Liverpool Discussion

[LFCMike]

56 minutes ago, Rick said:

I can absolutely compare us to who we are told we are fighting against for the league title. 

Financially they are in a completely different league and you know it.

[Rick]

2 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

Financially they are in a completely different league and you know it.

That may be true, but our owners have been cheapskates for too long. If anybody but Klopp was in charge we would be nowhere near winning the league. 

[LFCMike]

3 minutes ago, Rick said:

That may be true, but our owners have been cheapskates for too long. If anybody but Klopp was in charge we would be nowhere near winning the league. 

I mean, Liverpool have spent a lot on wages to ensure they've kept their best players together. They never used to do that.

As always, I come back to the point that there was nothing to suggest that Klopp was unhappy with what he had to work with in the summer.

Unfortunately the best Liverpool side we've seen is around at the same time as a Manchester City side that have raised the bar for winning the league to 90-100 points. The best way of Liverpool trying to compete with that over the medium to long term is investing in things like the training ground and stadium. Keeping hold of their best players and adding younger ones like Konate while bringing through youngsters. There's no doubt Liverpool need to add some more to the squad who are in their early to mid 20s but I'm sure that will come.

All a lot of us wanted when we were owned by Hicks and Gillett was to spend what the club earned. I don't think there's any evidence that they haven't done that.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I understand @Rick’s frustration - we’ve literally waited our whole lives to see Liverpool be this good. This is the best era of LFC in most of our lives, with the best players and best manager we’ve ever had.

And we just can’t really compete with the main title rival financially at all.

There’s a very real possibility that this era ends pretty soon and we’ve only got the one league title to show for it & that’s it in terms of league titles for us in our lifetimes.

5 hours ago, shut up said:

Do you really care about the League Cup? Just play the kids.

 nah we’re 3 matches from a trophy in a season where it looks like City are just going to run away with the league.

Although that’s my opinion. Klopp probably will play the kids because he thinks it’s just a shit FA cup. And he already doesn’t think much of the FA cup.

[LFCMadLad]

3 hours ago, Happy Blue said:

We do 

GK:- Ederson, Steffen, Carson

FB:- Cancelo, Walker, Zinc (Ake & Laporte cover)

CB:- Dias, Laporte, Stones, Ake, (Walker & Fernandinho cover)

MF:- Gundogan, De Bruyne, Rodrigo, Fernandinho, Palmer (Foden, Bernardo, Greelish, Zinc cover)

AT:- Sterling, Mahrez, Foden, Bernardo, Greelish, Jesus

Take your 5 attackers out of that and you are left with Jesus.

That's the position we are in. 

[Rick]

@LFCMike You’ve just said there that you think we need to add to the squad, which is literally all I’m saying here. 
 

I’m not stupid, I don’t expect or want us to go out and sign somebody like Mbappe. I know we aren’t going to be in the market for that 100m player, nor do we need it. We don’t rely on one superstar, we have a first 11 full of world class players who work for each other. The last few windows should have seen us add 25-45m players like Jota who can contribute now and also set us up nicely for the next few years. It’s going to come to a point where we will need 3/4 of them at once if we continue on these baron transfer windows. The summer just gone we should have gotten Raphinha or Bowen, next summer you can expect to pay another 15-20m on top of their valuations last  summer. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Rick

[LFCMike]

6 minutes ago, Rick said:

@LFCMike You’ve just said there that you think we need to add to the squad, which is literally all I’m saying here. 
 

I’m not stupid, I don’t expect or want us to go out and sign somebody like Mbappe. I know we aren’t going to be in the market for that 100m player, nor do we need it. We don’t rely on one superstar, we have a first 11 full of world class players who work for each other. The last few windows should have seen us add 25-45m players like Jota who can contribute now and also set us up nicely for the next few years. It’s going to come to a point where we will need 3/4 of them at once if we continue on these baron transfer windows. The summer just gone we should have gotten Raphinha or Bowen, next summer you can expect to pay another 15-20m on top of their valuations last  summer. 

It's the same conversation every couple of months. We all know by now that Liverpool will wait for the right player to become available and not just sign any fucker like you want them to.

[Rick]

2 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

It's the same conversation every couple of months. We all know by now that Liverpool will wait for the right player to become available and not just sign any fucker like you want them to.

