Winning the Champs L would be no consolation for another terrible season, rages Ste G

[AFII]

Yes, the same rotation that has never once taken us remotely close to a proper title challenge...

Why, when i point out the reasons why we cant challenge for the title, people's replies are about cup competitions?

It's easier to win cups because you only need to beat your opponent over two legs so money won't play as big part compared to a league over 38 games.

And since he's been there, rafa's spent more than Ferguson...

Oh dear...there goes that money excuse.

You must look at what Fergie spent and built before we got Rafa. Look at Rafa's starting position compared to what he has to do to catch up to United.

Rafa had to build up the club from top to bottom, everything from the Academy to the first team was a mess when he took over 2004. He also couldn't make a gamble and sign quality instead of quality because he needed the CL money or else he was ****ed in the transfer market.

So the money excuse didn't go there.

[Craig_H]

Rafa's spent £150m.

He could've used part of what he inherited and added (for argument's sake) 10 £15m players.

But no, he bought ****loads of...****.

£150m isnt peanuts.

[kop-al-74]

I hate the Rafa's spent more than etc,etc.

Rafa had to overhall a whole squad,not just add to it with a few quality players.From here on i think you can compare Rafa with the others with regards to spending.It's only now can Rafa spend big on certain players.

Kuyt aside,whenever he has spent over 10m,it's been a success.

[Shaggy]

Most of that "£150m" could not have been spent at all without selling first, which is why it’s completely misleading to suggest he’s just spent £150m willy-nilly. The net figure is the true figure, don’t care what anyone says. It is a fact that the majority of that money could not have spent without selling first to raise the requisite funds.

[Craig_H]

I hate the Rafa's spent more than etc,etc.

Rafa had to overhall a whole squad,not just add to it with a few quality players.From here on i think you can compare Rafa with the others with regards to spending.It's only now can Rafa spend big on certain players.

Kuyt aside,whenever he has spent over 10m,it's been a success.

Overhaul the whole squad??? That's the squad that was finishing 4th...easily.

Now 4th is a struggle.

What a great job he's done, having inherited such a 'weak' squad and overhauled it to the tune of £150m...

[Craig_H]

Most of that "£150m" could not have been spent at all without selling first, which is why it’s completely misleading to suggest he’s just spent £150m willy-nilly. The net figure is the true figure, don’t care what anyone says. It is a fact that the majority of that money could not have spent without selling first to raise the requisite funds.

The articles i've seen which compare spending, WERE talking in terms of net figures...

[Shaggy]

I don't recall strolling into 4th place in Houllier's last season. 4th was the Holy Grail then.

[kop-al-74]

Overhaul the whole squad??? That's the squad that was finishing 4th...easily.

Now 4th is a struggle.

What a great job he's done, having inherited such a 'weak' squad and overhauled it to the tune of £150m...

He inherited a load of very average players on huge wages.He had to get rid of alot of crap players.


Our squad now is only short of 2 or 3 really quality players.Was that the case when he took over?

[Craig_H]

I don't recall strolling into 4th place in Houllier's last season. 4th was the Holy Grail then.

It was guaranteed before the last weekend of the season. I wonder if it will be this season...

It's just one excuse after another.

He took over when we were finishing 4th, and four years later, we're struggling to finish 4th. Bizarrely acceptable, apparently.

[Craig_H]

He inherited a load of very average players on huge wages.He had to get rid of alot of crap players.


Our squad now is only short of 2 or 3 really quality players.Was that the case when he took over?

Very average players who finished 4th fairly comfortably...

£150m later, we're struggling to make 4th place


If our squad is now only short of 2 or 3 quality players, why are we struggling for 4th place?

Either the squad isnt that good (you just said it is) or rafa's getting it wrong. Which is it?

[Shaggy]

We did not finish 4th comfortably under Houllier. I imagine if you find a league table from the same part of the season as we're at now, it would look similar.

And we may well yet finish 4th "comfortably" - there's nearly a third of the season left. You're comparing one scenario at the end of a season with another scenario that is only two thirds complete. It's just not cricket.

[kop-al-74]

Very average players who finished 4th fairly comfortably...

£150m later, we're struggling to make 4th place


If our squad is now only short of 2 or 3 quality players, why are we struggling for 4th place?

Either the squad isnt that good (you just said it is) or rafa's getting it wrong. Which is it?

Obviously if i have just said the squad is short of 2 or 3 players,i don't think that the squad is good enough to really challenge the title.

For example,if we bought Eto'o,J Cole and Mancini,the difference in quality would make a huge difference.Players with real quality.

Thats the position were in now.

[MattB]

Very average players who finished 4th fairly comfortably...

£150m later, we're struggling to make 4th place


If our squad is now only short of 2 or 3 quality players, why are we struggling for 4th place?

Either the squad isnt that good (you just said it is) or rafa's getting it wrong. Which is it?

If only footy was so simple. Buy the best players = win the league.

It's about winning games, which is about sticking the ball in the net - something we have struggled to do even when dominating games.

Guess which game these comments followed:

"But you have to take your chances. We created plenty, enough to have won, but we didn't convert them, and only have ourselves to blame for that."

Liverpool played the better football, but as Gerrard conceded, they paid a heavy price for failing to take their opportunities.

[Craig_H]

We did not finish 4th comfortably under Houllier. I imagine if you find a league table from the same part of the season as we're at now, it would look similar.

And we may well yet finish 4th "comfortably" - there's nearly a third of the season left. You're comparing one scenario at the end of a season with another scenario that is only two thirds complete. It's just not cricket.

We did it with 4 points to spare. Cant see that happening this time.

[Craig_H]

Obviously if i have just said the squad is short of 2 or 3 players,i don't think that the squad is good enough to really challenge the title.

For example,if we bought Eto'o,J Cole and Mancini,the difference in quality would make a huge difference.Players with real quality.

Thats the position were in now.

No no....forget the title.

Is the squad comfortably good enough to finish 4th, without a threat from the Villas, Citys and Bitters of this world?

You basically admitted it was.