Brazil Vs. Chile - Dani Alaves vs Speedy

[keniget]

That was not the case last summer though.

Well, that's where our opinions differ. It wasn't perhaps as balanced, but I think Rafa should've "made do" with what he had in certain areas and gone after his first choice target. Unfortunately, we all know Rafa isn't much of a man-manager, which is a failing.

[einar]

Well, that's where our opinions differ. It wasn't perhaps as balanced, but I think Rafa should've "made do" with what he had in certain areas and gone after his first choice target. Unfortunately, we all know Rafa isn't much of a man-manager, which is a failing.

I agree with that.

But we also must remember that the board had a policy on transfers and they may have put their price on Alves and when they wanted more then what our board wanted to pay Rafas hands could have been tied, regardless of how much money we had left.

[Fiddy]

You have absolutely no evidence to suggest this is true.

I for one don't think that Rafa is infallible. But to suggest quite categorically that he made a mistake by buying the likes of Bellamy, Pennant and Gonzalez instead of Alves is inaccurate.

Not to mention the fact that given the squad he had, it would have been much easier to justify paying £12m or whatever it was on 3/4 players than just the one. AA's assertion would fall flat on it's arse if Rafa had spent the money all on Alves, for him to then get injured. You can argue that Bellamy, Pennant, Gonzalez etc haven't set the world alight, but they've all played roles at some point especially in the cups

[friedk]

Kuyt 10m
Bellamy 7m
Gonzalez 3m ??
Pennant (rising to) 7m
Paletta 2m

If Rafa had wanted Alves, he could have bought him. Overall, he spent the money available very, very poorly last summer.

We lost Morientes and Cisse was out for the season, so we need two strikers.

We had no Kewell, so needed someone on the left.

Gerrard was the only player who could cut in on the right, so we needed cover for him.

We needed cover at CB, especially because there was no way of knowing how good Agger would turn out to be.

Unless Alves could cover all of those positions, there was no chance in hell Rafa could afford to bring him in last season.

[AFII]

We lost Morientes and Cisse was out for the season, so we need two strikers.

We had no Kewell, so needed someone on the left.

Gerrard was the only player who could cut in on the right, so we needed cover for him.

We needed cover at CB, especially because there was no way of knowing how good Agger would turn out to be.

Unless Alves could cover all of those positions, there was no chance in hell Rafa could afford to bring him in last season.

If Rafa had signed Alves and he got injured then we would have been in a worse state than last season with a very thin squad. You can't make a gamble like that. No top four place would be a catastrophe for the club because it would be so much harder to get a top class player to sign for us even if we have the money to sign him and we would lose out on very much money.

[Guest]

Believe what you want.

Rafa has an agreement with Alves that he will join us if we pay what Sevilla want for him, and that's £18m.

Fookin' hell AF11, I don't know where you source these type information and make it as if the agreement really exists.

[AFII]

Fookin' hell AF11, I don't know where you source these type information and make it as if the agreement really exists.

As I said, it's up to you to believe it or not, I don't care.

Real couldn't make a bid for him until we had turned down the price Sevilla wanted for him last summer. Real then made their move and Sevilla accepted the offer from Real but the deal fell through because Cicinho turned down Sevilla.

Why do you think I have two £50 bets, one with Desertscouser and one with Diego that he will join us before September? The money will go to HJC .

[Guest]

As I said, it's up to you to believe it or not, I don't care.

Real couldn't make a bid for him until we had turned down the price Sevilla wanted for him last summer. Real then made their move and Sevilla accepted the offer from Real but the deal fell through because Cicinho turned down Sevilla.

Why do you think I have two £50 bets, one with Desertscouser and one with Diego that he will join us before September? The money will go to HJC .

I don't doubt that you have a decent source mate but anything can happen between last summer and the next ! What if we change targets and go for another right winger ? Rafa chose not to pay the inflated price for Alves, and it's not dead certain that he'll cough up the money even though he's got a bigger kitty this time. It's all about valuations IMO.

[DKdan]

1) We lost Morientes and Cisse was out for the season, so we need two strikers.

2) We had no Kewell, so needed someone on the left.

3) Gerrard was the only player who could cut in on the right, so we needed cover for him.

4) We needed cover at CB, especially because there was no way of knowing how good Agger would turn out to be.

5) Unless Alves could cover all of those positions, there was no chance in hell Rafa could afford to bring him in last season.

1) We could have done with Kuyt as substitute for Mori and Pongo as a substitute for Cisse.

2) True. And Gonzo was already bought, it was just that we couldn't get a work permit for him. Thats why we loaned him out in the first place.

3) And Pongo could have covered that position if anything happened to Gerrard. Just as Rafa was willing to let Carra be a back up to Finnan after letting Kromkamp go. Going in to the campaign with no "real" back up for Finnan proves that Rafa is willing to take a gamble. It amazes me how he wouldn't do that with the right wing slot...

4) I agree that it was unsure how Agger would adapt, but surely if Rafa felt we needed cover because of Agger he would have bought some one ready to go, and not a player who is even more unexperienced than Agger.

5) I agree that we wouldn't have been able to afford Alves last year now matter how much twisting and turning we would have done. Also I am not unhappy about the purchase of Pennant. He is improving a lot and I have a remote hope that he will turn out to be just what we need.

[AFII]

I don't doubt that you have a decent source mate but anything can happen between last summer and the next ! What if we change targets and go for another right winger ? Rafa chose not to pay the inflated price for Alves, and it's not dead certain that he'll cough up the money even though he's got a bigger kitty this time. It's all about valuations IMO.

I know that anything can happen. Just look at the Simao deal, the deal 99% done and Simao sitting in the plane and he then gets a call that Benfica have bumped the price and the deal is off.

Rafa hasn't changed target, he want Alves so it's up to us to agree a deal with Sevilla.

That could be a reason to why Rafa want to talk to Gillett and Hicks but that's just a guess. If Sevilla are on the way to accept a fee for him from Barca, Chelsea or Real then Rafa would have to get an answer from Gillett and Hicks if he have the money to sign him.

[CJ]

some things that get written on these forums are truly laughable. it really is like talking to children where everything has to be black or white.

[Diego]

As I said, it's up to you to believe it or not, I don't care.

Real couldn't make a bid for him until we had turned down the price Sevilla wanted for him last summer. Real then made their move and Sevilla accepted the offer from Real but the deal fell through because Cicinho turned down Sevilla.

Why do you think I have two £50 bets, one with Desertscouser and one with Diego that he will join us before September? The money will go to HJC .

you have a bet with me?

if so, thats news to me, must'ev been drunk at the time...

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

some things that get written on these forums are truly laughable. it really is like talking to children where everything has to be black or white.

You don't lie to children?

[Red_Al_77]

some things that get written on these forums are truly laughable. it really is like talking to children where everything has to be black or white.

Have you only just worked that out?