Aye, any fucker is who I want…you talk utter shite pal. Always got the same answer “the club will do…” it’s the club not fucking doing that sees us having Origi as a main bastard back up option even though we wanted him gone in the summer. Does it not say everything that nobody was interested in making a bid? 

Best chance of some sustained success for this football club and we are scrimping about. You mention Man City, but it’s not only them who are outspending us is it, it’s pretty much everybody in the top 7. This golden era is going to end sooner rather than later, with two trophies to show for it. Then we will go back to fighting for the european places with the likes or Spurs & Arsenal. Can’t wait. 

[LFCMike]

1 minute ago, Rick said:

Aye, any fucker is who I want…you talk utter shite pal. Always got the same answer “the club will do…” it’s the club not fucking doing that sees us having Origi as a main bastard back up option even though we wanted him gone in the summer. Does it not say everything that nobody was interested in making a bid? 

Best chance of some sustained success for this football club and we are scrimping about. You mention Man City, but it’s not only them who are outspending us is it, it’s pretty much everybody in the top 7. This golden era is going to end sooner rather than later, with two trophies to show for it. Then we will go back to fighting for the european places with the likes or Spurs & Arsenal. Can’t wait. 

You didn't want just any fucker in the summer then? There is proof that you did! 

Liverpool have a pretty good success rate in the transfer market since Klopp came in and it's because they know they have to make sure they wait for the right signing. They can't afford to get many wrong unlike two or three of the teams we're competing against.

It's not too long ago that you were saying how much Liverpool are going to miss Michael Edwards. Then you're critical of the recruitment that same man is highly influential in! Make up your mind.

[Danny]

I think to understand Liverpool’s finances you should read one of The Swiss Ramble’s articles. Highlighted in a lot of detail why Liverpool don’t spend a lot on transfers as regularly as they maybe asked to and it comes down to the bulk of their money going into wages and bonus’ to keep their best players and to keep them performing.

What is important to remember about Manchester City is that between Grealish, Sterling, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden and Jesus there is about £400m+ worth of attacking talent there. Obviously Foden is academy grown but otherwise City have gone out and spent big on transfer fees of the time because they can afford to. They’ve gone from spending £50m on a forward to £100m now as the market dictates, because they can afford to. They’re still in the hunt for Harry Kane, another £100m+ player.

One argument I don’t get from you @Rick is that you say if anyone other than Klopp was in charge you wouldn’t be winning, surely what he has achieved with Michael Edwards and the board is a testament to all of their work combined? Not having the money City have isn’t being a cheapskate and as far as I’m aware there really isn’t any financial analysis of Liverpool that would suggest the owners aren’t trying to use every penny the club has to improve it.

[Rick]

Liverpool bring in one of the largest revenues per year in world football. We won the premier league & champions league and we have massive foreign markets. Since that champions league win, our investment in new players has been nowhere near what it needed to be. 
 

It’s all well and good saying “money has been spent on new contracts” and that’s great that we have tied important players down to new contracts, but doesn’t every club do that to their biggest players? Why is it used as an excuse for us not to spend on transfers, yet plenty of other teams manager to balance both. Also, those players you’ve invested into with new contracts don’t get any younger. Seems like a lot of putting our eggs in one basket. 
 

Michael Edwards has done a great job of fleecing clubs for our rejects & making good deals for transfers in. Thinking he has done a good job doesn’t undermine my argument about wanting more investment. He isn’t the one to release funds, he just makes the most of the ones he gets. I go back to saying it, we wanted Origi sold in the summer and Minamino barely gets a look in other than cup games. Why do you lot think Klopp is happy with these lot being his main back ups to the front three? I think his and the clubs actions show that neither are particularly rated at this club. 
 

@Danny Me thinking Klopp & Edwards have done a great job doesn’t mean the owners haven’t held onto funds. Course they have, we went three windows after the champions league without much investment. In fact, the only player we spent a transfer fee on was Minamino and it was 7m. I fully believe in the saying ‘strike while the iron is hot’ and we didn’t do that after we won’t those titles. We have allowed ourselves to end up with a squad seriously lacking depth. 

[The Artful Dodger]

Whatever you make of their spending or lack of nice, it does feel like this team is perhaps coming to the end end its peak. Which was a pretty high peak and they're by no means a poor side now. The midfield just needs something adding to it. Maybe another forward player to pressure Mane for his place. 

