Liverpool FC Forum

[shanks]

I've been hearing we need to patient for 10-15 years. My patience is running out, wheter thats because I grew up with Liverpool winning the league every other year I don't know, but I am growing worried that while we are being patient United and Chelsea will be strenghting their sides with more world beaters and we have to make do with the best of the rest i.e. Kuyt instead of Shevchenko (even though Shevchenko has been a flop), we have to pick Sissoko instead of Essien. I see this pattern continuing until we finally win our 19th title. I think next year United and Chelsea will strenghten even more and Arsenal's youngsters will start to come good while we are falling further and further behind. Hopefully this won't happen but that's all I can see happening.

Also I think price tags of 20 odd million for the likes of Torres cause expectations to rise. We will expect something in return for that money but the press and media will put a lot more pressure on the lad because of that price tag. I think Torres would be best listening to our fans than the media who just want to see him fail. Babel I think is our 1st choice left winger because Kewell is injury prone nowadays. Riise is getting worse year in year out and Aurellio is already out till Christmas, and even then I don't see him dislodging Babel. The only way Babel won't be chosen is if Rafa puts Mascheranho and Alonso in the middle, shoving Gerrard out on to the right and putting Yossi on the left.

Going back to the pateince argument. This is Rafa's 4th season, I think we have to seriously deliver this season domestically. I think time is running out for Rafa and there isn't a lot of pateince left in fans, certainlly those like myself who were acustomed to Liverpool being crowned champions of England. The new summer signings have assured so many people, me included, that Rafa is looking to take us to that next level but I honestly believe we have to achieve that this year.

I don't think it's inconsistent to say we need to be patient but still move up a level.  What I mean is that we should expect to be challenging for the title this season--giving it a real proper go (which is moving up a level).  But, I suspect we may just come up a bit short this season, with new players bedding in, etc.  So, we need to be patient enough to stick with Rafa and his system, as I honestly feel that he'll deliver us the title within the next 3 years.

i agree with bad bob, i think we will finish 2rd this up coming season , bad point below manc,s good point above chelsea and arsenal, i think like bob it will take a couple of seasons of improving the squad and players gelling before we win the premiership   

[scruff321]

god_bless_john_houlding to say that time is running out on benitez is ridiculous the man has guided liverpool to 2 champions league finals aswell as fa and carling cup finals and hes going into his fourth season under preassure?!?!
liverpool need to win the league it is well overdue and i think u are on to sumthin in ur comparrisons with liverpools signings as opposed to chelsea's and manu's 20plus million signings this maybe true but has nothin to do with benitez, im sure if he was being alocated the same funds as mourniho he would be going for the pricey players.it says alot about liverpool that when u look at the top 2 and see who theyv bought over the years and compared to liverpool who previously before torres the record signing was cisse 14million?!
the way the premierships gone theres gonna be a pricetag on winning the league and to be fair liverpool have being spending alot,ive faith in benitez but i think if liverpool are gonna go forward there gonna atleast have to challenge for the title and ensure its atleast a 3 horse race right til the end of the season.

[Sean]

Aaaah the summer of '87....how the years have flown by.  £1.7 million we spent on Peter Beardsley which was a british record at the time.  Houghton was an inspired purchase by Dalglish while Aldridge couldn't stop scoring goals.  And then there was our £900,000 purchase John Barnes on the left wing...absolute magic.

[Owzat]

For me, Benayoun is a 'footballer's footballer'. He's not flashy, and hasn't played for fashionable clubs or a major nation, but he really understands how to do those classic Liverpool things: find space, pass-and-move, and play with intelligence. He's a team player, who will be comfortable taking part in fast, passing football. Closer to a Ray Houghton than a John Barnes, he has a lot to offer.
 
For me, Benayoun is a 'footballer's footballer'. He's not flashy, and hasn't played for fashionable clubs or a major nation, but he really understands how to do those classic Liverpool things: find space, pass-and-move, and play with intelligence. He's a team player, who will be comfortable taking part in fast, passing football. Closer to a Ray Houghton than a John Barnes, he has a lot to offer.

*** NOte LFC2007 - I didn not write all this !! 

Don't take much working out, you don't generally end up pasting in the same paragraph twice if you write it yourself

[Owzat]

Summer signings are good for morale and good for the supporters who think new = improved. Doesn't always work like that. I will highlight last season and the most expensive team in English history gifted the manc scum another undeserved title

Man Utd signed just Carrick. Many thought this lack of signings might cost them, but it actually provided STABILITY. The club had the midfielder they lacked since Keane had moved on, maybe not the same class but better than previous attempts to fill the hole. True enough they enjoyed plenty of luck, the usual amount of referee assistance and steered clear of a lot of injuries to key players. They scored freely without losing anything defensively. This shows it is possible to be quiet on the transfer market and still improve.

