Mark Gonzalez

[kurtangle01]

We also have to give him the benefit of the doubt. In 2 years he's moved from south america to spain. then been uprooted again to merseyside. That's a huge cultural shift. Let's see where we are next season with this kid.

Spot on!

[Tom]

You're spot on.

Far too many 'possibilities' have been purchased under Rafa's reign and not enough first team regulars.

cough cough, alonso, momo, reina, garcia.....

Rafa gambles - but he has to as we haven't got he money for *galacticos*.

the good thing about rafa though is that he moves players on quickly if they don't cut it.

[Morph]

You're spot on.

Far too many 'possibilities' have been purchased under Rafa's reign and not enough first team regulars.

Crouch
Kuyt
Reina
Alonso
Sissoko
and Garcia sometimes

how do they grab ya?

[Morph]

Rafa's possibilities:

Agger
Belamy
Pennant
Gonzalez
Carson
Paletta

Don't look that bad to me

[Red_Al_77]

Anfieldanfield I respect your opinion but you are talking rubbish. The others have written lists. Nuff said.

[anfieldanfield]

cough cough, alonso, momo, reina, garcia.....

Rafa gambles - but he has to as we haven't got he money for *galacticos*.

the good thing about rafa though is that he moves players on quickly if they don't cut it.

Rafa's had over 60m to spend, he's wasted far too much of it on 'squad players' and 'backup'.

Last summer he brought in Aurelio, Gonzalez, Pennant and Bellamy.

I would've kept Cisse and Hamann and bid 15m for ONE world class attacking winger like Vicente, Jaoquin or maybe even the lad Lennon.

Our squad is already far, far too big.

[anfieldanfield]

Rafa's possibilities:

Agger
Belamy
Pennant
Gonzalez
Carson
Paletta

Don't look that bad to me

Pennant ? Back up for 7m. And he's a criminal. Wow.

Gonzalez ? Jury is still well and truly out on this one.

Bellamy ? Any better than Cisse, I dont think so.

[Morph]

Rafa's had over 60m to spend, he's wasted far too much of it on 'squad players' and 'backup'.

Last summer he brought in Aurelio, Gonzalez, Pennant and Bellamy.

I would've kept Cisse and Hamann and bid 15m for ONE world class attacking winger like Vicente, Jaoquin or maybe even the lad Lennon.

Our squad is already far, far too big.

Disagree with keeping Cisse, the guy didn't cut it end of.

Hamman I would have kept, but he new his opportunities were limited so he decided to go for himself, can't do much about that.

With hindsight it might have been better to put the Pennant and Bellamy money together and get a winger, but Rafa was probably banking on having the Cisse money, so we don't know what might have been.

[Craig_H]

If we're gonna actually challenge for the title, we need to reach the point where the 'depth' is sufficient enough to allow us to spend an entire summer budget on just a couple of signings.

[Tom]

Hamman didn't want to stay. It was his choice to leave.

And for 60 million Rafa has bought the spine of an entire new team: Reina, Momo, Alonso, Kuyt, Crouch, Garcia, plus the ones you mention

That's a bargain in modern football terms when you consider that utd and chelski will spend half of that on one player.

[Craig_H]

Rafa was probably banking on having the Cisse money, so we don't know what might have been.

That's a very good point, actually.

[Morph]

Pennant ? Back up for 7m. And he's a criminal. Wow.

Gonzalez ? Jury is still well and truly out on this one.

Bellamy ? Any better than Cisse, I dont think so.

I notice how you overlooked Agger, Paletta and Carson

but lets see:

Gonzalez was like what 1.5 - 2 mil? Not exactly earth shattering if he doesn't make it, however his form in la liga suggested he would have what it takes and hasn't been given the time to prove him self yet.

Bellamy, I would say is most definitely better than Cisse has a better head on him and fits better into Rafa's tactics whereas Cisse obviously never. Why keep someone who doesn't fit?

Pennant, undecided but still needs to be given a season to produce, although I do fear we were stung over the price.

[Tom]

Pennant ? Back up for 7m. And he's a criminal. Wow.

That's a cheap shot Jamo. Come on you're better than that.

Gonzalez ? Jury is still well and truly out on this one.

Bellamy ? Any better than Cisse, I dont think so.

How many games has Bellamy played for us? Again I think we need to wait a bit before writing him off.

On the whole our attacking options are significantly stronger than they were last year.

I'm off to bed fellas. Cya later.

[Craig_H]

Pennant ? Back up for 7m. And he's a criminal. Wow.

Kinell mate, i agree we overpaid, but let's keep it at least footie related.

[Morph]

If we're gonna actually challenge for the title, we need to reach the point where the 'depth' is sufficient enough to allow us to spend an entire summer budget on just a couple of signings.

Agree on this, and don't you think we are nearly there now?

We need a Right Back
A replacement for Zenden in center mid

The rest is open to debate at the end of the season.