Very much still in.
We knew it would be difficult this summer when the funds to cover replacements for players werent forthcoming. We all knew we needed a top class attacking talent be it wide left or up front, and its my understanding that Rafa was led to believe that he would be given all the money from sales only to find out later that he was to use that money to cover players contracts and not just purchases. If rafa had known that i doubt he would have bought a 17m Right back. If he had known he wouldnt see the keane money again i doubt he would have let him go either.
Im not absolving him of blame, and he at least must take part of the responsibility for Alonso's departure albeit i agreed totally with Rafa's call at the time. And also with the Aquilani deal, we were told six weeks untill he could play, that was in the last week of August nearly 10 weeks ago, was Rafa under the belief that it would indeed be 6 weeks? If so then fair enough it was probably a decent call, however he should have played Gerrard deeper and let Yossi support Torres rather than persist with what now looks like one of our worse central midfields ever.
This is all by the by, fact is he was told we would have the Keane money (8m) plus our 20m Kitty plus player sales (30m) and that wasnt the case. He was given (to spend on squad strengthening) between 20 and 30m depending on how much you think we have paid for Johnson so even at worst case we are a 15m player short of what we should have, that of course would have helped.
So would Aquilani's injury not running into its third month.
So would gerrard not getting injured
So would torres not getting injured
So would Babel not turning out to be shit.
So would Riera not being injured
So would Agger not being injured
So would Carragher not coming apart at the seams.
So would Johnson not being injured
So would Aurelio not being injured....
These arent bit part squad players, this is the basis of our side out injured week in week out and Rafa constantly having to put out a scratch side, a fact the press are totally ignoring (as are a few posters it seems).
Or should i talk about Referees not seeing clear handballs in the box?
Or maybe beachballs and understanding of the rules?
We are having a shit time with a shit run of luck and yes of course form is stuttering, but what would Mourinho do? Wave a wand and our SIX first team regulars are all fully fit and raring to go?
Im aware that i have laid into Rafa in the past mostly for his baffling decisions, but im with him here and now because theres little else he can do.
The leagues gone for sure but i dont see how spending next years transfer kitty starting another 5 year plan will help that.
For the first time in a while theres a bit of excitement about some of the kids we have coming through Eccleston, Pacheco, N'gog, Nemeth, Kelly, Insua, Dalle Vale etc.
We still have 2 of the best players in the world, we still have Agger, Mascherano, Aquilani, Reina, Johnson, Kuyt etc we just need fitness and luck.
