Athletico Madrid to bid for Xabi?

[Red_Polo]

Tribal had the story over a day ago

Have you heard the one about monkeys, typewriters, and Shakespeare?

[Craig_H]

Have you heard the one about monkeys, typewriters, and Shakespeare?

[DeeGame]

Have you heard the one about monkeys, typewriters, and Shakespeare?

no please tell us more.....

[kopdan]

Does the punchline mention Heather Mills?

[wildman]

Yes i would if we could get a decent replacement. Xabi has been a massive disappointment this year and he hasn't progressed as he should have.

god some people are fickle, after all the good games he's had a couple of poor ones and you want to get rid of him?? Grow up

[kopdan]

I'm not saying sell him just yet. BUT we do need to score goals from elsewhere in my opinion as Xabi and Momo are not really that much of a threat. What we need is 2 wingers scoring goals.

[Craig_H]

god some people are fickle, after all the good games he's had a couple of poor ones and you want to get rid of him?? Grow up

I'd get rid of him because he's half the reason we get nothing from our CM in terms of getting into the box and being a regular goal threat.

Plus, if someone would pay the better part of £30m, then there's a lot we could do with that kind of money. Let Gerrard play in the middle and FINALLY get a proper right winger.

[Craig_H]

I'm not saying sell him just yet. BUT we do need to score goals from elsewhere in my opinion as Xabi and Momo are not really that much of a threat. What we need is 2 wingers scoring goals.

Exactly.

We'll NEVER EVER be a challenger for the title, with only one midfielder who can score goals.

Look at the likes of United and Chelsea, they have goals from midfield.
We dont. They challenge for the title. We dont.

[Tee]

Exactly.

We'll NEVER EVER be a challenger for the title, with only one midfielder who can score goals.

Look at the likes of United and Chelsea, they have goals from midfield.
We dont. They challenge for the title. We dont.

They spend big bucks, we don't - simple as IMO. When we shop at the same stores the results will be very different.

[kopdan]

I think the team is miles off still personally. Rafa's hands were certainly tied when signing players

[Craig_H]

They spend big bucks, we don't - simple as IMO. When we shop at the same stores the results will be very different.

We spend big bucks too, we just spend it on about 3 times the number of players they do...

[The_weatherman]

DJS, you are always banging on about how we spend big, but how much has Rafa spent overall net? I´ll bet it´s not much more than 30m. which is one or two mega signins and we´d still be stuck with Diao, Diouf and co. to make up the numbers in the squad.

[redlancer]

We spend big bucks too, we just spend it on about 3 times the number of players they do...

we have to build up a team. Rafa likes to rotate and keep players fresh for the whole season
i'd say we're only 2 or 3 players off, which considering when Rafa took over we had a A team of about 5 players and a B team that wouldn't beat half of the 3rd div sides.

You can't rebuild with just a couple of players and you need strenght in depth to win the league and some patience

[Craig_H]

DJS, you are always banging on about how we spend big, but how much has Rafa spent overall net? I´ll bet it´s not much more than 30m. which is one or two mega signins and we´d still be stuck with Diao, Diouf and co. to make up the numbers in the squad.

He's spent £80m.

If we hadnt spent things like £14m on Cisse (not rafa's signing, granted), £14m on Crouch and Pennant, £6m on Bellamy, £11m on Alonso, £6m on Morientes and £12m on Reina & Sissoko then i'd agree we havent had cash to spent. That alone is £63m.

I'm not saying they're all duds, but clearly we have had cash to spend.

[Craig_H]

we have to build up a team. Rafa likes to rotate and keep players fresh for the whole season
i'd say we're only 2 or 3 players off, which considering when Rafa took over we had a A team of about 5 players and a B team that wouldn't beat half of the 3rd div sides.

You can't rebuild with just a couple of players and you need strenght in depth to win the league and some patience

I'd say we're at least 3 world class players off.

You need a top class first XI first, and then you work on the subs.