[Danny]

@Rick I get your frustration but as a fan you really need to find some credible sources to suggest they’re being tight. Not for me or for an argument but for yourself, simply saying they win something so they have to spend shouldn’t be enough to form an opinion on how underfunded you are.

All I have seen so far is credible work done to explain your finances and a manager who has always felt backed by the club. There really isn’t much evidence to suggest that available funds aren’t being spent or that you’ve continually missed out on transfer targets.

[Cicero]

3 hours ago, LFCMike said:

It's the same conversation every couple of months. We all know by now that Liverpool will wait for the right player to become available and not just sign any fucker like you want them to.

Key to success but more importantly, sustainability. 
 

Always better to wait for the right signing then to go for the wrong one. We are a shining example of the latter. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Cicero

[LFCMike]

38 minutes ago, Rick said:

Liverpool bring in one of the largest revenues per year in world football. We won the premier league & champions league and we have massive foreign markets. Since that champions league win, our investment in new players has been nowhere near what it needed to be. 
 

It’s all well and good saying “money has been spent on new contracts” and that’s great that we have tied important players down to new contracts, but doesn’t every club do that to their biggest players? Why is it used as an excuse for us not to spend on transfers, yet plenty of other teams manager to balance both. Also, those players you’ve invested into with new contracts don’t get any younger. Seems like a lot of putting our eggs in one basket. 
 

Michael Edwards has done a great job of fleecing clubs for our rejects & making good deals for transfers in. Thinking he has done a good job doesn’t undermine my argument about wanting more investment. He isn’t the one to release funds, he just makes the most of the ones he gets. I go back to saying it, we wanted Origi sold in the summer and Minamino barely gets a look in other than cup games. Why do you lot think Klopp is happy with these lot being his main back ups to the front three? I think his and the clubs actions show that neither are particularly rated at this club. 
 

@Danny Me thinking Klopp & Edwards have done a great job doesn’t mean the owners haven’t held onto funds. Course they have, we went three windows after the champions league without much investment. In fact, the only player we spent a transfer fee on was Minamino and it was 7m. I fully believe in the saying ‘strike while the iron is hot’ and we didn’t do that after we won’t those titles. We have allowed ourselves to end up with a squad seriously lacking depth. 

Since winning the Champions League, Liverpool have signed Elliott, Minamino, Tsimikas, Thiago, Jota and Konate. How many more should they have signed at this point? They didn't sign anyone for the first team immediately after winning the Champions League but then went on to win 26 of the first 27 games the following season. I don't think you can be critical of the decisions that were taken that summer given that we know what followed it.

Most clubs aren't able to keep hold of their biggest players though. Most clubs see their biggest players pinched by someone higher in the league.

Liverpool have invested heavily in Kirkby, Anfield, keeping their best players and have added the players I mentioned above. There's no money going missing or being held back.

[Rick]

Okay, I’ll put it like this. Do you think the squad needs some upgrades or are you happy with the current state? 
Aimed at the usual suspects. 

I think I’ve made my frustrations clear. I was frustrated that we were left short when Lovren went. Of course, no body could expect us to lose three CB’s, but I was asking for him to be replaced in the squad all summer when it was made clear he was a off.

When Gini went I made no secret of my desire for us to sign somebody to replace him. I was told Harvey Elliot was in Klopp’s plans, an only just turned 18 year old with some championship experience. Nobody can expect him to get that injury, but Thiago is somebody you expect to be injured at some point and our back up to him is Ox (not good enough) & Milner (his legs are going). All I asked is for Gini to stay or for us to bring in a replacement. Somebody like Bissouma would have been perfect. Not cheap, but he’s the type of player that would work great in that midfield. Again, nothing happened and there’s been plenty of times this season that we have all said we wish we still had Gini. 
 

[LFCMadLad]

2 hours ago, LFCMike said:

Since winning the Champions League, Liverpool have signed Elliott, Minamino, Tsimikas, Thiago, Jota and Konate. How many more should they have signed at this point? They didn't sign anyone for the first team immediately after winning the Champions League but then went on to win 26 of the first 27 games the following season. I don't think you can be critical of the decisions that were taken that summer given that we know what followed it.

Most clubs aren't able to keep hold of their biggest players though. Most clubs see their biggest players pinched by someone higher in the league.

Liverpool have invested heavily in Kirkby, Anfield, keeping their best players and have added the players I mentioned above. There's no money going missing or being held back.

