[quote author=Whaddapie link=topic=47375.msg1420549#msg1420549 date=1320185766]
Realistically, who would you bring in? Sincere question.
[/quote]
I know this is a pretty shite response, but 'better players'.
Look at Downing, Carroll, Adam, Henderson, etc - you know what you're getting. Significantly, our opposition know what they're playing against too, because they're predictable and easier to nullify.
Winning the premier league isn't really about beating your opposition in the top 4, it's about betaing the other 15 bags of shit week in, week out - which Man United have done relentlessly for the last 20 years. To beat them you need players that they don't have, simple enough you might say, but they all have players of the calibre of Stewart Downing - players with some skills, a bit of directivity, and capable of the odd moment of magic. so playing against them isn't that difficult. Playing against Sergio Aguero, David Silva, RVP, Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, etc etc is difficult for that group of 15, because they're unpredictable, they're brilliant and they make life fucking hard for them. They're world class. Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing aren't.
A solid defence and good defensive midfielder are critical, no doubt. Quality in attack though is what we're missing. We have one and a half world class players in attack (Gerrard's not fit, ergo he's the half). So stopping us scoring is easier for most teams, than it is against say Man City, spurs, or United cos you only have to stop one player for the most part.
Look at Spurs front 6 on Sunday - Parker, Modric, Bale, Lennon, VDV, Adeabyor. Take Lennon out of that and Parker as he's the DM, and they're all absolute quality. all arguably world class players that can win a game on their own.
Man City - Dzeko, Aguero, Silva, Nasri, etc. Same again. You can stop one of them, two maybe, on a good day three of them, but then Adam Johnson comes off the bench and curls one in from 30 yards. And you're fucked.
United - Rooney, Hernandez, Nani, Young. Ditto.
so, there - we don't have enough world class players in attack. We have 1 and the other one's injured.
The other thing we don't have is clever enough players. I'm glad this fucking argument that I campaigned against for the last 3 years that 'pace is critical' has recently died away, because it's fucking bollocks. What pace does Silva have? Adam Johnson? Ashley Young? Modric? VDV? They don't need pace, cos they're fucking brilliant.
The best football team on the planet; Spain. Where's their pace? You see Iniesta tearing it up down the left wing? Nope, not required. They're footballers, and great ones at that. We need more intelligent footballers. Players that can interchange, retain possession, find space where others can't, pick a hole, drag opposition out of shape, find a goal from nothing, play the killer ball, all of that fucking great stuff that predictable footballers find difficult. Cos David Silva doesn't have pace, a rasping shot, he can't get down a wing, he's probably a shite crosser too, but none of that matters because he's another level above 99% of the dross that plays in the premier league, and that's the type of player I want. More of him, more of Rooney, more of Modric. They don't need to be defined by a position, we don't need a designated right winger, we just need the highest quality of footballer, then you let them play in a system that suits, alongside players that are on their wavelength.
I realise I'm not giving you names, that's not my point. 12 months ago I wouldn't have given you the name Luis suarez cos i knew fuck all about him. Ditto 24 months ago I probably wouldn't have thrown up the name Modric. But players like that exist, and until we change what seems to be a flawed transfer policy, we'll struggle to beat the 15 other teams because we don't have enough world class players.
Disclaimer - there are probably spelling and grammar mistakes all through this post. My apologies for that, I'm typing in one almighty rush.
