Our first 11 isnt far off what is needed but the problem comes when we get passed that, there is very little. You cannot expect to win the league with 11 players. And especially when out of those 11, one or two arent goos enough anyway!
Aurellio? Come on, he's far from world class, hes never even been capped! To be 29 and not capped for your country means that you are not good enough at the top level. Both goals against Arsenal came from balls that he offered no attempt to stop being crossed
Lucas? Its amazing how peoples expectations soon drop! Lucas is average, again far from world class! He's a squad player, there is nothing that you would say is his strength, passing? shooting? tackling? heading? He is cover and nothing more, so cant be included in a 'world class 11'
Kuyt? As a right sided midfielder/winger his main duties are not tracking back, or tackling, he is there to put balls in for Torres or Gerrard. And he is incapable of doing this. He has no pace, very little control of the ball and a truly shocking first touch, so again, should be there for cover for Torres, or Gerrard, after all he is a striker!
Aqualani? He needs to play before any judgement is made, so again cant be included in a 'world class 11' as no one knows what he can and cant do or if he is actually any good! First impressions, he does seem to have a bit about him, good first touch and good vision, but too early to judge.
So when you take these players away, we are 3 or 4 players away from having anything close to a 'world class 11' in my humble opinion. And like I said, you cant win the league with 11 players anyway, let alone 8!
Rafa has had 5 years, and 76 players to build a SQUAD, not a team, and this is what he has come up with so far. As Ive said in the past, take Gerrard and Cara away (as they were already there) and there are 6 or 7 players from 76 that he has bought that are a success!
Dont forget also that he has had 5 years of young players coming through that have failed to make the grade either because they are not good enough (scouts and coaching staff) or because Rafa doesnt have the guts to try them!
To have 6 or 7 players to show for 76 signings means that 1 in 10 is a success, or that 9 out of 10 are not!!
A simple fact, if they were good enough they would win stuff, which have failed to do for the past 3 years!
Rafa needs to concentrate on quality not quantity as this does clearly not work. We have one of the biggest squads in europe, packed full of player who arent good enough that we are paying every week!
