The thing is, If you look at Benitez's free/low-mid range purchases post Torres. With what they had done previously and on paper they all looked as though they could do a job. They just didn't
I agree with that, but then the same could be said with some of SAF's flops.
Kleberson - driving force behind Brazil's 2002 WC win. Again, can't be awful if you can play for the world champions and dominate the entire England midfield without conceding a single foul. Well, maybe you can...
Veron - one of the best CMs in the world at the time
Djemba Djemba - won the 2002 African Nations Cup, played great for Nantes and at the 2002 WC
Forlan - goal every other game before he joined us, goal every game since he left, just didn't perform at OT
Even Taibi had played well in Italy, and never fallen over his own studs, before he came to us
The top managers always have a good reason for buying the players they do, but some players just don't perform under the pressure or fit into the team. Even Wenger, who I freely admit is the bargain bin master, has made some shockers in his time - Jeffers, Cygan, Boa Mortes, Vivas, Wright and even Pennant!
Btw, Glen Johnson for me fits into the same bracket as Berbatov, Ferdinand, Carrick, Carroll and Torres (to Chelsea). Were they not playing in the EPL and being sold to a top EPL team, their prices would all have been at least 33% less. But as soon as Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea got involved the prices soared. Although I think Dani Alves has more than justified a ã23 million price tag at Barca!