What are our weaknesses?

[New York Red]

Let's look at it logically.

 

G -- We won't buy anyone. We are all set.

 

LB -- We may well get rid of Djimi and Warnock and sign Auriellio for free.

 

CB -- We have Carra, Sami and Agger as our starters, with tons of up and coming possibilities for us. I'd love us to sign someone like Ledley King, Anton Ferdinand or Vincent Kompany, but do we really need to?

 

RB -- Finnan is 30. Kronkamp seems like a misfit and may go to Ajax. I could see us buying here.

 

LM -- Harry is looking awesome. I think that Zenden may be cooked. I could see us buying here.

 

CM -- Jeez, Stevie, Xabi, Momo. Great trioka. I could see Didi going and us picking up someone there for versatility. I'd love to get Rosicky or Hargreaves here.

 

RM -- A must. Luis is great, but so hot and cold. I could really see us spending a lot of money on Joaquin. Pennant would work too, but too much of a headcase for Rafa.

 

F -- A big shakeup. Cisse and Nando out the door. Robbie gets a new contract at #4 in the pecking order and Crouch as a handful stays on. So, two new strikers of top quality. Kuyt will be one, but who else?

 

So I can see us getting a left back for free, a right back, a centre midfielder, a right midfielder, a left midfielder, and two forwards.

 

My bets are:

 

Anthony Vanden Borre

Fabio Auerillio

Owen Hargreaves

Joaquin

Dirk Kuijt

Fernando Torres

[RedNik]

Owen Hargreaves as a fourth choice in centre mid? I'm not sure if he'd go for that, and i certainly dont think we have those kinds of funds available.

 

As for the striker situation, i really doubt we will be able to buy both Dirk Kuyt and Torres - too expensive and similar in their build and play.

 

Joaquin is a distinct possibility. I think you are forgetting Paletta and Mark Gonzalez.

 

I really see us buying a right midfielder, a striker for sure, in addition to the reported secures, being aurelio, gonzalez and paletta.

[baja the hut]

I have a weakness for chocolate cake, heard finnan does too....lets get rid of him lest he becomes pudgy.....

 

 

i know that was a crap joke but its early here....

[Lee W]

We need a new checkout assistant on till 3 at Liverworld and a complete shake-up of the match-day catering staff, otherwise we'll fall short again.

[Benitez]

 

My bets are:

 

Anthony Vanden Borre

Fabio Auerillio

Owen Hargreaves

Joaquin

Dirk Kuijt

Fernando Torres

 

 

Is that all? I'm sure we'll manage that no problem in the summer.

[RafaShanks]

Let's look at it logically.

 

G -- We won't buy anyone. We are all set. -

 

LB -- We may well get rid of Djimi and Warnock and sign Auriellio for free.

 

CB -- We have Carra, Sami and Agger as our starters, with tons of up and coming possibilities for us. I'd love us to sign someone like Ledley King, Anton Ferdinand or Vincent Kompany, but do we really need to?

 

RB -- Finnan is 30. Kronkamp seems like a misfit and may go to Ajax. I could see us buying here.

 

LM -- Harry is looking awesome. I think that Zenden may be cooked. I could see us buying here.

 

CM -- Jeez, Stevie, Xabi, Momo. Great trioka. I could see Didi going and us picking up someone there for versatility. I'd love to get Rosicky or Hargreaves here.

 

RM -- A must. Luis is great, but so hot and cold. I could really see us spending a lot of money on Joaquin. Pennant would work too, but too much of a headcase for Rafa.

 

F -- A big shakeup. Cisse and Nando out the door. Robbie gets a new contract at #4 in the pecking order and Crouch as a handful stays on. So, two new strikers of top quality. Kuyt will be one, but who else?

 

So I can see us getting a left back for free, a right back, a centre midfielder, a right midfielder, a left midfielder, and two forwards.

 

My bets are:

 

Anthony Vanden Borre

Fabio Auerillio

Owen Hargreaves

Joaquin

Dirk Kuijt

Fernando Torres

 

Agree with you on goalkeepers and left backs.

 

Think Warnock will stay though and he'll be happy with that. Aurelio from what I've seen is very injury prone.

 

I personally think Jan will stay and deputise Finnan, so RB is also sorted. Barragan also coming through that could fill in there if needed.

 

Please Rafa, no more centre backs

 

LW is sorted as well. Kewell, Gonzalez and Zenden. Not sure whether or not Zenden will be happy with third choice though. He can also cover in centre.

 

CM - Without Momo we look a completely different side. Can see Didi leaving and another more "high octane" CM brought in. Rafa rumoured to have agreed a deal for Argentine Leandro Daniel Somoza.

