• The Houseboat

  • Transfer Business at Other Clubs (aka the other Wish List)

Hargreaves makes Rosicky and Van Persie look indestructible.

I saw Fabio Coentrao live for Benfica right the start of last season. He was brilliant on the day, and I think he's absolutely top class.

This summer is so depressing. We will never sign another top player. We are also-rans in the market for the world's 20 or 30 best established players.

Same every summer for the last 20 odd years or so.

Difference is back in the day we paid big enough wages that we could sneak in a Sol Campbell. Maybe that was a real outlier.

A lot of the papers are reporting that we have a £90,000 per week wage cup. I always thought Fabregas was on more than that. If the wage cap is true, we will never be able to retain the majority of our best players or attract stars. Our model is out of touch with the modern world (not just football).

We paid so low wages back then that Ashley Cole almost swerved his car off the road when he heard what we offered him.

Caligula wrote:

Our model is out of touch with the modern world (not just football).

I am not quite sure what our model is when is comes to player wages but the only world it isn't aligned with is the world of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester city, Chelsea and a few other clubs. Sadly with the way football is going and growing globally, this small pool of clubs and the way they function constitutes the world of football that forms the consciousness of most football fans (I know you didn't want to limit your assertion to only football, but i disagree).

Charlie Adam on his way to Liverpool.

Will be shocked if they achieve anything next season; top six at best.

I think Adam will be top class for them

They aren't building a top class team though, too many players who are just 'good'. Not being in europe will help them but they won't challenge as they lack top quality all over.

They might snap at our heels but I can't see Liverpool finishing higher than fifth. They're making the same mistake Rafa made in trying to sign average players for a fair chunk of money.

Agreed; Spurs have a better squad from top to bottom, and will finish above Liverpool provided they can hang onto their best players. The scousers rode a confidence wave after Dalglish got appointed, and I think they'll be seriously tested a few months into the season.

Bruce really loves Ferguson hand-me-downs

Captain wrote:

Same every summer for the last 20 odd years or so.

Not true.
What about Wright, Bergy, Suker, Overmars, Wiltord........

O'Shea is a great signing for them, Brown not so much.

Biggus wrote:
Captain wrote:

Same every summer for the last 20 odd years or so.

Not true.
What about Wright, Bergy, Suker, Overmars, Wiltord........

None of them were amongst "the world's 20-30 best established players" at the point that we signed them.

Yes, even Bergkamp...

I would say Bergkamp was top 30 and had lost his way a little. The quality was there. it would be like signing someone in between Kaka and Benzema.