I think any sort of success in the league will see Ramos taken from us anyway. Personnally i think the heady hieghts of 5th nearly 4th, under Jol are not going to be repeated any time soon. We'll be great to watch, we'll be significanlty more competetive and consistent than last year but too short of 4th.
Don't forget other teams will also build next year. We don't only have to add quality to what we have, we also have to add more quality than the rest of the league are going to do. i think people forget that other teams are allowed to buy players too... if only they were banned from buying.
Of course other teams will buy, however will our main rivals for a european spot strengthen as much as we are likely to?
Wenger has already come out and said that Arsenal will make only 1 significant signing over the summer and it's certainly debatable how much money Arsenal have to invest in strengthening their team.
Liverpool are in the middle of boardroom turmoil and it has to be doubtful that they will have bundles of money to spend and have 2 owners who currently can't agree on anything let alone spending 10's of millions of pounds. It's also possible that rafa will leave in the summer and where does that leave torres and the rest of the latin contingenet who are currently at the club.
Everton are never big spenders in the market and money is notoriously tight at Goodison and it's unlikely to see them going on a spending blitz.
Mike ashley has had a financial hole put in his pocket at Toon and although they will obviously spend its debatable how much they have and they have few sellable assets. they also have no european football to attract top class players.
Villa have a pretty prudent owner who wasn't really splahing the cash last summer or in january, plus Villa already have a small squad and in all likelihood no european football to offer.
Blackburn have very little money and seem to have a hand to mouth existance.
City have money but no european football to offer and a pretty poor team that needs massive investment.
Pompey will no doubt spend and in harry they have 1 of the shrewdest operators in the market and they could well improve next season.
West ham have already come out and said that they drastically need to cut their wage bill and have bought a ridiculous amount of players in the last 18 months and are more likely to be sellin than buying.
But overall from 3rd place down to us I see us as being in the position to strengthen more than anybody else. We are a profitable club without debt and although money is flush in football the credit crunch will still be biting and I think that we will see a quiter summer than recent years.
good shout. Yes we should look to improve but unless some of those players are really unhappy and wan't out there is no way we should sell them as they are all fairly young and are quite clearly talented and have shown it over the past few seasons. Arguably they may not be top4 standard, but we should be able to bring in enough quality to compensate for that in the summer and clear out all the players we really don't need i.e :Gardener,Stalteri,Ghaly,Lee.Y.P,Chimbonda???,Rocha,Robinson???,Assou-eketto,ifill, mabye one of:boetang,tainio,taarabt but only if nesseccary. Then bring in players in positions we actually need and we would save alot of time and money and have one hell of a squad.The premiership is a tough and competitive league.
Ramos did great with Sevilla but it may take him 2 seasons.
I think we will challenge for it next year but whether we make it is another thing.
I believe we will win another domestic next season and possibly in Europe.
I too am looking forward to summer signings.
I think many of us want too many players out too soon. We need to get rid of deadwood, but i won't place Jenas, Hudd and Lennon is that category. They can be good back up for games in CC or in Europe weak teams. We signed players like Tiago, Modric, Capel, Benzema and a strong dictative, good passer commanding defensive midfielder and let these players dictate our team in the premiership, we should finish top 5 with CC or FA Cup and Europe!!!!!!
Agree - sell Robbo, Gardner, Lee, Chimbonda, Tainio, Stalteri, Rochagood shout. Yes we should look to improve but unless some of those players are really unhappy and wan't out there is no way we should sell them as they are all fairly young and are quite clearly talented and have shown it over the past few seasons. Arguably they may not be top4 standard, but we should be able to bring in enough quality to compensate for that in the summer and clear out all the players we really don't need i.e :Gardener,Stalteri,Ghaly,Lee.Y.P,Chimbonda???,Rocha,Robinson???,Assou-eketto,ifill, mabye one of:boetang,tainio,taarabt but only if nesseccary. Then bring in players in positions we actually need and we would save alot of time and money and have one hell of a squad.