jimmylibel

I think Bent knows where the back of the net is but I'm not convinced he's a player of sufficient quality for our best 11 to truly take us to the level we need to be at. I think we need real quality upfront this summer and I'd argue that the likes of Defoe is probably a bigger name than some of those mentioned, particularly Kuyt or Aguero. It's not about signing 'BiG nAmEs' it's about signing players of sufficient quality. The indications are that Kuyt is of sufficient quality to be described in such a vein. Aguero looks the part from the clips but obviously that's very subjective and easy to manipulate. More telling for me was Rafa describing him as one of the best players in the Argentine league recently. And I'm really not sure why people are focusing on Torres... that was a remark made about someone we WOULDN'T sign. Personally I don't think he'd be worth the money quoted and would pose too much of a risk in adapting to the Premiership.

Very Spanish eh!

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I agree with the point about an alternative to Crouch but I don't think Bent or Defoe are those players. Bellamy could be to a certain extent - as in he would be the second forward, as would Crouch with the main, goalscoring striker playing next to him. I'm not convinced about Torres either, was just citing him as an example of a player who I thought would be OUT of our price range and probably on the move this summer. Really, really don't fancy Forlan though. Good player on his day yes but would rather have Bent or Defoe to be honest. I completely agree with most of that (the Andy Johnson bit aside ), but I don't think we'd be having this discussion if Kuyt and the likes of Aguero had been named on that list that Elisha put forward. I completely accept that we'll be linked with names a plenty this summer, what I'm worried about is the more accurate list of names that we are looking at I suppose. I'd be very happy with Kuyt, someone who is as good as this lad Aguero is being made out to be and Bellamy or Bent... my worry is that Elisha's list only seemed to include what I would count as the third most necessary of that lot.

Well what I meant was including the wages etc, but I take your point there aren't that many players. But I honestly don't think a strikeforce of say Bellamy, Crouch, Fowler and Bent/Defoe would be good enough to have us challenging for the Premiership. It just wouldn't have the same level of quality that we would have in our midfield or defence. As for who are top level, well while I'm not too sure Raul still has it, I'd put Ronaldo at that level. Of the other players who've been linked with us I'd say Kuyt (from the limited amount I've seen of him and read about him) and Owen are at that level. I'm sure there are plenty of others too, those are just a few off the top of my head that we have been linked with. Not expecting us to be going for the likes of Torres, Shevchenko etc as they are out of our price bracket, but I do think there are top quality players available that we could realisitically get. While the likes of Bent, Defoe, Forlan are good players, I really don't think they fit into that category. However from the list supplied by Elisha it looks like we might be shopping at a tier below that level this summer. I'd have thought we'd have signed at least one top, top striker this summer. Doesn't look that way from that list is all. There's no 'Xabi Alonso'esque potential signing in that list would be my main point I guess.

Right sorry for the question but is the indications not there that we have the money to be shopping at a higher level than that this summer? Think Bellamy is a very good player but he's not at the same level as Owen. And I'm not sure the two are comparible if you get me - more Bent and Owen is what I'd compare. If Owen would go to United then he deserves every inch of abuse he will get.

Just because I still haven't got those potatoes you promised - you think Pongolle isn't good enough for us but Mellor is?

Best always seemed to have a lot of time for Liverpool, was always more likely to give us praise where it was due than most of the muppets around him on Soccer Saturday etc.

Any chance of Zak Whitbread sneaking into the US squad?

When Aguero first linked himself to us Independiete were in negotiations with Bayern... I would imagine they are in negotiations with a number of different clubs at the moment... when Aguero starts getting quoted about another club, then start getting worried.

Rant forum - 6/10.

I've obviously missed a lot of away matches lately - apparently we play Riise in front of Warnock quite a good bit away from home (copyright Andy Gray).

Arsenal just gone 1 up against WBA. Hleb the scorer.

When Robson was leaving there was supposedly a problem with discipline the changing room so they gave the job to one of the biggest disciplinarians in the game. Now that Souness is gone the problem is there defence so who are they looking at...

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I think Sean might have mentioned this as a possibility, so unfortunately doesn't look like it'll happen.

But for every Johnny Giles we also have a Ray Houghton, Trevor Steven or Liam Brady. And Dunphy is there for ranting value only really.

I could be wrong but haven't Chelsea already been rapped over the knuckles for this... if they have then once more and they'll get a transfer ban I think.

In fairness I think that's more to do with their tactics than anything else. Hadn't seen this anywhere else... Flo expects Reds return By Patrick Haond - Created on 14 Apr 2006 Florent Sinama-Pongolle has admitted he is likely to return to Liverpool at the end of his loan spell at Blackburn. The young Frenchman is enjoying his stay at Ewood Park and Rovers have indicated they would like to keep him permanently. However, Pongolle insists that looks unlikely with Liverpool planning to bring him back to Anfield. Pongolle revealed Manchester City were keen on signing him before he joined Blackburn and he is big fan of Rovers boss Mark Hughes. "A lot of clubs, notably Manchester City, were attracted by my arrival, but I don't regret to have joined Blackburn," Pongolle told France Football. "I am in the perfect atmosphere to improve. There is no French speaker at Blackburn, but the very British atmosphere suits me. "Mark Hughes, who is Welsh, is not really the kind of man that mothers us. When I just arrived, he made me play against West Bromwich, even if I was ill, and I just had one training session in two weeks. "It is really pleasant to be managed by a coach that trust the players, and pushes them to sort things out themselves. "Here, I feel my education has been useful. I don't want to say I wasted my time at Liverpool, because you also learn on the bench, but I am very happy with my choice. "The Liverpool officials are keen to get me back because they refused an option to buy that Blackburn wanted in the loan contract." Link

Both exceptional players but I think Henry edges it as the better player. I think Shevchenko is an absolutely fantastic forward - but he is probably less capable of the unexpected piece of brilliance than Henry. At the moment I think Henry is only behind Ronaldinho when it comes to being the best player on the planet - although Henry is arguably more efficiently effective.

I take your point but I kinda meant a kid in the Paletta sense - ie one who will be challenging for the first team if not getting in automatically.

Any excuse eh Anny Seriously why do you think it is so out of the question? Could we not sign a young forward and two established ones? I'm not basing this soley on what Rafa has said in that interview - was saying it before then. I'm fairly sure others have suggested this too... not sure how you can be so unequivocal when Rafa has so far proved very difficult to predict in anything he does.

Have done and still think it is a 'possibility'. Not saying it definitely will happen, just reckon it wouldn't surprise me if it did.

I can see what you're saying but I think it's a 'possibility' at least - I think that most of our transfer budget this summer will be spent on the strikers so given that he's been looking at a few 'cheaper' options and that we should have a decent pot of money, I don't think it's beyond the beyonds. That however is an excellent point.