Dubai International to make bid for Liverpool FC

[desertscouser]

I would say one thing though, if Rafa's youth spending pays off then that may save us alot of money in the future. I really hope at least a couple of the current crop make it.

[ronniedrew]

“The question you should ask fans is what details they know of the DIC bid? The reality is most know hardly anything and are grasping that option because of the anti-American feeling,” said one senior figure.

hmmmmm, very true

[redstaralex]

“The question you should ask fans is what details they know of the DIC bid? The reality is most know hardly anything and are grasping that option because of the anti-American feeling,” said one senior figure.

I know Godolphin (horse racing) are fantastic with no news of squabbles, they only get the best and that'll do me

[AFII]

Dress it up all you want. He's spent 74 million quid on new players this season. I don't give a toss about net spend...that's one for the owners.

No denying that Rafa is clearly a master at selling players for very good money but that's neither here nor there. He's spent a fortune on players this season yet we need 2 full backs, at least one wide player and at least one top class striker to challenge for the title. It's crazy.

Two excellent fullbacks, easily £30m+.
One or two excellent wide players, easily £30m+, or £15m+ if it's one player.
One top class striker, easily £20m+.

So very are talking about £65m-£80m+ that Rafa need to spend. I would myself give Insua a chance next season, £15m saved.

Then we are down to the £50m I'm talking about.

Carson £10m, Riise £5m, Kuyt £5m, Voronin free, Kewell free, Crouch £10m, Alonso £15m, Aurelio free, Pennant £5m are the players I would sell off. The figures are probably what we would get for them.

All this of course depends on that Rafa stays.

So Rafa would more or less not need to spend anything at all if he get all the money from the players he sells off. The extra £50m is if he want to sign one or two extra special players if he want to. Say for example that Aguero suddenly becomes available then Rafa should be able to challenge for him in the transfer market without it affecting his transfer kitty.

Aguero is an example.

[Rowan]

Two excellent fullbacks, easily £30m+.
One or two excellent wide players, easily £30m+, or £15m+ if it's one player.
One top class striker, easily £20m+.

So very are talking about £65m-£80m+ that Rafa need to spend. I would myself give Insua a chance next season, £15m saved.

Then we are down to the £50m I'm talking about.

Carson £10m, Riise £5m, Kuyt £5m, Voronin free, Kewell free, Crouch £10m, Alonso £15m, Aurelio free, Pennant £5m are the players I would sell off. The figures are probably what we would get for them.

All this of course depends on that Rafa stays.

So Rafa would more or less not need to spend anything at all if he get all the money from the players he sells off. The extra £50m is if he want to sign one or two extra special players if he want to. Say for example that Aguero suddenly becomes available then Rafa should be able to challenge for him in the transfer market without it affecting his transfer kitty.

Aguero is an example.

It's not quite that simple though. I'm guessing that none of the above players are going to ask for a transfer and will therefore be eligible for loyalty bonuses. What about those who are going to be earning less at there new clubs? Will we have to subsidise wages as well. Those players that sign are going to want signing on fees and there will be the inevitable flurry of new youngsters coming in.

We choose to see net spend as a hard and fast 'what did we get, what did they cost' approach. In reality our net probably isn't that great.

[kopdan]

FACT

Rafa has spent a **** load of cash. Some on proven quality, some on players that were second best. I feel we have sent more on certain positions as Rafa tries to find the right player and failed. How much have we spent on wingers under him..and strikers. And lets not forget midfielders.

Would Rafa have done things differently had he had the money to invest on one position at a time? Not sure.

Regardless, he's on borrowed time whatever happens. His next few signings will be the rise or fall of him.

[kopdan]

with regards the youngsters..

not at all convinced on this one. How many have made it through? Its almost like he is just snapping up all the available kids hoping a couple come off.

[Rashid]

My biggest grip with Rafa is that he sells one player and then buys one that isn't much better. What was the point in replacing Cisse, Pongolle and Baros with Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin? I think Crouch has done reasonably well but overall it had failed.

How can a team improve with such an obsession with squad players?

[Chris]

My biggest grip with Rafa is that he sells one player and then buys one that isn't much better. What was the point in replacing Cisse, Pongolle and Baros with Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin? I think Crouch has done reasonably well but overall it had failed.

