by bigmick » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:08 pm
Some interesting thoughts coming out and a good debate this. I would say that when you look at Bob's breakdown of the transfers, (which is fair enough and unarguable with) Rafa looks better than he does under my analysis of earlier. In the main, the ins and outs appear to beleaning heavier onto the positive side of the ledger.
My concern though and I've said this before, is the extent of the progression and the speed with which it's happening. Now I know rafa took over a team which needed some serious rebuilding, but it's fair to say that we could conciveably have fielded a back four that he was left with (Finnan, Carragher, Hyppia and Risse) up to and including the middle of last season. That's four years on from when he took over, which in hindsight was a decent legacy. Most managers would consider that a gift, which if utilised effectively would enable them to strengthen other areas of the team. When you add in that we have also retained the services of arguably one of the best players in the World who is in the Prime of his career, as well as spending 150-200 million quid, then I think it's reasonable to expect the team to improve.
And improve it has, but prior to this season our finishing position and proximity to the league Champions has hardly moved at all. That tells me that quite simply either we haven't improved by as much as we ought to reasonably expect (definately in my opinion) or that the other teams have improved as well (probably in some cases, not in others). This season as opposed to last season for instance, our first team if everybody has fit has improved to the extent that we've repaced Babel with Riera at left midfield. Leaving aside that this massive stride cost us 40 million quid, I have to ask is it sufficient to realistically expect to pull in the other big clubs?
Now I know that some still maintain that the big four are just as strong as they ever have been, and that this one player replacement accounts for us improving to within a point of the top as opposed to being completely out of it as we normally are. They would maintain I guess that this massive improvement (the addition of Riera) has more than compensated for our star striker being injured for 2/3 of the matches. Similarly, I guess they would say that James Milner's transfer to Aston Villa in the Summer has made them 15 points better than they could reasonably expect to be, and that would explain them being within four points of the top of the table at the end of January.
I don't buy that though, and I think our improvement from last season to this has been marginal. We just happen to be in a period where the other big four teams have been in a transitionary mode which has catapulted the likes of us and Villa up there. If we win it, it makes no odds we are Champions (please read that bit twice before going off on one and spoiling the debate by the way) but if we don't....
When people say "and we haven't even hit form yet" they omit to add that nobody else has yet either. Man Utd are just showing the signs of waking up, and already we are shipping water. Already there is looking like the distinct danger that it could all end in tears very quickly. I tell you this though, should the Mancs win it they will be looking towards next season and aiming to not fall out of the blocks like they did this. Chelsea will be looking for a more cohenrent campaign and spending some money, while Arsenal's young team will be a year older and wiser. This really could be our best chance for a generation of winning it, we may never get a better one.
The other thing which greatly worries me is the planning, as I touched on earlier. Had keane for instance come in and been an instant hit, and Torres not got injured (both of which were presumeably the plan at the seasons outset) who were we planning to play right midfield? Kuyt? Right midfield in a 4-4-2? Am I the only one who thinks that's a ridiculous idea? After five seasons of wheelings and dealings that's our plan? Hmmmm.
"se e in una bottigla ed e bianco, e latte".
, Chelsea, and Man ure will all be just as strong or stronger, Man City have won the jackpot. All of these clubs have got not only the cream of the Europe crop in their teams, they have also got the cream of the Europe youngsters in their academys, for at least the next five seasons we will struggle to challenge for the league, unless we strive to bring better quality in throughout.
