was shocked.

I thought the car would start jumping from one form of issue to the next after the accident but it never did. Even a bad sound that I've been hearing from the engine (I posted the video here) suddenly stopped without repairs.

From my experience, I'd say Ford is cool. Things don't just spoil unnecessarily so you start spending money you never budgeted.

However, like every other car coming from CA, once you get it, screen and deal with rust issues. They'd most likely be there, especially cars below 2011 or 2012. And that's not a major work because it doesn't affect the engine and once you attend to it very well, that's the end.

Succinctly put, maintenence for me has been normal like every other car. And many times, if you don't find the main Ford part, you'll find something that matches it. I've changed only a few parts though - tyroid, engine mount and engine rubber cover thread to stop oil leakage.

On the issue of a mechanic attending to you, I'd say you shouldn't worry yourself much about that. Even mechanics for other car brands are quacks. Most of them are quacks. So what are we talking about?

My advice: if your car develops a problem, try to first of all understand the issue before going to the mechanic. Ask questions online (thank God for a man like Gazzuzz) and also watch YouTube videos about the problem. Make sure you also scan the car then take your error codes to engine-codes.com. Once you've done all these, any repair with your local mechanic would be a walk over whether the person is a Ford, Toyota, or Mazda mechanic. Don't depend on any mechanic to manually diagnose a problem or unilaterally take a decision on what the actual problem may be. Hear me: majority of them in Nigeria are professional quacks.

I don't know if I've addressed all your concerns.

This is one of the best answers to a question I've ever read since I joined Nairaland. Thank you for this

Jodera:
I know Soler or Gil aren't starters, reason why I said he(Puig) will at least see Olympic squad. Most of the players who started are pure starters in their respective clubs from oyazarbal, to Pedri to Zubimendi to Olmo and so on. But if Puig had seen reasonable minutes last season, at least he'd have been a good option coming off from the bench in that Olympic squad. For him not to be looked at all, esp in his own age grade competition speaks a lot

I can agree with this then.

Jodera:
If he'd seen enough minutes (not saying he would have been a starter last season oo), there's big tendency that Spain wouldn't have taken Carlos Soler. Spain hardly carries overage players to competition historically.

Also, there's also tendency of taking the spot of Bryan Gil, who I know is a winger, but Spain favors having more midfielders to winger.

But the biggest hit will be Carlos Soler due to his overage status


There's no way that Puig will see reasonable minutes last season and wont get into that Olympic squad.

Soler wasn't even a starter, the starters were Merino, Pedri and Zubimendi of Sociedad. I don't think Puig would have benched any of them sha. He would have been with the team but benching these 3, nope.
Actually, Spain since Del Bosque still relied in their wingers but those of kind wingers were magnificent with the ball but some were pacey enough to trouble defenses. Like Pedri.
But I don't think Puig would have benched Pedri or Merino or Zubimendi.

pu7pl3:


He used to be loved by his father especially, when he was still growing up he was a pacifist before he started getting enamoured with nihilism and death which drove him mad and he killed his mother, skinning her alive, that was when he became an outcast...

Wow, thanks for this information

Jodera:
Messi and Puig is entirely different. Puig needs to save his career, even if it's loan. In as much he loves barca, but he needs to know that his career comes first before barca. You can imagine even young Puig( at 22 yrs) couldn't make the cut for the Olympic squad. Even people inferior than him made the squad but he couldn't. If he continues like this and Koeman still deny him minutes, he'll las las be forced to be sold away from barca which is what he is avoiding.

You can't compare that to messi who is/was a keyman, best player and influential to barca team and can decide if he wants to go or stay.

So they're two different contrasting context!

Who are the players inferior to Puig that made Spain's Olympic squad?

Jodera:
Is it not what most people are saying? If he's good, he'll go and come back possibly, and if not, he'll shine elsewhere as dem olmo and others. Let him think of his career first esp if he's always going down the pecking order. Not everyone will be fortunate as xavi

Let him remain, there is nothing better than being at Barca for him. There have been a lot players that left Barca and went down hill

FanOfMyself:

I personally prefer Ford, Chevrolet, et al to all these Toyota, Honda, Lexus wey full everywhere. But I have a question, how much is the cost of maintenance of ford compared to brands like toyota and lexus? Also how available are the mechanics with enough experience to take care of it.

Prefer a Chevrolet to a Lexus in Nigeria at your detriment

pu7pl3:


What I replied you with was that Thanos is a Deviant hybrid, no dey do all these Shakira twists....

