Dutch wonderkid admits it would be a 'dream' to join Liverpool

[redrosetints]

If Rafa's involved in the scouting then..........i have my doubts

 

I know, Garcia, Alonso, Torres, Kuyt, Agger, Skrtel, Reina, Mascherano, Crouch, Sissoko, Johnson and then the cheapies, Kyriakos n Ngog, Insua (1.5m), Lucas 6m.

 

Terrible scouting.

 

Of course on the other hand, if they all managed to stay fit and play themeselves as a collective into form, prior to March, we might have been challenging at teh top again.

[hamstrung]

Not sure Insua, even at £1.5M, strengthens your argument there.

[Guest TesticleOReilly]

I know, Garcia, Alonso, Torres, Kuyt, Agger, Skrtel, Reina, Mascherano, Johnson and then the cheapies, Kyriakos n Ngog, Insua (1.5m), Lucas 6m.

 

Terrible scouting.

 

Of course on the other hand, if they all managed to stay fit and play themeselves as a collective into form, prior to March, we might have been challenging at teh top again.

 

Wouldn't say the majority of those players were scouted, they were pretty well established footballers in the first place.

 

It's all about luck. And these days the more you pay, the luckier you'll be. For the most part.

[redrosetints]

Not sure Insua, even at £1.5M, strengthens your argument there.

 

Aye, maybe you're correct strung me old mucker. But he's played all season for us and been ok for a 21 yr old, our weakest position, no doubts and with Aurelio out of contract in the summer, we need to sign someone (Bale if anyones asking!).

 

But nonetheless, he's managed to do a job.

[redrosetints]

Wouldn't say the majority of those players were scouted, they were pretty well established footballers in the first place.

 

It's all about luck. And these days the more you pay, the luckier you'll be. For the most part.

 

AS opposed to transfer genuis Fergie who signed, Veron, Van Nistelroy, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Carrick, Andersen, Hargreaves, Nani and Valencia all for around the same as our record purchase ?

 

Or Chelsea who can field a team where noone cost less than 10m, Ditto Citeh.

 

In Rafas case, not only does he often not have the money to buy additions to the squad, but a replacement thus disrupting hte continuity of the squad (though in the early days that may have been of his own making) but he has to feed off United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Madrid, barca and now Citehs scraps. Any decent player will be loooking to go to those clubs way before us, which means we can only go for those others reject, increasing teh risk.

[Guest TesticleOReilly]

AS opposed to transfer genuis Fergie who signed, Veron, Van Nistelroy, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Carrick, Andersen, Hargreaves, Nani and Valencia all for around the same as our record purchase ?

 

Or Chelsea who can field a team where noone cost less than 10m, Ditto Citeh.

 

In Rafas case, not only does he often not have the money to buy additions to the squad, but a replacement thus disrupting hte continuity of the squad (though in the early days that may have been of his own making) but he has to feed off United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Madrid, barca and now Citehs scraps. Any decent player will be loooking to go to those clubs way before us, which means we can only go for those others reject, increasing teh risk.

 

I said for the most part, mainly 'cause any discussion on the words 'Rafa' and 'Transfers' results in internet war and the odd smattering of 'net spend'.

 

Benitez has spent a lot of money, but it's had to be spread thinly among several players, and most of those players weren't first or even second choice. He's done far better than people give him credit for. The nay sayers can't scream from the rooftops that he's shit and taken the team backwards then purr and jizz about how we can beat anybody when set up right. We've got a very good spine and starting 11, when all fit. That's not the sign of a shit manager.

 

The likes of Insua and Ngog shouldn't even be in the squad, they should be in the reserves learning, and being brought on for 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there. Injuries and squad depth mean they've been thrown in when they're not ready, and are being rubbished left, right and centre when they (understandably) aren't up to standard.

 

The difference with Ferguson is that trophies cut you a lot of slack. Even enough to forget about Djemba Djemba!

[Newport]

PSV v Feyenoord starting in just a few minutes if anyone would like to see him play.

[Pidge]

Since he actually is a winger does that mean Rafa will play him up front?

 

tbh it's like my FM is coming to life, all we need is Sakho and for Nemeth to become a 30 goal a season striker... oh and Gourcuff on a free transfer (it could happen!!)

 

The video is nice but there is nowhere the level of pressure on the ball you get in the EPL. That said he is a good prospect, one capable of coming straight into the first team. It's not like we have a wealth of right wing youth prospects he'd be stepping in ahead of.

[Unrighteous]

AS opposed to transfer genuis Fergie who signed, Veron, Van Nistelroy, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Carrick, Andersen, Hargreaves, Nani and Valencia all for around the same as our record purchase ?

