apparently we are back in for Villa...

[keniget]

[quote author=Red Mullet link=topic=35016.msg916436#msg916436 date=1249139976]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=35016.msg916405#msg916405 date=1249137468]
[quote author=Red Mullet link=topic=35016.msg916371#msg916371 date=1249131790]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=35016.msg916367#msg916367 date=1249131280]
In that case, we need to spend the money on a top midfielder then.

Say we do buy Villa and Gerrard is injured for 3-4 weeks. That leaves us with a midfield of Lucas and Masher. Then if one of them picks up a knock? What do we do? Back to Aurelio in midfield? Plessis? Spearing?

We'd be taking a massive risk going into the season with only two decent midfielders and Lucas.
[/quote]

So let's spend all the money on a top midfielder.

... and Gerrard is injured for 3-4 weeks. That leaves us with strikers of Torres and Voronin. Then if one of them picks up a knock? What do we do? Back to Ngog up front? Nemeth? Peacheo?

[/quote]

Funny you should conveniently forget Kuyt who played up front when Torres was injured last season. Suit your argument did it?
[/quote]

Plays on the right and are you saying Kuyt has the same ability as Gerrard or Torres up front? My argument still stands.
[/quote]

No it doesn't because we have more senior options up front than we do in midfield. It's really not up for debate. Shall I spell it out for you?

ST: Torres, Kuyt, Voronin, Babel, N'Gog, [Gerrard]

CM: Gerrard, Masher, Lucas

 

[rebel23]

my best guess is Rafa will try to get Negredo off them + something like 23 million then use that to buy another midfielder thus he loses Xabi and has a striker and a midfielder both of whom can be foreign due to Xabi and Arbeloa leaving the squad that opens up 2 foreign spots for UEFA, that sort of thing makes sense but it depends on a lot of things.

 

[Skullflower]

valencia have refused bids that are beyond what we would go to, no matter what our budget is.

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Skullflower link=topic=35016.msg916454#msg916454 date=1249141737]
valencia have refused bids that are beyond what we would go to, no matter what our budget is.
[/quote]But.....but....

 

[Red Mullet]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=35016.msg916449#msg916449 date=1249141369]
[quote author=Red Mullet link=topic=35016.msg916436#msg916436 date=1249139976]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=35016.msg916405#msg916405 date=1249137468]
[quote author=Red Mullet link=topic=35016.msg916371#msg916371 date=1249131790]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=35016.msg916367#msg916367 date=1249131280]
In that case, we need to spend the money on a top midfielder then.

Say we do buy Villa and Gerrard is injured for 3-4 weeks. That leaves us with a midfield of Lucas and Masher. Then if one of them picks up a knock? What do we do? Back to Aurelio in midfield? Plessis? Spearing?

We'd be taking a massive risk going into the season with only two decent midfielders and Lucas.
[/quote]

So let's spend all the money on a top midfielder.

... and Gerrard is injured for 3-4 weeks. That leaves us with strikers of Torres and Voronin. Then if one of them picks up a knock? What do we do? Back to Ngog up front? Nemeth? Peacheo?

[/quote]

Funny you should conveniently forget Kuyt who played up front when Torres was injured last season. Suit your argument did it?
[/quote]

Plays on the right and are you saying Kuyt has the same ability as Gerrard or Torres up front? My argument still stands.
[/quote]

No it doesn't because we have more senior options up front than we do in midfield. It's really not up for debate. Shall I spell it out for you?

ST: Torres, Kuyt, Voronin, Babel, N'Gog, [Gerrard]

CM: Gerrard, Masher, Lucas
[/quote]

Babel, N'Gog, Voronin, Kuyt has performed brilliantly as the 2nd striker ?........ yeeeeesss *shakes head*

 

[rage]

how much would villa cost - 40 million? maybe we could buy both villa and silva for 60 million. the 30 million from alonso, 7 million for babel who we won't need, the 3 million from arbeloa, the 4 million from doseena...ok i'm struggling now.

we're not in for villa. we couldn't afford him!

