Being realistic.

[Unrighteous]

To be honest, with Yossi is worth £6-7m if he's worth a pound.

[WaltonRed]

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.

 

 

Apologies but thats a coop out, I mean a cop out.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Talking about next season, I'd like to see us leave Torres and Babel on the halfway line when defending set pieces.

[Unrighteous]

Talking about next season, I'd like to see us leave Torres and Babel on the halfway line when defending set pieces.

 

Just one of them will suffice... but if we put both, they'll have to pull their defenders out of attack the set piece as they can't afford to have those two coming at them with space, pace, and the ball at their feet.

 

Taking four opposition players out of the 'attack area' on set pieces would help as loads.

 

Hell, taking TWO would be grand.

[GRADY]

Think we need to play our strongest 11 when fit apart from the odd tactical change. None of this changing 3/4 players.

 

We also need to get that top wide player desperately but I really dont know who we should go for. Im not convinced about any of the english based wingers we are being linked with.

[Unrighteous]

We can't start them every game. A human body simply cannot do it.

[Brownie]

We can't start them every game. A human body simply cannot do it.

 

Yes it can. The likes of Lampard, Terry etc play every game when they're fit and don't have a problem.

 

We should have a spine of the side who start every game IMO, apart from maybe the Carling Cup games.

[WaltonRed]

Torres and Babel must be on the half way line. Its common sense.

[WaltonRed]

Yes it can. The likes of Lampard, Terry etc play every game when they're fit and don't have a problem.

 

We should have a spine of the side who start every game IMO, apart from maybe the Carling Cup games.

 

Agreed. The next manager of us will simply stick to a spine and little rotation and we will see a clear difference.

 

I just hope Rafa realises and does rather than my stark prediction.

[Unrighteous]

Yes it can. The likes of Lampard, Terry etc play every game when they're fit and don't have a problem.

 

We should have a spine of the side who start every game IMO, apart from maybe the Carling Cup games.

 

A central defender can start every game because there is less running involved and Lampard has a history of starting every league match for Chelsea but this season he only made 24 appearances unless I'm incorrect... which I don't believe that I am.

 

Gerrard starts almost every single match and Torres does as well. However, we will have matches sandwiching important Champions League matches and they'll have to be rested a few times next season.

 

Hell, even Ferguscum rested Ronaldo a few matches this season. Unfortunately, he had the luxury of doing it in Champions League matches as well as the three league matches or so that he sat.

 

I think he missed three or four CL Matches due to being rested.

 

Also, doesn't Chelsea do some wonky blood oxidizing thing to help recovery like some weird KGB experiment?

 

Anyway, players coming back from the EURO will need extra rest this year.

[aws]

Yes it can. The likes of Lampard, Terry etc play every game when they're fit and don't have a problem.

 

We should have a spine of the side who start every game IMO, apart from maybe the Carling Cup games.

 

Lampard has had major problems this season after being over-played in previous seasons IMO.

 

I agree that central defenders should be able to manage 40 games a season.

[WaltonRed]

A central defender can start every game because there is less running involved and Lampard has a history of starting every league match for Chelsea but this season he only made 24 appearances unless I'm incorrect... which I don't believe that I am.

 

Gerrard starts almost every single match and Torres does as well. However, we will have matches sandwiching important Champions League matches and they'll have to be rested a few times next season.

 

Hell, even Ferguscum rested Ronaldo a few matches this season. Unfortunately, he had the luxury of doing it in Champions League matches as well as the three league matches or so that he sat.

 

I think he missed three or four CL Matches due to being rested.

 

Also, doesn't Chelsea do some wonky blood oxidizing thing to help recovery like some weird KGB experiment?

 

Anyway, players coming back from the EURO will need extra rest this year.

 

You only get tired when you stop.

[hamstrung]

Depends on the player a bit as well. Momo gave the impression he could have played every day, whereas Babel always looks shagged after an hour.

 

He's not going to stop rotating players. Its a major part of his philosophy.

 

Hopefully, though its done to the right players at the right times. Sometimes, in the past I don't think it has.

[Stu Monty]

If Chelsea and United spend again this year will people still expect a title challenge?

[Trucker Paddy]

If Chelsea and United spend again this year will people still expect a title challenge?

 

Yes if we sign 3 top players for our problem positions, 2 fullbacks and a winger!

