West Ham(h) Match Thread

[Guest San Don]

Oh fuck.

[Faustus]

Yeah it was a disgrace but it still doesn't excuse spending what we have badly. Rafas final window he bought a rightback for 18 million and an 18 million pound midfielder. Not many clubs or manager get that type of money for two positions, one was okay the other a pile of wank. Kenny and Commoli other than the Suarez transfer may aswell of set fire to the money and Rodgers last summer should of just took that 26 million and give it to some tramp.

 

Why do we as a club get it so wrong so often, we can't be cursed. Other managers with smaller budgets and less support from owners and scouting staff seem to spot players and buy well. We seem to sift through wades of shit until we eventually find a nugget of gold, which eventually we have to sell and then sift through more shit. Be nice if we can get some more nuggets of gold before we need to sell. If we keep getting one world class player then having to sell him to buy another one, we are going to be stuck in this shite forever.for fucks sake can someone at the club genuinely do their homework.

 

I'm of the opinion we've got so much technology and software and shite we use to identify players ie stats and shit that we've lost what smaller clubs have and that's genuine talent spotters with out the need for a book of stats showing why we should sign this player. Downing is a stat buy and he's fucking crap.

 

Bobby, mate, that's an excellent post.

 

I've said before, I don't think there's another big name club out there who've had as poor a record in the transfer market as us over the past 20 years. I know you can say the Mancs have had some exceptional teams over the years and City and Chelsea's billions have made things more difficult, but the money we've spent and we're in our 23rd year without a league title is absolutely disgraceful.

 

WaltonRed off here hit the nail on the head for me once when he said that for every William Prunier, Karel Poborsky, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Miller etc the Mancs have signed, we've signed four of their ilk.

 

Both Ged and Rafa's records in their early days were outstanding. Hyypia will forever be one of English football's greatest bargains, McAllister was nothing short of inspire, and Alonso and Garcia were great early signings for Rafa. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the window after we won the European Cup was one of our best in the last ten years. No signing that window was particularly eye catching, but each one addressed a glaring flaw in the team. We needed a midfield destroyer, so we signed Sissoko. We needed someone to hold the ball up and bring others into play, so we signed Crouch. We needed a squad player who could plug 2-3 gaps in the side when required, so we signed Zenden. Virtually every window since then (regardless of manager) has been scattergun and it's been difficult to fathom what we've been looking to do as a team.

 

I honestly don't know where we go wrong. Whether it's our managers suddenly allow their stubborn streak to take over or become unable of seeing the woods for the trees, I don't know. Whenever we seem to get in a real position and need a good window to kick in, we always inevitably fuck it up. Houllier's summer of shite in 2002, Rafa's last two summer windows (yes, I know we finished second in 08/09, but not one player he signed that close season improved the first eleven and made us better as a team. That may well have been the difference between winning and losing the title), Kenny's splurge last season. I'm fucking sick of it. We just seem to go round in circles. Then we get a new manager in, have him rip everything up and then start again from scratch. It's fucking infuriating.

 

It's one reason why I'm opposed to signing Ashley Williams. It's not that I think he's a bad player- just he'll be £10m+, approaching 30 and I don't think he's any better than what we have. When you look at Spurs buying someone like Vertonghen for less than what you'd pay for Williams, it should set alarm bells ringing.

 

The point I've been making for a while now is that although City and Chelsea can spend millions without a thought, we should be looking at spending whatever we have better. For me, Dortmund are the template for us. There's no reason why we couldn't have signed any of their players from the off. Lewandowski was playing in Poland, Hummels was in Bayern's reserves and (I know he plays the Mancs now, but I think it's still valid) Kagawa was in the Japanese second division, for Christ's sake. It's not rocket science, just excellent scouting and superb youth development. You spot a weakness in your side, so you search high and low for a player within your budget who can help address it. It's that simple.

 

The January signings have actually really encouraged me. Sturridge has fucking wound me up lately with his lethargy but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt after an excellent start and Coutinho just looks like a great bit of business. I feel we're in the position now (providing we can keep Suarez) where we need 2-3 spot on signings and we can really push on for top four. It's a big one for Rodgers and FSG because we really can't afford to make the same mistakes we have done for years on end.

[Guest San Don]

Bobby, mate, that's an excellent post.

