[quote author=ibromurph link=topic=38766.msg1049139#msg1049139 date=1265302253]
[quote author=LEMONed link=topic=38766.msg1049124#msg1049124 date=1265299471]
The prize money is forfeited because you fucked up in the previous season (which you nearly won the title).
Hurray!
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If we had actually got some good value from Dossena and Babel on the pitch last season we might have actually won the title.
But hey, we can't expect Rafa to be perfect in all his transfers. Babel was one I think was worth making, but his coaching of him (on and off the field) has been poor. We've seen little development. Dossena was an absolute clanger (especially as it meant getting rid of a better player and loyal servant in JAR.. in ignominious circumstance I might add).
But again, I could forgive all that if there was a clear plan of action with his transfers, and not the scattergun approach which we see has given us some top players (but a whole load more average ones). One could argue that this is necessary given our finances. We have to gamble on the odd bosman/cheapie or two. Which again, I somewhat agree with. But even with that, there should be a model of player we're looking at. Ones who have (at least) the physical and technical attributes to cope with the pace of premierleague.. not just solid workers who are severly limited.. we have enough of them. There are bargains out there, we just have to be a bit more patient and judicious with our money (as it appears we've been this January).
I appreciate it's hard on Rafa, he has to be almost perfect in all forms of management to compete with the wealthier teams (the wages + transfers budget argument has good merit). He's done 'ok overall but I think he needs to be doing better than that. You know, I could forgive the mistakes of Dossena and Babel, if we were just a solid consistent unit on the pitch and were beating teams who are clearly in worse shape than us. But the dropping of points, due to turgid displays, against Pompey, Wolves, Stoke, etc.. the (deservéd) loss to Reading in the Cup.. there's no legislating for that. At all. We were outplayed in some of those games too. How can a top 4 team struggle so badly to put 5 passes together without hoofing it? I don't recall ever Chelsea, Arsenal or United playing against lower teams as we have done, and not being able to fashion at least 3 clear cut chances. Nor do I recall those teams going out of big competitions to lower sides with such regularity as we do? Rafa (and our/his team) needs to be doing better at beating lesser teams. And they are lesser.
It's the inconsistency of our side I have a gripe with Benitez for. You'd think 5 years into his reign we would know whereabouts we stand in terms of performances each week. But we literally range from the sublime to the ridiculous. We can just as easily beat Real Madrid one week and lose to Pompey the following.. and both games would be deserved wins/losses. I'd much prefer we just beat all the crap sides with more consistency and lost to the big money boys. At least then we could complain it's purely due to the fact they have more money for better players.
Call me a saddist but I'd keep Benitez on for at least until December this year (mind you, I wouldn't be upset he were released either). He's got a record for his teams having one good season in the league, followed by a bad one, followed by a good one again. If we start next season off poorly again, then the trend will be broken and i'll have lost all faith in him. But I suspect we'll do alright next year (or at least start the season well) before the cautiousness/negativity/inconsistency invariably overcomes us. *sigh*
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Mate, my only grudge against this season is, we failed to strengthen a squad which came close to winning the title last season.
Aquilani, Johnson and Krygiakos were the only players we brought in to replace the departed first team players. Some may consider them as the "upgraded version" of the departed players, but the fact remain the same, we 'replaced' players, but didn't strengthen the squad.
We failed to improve the personnel that saw us finished second last season. Torres' injury problem (no decent backup striker), left back (Dossena, Aurelio's injury, Insua's inexperience), left wing (inconsistent Riera, Babel) were the key reasons why we failed to win last season, but we did not address the problem in the summer, yet losing key personnels in the summer and banking on new additions to help pull us through again.
I still remember the summer transfer topics like, "we want david silva", "we want someone to replace Dossena", "we want david villa", "we want adam johnson", "we want tevez". Because we know they would have improved our squad last season, without the thought of Alonso and Arbeloa leaving.
