Did this really need saying again?

[ToxtethTerror]

I don't see much wrong with what he's said.

 

All Rafa has to do in future is spend the money given to him wisely, no more squad players and no more mediocrity.

 

Agreed.

 

he scary thing is that you could have said that after the great season we had in 2006, in 2007, 2008 and now in 2009.

[Brownie]

Ridiculous. We were offered Ronaldo weren't we? We could have had Walcott couldn't we? I'm pretty sure I've read on here that Parry veto'd them because they weren't worth what was being asked.

 

Anyhow, the guy was asked a question and he answered it? People are just looking for what they can find to beat him over the head with a stick. How much stick is he taking over a future transfer of Alonso - despite continually denying it? I've said it before and I'll say it again - I think he should have walked at the end of the season, and then we could have gotten in someone else. And then we'd see what we'd see. Personally, given all the shit behind the scenes, the battles that have been fought, and the fact he was being replaced behind his back, I think he's done a great job - and I didn't expect us to be here at this point, I expected us to be in Arsenal's position.

 

Ah, fuck it. In future I'm better staying out of these threads.

 

First of all the Ronaldo situation was from before Rafa arrived. And Parry had nothing to do with it.

 

Walcott I agree with.

[Hermes]

Fergie is, on the whole, content with his team and only tweaks it (relatively speaking) year on year.

 

Which is what we did when we dominated for 25 years. Signing 7/8 players every season and shipping the same number out has been our downfall for over a decade. You end up paying millions in signing on fees and contract pay-offs. I read the other day that we are still paying Keane £20,000-a-week, no idea if it's true but it's an example of what happens when you have a big turnaround in players.

 

Replace your worst first teamer every season, that will improve results at low cost. Replacing 5/6 squad players with 5/6 more squad players is expensive and achieves little.

[drewy]

First of all the Ronaldo situation was from before Rafa arrived. And Parry had nothing to do with it.

 

Walcott I agree with.

 

It'll be interesting this summer, no Parry to fuck things up or disagree with the manager.

 

He has no excuses now.

[Brownie]

Which is what we did when we dominated for 25 years. Signing 7/8 players every season and shipping the same number out has been our downfall for over a decade. You end up paying millions in signing on fees and contract pay-offs. I read the other day that we are still paying Keane £20,000-a-week, no idea if it's true but it's an example of what happens when you have a big turnaround in players.

 

Replace your worst first teamer every season, that will improve results at low cost. Replacing 5/6 squad players with 5/6 more squad players is expensive and achieves little.

 

A good example would be to replace Lucas with Barry.

[Hermes]

A good example would be to replace Lucas with Barry.

 

I don't class Lucas as a first team player. I'd be looking to sign a forward first, then replace the full backs. We can't go into next season depending on Gerrard and Torres again. The tactics have to change, with Gerrard in central midfield or on the right, Barry on the left.

[Brownie]

I don't class Lucas as a first team player. I'd be looking to sign a forward first, then replace the full backs. We can't go into next season depending on Gerrard and Torres again. The tactics have to change, with Gerrard in central midfield or on the right, Barry on the left.

 

There's a whole lot of wrong in that post, Dave! First of all, Lucas is clearly rated as a first team player by Rafa so that point stands.

 

Secondly, breaking up the Gerrard/Torres axis would be stupid. It didn't work this season and won't work next either. Thirdly, Gareth Barry as our left winger? Are you mad?!

 

I think we need to come up with a plan B for when Gerrard and/or Torres are unavailable. That would preferrably be 442, but as a back-up system not the main plan.

 

We need to get rid of the weakest players in the squad and replace them with better, thus improving the first eleven and the squad in-turn.

[bossy]

Rafa was spending money on players to play in a league he had no experience in at the same time that slur was spending his. Rafa now seems to have got to grips with what's required.

[DJLJ]

Rafa was spending money on players to play in a league he had no experience in at the same time that slur was spending his. Rafa now seems to have got to grips with what's required.

 

Agree, he has now been here for several years and did wonderfully well in last years transfer market.

[Brownie]

Rafa was spending money on players to play in a league he had no experience in at the same time that slur was spending his. Rafa now seems to have got to grips with what's required.

 

Keane, Degen, Dossena, Riera, Cavalieri and N'Gog?!

 

Don't you think that statement is a bit premature?

[Jose Jones]

Keane, Degen, Dossena, Riera, Cavalieri and N'Gog?!

 

Don't you think that statement is a bit premature?

 

He was going by Hermes' plan, buy a forward and replace the full backs.

[Hermes]

There's a whole lot of wrong in that post, Dave! First of all, Lucas is clearly rated as a first team player by Rafa so that point stands.

 

Secondly, breaking up the Gerrard/Torres axis would be stupid. It didn't work this season and won't work next either. Thirdly, Gareth Barry as our left winger? Are you mad?!

 

I think we need to come up with a plan B for when Gerrard and/or Torres are unavailable. That would preferrably be 442, but as a back-up system not the main plan.

 

We need to get rid of the weakest players in the squad and replace them with better, thus improving the first eleven and the squad in-turn.

 

Lucas is not first choice for his position, even in Rafa's mind.

 

We can't have one attacking option (Gerard/Torres), other teams will counteract it or if they get injured we have no options.

