benno2

I take it you're Austrian then? But this sentence: makes me think you're wrong on the sentiment front though.

So Man Utd is his dream move? Good, no chance of him coming here then. He's obviously not popular in his homeland either.

Good post and that but is there any point in people keep banging on about the transfer window not being open? We've signed Lucas, Spurs have signed Bale, ManU have signed 3 players and Bayern 7. In what sense is it not open? Deals can quite clearly be agreed. What is important is when it closes and you make the very good point that it is still quite some time off, not when it notionally opens.

That Oliver Kay piece is actually a re-working of this article: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...bc-15952b12801b But that just reinforces your main point anyway.

Had a good trawl of google on this one and it seems that you're right. Apologies if I mislead anybody.

I'm pretty sure it's next Monday.

So he actually featured on three occasions where the result went well for Rafa, for those worried by the superstitious angle. More importantly though, I don't think he was that great in the Barca game from memory.

T'is indeed. He was there at the last one too.

I'm sure Pennant played you know.

Definitely, he looks very lightweight until you see him play.

Gabriel.

Outside of us, it will be exactly the same again. If we draw 0-0 away, the media will take it as Chelsea having one foot in the final.

Zenden too?

By no means, how on earth have you inferred that? I just don't think Rafa wants the players that we think he does. He doesn't do players that take on defenders. The one signing he's made where we thought this was the case was Pennant. But he changed his game. Pennant himself has said that Rafa tells him to do completely different things than any of his previous managers. It's all first touch, pass and move with Rafa. As well as tactical discipline. Simao fits that bill. The likes of Quaresma don't.

He bears all the hallmarks of a Rafa signing then.

Please ignore.

All followed by "Who are yer, who are yer" after the goal. Classic stuff.

Clemence - 60s Jones - 90s Hansen - 70s Yeats - 60s Nicol - 80s Liddell - 50s Gerrard - 00s Souness - 80s Barnes - 80s Hunt - 50s Dalglish - 70s Subs: Grobbelaar Carragher - 00s Whelan Molby Rush Unbeatable!

The question is: what more squad building will Rafa need to do next summer? We don't know for definite how the new boys are going to do this season, that much is true. But the way things currently stand, the right hand side is definitely most in need of bolstering with the addition of a central midfielder being another possible area. Signing Alves would at one stroke, provide cover at right-back, provide an alternative in midfield to Pennant and allow Gerrard to work exclusively in the middle. He has also been pursued by Rafa for a long-time now, reminiscent in fact, of Benitez' coveting of Kuyt. With little else to spend next summer's budget on, I can easily see Alves joining and I don't think it will take £15m to secure him, but you never know with del Nido.

This is also entirely possible. If so, it will no doubt prove to be mutually beneficial.

But at the point where Nando was sold Rafa would have strongly assumed that we'd get around £8m for Cisse. To me, it's his leg break that has put a spanner in the works as far as Kuyt and the finances are concerned.

My god, none taken. I'll have to gen up on my smilie use in future , just to make myself clear, like. Twas an interesting question so I thought I'd add my two pence. Personally, I hope we don't need to sell to get Kuyt. At the same time, I hope we don't spend more than £10m on him either.

Fair enough , but perhaps in the case of Henry ... Seriously though, no. It would appear that Luis might be reduced to perhaps his most effective role: that of impact sub. Why would we sell him when he's just become at his most effective? It is a good question - even if not meant for me - but I don't see an available striker out there for whom I would consider this just now. Btw, how goes it colt?

That would depend on the striker.

... which is just what Rafa's wanted all along.