UKC

£155M, £170M, and £170M, respectively, spent in the latest transfer window.

Shame on you!

Lovingly yours, a Man City fan of 40 years.

In reply to Dispater:

Should just amount to the value of both your sides
Citeh 0. Stoke 1

In reply to Dispater:

That's newsworthy.

Football, like other sports, has changed a lot since George Eastham's day.

Keep up.

In reply to Greenbanks:




I'm a vale fan but loved that result

In reply to Dispater:

TBF Liverpool sold someone for 80 million and tried to sell Borini..

United must have taken in a good 20-30 million and lots of the wage bill..

But it is very un-United like, back to the spending days of the 70's and 80's.. we rarely bought players at their peak under Fergie, normally potential.. hence the odd bad buy.

But most were pretty young.

We are certainly far stronger, Blind and Herrera will add substance to our midfield but I've not seen much of Rojo.

In reply to Dispater:





Bahahahaha...a citeh fan bemoaning how much other clubs have spent.

I'm assuming your smiley at the end denotes the fact you know you are a p1ss taking $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$pending club

In reply to Dispater:

What a squad Liverpool now have for £33-43 million worth of spending. Best business this summer .... hopefully!

In reply to Alan M:


Like United, Liverpool have been known to buy the occasional lemon of course. As you infer, it's going to be a watchable few weeks/months

In reply to Greenbanks:

I think we've been lucky so far.. only 4 points off after a bad start as most have dropped points..

we need top 4 and need to push on, getting Herrera back will be key.. Huge season for Jones.

In reply to IainRUK: You have start most top teams would love, drop points like hot scones, spend vast sums of money on galacticos and don't fix your broken midfield and defence. Is Van Gaal planning to do a Kevin Keegan?

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:
No easy games in the Premier anymore - that's the Press talking about pushovers (remember Crystal Palace last season?

In reply to andy farnell:
I'm lost... We signed 2/3 midfielders.. 2/3 defenders and have unearthed a gem in Blackett... What a preposterous claim...

Yes we have an easy start.. And dropped silly points.. But so have city..

And it's a tad rich of a Liverpool fan to say our defense is broken.. What have you invested in?

In reply to IainRUK:

We have 3 new defenders and more quality in midfield. Lovren looks as though he could be the new Hyppia, and the full backs are of greater quality than we has last year (Flanno excepted). Out midfield looks stronger, admittedly Gerrard in on his last legs (literally), but Can look good, Markovic will keep improving, Lallana has yet to make an impact. Okay, we lost Suarez, but Balotelli isn't rubbish. Plus Sterling just keeps getting better and better.

Where are your world class (or top 4 class) midfielders? Where are you world class (or top 4 class) defenders?

Apart from your keeper I can't think of a single Man U player on current form who would get into last years top 4. Your recent buys have yet to make any impact. Falcao is top quality but with a still suspect knee. And clearly a mercenary just there for that cash. Why turn down lots of clubs with champions league? Possibly because they weren't prepared to pay such ridiculous wages.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

What's the name of the "world class" midfielder gracing 'pools lineup at the moment ? Don't confuse that term with "kop class" - as often seems to be the case

In reply to Greenbanks:

I'd back any of ours against any of yours. If you include Sterling as a midfielder, I'd say he's fast approaching world class status.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

As I suggested, it's all in our understanding of the term 'world class'. Sterling has got huge promise, granted. But to give him an accolade on the basis of half a dozen intyernationals and no significant exposure to Champion's League football seems daft. United - contrary to your view - have got some very good midfielders - though they are scarcely 'World Class' as yet. Di Maria's playmaking catches the eye - he is proven at all levels. But he falls below the likes of Messi & Ronaldo. Even Neymar hasn't proved over time as yet.
Liverpool's best chance of honours seems to be their manager & his brand of football & team-building: that can be very impressive, and a vital aspect of getting a bunch of mediocre ( ) ) footballers to play well enough as a team to win the Prem.

In reply to andy farnell:



He's like the Franco of English football.

In reply to andy farnell:
herrera, Blind, Carrick, Januzaj, Mata, Di Maria all top class. Di Maria is world class.

Rojo, Shaw, Jones, Rafael

Carragher pointed out that two years ago we beat arsenal 8-1 or something with the same team we played recently minus evra..

So are you saying Suarez was a mercenary?

You lost the title last year because you have the worst defence, your midfield couldn't protect your back 4..

