[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42566.msg1218833#msg1218833 date=1289841564]
[quote author=peterhague link=topic=42566.msg1212171#msg1212171 date=1288960904]
so johnson, aquilani and kyrgiakos: which of benitez's new powers were important in allowing him to make those signings, and why?
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I don't really know where you're going with this arguement (again) Peter, the last two transfer windows saw us bring in:
Aquilani - perma-injured and hardly got a look in, now back in Italy
Dossena - Poor, more of a wing back and now back in Italy
Cavieleri - Has looked poor in most of the games he's featured in. Now gone
Riera - Poor attitude, slow, inconsistent, at best a steady Eddie, now back in Spain
Robbie Keane - Positionally we didn't know what to do with him, was in and out the team, largely 'out', suspected of having a disruptive influence. Now owned by Spurs again
Johnson - Injury issues, accusations of poor application and discipline, dividing opinion over what his best role is, now linked with being offloaded.
Kyrgiakos - Decent centre back, has done exceptionally well this season and plays with heart. On the flip side can occasionally be rash and indecisive, great value for money and experience though.
Whatever the issues over the signings above, whether it be a question of financial priority or whatever, with everyone bar the £1.5m over 30yr old stop gap (Soto), there are question marks over everything from quality to injury records, to best position, to attitude. Whatever the score, in one way or another not enough homework was done, regardless of how well they've done elsewhere or how much we made back. As signings, in isolation, there are question marks over at least £75m worth of 'talent' that was brought in over two seasons.
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er, many congrats on dredging up a 10 day old discussion that had sweet fa to do with you and still managing to completely miss the point.
you appear to be arguing that benitez spent poorly in 2008 and 2009 - try finding a post by me that contradicts that.