Rafa's not had enough to spend...

[Rashid]

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

Well you would hope so wouldn't you? But I somehow doubt it, I still gaping holes on the two wing and full back positions - which I am sure he will address. And it wouldn't be summer with his annual purchase of a couple of strikers to replace previous ****e sold on.

[hamshanks]

Keane not in Chelsea squad - Reports

http://www.thisisanfield.com/news/2009/01/keane-not-in-chelsea-squad-reports/

no sources quoted

[MrMichael]

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.

Not really. You could say that of any discussion about relative spend on players, most of the figures are made up anyway as we only ever have a rough idea of transfer fees, clauses etc. Benitez has made some great buys, some average ones, and some poor ones, like every manager in existence. I can't be arsed to point out Fergie, or Mourinho, or anyone else's bad purchases, but they've all made them. Rafa's good ones are pretty much all still at the club, so are some of his mediocre ones, and most of his bad ones have been shipped (or will be if he remains). Of those, his record with regard to losing.making/money is not bad at all, especially compared to previous regimes at the club, that's the only point I was making. Whether he's bought enough good players, or too many bad ones, is certainly up for debate. As for what would and wouldn't be allowed at other clubs, well that's speculative and frankly irrelevant

[Baldemort]

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

Add his wages to that. How much has he played in his last two seaons? And then no fee on top. **** signing, which is Rafa's fault, but, it's not his fault that he couldn't get rid of him sooner. It's pretty cleat we've been trying to get rid of the little ****ing chav for ages now, but he's quite happy to let his self respect dissolve in favour of a free ride for a couple of seasons and a fat pay packet with his new club.

[Leyton388]

**** Pennant the drink driving piss head scumbag. If he was not a footballer he would be sharing a pad with his dad the Chav ****er

[Baldemort]

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.

Look at what the £180 mill he has used to purchase new players. This season we have the following players he has purchased who are really doing a job for us. Reina, Arbeloa, Torres, Skittles and Alonso. The others are hardly title winners - Riera (not bad I guess), Kuyt, Babel, KEANE, DOSSENA, LUCAS, Benayoun, Ngog.

It's a fair point to say that maybe he's not had exactly the correct amount of funds at any one moment in time, but it doesn't excuse half of the **** he has bought and sold on.

As for the team he inherited being much lower than the equivalent Manu squad at that time, I don't buy that. It was weaker, but not by that much.

----------------------Dudek----------------------
---Traore---Carragher---Hyypia---Finnan---
----------------------Alonso----------------------
---------Risse------Gerrard-----Luis Garcia---
---------------Kewell-----------------------------
----------------------------Baros-----------------

Subs: Carson, Josemi, Hamann, Nunez, Biscan, Cissé, Smicer

Dudek was a very good keeper. Carra, Hyypia and Finnan were great. Gerrard is and was world class, and Riise was very good. Hamaan was a top class DM and Cisse was a great scorer, and although he's not a favourite of mine, I would take him over Dirk any day.

The weak points were Traore and Biscan. Kewell was our version of Anderton. Baros was a good striker but never great. We have improved from those days, but considering what he has spent, I wouldn't say it's enough. Even if it is, you need to consider the point in question here. It's whether Rafa has been backed financially or not. £180 mill says that clearly he has. Enough for him not to spout it out as an excuse and for folks on forums not to use it to jump to his defence every 5 mins. I'm not saying we're Citeh or Chelsea, but we're not Everton either.

[rudedog]

Look at what the £180 mill he has used to purchase new players. This season we have the following players he has purchased who are really doing a job for us. Reina, Arbeloa, Torres, Skittles and Alonso. The others are hardly title winners - Riera (not bad I guess), Kuyt, Babel, KEANE, DOSSENA, LUCAS, Benayoun, Ngog.

It's a fair point to say that maybe he's not had exactly the correct amount of funds at any one moment in time, but it doesn't excuse half of the **** he has bought and sold on.

As for the team he inherited being much lower than the equivalent Manu squad at that time, I don't buy that. It was weaker, but not by that much.

----------------------Dudek----------------------
---Traore---Carragher---Hyypia---Finnan---
----------------------Alonso----------------------
---------Risse------Gerrard-----Luis Garcia---
---------------Kewell-----------------------------
----------------------------Baros-----------------

Subs: Carson, Josemi, Hamann, Nunez, Biscan, Cissé, Smicer

Dudek was a very good keeper. Carra, Hyypia and Finnan were great. Gerrard is and was world class, and Riise was very good. Hamaan was a top class DM and Cisse was a great scorer, and although he's not a favourite of mine, I would take him over Dirk any day.

The weak points were Traore and Biscan. Kewell was our version of Anderton. Baros was a good striker but never great. We have improved from those days, but considering what he has spent, I wouldn't say it's enough. Even if it is, you need to consider the point in question here. It's whether Rafa has been backed financially or not. £180 mill says that clearly he has. Enough for him not to spout it out as an excuse and for folks on forums not to use it to jump to his defence every 5 mins. I'm not saying we're Citeh or Chelsea, but we're not Everton either.

He didn't inherit a team that contained Alonso, Garcia, Josemi and Nunez though

[Baldemort]

He didn't inherit a team that contained Alonso, Garcia, Josemi and Nunez though

No of course he had a few additions mate. But I really wouldn't draw too much attention to the fact that Nunez and Josemi were his signings. It hardly covers him in glory. Both were awful.

[Clapper]

Look at what the £180 mill he has used to purchase new players. This season we have the following players he has purchased who are really doing a job for us. Reina, Arbeloa, Torres, Skittles and Alonso. The others are hardly title winners - Riera (not bad I guess), Kuyt, Babel, KEANE, DOSSENA, LUCAS, Benayoun, Ngog.