I think @Rickgenuinely has the best interests of the club at heart but let's be honest.. he literally lives in champ manager on cheat mode world.

Let's not forget this guy was fuming when we didn't sign Rondon and Towsend!

Nobody will ever convince him of the great work everyone at Liverpool has done over the past 6 years because he wants us to be Man City. 

[Spike]

Liverpool have to have one of the most expensive squads in the world and are one of the richest as well. Maybe they can afford it, maybe they can't but a 7 million flop is better than a 70 million flop, if Liverpool are going to make a big splash better make sure it's a hit and until now they've done so. Yeah it's a bit shit not seeing quality like Salah and van Dijk every season joining the club but that is unrealistic because that quality just doesn't exist around every corner. But at the same time can't be too conservative because those players will leave for other teams. Jota was a great pick, but then you have to ask is it time to sell some of the over thirties? It's a delicate balance and Man Utd under Fergie did it best. Very rarely held onto players for too long.

Think about it, the attacking core probably cost well over 150 million pound. That's a lot of cash. That is worth more than a 99% of clubs in existence.

But you'd also hate to see this opportunity at a dynasty slip past and wait another thirty years for a league title. You'd hate to know that in retrospect especially stuff like 'instead of spending this much on a mediocre player that should have grabbed that great player for a bit more'.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Spike

[Spike]

https://www.90min.com/posts/most-expensive-squads-in-world-football-ranked

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/manchester-city-have-most-expensive-squad-europe-with-united-second-says-study-2021-09-08/

Don't know if that is accurate but according to that Liverpool have the 6th most expensive squad in the world. That's pretty good if you ask me but how much will it stay the same going forward. You'd hate to think that the club can live off the goodwill and not invest more into the club. Trust me on that, the Chicago Bears american football team are still living off the goodwill of one superbowl in 1985.

[Happy Blue]

13 hours ago, LFCMadLad said:

Take your 5 attackers out of that and you are left with Jesus.

That's the position we are in. 

See what you are saying, think we would be ok though with the 5 attackers missing against most teams

 

Ederson

Walker - Dias - Laporte - Cancelo

Gundogan - Rodrigo - Fernandinho

Jesus - De Bruyne - Palmer

BENCH:- Steffen, Ake, Stones, Zinc, McAtee, Delap, Lavia

 

 

[LFCMike]

15 hours ago, Rick said:

Okay, I’ll put it like this. Do you think the squad needs some upgrades or are you happy with the current state? 
Aimed at the usual suspects. 

I think I’ve made my frustrations clear. I was frustrated that we were left short when Lovren went. Of course, no body could expect us to lose three CB’s, but I was asking for him to be replaced in the squad all summer when it was made clear he was a off.

When Gini went I made no secret of my desire for us to sign somebody to replace him. I was told Harvey Elliot was in Klopp’s plans, an only just turned 18 year old with some championship experience. Nobody can expect him to get that injury, but Thiago is somebody you expect to be injured at some point and our back up to him is Ox (not good enough) & Milner (his legs are going). All I asked is for Gini to stay or for us to bring in a replacement. Somebody like Bissouma would have been perfect. Not cheap, but he’s the type of player that would work great in that midfield. Again, nothing happened and there’s been plenty of times this season that we have all said we wish we still had Gini. 
 

I've already stated that Liverpool need to add some younger players to the squad. If that doesn't happen over the next few windows I'd be concerned. I see no reason why it won't happen though given they've been doing just that over the last couple of years.

Bissouma is someone who was constantly linked but I'd probably say that Liverpool have done their homework on him and decided he's not for them. 

[LFCMike]

Rumours that the first leg of the League Cup semi and the game at the weekend could be off because of Covid.

[LFCMike]

 

[Lucas]

15 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

 

I'm sure Liverpool fans couldn't give a fuck about this cup but, surely they should be made to play no?

I mean, Aston Villa had to play a team of kids in the FA Cup against Liverpool last season. 

What is the difference?

[LFCMike]

14 minutes ago, Lucas said:

I'm sure Liverpool fans couldn't give a fuck about this cup but, surely they should be made to play no?

I mean, Aston Villa had to play a team of kids in the FA Cup against Liverpool last season. 

What is the difference?

EFL rules state that the tie must be rearranged before the next round is due to take place so they've got into the end of February to do that.