Liverpool FC Forum

by **stoney** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:23 pm

stu_the_red wrote:It was an overstatement.

and now this is an understatement.

by **Leonmc0708** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:34 pm

stu_the_red wrote:It was an overstatement.

But to suggest that we can't become one of the best ever Liverpool sides at present i think is underestimating whats happening.

Gerrard and Alonso would simply walk into every Liverpool side since time began. Fowler would walk into most.

We're already a solid unit. Before we signed Fowler we lacked a goalscorer and a right winger with class ability. We've now got a goalscorer.

Stu, knowing you as I do, I understand that is the closest you will ever come to retracting a statement or admitting you where wrong, so fair play to yer for that.

In terms of Alonso and Gerrard walking into midfields, lets look at the midfields of the teams I have mentioned above:

Jimmy Case, Stevie Heighway, Ian Callaghan Terry McDermott.

Hughes, Case, McDermott, Souness.

Ray Kennedy, Sammy Lee, McDermott, Souness.

Ronnie Whelan, Sammy Lee, Craig Johnston, Souness.

Jan Molby, Steve McMahon, John Barnes, Ray Houghton, Peter Beardsley.

Maybe not as cut and dried as you may have first thought.

Stu, I love your passion, and I admire your panache, but sometimes you will get it wrong.

by **gato_busta** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:49 pm

I agree with stu on this one. Luis garcia is an excelent player but I dont see him starting much once we get a real winger. Then again, he is a very versatile player. He can play on either wing, as an atacking midfielder or right off a striker so he will have a good share of games but his chances will probably come only when other players need rest.

by **Homebooby** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:19 pm

Sabre wrote:
"We don't have a lot of money, so we need to use our imagination. And we will try to use our imagination to bring in players," explained Benitez.

At least me, I find this quote relevant.

If I may do some autocriticism, we've been shuffling names such as Joaquin, Simao, and mentioning amounts like 14M quid, 10 Million quid... which I find really really high.

Transfer funds can't be infinite, even less after the Houllier era. Alonso was expensive, but worth of it (IMHO).

My point is that Rafa does well looking for cheap quality. Cheap doesn't mean cráp. You always can target young players or players in last year of contract such as Victor. I think "austerity" is a good value. Specially if there's not incomes from a Merkin named Krafft (have we heard more about this?). What do you think? I think yes.

I also wanted to ask what's the funds state of LFC right now, in case some of you know more about it.

The point of the thread: discuss wether we should forget about expensive players, or buy quality players no matter the economic situation of the club or debts, as the most important thing is the squad.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

I would be more interested in seeing what Rafa has managed to do with the monthly wage bill since Houllier left us. From what I remember Houllier was paying extortionate amounts of money for a lot of dead wood. That was Leeds' downfall and something that every club has strived to avoid since.

Rafas shifted most of those now and some of his choices have more than likely cut back the wage bill. I have no concrete proof of this and it is purely supposition, but I would imagine that the hefty wage bill that comes along with Owen, also played a big part in the decision to not sign him at this time and has a big influence on any other top level player coming to us at the moment.

I think to see a big player (read expensive) coming in, we'll need to see a player of similar properties moving out. A big player with a high price, also comes with a high wage bill and I think that that is more the issue than not having the funds to buy someone.

We're on an upwards spiral at the moment and I like the fact that they seem to be getting finances back in order. The higher up in the league you finish, the further you go in cup competitions and the CL all bring in extra cash in winnings or high finishing positions that we have missed out on in the last few years. Added media coverage doesn't hurt the finances too.

I think that our front line will have an overhaul in the summer. Most of those guys will have had 2 seasons under Rafa to prove their worth and so far haven't looked like making the grade. I think that we'll see some big signings then.

by **115-1073096938** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:57 pm

gato_busta wrote:I agree with stu on this one. Luis garcia is an excelent player but I dont see him starting much once we get a real winger. Then again, he is a very versatile player. He can play on either wing, as an atacking midfielder or right off a striker so he will have a good share of games but his chances will probably come only when other players need rest.

Basically what i mean. As i've said, he's not better than Kewell, Gerrard, Alonso, Crouch or Fowler so he'll struggle to start REGULARLY once we have a class right winger. He'll still make alot of appearances and starts but he won't be part of our strongest 11.

by **Effes** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:21 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote:Grobbelaar, Staunton, Gillespie, Hansen, Nicol, Molby, McMahon, Barnes, Houghton, Beardsley, Rush (Aldridge).

Many people's favourite side.

Always remember Platini waxing lyrical after we beat Notts Forest 5-0.
"McMawoouan, Beeeardslay, OOOton", his pronunciations were great.
I think Stanley Matthews said it was the best performance he'd ever seen too.

by **drummerphil** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:26 pm

Effes wrote:
Leonmc0708 wrote:Grobbelaar, Staunton, Gillespie, Hansen, Nicol, Molby, McMahon, Barnes, Houghton, Beardsley, Rush (Aldridge).

