Better then what we have

[redsfan]

Personally, I'd swap my nan for konchesky. To be fair she's probably not much better on the ball, and she's not a long term solution, but she's cheaper.

 

So long as your nan doesn't run like a penguin like him then were is the contract!

[MartinB]

Unfortunately without Champions League football we probably aren't in a position to sign top players at present. Spurs have built a very strong squad in recent years by buying predominantly British talent like Defoe, Bale, Huddlestone, Woodgate etc and having qualified for the CL are now able to attract players of the calibre of Van Der Vaart. We may have to adopt a similar policy.

 

I guess I am a bit of a romantic and believe top players would still want to sign for us because of our name.

 

I understand it’s going to be difficult to attract the best but we’ve seen them sign for Manchester city who are not playing champions league football, obviously they are throwing an insane amount of cash at them so it can be done. I guess what I am saying is I would rather sign one top player then four good squad players and pay the extra cash.

 

I hate to use other teams as examples but we don’t have to pay huge amounts either Arsenal have signed plenty of top quality players at a good price over the year’s due to the foundation of the club being strong. Hiring the best coach’s , scout’s and CEO should be our priority and build from there.

[Zippy]

I think we should buy a couple of players like for example Adam and Nzogbia. They know the premier league and they can play. I think they could come straight into the team and help us improve immediately. I think they would help some of our top class players play better too - ideally we would be bringing in more top class players but if we aren't then we may as well bring in players who will help the likes of Torres, Gerrard and Cole (if Kenny can get him to produce) to show what they are capable of.

 

As has been said when we bring in better players in the future it will be good to have these players as squad players rather than the likes of Jovanovic and Poulson.

 

Also I think if we want to sign good players in the summer it will be much easier if we finish say 6th than 12th especially if we can play some good football and get a bit of belief back into the club again.

[Hermes]

Jimmy was POTUS before we signed him.

 

Poetic licence.

[George Costanza]

We'd all like to sign a few big money highly rated players this month, but realistically it's going to be difficult as club's don't want to do deals at this time of year.

 

Personally speaking, I'm just sick of watching some of these players, I've had enough and I want them replaced by people who will do a better job, and I don't care if they aren't seen as being top class and 'top four standard'. Neither are most of what we have here right now.

 

If they are better than what we have and will make the team better, then I'll be happy. For example, if we could replace Skrtel/Kygiakos with Samba, Babel with Adam Hammill, and Jovanovic with N'Zogbia I'd be delighted. Same with Warnock for Konchesky and Adam for Poulsen.

 

We just have to get better and quickly, and when the opportunity arises to sign those £20m players (far more likely to be the summer than January) then take it.

 

I understand the 'wait for top class players' argument, I just don't think we're good enough to be able to do that.

 

Don't agree at all Dave.

 

While we need to massively improve, we need to be looking long term and not at quick fixes.

 

If the right kind of player is potentially available then we need to act quickly and decisively and not dordle as we have done in the past.

 

I still maintain that this group of players should be easily capable of finishing in the top 6. City apart, given the lack of money available and the relative lack of quality in the PL this season there doesn't need to be mass wholesale changes to get us back up there at least competing again. I still firmly believe that a change in mindset & tactics will be the make the biggest difference.

 

Attack, Attack Attack. Pressure high up the pitch and move our back four a further 10 yards upfield and will we reap the benefits.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Buy the right players or not at all, far too many stop gaps in the squad as it is.

 

The season is a complete right off due to the previous manager, improving the stop gaps is a waste of time and money, we're not going to go down even if we buy no one and adding the likes of Warnock etc isn't going to change anything, we'll finish between 10th and 5th.

[Hermes]

I still maintain that this group of players should be easily capable of finishing in the top 6.

 

I'll be amazed if Kenny doesn't manage that, top 5 no chance but 6th is attainable.

[George Costanza]

I'll be amazed if Kenny doesn't manage that, top 5 no chance but 6th is attainable.