 

I've said before, I don't think there's another big name club out there who've had as poor a record in the transfer market as us over the past 20 years. I know you can say the Mancs have had some exceptional teams over the years and City and Chelsea's billions have made things more difficult, but the money we've spent and we're in our 23rd year without a league title is absolutely disgraceful.

 

WaltonRed off here hit the nail on the head for me once when he said that for every William Prunier, Karel Poborsky, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Miller etc the Mancs have signed, we've signed four of their ilk.

 

Both Ged and Rafa's records in their early days were outstanding. Hyypia will forever be one of English football's greatest bargains, McAllister was nothing short of inspire, and Alonso and Garcia were great early signings for Rafa. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the window after we won the European Cup was one of our best in the last ten years. No signing that window was particularly eye catching, but each one addressed a glaring flaw in the team. We needed a midfield destroyer, so we signed Sissoko. We needed someone to hold the ball up and bring others into play, so we signed Crouch. We needed a squad player who could plug 2-3 gaps in the side when required, so we signed Zenden. Virtually every window since then (regardless of manager) has been scattergun and it's been difficult to fathom what we've been looking to do as a team.

 

I honestly don't know where we go wrong. Whether it's our managers suddenly allow their stubborn streak to take over or become unable of seeing the woods for the trees, I don't know. Whenever we seem to get in a real position and need a good window to kick in, we always inevitably fuck it up. Houllier's summer of shite in 2002, Rafa's last two summer windows (yes, I know we finished second in 08/09, but not one player he signed that close season improved the first eleven and made us better as a team. That may well have been the difference between winning and losing the title), Kenny's splurge last season. I'm fucking sick of it. We just seem to go round in circles. Then we get a new manager in, have him rip everything up and then start again from scratch. It's fucking infuriating.

 

It's one reason why I'm opposed to signing Ashley Williams. It's not that I think he's a bad player- just he'll be £10m+, approaching 30 and I don't think he's any better than what we have. When you look at Spurs buying someone like Vertonghen for less than what you'd pay for Williams, it should set alarm bells ringing.

 

The point I've been making for a while now is that although City and Chelsea can spend millions without a thought, we should be looking at spending whatever we have better. For me, Dortmund are the template for us. There's no reason why we couldn't have signed any of their players from the off. Lewandowski was playing in Poland, Hummels was in Bayern's reserves and (I know he plays the Mancs now, but I think it's still valid) Kagawa was in the Japanese second division, for Christ's sake. It's not rocket science, just excellent scouting and superb youth development. You spot a weakness in your side, so you search high and low for a player within your budget who can help address it. It's that simple.

 

The January signings have actually really encouraged me. Sturridge has fucking wound me up lately with his lethargy but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt after an excellent start and Coutinho just looks like a great bit of business. I feel we're in the position now (providing we can keep Suarez) where we need 2-3 spot on signings and we can really push on for top four. It's a big one for Rodgers and FSG because we really can't afford to make the same mistakes we have done for years on end.

 

A good post I find myself agreeing with. One point though, we couldnt have signed kagawa due to our (UK) needing permission to bring in players on a work permit from outside the EU. Germany doesnt have such restrictions to my knowledge and I think it very doubtful we'd have got a WP for him from the Japanese second div (mancs might have pulled it off though!).

[Andre Wisdom]

Its a dive and a bad one at that, Stevie just keeps his face on the ground cos he knows it too.

 

I hate the diving in the game now, so im not going to be one eyed about it because its one of ours.

 

The defender touches the ball too.

 

You've never actually played football have you softlad?

[Bernard Diomede]

Bobby, mate, that's an excellent post.

 

I've said before, I don't think there's another big name club out there who've had as poor a record in the transfer market as us over the past 20 years. I know you can say the Mancs have had some exceptional teams over the years and City and Chelsea's billions have made things more difficult, but the money we've spent and we're in our 23rd year without a league title is absolutely disgraceful.

 

WaltonRed off here hit the nail on the head for me once when he said that for every William Prunier, Karel Poborsky, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Miller etc the Mancs have signed, we've signed four of their ilk.

