posted Apr 21, 2008

"From what I'd been hearing Guthrie's been playing well in a poor Bolton team, he's young and English, would think he'd have a role as squad man for next season in the mold of a Darren Fletcher.

Most of my outs would need replacing (Hyppia was a borderline call but how many senior CB options do you need?) and in situations like Arbeloa and Finnan, the manager will need to make a decision. A squad needs to have balance (in the real non Abramovic world). Looking at Man Utd's squad a lot of talk is made of how big out squad is but the likes of O'Shae, Flether, Park, Kuszczak, Pique, Silvestre and even Brown aren't starting players but know and accept their role came in cheap/free and presumably aren't too expensive on the wage bill."

Bronco - I totally agree with the above, and for me I'd swap in names like:

Hyppia, Finnan, Benayoun, Kuyt, Itandje, Crouch, Voronin.

Now, I know that Voronin and Itandje aren't good enough to start regularly (and I'm sorry but if you really think Kuyt offers nothing you should have watched the Arsenal and Blackburn games more closely - he's also our top scorer in Europe this season) - but what people need to realise is that you can't have Villa, Buffon and Nesta as squad players.

they'll be unhappy, undermine squad morale, cost you fortunes and want to go.

Is Voronin good enough to be our no1 striker?

Of course not. No. However, has he done the job, considering that he was, and is our 4th choice - never was meant to be more - well, with seven goals I'd say yes.

He's done the job, especially considering that that's more goals than say, Heskey has scored all season as first choice.

He's also had more than one ood game. And no, he isn't Zidane, but I repeat, you wouldn't want him to be.

So, on the assumption we do sign some real top class players in the summer, the likes of Kuyt, Benayoun, Hyppia will be as important to us as O'Shea, Saha and Park are to Man U.

@Bronco:

As for Rafa and young players I think you are way off the mark. Just because he doesn't throw them into the deep end as often as Fergie or Wenger, doesn't mean he doesn't know what he's doing.

I've watched Babel closely, and he has improved a really impressive degree over the course of the season.

Better at tracking back, much better on his left foot, able to take out his man on both sides. I'm confident he'll be top quality next season. He's well suited to the role he's currently playing too.

As for Lucas, Rafa knows exactly what he's doing with him. I suspect he'll be challenging Alonso strongly next season - looks ideal for that role, but is also very capable at covering any of our 3 cm berths.

Rafa's record with young players shouldn't be under question either. Some of the world's best players (Raul, Casillas, Eto'o) worked with him at REal's reserves, and he brought plenty to Valencia too.

Don't forget that for us Reina, Alonso, Torres, Mash, Agger, Skrtel were all 23 or younger on signing, so you can see he does know what he's doing with younger players.

I think fans just need to have a bit of patience because he likes to introduce them more cautiously than some.

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posted Apr 21, 2008

some good points "hesbighesred". Most people are being far too rash about who to ship out, I especially don't understand the Arbeloa bashing. He's had a damn solid season, is only 25 and I can see him improving. The only problem is he nor Finnan are really attacking enough and a Rafinha or Alves type character would really add something to the team. But if we brought a RB in, Finnan or Alvaro would have to go as neither would be happy being a 3rd choice right-back imo. Even if Finnan was he needs regular games for propper match fitness at his age. Plus he's a great player with mad commitment who fully deserves a first team place in a mid table club to see out his career.

I love Riise and want to see him revived for next season, cos he certainly has had a completely duff one this year, and you can't blame it on rotation cos he was being started regularly and performing naff hence him basically being dropped for the second half (a CL role still to be realised tho perhaps?!)

Insua, Aurelio, and Arbeloa perfectly good cover too but sell Aurelio if we can get any kinda money for him.