 

Barry is not a winger, but he does play on the left.

 

Barry/Mascherano/Alonso/Gerrard - a midfield that would dominate any other in the Premiership. With Torres and Tevez (or somebody of similar style and quality) ahead of them.

[Brownie]

Lucas is not first choice for his position, even in Rafa's mind.

 

We can't have one attacking option (Gerard/Torres), other teams will counteract it or if they get injured we have no options.

 

Barry is not a winger, but he does play on the left.

 

Barry/Mascherano/Alonso/Gerrard - a midfield that would dominate any other in the Premiership. With Torres and Tevez (or somebody of similar style and quality) ahead of them.

 

Well I respect your view but I disagree with that. Barry would be awful out wide; he has no pace, guile or craft which is what we need out wide.

 

Gerrard is perfect in behind Torres. I know what you're saying about the predictability of it but teams haven't found an answer to it yet. What we need to do, is persevere with that style and have something else to try if it doesn't work, which is something we currently don't have.

[INTORRESTING]

He says it because it is true, rafa has been building a squad, say he didn't buy 4 or 5 squad players and the one "match winner" got injured?

 

Nani, anderson, hargreaves, carrick tosic and ljajic cost the same as our best 11 and all but carrick dont even play much. They spend more on kids and squad players then we do on starters.

 

rio rooney and berbatov cost more than our best 11, our back 10 costs about the same as rio, they buy 18 year olds for 30 million, rio was 30 million years ago, how about veron, our record is still only torres, we cant go out and buy the best players in the world they can.

 

Rafa has had about 20 mil net each season, it is all well and good saying go and buy one match winner but we will get outbid for them anyway!

 

Keane was a fuck up but imagine if rafa fucked up a 30 million signing which is feasible as you are likely to get one or two wrong, fergie has spent plenty on shite.

 

our squad of reina, cavalieri, dossenna, insua, aurelio, carra, agger, skrtel, arbeloa, degen, darby, benayoun, kuyt, babel, riera, lucas, masch, alonso, gerrard, torres, n'gog costs 120 odd mil or a rio, rooney, berbatov, tevez.

 

We have also had to settle for second and third choice, dealing in the gamble bracket, the manager not having proper control over transfers, not being able to offer as big wages.

 

We have spent the same as united since rafa joined but why do the press conveniently forget the 18 years taggart spent building a team, many of the players were there before rafa. they have added the same amount as we have spent to a championship winning side, we were miles behind and at least a hundred million behind and you cant buy the mentality needed to win the title, it takes time.

 

Rafa has us in it in may, we need a couple more additions and we are there, we have the squad now, it takes time to build, fergie would have been sacked in his first 5 years if he was in today's game.

 

It is so short sighted just looking at gross spend as there are so many more factors to consider.

[Hermes]

Barry would be awful out wide; he has no pace, guile or craft which is what we need out wide.

 

 

There are few players who would give us that, certainly not at the price Barry would cost. Buying the right forward would negate the need for a dribbling, creative left sided player. We can't afford a great left winger and a forward, the forward is the greater need at the moment.

[ToxtethTerror]

There are few players who would give us that, certainly not at the price Barry would cost. Buying the right forward would negate the need for a dribbling, creative left sided player. We can't afford a great left winger and a forward, the forward is the greater need at the moment.

 

Barry is going to cost £10m at least, probably £12m. How much did Ronaldo cost? How much did Nasri cost? How much did Joe Cole cost? How much did Robben cost Chelsea?

 

Barry for left midfield is the craziest thing you have ever said mate.

 

Riera is a better left midfielders than Barry, the last time Barry played there he was being shipped out to Pompey for £7m.

[Hermes]

 

Barry for left midfield is the craziest thing you have ever said mate.

 

 

Unless Alonso is sold, that's where he will be playing next season.

[SpeedyG]

Looks like it. You could have least waited til 2.45pm

I wonder what he was asked.

 

He was asked why do manure keep doing so much better than us. He said money. Where's the story here?

[ToxtethTerror]

He was asked why do manure keep doing so much better than us. He said money. Where's the story here?

 

Good morning America.

[ToxtethTerror]

Unless Alonso is sold, that's where he will be playing next season.

 

And he will be the slowest wide player in our history.

[INTORRESTING]

i dont think barry will play on the left, he will rotate with the other 3 and cover lb and lw in an emergency

[bossy]

Keane, Degen, Dossena, Riera, Cavalieri and N'Gog?!

 

Don't you think that statement is a bit premature?

 

Not at all. The Keane thing was farcical agreed, but Riera is good on his day, the Doss has something - not sure what - and the others were just leetle additions.

[Hermes]

And he will be the slowest wide player in our history.

 

Ray Kennedy had a lot of pace, didn't he?

[ToxtethTerror]

Not at all. The Keane thing was farcical agreed, but Riera is good on his day, the Doss has something - not sure what - and the others were just leetle additions.

 

Point is none of them made a significant difference to the team we had last season and that was after £45m spent. It's all about money, we improved massively in the league without changing the team much this past year.

[ToxtethTerror]

Ray Kennedy had a lot of pace, didn't he?

 

He could walk faster than Barry can run. When Barry gets here and plays out wide maybe people will see for themselves.

 

Besides Ray played in a different era when pace wasn't as important as it is today.