Liverpool Rumours And General Discussion 2007/2008

PHB

AFAIK, the deadline for 5 bookings has passed, and now its onto 7 bookings required. Could well be wrong though

Melion

Melion wrote: »

Just a quick thought i had while watching LFC tv just now.

Anyone think we could lose Stevie this summer? He is out of contract in summer 2009, we could lose him for nothing if we arent top of the table by this time next year. He wants to win trophies and if it doesnt look like that we are going to then surely he will be off and for a lot less than we could get for him this summer.

Anyone care to discuss this?

Seems to have got lost in all the Inter talk

LuckyLloyd

Melion wrote: »

Anyone care to discuss this?

Seems to have got lost in all the Inter talk

Unfortunately, there isn't too much to discuss. In short, yes - we may be forced to accept offers this summer.

Villain

Looking in from outside Melion I'd say that depends a lot on who the manager is come the end of the season, I can't see Gerrard staying for another season under Rafa.

PHB

I don't know if Gerrard has it in him to leave. He seemed dead set on it last time, but then at the last moment backed out. Also, I think considering his age (he'll be 28 in the summer) I'd be surprised to see him go for more than 20 million, especially as it'll be the last year of his contract. That said, he might stay one more year, see what the story is, then leave on a free if he needs to.

whatawaster

Gerrard is under contract until 2011

mike65

If he is going it better be this summer for the value, but who would have him?

Mike.

whatawaster

mike65 wrote: »

If he is going it better be this summer for the value, but who would have him?

Mike.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan, Inter, Juventus. He wouldn't go to another English club imo, and nobody else would interest Gerrard, nor could they afford him. He would improve any team in the world, who wouldn't want him.

He won't go though.

Pighead

mike65 wrote: »

If he is going it better be this summer for the value, but who would have him?

Mike.

Juventus maybe. Ranieri knows him well and with Nedved probably leaving in the summer theres room for a top quality midfielder.

PHB

I think he'd be likely to go to Italy. Can't see Barca moving for him. Can't see Milan moving for him (Gattuso, Kaka and Pirlo works fine )

Maybe Inter with their lack of wingers could accomodate him in there? Juve of course would want him, but do they have the money.
Madrid would buy him just because he could
I can't see United or Chelsea making a move for him, but maybe Arsenal.

mike65

I'm not sure he would improve any team though - most successful teams are settled in thier footballing philosophy and someone like Gerrard in the pivitol central role could upset the applecart.

Mike.

PHB

Thats the thing. I think 3 years ago, any team in the world would havbe wanted him. But now he's moulded himself into a player which might have best suited Liverpool, but not necessarily how a midfielder in general should play. That said, I'm sure a good manager could knock it back out of him again.

mayordenis

Archimedes wrote: »

Those are the results you have gotten against those teams already this season. 4 wins, 6 draws, 3 defeats. 18 points from 39. Take away the teams you highlighted, and its 3 wins, 5 draws, and 2 defeats. Thats 14 points from 30.

A pretty nice run in? What makes you so confident this time round?

can you not understand that i'm not saying we will win those games i'm pretty sure i said we probably won't but we certainly can and there is only 3 games out of those 13 where a team like liverpool would ear mark the games before hand as banana skins, jesus christ, i can't understand you people i'm not even saying we will dominate everyone or anything like that.
just we still are a big team we still have much bigger playersand should be able to win those matches, don't act like a child.
**** sake.

Pighead

mayordenis wrote: »

just we still are a big team we still have much bigger playersand should be able to win those matches, don't act like a child.
**** sake.

Speaking of acting like a child,
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=55155743&postcount=117

Please tell me you were drunk. That was a toy throwing tantrum of epic proportions.

LuckyLloyd

whatawaster wrote: »

Gerrard is under contract until 2011

Is this confirmed? If so, awesome.

mayordenis

yea i was pretty stupid yesterday but i'm still sick of trolling here by some fans, you can troll all you like but the slightest sign of abuse and everyone is barred

~Rebel~

I think it shows something about how our season has gone that we're arguing with Helix rather then Tauren (or Archimedes or PHB), Pepe or Growler!

As Helix was saying, this could potentially spell a dark period for Liverpool, but imo, its in much the same way that Man City can potentially push on from this season and win the league next year. it Could happen, but it wont.