That attacking right wing position is definately what we lack most and I'm not sure who I'd most like to see fill it. I am sure I don't want it to be Bentley, he's a good player but not of the calibre Liverpool should be aiming for and I don't think he'll ever be any better than his form at Blackburn this season. I'd honestly take Nakamura over him, at least we'd have a set piece specialist to boot. Farfan also doesn't excite me a great deal, he seems a very similar type of player to Babel and would probably take a while adjusting to the premiership just as the latter has.

Of the names that have been thrown around who I'd love to see at Liverpool none of them really fit the roles we need. Henry, Aimar, Van Der Vaart, Huntelaar, Villa. Sure I want them all but they're all strict AMC (except poss Rafael?) or out and out strikers (any fool that says Henry can play on the wing completely misses the point of his utility that Wenger so brilliantly realised).

So I ask everyone this, who do we need for that right winger position? Ben Arfa?

When was the last time one of Wenger's attacking targets was a bad buy? (with the possible exception of Eduardo)

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posted Apr 21, 2008

Why do people continously post this article, it's been done to death. Can't you think of something different?

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posted Apr 21, 2008

Henry would be a good signing for Liverpool.

He can keep Heinz company in the Physio's room.

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posted Apr 21, 2008

It would be a shame to lose crouch, but he wants first team football and won't get that ahead of torres.

Rafa loves Kuyt and won't sell him, however much we need a creative winger.

I think the new signing he's talked about will be an unknown spaniard, but i hope it's henry/rafinha/heinze/kranjcar/vicente. I would love to see anothe creative defensive midfielder at the club if alonso leaves, so barry looks ideal for that as lucas hasn't fitted in well YET.

If Crouch gets his wish and leaves a substitute striker is a must. My preference would be saha but its more likely to be a free/bosman transfer such as hasselbaink/jose mari. I think huntelaar is unlikely, as benitez looks like he'll stick with the 4-5-1 and he wouldn't be content to be a mere substitute behind torres.

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posted Apr 21, 2008

Strangely enough I was just thinking the same about Owen if he joined Saha at United.

There'd be a race...sorry... rapid limp, for the physio's table.

Gary Neville would be the ultimate winner as he'd never be fit enough to get off it.

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posted Apr 21, 2008

Bentley im sure will come to us over chelsea because he knows that he will fit perfectly into kuyts position, play every game and get european football which blackburn will not provide. Rafina sounds brilliant so we could sell finn for 3m and use the funding from pennant. Kewells contract is up at the end of the year he will not stay. I fancy huntalaar hes quick, energentic, skillfull and is brill on fm

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posted Apr 21, 2008

I can't believe how many people want to get rid of Kuyt!! We need players like him in the team, who can close the opponents down for 90 minutes, hold the ball up and with good technical ability. Fair enough he hasn't scored many but has a lot of assists, and getting the goals has not been his job this season. See the Arsenal game at anfield for example, he didn't score yet was our best player on the night.

I do agree however that we must invest in the right wing. Bentley would not be my first choice as we really lack people who can take on defenders. I would much prefer seeing someone like Ashley Young out on the flank.


I believe Rafa will only make 2 first team signings this summer - right back and right forward.

With the likes of Insua Nemeth and Plessis in the reserves we won't be short of talent in other departments.

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posted Apr 21, 2008

I would be concerned about Huntelaar adapting to a more physical league. He's quite slight.

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posted Apr 21, 2008

I second the call for Ashley Young, I'd take him any day over Bentley, but given O'Neil's reluctance to let Barry go I'm sure he wouldn't sell Young.

Krancjar isn't good enough either, he's not consistent enough even at Portsmouth with Harry's motivation, imagine what little impact he'd have in Rafa's rotation. I'd rather have Utaka than him if we're talking Portsmouth players, a better winger with a more established goal scoring record.

I really hope we keep hold of Crouch, and altho Rafa definitely seems to be sticking with the 4-5-1 at the minute, we know how much he likes to mix it up, and there's been promising signs of Crouch and Torres linking up well. I wouldn't want anyone else up front as a duo except maybe Villa!

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