I think it's fair to say that for most fans to be satisfied, this season we must still be in the title race going into the final stretch. With this summer one thing that's striking is how much the three other top four sides are going to be involved in this summers transfer market.
United will, bar the madness of Ferguson letting the Portuguese winger rot in the reserves (which could never really happen), use the Ronaldo transfer money to fund some of their own transfers, making up for the absence of their talisman. If they received what is being quoted, i.e. in the region of £70m, then they will really 'go to town' i think - Fergie will be angered and assuming he still has fight left in him will be bent on lashing back. And if the money's readily available, he'll use it. They would always have had money also. An out-and-out striker and a right-back, plus a wing replacement for Ronaldo will be high on their shopping list. Without question. Perhaps a replacement left-back if Silvestre gets his desired move to Bordeaux, and also potentially another winger to replace the well past it Ryan Giggs. You're looking in the region of 3-4 first-team players, dependant really on whether Nani can become first-team material next term.
Chelsea, as per annoyingly usual, will have cash to cr@p out of their ar$es and the Scolari reign will see Abramovich's cheque-book duly open. Lampard in my opinion will seal his transfer to Inter Milan this summer - Mourinho has a bizarre love for him, and Frank seems keen to do everything but commit himself to the London club. Whilst i doubt Scolari will think the ultra-defensive Makelele is suitable for Chelsea's new ultra-offensive brand (or at least, Abramovich's idealised brand) of football, someone - perhaps like Deco - will probably venture forth into the clubs first eleven, alongside Ballack and Essien. Carvalho like Lampard could also depart, although what i thought was a certainty is now a little hazy as Scolari may have a greater chance of retaining the integral centre-back, with his Portuguese connections. That is yet to be seen. Up front however is a place of obvious alteration; Drogba will leave, undoubtedly (if there is a potential suitor), whilst Shevchenko's future can hardly be cast into certainty... nor Anelka or Pizarro for that matter. Malouda the same is uncertain, having great affection for Jose and Didier who have left or are most likely leaving, and add to that the fact he's flopped impressively (so to speak)... Scolari may not even want to keep him. And what about Wright-Phillips? I suppose with a new manager, most of it is anyone's guess, but i think - considering the arrival of Bosingwa is already a done deal - there could be around 4 certain first team arrivals of high calibre by the end of August. Plus a few squad fillers.
Then there is Arsenal, the club that everyone can't leave quick enough - Flamini embarrassingly walked out on a free, Hleb is said to be in discussions with Barcelona while this week it has been 'reported' said club have agreed a sensational £25m transfer for Adebayor. That would be 3 definite first-team signings, were they to leave, and not to mention the fact that Arsenal have a lot of repair work to do concerning their squad/cover, which is weak. As well as possible cover for Eduardo, dependant on how long he'll be missing (as van Persie is prone to injury himself).
Now, if you look at us, we have over the past few seasons changed quite a lot, bringing in new face after new face. As a consequence, although we have quite a bit of talent, they're not exactly given time to blend together.
Torres has been here for just one season.
Babel has been here for just one season.
Benayoun has been here for one season.
Mascherano has been here for one and a half seasons.
Arbeloa has been here for one and a half seasons.
Agger has been here for (what is effectively) half a season.
Kuyt has been here for two seasons.
Aurelio has been here for two seasons.
Alonso has been here for four seasons.
Bar Gerrard and Carragher most of our outfield players have not been at the club that long, so obviously they're not going to link up with each other as well as they can potentially. We do have talented players at our club - it takes time for talented players to understand each other, however. They're not mind readers.
With Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United going backwards in this aspect, having to bring through players playing their first season on English soil (probably anyway), is it inconceivable that our best weapon for the coming campaign, could be stability and continuity? We were crippled last season from that aspect by the feud between the owners and Benitez, which will invariably spill over onto the pitch, and i think buying 5 or 6 or 7 players again who would have to learn from scratch, would do something similar.
Don't get me wrong, i know we're not in a similar position as United a couple of seasons ago were - we can't just make one addition (Carrick) and be done with it, that being enough to seal us the Premier League. Our starting position is inferior. But we can minimise the degenerative effect of a players 'settling in period'. This is done by buying the necessity and not the luxury.
We have the numbers - perhaps too many. We have, or had (when Kewell was here), two players for each position in the 4-4-2 formation. Arsenal were paralysed by injury, so it's important to keep depth, but if two players can cover one position (as centre-forward and wing, like Babel and Kuyt can, like Arshavin could etc.) that is a bonus. We need options but sometimes, some players like Voronin really are surplus to requirements - we simply didn't need him... considering Crouch was starved of games, and was much better, it seems bizarre in retrospect why he was here, when Crouch could've played his share and of been happy. Well, incase of injury (being honest, he adds little other substantial dimension to our game than what can be found from our other strikers) i suppose, but Babel was always capable of playing if needed in attack. Now we're down to playing 1 lone striker, he's even less of a requirement.
