No one's concerned..

[Red]

.. with the number of players being bought in?

 

I only mention it as I seem to remember it being one of the excuses for our poor start last year.

 

Even if the new lads settle well individually, you'd think they still need time to 'gel' into the team.

 

Is a good start being a little optimistic considering the amount changes taken place, or are we right to expect our higher profile sigings to perform brilliantly from the off'?

[sutty]

Knox Harrington is bricking it about that.

[CaptainXabi]

We have too many players now. Everyone knows it. My theory is that Rafa is doing that precisely because he wants to be able to transition in the new people at the proper rate rather than throwing them in for lack of (qualified) bodies. I would expect the likes of Crouch, Pennant, and Kewell to get games early with Babel, Benayoun, etc integrated in over the course of August and September.

[cymrococh]

I was really worried about it last season but I think the players we've bought this season are better, and should therefore fit in better.

 

We've also got the players in earlier, so they'll have the benefit of a full pre-season. Can't remember seeing any of the new boys at this stage last year.

[5InIstanbul]

You're right.

 

We shouldn't have bought anyone and mae do with what we had. The team was clearly good enough before the manager and owners starting fecking about with it.

 

SACK EVERYONE!

[Woodsyla]

.. with the number of players being bought in?

 

I only mention it as I seem to remember it being one of the excuses for our poor start last year.

 

Even if the new lads settle well individually, you'd think they still need time to 'gel' into the team.

 

Is a good start being a little optimistic considering the amount changes taken place, or are we right to expect our higher profile sigings to perform brilliantly from the off'?

 

Team for Villa away

 

Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Riise

Gerrard Xabi Mascha/Momo Kewell

Torres Kuyt

 

1 new player

[Spike]

I was really worried about it last season but I think the players we've bought this season are better, and should therefore fit in better.

 

We've also got the players in earlier, so they'll have the benefit of a full pre-season. Can't remember seeing any of the new boys at this stage last year.

 

exactly.

 

Also we have no need for 'cover' players so we can in effect select players for their rightful positions from the off.

[Guest Cardie]

It's a b******s reason.

 

In the first ten games last season (with the exception of Chelsea) the more new players involved in the game the better the result.

[Red]

I'm not saying we should or shouldn't have bought anyone. We've had a lot of changes and I wanted to know whether it would have the same affect as last season. As a few posters have already rightlly pointed out, the players and circumstances are different and we shouldn't necessarily expect the same.

 

 

p.s. that was in reply to GEH007 btw.. I'm a slow typist!

Edited July 19, 2007 by Red

[Sion]

Can only imagine Torres starting vs Villa of the new boys. Voronin, Babel and Benayoun likely to be on the bench I expect. Won't be like last year where we sold a big portion of the first team and replaced them, it's more adding to the players we used last year.

[sutty]

Benayoun might get a game early doors

[magneto]

I'm not concerned, i'm f***ing bored. We've completed almost all our signings before the end of July...means we have to actually start talking about formation threads again.

[Gomez]

I'm concerned.

 

But while they are an improvement on what we have, there really is no choice. I am not sure Benayoun is an improvement on Garcia, so that is an unnecessary change, but again, we had no choice and at least Benayoun is used to the premiership.

 

It is also good that the key players are in already and should have a full pre-season rather than starting in August like usual.

[surf]

Can only imagine Torres starting vs Villa of the new boys. Voronin, Babel and Benayoun likely to be on the bench I expect. Won't be like last year where we sold a big portion of the first team and replaced them, it's more adding to the players we used last year.

 

Perhaps Babel or Benayoun(?) on the left if there's doubts about Kewell's fitness.

Perhaps Voronin ahead of Kuyt, if he continues pre-season in great form.

 

Not many changes at all really, so we should start fine.

[_00_deathscar]

I'm concerned.

 

But while they are an improvement on what we have, there really is no choice. I am not sure Benayoun is an improvement on Garcia, so that is an unnecessary change, but again, we had no choice and at least Benayoun is used to the premiership.

 

It is also good that the key players are in already and should have a full pre-season rather than starting in August like usual.

 

I agree that Benayoun isn't an improvement on Garcia, but it's hardly an 'unnecessary' change - Garcia was resigned to leaving, and so we had to replace him. Benayoun, for a reasonable amount, was the best available.

[Ethan]

If we really meant business in the transfer market we would be looking to replace Garcia with Tevez or someone with equal ability. Yossi as much as I'm prepared to wait and see with him didn't really give me a wow what a signing feeling.

 

Tevez = Luis Garcia on steroids

[sutty]

If we really meant business in the transfer market we would be looking to replace Garcia with Tevez or someone with equal ability. Yossi as much as I'm prepared to wait and see with him didn't really give me a wow what a signing feeling.

 

Tevez = Luis Garcia on steroids

 

Tevez is a centre forward.

 

Garcia isn't

[Bigal]

If we really meant business in the transfer market we would be looking to replace Garcia with Tevez or someone with equal ability. Yossi as much as I'm prepared to wait and see with him didn't really give me a wow what a signing feeling.

 

Tevez = Luis Garcia on steroids

 

I see, sell riise, spend 58 million on his replacement, it shows we mean business.

 

thats what I am doing wrong there.

[5InIstanbul]

If we really meant business in the transfer market we would be looking to replace Garcia with Tevez or someone with equal ability. Yossi as much as I'm prepared to wait and see with him didn't really give me a wow what a signing feeling.

 

Tevez = Luis Garcia on steroids

Christ.

[Gomez]

I agree that Benayoun isn't an improvement on Garcia, but it's hardly an 'unnecessary' change - Garcia was resigned to leaving, and so we had to replace him. Benayoun, for a reasonable amount, was the best available.

That's what I was getting at when I said "but again, we had no choice"

[Scorpion]

Liverpool will make an average start....some draws and such, better than last season.

[JohnnyH]

Mystec Meg has spoken. Well at least that prevents me from having to get in Setanta.

[realtarragona]

Not really. Only Babel and Torres will probably start most games from the new signings. The rest can be eased in so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. We do have too many central midfielders though, can't see how we'll keep them all happy. Or how the likes of Lucas is meant to progress when he presumably won't play much.

[Red_Polo]

Christ.

 

He's not a centre forward either. Heard his old man was a goodun mind.

[Guz]

Not really. Only Babel and Torres will probably start most games from the new signings. The rest can be eased in so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. We do have too many central midfielders though, can't see how we'll keep them all happy. Or how the likes of Lucas is meant to progress when he presumably won't play much.

 

4 of them will be involved most weeks - 2 of Alonso/Sissoko/Mascherano will start most games I'd say with the other on the bench, Gerrard the same on the right. Some games we may play Stevie alongside Xabi or Mascherano, leaving just one out of the squad. With injuries/suspensions/cup games they'll all play a lot of games. Lucas is the only one I'm not sure about simply because I've no idea how ready he is.