Do we need more British players to win the league?

[Sir Bob]

Under Rafa we've been a much better team in Europe than domestically. In Europe we've won 1 CL, made the last 16 last season and are well placed again this season. In the league its been a different story. 5th in year one was followed by a promising 3rd last season and its a very distant 3rd at best this season. In short I'm more confident aboout LFC getting a decent result in the Nou Camp than I am at the Reebok.

Much of this has been credited to Rafa not being used to the English game & this will have played a part. However, I think we need to also look at the players we have or more relevant don't have. At the moment we have only 2 British players as first choice 100% starters, Carra & SG. They also happen to be our best 2 players. Without wanting to start an Anglo-Irish debate, I'd also include Finnan as being British in so far as he's been brought up on the British game. On top of them we have Bellamy & Crouch competing to play with Kuyt upfront. Next comes Pennant and that just about it. So if you include Finnan & 1 of Bellamy/Crouch thats 4 at most in our 1st choice 11. In our average league squad ,we;ll have 6 at most

Compare this to Man Utd. They have Neville, Ferdinand, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick & Rooney in their first 11, with Brown, O'Shea, Richardson & Smith competing for the bench. Thats 10 British players in their squad. Is it then a coincidence that whilst we struggle at home they don't and whilst we do well in Europe they have under achieved.

I know Arsenal have done well domestically with few English players but Chelsea's domestic success has been built around Terry & Lampard.

In short can we win the league with so relatively few British players. If Bellamy and/or Crouch get sold in the summer to be replaced by foreign players the British contingent will shrink further.

So does Rafa need more Britsh players as I suggest or can we really win the league with so many Spanish & S Americans in the squad?

[Red_Polo]

No, just better ones. We need more flair and a clinical finisher. British or otherwise.

[Shaggy]

I just think we need better players mate, whether they're from England, Spain or Mars.

[Johnny]

I just think we need better players mate, whether they're from England, Spain or Mars.

Martian players can`t play in our atmosphere.

[Lee]

Nah, Spurs have proved that buying good young British players wins you nowt!!

[Sir Bob]

I just think we need better players mate, whether they're from England, Spain or Mars.

I'm not so sure mate. we've got 5 s Americans in the squad & 4 Spaniards with maybe more to come in the summer. Out of all the players Rafa has bought from these areas only Alonso & Reina have made the desired impact in the league and even Reina is still struggling with the more physical nature of the game. Look at Garcia, he's twice the player in Europe that he is in the league. Morientes is a high class player but a fish out of water in England. He's a class player, better than say Crouch but nowhere near as effective in the English league.

I really don't see us winning the league with so many Spanish & s American players, whatever their quality.

[red g]

But are you saying that an english 11 would do better than a world 11 in the premiership??

i agree with Shaggy its better players, there are plenty of world class talent who have showed there best int he premiership.

Ie the likes of lennon are very good, but would take ronaldo(apart from him being a ****) and others before him

are we saying money no object we should get richards instread of alves??

The briish talent is simply not available imh0

[kurtangle01]

Better players is what we need. There's no point buying English players just because of their nationality. Agger 5.5 million, Anton Ferdinand would cost you at least 8 and the players are light years apart in terms of quality. Other examples are Carrick and Xabi etc...

[lfc4ever]

So does Rafa need more Britsh players as I suggest or can we really win the league with so many Spanish & S Americans in the squad?

We don't need /more/, but we do need to maintain a core of British players that understand & get the mentality of the PL and have been brought up in the mad dash English style of play, it's a combination of the best of both blending & melding into a team.

And I'm sure the suit lawmakers have suggested a balance of just in favour of the home country versus imports in the future.

[Sir Bob]

But are you saying that an english 11 would do better than a world 11 in the premiership??

i agree with Shaggy its better players, there are plenty of world class talent who have showed there best int he premiership.

Ie the likes of lennon are very good, but would take ronaldo(apart from him being a ****) and others before him

are we saying money no object we should get richards instread of alves??

The briish talent is simply not available imh0

I'm not saying that we should play 11 British players but we need to consider buying more high quality Britsh players. Would i prefer Lennon to alves, yes I would. That doesn't mean Lennon is a better player than alves but would be more suited to the English league. South american players have a shocking record in England and Spanish players not much better. So far our S American players have provided little with only Alonso & Reina providing continued value in the league. High quality players doesn't mean high quality performances.

[Parm]

No, just better ones. We need more flair and a clinical finisher. British or otherwise.

you said it mate, just need better players.

[Wazanitez]

No, just better ones. We need more flair and a clinical finisher. British or otherwise.

We need a world class left winger and right winger for starters and a player that can score around 20 league goals a season with our midfielders chipping in. We don't score enough goals from our wide men or full backs, let alone from Xabi and Gerrard.

We have an excellent core in our side, just need the extra flair and cutting edge, especially in wide areas.

[cobain]

No, we don't need more British players to win the league. All we need is some consistency! I mean... Beating Chelsea at home and then a draw against Blue****e and defeat against Newcastle -> This is the reason why we don't win the league.

[G]

Better players are needed,english or otherwise.How many did Chelsea have in the team when they won it?

[Mattshark]

Better players are needed,english or otherwise.How many did Chelsea have in the team when they won it?

IT is not important where there from it is how they play that is important.