Guillem Balague in defence of Rafa Benitez

[GraciousGooner]

Where have those figures been dreamed up? How can they possibly be justified?

04/05 was Rafa's first season with us and in that time we've spent £83m net. The full list can be provided. It is, as Balague points out, an average of £16m per summer.

And we have absolutely not spent more than the Mancs . One cursory glance at the respective squads - one full of £20m and £30m signings and the other one, well, not - tells you all you need to know about spending power.

http://transferleague.co.uk/

net

You've spent a fair bit more than them.

[GraciousGooner]

The £80m they netted for Ronaldo made a huge difference too

It did, but they also lost one of the best players in the world. So you don't discount it just because it was recent.

[Vermilion]

Where have those figures been dreamed up? How can they possibly be justified?

04/05 was Rafa's first season with us and in that time we've spent £83m net. The full list can be provided. It is, as Balague points out, an average of £16m per summer.

And we have absolutely not spent more than the Mancs . One cursory glance at the respective squads - one full of £20m and £30m signings and the other one, well, not - tells you all you need to know about spending power.

I find it laughable when people try to tell me we've spent more than utd, they dress it up this way and that, quoting this site or that sites figures, but it's blatantly obvious that it's not the case at all.

[Norbs]

It did, but they also lost one of the best players in the world. So you don't discount it just because it was recent.

What's the player's ability, or the timing of the transfer got to do with anything?

FWIW, Liverweb have the full list spend is £200m, re-coup is £139m so net spend is £61m. Needs a definitive list from someone who's sober

And Cisse was signed in the Benitez regime, that's another £14m that no one includes. He may've been a Houllier chosen signing but the deal was under Benitez

[BFG]

Where have those figures been dreamed up? How can they possibly be justified?

04/05 was Rafa's first season with us and in that time we've spent £83m net. The full list can be provided. It is, as Balague points out, an average of £16m per summer.

And we have absolutely not spent more than the Mancs . One cursory glance at the respective squads - one full of £20m and £30m signings and the other one, well, not - tells you all you need to know about spending power.

Another thing about our finances is that any imporvements we make are incremental and I'm sure every season we've had under Rafa he's been fully aware going into it that certain areas could be sronger but he can't do anything about it until the summer after. Ferguson could quite easily buy a few 20-30mil players in a window and although he may balance the books over time a little (selling Ronaldo etc) he's under no pressure to do so and can keep huge amounts of money tied up in players for as long as he wants that we just can't.

[BFG]

You've also spent £170million more than us since the prem started and £70mill more than the mancs. Dress it up how you like (your squad wasn't as strong when benitez took over, the figures aren't exact etc etc) but still he's had money to spend.

£70mil more than the Mancs since the Prem started is utterly laughable mate. Where did you get those figures from?

http://transferleague.co.uk/

net

You've spent a fair bit more than them.

If off there then that explains a few things. That site to put it mildly is a pile of **** mate.

They have Tosic at £5mil, it was widey reported he cost more like £15mil. We also got a hell of a lot more back off Spurs than £12mil for Keane and Torres was £20mil at most not £26.5mil. That's just on first glance so it's probably not a great site to be using as a sole reference when discussing transfers.

[FatTony]

£70mil more than the Mancs since the Prem started is utterly laughable mate. Where did you get those figures from?



If off there then that explains a few things. That site to put it mildly is a pile of **** mate.

They have Tosic at £5mil, it was widey reported he cost more like £15mil. We also got a hell of a lot more back off Spurs than £12mil for Keane and Torres was £20mil at most not £26.5mil. That's just on first glance so it's probably not a great site to be using as a sole reference when discussing transfers.

Net spend from 1992 to 2009 and Man Utd are 6th

Saying that though, the prices for the transfers I can see for us look pretty accurate to me, I'm sure that the Torres deal was £20m with other options up to £26m.

[FatTony]

Net spend since 04/05...

Chels £144,650,000
Liv £113,650,000
Man u £27,600,000
Us -£26,270,000

You've also spent £170million more than us since the prem started and £70mill more than the mancs. Dress it up how you like (your squad wasn't as strong when benitez took over, the figures aren't exact etc etc) but still he's had money to spend.

What a load of bull, the majority of Arsenals transfers are "undisclosed", so I wouldn't be surprised if Wenger has spent a heck of a lot more money than people realise.

[Nick77]

What a load of bull, the majority of Arsenals transfers are "undisclosed", so I wouldn't be surprised if Wenger has spent a heck of a lot more money than people realise.

ALso u need to look at Arsenal's & everyone else's wage bill compared to ours. Wages are actually a bigger factor than transfer fees - we have the 6th (yes sixth) highest wage bill in the league, whereas although Arsenal haven't spent as much as us in the transfer market as us, they have made up for that in wages - go research that GraciousGooner!

[FatTony]

ALso u need to look at Arsenal's & everyone else's wage bill compared to ours. Wages are actually a bigger factor than transfer fees - we have the 6th (yes sixth) highest wage bill in the league, whereas although Arsenal haven't spent as much as us in the transfer market as us, they have made up for that in wages - go research that GraciousGooner!

It may be true, but there is a sense in that of moving the goal posts to support Rafa.

Its a pity that all transfers weren't officially visible, would be good if the FA made this a requirement.

[Armchairkopite]

Balague will always back Rafa thats for certain, its a biased article but there isn't anything there that can be argued with in fairness.

[spud_gun]

This rather smacks of the last round of the Fighting Talk show on 5Live.

Defend the Indefensible.

[gentingfrmhell]

whats a gooner doing on this site

[MrsB]

whats a gooner doing on this site

Visiting?