Liverpool 2010/11 Season Thread

[Kongster]

The potential was always there for United to take off financially - even when we got relegated to the 2nd division in the 70s we were attracting the biggest crowds in the country.

Even at the height of Liverpool's success, I always said that, if Manchester United ever got it right, they would be a real threat to us.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/may/15/manchester-united-liverpool-alex-ferguson

Too right

[SharkSkin-Man]

As has already been said, Liverpool were never in a position of financial dominance.

You must remember this was before the massive injection of Sky TV money into the game, Liverpool's success in the 80's didn't/couldn't generate anywhere near the cash it would've done in this era and gate receipts were still king.

Liverpool were certainly the better team, but even back in 86/87 when Alex Ferguson took over, United were the richer club and spent accordingly.

Between 86 & 91 Ferguson's net spend was almost double what Dalglish's was (£9.87m compared to £5.77m) breaking the British transfer record in the process for Gary Pallister and then breaking it again the following year signing Roy Keane.

United had finished the season before Ferguson's arrival in 4th (12 points off Liverpool as winners) and you could say were in a similar position then as Liverpool were when Rafa arrived in 2004. The difference was, he had the ability to outspend the rest of the league to catch up and even then, it still took 7 seasons before he finally won it.

[Matt]

Fair enough.

There is no doubt United spend big, but then they need top draw players, and somehow the buy in for that quality is now £30m. Personally I think it's ridiculous, but there you go.

Still, no doubt in my mind, Fergis is the man Loofa can get upset all he wants, but unless they win the league, it doesn't mean anything. Over the years Fergie has seen off challenges from Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, now Liverpool. Only Arsenal has proven a worthy longterm adversary, and that ended quite a few seasons back.

Next season could be different, but I expect Chelsea to spend big this summer and be the main threat to United. As great as Gerrard is, he's pushing 30 now I believe, and he can't carry the team himself for a whole season.

[saif]

To be fair to Fergie, he had to spend to catch up with Liverpool so you would expect to spend more - as I woyuld expect those chasing Utd to outspend them...if they could. Even Chelsea can't anymore!
The problem is, with inflation, the numbers do not feel too much do they?!
Fergie outspent Liverpool by £FIVE MILLION POUNDS!!!!!!!!!
But as a percentage - almost double it is clearer. In present day terms, we are talking an extra 40 or 50 mill.

[SharkSkin-Man]

Also, I'd just like to point out, I'm not trying to sound bitter/jealous or anything childish like that. If you've got access to money, you'd be a bit of a retard not to want to spend it (hello Arsene!).

[Kongster]

Fair enough Sir Alex spent a fair bit but he also brought in young players through our youth system like Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Nevilles who contributed lots to our success.

[SharkSkin-Man]

And of course, there's a lot more to football management than just throwing money around, and Ferguson, despite being a bit of a cock, is clearly a great manager. But having the best squad of players certainly helps a fair bit.

[Matt]

He manages the squad that he built. Both are clearly skills he excels about. It's not easy putting a group of players together that work well. And he's done that more than once

Let's be honest, all the hostility towards him is simple jealousy. He's a truly great man

[hudson]

I thought he was a nice once. Until I met him with young Football mad cousin. I went to get his autograph for him, but fergie threw an empty bottle of gin at us and screamed "wants whiskeeey!" like a wolf with a sore throat and crazy eyes. Horrid.

[SharkSkin-Man]

I think if you're a non-United fan, he actually makes himself a little hard to like, he comes across as incredibly abrasive at times tbh.

He's not exactly the jovial Bob Paisley type is he.

[Matt]

I have no doubt he's like that - to be that driven and successful, you've got to be a little abrasive! Still, compared to other top managers, he's surprisingly honest.

Yes, he winds other managers up, but that's part of the game of football. It's not like he's only just started doing that, he's been at it for years. Always surprising if anyone is fool enough to take the bait

[rmoxon]

He has always been focused on United, not on anything else really, he managers the team and they win trohphies, which is his job, if doing a good job makes him a dick then I doubt it matters to him really, but it seems like an odd thing to call him all things considered...

[Hombre]

I thought he was a nice once. Until I met him with young Football mad cousin. I went to get his autograph for him, but fergie threw an empty bottle of gin at us and screamed "wants whiskeeey!" like a wolf with a sore throat and crazy eyes. Horrid.

He IS Father Jack from Father Ted.

DRIIINK!

[SharkSkin-Man]

Ezequiel Lavezzi looking like our first choice signing for this summer? ?20-22m offer has been rejected apparently...

Anybody into their Italian football know what this guy is like? Seen some videos of him, looks like your typical Argentinian forward - short, stocky, strong, good close control etc. very Tevez-esque.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

You pretty much nailed it. He is very instinctive though, so Rafa might come across the same problem he had with Keane, in that he cannot control exactly how Lavezzi plays. He's behind Tevez and Aguero in the Argentine national setup for a reason, but is still an excellent player. He is somewhat of a cult hero in Naples, so it might take a more sizeable bid then he is perhaps worth to prise him away though.