I'm pretty confident this is as bad as we can be and next year will be an improvement, with or without rafa (though more likely without at this point).

Just looking at it from the POV that liverpool are nigh on as bad as possible and are still on the same points as the pretenders to 4th spot who are all having good seasons, we should still be in a decent position for the future. This year will probably just be seen as a very dark year we all try to forget about (but get reminded of by the opposition )

mike65

Just looking at it from the POV that liverpool are nigh on as bad as possible and are still on the same points as the pretenders to 4th spot who are all having good seasons, we should still be in a decent position for the future

That made me smile cos it does put some perspective on matters. Still, it should not be!

Mike.

stick-dan

A few things there lads you all seem to be living in abother dimension.

1. Gerrard is going nowhere. Put simply he started at the club and without a doubt in my mind will finish at the club. As far as i am concerned he is under contract to 2011 so forget all this about him leaving on the cheap or soon even though he would not leave ever. Why do liverpool fans seem to be turning on the team at the moment are you all turning out to be bandwagon fans like we accuse man united fan of being.The reason gerrard stayed at the club was because of his love and passion for the club and the fans. If you want him to leave keep on talking the way you are and he will have nothing to play for with the situation the club is in at the moment.

2. Rafa Benitez. What does everyone expect?Look at arsenal year compared to last year. Last year arsenal won nothing and you don't see arsene thrown out of the club. What makes us think we are of such high standard that if a manager doesn't deliver the premiership after he was given an appartently "unlimited" budget that turned out to be a half empty promise.We haven't won the premiership in 18 years now so why should we hold high expectations with our managers? Now is the time we need to bathen down the hatches and stay strong support our manager and strive to do our best until next season.
Benitez will take us to where we want to go. Stop blaming him and support the club.

Kimbot

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Is this confirmed? If so, awesome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Gerrard

It was announced on 4 May 2007, Gerrard would tie up a £120,000 pounds a week contract to keep him at Liverpool until the end of his career, despite already being contracted until 2009 . This contract would make him the highest paid British player. This was confirmed on 4 June 2007, when Gerrard and team-mate Jamie Carragher signed deals that would tie them to Liverpool until July 2011.

Melion

Oh christ yeah, i forgot he signed another one in the summer. Apologies for that, i was still going by the contract he signed in 2005 which tied him down til '09.

Forget i posted anything.

stick-dan

no harm done

the only reason i knew for defo was because i must admit to being a gerrard-a holic!:rolleyes:

Peyton Manning

mayordenis wrote: »

can you not understand that i'm not saying we will win those games i'm pretty sure i said we probably won't but we certainly can and there is only 3 games out of those 13 where a team like liverpool would ear mark the games before hand as banana skins, jesus christ, i can't understand you people i'm not even saying we will dominate everyone or anything like that.
just we still are a big team we still have much bigger playersand should be able to win those matches, don't act like a child.
**** sake.

Take it easy there petal and dont get your knickers in a twist. I was merely pointing out that its not a "pretty nice run in" as you called it if you consider how you performed against them already this season. I asked you why you were so confident about it in an honest question and you just lost it. So please tell me, how in the blue hell was my post trolling when I actually did a bit of research into it and asked you a genuine question? Or are you just emotional given your teams current state of affairs at the moment?

Xavi6

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I think it shows something about how our season has gone that we're arguing with Helix rather then Tauren (or Archimedes or PHB), Pepe or Growler!

As Helix was saying, this could potentially spell a dark period for Liverpool, but imo, its in much the same way that Man City can potentially push on from this season and win the league next year. it Could happen, but it wont.

I'm pretty confident this is as bad as we can be and next year will be an improvement, with or without rafa (though more likely without at this point).

Just looking at it from the POV that liverpool are nigh on as bad as possible and are still on the same points as the pretenders to 4th spot who are all having good seasons, we should still be in a decent position for the future. This year will probably just be seen as a very dark year we all try to forget about (but get reminded of by the opposition )

:eek: Who the hell said that?! Even I'm not that dillusional! Next year we'll be aiming to overtake Liverpool as a top four team and as a Champions League qualifier. After that it's still another twenty points to the title.

zing

Well today's the 18th - the day it's all going to be announced according to that chain/krap mail from a few weeks ago. Wouldn't it be so ironic if something was announced today.

