Liverpool FC Forum

[aCe']

IF the reports and quotes are to be believed...

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has stated that he has no plans to sign big money players this summer, while winger Nabil El Zhar has signed a new contract at Anfield.

The Reds were linked with a move for Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery, who is also interesting the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United, but Benitez has said that he has no plans to sign the Frenchman.

The Spaniard has already spent £17 million on right-back Glen Johnson, and is intent on keeping his current crop of players together.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Benitez said, "I will be really pleased if we can keep this squad together because I don't think we need to do too many things.

" I don't think we'll be signing anyone else for big, big money , just maybe the ones who can fit into our team.(?!)

"Right now we are just thinking of improving the fitness of the players, not thinking about the transfer market.

"We have the quality there and we will have our chances again."

************************************************


Question is, if Glen Johnson ends up our only big money signing this summer, would people still think that it was a good idea paying him as much as we did ?!

Another point to be made is this, we have already sold a number of player (Leto, Pennant, Hobbs, Anderson ..etc) ... We still expect to sell a few more (Dossena, Voronin, Arbeloa, Degen, Hammill, Babel ?)... we didnt pay 17mill in cash for Johnson from what i understand... the money we got from the Keane transfer... where did it end up ? and finally... the board usually backs the manager up with around 30+ mill every summer... is that not the case again this summer ?!

Now im not sure whats going on behind the scenes but things dont look promising from the outside looking in...

if Johnson is our only big money signing this summer (assuming Alonso and Mascherano stick around), would people see our dealings for this summer as being good enough ?!

[roberto green]

IF the reports and quotes are to be believed...

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has stated that he has no plans to sign big money players this summer, while winger Nabil El Zhar has signed a new contract at Anfield.

The Reds were linked with a move for Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery, who is also interesting the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United, but Benitez has said that he has no plans to sign the Frenchman.

The Spaniard has already spent £17 million on right-back Glen Johnson, and is intent on keeping his current crop of players together.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Benitez said, "I will be really pleased if we can keep this squad together because I don't think we need to do too many things.

" I don't think we'll be signing anyone else for big, big money , just maybe the ones who can fit into our team.(?!)

"Right now we are just thinking of improving the fitness of the players, not thinking about the transfer market.

"We have the quality there and we will have our chances again."

************************************************


Question is, if Glen Johnson ends up our only big money signing this summer, would people still think that it was a good idea paying him as much as we did ?!

Another point to be made is this, we have already sold a number of player (Leto, Pennant, Hobbs, Anderson ..etc) ... We still expect to sell a few more (Dossena, Voronin, Arbeloa, Degen, Hammill, Babel ?)... we didnt pay 17mill in cash for Johnson from what i understand... the money we got from the Keane transfer... where did it end up ? and finally... the board usually backs the manager up with around 30+ mill every summer... is that not the case again this summer ?!

Now im not sure whats going on behind the scenes but things dont look promising from the outside looking in...

if Johnson is our only big money signing this summer (assuming Alonso and Mascherano stick around), would people see our dealings for this summer as being good enough ?!

It depends what the others do.United have a major loss in losing Ronaldo and they will be a much weaker team without him so maybe we don't need to spend big as long as we keep Alonso and Mascha

[aCe']

ManUtd lost 2 of their better players, yes... but im sure they're still trying to sign some top players before next season starts... they already brought in Valencia and Owen who are decent players and one more big singning for them and they'd still look like a very strong side on paper atleast...
The other team that we need to worry about is Chelsea... personally im not a big Ancelotti fan, but still their squad is probably the best in the league and if he can get the side going they can be a tough nut to crack...they already signed Zhirkov whos a very good player who will offer them some much needed width... they also have Essien and Joe Cole back from the start of next season so thats like 2 new signings for them...
Arsenal are another side i wouldnt dismiss just yet.... they have the best assortment of attacking talent in the league imo and if Wenger is pressured into making a couple of big money signings for their defense and midfield they'd look like a very good side, again atlewast on paper...

Undoubtedly, we have a very strong side that matches any of the other top 3 when our starting players are fit and on form... however, we still need to strengthen in order to go that extra step and win it imo... we look desperately thin in the final third and despite our good run towards the end of last season, im still not convinced that the attacking players we have are enough to turn some of the draws against the smaller sides into wins next season... Dont know about everyone else, but i personally think that it would be unrealistic to expect G.Johnson to be that missing piece in the jigsaw with regards to us winning the league next seaon...

Anyways, dont think this is the end of it yet... not with regards to us signing players, and not with regards to some of our players leaving either...

[stapo1000]

We still need cover for torres and one more winger

[tubby]

I think Rafa likes the team the way it is. We could still use some more attacking flair going forward but I think if we end up losing Xabi or Masch then he will look to bring someone big in. Remember Rafa is talking as if we will still have Xabi and Masch.

[aCe']

I think Rafa likes the team the way it is. We could still use some more attacking flair going forward but I think if we end up losing Xabi or Masch then he will look to bring someone big in. Remember Rafa is talking as if we will still have Xabi and Masch.

Yea i get your point...
My point is, even if we do keep Alonso and Mascherano, is G.Johnson really all the improvement we need to go out and win the league next season ?!

