Ryan Babel signs 5 year deal at Liverpool joined by Benayoun

No one's answered my question though, look at Arsenal this summer

Out: Thierry henry

and then their signings haven't been that impressive IMO, yet no one criticises them, at least we're trying to improve by bringing in attacking players, and ok so are Arsenal but not to the same extent

Luis wrote:

Batman wrote:Do none Arsenal fans think that Arsenal fans are gutted that Liverpool have signed Torres and Babel?

And who have Arsenal signed that's so impressive?

Eduardo da Silva

Roger Hunt wrote:Compared to what, Axe? £11m for Berbatov or £16m for Bent?

£16m for Bent is *obscene*, that's the worst of the list.

£11m for Berbatov was steep, but not ridiculous.

For me both Babel and Torres are gambles....and it's a hell of a lot of money to gamble with.

Luis wrote:No one's answered my question though, look at Arsenal this summer

Out: Thierry henry

and then their signings haven't been that impressive IMO, yet no one criticises them, at least we're trying to improve by bringing in attacking players, and ok so are Arsenal but not to the same extent

Maybe we haven't finished buying yet.

Also the signing we have made was a bloody good one and Sagna looks a decent buy for £6m as well.

Then there is Gouffran who'll probably cost under £5m as well if we get him.

The only criticism you can throw is that we haven't bought experience. In terms of quality and price we've done well

I'd prefer our signing's to yours, but thats just me, I think in terms of competing with United and Chelsea next season we've made the better purchases thus far

Luis wrote:I'd prefer our signing's to yours, but thats just me, I think in terms of competing with United and Chelsea next season we've made the better purchases thus far

we have only made one official signing so far though...

Luis wrote:No one's answered my question though, look at Arsenal this summer

Out: Thierry henry

and then their signings haven't been that impressive IMO, yet no one criticises them, at least we're trying to improve by bringing in attacking players, and ok so are Arsenal but not to the same extent

But you can't replace Thierry Henry with a like for like quality, unless you stump up £35m for Samuel Eto'o which will simply not happen. Its like when Man Utd tried to replace Roy Keane, they couldn't go and and get the new Keane but they could still buy a quality player in Michael Carrick.

To an extent its the same with us replacing Thierry Henry's goals with Eduardo da Silva and possibly Obafemi Martins. Having a fully fit squad would be a major bonus for us next year.

we've made 3 officially

Voronin, Torres and Lucas.

Luis wrote:I'd prefer our signing's to yours, but thats just me, I think in terms of competing with United and Chelsea next season we've made the better purchases thus far

Clearly. You've spent almost £50m to our £6m!

I'm sure there will be at least a couple more signings for us, especially if we sell Ljungberg

Tweedle wrote:

Luis wrote:I'd prefer our signing's to yours, but thats just me, I think in terms of competing with United and Chelsea next season we've made the better purchases thus far

Clearly. You've spent almost £50m to our £6m!

I'm sure there will be at least a couple more signings for us, especially if we sell Ljungberg

and we are selling reyes as well...

we've spent

20 on Torres
7 on Lucas
4 on Benayoun
10 on Babel

41 mil

and sold

Bellamy 8 mil
Cisse 6 mil (probably)
garcia 3 mil
pongolle 3 mil

20 mil

so 21 million expenditure

Rosicky wrote:

and we are selling reyes as well...

I bet it'll be another net profit season

Sell:

Henry - £16m
Reyes - £8m
Ljungberg - £6m

Buy

Eduardo - £6m
Sagna - £6m



Fingers crossed we get Nasri or Quaresma

Tweedle wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

and we are selling reyes as well...

I bet it'll be another net profit season

Sell:

Henry - £16m
Reyes - £8m
Ljungberg - £6m

Buy

Eduardo - £6m
Sagna - £6m



Fingers crossed we get Nasri or Quaresma

Yeah right, Wenger will get a few more unknown nobodies about 18-23

Tweedle wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

and we are selling reyes as well...

I bet it'll be another net profit season

Sell:

Henry - £16m
Reyes - £8m
Ljungberg - £6m

Buy

Eduardo - £6m
Sagna - £6m



Fingers crossed we get Nasri or Quaresma

we have forgot about fabianski he was £2mil

also sold aliadiere for £2m

I really hope it ends up like this:

Buy:

Martins - £13m
Da Silva - £6m
Sagna - £6m
Fabianski - £2m
Nordtveit - £2m
TOTAL: £29m

Sell:

Henry - £16m
Reyes - £7m
Ljungberg - £5m
Aliadiere - £2m
Muamba - £3m
TOTAL: £33m

Cesc wrote:I really hope it ends up like this:

Buy:

Martins - £13m
Da Silva - £6m
Sagna - £6m
Fabianski - £2m
Nordtveit - £2m
TOTAL: £29m

Sell:

Henry - £16m
Reyes - £7m
Ljungberg - £5m
Aliadiere - £2m
Muamba - £3m
TOTAL: £33m

Surely we can afford a net spend though...

I'd be happy with Martins but I think if we pushed the boat out a bit more we could get our hands on a real talent/top class player. Martins would be decent I guess though

Axeslammer wrote:
£11m for Berbatov was steep, but not ridiculous.

In comparism to Kuyt, It was like going to Del Boy's stall and finding a product from Harrods for sale!

Cesc wrote:I really hope it ends up like this:

Buy:

Martins - £13m
Da Silva - £6m
Sagna - £6m
Fabianski - £2m
Nordtveit - £2m
TOTAL: £29m

I still am confused on why you want Martins but never the less after we sign Sagna we will sign at least one more player.

I would like to think that we can have a net spend albeit not a great one. With the sale of Henry and the imminent departure of Reyes we won't have a large net spend regardless of who we bring in.