Meanwhile back in reality talks between DIC and G&H are still said to be progressing with Hicks easing in his hardline stance somewhat. Loosing to Inter in the CL could actually be a good thing as it guarantees slightly less revenue from the CL this season which in turn will affect discussions over the clubs sale.

LuckyLloyd

stick-dan wrote: »

A few things there lads you all seem to be living in abother dimension.

1. Gerrard is going nowhere. Put simply he started at the club and without a doubt in my mind will finish at the club. As far as i am concerned he is under contract to 2011 so forget all this about him leaving on the cheap or soon even though he would not leave ever. Why do liverpool fans seem to be turning on the team at the moment are you all turning out to be bandwagon fans like we accuse man united fan of being.The reason gerrard stayed at the club was because of his love and passion for the club and the fans. If you want him to leave keep on talking the way you are and he will have nothing to play for with the situation the club is in at the moment.

2. Rafa Benitez. What does everyone expect?Look at arsenal year compared to last year. Last year arsenal won nothing and you don't see arsene thrown out of the club. What makes us think we are of such high standard that if a manager doesn't deliver the premiership after he was given an appartently "unlimited" budget that turned out to be a half empty promise.We haven't won the premiership in 18 years now so why should we hold high expectations with our managers? Now is the time we need to bathen down the hatches and stay strong support our manager and strive to do our best until next season.
Benitez will take us to where we want to go. Stop blaming him and support the club.

good post.

Peyton Manning

If anybody can get word across to the Anfield dressing room tomorrow, I will more than happily pay the fine that any Liverpool player gets for deliberately breaking Materazzi's legs.

Thanks.

Xavi6

Archimedes wrote: »

If anybody can get word across to the Anfield dressing room tomorrow, I will more than happily pay the fine that any Liverpool player gets for deliberately breaking Materazzi's legs.

Thanks.

+1 to that

~Rebel~

Xavi6 wrote: »

:eek: Who the hell said that?! Even I'm not that dillusional! Next year we'll be aiming to overtake Liverpool as a top four team and as a Champions League qualifier. After that it's still another twenty points to the title.

..that was the point.

I said there is the Potential for Liverpool to go way down, just as there is Potential for Man City to win the league next year. They're both potentially possible, they just won't happen.

Xavi6

~Rebel~ wrote: »

..that was the point.

I said there is the Potential for Liverpool to go way down, just as there is Potential for Man City to win the league next year. They're both potentially possible, they just won't happen.

Yeah but what I'm saying is that there isn't even potential for that to happen (to us anyway)

stick-dan

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

good post.

Thanks a million mate. The only reason it is in your opinion good is because i live and breathe that club and it hurts and annoys me when the clubs so called supporters begin to turn their backs on the club. Liverpool for a long time now has been admired because of it's passionate fans.It is the only club imo where the fans are every bit as important as even the clubs best player. I wish the fans would pick the allegiance, either passionately support your club and not just support them because they are winning or have bought a world class player,or don't support the club at all.

Harsh but true!

Helix

stick-dan wrote: »

2. Rafa Benitez. What does everyone expect?Look at arsenal year compared to last year. Last year arsenal won nothing and you don't see arsene thrown out of the club.

perhaps because they were playing absolutely breathtaking football which only lacked the end product, something which was added this year?

~Rebel~

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yeah but what I'm saying is that there isn't even potential for that to happen (to us anyway)

Theres always potential, nothing in football is impossible. Massive strings of injuries to the top 4, Castillo being a revelation and scoring 30league goals, Dunne and Richards keep a record number of clean sheets, Scandal rips through the league as Pool, Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal get caught for match fixing and get deducted points etc etc etc

It WONT happen, just like Liverpool won't disappear down to midtable in the short term.

~Rebel~

stick-dan wrote: »

Thanks a million mate. The only reason it is in your opinion good is because i live and breathe that club and it hurts and annoys me when the clubs so called supporters begin to turn their backs on the club. Liverpool for a long time now has been admired because of it's passionate fans.It is the only club imo where the fans are every bit as important as even the clubs best player. I wish the fans would pick the allegiance, either passionately support your club and not just support them because they are winning or have bought a world class player,or don't support the club at all.

Harsh but true!

