Rafa's not had enough to spend...

[johnp]

I post according to how i see things mate. About 5 weeks ago, i felt we could win the title and posted accordingly. I still think we CAN win it, but i dont think we will because Rafa persists with the things that have (and will continue to) cost us.

I'm sorry if it pisses you off. It also pisses me off when i see people reeling off a list of excuses, whilst not being willing to point some of the blame towards the manager.

We're all different though, we can learn to live side by side in harmony.



On most of them yes. The most recent case however is Pennant.

In any case, i'm not really disputing the point you've made, but breaking even in the market isnt really the priority i'm going by.

Doing the best with what you've got is the ultimate measure of a manager's success or failure, and i dont think rafa is making anywhere near the best of what he has. It's of no real consolation if he's doing well on the profit/loss sheet.

Didn't Pennant go on loan?

[Leyton388]

Anyone think if rafa had lost in Istanbul he would have been given as much slack as he has been over the last couple of months?

[MrsB]

Didn't Pennant go on loan?

He did. Until the end of the season.

[Craig_H]

Didn't Pennant go on loan?

Yeah and his contract is up in June. How much dya think we'll get for him?

[Leyton388]

He did. Until the end of the season.

Then he leaves for FA so thats £6.8m down the pan. I am sick to death of us signing players then after a few seasons they leave for FA or for a fraction of the price. The list is endless

[MrMichael]

Then he leaves for FA so thats £6.8m down the pan. I am sick to death of us signing players then after a few seasons they leave for FA or for a fraction of the price. The list is endless

To be fair though, that happens to all the big sides, unless they want to sell their best players to their rivals. With the exception perhaps of Arsenal.

In general this hasn't happened anywhere near as much under Rafa as it did in the past. Pennant will be the first of his signings so far that we will make a massive loss on I think. It was far worse with Houllier's signings.

[Craig_H]

That's because several of them just stay and perform to a lower level than required.

If we sold Kuyt, we'd lose money. Same with Lucas, Benayoun and Babel. I'd argue Riera too.

[Clapper]

That's not the point. The point is that he has had the same if not more than Utd to spend in that time. Please don't mention how **** the squad was that he inherited. How many of the players that won the CL with Rafa were already there when he took over? Those figures run up until last season when Riise was still with us which would have meant he was still using Gerrard, Carra, Sami and Riise as first team regulars.

Why not mention, that he had to start from a much lower point, than the ManUre squad was at at the time? He might have won the CL, but that surely doesn't mean, that the squad he inherited was the best in Europe, let alone close to being.

[wiw]

I think the crux of the matter is that he hasn't had the money he wants, when he wants it. There are loads of examples, but Alves is the best example for me.

Yes he may have spent £160m or whatever the figure is but you can't ignore what he's clawed back on people like Bellamy who were only ever going to be short-term solutions in the absence of top quality, long-term options. I'd rather have Bellamy for a season and then Torres in

Whether you like it or not he's decided that the squad wasn't good enough when first joining, regardless of whether it finished 4th the season before he joined or not - from memory we struggled to even do that. If you're rebuilding a squad and a youth policy I think there's obviously a right and a wrong way to go about it, and considering our finances up until recently, slowly building up the average ability of the squad and adding a few youngsters each window is preferable to 1 or 2 big signings.

People say he's signed lots of duds but I think at some point you have to just accept that some of the players have just let him down. Regardless, the type of players he has signed are hungry, fit and eager players under the 26ish mark which are ideal

To say last summer's signings were simply '****e' is ridiculous. Parry and the owners of the club are as much to blame over our transfers over the last fews years if anything, IMO

[MrMichael]

That's because several of them just stay and perform to a lower level than required.

If we sold Kuyt, we'd lose money. Same with Lucas, Benayoun and Babel. I'd argue Riera too.

None of them massive at all though dude. Both Babel and Kuyt have been linked with moves that would make us money this window. Benayoun we spent £5m on, I think we'd get close to that. Lucas and Riera yeah, we might do a bit, but not loads.

We'd also make money on the likes of Alonso, Arbeloa, Agger, Reina and Torres.

Rafa hasn't done a bad job generally with buying players who maintain their value. The problem has been that there's been too many ins and outs, players who weren't good enough, who we broke even on but didn't enhance the team, and not enough genuine quality attacking players.

[pondus]

Riera has also been a bad signing.

Why? I think he has been quite good, he is able to go past the defender, has good crosses, great close control and works hard. He could score more, though.

[Rashid]

None of them massive at all though dude. Both Babel and Kuyt have been linked with moves that would make us money this window. Benayoun we spent £5m on, I think we'd get close to that. Lucas and Riera yeah, we might do a bit, but not loads.

We'd also make money on the likes of Alonso, Arbeloa, Agger, Reina and Torres.

Rafa hasn't done a bad job generally with buying players who maintain their value. The problem has been that there's been too many ins and outs, players who weren't good enough, who we broke even on but didn't enhance the team, and not enough genuine quality attacking players.

You totally miss signing on fees, wages and a massive waste of our time. Rafa has had too many players who fail, irrespective how much he has recouped. It's a revolving door and he wouldn't be allowed to do this **** at any other club.

[Rashid]

Why? I think he has been quite good, he is able to go past the defender, has good crosses, great close control and works hard. He could score more, though.

Riera will be sold in a year as not good enough, he is in the same talent bracket as Benayoun, Murphy, Smicer etc.

[pondus]

Riera will be sold in a year as not good enough, he is in the same talent bracket as Benayoun, Murphy, Smicer etc.

I don't agree with that, he is the best wide player we have imo

Selling him would just be plain stupid. What I worry about is his fitness, why is he always fading away in the second half, being subbed after 70 minutes...?

[wiw]

You totally miss signing on fees, wages and a massive waste of our time. Rafa has had too many players who fail, irrespective how much he has recouped. It's a revolving door and he wouldn't be allowed to do this **** at any other club.

He's now saying he's happy with the squad though. There won't be nearly as many transfers from now on I wouldn't have thought