 

Both Ged and Rafa's records in their early days were outstanding. Hyypia will forever be one of English football's greatest bargains, McAllister was nothing short of inspire, and Alonso and Garcia were great early signings for Rafa. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the window after we won the European Cup was one of our best in the last ten years. No signing that window was particularly eye catching, but each one addressed a glaring flaw in the team. We needed a midfield destroyer, so we signed Sissoko. We needed someone to hold the ball up and bring others into play, so we signed Crouch. We needed a squad player who could plug 2-3 gaps in the side when required, so we signed Zenden. Virtually every window since then (regardless of manager) has been scattergun and it's been difficult to fathom what we've been looking to do as a team.

 

I honestly don't know where we go wrong. Whether it's our managers suddenly allow their stubborn streak to take over or become unable of seeing the woods for the trees, I don't know. Whenever we seem to get in a real position and need a good window to kick in, we always inevitably fuck it up. Houllier's summer of shite in 2002, Rafa's last two summer windows (yes, I know we finished second in 08/09, but not one player he signed that close season improved the first eleven and made us better as a team. That may well have been the difference between winning and losing the title), Kenny's splurge last season. I'm fucking sick of it. We just seem to go round in circles. Then we get a new manager in, have him rip everything up and then start again from scratch. It's fucking infuriating.

 

It's one reason why I'm opposed to signing Ashley Williams. It's not that I think he's a bad player- just he'll be £10m+, approaching 30 and I don't think he's any better than what we have. When you look at Spurs buying someone like Vertonghen for less than what you'd pay for Williams, it should set alarm bells ringing.

 

The point I've been making for a while now is that although City and Chelsea can spend millions without a thought, we should be looking at spending whatever we have better. For me, Dortmund are the template for us. There's no reason why we couldn't have signed any of their players from the off. Lewandowski was playing in Poland, Hummels was in Bayern's reserves and (I know he plays the Mancs now, but I think it's still valid) Kagawa was in the Japanese second division, for Christ's sake. It's not rocket science, just excellent scouting and superb youth development. You spot a weakness in your side, so you search high and low for a player within your budget who can help address it. It's that simple.

 

The January signings have actually really encouraged me. Sturridge has fucking wound me up lately with his lethargy but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt after an excellent start and Coutinho just looks like a great bit of business. I feel we're in the position now (providing we can keep Suarez) where we need 2-3 spot on signings and we can really push on for top four. It's a big one for Rodgers and FSG because we really can't afford to make the same mistakes we have done for years on end.

 

Spot on Liam, but like you say we have been saying exactly the same thing now for years and we still keep getting it wrong. It fucking wears you down to the stage now where I am expecting players we sign to be shite, and am pleasantly surprised when they're not.

[razor]

You've never actually played football have you softlad?

 

I have. It was a dive. And you're a manc.

 

Next.

[BCM]

You've never actually played football have you softlad?

 

Haha who the fuck are you, played sunday league not the premiership like.

 

Just had highlights on match of the day and they didnt even show it in the analysis afterwards it was that obvious.

[General Dryness]

I was just pointing out the obvious, Allardyce knows his way around the PL, Rodgers is still learning the ropes.

 

Insurmountable proof that Xerxes is in fact Sam Allardyce. Nobody else is going to show that heap of lard this much respect other than himself.

 

Fat Sam knows the ropes alright, he uses one to keep his trousers up, the scruffy shit.

[boots123]

Pretty useless again against an organised shite team that parks the bus. Gerrard not having any influence at all.

 

West ham were playing for their prem. league status, we were playing for nothing, except a possible not certain UEFA place, and it showed, these are the games that Rodgers has to earn his money by providing an incentive to win, trouble was Collins had Suarez and Sturridge in his pocket and it looks like Lucas has returned to his early seasons shit form.

[s(k)aturation]

West ham were playing for their prem. league status, we were playing for nothing, except a possible not certain UEFA place, and it showed, these are the games that Rodgers has to earn his money by providing an incentive to win, trouble was Collins had Suarez and Sturridge in his pocket and it looks like Lucas has returned to his early seasons shit form.

 

The incentive to win is to earn his/their wages and do justice to the mythical, ornithological crest upon their chests.

 

Even if the wage bill is going down, and some have to survive on a lowly 40K a week under FSG austerity, the money still has to be earned and, although Joe Cole might disagree, the reputation of a "big club" honoured.

 

If this isn't incentive enough, we may as well be Reading or Swansea (and that is NOT a reference to their previous managers, it's a reference to who those clubs historically are, compared with us).

