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Thank you for visiting! est189 will soon be closing its doors (do forums have doors?) please visit the following thread - (to wail & cry perhaps?)
https://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=4002484#post4002484
Thanjk you.
Paul.S
Arsenal: RvP, Fabregas, Nasri (if Walcott or Arshavin could get some consistency, they could be in the same category, but they're far too hot & cold)
Chelsea: Lampard, Drogba, Malouda (arguably Anelka, but not consistent enough)
City: Tevez, Balotelli, Silva, Adam Johnson if he played regularly
United: Rooney, Nani, Berbatov, Hernandez, Valencia could've been if he had been fit all season
This is the bit where you disagree with my selections and then name several LFC players as being as good, or better than those above.
And it'll go round and round in circles
Easiest thing would be to just accept that we might have a difference of opinion and agree to disagree.
My point was genuinely going to be that I don't think it is true as much as it has been before.
For example last season only Malouda of the Chelsea list operated at that level and Fabregas is likely to be off. I'd also argue that Downing is better than Johnson and probably as good as Valencia.
We won't win the league (or even challenge I suspect) and in part this is explained by the above list. I don't however think it indicates it would be beyond the current squad to get top 4.
"The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."
-- William Blake
My point was genuinely going to be that I don't think it is true as much as it has been before.
For example last season only Malouda of the Chelsea list operated at that level and Fabregas is likely to be off. I'd also argue that Downing is better than Johnson and probably as good as Valencia.
We won't win the league (or even challenge I suspect) and in part this is explained by the above list. I don't however think it indicates it would be beyond the current squad to get top 4.
It's a fair point about last season and Malouda/Chelsea. The others were a bit hot and cold, in and out of the side etc. I do think that is the exception to the rule though, and ordinarily, you wouldnt challenge for the title with just one player in that bracket, as chelsea probably had. In the same way that i think it was a bit out of the ordinary that such a low points total, compared to most seasons, won it.
I hope we have enough for the top 4, my fear is just that there are suddenly 3 teams who are already nailed on (IMO) for top 4, leaving one last place and Arsenal havent missed top 4 for ages, so i feel we need something special, that extra bit of quality to overtake them.
I'm excited about the signing of Downing just because of the amount of crosses and quality of them he gets in the box. Henderson has potential and if Adam play's like he did last season then we can expect a hell of a player. What's all the fuss about? I think we have done well with signings and they may not be world class but we were aiming too high in the first place.
I feel we need a LB and CB and if there's money left over, a backup striker or keep Kuyt as backup striker and get another winger in.
I'm excited about the signing of Downing just because of the amount of crosses and quality of them he gets in the box. Henderson has potential and if Adam play's like he did last season then we can expect a hell of a player. What's all the fuss about? I think we have done well with signings and they may not be world class but we were aiming too high in the first place.
I feel we need a LB and CB and if there's money left over, a backup striker or keep Kuyt as backup striker and get another winger in.
I think the worry is that none of the new signings have stood out in the pre-season against far inferior opposition. None of the signings were what we'd have labelled world beaters before we bought them, and possibly the most worrying fact is that none of us would've been dissapointed if we'd missed out on any of them to a rival club.
With that, we have to ask ourselves if these are really the type of players we need to take us back into the top tier?
i think what we've done is just bought cogs for the machine that fit the purpose of what we want the machine to do. we'll run it on ghost power from suarez and sometimes stevie until next summer when we'll buy a real live wire or two.
There's doubt though, as to whether what we have added, is going to be enough to get us into the top 4 - which is crucial.
The problem is, in previous years, you could get into the top 4 without being a top top quality side. I dont think that's the case anymore, with the way Chelsea and more recently, City have grown in power.
The way we played towards the end of last season we needed a bit more depth and a bit more quality in the team. We have got that now. Minus one or two signings (CB and LB preferably) I think its achievable to finish in the top four.
There's doubt though, as to whether what we have added, is going to be enough to get us into the top 4 - which is crucial.
The problem is, in previous years, you could get into the top 4 without being a top top quality side. I dont think that's the case anymore, with the way Chelsea and more recently, City have grown in power.
It can be done but there will be very little margin for error and I am not sure if we will be able to cope as well as the others when we lose key personnel in certain matches.
Quite simply we still need better players, better than what we have already brought in.
"Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball." Bob Paisley
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