Theres a difference between turning your back, and being unhappy. Every game i go to, i sing my heart out, but we're still in a pathetic position. Arsenal pushed on last year yeah, but the circumstances of the clubs are too different to compare Arsene's total job security with Rafa's hanging-by-a-thread position..

I dont want Rafa out now or anything, but he HAS to prove in the coming weeks that he hasn't lost the dressing room. If this form continues I have no doubt he'll be gone. I still think he has the ability to win the league, but sometimes its just a case of circumstances making it impossible (and losing the dressing room would be one of those). On the other hand, if he gets everyone rallied together and they go on a proper run and theres solidarity and team spirit etc id be only delighted to give him another year.

Its not being a bad fan to be a realist once you have the best interests of the club at heart and always back the club. We're allowed to see the quite evident flaws though.

mike65

it hurts and annoys me when the clubs so called supporters begin to turn their backs on the club.

BS frankly. Any turning away is with regard to a bungling manager (plus owners and chief executive) - NOT the club. Rafa fans sometimes get the two confused.

Mike.

stick-dan

Helix wrote: »

perhaps because they were playing absolutely breathtaking football which only lacked the end product, something which was added this year?

But surely you can't be placing the hope and dreams for a successful season on Fernando, that isn't fair on him.IMO, you are a little of the track with your comment yes we were playing breath-taking football that almost seemed as if we were looking at the liverpool of old, the days when liverpool hunted in packs.
But you're wrong in the sense in saying we added the end-product this year. We added half if not a third of the end -product in the sense that torres needed a world class strike partner to be his other half. Kuyt works hard but isnt good enough.Crouch is ok and vorinin bad buy.

Mr Alan

Last May Mike, when we were all off to Athens for the CL final, did you want Rafa to get that sack or did you think he was the ****? honestly.

raven136

Helix wrote: »

perhaps because they were playing absolutely breathtaking football which only lacked the end product, something which was added this year?

compare arsenals record with ours since rafa arrived,and also if they bottle it and dont win the league what difference will the sexy football make?
Arsene wenger has this really great thing as he attempts to build a great team,cant think of it off hand.....oh yeah peter hill wood didnt try to replace him halfway through the season!

not a happy pool fan but we should write this season off and give rafa at least next season with hopefully new owners and the players he wants and needs.Not a good situation but we have to hope it juts doesnt get worse

~Rebel~

Mr Alan wrote: »

Last May Mike, when we were all off to Athens for the CL final, did you want Rafa to get that sack or did you think he was the ****? honestly.

thats all well and good, but its not a get out of jail free card.

As I said, if he can push on and get the team to show SOMETHING then give him his final year, but if he goes an entire year of consistently bad results with no sign of improvement...

we'll see in a few months i guess. I like Rafa, and I really want him to show something to make us believe he can challenge and that he still has the faith of the players, but at the end of the day its Liverpool I Love.

LuckyLloyd

raven136 wrote: »

compare arsenals record with ours since rafa arrived,and also if they bottle it and dont win the league what difference will the sexy football make?
Arsene wenger has this really great thing as he attempts to build a great team,cant think of it off hand.....oh yeah peter hill wood didnt try to replace him halfway through the season!

not a happy pool fan but we should write this season off and give rafa at least next season with hopefully new owners and the players he wants and needs.Not a good situation but we have to hope it juts doesnt get worse

Yes. And the other thing that no - one ever seems able to answer is who replaces Rafa if he does go? And don't just say Mourinho - he's not neccesarily interested!!

kaimera

I'm terrified we're becoming a very average mid table team.

I couldnt even bring myself to watch the MOTD highights. ****ing depressed lately.

Rafas stock has fallen big time this season. Even a CL win won't help.

Mr Alan

~Rebel~ wrote: »

thats all well and good, but its not a get out of jail free card.

As I said, if he can push on and get the team to show SOMETHING then give him his final year, but if he goes an entire year of consistently bad results with no sign of improvement...

we'll see in a few months i guess. I like Rafa, and I really want him to show something to make us believe he can challenge and that he still has the faith of the players, but at the end of the day its Liverpool I Love.

i know its not a get out of jail free card.

but its just an example of how in a few short months peoples minds can change so quickly. imo that is very fickle, and one of the things wrong with modern football. He has been working in almost impossible circumstances this year, no one can deny that...its not an excuse....just a fact.