[Stu Monty]

You'd expect it. Not think that we can do it, or hope that we could do it, but expect it?

 

Can't get my head round it.

[SCOUSE TAPAS]

I have lost so much confidence in Rafa this season. Depending on who he brings in, we should be able to challenge for the league. However, we're not going to win it with the likes of Voronin and Degen's in a team, even in our squad. Even if Chelsea would have won the league this season, United would have been the team to beat.

 

They will win the league next season. Prove me wrong Rafa.

 

When will people realise Rafas performed mirracles with us already.The thread is called being realistic and expecting him to gets us to 1st next season is not being realistic.

 

Slur has been in charge for how many seasons and spent how much on continual updating of his squad.Thus giving them quality in both 1st players and fringe players to step in.

 

Grant is different but he inherited a squad having already had hundreeds of millions spent on it.The squad has quality in 1st and players to bring in for replacements.

 

Rafa has had to basically start from scratch to build a squad and to add depth to it on maybe similar sort of transfer budgets as the other 2 but from scratch.

 

Grant or whoever is in charge there next season is rumoured to be getting 100 mill budget.Slur might not buy but he probably has at least 50 mill to blow on 3 squad players.

 

Being realistic to get to challenging for 2nd place by end of next season woulld be quite a achievement.

 

However you look at it Rafa has us catching up to the top 2 and unless he gets a genie in a lamp with 3 wishes to do this,then to expect us to win it would amount to the same chance as Rafa getting his genie.

[Neil G]

If Chelsea and United spend again this year will people still expect a title challenge?

 

Yes. Dirk effectively asked the same question the other week, and I gave him this answer.

 

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/ff-football-forum/61070-if-tlw-had-decide-should-rafa-stay-go.html#post1125292

 

It all comes back to the question I asked on the latest hijacked thread, about which of the teams below us are now harder for us to beat than they were two years ago.

[WaltonRed]

You'd expect it. Not think that we can do it, or hope that we could do it, but expect it?

 

Can't get my head round it.

 

I dont think we can win it but I dont think its unreasonable to expect at least coming close.

[RedKnight]

I never expected a title challenge this season but I'm gutted that the Mancs won it again and are in a CL Final.

[Brownie]

If Chelsea and United spend again this year will people still expect a title challenge?

 

I'd expect us not to drop stupid points against shite teams, and ergo I would expect us to finish closer to the top teams.

 

Rafa has already proven that he can challenge for the league with a limited budget compared to his rivals - he did it at Valencia.

 

I don't think he's had a lack of money particularly myself, but just making the point.

[Brownie]

A central defender can start every game because there is less running involved and Lampard has a history of starting every league match for Chelsea but this season he only made 24 appearances unless I'm incorrect... which I don't believe that I am.

 

Gerrard starts almost every single match and Torres does as well. However, we will have matches sandwiching important Champions League matches and they'll have to be rested a few times next season.

 

Hell, even Ferguscum rested Ronaldo a few matches this season. Unfortunately, he had the luxury of doing it in Champions League matches as well as the three league matches or so that he sat.

 

I think he missed three or four CL Matches due to being rested.

 

Also, doesn't Chelsea do some wonky blood oxidizing thing to help recovery like some weird KGB experiment?

 

Anyway, players coming back from the EURO will need extra rest this year.

 

So a human body can do it.

[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.

 

Stick to that and Rafa will challenge for the league.

[bossy]

A human body can't do it forever though. Lampard has been mentioned but Terry has also had a few injuries this season that will tell in the coming years. You have to be careful with footy players these days, the money is so mad.

[Kurt]

Yes it can. The likes of Lampard, Terry etc play every game when they're fit and don't have a problem.

 

We should have a spine of the side who start every game IMO, apart from maybe the Carling Cup games.

 

And how many matches has Terry missed the last two seasons? Quite a few. And as Aws said Lampard as well is feeling the strains of playing too many matches.

 

And how many times were Torres and Gerrard rested this season? Against Pompey they were both recovering from recent injuries. Rafa gambled with Torres and Alonso against Arsenal at home, and it backfired. That is the risk. Sometimes when players are "rested" it`s because they are carrying knocks as well.

 

I believe if Torres and Gerrard play every match for a long period of time then you have to accept that they will miss more games from injuries, than the numbers they are missing beeing rested. I know that is just speculation off course, as we will never know for sure.