bring back footie. Ok maybe we can say our spending started in january with FSV thats fair, but the next spend is still low and what is the real evidence there is a big pot for transfers? about as much as there is to say we need to reduce the wage bill by 30mil to accomodate new players. (eg, cole, java and poulsen reputedly add up to 250k per week x 52 that a massive 13 MILLION in wasted wages, add in 2-3 more wasters to the list and you can see the issue. We can say spenidng is underway but where will it go is the question? I don't want to et too carried away demanding signings now as i know full well these things occur when they occur but i do feel that i can't have confidence another 5 players will arrive and 10 go out or something ebfore the season starts..... degen, el zhar et al add up to 10 without any damage to us. you have pointed out its all specualtion so yes this is a wiat and see thing but i just don't know when or if we will see and if we'll like what we end up seeing. honestly if i wrote utds top 4 strikers there's rooney, bebatov, hernanadez and owen.... thats not that bad. contrast. carroll (unproven fitness) suarez, kuyt, n'gog. there's a world of difference there. especially when utd have 3 wingers to call on while we played suarez and kuyt wide at times in the end of the year too. you point on CBs is well made and totally agreed on, can't agree on meireles due to the work rate he gives off the ball but those are the calls. as for top 4. sorry but city will spend 1 to 200mil this summer, utd will be in there and so will chelsea, they'll all top 50mil minimum spend or perhaps 70mil. even utd.... the only gap i see at all is arsenal and to be frank i thought that last year too and they flew. I just do not see us getting too close to the championship fight so its all down to arsenal messing up.... and not only that but spurs too. pique was at utd not busquets but the points is well made, utd couldn't give him first team football so he went for a song to barca. that was fair enough. its not like he's 1000% better than when he was with utd. My point on youth is that the kids i see having an actual shot at making it with us are all defenders. no team gets many though but i think our fans are getting a bit carried away with the thought of a "golden generation" do you get me? I don't see that. I see very very good potential in certain young lads but right back, cb, left back and then suso and thats it... i can't see ince for example making it or maybe even n'goo or morgan... its very very hard to break through. the point is we can't depend on them to make up the numbers in the next 2-3 years so the huge gaps i see in terms of squad will be there next season. Oh and carroll = 35mil, henderson 16, even wilson, shelvey etc they are all bought players for a lot of money, hell yuong sterling was bought for what could add up to a million.. they are not really "youth" are they? they've been bought and are sneiors virtually already.
Ok maybe we can say our spending started in january with FSV thats fair, but the next spend is still low and what is the real evidence there is a big pot for transfers? about as much as there is to say we need to reduce the wage bill by 30mil to accomodate new players. (eg, cole, java and poulsen reputedly add up to 250k per week x 52 that a massive 13 MILLION in wasted wages, add in 2-3 more wasters to the list and you can see the issue. We can say spenidng is underway but where will it go is the question? Look at it positively, we sold Torres and got Carroll and Henderson, we Already had Suarez, and they spent the Nando money immediately, good sign? for me yes, others have sold players and kept the cash, FSG immediately reinvested in Liverpool after the Torres sale even after spending 24m already. As for the dead weight I'm sure they are working on that. It will take time but none of those should be here by the end of the season hopefully. I don't want to et too carried away demanding signings now as i know full well these things occur when they occur but i do feel that i can't have confidence another 5 players will arrive and 10 go out or something ebfore the season starts..... degen, el zhar et al add up to 10 without any damage to us. I would rather we sign another 2 3 max, any more and we'll be even more unsure of where we're at concerning a first team even. you have pointed out its all specualtion so yes this is a wiat and see thing but i just don't know when or if we will see and if we'll like what we end up seeing. Signing players has become a very arduous task and thats without competition, agents have gotten themselves nicely placed!! fkkers. Again I do not want 10 new players all thinking they'll be n the first team honestly if i wrote utds top 4 strikers there's rooney, bebatov, hernanadez and owen.... thats not that bad. contrast. carroll (unproven fitness) suarez, kuyt, n'gog. there's a world of difference there. especially when utd have 3 wingers to call on while we played suarez and kuyt wide at times in the end of the year too. I was not comparing theirs to ours but be assured they would rather have a young upcoming striker with talent as 4th but it is a make do situation lets be honest about that, and that is the point, they cant pick and choose neither