Do we expect too much??

[Rich]

Poor Leto (Royksopp)

[kev776]

I agree with that too. Maybe one or two squad players to replace any that leave but we should be looking for players to improve the first team now that Rafa has decent strength in depth.

The ressies are there to provide squad depth, not just the odd future superstar, in the past our ressies were the tops and always provided a raw pool of good talent. This slipped into oblivion under previous managers and to an extent Steve Highway. Now the ressies seem to be making a comeback, hopefully many of them can take their place in the first team squad and release funds for those "top notch" strikers/players.

[Craig_H]

Then we would have strengthened only one position.

I dont particularly think Kuyt, Pennant and Leto have 'strengthened' us.

That's the point. Roll your eyes at that one wooshing over your head.

[Reece]

Someone has finally edited the thread title - it was really bugging me

[Joe King]

Someone has finally edited the thread title - it was really bugging me

What was it before?

[Reece]

What was it before?

Erm, it was "to" instead of "too".

[Joe King]

Erm, it was "to" instead of "too".

Okely-dokely

[Guest]

I dont particularly think Kuyt, Pennant and Leto have 'strengthened' us.

That's the point. Roll your eyes at that one wooshing over your head.

Mate, it's better strengthening 3 positions than one, all with good talent. It's a no brainer for me. We would have been playing with JAR at left midfield and with Finnan at right midfield if it wasn't done ! Where would the service come from ?

[Craig_H]

Mate, it's better strengthening 3 positions than one, all with good talent. It's a no brainer for me. We would have been playing with JAR at left midfield and with Finnan at right midfield if it wasn't done ! Where would the service come from ?

How much service have Pennant, Leto and Kuyt actually offered?

Strengthening 3 positions is better than strengthening one. But Leto, Pennant and Kuyt arent an example of 'strengthening'.

[Guest]

How much service have Pennant, Leto and Kuyt actually offered?

Strengthening 3 positions is better than strengthening one. But Leto, Pennant and Kuyt arent an example of 'strengthening'.

Admins should create another entity of yourself. You'll be left arguing with yourself mate.

[Craig_H]

Well you've clearly proved me wrong there...

[Red_Polo]

So, at the start of this season, you werent expecting a title challenge?

Not in the sense of considering it obligatory, no. To challenge for the title was rightly the major goal this season and we didn't meet it which has been disappointing, but I'm not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater - all things considered we are progressing.

[Craig_H]

Not in the sense of considering it obligatory, no. To challenge for the title was rightly the major goal this season and we didn't meet it which has been disappointing, but I'm not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater - all things considered we are progressing.

Fair shout. Must admit, after Derby, i thought we'd actually challenge. It's fine margins though, and the psychological thing that are letting us down.

[barnes10]

Precisely. Pennant, Kuyt and Leto = £20m.

Who would people prefer to have, those three or another Torres?

No brainer.

we haven't sold any of them yet so whilst the likes of guthrie get experience such that they are better than pennant/kuyt, we will have spent what 5-10 mill net on all 3 of the above for 2-3 years service covering upto 3 positions. we haven't seen much of leto so its too early to tell about him isnt it. same with lucas who i think has had a promising first season. given that he's moved continents and is competing with masher, alonso and gerrard. he's replaced sissoko hasnt he. so enabling us to cash in on 8mill. was sissoko a waste? did some great things for us and made us 2-3 mill.

also, there isnt another torres. who has done what he's done in their first season here? not drogba, ronaldo, tevez, shevchenko. all the big name bracketed players you seem to be talking about. none of them, if we'd have signed them, would have done what torres has. throw in some more like carrick & bent and you can see how risky that is. hardly setting the world alight are they. big bucks doesnt always mean a wise move to sign them. rafa's getting steady progress because he's not been too risky. babel is perhaps his biggest risk. our only issue is that they mancs and chelsea and arsenal are also taking forward steps so relative to them, we appear to be standing still. expecting us to catch up on them one the same / less money is obviously asking too much.

compare their squads with ours when rafa came. compare them now and you can see the difference. i guess you'd rather mascherano was replaced by biscan or diao when suspended right? or when alonso was injured. that to give stevie a rest before a big game, we play cheyrou? that right?

[Craig_H]

Those three players cost us £20m mate. I dont think we've had £20m worth of impact from them, but each to their own.