[KopOut]

well, that one had nil nil written all over it from about 10-15 minutes in.

 

Sturridge, after a bright start to his liverpool career, seemed, again, to be isolated and without any real focus, while the rest of the wayward passing, mistake ridden team couldnt be bothered.

 

A late captain's push seemed to spur us on, but too little too late.

 

We'd have lost this if it wasnt for Agger, who was my motm.

[mht1892]

Sturridge didn't do alot but scored a perfectly good goal, it was onside.

[xerxes]

we have been saying exactly the same thing now for years and we still keep getting it wrong. It fucking wears you down to the stage now where I am expecting players we sign to be shite, and am pleasantly surprised when they're not.

 

In the PL order as it is now, we cannot afford the attrition of misses we have made historically.

 

We have to get it right pretty much every time now. Coutinho and sturridge look value, Allen and Borini do not. We have not turned the corner yet.

[beejay]

Other teams get more out of their crap players than us. Look down the team sheets of every club in the League and there are players you wouldn't have in our side yet the sum of their parts tends to be the equal or better than us.

 

You can only put it down to organisation and mentality. We have enough top draw players to mean that we should be turning over West Ham, WBA, Southampton, Stoke etc week in week out yet we don't.

 

We start games way too slowly, the tempo just isn't there to blow teams away then we huff and puff for an hour before it all starts to become desperate and we stop building the play and take the wrong decisions to pass or to shoot. Then we become vulnerable to the sucker punch. And we rarely score late winners as our formation breaks down and we panic - particularly if the manager makes numbnuts substitutions that mean we end up with no midfield, like yesterday.

 

Utterly predictable and frustrating as fuck to watch

[Guest San Don]

Other teams get more out of their crap players than us. Look down the team sheets of every club in the League and there are players you wouldn't have in our side yet the sum of their parts tends to be the equal or better than us.

 

You can only put it down to organisation and mentality. We have enough top draw players to mean that we should be turning over West Ham, WBA, Southampton, Stoke etc week in week out yet we don't.

 

We start games way too slowly, the tempo just isn't there to blow teams away then we huff and puff for an hour before it all starts to become desperate and we stop building the play and take the wrong decisions to pass or to shoot. Then we become vulnerable to the sucker punch. And we rarely score late winners as our formation breaks down and we panic - particularly if the manager makes numbnuts substitutions that mean we end up with no midfield, like yesterday.

 

Utterly predictable and frustrating as fuck to watch

 

Agree with most of this especially about the tempo. We just look so fucking pedestrian and have done for years imo. The last bit may just be my perception but compared to the mancs, we 'look' to be off the pace.

 

Fuck me, even newcastle have won a couple of games recently with last gasp goals.

 

We dont seem to have the mental strength in the whole side to continually press the oppos during games. I dont know what the answer is.

 

I do think yesterday we tried far too may fancy flicks and tricks when we just needed to put our laces through the fucking ball. I cant remember their keeper making a save or being worked by us. That's attrocious imo in a home game.

[stringvest]

Other teams get more out of their crap players than us. Look down the team sheets of every club in the League and there are players you wouldn't have in our side yet the sum of their parts tends to be the equal or better than us.

 

You can only put it down to organisation and mentality. We have enough top draw players to mean that we should be turning over West Ham, WBA, Southampton, Stoke etc week in week out yet we don't.

 

We start games way too slowly, the tempo just isn't there to blow teams away then we huff and puff for an hour before it all starts to become desperate and we stop building the play and take the wrong decisions to pass or to shoot. Then we become vulnerable to the sucker punch. And we rarely score late winners as our formation breaks down and we panic - particularly if the manager makes numbnuts substitutions that mean we end up with no midfield, like yesterday.

 

Utterly predictable and frustrating as fuck to watch

 

It has been like that since 2006. In fact, apart from the CL win and a few other outstanding performances in the league and Europe, it's been that way for 20 years.

[bossy]

Bollocks. Most teams in the league aren't as good as ours or they wouldn't be below us.

[xerxes]

The incentive to win is to earn his/their wages and do justice to the mythical, ornithological crest upon their chests.