 

Or Chelsea who can field a team where noone cost less than 10m, Ditto Citeh.

 

ITS NOT ABOUT OUR RIVALS! FUCKING HELL!!

 

Rafa Benitez has squandered well over £40m on rubbish in the last two years and that doesn't matter because of the spending habits of our rivals? FUCK OFF!

[Newport]

I like what I've seen of him so far. He can keep the ball well, his passing is good, he seems to be very strong and he has decent pace. His finishing isn't the best, but he definitely has a lot of potential.

 

PSV are trying every way not to score in this game btw.

[Liam]

Aye, maybe you're correct strung me old mucker. But he's played all season for us and been ok for a 21 yr old, our weakest position, no doubts and with Aurelio out of contract in the summer, we need to sign someone (Bale if anyones asking!).

 

But nonetheless, he's managed to do a job.

 

I was chatting to a Spurs fan who says Bale was available last summer but nobody wanted to pay around the £10m mark for him. Funny how good form can quickly change a players availability and price tag!

 

We desperately need a top left back though. I wonder if we will go in for Figueroa as he is familiar with the league. I havent seen any of him to have an opinion though.

[a stoner]

From the clip he looked very one footed, fell over alot and relied on his back heel too much. Not sure at all about that one.

[wrightylew]

No thanks.

 

Out of the endless line of 'wonderkids' Rafa's brought to this club, how many of them have done anything? Can we count Torres as a wonderkid? Bit old, int he?

 

I'm sick to fucking death of having to put up with year-after-year of half-baked, over-priced dogdirt signings, while I look over my shoulder and seeing the rest of the top 4 or 5 buying quality players.

 

Wenger signs Arshavin. Rafa signs Babel. Mancini signs Adam Johnson. Rafa signs Maxi.

 

He's already ruined the Academy, and if Rafa continues making such dreadful signings, he'll ruin this club for a good few years.

[Pidge]

how the hell has he ruined the academy?

 

and I think Maxi was probably the best we could afford.

[redrosetints]

ITS NOT ABOUT OUR RIVALS! FUCKING HELL!!

 

Rafa Benitez has squandered well over £40m on rubbish in the last two years and that doesn't matter because of the spending habits of our rivals? FUCK OFF!

 

Did you smash your fist on the table as you said that ?

 

He's not spent that at all has he ? In the last two years he's earnt the club about 5m, last summer the club actually paid out just 13.5m, for 3 players (7m for Johnson as they owed us 10m, 5m down on Aquilani and 1.5m for Kyriakos) having seen our starting right back, central mid and backup defender decide to move on.

 

Could you explain to me how you replace, adequately, Xabi, Alvaro and Sami with 13.5m ?

 

If you want to believe that our rivals have no bearing on us, then fine, believe, but all around us, other teams are spending more, closing the gap to us and in some cases, Citeh, Spurs, Villa and even Sunderland they are even starting to spend more than us.

 

Since 2003/04 season, Geds last, United and Chelsea have occupied the top 2 places in the league every year except last. Arsenal and Liverpool have occupied the 3/4th places bar the two occasions. Spurs or Everton are usually 5th.

 

Money talks laddie, as Monty suggested a little while ago, where we'd have been 3rd or 4th on the grid when Rafa took over, were now 5th or maybe even 6th.

 

If you believe we can overhaul, on a consistent basis, United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Citeh over the next few seasons and if they move ground Spurs too, then you are madder than mad mate.

 

There is no way, whilst those clubs either spend hundreds of millions chasing success (Chelsea and Citeh), or sustaining it (UNited n Arsenal) that we will break back into the top four.

 

Deal with it and vent your fury at the owners, we needed investment to compete in 2004, thats even more true today than it was back then, were slipping back, falling away and until someone manages to get the stadium built and the increase in revenue associated with that, we'll continue to slip back.

 

IN the past some people have compared Rafa to Moyes, well the fact is, Rafa and Moyes are now competing at a similar financial level, lets see who is the best manager now.

[redrosetints]

No thanks.

 

Out of the endless line of 'wonderkids' Rafa's brought to this club, how many of them have done anything? Can we count Torres as a wonderkid? Bit old, int he?

 

I'm sick to fucking death of having to put up with year-after-year of half-baked, over-priced dogdirt signings, while I look over my shoulder and seeing the rest of the top 4 or 5 buying quality players.

 

Wenger signs Arshavin. Rafa signs Babel. Mancini signs Adam Johnson. Rafa signs Maxi.

 

He's already ruined the Academy, and if Rafa continues making such dreadful signings, he'll ruin this club for a good few years.