Rafa deserves his 5th year. no matter wat we achieve this year. then we can make a decision on whether or not he is the right man to bring us forward.

DC

Well, Stick-Dan, I think you have a blinkered view of what support is. Supporters want to see their club achieve their potential. For Liverpool that happens to be the league as well as the cups. If we keep falling way short of that every year - i.e. 15 to 20 points off the top - then supporters have a right to be unhappy and question the way the club is being managed.

The evidence is there that Benitez is failing at his job. Surely every Liverpool supporter can see how this rotation policy or player-resting policy is flawed. Everyone can see how poorly we've done against the other "Big 3". I don't see any signs of progress. The team seems even more unsettled than ever under Benitez.

As for sticking up for the players - of course we do. But, we have a right to worry about whether some of them will leave. Torres has only just arrived, so he's not going anywhere, I would imagine, but Gerrard and Alonso might. It took winning the CL for Gerrard to commit. He would probably be playing for Chelsea now if we didn't. That gives us the right to wonder if he would get pissed off and leave. I mean, who thought Owen was going to leave?

A desperately depressed Liverpool supporter of more than 20 years....

IrishMike

DC wrote: »

Well, Stick-Dan, I think you have a blinkered view of what support is. Supporters want to see their club achieve their potential. For Liverpool that happens to be the league as well as the cups. If we keep falling way short of that every year - i.e. 15 to 20 points off the top - then supporters have a right to be unhappy and question the way the club is being managed.

The evidence is there that Benitez is failing at his job. Surely every Liverpool supporter can see how this rotation policy or player-resting policy is flawed. Everyone can see how poorly we've done against the other "Big 3". I don't see any signs of progress. The team seems even more unsettled than ever under Benitez.

As for sticking up for the players - of course we do. But, we have a right to worry about whether some of them will leave. Torres has only just arrived, so he's not going anywhere, I would imagine, but Gerrard and Alonso might. It took winning the CL for Gerrard to commit. He would probably be playing for Chelsea now if we didn't. That gives us the right to wonder if he would get pissed off and leave. I mean, who thought Owen was going to leave?

A desperately depressed Liverpool supporter of more than 20 years....

Totally agree, you also have to worry about the drastic loss in form of so many players since paco left.
Carragher, riise, sissoko, alonso, crouch, kuyt (who last year was
not the miserable abject failure he is this season) etc
The thing with Arsenal is that Henry was upsetting the applecart so they
sent him on his way, is Rafa not doing the same thing at Liverpool?
As a liverpool fan look at Liverpool in the league and honestly tell me you can
see progression in the past 3 and a half years cause i sure havent.
I dont see how 1 more year and another 30m is going to change that.
There is no point buying 2 wingers for 15m each if you play a defensive
system and drop them every second week.
The trouble with the club is at the top, management and ownership.

raven136

as martin samuel said recently to get rid of benitez would be to get rid of the spanish ethos at the club.Whether we like it or not players such as alonso,torres,reina all trust and value benitez and its fair to say that they would not be pool players without him.
A new manager would be faced with what rafa was when he took over from G.H.,totally ridding the club of one specific nationality,coaches and ethos.

Its beeing said that rafa is to blame for certain players form but should said players not just buck.Players who have played well under rafa's rotation in previous seasons have badly let him down.Kuyt has been abused left right and centrew yet rafa has stuck by him,crouch in his first season was a laughing stock and still benitez refused to seell him,ditto kewell,pennant,riise.
Crouch has been given many chances this season but simply he does not and will not score enough,at least with kuyt he works hard but again no goals.

Rafa cant take all the blame,in every club the players must stand up and be counted.Sadly as we have our worst season for a long while very few have.The exceptions to this are Torres,Gerrard,Masch,and Reina.

machiavellianme

BBC rumours seem to think Mike Asheley tried to sell Newcastle to DIC. If that did go ahead, then we are stuck with G&H, right? Cos I dont think DIC can have an interest in 2 PL clubs?

walshki

machiavellianme wrote: »

BBC rumours seem to think Mike Asheley tried to sell Newcastle to DIC. If that did go ahead, then we are stuck with G&H, right? Cos I dont think DIC can have an interest in 2 PL clubs?