 

RW - I think this is the most clouded position in terms of who's coming in. A lot will depend on what system Rafa will adopt for next season in terms of Stevie's role in the team.

There is not one outstanding candidate for me. Personally I would choose Guilly, if he decides to leave Barca.

 

Strikers - This is where the majority of our money will go me thinks. Would be delighted with both Kuijt and Torres. I like Torres and he's still very young, but I'd choose Ajax's Huntelaar, who is simply just a goal machine. I know Ajax have only just signed him, but will find it hard to refuse a big money offer from us.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Rafa's got some spare cash left over after all the buying and selling, for him to bring in Aguero as well

Edited May 1, 2006 by RafaShanks

[David Hodgson]

I think we'll get Defoe, SWP, Aurelio, a big name striker (Kuyt/Owen/Torres), and a 'hole' player/playmaker (Riqueleme/Joaquin/Aimar).

 

Well, I think that's what Rafa will want, but that little lot will cost approaching £45-50m, which is plausible if we can offload 20m and the board find Rafa the much talked of '£30m'.

[Falconhoof]

Let's look at it logically.

 

CB -- We have Carra, Sami and Agger as our starters, with tons of up and coming possibilities for us. I'd love us to sign someone like Ledley King, Anton Ferdinand or Vincent Kompany, but do we really need to? No

Gabriel Paletta and Agger are more than enough cover for now, (while Hobbs develops into a monster. )

 

 

LM -- Harry is looking awesome. I think that Zenden may be cooked. I could see us buying here.

We already have. Have you forgotten Gonzalez ?

 

Hargreaves ? No thanks.

 

[Swagger]

I think we'll get Defoe, SWP, Aurelio, a big name striker (Kuyt/Owen/Torres), and a 'hole' player/playmaker (Riqueleme/Joaquin/Aimar).

 

Very optimistic.

 

I think that Moro will stay another season, as will Robbie, thus there will be room for just one more striker - Kuyt being top of Rafa's list IMO. Lets not forget that Garcia can do a good job there too, so I doubt it will be Defoe and Kuyt/Torres.

 

Joaquin is a winger, not a hole player, so in all likelihood it is between him, SWP and Pennant for our RM. SWP is probably Rafa's top target, but I doubt Mourinho will want to sell to us. Pennant IMO, despite his problematic attitude, is a good option, and will probably not cost too much.

 

Gonzalez and Paletta are in the bag, and Aurelio on a free seems nailed on. That, together with a top striker and a quality RW will make a good summer. Anything over that will be a bonus.

[Guest Brampton]

i wouldnt be suprised if bonera also joins from parma, he can play right back as well as centre back.

 

paletta is apparently off to catania for a season long loan

[Magic8Ball]

Very optimistic.

 

I think that Moro will stay another season, as will Robbie, thus there will be room for just one more striker - Kuyt being top of Rafa's list IMO. Lets not forget that Garcia can do a good job there too, so I doubt it will be Defoe and Kuyt/Torres.

 

Joaquin is a winger, not a hole player, so in all likelihood it is between him, SWP and Pennant for our RM. SWP is probably Rafa's top target, but I doubt Mourinho will want to sell to us. Pennant IMO, despite his problematic attitude, is a good option, and will probably not cost too much.

 

Gonzalez and Paletta are in the bag, and Aurelio on a free seems nailed on. That, together with a top striker and a quality RW will make a good summer. Anything over that will be a bonus.

 

why would Moro stay another season, when our biggest weakness is scoring goals, what we need is an alan shearer type player, who can hold the ball up and score goals, that being the case Morientes and Crouches positions are most under threat, as morientes isnt scoring goals regularly or holding the ball up I would have thought he was more under threat than crouch

with regards to cisse, 17 goals from the wide right position I think makes him more of an option than morientes imho

 

I would say strikers Crouch, Fowler, Cisse with the big money going on the type of striker we need - ie someone like Kuyt

RW almost certainly Pennant as we dont have alot of money and we wont get SWP from chelsea, Joaquin/Simao cost way too much and we need to spend the money on the striker

 

 

Kuyt and Pennant in Morientes, and others ( on loan ) out

 

its not going to be a big block buster summer, if anything I suspect most transfer activity from us will be during January when the prices have settled down a little more

[Mike]

moro aint going

[hideNseek]

There's going to be some disappointed posters on here when they see Mori staying for another season.

 

I expect Rafa to buy one striker and right winger. we've got 3 players lined up already (so we're led to believe).

 

So 5 in and about 7/8 out, including Cisse and Troare.