Our problem last year was not with numbers, it was - to simplify it somewhat - beating our rivals and drawing too many matches. Take the United game at Anfield or either Chelsea game and it's apparent our problem was in the final third - possession wise we dominated all three if i recall correctly; but we couldn't break United down, couldn't kill Chelsea off in the home match and couldn't take our chances in the away game (albeit without Torres, but then we can't rely on him all the team). We kept two clean-sheets and the one goal we conceded was a penalty, so i don't think our defence let us down. When it comes to the smaller teams, i think it's a blend of attack and defence - there were times such as against Aston Villa and West Ham where Carragher's instance on setting a record for the most number of penalties conceded by one player in a season ran riot and our defence scuppered our chances, as well as times against Reading (away) and Middlesbrough (both) where we've simply capitulated at the back, but then with games like against Man City (away), Blackburn (away) and Aston Villa (home) we've been let down by not making the most of our possession. I think it's a bit of both, if more urgently/prominently attack. (Skrtel has aided us defensively also.)
But let's be realistic, the difference between drawing and winning is not huge - the difference between winning and losing is big, but we cut that gap by converting many defeats into many draws. The next step i think is a little easier - perhaps one (wide positioned) player the difference. Ask yourself this - if we had someone of Silva or Arshavin's quality last season, how would it have affected the results? I think it would have made quite the difference... enough to see us up their with Chelsea, Arsenal and United (let's not get away from the fact that, despite what the media have us believe, we weren't a million miles away (a tremendous effort by Everton overshadowed it somewhat, as it made us look closer to 5th than 3rd, when in fact it was more Everton over-achieving that was responsible)).
Add to that Dossena to sure up defence, and someone who will take no time to settle in to the Premier League (or playing with Gerrard) in Barry (more because it looks likely, for sake of continuity i'd prefer to have kept Alonso). That should be it. 3 players. If Crouch leaves replace him, but that's the most we should stretch to.
It's easy to get carried away thinking of a side with all of Quaresma, Silva and Villa in it, but really as a aquad we arent otoo far away from the title...Possibly only 1/2 woldclass signings considering the mancs and chelsea's will spend.
United will, bar the madness of Ferguson letting the Portuguese winger rot in the reserves (which could never really happen), use the Ronaldo transfer money to fund some of their own transfers, making up for the absence of their talisman. If they received what is being quoted, i.e. in the region of £70m, then they will really 'go to town' i think - Fergie will be angered and assuming he still has fight left in him will be bent on lashing back. And if the money's readily available, he'll use it. They would always have had money also. An out-and-out striker and a right-back, plus a wing replacement for Ronaldo will be high on their shopping list. Without question. Perhaps a replacement left-back if Silvestre gets his desired move to Bordeaux, and also potentially another winger to replace the well past it Ryan Giggs. You're looking in the region of 3-4 first-team players, dependant really on whether Nani can become first-team material next term.
Chelsea, as per annoyingly usual, will have cash to cr@p out of their ar$es and the Scolari reign will see Abramovich's cheque-book duly open. Lampard in my opinion will seal his transfer to Inter Milan this summer - Mourinho has a bizarre love for him, and Frank seems keen to do everything but commit himself to the London club. Whilst i doubt Scolari will think the ultra-defensive Makelele is suitable for Chelsea's new ultra-offensive brand (or at least, Abramovich's idealised brand) of football, someone - perhaps like Deco - will probably venture forth into the clubs first eleven, alongside Ballack and Essien. Carvalho like Lampard could also depart, although what i thought was a certainty is now a little hazy as Scolari may have a greater chance of retaining the integral centre-back, with his Portuguese connections. That is yet to be seen. Up front however is a place of obvious alteration; Drogba will leave, undoubtedly (if there is a potential suitor), whilst Shevchenko's future can hardly be cast into certainty... nor Anelka or Pizarro for that matter. Malouda the same is uncertain, having great affection for Jose and Didier who have left or are most likely leaving, and add to that the fact he's flopped impressively (so to speak)... Scolari may not even want to keep him. And what about Wright-Phillips? I suppose with a new manager, most of it is anyone's guess, but i think - considering the arrival of Bosingwa is already a done deal - there could be around 4 certain first team arrivals of high calibre by the end of August. Plus a few squad fillers.
