After a couple of days to reflect on our actions in the transfer market since the start of the summer until the close of the transfer window, the question has to be asked; Were the powers that be just too timid in their actions?

We didn’t want to sell Robbie Keane, we sold Robbie Keane. We didn’t want to sell Dimitar Berbatov, we sold Dimitar Berbatov. We wanted to sign Andrei Arshavin, we signed Fraizer Campbell. I can see a pattern emerging here.

Liverpool pulled the same stroke with Gareth Barry as they did with Robbie Keane, the difference is Martin O’Neill and Aston Villa didn’t let Rafa have it so easy. As soon as Keane wanted out we rolled over. Ok, I do think it was a good deal for us from a money perspective but that isn’t the point.

Look at Sir Alex. You might not like him very much, but when Real Madrid came knocking with a blank cheque for the services of Christiano Ronaldo, they were told in no uncertain terms where to go. There was some back and forth for a couple of months but at the end of the day Ronaldo is still a Utd player. Dimitar Berbatov is too.

The longer we let the big four pick off our biggest and brightest stars, the longer our top 4 ambitions will take to come to fruition. It’s not just the fact we are losing these players, it’s the atmosphere it creates at the club. When you are able to keep your best players and add one or two each season, you cement the talent you already have and create competition for places. It feels like we have to start a fresh every season because our best players are allowed to go to the teams we are so desperate to emulate.

Ramos was likely promised the world by Daniel Levy to prise him away from Sevilla. He handed us the Carling Cup and some stability and credibility after the handling of Martin Jol. Levy and Comolli have taken his best players and were a few minutes short of giving back Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey and Kevin Doyle. Let’s hope Juande doesn’t become as disillusioned as I feel just now.