Have you not seen normal Human beings that give birth to mutated babies despite the fact that both parents were perfectly normal? You dey fall my hands tbh
I've forgotten the particular issue where it was stated that he had the Deviant gene/Syndrome....
But this was Thanos at birth...he looks nothing like his brother or cousins cos he was born a hybrid

Thanos was an outcast from his own people abi race. He was stronger than normal and more intelligent. He was better than them so he was made an outcast. That's until their population problem started and they destroyed themselves before he went on his population halving journey

jpmoriarti:
Comfort zone in the sense it applied to Puig cannot be viewed same way as it is for Messi. Ruiq Puig needs to leave Barcelona to save his career. Messi clearly did not need such. Messi already have the career anyone in the world football can only dream of. So it is 100% wrong to ever allude that Barcelona was Messi's comfort zone.

For avoidance of doubt, this is the dictionary definition of comfort zone as I inferred it to with regards to Puig' situation.

I dont see how this definition can be used in the same sentence as Messi's 20years meritorious career at Barca.

Puig staying in Barca isn't staying in his comfort zone, did Xavi leave his "comfort zone" when he wasn't being played? Did he leave his "comfort zone" when Barca fans booed him and even blamed Rijkaard for playing him in some matches that Barca performed poorly in? Puig staying in Barca isn't staying in his comfort zone, how many La Masia players have left the club and thrived elsewhere? They are so few, Olmo, Thiago even Garcia left and came back, Fabregas left and came back, Alba left and came back.
Koeman won't be Barca coach for ever and Puig has a strong following unlike Xavi he will still come good. Shaw was basically mistreated by Mourinho and now Shaw is among the best LBs in EPL. Boy's just 22. He will still play and he will play well

pu7pl3:


Make I on location? Na 2 by 2 you wan use?

No on am, go and help yourself. The plank no go solve the main problem.

pu7pl3:


Modern striker that no big club is serious for... meanwhile Morata is on different coaches to buy list every season

You're asking for logical points but you no wan answer question wey I ask you since

Na to plank you remain

BlueAngel444:
those who actually watched Euros 2020 are the ones saying Lukaku is better than Harry Kane

I like Lukaku but omo Kane is better than him abeg. Kane's passing alone obliterates Lukaku

FirstbornWds:

Your choice. I wouldn't pick Higuain either. But then, Benz doesn't have his stats.

True sha

jpmoriarti:
Where do u put Lukaku. I guess above Benzema. Lukaku is the best striker right now in Europe in my opinion. Powerful and quality

Kane is better than Lukaku.
Haaland is among the best 9s in Europe now

FirstbornWds:

In a saner argument, even Higuain would be rated far above whatever 'barking lion' that Benzema is. Suarez and co have never been his mate.

I will take Benzema over Higuain. In fact in every world and time I will take Benzema over Higuain

pu7pl3:


Yen yen yen...Benzema is.better than all of them except Lẹwa, it's not a hard pill to swallow

How is Benzema better than Suarez or Ibrahimovic?

Well we have 5 subs so I would expect that they would all be used in this match. Especially when we are in the ascendency.

Kilishihunter:

It's not even about favoritism, pedri played the most games of any outfield player coming into this new season, most times we tend to forget that as good as he is, this boy's just 18yrs of old and is still in his developmental phase,In the Olympics final I saw few traces of fatigue in him despite him trying his best in the midfield, there's a reason barca didn't want him to even go for it though it was him that agreed, Not that he'll be overworked again at this tender time, breaks down and starts churning out mixed performances leading to harsh criticism

Last season after series of impressive performances, it became clear that our squad was clearly tired out. We don't want such a thing to happen to our midfielders again. It would be terrible

GrammarNazi1:

He won't rest.

We all know that.

But it's pathetic.

It truly is.
He is starting today, he and Garcia

jpmoriarti:
Una don start again o. This is a new season. Let the best players play. Not a matter of favouritism. We need all the points in as many game as possible. It shouldn't matter who plays

I was wrong insinuating favoritism, Pedri is good but we have other players in the squad that can offer something.
Maybe not as good as Pedri but something worthwhile

FirstbornWds:


Pedro is as stubborn as Koeman. The mumu refused rest even when it was offered on a platter.


Make I agree say na small pikin brain sha

The boy is good, he knows he is good but resting isn't a bad idea. I hope he doesn't play more than 50 minutes today.

If Pedri starts today, it won't be well with Koeman.


As much as I love Puig, even if he doesn't start Gavi can start, or Demir in that role like against Juventus but Pedri starting even though he is very good is borderline unfair to others

jpmoriarti:
There were plenty law cases flying up and down. It is quite difficult to keep track back then. Besides, if it were Barca that took Neymar to court, it means Neymar made demands that the club disagreed with. Either way, it still boils down to clear mistrust between Neymar's camp and the Barca's camp, being championed by none other than Bartomeu.

Bartomew had us thinking we were the best there is financially. How can we be suffering so much in so short a time. This beggars belief really. It doesn't make sense at all.