Then there is Arsenal, the club that everyone can't leave quick enough - Flamini embarrassingly walked out on a free, Hleb is said to be in discussions with Barcelona while this week it has been 'reported' said club have agreed a sensational £25m transfer for Adebayor. That would be 3 definite first-team signings, were they to leave, and not to mention the fact that Arsenal have a lot of repair work to do concerning their squad/cover, which is weak. As well as possible cover for Eduardo, dependant on how long he'll be missing (as van Persie is prone to injury himself).
Now, if you look at us, we have over the past few seasons changed quite a lot, bringing in new face after new face. As a consequence, although we have quite a bit of talent, they're not exactly given time to blend together.
Torres has been here for just one season.
Babel has been here for just one season.
Benayoun has been here for one season.
Mascherano has been here for one and a half seasons.
Arbeloa has been here for one and a half seasons.
Agger has been here for (what is effectively) half a season.
Kuyt has been here for two seasons.
Aurelio has been here for two seasons.
Alonso has been here for four seasons.
Bar Gerrard and Carragher most of our outfield players have not been at the club that long, so obviously they're not going to link up with each other as well as they can potentially. We do have talented players at our club - it takes time for talented players to understand each other, however. They're not mind readers.
With Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United going backwards in this aspect, having to bring through players playing their first season on English soil (probably anyway), is it inconceivable that our best weapon for the coming campaign, could be stability and continuity? We were crippled last season from that aspect by the feud between the owners and Benitez, which will invariably spill over onto the pitch, and i think buying 5 or 6 or 7 players again who would have to learn from scratch, would do something similar.
Don't get me wrong, i know we're not in a similar position as United a couple of seasons ago were - we can't just make one addition (Carrick) and be done with it, that being enough to seal us the Premier League. Our starting position is inferior. But we can minimise the degenerative effect of a players 'settling in period'. This is done by buying the necessity and not the luxury.
We have the numbers - perhaps too many. We have, or had (when Kewell was here), two players for each position in the 4-4-2 formation. Arsenal were paralysed by injury, so it's important to keep depth, but if two players can cover one position (as centre-forward and wing, like Babel and Kuyt can, like Arshavin could etc.) that is a bonus. We need options but sometimes, some players like Voronin really are surplus to requirements - we simply didn't need him... considering Crouch was starved of games, and was much better, it seems bizarre in retrospect why he was here, when Crouch could've played his share and of been happy. Well, incase of injury (being honest, he adds little other substantial dimension to our game than what can be found from our other strikers) i suppose, but Babel was always capable of playing if needed in attack. Now we're down to playing 1 lone striker, he's even less of a requirement.
Our problem last year was not with numbers, it was - to simplify it somewhat - beating our rivals and drawing too many matches. Take the United game at Anfield or either Chelsea game and it's apparent our problem was in the final third - possession wise we dominated all three if i recall correctly; but we couldn't break United down, couldn't kill Chelsea off in the home match and couldn't take our chances in the away game (albeit without Torres, but then we can't rely on him all the team). We kept two clean-sheets and the one goal we conceded was a penalty, so i don't think our defence let us down. When it comes to the smaller teams, i think it's a blend of attack and defence - there were times such as against Aston Villa and West Ham where Carragher's instance on setting a record for the most number of penalties conceded by one player in a season ran riot and our defence scuppered our chances, as well as times against Reading (away) and Middlesbrough (both) where we've simply capitulated at the back, but then with games like against Man City (away), Blackburn (away) and Aston Villa (home) we've been let down by not making the most of our possession. I think it's a bit of both, if more urgently/prominently attack. (Skrtel has aided us defensively also.)
But let's be realistic, the difference between drawing and winning is not huge - the difference between winning and losing is big, but we cut that gap by converting many defeats into many draws. The next step i think is a little easier - perhaps one (wide positioned) player the difference. Ask yourself this - if we had someone of Silva or Arshavin's quality last season, how would it have affected the results? I think it would have made quite the difference... enough to see us up their with Chelsea, Arsenal and United (let's not get away from the fact that, despite what the media have us believe, we weren't a million miles away (a tremendous effort by Everton overshadowed it somewhat, as it made us look closer to 5th than 3rd, when in fact it was more Everton over-achieving that was responsible)).
Add to that Dossena to sure up defence, and someone who will take no time to settle in to the Premier League (or playing with Gerrard) in Barry (more because it looks likely, for sake of continuity i'd prefer to have kept Alonso). That should be it. 3 players. If Crouch leaves replace him, but that's the most we should stretch to.
It's easy to get carried away thinking of a side with all of Quaresma, Silva and Villa in it, but really as a aquad we arent otoo far away from the title...Possibly only 1/2 woldclass signings considering the mancs and chelsea's will spend.
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