Being realistic.

[Ged B]

I agree that he is not on the same level as Torres and Mascherano, but I strongly believe that Yossi represents a great potential when it comes to adding creativity to break down stubborn defences.

 

I really would have liked to see him in the "Gerrard role", with Gerrard dropping a bit deeper but bombing forward in to the box on Yossi`s great little flicks and trough balls. That will unstable and lock up many many defences IMO.

 

 

I disagree. I believe he would be one of the better players at a mid table team (as he was at West Ham) but nothing more than that. Certainly not good enough to be considered a first team regular for us.

[Rashid]

Walton - I want Rafa to be given his full 5 years and then the excuses will end one way or the other. I personally don't have confidence in him to win the league but he deserves to be given a chance to show us he can challenge given his record in the CL. I hope he proves me wrong next season.

[hamstrung]

Could you maybe stop the constant sniping then, Rash? Its really annoying, especially when its repeated so often.

 

Trying to be decent about this...

[Judge]

From time to time i visit RAWK to see what`s happening. This is a post who made me think: Have we created a hysteria when it comes to the need for signing several world class players. Worth a read IMO:

 

 

I keep looking at threads and it appears that many think we need some significant changes in order to challenge for the title next season. Everyone seems satisfied with the spine of our team in Reina, Agger, Carrargher, Skrtel, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard and Torres. But many want to see new full backs, two wingers, back up goal keeper, back up for Torres.

 

Do we need that many changes?

 

Every transfer window under Benitez we have seen vast changes with players coming and going. Many were saying last summer this is why we don’t hit the ground running in the league, as the new players aren’t settled.

 

Last summer Arsenal hardly made any changes to their squad. If anything they weakened the team by selling Henry. However they regrouped, some players developed and they really did make a challenge this season. Same occurred two seasons ago when United won the league. They only brought in Carrick and they bridged the impossible gap between themselves and Chelsea to win the league.

 

It is something to consider when we look at this summer and want 5, 6 or 7 players to enhance the first team. Not only do people want more players they are demanding that these players have to be top quality, the Lahm’s and Silva’s of this world rather than the unfashionable / English Barry’s or Bentley’s. This is understandable as we all want to see the best come into our club and have an improvement. But the biggest names are not always the right signings for the team, league or situation. As Liverpool fans we should know this more with Morientes, Ciise, Diouf and other expensive / perceived ‘quality’ signings who have failed to make an significant impact at the club.

 

Barcelona this season were everyone’s tip to win La Liga in the summer. With Henry, Eto’o, Messi, Ronaldinho et al. it was hard to look past them. It was the same when Real Madrid has their ‘galactico’ period with Zidance, Beckham, Figo and Ronaldo. But the best team on paper does not necessarily become the best team in practice or reality.

 

Benitez got his hungry Valencia team to destroy these two giant by getting very good players together and making them work hard as a team. When we play at our best we do the same, attacking and defending as a unit, giving the opposition little time and space on the ball, yet having threat in Gerrard and Torres in attack.

 

Benitez is a stubborn man and he’ll do what he thinks is best for the club whether or not at times what the majority of the fans agree with him. He signed Crouch, despite most fans not wanting him, although he has been a success and appreciated in value vastly. He brought in Bellamy and sold him for profit. He wanted Lucas Neill, thinking he’d improve the team, regardless of public opinion. If Benitez thinks Barry and Bentley are going to fit in this league, our team and his philosophy then he’ll do it. Both these players are used to the league, work hard and have quality.

 

There seems to be a belief that we need a team full of eleven ‘world class’ (whatever that means) players and until we get this we won’t challenge for the title. It’s funny because Man U are likely to win the league this season with Carrick, Brown and Van Der Sarr in their team none of which are ‘world class’ really. Arsenal used to win the league with Ray Parlour at right midfield, Blackburn won it with two non-Internationals in Ripley and Wilcox on the flanks.

 

It’s not about how much we spend this summer or how good a player is perceived to be in our fans eyes. It is about producing the best team next season, within our budget and our philosophy under Benitez.

 

I get the impression that if we don’t sign big names, fashionable players or ones that the fans want to see, then Benitez has a huge mountain to climb even before next season begins. I hope this isn’t the case as regardless of who we sign this summer we have a team which should be capable of challenging. Judge Benitez and the new players on the pitch next season, rather than on paper.

[Sweeney287]

Good post that.

[Rashid]

I have said loads of times, we would improve more by not signing anyone (through spirit and efficiency) than signing 8 squad players. I'd love it if we signed noone this summer and saved the money for a big star next summer.