Again, for the past few season, the main reason we havent won the league was because of the draws against the smaller sides...
Our lack of ccreativity upfront against the smaller sides that park the bus has cost us yet and again... Last season, if we had turned some of those draws into wins, given our record against the top sides, we would have won the league comfortably..
As things stand, with the setup we have and the players we have, i cant really see where the improvement will come from...

IF and its a big if, we keep alonso and mascherano but add no new big signings to the squad, would you be satisfied with Glen Johnson being our only big money signing for the summer ?!
or would you rather have spent the money on an attacking player ..etc...
When Johnson was signed, many were saying that he would be a good signing despite his price tag ONLY if that didnt mean that we'd miss out on signing a top attacking player due to lack of funds... if what Rafa has been telling the press in the past few days has any truth to it, it just might be the case....

[roberto green]

Look at it on paper at least:D We have Reina prob the best goalkeeper in the league with a fit Gerrard and Torres up front(undoubtedly the best strike force in the league)our midfield with Alonso Mash and kuyt plus the other signing I think we will get maybe Silva we are on par with Chelsea as the best so the only area I think we are weaker than in with the Chelsea and the mancs is the defence

[tubby]

I think Rafa likes the team the way it is. We could still use some more attacking flair going forward but I think if we end up losing Xabi or Masch then he will look to bring someone big in. Remember Rafa is talking as if we will still have Xabi and Masch.

Yea i get your point...
My point is, even if we do keep Alonso and Mascherano, is G.Johnson really all the improvement we need to go out and win the league next season ?!

Again, for the past few season, the main reason we havent won the league was because of the draws against the smaller sides...
Our lack of ccreativity upfront against the smaller sides that park the bus has cost us yet and again... Last season, if we had turned some of those draws into wins, given our record against the top sides, we would have won the league comfortably..
As things stand, with the setup we have and the players we have, i cant really see where the improvement will come from...

IF and its a big if, we keep alonso and mascherano but add no new big signings to the squad, would you be satisfied with Glen Johnson being our only big money signing for the summer ?!
or would you rather have spent the money on an attacking player ..etc...
When Johnson was signed, many were saying that he would be a good signing despite his price tag ONLY if that didnt mean that we'd miss out on signing a top attacking player due to lack of funds... if what Rafa has been telling the press in the past few days has any truth to it, it just might be the case....

I would definatley not be pleased with just Johnson as our only signing. As you say we have dropped points due to not being able to put teams to the sword when we should do and a RB alone is not going to suddenly change that.

At a minimum we still need a backup striker for Torres as well as someone who can play across the midfield. I like Xabi and Masch but I think Masch is too one dimensional and we should use this chance to cash in on him and get someone else in.

[metalhead]

Not good enough to be honest with you, we are still short of another quality wide man, a top center half and a striker. We won't win the league next season if we don't address the weaknesses we still have in the squad! We still lack depth, and it showed last season, so at least we need a very good striker to play with Torres or at least be backup, I'm sorry but Ngog or Voronin are not good enough to start.

It just worries me that we are not addressing some areas we need to strengthen, and I hope Rafa can get at least a couple of quality players with the budget restriction he has

[roberto green]

Not good enough to be honest with you, we are still short of another quality wide man, a top center half and a striker. We won't win the league next season if we don't address the weaknesses we still have in the squad! We still lack depth, and it showed last season, so at least we need a very good striker to play with Torres or at least be backup, I'm sorry but Ngog or Voronin are not good enough to start.

It just worries me that we are not addressing some areas we need to strengthen, and I hope Rafa can get at least a couple of quality players with the budget restriction he has

Don't worry Rafa has a mastercard up his sleeve and all will be revieled in the next few days

watch this space

[metalhead]

must be some mastercard

[roberto green]

must be some mastercard

Do you think he wants the likes of Voronin coming back to us.I have herd something tonight that would make everyone cream in their pants but don't want to post it just incase

[Lando_Griffin]

It does make me giggle a little bit when the people who moaned that we were signing too many squad players are the ones moaning when Rafa refuses to spend money for the sake of it.

Cretins.

[GYBS]

well seeing as we still got plenty of time till the window closes and a lot of the top names in football are still enjoying their summer holidays i would say its hard to judge on summer activities until its all over - so far its been good with a weak link in the team filled plus a couple of good promising youngsters so plenty of time yet .,

[aCe']

hahaha... "spending money for the sake of it" is something thats very unusual to Rafa now isnt it   !!
now i dont think many if any down here are moaning about us not signing more "squad players just for the sake of it" ...
I think we need one big name signing who would come straight into our starting 11 in an attacking position to offer a little more creativity in the final third especially against the smaller sides... a wide player would be my preferred option as things stand, but if we change back to a 4-4-2 in case Alonso or Mascherano leave then a forward would become top priority...

Dont think N'gog, Voronin, Kuyt and Babel are good enough to be backup if Torres picks up an injury at any point... A backup forward is a MUST imo.. however it would make sense to spend as little as possible to bring that backup forward in if we really are short in cash... Preferably it will be someone who is proven in a top league... not many around.. best shout i can think of atm is probably Adriano but who knows if he'd want a return to European football anytime soon... or maybe Trezeguet if he'd be interested in a backup role... just hope we dont sign a 10mill average player to sit him on the bench and give him a 20min run out every other game...