Chelsea on the other hand scored a hatful of own goals before the season started. They brought in Ballack on a free which seemed a good signing at the time, but really they were never able to effectively play him and Lampard in the same team. They splashed out on Shevchenko and that was the biggest waste of money ever, I'd call him over-rated but it isn't his fault some half-wit paid over the odds for him. But the key was defensively, they chased after Ashley Cole when Bridge was more than adequate and they had to let Gallas go in the exchange. With Huth out the door as well they were left short of defensive strength and cover. Arguably it was the lack of goal support that cost them, the mancs scored so freely it was unreal and possibly unprecedented. Chelsea looked a completely different side from that which saw Crespo and Drogba lead the striking line with Robben and Duff providing the width. The back four was strong with some depth of reserve, yet despite these clearly poor moves by Chelsea everyone cites the injury to CECH as key!?!?!? He is a good keeper but he ain't that good. When you have to play a midfielder in defence like they had to with ESSIEN, then you're in trouble. He did a good job all things considered but I doubt Liverpool would have won so easily at home had the team of the previous season played



BUT in fairness the strikeforce looks to have been strengthened, it really can't do any worse. The wings remain a problem, whether these will be sorted remains to be seen. And LB is another position that could be strengthened. What may be as much of an unsettling factor as new signings and how they work out is whether Rafa continues to shuffle the decks too often. That and our woeful away form, much highlighted but a key is the serious lack of goals. Not many did we lose away where we even scored, I think of a penalty at Sheff Utd and a Fowler created goal at Pompey was it? Defeats to nil were too common and that was disappointing considering the previous season

[duk]

can anyone list our in's and out's so far. I'm struggling to find the details. With prices paid would be a help too.

thanks

Player                                                 Fee                                      To

Florent Sinama-Pongolle         Recreativo de Huelva             £2.7million
Godwin Antwi                         Hartlepool United                    Loan
Danny O’Donnell                    Crewe                                     £100,000
Danny Guthrie                         Bolton                                         Loan
Luis Garcia                             Atletico Madrid                      £4million
Boudewijn Zenden                  Marseille                                   Free
Djibril Cisse                            Marseille                                  £6million
Craig Bellamy                         West Ham Utd                          £7.5million
Adam Hammill                        Southampton                              Loan


Total £20.3million




Player                                              From                                      Fee

Krisztián Németh                    MTK Hungaria                        Undisclosed
Andra Simon                           MTK Hungaria                        Undisclosed
Nikolay Mihaylov                   Levski Sofia                              Undisclosed
Andriy Voronin                      Bayer Leverkusen                     Free
Fernando Torres                      Atletico Madrid                       Undisclosed
Ryan Crowther                        Stockport                                 Undisclosed
Yossi Benayoun                      West Ham                                Undisclosed
Ryan Babel                              Ajax                                         £11.5million

[god_bless_john_houlding]

can anyone list our in's and out's so far. I'm struggling to find the details. With prices paid would be a help too.

thanks

Player                                                 Fee                                      To

Florent Sinama-Pongolle         Recreativo de Huelva             £2.7million
Godwin Antwi                         Hartlepool United                    Loan
Danny O’Donnell                    Crewe                                     £100,000
Danny Guthrie                         Bolton                                         Loan
Luis Garcia                             Atletico Madrid                      £4million
Boudewijn Zenden                  Marseille                                   Free
Djibril Cisse                            Marseille                                  £6million
Craig Bellamy                         West Ham Utd                          £7.5million
Adam Hammill                        Southampton                              Loan


Total £20.3million




Player                                              From                                      Fee

Krisztián Németh                    MTK Hungaria                        Undisclosed
Andra Simon                           MTK Hungaria                        Undisclosed
Nikolay Mihaylov                   Levski Sofia                              Undisclosed
Andriy Voronin                      Bayer Leverkusen                     Free
Fernando Torres                      Atletico Madrid                       Undisclosed
Ryan Crowther                        Stockport                                 Undisclosed
Yossi Benayoun                      West Ham                                Undisclosed
Ryan Babel                              Ajax                                         £11.5million

We've also brought in David Amoo from Millwall for an undisclosed fee.

I have to disagree with those who feel we will end up 2nd as I, like every year, am expecting us to win the league.

I also disagree with those who argue that Rafa hasn't plenty of funds to spend. David Moores put his hand in his pocket more often than not to support Rafa, as have George Gillett and Tom Hicks. Just because our transfer record was 14 million doesn't mean we haven't spent big year in year out. This season Rafa Benitez has nearly surpassed 100 million pounds in just over 3 years. I think this has been sufficent funds to build a title challenging side, hopefully this is our year.