Many Liverpool supporters are not very optimistic about the upcoming January transfer window. In fact, there is nothing to be optimistic about!
It is said that Rafa Benitez has formed an armada of scouts and a formidable database of around 10,000 footballers playing in a multitude of leagues worldwide. It is also true that the Club has been buying some very interesting and promising youngsters that may represent the future of the Club. The problems we have are with the first team. Is it ever possible that with 10,000 players being monitored we have not been able to build a team of Liverpool’s tradition?
The January transfer window is meant to be a reparatory one. Teams who have, like Liverpool, started off on a bad foot (to say the least), have the opportunity to bring in and offload players in what should be an effort to strengthen the squad with a view to an improved performance in the second half of the season. Unfortunately for us, we have to face this issue when we are 8th in the PL and out of the CL, so more than in a reparatory phase we look like being more in looming crisis.
There are three targets, albeit consolatory, to aim for: a top four finish in the PL, the Europa League and the FA Cup. Certainly not what everyone was aiming for from the onset, but nevertheless still important objectives. The question is: do we have the team to make these objectives realistic? The time for excuses is behind us, and this is nothing less than an in-your-face reality check for everyone concerned.
Rafa was aware he would not be able to splash out money on players. In a very rough calculation we actually spent a little less than we brought in from selling players in summer but the rest of the money went for the improved contracts (hence more spending) for our top players. Rafa himself has stated that in agreement with Christian Purslow, it was agreed the way forward moneywise, would be extremely cautious.
We are lead to believe that we can buy players if we sell, but there are another two questions here, who wants the players we need/want to offload and what will we get for them? Babel’s potential has almost faded, Dossena’s season has not been rosy, and Voronin is not even making the team sheet any more. Are there more players for the chop? Hence, sell yes, big money no.
I have already written this and for those who might have missed it, will write it again. Players like Emile Heskey and Ruud van Nistelrooy want to leave their Clubs because they are not playing. They will not come to Liverpool to be Torres’ sub!
Ideas anyone?