How much will things change?

[einar]

I´m just wondering what life will be like if the investment goes through. We say that we are going to compete with the big guns on the transfer front but what does that mean. How many of our current squad would find them selfs playing on a regular basis for Chelski or Scum?
How many times in the past 3 years have we even tried to sign someone the top two where interested in?

I think Reina, Carra, Finnan, Hyypia, possibly Agger are all up there with the best but the rest of our team?

Probably only Xabi and Steve.

So, IMHO if Rafa can actually compete with Scum and Ars for players the following players will eventually be replaced with more quality:

Momo, Zenden, Pennant, Speedy, Crouch, Kuyt, Riise, Aurelio,

Bellamy and Kewell might hang on for longer.

I´m not saying that all this is gonna happen in 2 years but I think all these guys are easily replaceable if you have enough money.

So mabe we are underestimating the impact this investment could have.

ps. I think Garcia could stay for a long time.

[lfc4ever]

I´m not saying that all this is gonna happen in 2 years but I think all these guys are easily replicable if you have enough money.

Bloody hell - has cloning come on that much in recent years?

As for the point you make, the squad has some decent depth, and we only need to add one or two quality signings per window, and the cash will allow us to compete for the very top signings if they come available, or to go for the one that Rafa wants without being strapped for cash and having to make do with 2nd or 3rd best.

[Milan_Milan]

I´m just wondering what life will be like if the investment goes through. We say that we are going to compete with the big guns on the transfer front but what does that mean. How many of our current squad would find them selfs playing on a regular basis for Chelski or Scum?
How many times in the past 3 years have we even tried to sign someone the top two where interested in?

I think Reina, Carra, Finnan, Hyypia, possibly Agger are all up there with the best but the rest of our team?

Probably only Xabi and Steve.

So, IMHO if Rafa can actually compete with Scum and Ars for players the following players will eventually be replaced with more quality:

Momo, Zenden, Pennant, Speedy, Crouch, Kuyt, Riise, Aurelio,

Bellamy and Kewell might hang on for longer.

I´m not saying that all this is gonna happen in 2 years but I think all these guys are easily replaceable if you have enough money.

So mabe we are underestimating the impact this investment could have.

ps. I think Garcia could stay for a long time.

Hyppia and Finnan I certainly wouldnt call 'up there with the best'. As for the players replaced, at least Momo and Kuyt will be here for the long run.

The only real difference I can see when the investment goes through is that when we're a couple of mill short for a player (a la Alves) it will be provided rather than us having to turn to someone else, like Pennant.

[einar]

What I´m basically saying is that IMO Xabi is the only first choice player Rafa has signed for us. From now on almost every player is gonna be first choice.

I think possibly people have not realised how big a change this will be if it goes through.

[Milan_Milan]

If Rafa gets his way then the following are all part of the side he eventually wants to have IMO:

Reina
Carra
Agger
Xabi
Gerrard
Kuyt
Momo

Quite a few of the current squad will still be squad members, but not automatic first team, such as Crouch, Bellamy (if he continues his recent improvement), Riise, Garcia, Finnan etc.

[kurtangle01]

What I´m basically saying is that IMO Xabi is the only first choice player Rafa has signed for us. From now on almost every player is gonna be first choice.

I think possibly people have not realised how big a change this will be if it goes through.

What about Agger, Kuyt and Reina? They would get in most teams in europe as would Sissoko.

[andyinswinton]

If Rafa gets his way then the following are all part of the side he eventually wants to have IMO:

Reina
Carra
Agger
Xabi
Gerrard
Kuyt
Momo

Quite a few of the current squad will still be squad members, but not automatic first team, such as Crouch, Bellamy (if he continues his recent improvement), Riise, Garcia, Finnan etc.

I'd go along with that.

[einar]

What about Agger, Kuyt and Reina? They would get in most teams in europe as would Sissoko.

I think if he had had the money he would not have gone for Kuyt. You cant buy a world class striker at the age of 25 for 10m. It would have been Torres or Villa
or someone.

Agger could have been but we dont know. Vidic?

Goalkeepers are a bit special so ok.

Sissoko could become a world class player but he is not now. If Rafa had had the money last summer mabe he would have gone for him. I dont know and I´m not sure. I think Rafa sees him as a player for specific games much like Crouch.

[einar]

If Rafa gets his way then the following are all part of the side he eventually wants to have IMO:

Reina
Carra
Agger
Xabi
Gerrard
Kuyt
Momo

Quite a few of the current squad will still be squad members, but not automatic first team, such as Crouch, Bellamy (if he continues his recent improvement), Riise, Garcia, Finnan etc.

Reina: hard to replace but he is not the best in the world, possibly not even in the top 5 so I think Rafa would replace him if he could but top keepers are very hard to come by.

Carra: A legend.

Agger: still needs to improve, so mabe.

Xabi: no question

Gerrard: no question

Kuyt: he is a class below Henry, Eto, horseface, Shrek, Villa, Torres,.....so no.

Momo: same as Agger.

Finnan: will stay

Riise: not good enough

Crouch: not good enough

Bellamy: could hang in for a while.

[Milan_Milan]

Reina: hard to replace but he is not the best in the world, possibly not even in the top 5 so I think Rafa would replace him if he could but top keepers are very hard to come by.

Carra: A legend.

Agger: still needs to improve, so mabe.

Xabi: no question

Gerrard: no question

Kuyt: he is a class below Henry, Eto, horseface, Shrek, Villa, Torres,.....so no.

Momo: same as Agger.

Finnan: will stay

Riise: not good enough

Crouch: not good enough

Bellamy: could hang in for a while.

Kuyt is still getting used to the league, and looked absolute quality against bolton for the goals, strong running with the ball, intelligent passing and good finishing. Not to mention all the work he does without the ball. His ability might not be as high, but he'd be a very good partner for a top class forward.

Riise is a very good reserve left back/left mid. You might say hes not good enough, but look at our defensive record when he plays and doesnt play. Speaks for itself.

Crouch and Bellamy are both good options to have in a squad, you can't have superstars in reserve, just doesnt work. See Chelsea.

Momo and Agger look like they have the potential to develop into top class players. Momo already offers something that few others do with his stamina and work rate, and Agger looks class and is a 21 year old centre back, with years until his peak.

Reina's record is fantastic, and he has 5, 6 or even more years before he's at his peak.

[dww]

I think Kuyt was clearly a first choice signing. Don't really care what anyone says about Torres or Villa - I think that they would have come in instead of Bellamy but Kuyt would have been Rafas prefered partner.

Agger I think was about equal with Vidic, he was less close to the finished article but offered more potentially in terms of bringing the ball out of defence into midfield. We had Hyypia and Carra already so you can argue the toss either way about who Rafa wanted more, we didn't really loose out. You have to look at our defence as a unit and it has been excellent, I think as a unit it has been as good defencively as any other in the league - so the back 5 as a unit could at most points in the last year and a half have walked into the other top sides.

The places Rafa has been forced to seriously comprimise has been out wide.

Come investment I think we will go out and sign at least two big name players - probably wide attacking players. I can see DIC wanting at least one to be a big name.