Are we getting left behind?

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

I see the BBC is reporting on Balotelli to Liverpool. It's really getting scary how much Rodgers is being backed, and with Chelsea and Arsenal also having made some key signings, and Everton having signed Lukaku on a perm, just how far behind are we falling? We the latest ITK suggesting our targets aren't going to come to fruition, combined with us hoping that last year's signings magically start to all come together, has me feeling that are we going into the season with greater risk and blind hope than our competitors. I'm worried that with everyone else strengthening, if we were to under-perform this season we could see ourselves ending up 7th or 8th.

I wonder, did last year's scatter gun approach to signings harm our ability to subsequently make guy ones under Poch?

 

[Spurs 1961]

Please oh please let Liverpool get Balotelli then their season will be finished

 

[talkshowhost86]

We are behind financially. It's as simple as that.

Other than Everton (who have saved for years to be able to buy Lukaku), the teams around us have significantly more cash at their disposal. That's why Liverpool, Arsenal and United were able to throw cash at Southampton and pay over the odds whilst we've had to actually negotiate for Schneiderlin.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Until we get the new stadium there are 5 clubs ahead of us with a hell of a lot more spending power than us and that will ultimately tell in terms of where we finish.

Of course it doesn't help that we've recently employed a string of numpties as manager...but even so finishing 6th is actually par for us and fans need to realise that.

 

[Spursidol]

Please oh please let Liverpool get Balotelli then their season will be finished

Suarez out - and just when 'pool thought they had cleaned up their image.......

 

[Spurs 1961]

Suarez out - and just when 'pool thought they had cleaned up their image.......

They will be begging for Suarez to come back and offer him a selection of apprentices to chomp on whenever he feels the need

 

[dagraham]

We got left behind as soon as we started selling all our best players. Old news now.

 

[Spursidol]

They will be begging for Suarez to come back and offer him a selection of apprentices to chomp on whenever he feels the need

If Balotteli is there Suarez can have the apprentcies barbecued as well !

Hopefully Balotelli will totally disrupt the 'pool dressing room

 

[tototoner]

You need to be near the front to begin with to be getting left behind, therefore doesn't apply to us

 

[Spurs 1961]

If Balotteli is there Suarez can have the apprentcies barbecued as well !

Hopefully Balotelli will totally disrupt the 'pool dressing room

You can be sure he would. He can't help it. If they buy him it will smack of desperation

 

[SteveH]

We got left behind as soon as we started selling all our best players. Old news now.

Spurs according to Mr J. Redknapp. Its rubbish!

Everybody sells players - Suarez goes and 9 players come in (Mario has made me chuckle today mind)

Chelsea sell £50m Torres and......wait..

All clubs sell.

 

[ilikeost]

It's hard to be left behind when we never were at the same level.

 

[SteveH]

We are behind financially. It's as simple as that.

Other than Everton (who have saved for years to be able to buy Lukaku), the teams around us have significantly more cash at their disposal. That's why Liverpool, Arsenal and United were able to throw cash at Southampton and pay over the odds whilst we've had to actually negotiate for Schneiderlin.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Until we get the new stadium there are 5 clubs ahead of us with a hell of a lot more spending power than us and that will ultimately tell in terms of where we finish.

Of course it doesn't help that we've recently employed a string of numpties as manager...but even so finishing 6th is actually par for us and fans need to realise that.

We need a function on SC of 'auto respond' with text like above to key phrases like "Are we getting left behind?"

 

[dagraham]

Spurs according to Mr J. Redknapp. Its rubbish!

Everybody sells players - Suarez goes and 9 players come in (Mario has made me chuckle today mind)

Chelsea sell £50m Torres and......wait..

All clubs sell.

Yes, all clubs sell from time to time. But when you systematically sell your best players in a short space of time and replace them with lower quality you will go backwards. I don't need Mr Redknapp to tell me that.

 

[lillywhites61]

We were pushing before without really challenging, some poor seasons by various clubs helped us along the way. I think we need to realise our situation a little and believe we have a manager that can get that bit more from the players at his disposal to punch above our weight a bit until we have the funds to compete at that level.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Yes, all clubs sell from time to time. But when you systematically sell your best players in a short space of time and replace them with lower quality you will go backwards. I don't need Mr Redknapp to tell me that.

Fundamentally we couldn't keep the players we've sold.

All three of Modric, Berbatov and Bale kicked up a fuss about leaving...what else could we do? And pretty much all of that money has been reinvested in other players.

For me the issue isn't as much about how much we're spending but more how we're spending that money.

At this stage last season we were sitting here salivating at the players we'd purchased...there was certainly no issue about our ambition then.

 

[SteveH]

Yes, all clubs sell from time to time. But when you systematically sell your best players in a short space of time and replace them with lower quality you will go backwards. I don't need Mr Redknapp to tell me that.

Good players sell - poor players dont! (edit: dont we know it this month )

If any of current squad do well this season e.g. Dier, watch Chelsea!

 

[Mullers]

We've won one trophy in 14 years and qualified once for the champions league, we got left behind yonks ago.

 

[SteveH]

We've won one trophy in 14 years and qualified once for the champions league, we got left behind yonks ago.

around 1998

 

[SugarRay]

We always seems to bring in more than we spend when it comes to transfer windows. That usually suggests a lack of ambition, but its not as cut and dry as that. Obviously we are attempting to make massive progress off the pitch, so no need to over that again.

I'm sure even the most optimistic fan is a little disappointed with our transfer dealings so far but we have a bloated squad, with plenty who qualify as no more than "squad players" and its proving hard to get rid of a fair few of them. All our transfer dealings of late seem dependent on what we bring in, money wise.

What worries me is the deals we do strike are just going to end up being players we can't offload in a couple of years time! I fully expect that to be the case with Davies and possibly Vorm, and if we were to sign him, Morgan S ( obviously hope I'm wrong )

 

[CowInAComa]

I see the BBC is reporting on Balotelli to Liverpool. It's really getting scary how much Rodgers is being backed, and with Chelsea and Arsenal also having made some key signings, and Everton having signed Lukaku on a perm, just how far behind are we falling? We the latest ITK suggesting our targets aren't going to come to fruition, combined with us hoping that last year's signings magically start to all come together, has me feeling that are we going into the season with greater risk and blind hope than our competitors. I'm worried that with everyone else strengthening, if we were to under-perform this season we could see ourselves ending up 7th or 8th.

I wonder, did last year's scatter gun approach to signings harm our ability to subsequently make guy ones under Poch?

Liverpool are flailing about like we were last season. It didnt work for us. Not everything is solved by the obsession with new players.