can any prem club right now, even city you point on CBs is well made and totally agreed on, can't agree on meireles due to the work rate he gives off the ball but those are the calls. He has good attributes, but forme and the way Kenny plays contol touch and passing are gonna be required at a high level, above his level if you ask me. as for top 4. sorry but city will spend 1 to 200mil this summer, utd will be in there and so will chelsea, they'll all top 50mil minimum spend or perhaps 70mil. even utd.... the only gap i see at all is arsenal and to be frank i thought that last year too and they flew. I just do not see us getting too close to the championship fight so its all down to arsenal messing up.... and not only that but spurs too. How much have chelsea spent and we beat them twice yet again, how much have they spent and we tormented them in europe, broke their unbeaten home run too. My point is I am not concerned with directly competing with Chelsea and United, 1v1 we can mix it, it is those other 32 games we need to work onand if we have the quality to beat the top 4 teams it is a consistency issue also as well as staff issues. Again City were not that far ahead of us with the season we had and teh m,oney they spent pique was at utd not busquets but the points is well made, utd couldn't give him first team football so he went for a song to barca. that was fair enough. its not like he's 1000% better than when he was with utd. lol what am I thinking at all this morning!! My point on youth is that the kids i see having an actual shot at making it with us are all defenders. no team gets many though but i think our fans are getting a bit carried away with the thought of a "golden generation" do you get me? Agree there are a lot of CM players out there it just aint that simple and golden generation, arsenal are on their 2nd? in 6 years so yeah relaity check needed by some. I don't see that. I see very very good potential in certain young lads but right back, cb, left back and then suso and thats it... i can't see ince for example making it or maybe even n'goo or morgan... its very very hard to break through. This is where we'll have to spend a few bob if we've got no youngsters, CB + LB are my main concerns right now. I think we have the cash to address these two problems if ther players are available god if not, other terams can manage with big short falls in certain areas. SPurs made Cl with that defence and United on the league and made it to the final with that central mid, its not the end of the world.. the point is we can't depend on them to make up the numbers in the next 2-3 years so the huge gaps i see in terms of squad will be there next season. Oh and carroll = 35mil, henderson 16, even wilson, shelvey etc they are all bought players for a lot of money, hell yuong sterling was bought for what could add up to a million.. they are not really "youth" are they? they've been bought and are sneiors virtually already.[/QUOTE] Didnt mean them as youth I meant they are young and can become part of an English spine of the team they have their careers ahead of them, they both have 10 years to go so, it fits the bill
BBF. Man United have spent,However,they have spent in just one area where there was a necessity...and they bought a rookie keeper.Its this spending wisely?They could have foregone Phil Jones and Ashley Young and signed the two central midfielders they actually need.Have they strengthened overall...No is my answer.Anyone that says otherwise is a nitwit. Man Uniteds business is all but over except for Modric.Harry Redknapp has said Modric isn't for sale.More arrogance from United fans.They will even if they do consider selling will demand more than the paltry £20 million Baconface offered.They turned doen £22 million from Chelsea,and called it insulting. And no they won't accept Berbadross or the Crab in part exchange. They made a killing on both in the first place and took Baconface to the cleaners on both.£36 million on both definitely is a killing.Spurs signed both for a combined £12.75 million and sold both for a combined £49 million.They do say fools and their money are easily parted. None of the others have strengthened.They haven't bought,Liverpool made a statement of intent by signing early,that they are ready to rumble and are buying from the top table again and are competitive.Thats all.They will conduct their business ''in house'' no deal will be mentioned until its sewn up.As Kenny says ''When we have news we will tell you''.Thats the Liverpool way.No mentions of transfer kittys,no budgets,its all about acquisitions for positions of weakness.
Indeed, the picture is not so depressing, its the way you look at it. I am certaily pleased with whats happened so far.
To be fair, I don't think United have improved their starting 11, but as proved last year, that team was still good enough to win the league (albeit in a very weak season).
Your last point was the most important. Every side in the top half are facing a real challenge this summer (and that includes united). Nobody is looking to just replace like for like or 'freshen things up'. It is going to be very interesting to see which sides have made the improvements that they seek because those who fail to do so will be sadly shown up.