 

 

 

We are now facing a situation that Villa, Spurs and Newcastle have faced in the past. Players on wages which won’t be beaten elsewhere, but who aren’t quite good enough for the top echelon.

 

I watched the Stevie G interview on Football Focus with sadness. They were the words of a man still dedicated to the cause but who realized that the prize was now out of reach.

 

Buying players who are good enough under the noses of our competitors is tough, for every Suarez there is a Borini. And if you do, but don’t push on, you end up losing them ( Villa with Milner/Barry/Young). £125k a week is fine for Luis in the CL, but if we are not even in the EL, it may become a luxury we cannot afford.

[Guest San Don]

We are now facing a situation that Villa, Spurs and Newcastle have faced in the past. Players on wages which won’t be beaten elsewhere, but who aren’t quite good enough for the top echelon.

 

Really!? You sure? Positive in fact?

 

I watched the Stevie G interview on Football Focus with sadness. They were the words of a man still dedicated to the cause but who realized that the prize was now out of reach.

 

I think he knows its going to be a massive ask to win the title and like the rest of us knows we missed the chance in 2009.

 

Buying players who are good enough under the noses of our competitors is tough, for every Suarez there is a Borini. And if you do, but don’t push on, you end up losing them ( Villa with Milner/Barry/Young). £125k a week is fine for Luis in the CL, but if we are not even in the EL, it may become a luxury we cannot afford.

 

He's on 125k a week, allegedly, only since the owners performance enhanced pay scheem came into operation calling into question your first para.

[xerxes]

Really!? You sure? Positive in fact?I think he knows its going to be a massive ask to win the title and like the rest of us knows we missed the chance in 2009.He's on 125k a week, allegedly, only since the owners performance enhanced pay scheem came into operation calling into question your first para.

 

San Don, if you wish to challenge the claim do so. All three clubs have sailed too close to the sun in the past in striving to compete at the very top, and then fallen as the wages became unsustainable. There is no mystery or secret to it. Villa were at 93% wages/turnover when Milner, Young, Barry and Downing were variously on the payroll.

 

Clubs have to take a punt at paying CL wages (£125k a week) and then hope the players deliver if they are serious about getting there. Luis’ incentive based scheme is a case in point. That is what he is “worth” in the market place for his scoring record- but is that level of wage sustainable outside of the CL and EL?

[Dr. J]

Neville was right to say that players' wages should be made public. Our problem has always been the way we treated players. Players come to us knowing that, for the most part, however lazy and shite they may be they'll still be treated better than at other clubs. We're about to miss out on Europe but it's alright lads, YNWA.

 

We're what we are because we lack the mental toughness the ruthlessness the desire to win that, well, actually wins things. Rodgers can hardly impart it to players because he doesn't have it, either. We're stuck with players who have won precious little in their careers.

[Rambo]

Neville was right to say that players' wages should be made public. Our problem has always been the way we treated players. Players come to us knowing that, for the most part, however lazy and shite they may be they'll still be treated better than at other clubs. We're about to miss out on Europe but it's alright lads, YNWA.

 

We're what we are because we lack the mental toughness the ruthlessness the desire to win that, well, actually wins things. Rodgers can hardly impart it to players because he doesn't have it, either. We're stuck with players who have won precious little in their careers.

 

Unfortunately those who have won something come with an ego that is only matched by their wage demands

[Gym Beglin]

Lucas is an issue against sides like West Ham at home.

 

That said, he's still not right, and maybe we wont see a right Lucas until next season, if we see him get back to his best at all.

 

I'd love Wanyama or Diame here, if not just to see if it DOES make a difference to us. I'm not utterly convinced it would.

 

Our defence is in need of major surgery this Summer, and that underpins everything we try to do. We had Jarvis continually trying to pick holes in Carragher and Johnson down the right, and he was getting some joy at times. A quality right back or centre back would fuck a no-mark like Jarvis off, no bother, so we're not worrying about pushing up.

 

I think Johnson is ace at times, and then worrying the next moment. But I think part of that is him being asked to do a lot, and also rescue the centre backs with his pace from time to time.

 

I'd be interested to see our full backs key stats compared with united's or city's or Spurs.

[LFC64]

Bobby, mate, that's an excellent post.

