care to tell me your 5 or 6 players that are realistic in your opinion and would make real catch up on level with barca beast???
Barca didn't reach this level in one day and you don't expect any team to reach that same level in one year as well..
As CA & Warik pointed out they had the same core in the last 5- 6 years.. you add some names on the way and those players improved their quality and talent over the years and the additions gave them another perspective and ability to maneuver ..
Valdes-Puyol-Marquez-Xavi-Iniesta - Eto'o .. that's 6 out of 11.. along came Messi that's 7 out of 11 players .. some good subs like Milito-Pique... another dimension to Dinho in the form of Henry ..
as i said it's not FM2009 so don't expect to buy the best 11 in the world to suddenly compete with Barca..
when Capello took over he had some of the of the old team as starters (Iker-Ramos-Helguera-Carlos-Becks-Robinho-Raul..) it's football
5 or 6 players is the right amount.. the fans want flair not trophies .. that's why most of the polls had Wenger on top and Carlo & Jose trailing at the bottom
who he brings it doesn't matter cause it's Valdano & Zidane who will pick but it does matter which positions ..there is no doubt in anyone who watch the liga even cule's that Perez will seek Quality players
integrate in the team then build a system then expect the system to make sense in no less then 6 month .. so playing catch up is again an unrealistic view if you want it to happen in the first year
the improvement will occur in the Champions league IMO but it's down to many factors..
the first one is making other teams worried about our attacking threat instead of them taking it easy and coming to Iker like we saw .. Pique is a great player he proved it.. but i think there is plenty of game when Barca defense & keeper we're no tested due to
1- the team fears the attacking trio and 2 midfield magician
2- they never had the ball to attack in the first place...
now this is what they should look for in the next team...5-6 is an excellent amount of new players and judging by the acclaimed quality of those 5 or 6 it maybe too much
the base of the team should be Iker-Ramos-Pepe---Lass -Robben (when you have other alternatives to attack you can afford one selfish players especially if u did buy CR who is not the best unselfish player in the lot ) -Higuain
some may take Robben and add Huntelaar (but he is still not settled yet .. but i think spending pre-season will do him good under a new coach ) ..