 

[Squiggles]

I think neglecting either option is a massive risk but one we'll probably have to make because the current "crazy prices" forces our hand.

The way I see it is Torres gets a long-term injury our title chances our over. The replacements simply aren't capable of scoring the amount of goals required to lift us to the top of the league. We coped well without Fernando in patches last year and that must be taken into account, but that was largely because of the improved form of Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun. However both these players have given us reasons to doubt whether this improved effectiveness with last the course of the season.

I don't know why I'm bothering because I buy Skullys admission that we simply don't have the funds for Villa, but if somehow Valencia were going to accept a £30-35M bid, I think it'd be well justified.

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=35016.msg916473#msg916473 date=1249145316]
I think neglecting either option is a massive risk but one we'll probably have to make because the current "crazy prices" forces our hand.

The way I see it is Torres gets a long-term injury our title chances our over. The replacements simply aren't capable of scoring the amount of goals required to lift us to the top of the league. We coped well without Fernando in patches last year and that must be taken into account, but that was largely because of the improved form of Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun. However both these players have given us reasons to doubt whether this improved effectiveness with last the course of the season.

I don't know why I'm bothering because I buy Skullys admission that we simply don't have the funds for Villa, but if somehow Valencia were going to accept a £30-35M bid, I think it'd be well justified.
[/quote]

Didn't they reject a 43m bid from Barca?

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=35016.msg916493#msg916493 date=1249151450]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=35016.msg916473#msg916473 date=1249145316]
I think neglecting either option is a massive risk but one we'll probably have to make because the current "crazy prices" forces our hand.

The way I see it is Torres gets a long-term injury our title chances our over. The replacements simply aren't capable of scoring the amount of goals required to lift us to the top of the league. We coped well without Fernando in patches last year and that must be taken into account, but that was largely because of the improved form of Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun. However both these players have given us reasons to doubt whether this improved effectiveness with last the course of the season.

I don't know why I'm bothering because I buy Skullys admission that we simply don't have the funds for Villa, but if somehow Valencia were going to accept a £30-35M bid, I think it'd be well justified.
[/quote]

Didn't they reject a 43m bid from Barca?
[/quote]

But surely that was when they thought there would be a multi team bidding war which hasnt transpired?

 

[Squiggles]

I'm not saying they would, but Villa's now out of options if he wants to play for the big two in Spain, and Liverpool would be an attractive proposition for him.

It's really unlikely but I think he'd be amazing here.

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=35016.msg916496#msg916496 date=1249151748]
[quote author=Buddha link=topic=35016.msg916493#msg916493 date=1249151450]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=35016.msg916473#msg916473 date=1249145316]
I think neglecting either option is a massive risk but one we'll probably have to make because the current "crazy prices" forces our hand.

The way I see it is Torres gets a long-term injury our title chances our over. The replacements simply aren't capable of scoring the amount of goals required to lift us to the top of the league. We coped well without Fernando in patches last year and that must be taken into account, but that was largely because of the improved form of Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun. However both these players have given us reasons to doubt whether this improved effectiveness with last the course of the season.

I don't know why I'm bothering because I buy Skullys admission that we simply don't have the funds for Villa, but if somehow Valencia were going to accept a £30-35M bid, I think it'd be well justified.
[/quote]

Didn't they reject a 43m bid from Barca?
[/quote]

But surely that was when they thought there would be a multi team bidding war which hasnt transpired?
[/quote]

Maybe so, but they're hardly going to accept 8-13m less than they'd rejected two weeks ago!

 

[TheBunnyman]

United linked with him in today's papers. They're playing Valencia in a friendly this week, so Ferguson's going to ask about Silva and Villa over a bottle of wine, apparently. Cunts.

 

[Ryan]

Rafa has continually insisted that we won't be buying Villa.

We won't be buying Villa.

 

[Biggus Dickus]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=35016.msg916613#msg916613 date=1249205188]
Rafa has continually insisted that we won't be buying Villa.

We won't be buying Villa.
[/quote]

TBH that's the only reason I think we might. ;D