Dave. Exactly. I've said all along Kenny signs for positions,and does not base his signings on names or reputations.If he feels a player fits the position and is better than what we've already got....he'll sign him.Andy Carroll was something we didn't have...currently only Chelsea have that sort of player(Drogba) and he's 33.Luis Suarez to a large extent was the Torres replacement. However he's more of a team-player than Torres ever was and seems to have brought the best out of Dirk Kuyt who seems to be a far happier player.The effort and the work rate remained,but he's added goals on a consistent basis to his repetoire. If Kenny thinks he requires incredible work rate and high energy levels for the right side of midfield something that he had with Ray Houghton in the late 80s and early 90s and feels that Jordan Henderson provides that,then I believe him. Having looked at Jordan Henderson,I personally think he does offer that,as Damien Comolli commented on the amount of ground he covers.Steve Bruce who is not the most intelligent when it comes to tactical nous,also commended Jordan Henderson for his endeavour and his ability to cover large amounts of ground during games. To the left side. If Kenny feels that Stewart Downing is the man for the left,and lets not forget he is naturally left footed which is a bonus and is the reliable and consistent touch-line hugger Kenny thinks he is then so be it.Brad Friedel his former team-mate at Aston Villa has said that Downing is both consistent and reliable. Maybe thats what Kenny wants,consistency and dependablity,and players that can handle the rough and tumble of the premier league. This is the reason why Ferguson signed Antonio Valencia,He's not the best winger in the world by any means but he will travel up and down the line as often as Jordan's knickers go up and down on a saturday night.He's not spectacular,but he is both consistent and reliable.It means Ferguson can play the energetic but incredibly limited Park Ji Sung on the other side. Have Man United strengthened.I don't think so.Have they plugged a gap in a position of weakness,which is glaringly obvious as their central midfield cruelly exposed not only by Barcelona,but also Chelsea,Arsenal and Liverpool is incredibly poor.Until they do,I still believe through good management we can challenge them. Have the others improved their positions of weakness? Is there a possibilty that Arsenal instead of strengthening could weaken? Maybe. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter who Man City sign,they will not win the league under Mancini as they although have a squad that is light-years ahead of most even without strengthening are mismanaged. Back to Kenny,I still believe he will plug the gaps in ours squad,the owners have given him the tools to do so.So lets be patient.
This takes the biscuit. Liverpool's European Cup run 1977 Crusaders (NIR) 7-0 Trabzonspor (TUR) 3-1 St Etienne (FRA) 3-2 Zurich (SWI) 6-1 Monchengladbach (GER) 3-1 Because Liverpool didn't face a team with ANY pedigree at all without a pot to piss in this European Cup win doesn't count.
1978 Dynamo Dresden (GER) 6-3 Benfica (POR) 6-2 Monchengladbach (GER) 4-2 Club Brugge (BEL) 1-0 4 yes FOUR teams. That isn't a European Cup run. That's like reading a list of never has beens in an Asia Tour Trophy or something. Disregard it.
That argument doesn't hold any sway at all! Everton have a number of league titles from the past, and so at some point were pretty good no? So would you dismiss the seasons when they won it as just a **** league? No. Clubs change that much is clear.
Now before you comment.Give us Manchester Uniteds list from 1968?If you're so clever.I reckon the sides Man Ure played that year are the equivalent to those sides.They played on decent team that year in Benfica who in reality were a one man team,Eusebio.
MUFCOK, please don't get this going again, we have been there and done that with this on another thread. This type of back and forth on it doesn't count, yes it does, it is harder now, you had to be champions back then, etc will go on and on and on...... this will also go into Real madrids shouldn't count, Before 92 Barca was not a Euro contender, it will literally go on......
After seeing the second one this is another WUM attempt to get us going, please don't give into lads, this has been done to death on another thread.
Wait Benfica a never has been? the team that boasted the great Eusabio right before this and won the European Cup and runners-up in 1963, 1965 and 1968 ? I'm done with this now.
If you don't want this dragging up then I would suggest you give KPR a nudge and tell him that then eh? Trying to belittle United's run in the Champions League this season is hypocritical when for them two European Cup winning campaigns you faced a load of amateur sides.
I am just making your posts look stupid that is all. You claim United never played anybody decent but them two lists are very poor in comparison aren't they? United faced REAL MADRID and BENFICA in 1968. TWO European powerhouses in one campaign.
haha, no amount of nudge will stop KPR from bringing a United vs Liverpool debate around, I think it may literally be impossible. Can't fault the passion though!
I looked into this thread with actual interest but to see KPR has gone off into United meltdown without any mention of them or provocation. It is incredibly sad and his rubbish posts need pointing out.
