So what do we need to address as no1 priority this summer?

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=39633.msg1082254#msg1082254 date=1270414739]
It is obvious and it's partially why it's been somewhat sidelined in these sorts of debates. We all know that we need to resolve the striker situation, but before we can do that we need to sort out the side as a whole.

It's all very well saying yeah bring in a striker, bring in a striker, but if we bring in a guy like Bent for example and then stick him on the bench for 3/4 a season, it'll end up being a waste of money because we'll have ruined him.
[/quote]

That is why we have to dump the one up front idea, we can't while we only have one striker

regards

 

[monsieurdantes]

if we had another striker / left winger / left back, don't kid yourself into believing they'd be anything other than yet another fucking cunt who'd make our squad look like an even bigger roll call of fucking shit

of all the things u can hate, the fact we have empty voids in our squad is rather pleasing. at least then there is always hope a new manager can come in and three transfers later have us up an running. so long as fucking captain stupid is manager, the thinner our squad the better. its less work to do for the next guy

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=39633.msg1082257#msg1082257 date=1270415481]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=39633.msg1082254#msg1082254 date=1270414739]
It is obvious and it's partially why it's been somewhat sidelined in these sorts of debates. We all know that we need to resolve the striker situation, but before we can do that we need to sort out the side as a whole.

It's all very well saying yeah bring in a striker, bring in a striker, but if we bring in a guy like Bent for example and then stick him on the bench for 3/4 a season, it'll end up being a waste of money because we'll have ruined him.
[/quote]

That is why we have to dump the one up front idea, we can't while we only have one striker

regards
[/quote]

Except that Nando's injury record suggests Bent (or whoever else) would get rather more games than that.

 

[keniget]

Torres has missed about 10 games so far. So a quarter of the season, it's a lot as far as we're concerned but it's not enough to promise a top player.

And what happens when Torres comes back from injury? The in-form striker gets dumped onto the bench immediately? What kind of message would that send out? That you are Torres' understudy no matter what. Even Crouch wasn't up for that particular role. Bent wasn't up for it at Spurs. It's not as simple as saying Torres getting injured will allow this striker to get games.

If the plan is to play two up top as Vlad said then that is the plan and the team needs to be restructured and built around it. But fuck, there needs to be one.

 

[Judge Jules]

Fair points, but (a) Torres has missed a greater number of games in the past and (b) if his stand-in hit a hot streak in his absence, and if Rafa were so minded, we could play them together when Torres returns - in other words, not just stick to 4-2-3-1 (or indeed 4-4-2) regardless, but mix and match. Question is whether Rafa is, or can become, flexible enough to do that.

 

[Spionkop69]

The totally solid but one dimensional Riise. Biggest potential blunder? Hahaha! Contradiction central! As ever.

 

[Hansern]

Our shitty defence this season, is of course down to not having a good enough left back, and not good enough cover for the right.

Getting rid of Riise was extremely stupid imho, at least when you look at the replacement.

Selling a player that was well suited for the Premiership and replaceing him with a player that wasn't a left back and had zero positioning sense, that was fucking ridiculous.

It's not that black and white Spion, but Riise have been missed.

He's been one of Romas best players this season, played the most minutes, scored some fantastic goals and is part of a great defence. I miss him.

 

[Judge Jules]

The fact remains that few, on here or elsewhere, were against the decision to sell JAR. His replacements have not been good enough, but that doesn't mean we were wrong to sell a decent player who seemed to most of us to be reaching his sell-by date. Hindsight can be very misleading.

 

[Hansern]

I was against selling him Jules, but we should have bought a better left back than JAR. Not replaced him with someone much much worse.

But that has been Benitez problem, replacing mediocre players with mediocre players. That leaves us in the position we are now.

 

[Squiggles]

I was banging on last summer about our potential need for a new lb and now i believe it stronger than ever. I think that's of equal if not more important than our lack of reserve striker. We have to get it right this summer

 

[Hansern]

Aurelio needs to be flogged out, and we can keep Insua as a back up.

Sign Figueroa. Thats the best option we can afford.

 

[keniget]

We should sign Felipe from Depor.

 

[robinhood]

Clearly the manager.

Jose would play something like this:

-------------Torres
--Babel---------------Benayoun
------Gerrard----Aquilani
---------Mascherano
Insua Agger Carragher Johnson
--------------Reina

and it'd be a good side. then he'd look for a more mature left back and a quality winger.

Kuyt would make a reasonable backup striker.

 

[Ryan]

Good thread Dreamy.

Worryingly there are quite a few positions that need filled. If he can get a decent left-back for a reasonable figure, happy enough... Because money and lots of it, need to be spent in attacking areas.

I've said it for quite some time, but we need more world class players going forward. For two reasons; 1 - Gerrard and Torres can't do everything, and 2 - They've both got a poor injury record.

I don't care who we bring in or where they play - lef wing, right wing, in the hole, up front - so long as they're quality.

World Class players in attack. That's all.

