Boss say £100M needed to turn squad into title challengers

• Poignant

  11 Apr 10, 15:18

  Liverpool boss Benitez talking up to £100M needed to turn squad into title challengers

  Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has hinted he needs £80 million to transform his squad into title challengers.

  Benitez insists he needs the funds to land four top-class players if Liverpool are to close the gap on Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal next season.

  Benitez told the Sunday Mirror: “I don’t want to talk about an exact figure, but if you analyse what Fernando Torres and Jamie Carragher have said about needing four or five top players then you can see what we are looking at.

  “Yes, I think we do need this many players. And whether we need three, four or five players, the cost of a top-class player is about £20m.

  “Hopefully we will have more players coming through our own youth system now I have control of the Academy, but we have to wait. It is a matter of time. If you don’t have £60m every year, you have to sell.”

• Medicated Oil

  11 Apr 10, 15:25

  Ah Ben have already used 20 million to buy two flops - Keane and Aquaman.

  If he cannot handle 20 million buy, giving him more money is like asking him to make more honest flop.

• ASKL!

  11 Apr 10, 15:38

  100million also not enough for him

• ASKL!

  11 Apr 10, 15:39

  if 80million is given, use 16million to terminate his contract, 4million to lure murinho here, then he got 60million to spend.

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 16:12

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  Ah Ben have already used 20 million to buy two flops - Keane and Aquaman.

  If he cannot handle 20 million buy, giving him more money is like asking him to make more honest flop.

  What about Alonso, Torres, Macherano and Johnson?

  Keane was sold within 6 months at a 2-3 mil loss, while I personally think it's too early to judge Aquilani as a flop (although I dont fancy his chances). When was the last time a foreign player light the EPL ablaze on their debut season? 

• I-like-flings(m)

  11 Apr 10, 16:14

  he cant even make tampines rover win the S league if we give him SGD100M lor....

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 16:16

  Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):

  he cant even make tampines rover win the S league if we give him SGD100M lor....

  He was with Valencia for 3 seasons before joining liverpool and won the league title twice.

  Yes, that spanish league with Real Madrid and Barcelona, you know?

• Rooney9

  11 Apr 10, 16:20

  he need to sell torres and gerrard to raise 100m. sell torres for 50m and gerrard for 30m, so have to make do with 80m then.

• I-like-flings(m)

  11 Apr 10, 16:21

  Originally posted by SpamBox:

  He was with Valencia for 3 seasons before joining liverpool and won the league title twice.

  Yes, that spanish league with Real Madrid and Barcelona, you know?

  
  yes.. that's why it's still call the spanish league till now.. it's not EPL or S league leh..

• I-like-flings(m)

  11 Apr 10, 16:22

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  he need to sell torres and gerrard to raise 100m. sell torres for 50m and gerrard for 30m, so have to make do with 80m then.

  
  torres... 40m the most i think.. and gerrard... old already leh.... dun think can get 30m... unless sibei lucky lor...

• Rooney9

  11 Apr 10, 16:24

  Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):

  
  torres... 40m the most i think.. and gerrard... old already leh.... dun think can get 30m... unless sibei lucky lor...

  if torres and rooney partner for man united, awesome isnt it. best partnership in BPL and the world.

• I-like-flings(m)

  11 Apr 10, 16:27

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  if torres and rooney partner for man united, awesome isnt it. best partnership in BPL and the world.

  
  provided torres not injured lor...rooney and messi no good meh?

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 16:28

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  if torres and rooney partner for man united, awesome isnt it. best partnership in BPL and the world.

   

  Your owners not much better than ours hor? You think they'll give you money buy torres?

• mrwonderful

  11 Apr 10, 18:18

  carragher himself is not world class. actually is getting to be a liability.

  revamp the squad means he has to go.

• hamidisaidi

  11 Apr 10, 18:41

  Originally posted by SpamBox:

  He was with Valencia for 3 seasons before joining liverpool and won the league title twice.

  Yes, that spanish league with Real Madrid and Barcelona, you know?

  That was the time when La Liga was not a very strong league.

  Futhermore, he have already wasted tens of millions since he came to Liverpool without ever making Liverpool improve significantly. I think the CL win over Milan has blinded many Pool fans and some portion of the media. That was Milan who self-destruct.

  And how many top stars will wanna come to Pool seeing that the club is declining and may even be out ot next year's CL?

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 19:06

  Originally posted by hamidisaidi:

  That was the time when La Liga was not a very strong league.

  Euro championship 2002 & 2003 had 3 spanish teams reaching the knockout stage, 4 in 2004. England comparatively had 2 in 2002, 1 in 2003 and 3 in 2004. Oh and Real won it in 2002.

  That was the time when La Liga was considered a stronger league than EPL. 

   

   

  Originally posted by hamidisaidi:

  Futhermore, he have already wasted tens of millions since he came to Liverpool without ever making Liverpool improve significantly

  lol. Yeah he wasted tens of millions. Or 67 million in six seasons to be specific. That's about 11mil a season. 

   

   

   

  Originally posted by hamidisaidi:

  And how many top stars will wanna come to Pool seeing that the club is declining and may even be out ot next year's CL?

  Before Rafa, how many top stars wanted to come to liverpool? Do you consider the likes of Djibril Cisse, Diouf & Heskey to be top stars?

   

   

  You think the CL win has blinded many pool fans? I think the Anti-Rafa'ers here all criticizes without providing facts or statistics.