 

it'll depend how quickly the players can shed the shackles of previous largely negative managers but i agree that 6th is still very achieveable.

[MLB]

Some people are living in fantasyland.

[The Bugged Out]

6th is miles away at the minute. We are severely lacking both quality and confidence.

[Iantn]

6th is miles away at the minute.

 

Or 6 points with a game in hand.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Or 6 points with a game in hand.

 

It's 9pts, unless we made up the 7 goal difference on Sunderland it would be 8pts.

[Iantn]

It's 9pts, unless we made up the 7 goal difference on Sunderland it would be 8pts.

 

Dunno where I got 6 from. I know what you are saying about goal difference, but it is 8 though.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

In my opinion there is no simple answer to your question as every player has to be judged individually, and based on how he would fit the team and the way you want to play.

 

Still of course to argue that we should sign a player because he's better than Poulsen is pretty daft. We need players who are better than what most other premiership teams have. To see names like Keane and Warnock being touted is just unreal. If we don't, and hopefully we won't, sign these players where else could they end up? Clubs like West Ham, West Brom or Wolves probably.

[Monkeywool]

"Better than what we have" is largely codeword for short termism. What we need, and what we are still completely capable of attracting regardless of Europe or not are high quality younger players who can form this club for a decade, rather than players who are better, but a similar age to what we have.

 

Even if we don't make the UEFA cup next year, we are attractive enough for young, hungry and talented players to come through the ranks or go straight into the team. The team at the moment are in the final throws and will be broken up in the summer I can imagine, some of the established old guard will be on their way and hopefully players who are as talented and young can take the reign at Liverpool. Promote a couple of lads like Patches and Suso and sign some established, but young pros as well who can take us forward.

[Joso]

They arent better than what we have, they just look better. Our squad is better than Blackpools squad but against us they look world beaters. If we improve in the summer we may be able to get some quality players but we must improve now with one signing that shows intent.

[Phoenix]

Bringing in the likes of Warnock is a backwards step in my opinion.

 

It is exactly the same sort of argument used to bring in Koncheksy and Poulson to the club

[shaunstrudwick]

anyone know what was the story re: letting Hammill go?

[James]

Kenny was at the Fulham-Wigan game, if he wasn't scouting N'Zogbia, Rodallega or Dempsey I'll be worried.

 

Probably Figueroa though.

[Unrighteous]

We're simply not going to attract world class players without Champions League football. We're unlikely to get it this year, and next season will be difficult as we've got several clubs fighting for those spots.

 

We need to get better. Cutting the high paid shit from our squad, and the other shit players and replacing them with 'good' players will only make us better.

[Trucker Paddy]

anyone know what was the story re: letting Hammill go?

 

El Zhar was deemed a better option according to our former manager amongst other reasons, Hammil had only signed a new contract 6 months earlier and didn't ask to leave, so the £500k fee we got most likely went to his pay off,ridiculous decision

[billypilgrimnz]

For all Rafa's good points, what the hell he ever saw in El Zhar I'll never know. In fact, his whole record with wide players was just dodgy.

[shaunstrudwick]

El Zhar was deemed a better option according to our former manager amongst other reasons, Hammil had only signed a new contract 6 months earlier and didn't ask to leave, so the £500k fee we got most likely went to his pay off,ridiculous decision

 

El Zhar - lol

 

be good to get Hammill back

[Barnesey]

Apart from top class players at top class clubs - who we have no chance of signing - we don't really know what a top class player is until we get him and he struts his stuff with us. Would we buy Bale now? Of course, if we had the chance. Were we bothered 2 years ago? No.

 

I'd snap up Adam who looks a really good player to me and is only 24(?). N'Zogbia can look a player too but is a gobshite so reservations here. Let's give Comolli and kennt a chance to sort it out

[Unrighteous]

Adam is 26, isnt' he?