An experienced ball-playing midfielder wouldn't go amiss either.

I've no idea why some people think we need centre-backs either.

 

[MaBigTip]

Because we have two who are two slow to deal with pacey fowards and 3 who are not that strong in the air. And the only one who is strong in the air is way to slow to be picked consistently.

Granted its far from priority but we could do with a new CB unless you are blaming all our abysmal defensive play this season on the fullbacks.

 

[darkstarexodus]

I'm blaming our defensive frailties on the fact we've looked a disorganized, demotivated shambles from start to finish this season. Our defense will bounce back strong next year (*hopes this post won't be pulled up in twelve months for the wrong reasons*). I think we've got a very good centreback corps and considering the other holes we have to fill, I would be upset to see any of our limited transfer funds spent in the middle of defense. (Disclaimer: If we got Kjaer and sold Skrtel for close to Kjaer's asking price, I wouldn't be atrociously upset and I'd like to see Kristian happy.)

 

[Vlads Quiff]

anyone want to change their minds ?

Regards

 

[Avmenon]

Nope.

 

[DHSC]

STRIKER
STRIKER
STRIKER

 

[Ryan]

More world class players in attack.

Actually no, fuck that. We need new centre backs.

Jesus fucking wept.

 

[darkstarexodus]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39633.msg1086751#msg1086751 date=1271031206]Actually no, fuck that. We need new centre backs.

Jesus fucking wept.
[/quote]

I know. I know. *holds head in hands*

 

[DHSC]

To give people the benefit of the doubt, I think they misintepreted the question.

*shrugs*

We're definitely creating the chances, but our reserve striker is just not good enough (yet?) to finish them.

 

[darkstarexodus]

How could a misinterpretation of the question lead to centreback being a reasonable answer? The title of the thread is the question and is pretty straightforward. Beyond that, the post itself suggests four positions to be addressed. Centreback isn't one of them.

I can appreciate that some think we need strengthening in that position but to label it a priority is laughable.

 

[DHSC]

[quote author=darkstarexodus link=topic=39633.msg1086803#msg1086803 date=1271042507]
How could a misinterpretation of the question lead to centreback being a reasonable answer? The title of the thread is the question and is pretty straightforward. Beyond that, the post itself suggests four positions to be addressed. Centreback isn't one of them.

I can appreciate that some think we need strengthening in that position but to label it a priority is laughable.
[/quote]

Yeah, true that. But some people read what they want to read.

 

[LarryHagman]

A new manager and some decent players wouldn't go amiss.

Striker (not the cunt on a freebie), some more attacking players, left back.

No fuckin centre backs please.

 

[darkstarexodus]

[quote author=LarryHagman link=topic=39633.msg1086806#msg1086806 date=1271042735]
A new manager and some decent players wouldn't go amiss.
[/quote]

Not asking for much this summer are we? lol

 

[Avmenon]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39633.msg1086751#msg1086751 date=1271031206]
More world class players in attack.

Actually no, fuck that. We need new centre backs.

Jesus fucking wept.
[/quote]

Would you really put it past Rafa to do that, Ryan?

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=39633.msg1086815#msg1086815 date=1271048553]
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=39633.msg1086751#msg1086751 date=1271031206]
More world class players in attack.

Actually no, fuck that. We need new centre backs.

Jesus fucking wept.
[/quote]

Would you really put it past Rafa to do that, Ryan?
[/quote]

Erm... I dunno what he wants, but if he spends this summer's money on centre backs as his priority and ignores forward options then he'll lose me, and that's saying something.

 

[darkstarexodus]

I'm glad we have a set criteria drawn in the sand for you now haha.

 

[Wizardry]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=39633.msg1082448#msg1082448 date=1270465531]
The fact remains that few, on here or elsewhere, were against the decision to sell JAR. His replacements have not been good enough, but that doesn't mean we were wrong to sell a decent player who seemed to most of us to be reaching his sell-by date. Hindsight can be very misleading.
[/quote]

Maybe it's not the way you intended it to be read, JJ but I disagree with that. I was for the sale of Riise dependant upon the replacement. It's the same with the manager - I've said all along that there's no point getting rid of Rafa if we don't have a suitable replacement available and ready to go. The same was true for Riise (and Finnan) - JAR was not the best LB in the league by any means but nor was he the worst.

LB looked like a position that could be improved but it was certainly not broken. It only became broken because Rafa decided to sell before he had an improved replacement lined up. Any monkey could have seen that Dossena was not the player and Aurelio was well known for being bed mates with Woodgate.

It's been a gripe I have with Rafa for a while - he seems more intent on the little tinkering to gain small improvements while ignoring the gaping voids elsewhere in the squad. As has been pointed out, Riise is far from being strapped to a wheel chair - he's actually playing quite well. No one can tell me that the most pressing need the squad had was for an improvement on Riise - it simply wasn't. That Rafa wanted to improve that area first - in the process turning it into a genuine problem area - is something I just don't understand.