Transfer Kitty??

[dom9]

Transfer kitty?

[Craig_H]

The right back position has been strenghtened. The midfield has been made more offensive. Which areas in your opinion need further strengthening

I think it was obvious to most that we needed to improve in the attacking third, either out wide, or with another striker.

[Mattshark]

but we have a net spend of about zero, after losing 3 big players for us

Only because of the Alonso sale however, prior to that we had spent a lot on getting Johnson, it is not like we made a lot on Arbeloa and Hyypia leaving is it. Since then it has been under around a week and people here are acting hysterical.

It is also not just a case of bringing someone in, it is just not that simple, especially with the market how it is.

[Guest]

Transfer kitty?

That is a rather inflated one.

[dom9]

That is a rather inflated one.

I think he ate our transfer kitty.

[Exiled_red]

But they're only replacing what we've sold. We've yet to address the areas that already needed strengthening.

The right back position has been strenghtened. The midfield has been made more offensive. Which areas in your opinion need further strengthening

Yes the right back position has been strengthened, I'm not sure what will happen in midfield Alonso leaving has left a huge hole, it remains to be seen if Aquilani can fill it. At the moment I'm unsure but I would say this area has been weakened (at least until Aquilani proves to be a quality signing who'll do well in the Premiership, this can't be taken for granted.

but we have a net spend of about zero, after losing 3 big players for us

I wouldn't mind us having a net spend of zero because of the large fee we received for alonso, it could have been possible to improve our squad off the back or that fee, but this would only have been the case if the squad didn't need improving last season and for me (and alot of others) it did.

[Exiled_red]

Only because of the Alonso sale however, prior to that we had spent a lot on getting Johnson, it is not like we made a lot on Arbeloa and Hyypia leaving is it. Since then it has been under around a week and people here are acting hysterical.

It is also not just a case of bringing someone in, it is just not that simple, especially with the market how it is.

The reason I'm getting worried is there seems to be alot of stories coming out that we are skint (as there has been all summer), Rafa usually likes to have his signings made in pleanty of time for the new season, and although this may not have been possible because the alonso deal dragged on and on, I at least expected us to move quickly once it was completed.

On paper it seemed this season we should have had a healthy transfer budget (what we would normally have budgeted for + Keane money from Jan + money from sales) at the moment this seems not to be the case. This summer was about making the right signings that could lift us that little bit closer to the title, at the moment IMO the squad is no stronger than it was last season (and quite possibly weaker). We need to make at least another signing if we are to go closer to winning the league. Once the window closes it's too late.

[Mattshark]

The reason I'm getting worried is there seems to be alot of stories coming out that we are skint (as there has been all summer), Rafa usually likes to have his signings made in pleanty of time for the new season, and although this may not have been possible because the alonso deal dragged on and on, I at least expected us to move quickly once it was completed.

On paper it seemed this season we should have had a healthy transfer budget (what we would normally have budgeted for + Keane money from Jan + money from sales) at the moment this seems not to be the case. This summer was about making the right signings that could lift us that little bit closer to the title, at the moment IMO the squad is no stronger than it was last season (and quite possibly weaker). We need to make at least another signing if we are to go closer to winning the league. Once the window closes it's too late.

The press have said the same thing for the past 3 seasons. They are not exactly worth listening to.

[Assassin]

I think it was obvious to most that we needed to improve in the attacking third, either out wide, or with another striker.

Yes and no

Out wide Riera does a decent job for so does Kuyt.

We have a lot of players who can play in the final 3rd

Gerrard
Torres
Benayoun
Reira
Kuyt
Aquilani
Babel
Ngog
Voronin
Plus some youngsters

Fact is, if we dont have any money, this lot are not that bad and we were the leading scorers last year even without the services of Gerrard and Torres for extended periods

[Exiled_red]

The press have said the same thing for the past 3 seasons. They are not exactly worth listening to.

It's not just that it's what the press say. It's more that we are also acting like we have no money (ok it could be a ploy) and not making any other signings but this would work equally well if we had signed someone then let everyone think that we'd spent up. Also the £60m extra paid off the loans and the nature of our owners and their reluctance at putting their hands in their own pockets. All these things add up, and while I hope I'm wrong I would now be suprised if we made a big name world class signing, which is what I was hoping for at the end of last season.

[Mattshark]

It's not just that it's what the press say. It's more that we are also acting like we have no money (ok it could be a ploy) and not making any other signings but this would work equally well if we had signed someone then let everyone think that we'd spent up. Also the £60m extra paid off the loans and the nature of our owners and their reluctance at putting their hands in their own pockets. All these things add up, and while I hope I'm wrong I would now be suprised if we made a big name world class signing, which is what I was hoping for at the end of last season.

But we have made 2 big signings, I think it is more a case of improving the depth of the squad rather than first team players.

[Exiled_red]

But we have made 2 big signings, I think it is more a case of improving the depth of the squad rather than first team players.

I think we still need another class attacking player who can make a difference in the tight games. We're also not really improving the depth of our squad (so far) as we've sold (or let go) Sami, Arbeloa, Alonso and Pennant (ok he's not a big miss) but we've only replaced them with Johnson and Aquilani.

[Mattshark]

I think we still need another class attacking player who can make a difference in the tight games. We're also not really improving the depth of our squad (so far) as we've sold (or let go) Sami, Arbeloa, Alonso and Pennant (ok he's not a big miss) but we've only replaced them with Johnson and Aquilani.

What I mean't was improving the depth is more important than the first team at present.

Which is why we are looking to get another defender in. However the problem with buying another attacker is the market and finding one who is willing to not spend a lot of time on the bench.

[Assassin]

I think we still need another class attacking player who can make a difference in the tight games. We're also not really improving the depth of our squad (so far) as we've sold (or let go) Sami, Arbeloa, Alonso and Pennant (ok he's not a big miss) but we've only replaced them with Johnson and Aquilani.

I agree with you and Craig about an offensive player, however, if we dont have the money or limited money. We would be better spending it on a CB as we could be more exposed there through injury

[dww]

Yes and no

Out wide Riera does a decent job for so does Kuyt.

We have a lot of players who can play in the final 3rd

Gerrard
Torres
Benayoun
Reira
Kuyt
Aquilani
Babel
Ngog
Voronin
Plus some youngsters

Fact is, if we dont have any money, this lot are not that bad and we were the leading scorers last year even without the services of Gerrard and Torres for extended periods

It's about the distribution of goals though. We need either a/ one of those players to step up to consistently turn 0-0's into 1-0's or b/ to add someone who can. I guess it is possible that the addition of Aquilani and/or Johnson might benefit some of them in the same way that getting in Riera helped Kuyt and Alonso be more effective last year.

At the minute though there are a number of forwards on that list who you wouldn't be confident of getting 10 goals a season if played up front consistently and don't offer a threat if played elsewhere either.