In reply to IainRUK:



Have to disagree with that assessment have a look at where Liverpool conceded the majority of goals etc and then look at points totals for those games. Conceding 50 goals wasn't the reason. The reasons are

Failing to pick up a single point against Chelsea, losing commanding leads Everton and Palace etc. Not turning up against Villa or Southampton at Anfield. An abysmal performance against Hull etc etc etc.

In reply to Alan M:

I don't think you are necessarily supporting your argument here: 'losing commanding leads'? 'Abysmal performance'? 'Not turning up'? Those phrases, of course, only apply to the forwards/midfield?

In reply to Alan M:

Gerrard isn't a good anchor man.. it didn't work with England either… both teams look liable. Teams knew they could score against you, Palace was a joke, as soon as they got 1 you collapsed and they knew it.

Andy is criticising United but we've not really seen Blind, Herrera, Shaw, Rojo, Falcao and only a few minutes of Di Maria…

The idea that only mercenaries sign for non-CL teams is absurd… United are still a big name, still a huge club, hence getting the players we have.

In reply to Greenbanks:


The point I am making is Liverpool may have conceded 50 goals but if you look at it this way 32 of them were away from home but Liverpool still picked up more away points than Man City and Chelsea.  So you would have to argue that it was our failure to win more points at Anfield that cost the title.  

Abstract team performance such as those against Southampton and Villa at Anfield being two examples.  Throw in the failure to pick up a single point against Chelsea. Also, consider some abstract individual performances such as the amount of own goals, the amount of goal keeping mistakes etc and you can start to see the areas that let Liverpool down.

Conceding 50 goals in my mind is not the reason Liverpool didn’t win the league (it’s part of it but not the sole reason).  Liverpool just weren’t consistent enough over the course of a season.  They didn’t have enough quality across the team to make things happen when plan A didn’t work such as against Chelsea

In reply to Alan M:

But your goals and attacking formations lead to gaps.. you aren't far off but I can't remember the last team to win the league conceding 50 goals..

Did Migonlet make that many errors? I prefer Reina but tbf I thought he had a decent season. Johnson is a huge liability.

In reply to Dispater:

....I'm calling troll

In reply to James90:

Must be an Arsenal fan then...

In reply to IainRUK:

I agree Iain, but if you score more than you concede in each game the goals conceded is irrelevant etc.  I agree though no team has won the premier league after conceding 50 goals.  I personally just don’t think the goals conceded is the main reason for Liverpools failure to win the league considering the vast majority of goals where away from home and we still picked up more away points than the eventual champions.  Consistency is the main ingredient and Liverpool didn’t have it.

Yes Mingolet made far too many mistakes last season which led to goals.  I believe he had the record by the end of the season.

Some goals I can think of directly due to goal keeping mistakes Benteke, Giacceherini (spl?), Negrado, Eto, Walters many more also.

at one point Bruce Grobbelaar even did a news paper article on Migonlet mistakes.

In reply to Greenbanks:

I think we've got to be happy..

Blind, utility player, defensive midfielder..

Herrara, classic central midfielder, lovely passer of the ball.

Di Maria winger but excelled in centre mid more recently.

Rojo centre back or left back.

Falcao, superb goal scorer, typical number 9.

Shaw left back.

Add Januzaj, Mata, Blackett who have come in over the last 12 months and we're far stronger.

If Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Blackett, Shaw, Rafael, Evans, Valencia can form a good back 4 or 5 then we will have a decent back line and very young.

In the midfield with Carrick, Herrara, Fletcher, Blind, Di Maria we have 5 options and then up front and around the number 10 we have a wealth of options.

We just need to get a few wins now and change the atmosphere..

In reply to Alan M:

I didn't watch that much, but when I saw him he looked solid, but I was always a fan of Reina.

But right now I'd go for Cech in January.

Hart looks a liability, that mistake against Stoke was school boy.. he's gone from the best in the league to a liability again. I'm not convinced he's the answer for England anymore. I was but the odd bad spell is understandable but he makes too many errors.

But Forster needs to really get consistent and show it at the premier league level, unfair or not his performances in the SPL don't count that highly and the odd CL showing wasn't enough but week in week out in the EPL he could dislodge Hart.

In reply to IainRUK:

On the England keeper front, don't like Ruddy: not impressed. Not seen much of Amos, but heard good things. Fraser Forster I've seen: seems up for the big occasion. Don't know what's happening with Jack Butland - seems to have gone backwards.

We seem to have a clutch of keepers who are there or thereabouts, but not pushing on to be a fully fledged fixture in the national side.

