I think my post should have read: "since become evident."

I guess we rode our luck with injuries last season, apart from the lengthy absence of Torres.

It was posted on here just a few weeks ago by Mutt1. Very boring now, especially from bluenoses.

I think he was signed because he was at such a cut price. A fit Aquilani would cost around £25-£30m, he's a very good player who some people have already come to the opinion of that he's poor already.

As for it being a luxury, from what I understand, only £20m was spent by us in the summer, the rest will be paid out in installments. Considering £7m of that £20m was money owed to us by Pompey as well as apparent money left over from the sale of Robbie Keane, it wasn't that much for us to spend. However, the board hadn't given him any money to spend in the summer, it was all money made from sales (Alonso, £30m, Arbeloa, £4m).

From what it equates to, it's something like £16m net spent each year by Benitez. I know a lot of people think that net spend doesn't matter, but when you're building a squad to win trophies it does. You simply can't build a team having to sell 5 players every summer and bring in 5 more who are only slight improvements. Remember the year United won the title (2007), that summer they went and signed Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and Tevez. Last year, we finished second and were expected to build on our team, instead, we lost one of our best, a very solid defender and, in the hope we'd get a similar quality player to Alonso, had to sign an injured midfielder.


Anyway, as I've said, Rafa's on thin ice, the echo says the club aren't looking to sack him, but if we don't beat Stoke or Spurs, I find it very hard how the man can justify his job after an unbelievably bad season.

With the reported money problems, one possible problem the board may have is they can't afford the pay off to sack Benitez, coupled with the fact the large backroom team he's assembled who would probably follow him out the door. The only way I can see him going is if he resigns but think he's a bit too stubborn for that to happen.

I did find Rafa quite amusing with his facts. Ironic really that a year ago they were top of the league prior to his previous rant.

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACHHHHHHHHHT

Dreading this game against. Stoke how bad is that?

rlIMUSA and MUST meeting today.rl

The Facht man was interveiwed on Talksport before and said that because of all of Aquilanis injuries he can't play two games in a week as he needs rest time. Looks like you've paid £20m for a 25 year old Ledley King

I was talking to a mate who's a finacial advisor the other day about whats going on at the club and his veiws are that the bond issue is a smoke screen ad the glazers are looking to sell the club and the way he explained it sounds like he could be right.

With the document now out in public an investor can now see the money coming into the club etc etc and will make themselves known to the Glazers, They can then see how much real interest (money men) there is in the club.

If someone wants to invest in these bonds it's not going to be a company just buying one or two it's gonna be billionares buying up large ammounts who would in theory be interested in owning the club outright. So say one man buys up 50% of the bonds and thinks sod it i'll make an outright offer for the club as a whole say around £900m the glazers would make around £150m profit but they relase it to the public about a £900m offer for the club but they'll only start to listen at £1bn and try to start a bidding war for the club (my mate thinks it'd take £1.1bn). Now if the Glazers just put up a FOR SALE sign up outside Old Trafford an investor would still come in but he'd know they are looking to sell so would probably offer £750m and the glazers walk away with nothing. Remember if you want something thats not for sale you pay over the odds to get it but if someone offers it to you, you pay it's true value or even less.

Lee Mason



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