Guz

Can't be arsed with most of that 'article' (quotes from the book) because it sounds like another mountain out of a molehill situation. But One thing I simply cannot get over is "The manager drills us on dead-ball situations, day in, day out." It worked to perfection against Chelsea, absolutely brilliant and if we worked out that goal from watching tapes then Rafa deffo is a genius. So why is our general delivery and attacking of the dead ball so poor?? It's not just Gerrard either, almost everyone is s*** and them and we seem quite poor of attacking them well in the area

Is he a genuine winger? Can't help but feel our biggest concern at the moment is someone who can stay out wide, commit defenders, cross the ball well but also be a threat on goal occasionaly. There arent many players on the market who are capable of doing all that but if Babel is one, then great.

Kuyt

Doesnt really say much to be honest. It says no agreement has been made, not that there has been no discussion It may well get messy but it was always going to since no one really knows his situation (and that statement doesnt clear anything up)

Gotta love internet forums.

Got nowt against him. Scored some goals, didn't live up to his hype but helped us win the FA Cup and European Cup for which I'll be eternally grateful

Maybe they're factoring in the rumoured yearly £4m wages

I just hope there's nothing wrong with the Mascherano deal and that he will be ours for years to come. I've got no problems playing Gerrard on the right and if it means by the end of this season we have four established central midfielders (Momo, Xabi, Masch, Lucas) plus Gerrard then I'd be delighted. I've said for a long time that despite the comparisons with Keane/Vieira etc. Gerrard reminds me most of Pavel Nedved and I think that's the sort of role Rafa sees him in.

Which is the greatest benefit of playing him alongside Mascherano

Because a) Ferguson is one of the most succesful managers the country has ever seen b) Questioning curbishley and Jol doesnt sell newspapers c) Curbishley and Jol didnt complain about money d) Spurs are in a pretty healthy position in 5th. If over the next 2 years throwing the kitchen sink at the title through outside investment hasn't worked, then Rafa will probably be on his way and everyone will be massively dissapointed because he is considered to be a world class manager

I'd say left winger and another versatile attacking player, someone like Benayoun I guess. A defender not worried about sitting on the bench would be helpful also. Those 3 players to add to Voronin, Leto, Lucas and Torres would equal a succesful transfer window imo.

I have high hopes for Kuyt this season. Less faffing about on Alonso's toes please Rafa and tell him to get stuck in the penalty area a lot more. To be honest, the champions of the last 3 years (Chelsea, Chelsea, United) haven't had a goalpoacher. Ferguson sold van Nistelrooy to expand their style of play and they won the league. Chelsea got goals from more outlets with their championships and as a team suffered when Drogba got into more goalscoring positions himself. I think Torres, Kuyt and Crouch is a very good trio to have upfront. If we can get more goals from the wide areas and a small contribution from central midfield (Sissoko, Mascherano, Alonso, maybe Lucas if he gets many games) and maybe 5 or so goals from the back four, we'll be a lot better.

Where does that leave Gerrard, and to a lesser extent Pennant? I acknowledge the fact that we hope to have lots and lots of games a season, players will get rested/rotated and won't play every game. But, with all the rotation malarky, Rafa has always kept a stable spine to the team and usually rotated left back, the strikers and left wing the most - coincidentally the positions we're probably looking to fill this summer and beyond. I think our main target has to be left wing and if we buy more than one winger (as Rafa maybe hinted today) then someone who can play both wings and/or also off Torres, Kuyt or Crouch. I'd be absolutely over the moon with Mancini and Simao but more realistically can see us signing Benayoun and one out and out winger. We'll see though.

Delighted with the signing. Hope he reaches his potential because if we do we'll be on our way to no.19 and beyond. The lad has bags and bags of raw potential and football talent, hope he grabs it.

Gutted he's leaving. That Juve goal was f***ing amazing, not to mention the other goals he scored. Ta Luis

Not much has actually happened except at United and the recent sale of Henry though. This despite Pompey, West Ham, Villa and us all having more money to spend along with the usual Spurs and newcastle. No idea if there's even a grain of truth to it but a deal for Torres involving Cisse going the other way would be fantastic

Wasn't it established a couple of weeks ago that a) Torres' release clause keeps going down by a certain % every season unless he signs a new deal and b) Some of the details of that clause are only applicable if he moves to another spanish club Maybe I'm making the 2nd one up though, but do remember discussion along those lines on here a while ago

£11m ~ €16m so maybe

Forlan, Milito, Owen, Simao, Mancini, Malouda, Trezeguet? Maybe agreed a fee to sell Sissoko or Bellamy? This'll send the forums into over drive !

Only because the panel ordered him to take it off as they couldn't take him seriously

As you were really with that interview. I think we'll find out more soon, as in after the weekend as we may get a better idea as to whether Torres, Villa or Eto'o (maybe Milito) are realistic targets or not. They're players who will cost a lot of money and will hugely influence the rest of our summer spending. I cant imagine a) The americans being stupid enough to alienate Rafa so early b) Rafa commiting to the club if his fears weren't addressed c) Alonso commiting if Rafa wasn't

If we want Owen again this summer why have we not made a move yet? The only thing I can think of is that we're waiting on definite news (i.e. after this weekend) on one of the five strikers in spain we've been linked with (Eto'o, Villa, Torres, Milito, Forlan) which I suppose is a plausible explanation and the result of that will influence the rest of our summer dealings.

Just because we're not going to spend £30m on Villa or Eto'o doesnt mean the manager doesnt have money to spend. The article in the Echo today suggests that because we wont sign Villa, Rafa's budget doesnt differ to other seasons. I cant see this logic at all because it just wipes out any middle ground. Hicks said that the new stadium will allow us to compete with any club in the world, financially. Till then if Rafa is given lisence to spend £15m+ on individual players we'll be in a very healthy situation.

I have to say that apart from that Arsenal performance he has looked like a rabbit caught in headlights in virtually every game. He's usually one of our more positive players as in he keeps looking for the ball and trying to do things with it but his lack of quality at times is stunning for someone who grabbed so many plaudits in Spain. Mancs away was a perfect example, he got the ball sometimes, tried to run with it but didn't seem to know what else to do. He just froze I personally would've liked to see what he could've done with a second season but can only assume we'll be getting someone better than Gonzalez. And who knows, maybe there were other issues in terms of settling down that we don't know about.

That depends on what people class as limited. If Rafa spends £15-20m each on two or three quality players I'd say that's the owners backing the new manager, especially given the concerns of stadium financing you mentioned. Having to go from £12m to £6m and 1st choice to 2nd choice like last year with Alves/Pennant would be worrying but I cant see the situation being that bad.