I just cannot see Wenger going out at spending over £15m on a player, I just can't. Wenger is a big fans of Martins as we already know. I think that could happen.

Rosicky wrote:I still am confused on why you want Martins but never the less after we sign Sagna we will sign at least one more player.

Martins is a very good striker who can add power and directness to our attack. His goal record last season for Newcastle was good and at Inter he looked a very promising player in his last few seasons. I still don't know why they sold him TBH.

After Sagna we will surely bring in another player.

Cesc wrote:I would like to think that we can have a net spend albeit not a great one. With the sale of Henry and the imminent departure of Reyes we won't have a large net spend regardless of who we bring in.

I just cannot see Wenger going out at spending over £15m on a player, I just can't. Wenger is a big fans of Martins as we already know. I think that could happen.

The clause does ease matters.

If we signed Martins what would be our formation though?

Would he work best with Adebayor or RVP? Would we play both Martins and RVP off Adebayor?

The one positive with Martins is his directness, something we've been in desperate need of - I just think that its providing too many options but without any one player that can fire us the goals required. Personally I'd rather have Anelka

He strikes me as a very adaptable player. He would be good at making runs off Adebayor and also finding space from the passing of say a van Persie or Fabregas. As you have mentioned he can also play wide on a front three so that can benefit as well. I think he would fit in most situations.

I think Anelka would be suited for a return, he is the type of player we have been crying out for really and at the right cost as well. A few things go against him though a) His relationship with the board and fans b) His commitment, just imagine if Eduardo found form with Adebayor. We would have to leave him on the bench for a few games. We would have a ticking time bomb in our hands!

Cesc wrote:

Batman wrote:Do none Arsenal fans think that Arsenal fans are gutted that Liverpool have signed Torres and Babel?

I am not gutted.

A player like Babel is not what we need as we already have a few players that play his position, one of them being Theo Walcott. With the reportd fee of Babel I would like to think Wenger would rather spend that on a Obafemi Martins.

I like Fernando Torres, but he is not a *huge* improvement on Adebayor or van Persie at the moment, he is 23 so he could go either way in development terms.

Don't you think Liverpool are making more forward progress than you this summer?

What do you consider Babels position and Walcotts? i think Walcott will play alot of games RM next season and i would play Babel as a striker.

Who do you think is better, Babel or Walcott? Walcott could cost £12m if Arsenal are successful in the future.

Instead of signing Martins you could always play Walcott upfront.

Anyway if you do sign another striker then it will only push Bendtner and maybe Silva(depends how good he is) further down the pecking order.

If you sign so many kids then you have to give them a chance.

Hicks hints at more signings



By James Carroll

Date: 11/7/2007



Liverpool co-chairman Tom Hicks says that he expects Rafael Benitez to
make at least one more major signing once the deals for Ryan Babel and
Yossi Benayoun are completed.



Several players continue to be linked with the Reds and Hicks has hinted that the spending spree is not over.

"Rafa has done a great job," said Hicks. "We talked to him about a plan and it has gone pretty much how we agreed it would go.



"The first was to get existing core players on our team to sign extensions, it was critical to get those guys locked up.



"Then we started with process of getting new players in. I wouldn't rule Rafa out for one more (transfer). I know the team is going to be a better team.



"Part of the plan Rafa explained was that we needed to have more depth
as it is a long season, particularly in the Premier League.



"He explained to George and me that we were able to compete better in
the Champions League because of the format than we were in the nine to
10 months of the Premier League. We tried to add to that depth and I
think we have."

Simao

Dont you need a CB?

Luis wrote:Simao

Heinze

for 10 m pounds , everybody is happy.

I'd be upset if we'd spent about two years transfer funds on Torres, Lucas and Babel.

Re Lucas we already have Diaby and Denilson that can play his role.

The other two I think cost too much - I'd have happily paid £6m for Babel and £15m for Torres but no more.

For £40m I'd rather that we had signed players like Nasri and Quaresma

Batman wrote:Don't you think Liverpool are making more forward progress than you this summer?

At the moment yes if Benayoun and Babel are added to the signing of Torres. But the League campaign starts in six weeks so we still have sufficient time to make additions. Personally I would like them over the next few weeks so they can integrate into the squad during the pre-season games.

Batman wrote:What do you consider Babels position and Walcotts? i think Walcott will play alot of games RM next season and i would play Babel as a striker.

Who do you think is better, Babel or Walcott? Walcott could cost £12m if Arsenal are successful in the future.

Well Ajax traditionally play a 4-3-3 system so Babel was often used on the flank in Holland. Benitez usually plays 4-4-2 with either Crouch and Kuyt and the new signing Torres will be used there so I think he may be deployed as a wide man to add pace to the widths of the pitch. Walcott will play as right midfielder or on the left if needed.

Well if he reaches the £12m he has most probably been a success at Arsenal. I was very encouraged with Walcott at the beginning of last season, he looked a very promising player. He was awesome vs. Germany in the Under-21 playoff. He picked up a shoulder injury after Xmas hence his erratic form from then. I can't comment on who will be better but Walcott will be a very good player.

Batman wrote:Instead of signing Martins you could always play Walcott upfront.

I can't see that happening on too many occasions. Wenger will develop Walcott the same as he brough on Henry at Monaco by playing on the winf to develop his confidence on the ball and enhance his dribbling abilities.

Batman wrote:Anyway if you do sign another striker then it will only push Bendtner and maybe Silva(depends how good he is) further down the pecking order.

If you sign so many kids then you have to give them a chance.

Its all about competition for places, look how many attacking midfielders Man Utd have and how many central midfielders are at Chelsea.

We always give kids the chance, everyone knows that. Look at Denilson Neves and Johan Djourou last year.