Knox_Harrington

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He's bloody brilliant.

Fred's right. Two strikers, a right mid and a very cynical left back would do me. Not in anyway implausible. I genuinely believe we have the best side in Europe in the first two thirds of the pitch. Our right back is second to none, Carra magnificent, Hyypia keeps proving me wrong and the goalkeeper is young, gifted and bald. Hamann, Sissoko, Gerrard and Alonso are as good a squad as central midfielders as you are likely to find and with a resurgent Kewell, solid Zenden and interesting Gonzalez we are sorted at left mid. Riise is a good left back if not a great one and with better cover, along the lines of Kromkamp or Agger we are sorted there too. Our problem is up top and we need genuine penetration on both flanks and to get Gerrard back in centre mid. This squad is good enough to challenge Chelsea: Reina, Carson, Finnan, Kromkamp, Hyypia, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Zenden, Kewell, Gonzalez, Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Sissoko, Alonso, Crouch (with one from Morientes and Fowler, perhaps Warnock or another emerging youngster and Kuyt, Owen/Defoe, SWP [none of the last three implausible in any way] and a dirty Spanish left back as the new signings) regardless of who Chelsea sign. As for injuries, well if Chelsea lost key players they'd struggle too next season. We'd struggle more now because the squad still isn't there. But it's entirely possible it will be by August. We've been building towards twenty workers since the day Rafa arrived. We'll get them by next season. And we'll challenge. If we need investment it shouldn't be for the short term but for the stadium.

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But it isn't. Another transfer window and another four quality signings in the summer and our squad is as good as Chelsea's.

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Financial situation changes if we finish second and get a final place in Europe and we had twelve-ish million to throw around in the last window. We can easily recoup ten million in sales without much effort. (Cisse, Morientes, Kirkland, Dudek and Traore as an example would make us at least ten if not more). Not a Freudian slip at all. Fowler can still go either way but it was a no-risk signing. He needs to get fit. If he does and produces he could be an option for us next year. If not he goes.

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He bought three quality players (and Zenden, a good squad player and the elusive Gonzalez) in the summer. He bought what could turn out to be two quality players and Fowler in the last window. He needs one forward, probably two, a right mid and a left back. It isn't rocket science. The left back just has to be almost as good as Riise.

By buying four quality players in the next window?

Riise is the best left back at the club. He should have played there yesterday.

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