[Magic8Ball]

There's going to be some disappointed posters on here when they see Mori staying for another season.

 

I expect Rafa to buy one striker and right winger. we've got 3 players lined up already (so we're led to believe).

 

So 5 in and about 7/8 out, including Cisse and Troare.

keeping morientes and selling cisse is the height of madness UNLESS we bring in someone who scores/creates more than 20 goals per season from the right wing position - we of course would need cover for him, someone other than Gerrard

[hideNseek]

He hasn't scored 17 goals from right wing though.

 

Mori has more to his game.

 

Cisse sulks and has to many games where it's everyone elses fault but his.

[Benitez]

keeping morientes and selling cisse is the height of madness UNLESS we bring in someone who scores/creates more than 20 goals per season from the right wing position - we of course would need cover for him, someone other than Gerrard

 

 

why would a right winger have to score 20 goals, if Morientes is staying. Thats kinda strange logic.

 

New players will mean different options (possibilities), different ways of changing games.

 

If we get a new striker, and another wide midfielder (as well as Gonzalez), we're gonna have a lot of players capable of scoring and creating more goals next season. New striker, new winger/midfielder, Gerrard, Fowler, Kewell, Garcia, Gonzalez, Morientes... there could be a few goals in them all!

 

I have no issue with Morientes staying. I'd have far more of an issue with a lazy half hearted player like Cisse staying.

[Guest Jodus]

Let's assume Cisse goes for decent money, and the other three stay, then someone with some gas will have to arrive. We will also flog Pongolle, Dudek and maybe a few fring players. Could bring in £12M-£15M.

 

No reason why the club wouldn't add £15M+ onto that, given the good couple of years we have had.

 

GK - ok with Pepe and Carson

RB - ok if Jan stays

CB - ok it Paletta isn't sent out on loan. No point bringing in someone who'll demand lots of starts, cause it will be Carra and Sami/Dan (more the latter as the season progress, depending on pre season)

LB - ok if Rafa is happy with the back-up. Traore may want first team games elsewhere, in which case someone experienced would be useful

RM - Garcia, Gerrard, Anderson? He has done very well since arriving, one of the stars in reserves. If he doesn't intend playing Gonzalez there, could be the biggest arrival

CM - ok, assuming Didi stays, but I think he'll look for regular footie in Germany. Someone good at what he does to come in - big, organised, smart - Albelda type?

LM - ok, Kewell and Gonzalez, Bolo as cover.

CF - assuming Cisse goes, I think he will, could be a big one. Rafa'll want someone quick and sturdy, but no idea who he might go for.

[Knoxy]

I reckon we'll raise very little by selling players. We're going to have to take a huge hit on Cisse, and the likes of Dudek/Kirkland/Morientes won't get us much, and this is if we can find buyers

 

Plus, we'll no doubt have to pay a chunk of any transfer fees we receive to the players due to the high wages we pay, which are unlikely to be matched by other clubs

 

I can't see us spending more than 20M. 1 expensive striker, one less so, and a RM

[hideNseek]

Mori is going no where.

[Knoxy]

Wouldn't surprise me

 

Hope he does go

[salkavalka]

Maybe we should not talk about weaknesses, were should we be stronger, in what erea, we should a buy world class striker, and strong RM, if we do that, I think we are in good position.

[Mikey]

ES says Kromkamp is off for £3M and thats good enough for me as we got him in a swap for josemi.

 

Gk we are overloaded, and selling dude and kirkland will raise some money.

 

RB - cover needed for a season or so until Barragan comes through, certainly not Alves or someone like that though.

 

CB - sorted big style.

 

LB - Aurelio in, Traore out unless he stays as CB cover.

 

LM - sorted with HK, MG, BZ etc.

 

CM - felt for a while that Didi will be off, agree with a previous poster about a more 'high-octene' replacement. Barton?

 

RM - ?????

 

Striker - as it seems that mori is staying and Djib is off then we need someone with SERIOUS pace and strength. Bellamy, Bent or Kuyt I'd imagine.

 

Some RB on a bosman, Barton for £5M, Pennant for £4M and Bellamy for £6M or Bent for £6-8M and we're pretty well sorted.

 

With money to spare as well!!!!!

[Paul B]

Main thing they could spend the money on would be the catering. It's boring, bland and overpriced. Why can't they provide healthy options and bring back the chicken tikka pasties? Why? For God's sake, WHY?

[Rushian]

Where the bloody hell are people getting all this momey from?

[salkavalka]

Dont spend too much, we have to built a new stadium, 60.000 stadium, then we can spend, now, buy the right players, cheap.