How can a team improve with such an obsession with squad players?

You can say he replaced Cisse and co with those, I can say he replaced Cisse and Bellamy with Torres. Easy this isn't it?

[Dhav]

FACT

Rafa has spent a **** load of cash. Some on proven quality, some on players that were second best. I feel we have sent more on certain positions as Rafa tries to find the right player and failed. How much have we spent on wingers under him..and strikers. And lets not forget midfielders.

Would Rafa have done things differently had he had the money to invest on one position at a time? Not sure.

Regardless, he's on borrowed time whatever happens. His next few signings will be the rise or fall of him.

From my perspective, and I'm not entirely sure if this is what you are suggesting although I think it may be, it seems Rafa has overspent on certain positions while ignoring others eg central midfield we seem to be well stocked, while the wide positions and full back seem to have been largely ignored.

He needs to now focus on reinforcements in weak positions, not further strengthening already strong positions.

with regards the youngsters..

not at all convinced on this one. How many have made it through? Its almost like he is just snapping up all the available kids hoping a couple come off.

I agree it does seem to be something of a scatter-gun approach, but the likes of Pacheco and Gerardo Bruna are as highly regarded as say Fabregas was at their age. Given that I would say there is a good chance at least a couple of them will pay off. You make it sound like a roll of the dice from Rafa, I think it is more of a calculated gamble.

[MascheredUp]

My biggest grip with Rafa is that he sells one player and then buys one that isn't much better. What was the point in replacing Cisse, Pongolle and Baros with Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin? I think Crouch has done reasonably well but overall it had failed.

How can a team improve with such an obsession with squad players?

Apart from summer gone, when has Rafa had the money to buy anything other than squad players (Babel and Torres were bought with credit notes and Bellamy/Garcia/Ciise transfers virtually payed for Torres)?

Moores gave money for Kuyt out of his own pocket for ****s sakes.

I do trust Rafa to still bring in the right calibre of player if he's given the money to push us on.

[kopdan]

I think some of the youngsters are calculated but some I think ..yeah a roll of the dice.

Of all the cash we have spent on central midfielders, we could have brought in a class winger like Joaquin or Simao..in my opinion at least.

[tomasjj]

FACT

Rafa has spent a **** load of cash. Some on proven quality, some on players that were second best. I feel we have sent more on certain positions as Rafa tries to find the right player and failed. How much have we spent on wingers under him..and strikers. And lets not forget midfielders.

Would Rafa have done things differently had he had the money to invest on one position at a time? Not sure.

Regardless, he's on borrowed time whatever happens. His next few signings will be the rise or fall of him.

Hard to tell what he would have done with more cash available at one time.

He did want Alves, but they kept upping the price.
Also wanted Villa, but he didn't want to come.
I think I also read he tried to get Etoo, but had to settle for Torres.
I think he recognises quality and can buy well when given cash. Couple of mistakes stand out though, but to be fair, his record in the transfer market is quite good. And he is able to recoup a lot as well when he moves people on.

[MascheredUp]

Hard to tell what he would have done with more cash available at one time.

He did want Alves, but they kept upping the price.
Also wanted Villa, but he didn't want to come.
I think I also read he tried to get Etoo, but had to settle for Torres.
I think he recognises quality and can buy well when given cash. Couple of mistakes stand out though, but to be fair, his record in the transfer market is quite good. And he is able to recoup a lot as well when he moves people on.

He also tried to sign Eto'o when Owen decided to **** off, but the deal with Barca was already tied up.

[Exiled_red]

FACT

Rafa has spent a **** load of cash. Some on proven quality, some on players that were second best. I feel we have sent more on certain positions as Rafa tries to find the right player and failed. How much have we spent on wingers under him..and strikers. And lets not forget midfielders.

Would Rafa have done things differently had he had the money to invest on one position at a time? Not sure.

Regardless, he's on borrowed time whatever happens. His next few signings will be the rise or fall of him.

I think that had the Torres money when Rafa first came in then we wouldn't have signed all these types of stop gap players trying to fit them in, the likes of Bellamy, Kuyt, Voronin, etc weren't first choices

Same for wing/wide positions if we'd had the money for top quality wingers we wouldn't have signed the likes of Pennant, Zenden, Gonzalez etc