Genuine question, not a windup...

[Craig_H]

one 20+ striker could easily get you 10 extra points

And the other 10?

To be fair, the idea of a 20 league-goal-a-season striker is almost a myth.

Very rare these days.

[desertscouser]

I'd love to really believe that only one or even two players could make up the 20 odd points, but i really cant see it.

We've bought to many 'final pieces' of the jigsaw before, only to see that another space has somehow manifested itself elsewhere...

Of course we'll win the league again in my lifetime but not anytime soon unless we buy 2 top quality strikers, a left winger, a right winger and a left back. I really believe we are 5 players short of giving United and Chelsea a run for their money over the course of a long season.

[Joe Le Toff]

correct me if i'm wrong, as i was only born when we were picking up our 4th european cup, but haven't we always been famous for generally spending quite alot of cash, and outspending others

Im not quite sure i see your point mate, yes i suppose we have but not in proportion to other top clubs really.
What i meant i suppose is that its been so long since we spent big on someone we knew was top drawer that you have to question if we ever will again, and thats what it takes these days to win the league.

Like i said though, i was waffling down memory lane a bit

[dww]

I'd love to really believe that only one or even two players could make up the 20 odd points, but i really cant see it.

We've bought to many 'final pieces' of the jigsaw before, only to see that another space has somehow manifested itself elsewhere...

I'm not saying they necessarily will for us now just that the difference between a team like United who didn't challenge the year before last and the team which did was a single player really. It is not necessarily a linear relation ship between money spent and team improvement.

The trouble is it is exceptionally hard to find the right players to complete any team to make that difference but I do think we are now shopping for the sort of future talents who might do it. For example if Lucas lived up to the beliefs of his Brazilian fans. United took a good few years to build their current team.

[Joe Le Toff]

It was always quite proportionate to what our rivals were spending though.

We werent spending 3 times the amount of our nearest rivals...we were?

My apologies, i think ive repeated what youve said here a bit.
Must read whole thread!

[Rocket]

no, i'm just thinking, so many games last season, a decent striker, would have got us 3 points.

take mancs at home, if we had a really clinical striker that day, we would have had at least a point, more likely 3 points.

the remaining 10 points would come from 2 decent wingers.

think about it, our defence, and central midfield is as good as anyones

[Joe Le Toff]

I know you narrowed it down a bit, but if you dont mind me asking, how old are you mate?

Not at all, 40 mate

[Craig_H]

Not at all, 40 mate

Thanks.

So you're still young and you answered no.

Paints a grim picture

[Joe Le Toff]

The trouble is it is exceptionally hard to find the right players to complete any team to make that difference but I do think we are now shopping for the sort of future talents who might do it.

But the top clubs are shopping for future talents, and buying up the genuine class that will give you the best chance of success in the here and now.
We havent done that for years.

[Craig_H]

Another thing we need to do is distinguish between positions that need solidity (which can be cheap) and positions which need 'impact' (which generally costs).

For example, Finnan at £3m ish and Agger at about £5.5m are spot on. Dont need to be amazing or flashy, just consistent and solid.

But Gonzalez (£2.5m), Bellamy (£6m) and arguably Pennant (£7m) are examples of the failure to make that distinction.

For those positions, you need IMPACT players and they generally cost.

I'd much rather have seen the £15.5m spent on ONE Ronaldo-level player.

They got him for £12m, Chelsea got Robben for £12m...so it CAN be done.

[dww]

But the top clubs are shopping for future talents, and buying up the genuine class that will give you the best chance of success in the here and now.
We havent done that for years.

I can see your point and I don't think it is inevitable we will win just that we have a decent chance over the medium term. There is obviously an element of optimism born of being a fan but I don't think it is completely irrational.

I think that at least for a single season the gap is bridgable. There is more potential in our side than we saw this year - most people would agree.

[slimbimjim]

I think we can win it within the next 5 years. Any more and we will find a manager that can.

I do believe that Benitez is the man to land the title though

[Resu]

Ask Chelsea fans if they thought they`ll be on of the richest clubs in the world ten years ago.

Things change, but LFC will always be a big club, and we will win the PL again.

[dww]

Another thing we need to do is distinguish between positions that need solidity (which can be cheap) and positions which need 'impact' (which generally costs).

For example, Finnan at £3m ish and Agger at about £5.5m are spot on. Dont need to be amazing or flashy, just consistent and solid.

But Gonzalez (£2.5m), Bellamy (£6m) and arguably Pennant (£7m) are examples of the failure to make that distinction.

For those positions, you need IMPACT players and they generally cost.

I'd much rather have seen the £15.5m spent on ONE Ronaldo-level player.

They got him for £12m, Chelsea got Robben for £12m...so it CAN be done.

To be fair I think it is reasonable to point to Garcia for £6m as another example of where more was gained than could be expected for the fee. I think the willingness to commit the funds has been lacking recently as attacking players tend to have an influence as a unit and we really needed to be able to balance our midfield. I think we now have at least the potential to do that in the squad.

You are definitely right about the way we need to build on this team though, particularly for the season ahead now.

[Joe Le Toff]

Another thing we need to do is distinguish between positions that need solidity (which can be cheap) and positions which need 'impact' (which generally costs).

For example, Finnan at £3m ish and Agger at about £5.5m are spot on. Dont need to be amazing or flashy, just consistent and solid.

But Gonzalez (£2.5m), Bellamy (£6m) and arguably Pennant (£7m) are examples of the failure to make that distinction.

For those positions, you need IMPACT players and they generally cost.

I'd much rather have seen the £15.5m spent on ONE Ronaldo-level player.

They got him for £12m, Chelsea got Robben for £12m...so it CAN be done.

I think thats an excellent point.
If the money that we have had, was spent on genuine class and 1 or 2 players rather than 4 or 5, i honestly believe we would be a lot closer to the league.
The fact that we havent means that for god knows how long now we all keep saying we're 2 or 3 players away from the league.