The summer of little cash

[Rich]

Just to ressurect this thread rather than starting a duplicate one

I think this summer's transfer business has been SUPERB!
At the end of the season we had a few weaknesses
1) Right Midfield- still being sorted but Gonzalez can play there, Gerrard can play there and Paul Anderson will come through I believe. I'm sure we'll sign either Alves or Pennant or both and the selling of Barragan confirmed this for me.
2) Left Back- WOOHOO! No more Champions League winner Djimi Traore as left back and we won't need to ask Warnock to play there. I have no bad feelings against Djimi or Warnock but at the end of the day, they were no players who were going to win us #19. Aurelio has a good pedigree and Riise will spend more time there as left midfield seems sorted
3) Striker- OUT= Nanado IN = Bellamy plus a rejuvenated Fowler. Plus the young lad from the ressies will hopefully come through, Linfield is it? Another striker would be the icing on the cake for me but not an absolute necessity. We've got 1 striker which was a necessity for me.
4) Left Midfield - Kewell showed his class last season. He still has his injury problems though. We've added Gonzalez who I think will soon become number 1 left midfielder.

Sad Loss: Didi Hamann will be missed. A legendary Red. Thankfully Momo should have settled in by now

Bonus: Paletta. Lots of good reports about this lad, we could have paid another 5-7 million out for a centre back.

So in conclusion, I think we've had a great summer which could get better once a right midfielder is signed. We've done it all without spending extortionate prices or wages (Bellamy accepted less than Blackburn were offering). Fantastic work by Rafa and Parry in my opinion. The other bonus is the new stadium seems more on course than ever as rushscored_4 will confirm.

The summer of little cash could be the summer of massive improvement.

Great post - I agree I think we have a much improved squad this summer in comparison to last, and I do believe that we will sign a couple more players. We have much more strength indepth than before, feasibly we could cope with a Carra injury, whereas last year we'd have been ****ed. Not that I wish anything to happen to our players!

The bonus being that, we all had trouble last year in predicting a line-up, but that will be nothing in comparison to this year!

[El Jefecito]

Great post - I agree I think we have a much improved squad this summer in comparison to last, and I do believe that we will sign a couple more players. We have much more strength indepth than before, feasibly we could cope with a Carra injury, whereas last year we'd have been ****ed. Not that I wish anything to happen to our players!

The bonus being that, we all had trouble last year in predicting a line-up, but that will be nothing in comparison to this year!

I'm quiet pleased to although, as a bonus, I'd like to see:

1/ Obviously another striker (Lindfield I don't think is ready) and a RW (as you say JP/Alves)

2/ A more attacking Right Back. I love Finnan, but he doesn't have the kind of penetration that you need to play a real strong 352

3/ A young defensive midfielder, I'd like more depth in that role because if Xabi/Momo are out for any amount of time then we are very thin there. I haven't seen anyone in the ressies who is ready to make the step up.

I'm sure I'm being overly greedy, but hey there's no harm in aiming high.

[univofchicago]

1/ Obviously another striker (Lindfield I don't think is ready) and a RW (as you say JP/Alves)

I think I've said this before, I would love Rafa to bring in another striker, but the player being mooted around by the media and various posters is Dirk Kuyt. I don't know about you, but I just don't think it will be the worth bringing him in (especially at 10-13 million).

[El Jefecito]

I think I've said this before, I would love Rafa to bring in another striker, but the player being mooted around by the media and various posters is Dirk Kuyt. I don't know about you, but I just don't think it will be the worth bringing him in (especially at 10-13 million).

TBH I haven't seen enough of him to form an opinion.
Based on descriptions of his playing style and physique he certainly sounds like the kind of player Rafa wants. His goal record is certainly impressive. I think too many people are basing their opinion on his WC performances. Didn't he play for like 90mins or so and only 30mins in the middle?

I also think Rafa has the ability to get an extra 20% or so out of his players, so I wouldn't be that concerned.

Maybe he is not the best leg for the table, but just maybe the right leg

[Red_Polo]

Just to ressurect this thread rather than starting a duplicate one

I think this summer's transfer business has been SUPERB!
At the end of the season we had a few weaknesses
1) Right Midfield- still being sorted but Gonzalez can play there, Gerrard can play there and Paul Anderson will come through I believe. I'm sure we'll sign either Alves or Pennant or both and the selling of Barragan confirmed this for me.
2) Left Back- WOOHOO! No more Champions League winner Djimi Traore as left back and we won't need to ask Warnock to play there. I have no bad feelings against Djimi or Warnock but at the end of the day, they were no players who were going to win us #19. Aurelio has a good pedigree and Riise will spend more time there as left midfield seems sorted
3) Striker- OUT= Nanado IN = Bellamy plus a rejuvenated Fowler. Plus the young lad from the ressies will hopefully come through, Linfield is it? Another striker would be the icing on the cake for me but not an absolute necessity. We've got 1 striker which was a necessity for me.
4) Left Midfield - Kewell showed his class last season. He still has his injury problems though. We've added Gonzalez who I think will soon become number 1 left midfielder.

Sad Loss: Didi Hamann will be missed. A legendary Red. Thankfully Momo should have settled in by now

Bonus: Paletta. Lots of good reports about this lad, we could have paid another 5-7 million out for a centre back.

So in conclusion, I think we've had a great summer which could get better once a right midfielder is signed. We've done it all without spending extortionate prices or wages (Bellamy accepted less than Blackburn were offering). Fantastic work by Rafa and Parry in my opinion. The other bonus is the new stadium seems more on course than ever as rushscored_4 will confirm.

The summer of little cash could be the summer of massive improvement.

All very true. However we have been waiting for what seems like an eternity for a new right winger, centre back and striker. We're sorted for cover at the back which is great, still a bit short up front but Bellamy represents an improvement to the first XI. If I feel uncomfortable about anything it's this pesky right wing signing we're yet to make. It could prove so vital. Having SG back in the middle will make a big difference, not to mention whoever we sign at RM is likely to go straight into the first XI, so we need to get the right man in. We've definitely improved again this summer already, but until a new RM is sorted I'm a bit anxious, especially now that Alves is looking less likely and having seen us miss out in previous transfer windows (Figo last summer / Simao last summer and January). Luckily we still have plenty of time.