The reason for the law suit was a breach of the terms Barca signed with Neymar, Neymar breached the contract and he was expected to be held liable for that. Don't make it like anyone should breach the terms of a contracts and get away with it.
In fact I don't think you understood the case.
Here https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/soccer/2020/06/19/neymar-lawsuit-ruling-barcelona-signing-bonus

https://www.google.com/amp/s/barcauniversal.com/official-barcelona-and-neymar-reach-agreement-to-end-legal-cases/amp/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11833/12364916/barcelona-and-neymar-end-legal-dispute-in-amicable-out-of-court-settlement

I can bring more so you can see that the club was absolutely right to sue Neymar and he would have lost that case. But the club chose an out of court settlement

jpmoriarti:
This is the kind of gesture that you expect from true Barca fans that are also Barca player. I don't need your tears in front of the whole world. All the club needed is help from players who have benefited when things were rosy. Not crocodile tears. Tears help no one

Thank you Gerard Pique. You're a true Barcelona fans.

It is also instructive that Barcelona mentioned this kind gesture in the report.

Na wa o, and I thought I was discussing with a reasonable Barca fan

jpmoriarti:
Barcelona and Neymar had been in court for various issues since he left. It was an acrimonious relationship even before he left. If he had everything he needed in Paris, I wonder why he would be back dragging matter for court. Its because he knew Bartomeu was a dishonest and deceitful. Everything was hoax. Putting smokescreen in front of people eyes.

Barca sued Neymar, not Neymar suing Barca. They are two different things and you should read up on the facts of that case before you make wrong allusions

Karleb:


Neymar didn't see shiit.

He left because he was offered everything a player can dream of at that time.

Had he stayed, he would be leaving now with tears in his eyes like Suarez and Messi.

PSG signed Neymar and promised him money, status and preferential treatment. Neymar was provided with a private jet for whenever he wanted to travel to Brazil while making him one of the 3 highest earning players in Europe.

jpmoriarti:
Me

He will say PSG paid his buyout clause so technically we didn't sell him because there was nothing we could have done to prevent that.

But I'll say that there's a reason for everything. For Neymar to consider leaving means all was not well with Barcelona. We have been going downhill ever since.

Neymar saw today and chose to leave before the house of cards Bartomeu was building comes crumbling upon him.

Bartomeu's chicken has finally come home to roost.

I just pray what is left of the ruins is salvaged as soon as possible so we can move on.

You know the correct thing and you will still go about spewing bizarre notions to suit agenda. You should be a Chelsea fan.

jpmoriarti:
Lmaooo Bartomeu had brilliant ideas but led Barca to financial ruins and managed to distance all club legends from the club. No former club legends wanted to have anything to do with Bartomeu and his doomed management team. Only Eric Abidal came close. And he left with his tails between his leg That alone told me Bartomeu is leading Barcelona to a devastating end. We can all see it now

I agree with this, Bartomeau didn't manage the relationship with club legends properly. I don't know how he managed to convince Koeman to coach the club

FirstbornWds:


Are we now going to use mediocrity as a standard for valuing leaders?

Bart was a pest that came into Barcelona to launder money. Irrespective of whatever accomplishments he had during his stint, the fact that he couldn't manage the progress of the club until it became almost a shadow is a testament that he was only banking on luck. He further went ahead to hire louts to paint the club so badly in the media. That man ehn

Noooo, who was mediocre? You do know that under Bartomeau Barca won the same number trophies that Barca under Laporta won during Laporta's tenure? The exact same number of trophies. How is that mediocrity? And Bartomeau didn't launder money. The main wrong that he did is his slander of club legends and that's terrible. But economically, Bartomeau has been Barca's best president.
Economically!!! So that someone won't say I said overall. Just from the economic standpoint of financial gains.

jpmoriarti:
Lolz we were most valuable club in 2019 and within two years we have turned into a laughing stock. Can't attract any top level players and losing the GOAT too.

It shows it was wash... the more you look, the less you see. Barcelona account were all cooked to appear good. Now, wind don blow, everything came crumbling like a pack of card.

Whatever Bartomeu achieved simply were all made up otherwise how can you explain how we quickly got into such financial mess in so short a time. Other big clubs are not having it this bad.

It wasn't wash, it was factual and it was true. Remember that every team make financial statements to La Liga, and those financial statements are public records. Barca was in debt of 1b euros and considering the income of 2018 and 2019 the club would have come out of that debt if 2020 hadn't been Covided. Not come out but with proper planning, it would have been addressed.
So essentially, it wasn't made up. It was true. Bartomeau had economic plans but no sporting project.

FirstbornWds:


Who did?

PSG activated his release clause. When a player's release clause is activated it means the entity that activated it want to buy all the rights of that player that his employer is holding. It's a common economic requirement in Spain and some parts of Europe.
When PSG activated Neymar's release clause, Barca didn't have the right to say no. The only person that could refuse was Neymar and he didn't.