The_Adder

And Finnan at right back

Interesting about Aurelio. He has the skills and technique to be a great asset at left back, getting forward and supporting the attack and I'm sure some games will require that kind of player. The way Alvaro has started the season though is unbelievable and if he carries on that way Fabio is gonna struggle to get a game, agree with everyone else, Arbeloa should be 1st choice right now, Aurelio is still a great option to have though. Not sure about him at left wing, think Babel could make it his own, then theres Kewell, then theres Benayoun, then theres everyones favourite Norwegian...

JESUS!! If this is what its gonna be like before every game this season I'd be happy going back to the days of the 'cup runs' and a safe fourth place... ;-)

My fave thread title of the month by far

SIGN. HIM. UP.

Total genius. And to think your boss is probably paying you for that too, brilliant.

Booked it in summer 2001, thought it could be Ged's year.

Masherano Hyypia Voronin

What time does it actually KO? Is it 3pm or 3.30pm? Need to know what time to plan my escape from this 'job' ;-)

It was in the Sunday Mail with Robsons preview of the new season in the pull out aint got a web link to it sorry... But it basically said exactly that and didnt add anything else when it was previewing Blackburn's season

Just read a piece in the mail with Bobby Robson saying his friends in Holland reckon Maceo Rigters who Blackburn signed for 800k is a better player than Babel. Gonna take that with a pinch of salt methinks. Have high hopes for the lad, reckon he could be a star, certainly got the talent and raw materials from what I've seen and read. Could go one of two ways though and hope it isnt the way of Gonzales and Cisse. Not expecting too much this season, have higher hopes for our Yossi, but he may surprise me and I hope he does!

Good post. Looking at the squad now I still think we are a top winger, a deadly finisher and a left back (one who plays CB too would also be nice - I rate Heinze a lot) to truly be up there with Chelski's and the Scums squads. Really surprised we didn't sign one of these 'crack' wingers too, was sure we'd get one of Malouda, Simao, Mancini or Queresma, but maybe Babel can be as good if not even better than all them (if he is going to be a winger!). He's certainly got the ability and is only a baby in comparison. Torres could be an inspired signing. Which ever way you look it hes still averaged 15 goals a seasons in a side that hasnt even qualified for Europe once in that time and the boy has talent, a lot of it. I'm really excited about the lad Lucas, Brazilian Footballer of the Year and for as little as £5m. About 90% of articles on our spending doesnt even mention him either, madness! Could be some player, just hope he gets the chances this season, can see him getting us some much needed goals from centre mid given the chance. Benayoun I rate, hope he can step it up now he's landed at a big club and Voronin looks a bit of a bargain so far, could be a surprise package. All in all happy, would of been happier with a top winger and still think we are a true goalscorer short, maybe next summer tho eh!

What time does it KO? Is it 1.30pm again cause I'll escape from work without anyone noticing like on Tuesday :-)

What time does it KO tomozza?? I'm thinking work can wait and I'll have a lie in and watch it on the ol' sly sports...!

Dirk Kuyt - scored 25+ goals in the fours seasons in Holland before he joined us. With Torres alongside his doing more running than any of his partners did last season he'll get much more chance to be the 'Shearer' type of forward I thought he would be from the off, think we'll all see a different kind of Kuyt next season, an out-and-out goalscoring one like his previous 4-5 seasons when he was the main man. Could be a deverstating partnership if big Dirk is left to get on with the job of putting the ball away.

I really hope your right kido!! At the moment everything is pointing to a summer being out-spent by West Ham and Spurs, when we need to be out-spending the Mancs and Chelski just to catch up with them

When the takeover was complete (and even before that when it was rumoured) everyone was linking us with the likes of Eto'o, Villa, Torres and saying we could now afford the top players we had been missing out on cause of lack of money, the likes of Alves and Simao. Now everyone seems to think we can't afford such players, including even the likes of Alves and Malouda for fees the Mancs and Bayern have paid for wingers this season (I thought the Glazers weren't gonna be able to splash out such fees, never mind £50+!). Now the thing I really dont get is the timing of all this, not just the takeover. We have just reached the Champions League Final for the 2nd time in two years, where ever you read this its seems that we gained £20m+ for this latest run. Also, its TV Money Time! Hence all clubs in the EPL have more money coming in from that than ever before (which is no doubt the reason for all these take overs) so in theory we should have more money to spend in the transfer market than EVER before. So why all these negative reports in the press? Why has it very recently been decided we can no longer afford these players now? I mean without considering the takeover we should surely be able to afford Malouda and Simao and even Alves (whos price has clearly gone up since). I was so excited about this summer. I believe we have the best manager in the league, couple this with the overall best defence, goalkeeper and Central midfield in the league, we surely need to but some top attacking talent to truly challenge, but is this talent gonna be bought now? It was obvious we needed more financial power to compete with the top two, hence why Moores waited and waited for what seemed like an eternity before finally selling. And now I'm just baffled to how these reports are now circulating... Good on all the people who say 'everything will turn out great, just wait and see', I really hope your right! I just don't understand what's going on right now... SHOW ME THE MONEY!!