 

I've said before, I don't think there's another big name club out there who've had as poor a record in the transfer market as us over the past 20 years. I know you can say the Mancs have had some exceptional teams over the years and City and Chelsea's billions have made things more difficult, but the money we've spent and we're in our 23rd year without a league title is absolutely disgraceful.

 

WaltonRed off here hit the nail on the head for me once when he said that for every William Prunier, Karel Poborsky, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Miller etc the Mancs have signed, we've signed four of their ilk.

 

Both Ged and Rafa's records in their early days were outstanding. Hyypia will forever be one of English football's greatest bargains, McAllister was nothing short of inspire, and Alonso and Garcia were great early signings for Rafa. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the window after we won the European Cup was one of our best in the last ten years. No signing that window was particularly eye catching, but each one addressed a glaring flaw in the team. We needed a midfield destroyer, so we signed Sissoko. We needed someone to hold the ball up and bring others into play, so we signed Crouch. We needed a squad player who could plug 2-3 gaps in the side when required, so we signed Zenden. Virtually every window since then (regardless of manager) has been scattergun and it's been difficult to fathom what we've been looking to do as a team.

 

I honestly don't know where we go wrong. Whether it's our managers suddenly allow their stubborn streak to take over or become unable of seeing the woods for the trees, I don't know. Whenever we seem to get in a real position and need a good window to kick in, we always inevitably fuck it up. Houllier's summer of shite in 2002, Rafa's last two summer windows (yes, I know we finished second in 08/09, but not one player he signed that close season improved the first eleven and made us better as a team. That may well have been the difference between winning and losing the title), Kenny's splurge last season. I'm fucking sick of it. We just seem to go round in circles. Then we get a new manager in, have him rip everything up and then start again from scratch. It's fucking infuriating.It's one reason why I'm opposed to signing Ashley Williams. It's not that I think he's a bad player- just he'll be £10m+, approaching 30 and I don't think he's any better than what we have. When you look at Spurs buying someone like Vertonghen for less than what you'd pay for Williams, it should set alarm bells ringing.

 

The point I've been making for a while now is that although City and Chelsea can spend millions without a thought, we should be looking at spending whatever we have better. For me, Dortmund are the template for us. There's no reason why we couldn't have signed any of their players from the off. Lewandowski was playing in Poland, Hummels was in Bayern's reserves and (I know he plays the Mancs now, but I think it's still valid) Kagawa was in the Japanese second division, for Christ's sake. It's not rocket science, just excellent scouting and superb youth development. You spot a weakness in your side, so you search high and low for a player within your budget who can help address it. It's that simple.

 

The January signings have actually really encouraged me. Sturridge has fucking wound me up lately with his lethargy but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt after an excellent start and Coutinho just looks like a great bit of business. I feel we're in the position now (providing we can keep Suarez) where we need 2-3 spot on signings and we can really push on for top four. It's a big one for Rodgers and FSG because we really can't afford to make the same mistakes we have done for years on end.

 

I do agree but isn't you rcomment in bold the root of the problem? Surely it's largely a result of having got through 4 managers in as many years. Each new regime rips up the previous and has to re-build with a major overhaul more than a club which already has a succesful foundation and can just make the necessary annual additions to the squad. Villa and Newcastle have had more leadership changes than the Italian government and their spending reflects that. Spurs have been the same and only now look like they finally have some continuity and momentum with AVB building on Redknapp's squad.

[beauty1972]

I do agree but isn't you rcomment in bold the root of the problem? Surely it's largely a result of having got through 4 managers in as many years. Each new regime rips up the previous and has to re-build with a major overhaul more than a club which already has a succesful foundation and can just make the necessary annual additions to the squad. Villa and Newcastle have had more leadership changes than the Italian government and their spending reflects that. Spurs have been the same and only now look like they finally have some continuity and momentum with AVB building on Redknapp's squad.

 

 

It is the problem, 4 managers crazy, whatever happens this guy needs time, signings like Coutinho will undoubtedly help. I agree with the scouting system, needs a radical shake up..Dortmund an excellent template...

 

For me signing of Allen and Arsenal signing Cazorla (granted 28) for the same bucks more or less is painful. How do you replace a Xabi Alonso...not with Lucas, Henderson or certainly a Joe Allen. My biggest fear is not only losing the likes of Suarez, but if we do unearth potential gems i.e. Coutinho...we will be like Arsenal, passing them on to City et al.