   

• Medicated Oil

  11 Apr 10, 19:35

  Alonso and the rest was bought by Ah Ben under the advice of Pako.

  Although Ah Ben bought some good players, but he was unable to manage them into his robotic style and they were off-loaded.

  Except for last season, Liverpool have been chasing the 4th position since day one.

  I agreed that the players have also some responsibility to pay for playing so lousy this season.

  But, Ah Ben tactics of deploying two defensive midfielders robbed Liverpool of creative supply up front.

  Why was players like Babel in cold storage when he can play ?

   

• Rooney9

  11 Apr 10, 19:38

  is rafa style of safety first a throwback to the 70s and 80s of the all conquering liverpool side of attacking and scintillating football? rafa football is a betrayal to football philosophy of not only winning, but winning in style. is rafa style of football a pretty sight to watch? I leave it to the liverpool fans to comment.

  wenger's changed the way arsenal play when he took over in 1996. he changed the way they play under graham era, from boring, bland and defensive football to passing and possession football. heck he even changed the players diet.

• Medicated Oil

  11 Apr 10, 19:59

  Ah Ben definitely changed one thing about Liverpool.

  He have make the Liverpool fan heart tougher and wallet thinner with all the lousy defeat.

  He have made Liverpool fan grow by giving lots of disappointment with lots of empty promises.

  He have made S-League more interesting to watch.

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 20:05

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  Except for last season, Liverpool have been chasing the 4th position since day one.

  We finished 2nd in 2001, other than that we had always been a club chasing 4th even before Ah Ben joined us.

   

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  But, Ah Ben tactics of deploying two defensive midfielders robbed Liverpool of creative supply up front.

  Do you give credit where it's due? How about the times Ah Ben throw 2 defensive midfielders and proceeds to win games? Ah Ben tactics made us feared in Europe, did we not progress since 2004?

   

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  Why was players like Babel in cold storage when he can play ?

  If you watch only goal replays and youtube highlights, ya Babel very good, can do fanciful dribbles and score pretty goals. But if you watch the whole matches... You'll notice he'll give away possession VERY often.

   

   

   

   

• Rooney9

  11 Apr 10, 20:07

  yes rafa is better than houllier since 2004 and also roy evans and graeme souness. is he better than kenny daglish or joe fagan or bob paisley?

• Medicated Oil

  11 Apr 10, 20:16

  Liverpool was good with Alonso.

  Without Alonso, Liverpool cannot play well.

  And who was the guy who want Alonso to travel to Juventus when his gf is going to give birth ?

  Who was the guy that want to replace Alonso with Barry and made a fool of himself ?

  Is Liverpool feared in Europe ? Except for bookies.

  Dun tagged the glory of winning CL cup to him cos the cup was won the team of players who want a medal before they go out of Liverpool.

  Babel is not even given sufficient play time to improve his play and he was cold storaged cos he speak out against Ah Ben.

  There are different camp for Ah Ben.

  I can understand that some still treat Ah Ben as a saint.

   

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 20:25

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  yes rafa is better than houllier since 2004 and also roy evans and graeme souness. is he better than kenny daglish or joe fagan or bob paisley?

  Is he better? I dont know. But I do know he inherited a worse off squad compared to dalglish, fagan or paisley. Want proof? Just look at where the 'stars' bought by GH ends up playing after Rafa sold them.

   

  Also, let's talk statistics about the league games played and won

  (edit: stupid tables. need to type this from scratch >_<)

  • Bob Paisley P378 W212 , 56.08%
  • Joe Fagan   P84 W44 , 52.38%
  • Kenny Dalglish P224 W136 , 60.71%
  • Graeme Souness P115 W47 , 40.87%
  • Roy Evans P172 W83 , 48.26%
  • Gerard Houllier P216 W108 , 50.00%
  • Rafael Benítez P223 W124 , 55.61%

  
  

  I still think Rafa is doing a great job thus far.

• SpamBox

  11 Apr 10, 20:47

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  Liverpool was good with Alonso.

  Without Alonso, Liverpool cannot play well.

  So tomorrow we sell Reira and liverpool lose all remaining games? Meaning liverpool without Reira cannot play well?

  Lots of talk, no proof to back them up.

   

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  Who was the guy that want to replace Alonso with Barry and made a fool of himself ?

  Who was the guy who bought Alonso for 10mil and sold him for 30? Why no talk of flops here?

   

  Originally posted by Medicated Oil:

  Babel is not even given sufficient play time to improve his play and he was cold storaged cos he speak out against Ah Ben.

  12 starts and 19 subs 'not enough sufficient play time'? Or how about 13 starts and 29 subs the previous seasons?

  Go back to your Babel youtube highlights while I continue to watch every game live and facepalm each time Babel gives away possession cheaply.

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Medicated Oil

  11 Apr 10, 20:59

  If Ah Ben is doing a good job, why are we at 6th position now ?

  That is enough proof.

  Face the music and dun need to do what Ah Ben is doing - beat around the bush.

  Whether Babel is good or not, both sides of the coin is also ok.

  You see him as a flop, I see him as a potential which is under-developed in Liverpool.

  As for proof on Alonso, Liverpool lying on 6th position is the best proof.

  I am not here to prove anything as the results will be the proof itself.

  So, dun have to dis-prove and defend everything that I have written.