by Owzat » Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:12 pm
Ok Lando, let's compare the "best XIs" from when when Rafa took over and now.
GK Dudek vs REINA : Reina comfortably (0.0-1.0)
RB Finnan vs Arbeloa : nothing much in it (0.5-1.5)
LB Riise vs AURELIO : just about in favour of Aurelio (1.0-2.5)
CB CARRAGHER vs Skrtel : Carra winning it (2.0-2.5)
CB HYYPIA vs Agger : close, Sami wins it just (2.5-3.0)
RM Smicer vs KUYT : convert Kuyt wins easily (2.5-4.0)
LM Kewell vs RIERA : Riera not much to beat (2.5-5.0)
CM Hamann vs ALONSO : Xabi (3.0-6.0)
CM GERRARD vs Benayoun : no brainer, Gerrard has improved under Rafa though (4.0-6.0)
CF Owen vs Torres : would be close even if I gave it to Torres (4.5-6.5)
CF BAROS vs Babel : not ideal, but Baros (5.0-7.0)
It's difficult to compare a 4-4-2 with 4-3-3/4-5-1 so Mascherano had to be left out. It isn't meant to be a definitive comparison, but does highlight the main areas of improvement - Reina, Riera and Kuyt improving massively on Dudek, Kewell and Smicer (or on any GK, LM, or RM for years) Most of the other positions were pretty good when Rafa took over, you can't tell me Finnan, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Hamann, Gerrard and Owen made for a much weaker XI? That's seven, allowing for the switch to using a DM rather than a second CF. The last time we had two quality strikers on the books was Owen and Fowler before Fowler went to Leeds.
So while every position may have been improved, it wasn't like we started off with a side good enough to play in the conference and Rafa waved his magic wand to produce the team we see today. That squad Rafa won the Champions League with was mostly inherited, and Houllier managed 2nd once same as Rafa has in about the same period so the squad can't have been all that bad. And up until they were sold/left, Hyypia, Finnan, Riise and Hamann of those seven cited played important roles. Owen would have had he not been so quick out the door. Maybe Hamann has been replaced with arguably a superior model, but are Hyypia, Finnan and Riise that much worse than our current CB and FB options?
The problem for me is how much Rafa spends in trying to improve a position. Riera and Babel cost a combined £19.5m and neither is a certain starter at LM. He hasn't spend much on RB and it shows, he spent a lot on Dossena and that is still some way from a final solution. And how much has he spent "improving" strikers?
Bellamy £6m
Crouch £7m
Keane £20.3m
N'Gog £1.5m
Morientes £6.3m
Kuyt £10m (now a RM!)
Torres £21m
That's near £75m on strikers from those alone, don't think I've missed any with fees except you might label Babel and Luis Garcia as strikers which would add another £18m. We've a striker who is arguably/probably better than Owen was to show for all those signings, yes we recouped money, but in five years that hardly reflects someone who is great at signing players - got it right at the umpteenth attempt
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