 

Ruined the Academy ? The Academy that hasnt produced a single premiership player since Gerrard ? (Warnock is as old IIRC).

 

In the meantime, Uniteds academy has produced 6 to 8 players who feature for other clubs, never mind players who have graduated into their current squad.

 

The Academy was shite, I dont know if its any better yet, but blaming Rafa for recognising the problems and trying to fix them is just bullshit..

[ptyson]

so we have no budget so we'll spend 7 mil on an untried youngster.

 

Makes sense.

[redrosetints]

I was chatting to a Spurs fan who says Bale was available last summer but nobody wanted to pay around the £10m mark for him. Funny how good form can quickly change a players availability and price tag!

 

We desperately need a top left back though. I wonder if we will go in for Figueroa as he is familiar with the league. I havent seen any of him to have an opinion though.

 

THat was also to do with history between Arry and Bale. Bale was a kid at Southampton when Aary was there and I think they fell out. Bale didnt get a chance last season and its only through injury this season that he's been given a shout.

 

Ive said to sign him since he made his Wales Debut about 4 year ago, great player, good engine, good delivery, sound defender, he and Johnson would be a superb pair of bombing fullbacks.

[dirty_sanchez]

No thanks.

 

Out of the endless line of 'wonderkids' Rafa's brought to this club, how many of them have done anything? Can we count Torres as a wonderkid? Bit old, int he?

 

I'm sick to fucking death of having to put up with year-after-year of half-baked, over-priced dogdirt signings, while I look over my shoulder and seeing the rest of the top 4 or 5 buying quality players.

 

Wenger signs Arshavin. Rafa signs Babel. Mancini signs Adam Johnson. Rafa signs Maxi.

 

He's already ruined the Academy, and if Rafa continues making such dreadful signings, he'll ruin this club for a good few years.

 

That is a really bad and ill thought out post. Who are you counting as this "endless line of wonderkids that Rafa has bought to the club"? Insua is a first team regular, Pacheco, Ngog, Plessis, Eccleston, Ayala and El Zhar have all made first team appearences, Nemeth is on loan at a UEFA cup side, that's a fair progression from the youth team. You don't get a Gerrard every year and you don't need to. If we can start selling squad periphery players for similar money to the Mancs, then maybe we can start investing in quality.

 

Wenger bought Arshavin two years after we bought Babel and they paid £18m for him, nearly half again what we paid for Babel.

 

We were linked with Johnson a lot, but City paid £7m for him when he had 6 months left on his contract and we had no money. We paid a negligable fee for Maxi Rodriguez who is an experienced international and a very good footballer, who Torres himself said was the one player from Atletico Madrid who he would have liked us to sign. Adam Johnson looks like a good young player, but he's achieved NOTHING in his career so far, so it's all potential and we can't afford to lash out £7m on a player with proven quality, let alone a player who represents a gamble like Johnson does. That is why we bought Maxi. We're on a whole different plane of financial existence to City, so there's no point in even comparing their signings with ours.

 

Maybe you need to have more realistic expectations.

[Guest the boy]

"Wrightylew from Leeds says that Rafael Benitez has ruined the Liverpool Academy".

 

my god.

[Dougie Do'ins]

so we have no budget so we'll spend 7 mil on an untried youngster.

Makes sense.

Maybe not.

 

Feyenoord teenager Georginio Wijnaldum has denied making comments about seeking a move to Liverpool.

 

Last week the 19-year-old winger reportedly spoke of his desire to move to the Reds in the English press.

 

"It's my dream to play in a big league and England would be the perfect choice. To follow in the footsteps of Dirk Kuyt would be sensational. He triumphed at Feyenoord and has had great success at Liverpool."

 

However, the midfielder has now denied making those comments in an interview with Elf Voetbal.

 

"I've never talked to anyone about Liverpool! It seems crazy in England. In the Netherlands, I have never been quoted when I haven't spoken. What do I think of Liverpool? I'm not involved with the club, I am fully focused on Feyenoord."

 

Liverpool no longer first choice for Feyenoord starlet | Premiership News | tribalfootball.com

[StevieH]

Liverpool target summer bid for Feyenoord wonderkid Wijnaldum | Mail Online

[/url]

Liverpool may be up for sale and Rafa Benitez’s future in the balance but they are still making transfer plans.

 

 

However, their sights will not be on established stars.

 

A measure of the kind of player they will be chasing is their interest in Feyenoord’s 19-year-old winger Georginio Wijnaldum.

 

And new Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton faces a tough proposition selling the club if they fail to reach the Champions League.

 

 

New club sponsor Standard Chartered have paid £80million for a four-year deal but qualifying for the Champion League is one the prerequisites for the full amount.