[shaltel]

I agree that he is not on the same level as Torres and Mascherano, but I strongly believe that Yossi represents a great potential when it comes to adding creativity to break down stubborn defences.

 

I really would have liked to see him in the "Gerrard role", with Gerrard dropping a bit deeper but bombing forward in to the box on Yossi`s great little flicks and trough balls. That will unstable and lock up many many defences IMO.

 

i think youre spot on mate

[Brownie]

Benayoun is just another average squad player.

[RedKnight]

Can't listen to Brownie on this as he's a blatant Garcia hater, ergo he's a Yossi hater. Brownie hates Christmas.

[Brownie]

Can't listen to Brownie on this as he's a blatant Garcia hater, ergo he's a Yossi hater. Brownie hates Christmas.

 

Haha, I didn't hate Garcia! Just didn't rate him very highly. He doesn't even get a game for Atletico really.

[RedKnight]

Haha, I didn't hate Garcia! Just didn't rate him very highly. He doesn't even get a game for Atletico really.

 

That's cos Athletico dislike puppy dogs. Allegedly.

[The Party Boy]

Fuck off Brown

[Juan Galonso]

How about when were top of the league? Or when we were six behind with a game in hand? You know, before all the ownership bollocks.

 

How many times does it need to be said that the ownership issue wasn't the reason we fell away. We fell away because the manager couldn't leave well enough alone. He fucked around too much and we lost our momentum. We were top after 4 games after beating Sunderland, Derby and Villa, hardly a challenge that.

[Unrighteous]

How many times does it need to be said that the ownership issue wasn't the reason we fell away. We fell away because the manager couldn't leave well enough alone. He fucked around too much and we lost our momentum. We were top after 4 games after beating Sunderland, Derby and Villa, hardly a challenge that.

 

We were six off the top at Christmas unless I am mistaken.

[Red Nick]

We have 3 world class player in our front 6 in Javier, Stevie & Nando.

 

We need to find another 3 of a similar quality personally id be happy with just 1 of that quality this summer and one the following summer and so on.

 

Just going on from that other thread the reason we did so well in that 82 point season was the quality out wide from Kewell & Stevie surely there is a leeson to be learnt from that

[Juan Galonso]

We were six off the top at Christmas unless I am mistaken.

 

We were but that doesn't mean it was a meaningful challenge. We were already on a downward slope by then and our season got as good as it gets after beating the might of Derby County 6-0. It was all downhill from there when he left Gerrard and Torres out v Portsmouth.

[Paul]

How many times does it need to be said that the ownership issue wasn't the reason we fell away. We fell away because the manager couldn't leave well enough alone. He fucked around too much and we lost our momentum. We were top after 4 games after beating Sunderland, Derby and Villa, hardly a challenge that.

 

Agreed.

 

We were six off the top at Christmas unless I am mistaken.

 

Mate, what you're saying comes across as clutching at straws. Being six points off the top at Christmas is a huge amount these days. It defies credibility that we could regain that amount of lost ground on more than one team above us. It's always possible that one side can slip away, but two or three sides? It'll never happen while the league is as money-orientated as it is.

[Liquid football]

 

There seems to be a belief that we need a team full of eleven ‘world class’ (whatever that means) players and until we get this we won’t challenge for the title. It’s funny because Man U are likely to win the league this season with Carrick, Brown and Van Der Sarr in their team none of which are ‘world class’ really.

 

Quite a good post but he ruined it there. Lists only 3 players, one of which is the goalie.

 

Rooney is a big name because he is brilliant. As is Tevez. As is Ronaldo. As is Giggs, and so on.

 

Big name players, are usually big name players for a reason.

[GJM]

If this season felt like a realistic league challenge to some, then I would be grateful if you could share the optimism pills around, please. To me, as I said elsewhere, it felt like scrapping around for 4th place.

 

We dropped 4 points to relegated sides, and we had a series of home draws that we really should have won. In my view, I don't think that this was because of 'rotation' or whatever we want to call it, but that's pretty much irrelevant - whatever the reason, it should not have happened, and we had a squad this season that could and should have mounted a decent challenge (the first season, in my view, since Rafa arrived).

 

We didn't. To my mind, this is not a reason to panic or to think that we are doomed for all eternity. If, however, we have a similar, if not better, squad next season, and the same happens again, then things will start to look a little different.

 

The platform is built and the fuel is in the tanks - if we stall on the launch pad two years running, then it's time to start showing concern.

[coop]

We also have to be realistic in just how hard a job it is for Rafa to win the league.

 

The top two teams in the Premier League are also battling it out to win the Champions League and no doubt next season both will start favourites to win both competitions again.

