Worries for new season

[ELNINO 9]

arbeola and lucas to get 2 a piece ?

[Gazzla]

I think somethng else that people are overlooking is that we also have Mascher who didn't get clearance to place for us until early March plus a fully fit Harry Kewell.

I wopuld have loved to have seen a decent right winger but think we can do a lot of damage with Stevie roaming from the right. If we can get our away form right there is no reason why we can't significantly close the gap and have an outside shot for the title, plus transfer window is still open for another 5 weeks

[red g]

arbeola and lucas to get 2 a piece ?

arbeola will score, comfortable on the ball well in the first few games!!

and i reckon and lucas is an unknown quantity, but he comes with a great rep

[stevie_gerrard_8]

arbeola will score, comfortable on the ball well in the first few games!!

and i reckon and lucas is an unknown quantity, but he comes with a great rep

Ye but it's very hard to score from fullback, unless your JAR

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Rafa will never go for a 20 goal a seasoon striker.

How on earth does that make sense?

Yes he wants goals from all areas of the pitch, every manager does, but to say he'd rather have a 10- 15 goal a season forward than one who scores 20 plus is just an incredibly daft thing to say.

[stevie_gerrard_8]

How on earth does that make sense?

Yes he wants goals from all areas of the pitch, every manager does, but to say he'd rather have a 10- 15 goal a season forward than one who scores 20 plus is just an incredibly daft thing to say.

Sorry about that, it came out wrong. What I meant is that rafa doesn't believe that a 20 goal a season striker is a necessity to win the league.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Sorry about that, it came out wrong. What I meant is that rafa doesn't believe that a 20 goal a season striker is a necessity to win the league.

Quite true. Neither the mancs last season, or the chavs the previous 2 had a 20 goal a season player.

Still think it would be beneficial to have one though. Rafa didn't bring in Torres to tackle full backs running back towards his own goal did he?

[stevie_gerrard_8]

Quite true. Neither the mancs last season, or the chavs the previous 2 had a 20 goal a season player.

Still think it would be beneficial to have one though. Rafa didn't bring in Torres to tackle full backs running back towards his own goal did he?

Very useful to have one no doubt about it. Im not denying that. Im just saying I'd prefer goals to come from all areas of the pitch rather than from one player.

[Craig_H]

I take your point here DJS but your manner makes me uncomfortable.

It's words on a sodding screen, yer big jessie!

[Craig_H]

but also goals from midfield. Look at the scum and chelsea. Their midfields all chip in with their fair share of goals. Last season, out of the top four, we had the lowest goals from midfield. That need to change IMO.

The point i was making, which may or may not have come across, was that why is it apparently impossible to have a 20 goal striker AND a few others from all around the team chipping in too?

[Craig_H]

Well there not. But im just echoing what Rafa says and that is that a 20 goal a season striker will not always win you the league.

A 20 goal striker alone wont win anyone the league, but it'd bloody help. In games where you dont look like winning, or breaking someone down, that type of striker pops up with a winner and it's worth a nice batch of points over 38 league games.

[Craig_H]

This should be acheviable and thats 85 goals, which will be nice


20 torres
15 crouch
15 kuyt
10 vronin
10 gerrard
5 riise
5 kewell
5 babel
4 Agger
3 alonso
2 pennant
2 Lucas
2 Arbeola
2 Hyppia

You're not talking just league goals there, are you? Because that's dreamland...

SIXTY from the strikers? Not a hope in hell.

If it'll all comps, then 85 wouldnt be enough - we scored 120 odd in the treble season.

[Craig_H]

Sorry about that, it came out wrong. What I meant is that rafa doesn't believe that a 20 goal a season striker is a necessity to win the league.

I think what rafa believes, is that it's no use having a 20 goal striker if you're having to sacrifice other things, like solidity, compactness and teamplay.

If he could have us how we are, but WITH someone scoring 20 goals, he'd obviously have that.

[red g]

You're not talking just league goals there, are you? Because that's dreamland...

SIXTY from the strikers? Not a hope in hell.

If it'll all comps, then 85 wouldnt be enough - we scored 120 odd in the treble season.

league only they got 32 last year, 60 is optimistic but i am sure that torres is going to have an awesome impact

[Red Chilli]

Mercy me

Not better off than last year?

On what are you (anyone) basing these baseless claims?
For starters our players haven't just come back from the world cup.
Secondly, we have a stronger midfield with the additions of Mascherano, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas and Leto as replacements for Gonzalez, Zenden, and Garcia.
Thirdly we have Harry Kewell currently not injured.
Fourthly, we have one of the best young strikers in Europe (torres) as a replacement for Bellamy.
Finally: We have THE CROW

Add to that the fact that we have money to spend if we need to I think we are possibly slightly better off than last season.