In reply to IainRUK:



Unproven in the EPL


Unproven in the EPL


Very good player, as yet unproven in the EPL


Unproven in the EPL


Great player, could have major injury waiting to happen, unproven in the EPL



The first is very raw, second quality but Van Gaal doesn't seem to like him, the third hasn't exactly looked brilliant so far.


They haven't looked a great unit so far. Not exactly Vidic, Evra and Ferdinand are they?

Carrick is over the hill, Van Persie back to his injury prone Arsenal days, Rooney looks disinterested.


Just as well the next few games should be easy. Like your last three 😉

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:
Fair enough.. Though Sturridge had hardly set the world alight before liverpool.. Suarez was unproven.. Coutinho unproven, Reina unproven, Alonso unproven, Torres unproven..

In fact for a team who has a track record of buying unproven premier league players who went on to do well you are strangely negative..

We'll see on Carrick.. never been quick and he's a year younger than Gerrard who is more reliant on power and pace..

Re Falcao's knee… Keane? Came back to be one of the greatest centre mids in the premier league ever.. RVN.. went on to become one of the top goal scorers.. it's no longer the horror injury it once was.

In reply to IainRUK:
Very good points, but getting so many players who aren't use to the EPL could result in a Spurs type situation. Yes, Liverpool have bought a lot of players, but most have experience in the EPL.

Coutihno was hardly a gamble at 8mil, Sturbridge was know quality but never had the opportunity and Suarez was already proven in the World cup. As a keeper 😄


Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

It's a risk.. but I think our core is there..

De gea, Jones, Smalling, Rafael will be the core of the defensive unit with Rojo and Blackett who has been through the youth system..

The midfield will be Carrick and Fletcher with others coming in with them..

Spurs totally changed their system because they lost their star man. We've just brought in extra players on top.

Losing Rio was bad but Vidic's legs had gone and Evra was going to be Shaws understudy.. and Evra is one of those players you either want happy or want out.. I loved the guy but he's someone you don't want around if he's not happy, like with France.

I think the key is getting Jones, Smalling, Rojo to step up and form a defensive unit.. if we don't get that then we won't get 3rd or 4th.. I can't see us challenging chelsea or city this season unless things go wrong. Rojo now has a permit so we'll see how he changes things.

In reply to IainRUK:

I can't genuinely see anyone challenging City or Chelsea for top spot. Realistically only the 3rd/4th places and below are up for grabs.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:



Agreed, I think Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and potentially Man U are fighting for 3rd and below. I simply cant see anyone winning the league outside of City or Chelsea.

For me a good Liverpool season is 1) consolidate champions league position by gaining another top 4 finish. 2) reach knock out stages of this seasons champions league. 3) win a domestic cup.

i dont think any of that is beyond this current Liverpool side.

In reply to Alan M:

I don't think Everton are as good.. Too old at the back, they'll concede too much with mattinezs style..

I think Man U Liverpool 3rd 4th in no order..

In reply to IainRUK:

Don't count out the Are. They look much stronger this year, Sánchez is class and Welbeck could do a Sturbridge.

Andy F

In reply to IainRUK:

Everton have just the 2 points (same as United)
at present / no one is calling it crisis time there though
I fancy Stones - a talent

In reply to Dispater:





What's your net spend?

AndyF

In reply to andy farnell:

Not sure of the exact amount but they were restricted to 55M by this UEFA financial fair play thing.

Think they spent around 50 on transfers but recouped a bit of that by selling.

The epitome of a prudent football club, I'm sure you'll agree.

In reply to wynaptomos:

Letting Negredo go could be an error..

Aguero gets injured and I'm not a big dzeko fan..

But city are so powerful and strong. Their core is immense with Kompany and Toure, I just can't see them struggling.

I think Everton will struggle.. last season they had Moyes' defensive spine with Martinez's attacking flare.. a year on and they've lost that defensive organisation. Distin needs dropping for Stones and Jagielka is having an awful time..

With two very attacking full backs they are too slow at the back when exposed. I like Stones but at the moment he's not getting in.

I think Spurs will finish above them.

In reply to IainRUK:

I think City have the best all-round squad but Chelsea's first XI look good if they stay fit - lot depends on Costa staying injury-free. If so, I think they will take the title.

In reply to wynaptomos:

Most pundits seem to be indicating either Chelsea or City. City appear stronger all round. On the other hand, one of the 'outsiders' might get the combination right and have a good run. Winning is vital to the mind-set, that's why United v QPR is a vital fixture. Daft as it may seem, even so early on it could be one of the key games of the season for us