One of the sources was that tabloid which won't be named if I'm not mistaken. This pretty much excludes the possibility of it being true - also him trying to sell doesn't mean they were interested. For now I'll assume they're still our best hope.

As for everyone who seems to think the current debate is between true liverpool fans and others - grow up. We all want the club to be successful. I just see too many players not playing to their potential. There is no doubt that we have a far better squad than those teams around us in the table and those teams who've given us a tough time on the pitch recently, e.g. Barnsley.

If one or two players aren't on form - look at the players, if 5 or 6 or more aren't playing to their best then, for me, you have to look at the manager. Thats where we are now imho. As a few others have said, I like Rafa but I love Liverpool and I don't think waiting for one more year is worth it. Also 'Who else' is hardly a good reason to keep Rafa. Chelsea haven't fallen apart without Mourinho - same players, same work ethic, more or less same results.

redspider

> Even a CL win won't help.

Well, I think if we did get the CL win it would be a succesful season, so it would certainly help, even finishing 5th or lower and winning the CL would be forgiveable. I'd take thaht now in a heartbeat.

However, I dont have much hope of a CL win. A CL run is possible though. Its much more achievable to get 4th, it is possible to get past Inter, but no one would seriously back us to win the CL.

I'm just looking for pride to be restored. Hopefully, with Rafa putting out 1st elevens in the CL and the league going forward there is a chance of that.

In terms of Rafa and his tenure, I'd like decide at the end of the season or when all the chips are settled.

But lets not disillusion ourselves, even with a brand new manager replacing Benitez, it will take time and squad re-building (ie: money) to get to the level where we know we should be. Think 3 seasons.

Fingers crossed we'll beat Inter tomorrow night. Cara is hruting judging by his latest comments. Lets see how the players respond, because at the end of the day it is not 100% down to the manager.

Redspider

machiavellianme

walshki wrote: »

If one or two players aren't on form - look at the players, if 5 or 6 or more aren't playing to their best then, for me, you have to look at the manager. Thats where we are now imho. As a few others have said, I like Rafa but I love Liverpool and I don't think waiting for one more year is worth it. Also 'Who else' is hardly a good reason to keep Rafa. Chelsea haven't fallen apart without Mourinho - same players, same work ethic, more or less same results.

I'd agree. Rafa has to shoulder some if not all the blame here.
The "Who Else" debate doesnt matter. At the moment anyone else will do as long as they try something different to whats currently going on. For everyone who hates Mourinho, he obviously has some managerial ability, but more importantly, the players seem to love him and have faith in him. We need someone like that. Apart from the Spanish speaking players at LFC, I wonder how many have that same confidence in Rafa at the moment?
From the past, we've seen that once a manager starts to look dodgy for an extended period (more than 5 - 10 games), there is usually no way back for him, irrespective of budgets or anything else.

PHB

Personally I think Liverpool could challenge next year if the following things happen:

A. Rafa is fired
B. New manager is brought in
C. New manager is given about 4-50 million Net spend on players
D. New manager gets a system which
- Provides cover for a relatively slow defence
- Utilises Alonso's passing ability
- Utilises Torres pace and dribbling skills
- Utilises Gerrads match-winning abilities, without being detrimental to the team overall
- Utilises the new players to the best of their ability.

Personally I think a squad of

GK: Reina + whoever
--
LB: New left back(7ish mill)
CB: Agger, Carragher, Srektle
RB: Finnan, Arbeloa
With Arbeloa also covering LB and CB
--
Wingers: New expensive established right winger (20 mill), New young big potential left winger(12ish mill), Babel, Yossi, Pennant
CM: Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Lucas, Guthre
--
Stikers: Torres, new striker (25ish mill), Kuyt/Crouch, Voronin

Sell: Crouch/Kuyt for 7ish million. Let Kewell go. Carson for 8ish. That's 59 spending with 15 coming back, net spend of around 40 million, isn't ludicrous really for a one year investment spree.

And you're all set for getting the 80 point+ mark, then it comes down to the season itself.
I think Rafa's main problem is his system, not just his players. There is some dross there, no doubt, but the system and his methods aren't working.

New manager + 40 million and a league challenge is possible imo.

For example, I think the introduction of Mourinho, with the purchases of say Left back (7) Ben Afra (20), Bentley (12) and Benzema (25) you could well win the league.