I am missing something?? Does the England manager (whoever he is ) ever, ever watch Jamie play? A cpuple of facts Mr McClaren: * Jose Reina has, for the 2nd time in two seasons, gained the most clean sheets of any Goalkeeper in the league - Mr Jamie Carragher plays in front of him. * Liverpool reached the Champions League final for the 2nd time in two years, gaining clean sheets in such places as Chelsea (twice), Juventus, Dutch Champions PSV and dominated a Barca attacking three regarded as 'the best in the world - twice. * Held in such high regard by the players at the club that 'they wouldnt swap him for any other defender in the world' Now when it comes to England, he has Terry and Rio in front for him, two people he had managed to help his team keepo more clean sheets than theirs over the last two year. I rate Terry, you'd be a fool not too, but how is he not in the keep over Rio? Amazing. Whats even more amazing is I've just read that LEDLEY KING, yes, the one whos been injured practically all season and cannot boast anywhere near any of the points has apparently given the nod over Jamie, absolutley baffling. And I bet Stevie still wonders why people want someone else in as soon as possible as England manager. Jamie, your a defensive legend, we love ya lad even if the England Managers are blind to your world class ability. YNWA

If Aurelio is ever fit and I can him being our 1st left back next season, hes very classy and adds the value of taking a peach of a free kick and his whipped crossing which is nice on the eyes. I'm a fan of Riise though, if he didnt hoof it he be 2x as good for it. Quite happy with them two and Insua coming through... Brilliant Wide Men and Strikers please Senor Benitez

Touché (no idea if that was an appropriate word to use there, maybe someone could fill me in?!) - Thats the mission that Rafa has got this summer - I'd be more than happy with Simao, Alves, Eto'o and Tevez, but I'm just a very greedy boy (I'm not fat tho)

I dont think signing 3-4 attacking players with quality will disrupt up in any way shape or form - look at our attacking now - its now great is it? Its the poorest out of all the top teams in the league and by some distance. We have a superb defence and central midfield - up there with the best of em. So surrounding Gerrard with an Eto'o, a Tevez, a Simao and an Alves for next seasons kick-off can ONLY help us IMHO. Look at last night we had: ---------------Alonso-------Mascherano--------------- Pennant-----------Gerrard--------------------Zenden ----------------------Kuyt------------------------------- Now if we even added 3 of them players like: ---------------Alonso-------Mascherano--------------- Alves/Tevez-------Gerrard---------------------Simao ----------------------Eto'o------------------------------- Are people really going to tell me by totally shaking up our striker and widemen and have a negative affect to where we stand now?? BRING EM ON!!!

Providing we keep Kewell (which I hope we will), I like to see exactly that - two new wingers and one if not two strikers. Strikers: Eto'o would be a sensational signing, the best of the lot, not just in terms of ability, but he just seems to be exactly the kind of striker we need - a top class finisher, super fast, strong, determined, just brilliant. Then I would love Tevez, just think he would be a great, great signing for us and a player who's attributes could fit into pretty much any system we play. If not then someone like Trezequet, Owen or Milito would be very nice thankyou - a finisher. Wingers: The best options seem to be in Portugal at the moment, unless there is some silky Brazilian I dont know about?? Simao, Nani, Queresma - all top players. I'd probably favour Simao as I'd think he fit best into the 4-2-3-1 formation, but either of the other two would be excellent thank you very much... Throw Harry and Pennant into the mix and we'd be looking pretty healthy. Still cant help thinking we need another CB, espesh if Sami goes (hope he doesnt), cause if Carra or Agger got injured for a long spell we'd be pretty messed up for a while... Cant wait for the summer signings, pretty easy to tell from last night (f***ing gutted) match were we need to improve, the Keeper, Defence and Central Midfield can rival ANYONE in the world, really need that cutting edge... Show us ya warchest boys!!

Looking very strong in certain areas that and weak in some others... I reckon we need a new 'world class' striker (Eto'o), new attacking wide men who can create and score goals (Simao + maybe Alves?) and a new centre back as back-up, now we have the money (Milito). Would look to see Eto'o, Simao - top scorer in the Portugese league, Milito and Alves brought in, now that would be a top summer And what a squad of players we'd have

I had ITV's coverage, espesh after the Chelsea second league... So it would have to be sky! But I aint really got a choice as I dont think the barmaids in the Office will give em the choice