It's a fair point to say that maybe he's not had exactly the correct amount of funds at any one moment in time, but it doesn't excuse half of the **** he has bought and sold on.

As for the team he inherited being much lower than the equivalent Manu squad at that time, I don't buy that. It was weaker, but not by that much.

----------------------Dudek----------------------
---Traore---Carragher---Hyypia---Finnan---
----------------------Alonso----------------------
---------Risse------Gerrard-----Luis Garcia---
---------------Kewell-----------------------------
----------------------------Baros-----------------

Subs: Carson, Josemi, Hamann, Nunez, Biscan, Cissé, Smicer

Dudek was a very good keeper. Carra, Hyypia and Finnan were great. Gerrard is and was world class, and Riise was very good. Hamaan was a top class DM and Cisse was a great scorer, and although he's not a favourite of mine, I would take him over Dirk any day.

The weak points were Traore and Biscan. Kewell was our version of Anderton. Baros was a good striker but never great. We have improved from those days, but considering what he has spent, I wouldn't say it's enough. Even if it is, you need to consider the point in question here. It's whether Rafa has been backed financially or not. £180 mill says that clearly he has. Enough for him not to spout it out as an excuse and for folks on forums not to use it to jump to his defence every 5 mins. I'm not saying we're Citeh or Chelsea, but we're not Everton either.

First of all, I wouldn't say Cisse was a great scorer, Dudek had one good first season, Kewell never played, Baros was not world-class and you mention Traore & Biscan. Class? Hardly.

And shouldn't we look more at the net spending? Rafa had been forced to sell several players, before being able to buy. Actually he is still in that situation.
And when you have to sell more than just a couple, from a squad that is not great from the start, then you can't splash out £20mil. on every player like Manure & Chelsea.

I don't think, that Dossena have been good so far, but I remember when United bought Stam. he didn't set anything on fire in the beginning also.

[DannyMan2006]

No of course he had a few additions mate. But I really wouldn't draw too much attention to the fact that Nunez and Josemi were his signings. It hardly covers him in glory. Both were awful.

Nunez was forced on him in the Owen saga, of the real Madrid players he wanted De La Red, but was refused. He then went for Owen as part payment on Eto'o, but he decided to go to Barca. So instead we ended up with Nunez. We got our money back on Josemi via a player exchange with Krompamp.

We could go on all night really. What about the players he went for but failed to come? Dani Alves, Simao, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic? All should have been players at this club but for the dithering of Parry. Not bad judgement, nor was his call to go for David Villa, who was available for £7m. That failed due to Villa wishing to remain in Spain mind.

So in Rafas time at the club he has come close to signing maybe three of the best five strikers in world football today, managing only Torres in the end. Add to that probably the best centre back on the planet in Vidic, one of the best LB in Evra, the best RB or excellent RW in Alves and an exceptional RW in Simao.

Add those players to our team now and we'd walk the league and champions league.

Of course that's all pie in the sky. Paying for those may have meant we missed out on others, and Parrys dithering may have meant we also missed out on some potential shockers. We'll never know.

What I do know is that Rafa should make the call.

[Clapper]

No of course he had a few additions mate. But I really wouldn't draw too much attention to the fact that Nunez and Josemi were his signings. It hardly covers him in glory. Both were awful.

Wasn't Nunez just being a part of the Owen deal?
Not a player that rafa was crazy getting?

[DannyMan2006]

Wasn't Nunez just being a part of the Owen deal?
Not a player that rafa was crazy getting?

Yes. And he was second choice behind De La Red, but in the end Real refused to let him go for such a small fee.

[Craig_H]

My main gripe is that when Rafa's bought in some of the average players, he's brought them in to replace people who, in many cases, they werent especially better than.

I would've rather kept the ones we had and/or used kids coming through, and saved the cash. I've no qualms with spending on players who are a significant improvement, but there's been several who havent been a major improvement - but have cost a fair chunk.

Selling a mediocre player for £1m and replacing him with an average one at a cost of £5m will get us nowhere.

[DannyMan2006]

My main gripe is that when Rafa's bought in some of the average players, he's brought them in to replace people who, in many cases, they werent especially better than.

I would've rather kept the ones we had and/or used kids coming through, and saved the cash. I've no qualms with spending on players who are a significant improvement, but there's been several who havent been a major improvement - but have cost a fair chunk.

Selling a mediocre player for £1m and replacing him with an average one at a cost of £5m will get us nowhere.

I agree.

Dossena in for £7m when we had Insua is one clear example. Another is Garcia out and Yossi in.

In fact what we are lacking is the ability to bring young players through and keep them happy. United have plenty of Average youngsters who stick around in the reserves andare used as squad fillers. Likes of Fletcher, O'Shea and Brown.

Warnock and Guthrie could have been our answer to that problem. Why sign Lucas? He may come good but there is no space for him in the first XI. May as well just have kept Guthrie and saved us some cash. At least you can count on Guthrie to be happy at the club, get the support of fans and get stuck in. Same goes for Warnock.

[Baldemort]

First of all, I wouldn't say Cisse was a great scorer, Dudek had one good first season, Kewell never played, Baros was not world-class and you mention Traore & Biscan. Class? Hardly.

And shouldn't we look more at the net spending? Rafa had been forced to sell several players, before being able to buy. Actually he is still in that situation.
And when you have to sell more than just a couple, from a squad that is not great from the start, then you can't splash out £20mil. on every player like Manure & Chelsea.

I don't think, that Dossena have been good so far, but I remember when United bought Stam. he didn't set anything on fire in the beginning also.

Try reading my post first. I said Traore and Biscan were weak points, not class. I have mentioned net spending earlier and he's had more than Fergie. Lame excuses. He's had plenty of money. He should stop making excuses and sort it out on the pitch. End of.