Many people's favourite side.

Always remember Platini waxing lyrical after we beat Notts Forest 5-0.
"McMawoouan, Beeeardslay, OOOton", his pronunciations were great.
I think Stanley Matthews said it was the best performance he'd ever seen too.

i have that match on video.........great when stevie McMahon stops the ball from going for a throw,runs off the pitch ,then back on and beats his man. class

by **Effes** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:32 pm

drummerphil wrote:
Effes wrote:
Leonmc0708 wrote:Grobbelaar, Staunton, Gillespie, Hansen, Nicol, Molby, McMahon, Barnes, Houghton, Beardsley, Rush (Aldridge).

Many people's favourite side.

Always remember Platini waxing lyrical after we beat Notts Forest 5-0.
"McMawoouan, Beeeardslay, OOOton", his pronunciations were great.
I think Stanley Matthews said it was the best performance he'd ever seen too.

i have that match on video.........great when stevie McMahon stops the ball from going for a throw,runs off the pitch ,then back on and beats his man. class

WhatyoutalkinboutWillis?!

Wasn't that Arsenal?

Memory fails me.

by **Igor Zidane** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:52 pm

Effes wrote:
drummerphil wrote:
Effes wrote:
Leonmc0708 wrote:Grobbelaar, Staunton, Gillespie, Hansen, Nicol, Molby, McMahon, Barnes, Houghton, Beardsley, Rush (Aldridge).

Many people's favourite side.

Always remember Platini waxing lyrical after we beat Notts Forest 5-0.
"McMawoouan, Beeeardslay, OOOton", his pronunciations were great.
I think Stanley Matthews said it was the best performance he'd ever seen too.

i have that match on video.........great when stevie McMahon stops the ball from going for a throw,runs off the pitch ,then back on and beats his man. class

WhatyoutalkinboutWillis?!

Wasn't that Arsenal?

Memory fails me.

i thought it was the game we beat palace 9-0

by **neil** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:26 am

spurs 7-0 in 78

by **Dalglish** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:08 am

Always difficult to compare teams from different era's.

Like Leon I respect Stu's passion and opinion on all things RED even if delivery can appear a tad arrogant

For the record I'd have to say the 78 and 89 sides were streets ahead of where we are at in 2006 although to be fair the game has changed considerably.

I was at the 5-0 demoilition of Forest and it Forest were lucky to get 0

With regards to financial matters you get the distinct impression that Benitez is more than a bit savvy when it comes to spending what is after all someone else's money. He's shelled out double figures once..... on Alonso and at £10 M you have to say he was a bargain.

A further 7M each for Crouch and Nando, 5.5M for Luis Garcia and 2M for Josemi who he has since swapped for an international who showed loads of promise at AZ 67 before an ill fated move to Villaereal.......

The title of the thread implies that as fans we might be asking too much ? Well as a fan who contributes to the finances of the Club is it too much to expect to want to know how their spending my money ? Anyway in truth I see where the money's going week in , week out when I watch a Liverpool team almost unrecognizable from last season:p

by **Sabre** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:54 am

The title of the thread implies that as fans we might be asking too much ? Well as a fan who contributes to the finances of the Club is it too much to expect to want to know how their spending my money ? Anyway in truth I see where the money's going week in , week out when I watch a Liverpool team almost unrecognizable from last season:p

I admit it's confusing the sentence!. By asking too much, I meant that perhaps as fans we're expecting too expensive players according to the names, and amounts that have been discussed here. Rafa seems to be savvy though. My point is that there's lots of teams with financial troubles and I wouldn't want to reach that point as a Liverpool fan. I preffer the policy that seems to be following Rafa this season of cheap signings (Fowler, Agger, Victor) rather than asking the board to spend more money than the money we are receiving.

As fans we often want the best in our team, but my point is that the finances of a club are important aswell, I'm the school of thought that managers like Houllier (20M in utter :censored:

) are bad for teams, as they don't think in the future of the club.

by **A.B.** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:08 am

Sabre wrote:
The title of the thread implies that as fans we might be asking too much ? Well as a fan who contributes to the finances of the Club is it too much to expect to want to know how their spending my money ? Anyway in truth I see where the money's going week in , week out when I watch a Liverpool team almost unrecognizable from last season:p

I admit it's confusing the sentence!. By asking too much, I meant that perhaps as fans we're expecting too expensive players according to the names, and amounts that have been discussed here. Rafa seems to be savvy though. My point is that there's lots of teams with financial troubles and I wouldn't want to reach that point as a Liverpool fan. I preffer the policy that seems to be following Rafa this season of cheap signings (Fowler, Agger, Victor) rather than asking the board to spend more money than the money we are receiving.

As fans we often want the best in our team, but my point is that the finances of a club are important aswell, I'm the school of thought that managers like Houllier (20M in utter ) are bad for teams, as they don't think in the future of the club.

Wait, we haven't sign Victor yet.

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