So who should we thank for the current depth of the squad?

[TheHowieLama]

The team plays positive, confident football where for years we haven't. Right now that is enough for me - one step at a time.

[ChrisM]

At the same time we got a ~£7m Charlie Adam, £6m Enrique and a £22m Suarez. I'd say those qualifies as unearthing gems for next to nothing, so in average we should be fine ;)

 

In which parallel universe did we 'unearth' Adam, Enrique and Suarez?

[Unrighteous]

It certainly does help when you're able to spend 35m, 20m, 13m, 24m, all in the space of 6 months.

 

To be fair, Chelsea did gift us with 60something million, and we drastically lowered our wage bill. That helps.

[G Richards]

FSG for the most part. Others have done their job by identifying and bringing players in (mixed bag, always is) but FSG have made the funds available in the first place. Therefore they take most of the credit because they are running us like a proper club and not their own private cash cow. Long may it continue.

[G Richards]

In which parallel universe did we 'unearth' Adam, Enrique and Suarez?

 

They weren't so much unearthed i.e. 'discovered'; but they are cited, I'm sure, to contrast with the Carroll and Downing signings, which seem to be used by some fans to highlight poor business. If we did some poor business (and time will tell us more on that one), we must also acknowledge that we did some great business.

[Biscao]

In which parallel universe did we 'unearth' Adam, Enrique and Suarez?

 

I don't know what you mean about "unearth". Fact is we got the cheap compared to what they're doing for our team.

 

If by "unearth" you mean scouting some unknown gem playing in Pakistan, then I'm afraid you're living in the wrong century :whatever:

[Guest ShoePiss]

I think the strength of the squad is being hyped up due to beating Chelsea's second string. People are pointing to the bench and saying that's a much stronger bench than last year. One of the players is Carroll who has done next to nothing as a starter or from the bench so he's not adding to that strength at all. I think Bellamy is the big improvement to the bench.

 

We're still as far behind Spurs' overall squad as we were last year in my opinion.

[usernameunknown]

I think the strength of the squad is being hyped up due to beating Chelsea's second string. People are pointing to the bench and saying that's a much stronger bench than last year. One of the players is Carroll who has done next to nothing as a starter or from the bench so he's not adding to that strength at all. I think Bellamy is the big improvement to the bench.

 

We're still as far behind Spurs' overall squad as we were last year in my opinion.

 

It is much stronger than last year, you'd have to be a complete spastic to think otherwise.

[Guest ShoePiss]

It is much stronger than last year, you'd have to be a complete spastic to think otherwise.

 

Oh right.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

They weren't so much unearthed i.e. 'discovered'; but they are cited, I'm sure, to contrast with the Carroll and Downing signings, which seem to be used by some fans to highlight poor business. If we did some poor business (and time will tell us more on that one), we must also acknowledge that we did some great business.

 

The reason they cost so little was to do with their contract situation and desire to leave their clubs, one of which was relegated. It's not much of a balance, really.

 

We've improved on strength in depth, big time. That came at great cost - too much, in my opinion. However, if we can now go out and get the two/three top class players we need to win the league, then there's little harm done. The problem arises if the cheque book is closed.

[Liverpool lad]

PURSLOW

[Guest ShoePiss]

It isn't as good as people think, no thanks here.

[Guest TK-421]

True, shoepiss. Some of our fans are absolutely clueless.

[stringvest]

It isn't as good as people think, no thanks here.

 

we don't have a top quality first team when everyone's fit, never mind a top quality squad. We are miles away from the type of squad being assembled down the East Lancs, and we don't have team or squad as strong as United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs.

 

We do have a squad that is stronger than it has been for a few years.

[Guest TK-421]

No we don't.

[stringvest]

I'm quite happy to disagree with you on this, as I am with almost anything you say on matters LFC. Things would be very tedious if we all agreed.

[Jairzinho]

We've removed most of the absolute shite, Konchesky, Poulsen, Jovanovic, those sort of turds. But at central midfield, wide midfield, and upfront, we're still very weak.

[xerxes]

Much of this depends on where your start point is. Many underestimate the disintegration that was taking place on and off the pitch in G&H's final 18 months.

 

Kenny's first task was to arrest the slide - he has done that.The next task is to secure EL/CL football. I think that his signings will achieve that. In order to prosper we will need to buy again.

 

Managers job's depend on what is happening now.Adam, Enrique, Henderson, Suarez and Downing are definitely upgrades in achieveing Euro status.

 

The only signing which has not, as yet, improved the squad is Carroll, on whom the jury is out, and who was signed in extraordinary circumstances.

[kalasoma]

Don't think for most fans that the 'jury is out' on Andy Carroll. There are many that bemoan his lack of ability in front of goal and a fair few have already come down on the side of the hammer that says he's not right for what we want to achieve.

[Guest ShoePiss]

we don't have a top quality first team when everyone's fit, never mind a top quality squad. We are miles away from the type of squad being assembled down the East Lancs, and we don't have team or squad as strong as United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs.

 

We do have a squad that is stronger than it has been for a few years.

 

A few years? So 2008? Anyway, unfortunately we're not competing against ourselves. We're as far away from the likes of Spurs as we were last year, maybe further behind.

 

We need the owners to inject some of their own cash into the club if they want CL qualification in my opinion. If we don't strengthen in January we may just scrape it but but the expectations on the playing staff and the manager need to be reset.

 

Here's what he said in August "It's too early for us to talk about winning the league," said Henry according to reports on Monday. "[but] our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don't, it would be a major disappointment." with what we've got I don't think that's a fair expectation personally.