Barry + Keane = must challenge for title?

Chewie · August 3, 2008

Having read Royendo's wonderful piece on the evolution at Anfield etc I am wary of this becoming a guillotine thread - i.e. we must win the league or else we will meltdown, rafa should be sacked and the whole thing started again...

but having signed Keane and seemingly about to sign Barry I believe this does mean that we must realistically challenge this year, and I believe Rafa knows this too...

for the past 2 and a half seasons he's been building towards this, buying in young players right through the spine of our side...

Agger, Skrtle and Masch - must rank amongst the best January buys in history

Torres and Babel - have had one full season under their belts

we've also been buying up half of Europe's youth talent so that in 2-3 years we should be promoting ready made replacements into the team...

but now we've gone and broken the mould. We've bought real premiership experience at prices we will never recoup. the only way these two players can pay for themselves is to add their experience and talent to a title challenge this year and to a premiership within the next 1-3 (i.e. I believe it is possible this year)

Keane and Barry represent a stage in our development that knows we need to push forward now, and understands that the talent is there in reserve waiting to come through to replace these players when they hit 31-32...if say Plessis and Ngog eventually replace Barry and Keane then the whole exercise will have cost £40 mil and we'll probably have those 2 players worth that by then anyway...

with the spine of our side being what it is there is no reason why we should not challenge...look down the centre of our team...

Reina

Carra Agger Skrtl Hyypia

Masch Alonso/Barry (maybe both) Gerrard

Torres Keane

then add in Babel, Kuyt, Aurelio, Dossena, Arbeloa, Degen (perhaps), Lucas, Benayoun (hopefully not sold)

and consider the likes of Plessis, Ngog, Darby, Insua etc

and there is no doubt that we should be challenging. That spine above is a team of real quality, real experience, and real mental toughness - everyone there looks like a leader. everyone in that spine looks like a player who believes they should be on that pitch, and who the other players believe should be there beside them. Remember a team when it appeared that Stevie was simply frustrated by those around him - Reina, Agger, Masch, Barry, Torres, Keane - can't say that anymore. It simply looks like a team that should look at itself in the dressing room and believe!

I know the mancs and chelski have the experience and many quality players of their own... but the signings of Barry and Keane mark a transition for me and I believe for Rafa also. I believe this year he believes we have a team to really press for the title and I would be bitterly disappointed if the players at our disposal aren't capable of delivering one.

As a brief aside I do worry about a firesale if Barry comes. Given that Finnan I really hope we don't plum for raising the cash by selling Benayoun, Arbeloa and Pennant (ok, I don't really care if he goes). Quite simply I believe our spine is really strong but we do need the depth to compete over the whole season. Losing 4 players who can play in different positions to gain one player who I believe will do very well for us may be too high a price to pay over the whole season. Its why the straight trade between Alonso and Barry makes sense (though I do want Xabi to stay)...

anyway - that was something of a digression but thought I would mention it as it is the possible lack of strength in depth that would concern me once we get beyond the spine of the side...

really expectant we will challenge - we may not win it but we should be challenging. This to my mind is why we're paying the sort of money we will be for the players we're signing...to challenge NOW...

Chewie

John am Rhein · August 3, 2008

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