 

The task Rafa is facing is when you consider Chelsea are a very strong side with possibly right back their only real weakness but that is been addressed straight away in the fact they can afford £16 million for Bosingwa.

 

It will take a very special team to win the Premier League next season but hopefully we can be there or there abouts.

[Unrighteous]

Mate, what you're saying comes across as clutching at straws. Being six points off the top at Christmas is a huge amount these days. It defies credibility that we could regain that amount of lost ground on more than one team above us. It's always possible that one side can slip away, but two or three sides? It'll never happen while the league is as money-orientated as it is.

 

Of course I am clutching at straws. We are 11 points off the top right now.

 

However, my point was that I felt that we had a title challenge. It'd been the first time in a long time that I thought, "Hey, we might actually finish anywhere in the top 4 this season" before that horrid run that saw us fall what was it? 15 points off?

[Unrighteous]

We also have to be realistic in just how hard a job it is for Rafa to win the league.

 

The top two teams in the Premier League are also battling it out to win the Champions League and no doubt next season both will start favourites to win both competitions again.

 

The task Rafa is facing is when you consider Chelsea are a very strong side with possibly right back their only real weakness but that is been addressed straight away in the fact they can afford £16 million for Bosingwa.

 

It will take a very special team to win the Premier League next season but hopefully we can be there or there abouts.

 

Spot on. However, our squad is infinitely closer than when Rafa took over. A lot of people have been sneering at the progress but it's there.

[rebel23]

that post is correct in saying most people want genuine attacking quality because apart from the big 4 the league is shit, the quality is poor and all the teams below us should be skinned by better attacking players with no excuses, players who have the ability to play 30+ games.

 

I had a look before and Babel and Yossi had started something like 15 games in the league each, Pennant, Voro, Crouch not much with Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt our only consistant attacking starters, now I dont think Kuyt is good enough for the right wing role so that is something that needs to be addressed or we need a left winger and drop Babel to the bench or the right because we need one more player who can play 30+ games with Torres and Gerrard and score and assist. it's not rocket science

 

I dont want 4/5 players in and out every summer and unless we stop doing that i dont think we will ever have a settled team. if i could sign one player i would say Silva would be a good addition or Quaresma, everyone says we need a top class left or right winger but im afraid there's only a handful out there anyone else will be restricted to 15 games like Babel and i doubt will do much.

[Plewggs]

If this season felt like a realistic league challenge to some, then I would be grateful if you could share the optimism pills around, please. To me, as I said elsewhere, it felt like scrapping around for 4th place.

 

We dropped 4 points to relegated sides, and we had a series of home draws that we really should have won. In my view, I don't think that this was because of 'rotation' or whatever we want to call it, but that's pretty much irrelevant - whatever the reason, it should not have happened, and we had a squad this season that could and should have mounted a decent challenge (the first season, in my view, since Rafa arrived).

 

We didn't. To my mind, this is not a reason to panic or to think that we are doomed for all eternity. If, however, we have a similar, if not better, squad next season, and the same happens again, then things will start to look a little different.

 

The platform is built and the fuel is in the tanks - if we stall on the launch pad two years running, then it's time to start showing concern.

 

We dropped 7 points against relegated sides; 4 to Brum and 3 to Reading.

Most depressing of all, Brum only kept one clean sheet away from home all season.

 

So glad they went down, lets hope it’s Wigan next season.

[coop]

Putting my FM head on here but this is why i think its possible to sign the players we require to make a league challenge even under the ownership of Hicks/Gillett.

 

Rafa is obviously interested in signing Barry. Its been admitted we are trying a player plus cash deal for him. So if we said Carson (£8 million) + Pennant (£7 million) to sign Barry.

 

We then sell Crouch to Portsmouth for £10 million, Riise to Newcastle for £6 million meaning so far we are £16 million in credit sold a few fringe players and signed Gareth Barry.

 

Now comes Alonso. For me i do think he will go in the summer and its just a case of getting the best deal we can for him.

 

One possibilty is swapping Alonso for Drenthe and £8 million. I would push Drenthe onto the left wing and putting Babel on the right.

 

This would enable us to put the £8 million onto £16 million we already have from player sales giving us £24 million to spend having already strengthened both the midfield and both wings and thats without Hicks/Gillett needing to spend anything.

 

You could add even further to it by selling Yossi and Voronin who combined you would expect to add another £6 million at least to the final figure.

 

We could then spend £15-20 million on either a right sided attacker or attacking midfielder dropping Gerrard back into the middle whilst still leaving some cash for a full back and a few million left over for Rafa to bring some youngsters in.

 

Like i put at the start of the thread its all Football Manager stuff but it is a way of getting shut of some of the deadwood whilst still adding to the overall quality of the first team.