Liverpool 2010/11 Season Thread

[SharkSkin-Man]

I agree with you about this Summer being huge for the club in so many ways, but I'll just ask you this...

Do you really think that Statler & Waldorf would allow Rafa (or his "replacement") to have all of any significant monies gained from selling Gerrard (and/or Torres, dare I say it) to reinvest in the squad and team?

Well that's obviously a concern. Christian Purslow has said the club has a totally separate player account, and all monies from sales are paid into that and used for purchases and contract extensions. Although, as the club's situation worsens they could of course decide to just use it to service the debt.

[nakamura]

Could a "buffoon" have scouted, tracked and signed Young, Milner and Agbonlahor?

Milner and Young had obvious class. Wasn't Agbonlahor at the club already?

[thetrooper]

Milner and Young had obvious class. Wasn't Agbonlahor at the club already?

I stand corrected: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Agbonlahor

The point I'm making is that he had the foresight to beat other clubs to their signatures.

[Adrock]

Heh, I could beat other clubs if I had the budget O'Neil did, Young was very expensive.

Benitez hasn't had the funding to purchase that shiny second striker people are going on about. Torres was almost certainly a gamble of some kind, for a long time in Spain he was the prospect. He only began to shine consistently since joining Liverpool.

Benitez will end up going in the summer, I imagine. But I don't see any replacement that will do the job on a tight budget.

Its also quite amusing somebody mentioned Chelsea having the ability to bring on Drogba for Anelka against Man U. How much did both of those cost?

And finally, Gerrard should be sold if the money is right. Theres no denying the man has class, but to cash in when he is hitting 30 would be a good move. His attitude all season has been a problem, the much publicised whinge yesterday wasn't the first and wont be the last.

[Team Andromeda]

Look at Burnley, they refuse to spent over their means, and they are going down because of it

I sort of agree, but then look at the likes of Stoke , yet another decent season not breaking the bank , and one of the few clubs that not in massive debt . Also if one looks at Burnley , they're managed to get out of one of the toughest leagues with one of the smallest squads and wages , compared to some of the big spenders in the Championship in the same season

Benitez hasn't had the funding to purchase that shiny second striker people are going on about.

He spent over £7 million on Crouch and £20 million on Keen , only for them to spend a lot of time on the Bench

Its also quite amusing somebody mentioned Chelsea having the ability to bring on Drogba for Anelka against Man U. How much did both of those cost

Dorba cost about the same as Torres didn't he? Anelka cost less than what Liverpool paid for Keen , or just 3 million more than what Liverpool paid for Babel
I don't know many clubs that can spend some £18 million on the likes of Aquilani, for him to be onthe Bench , even when fit .

People were having this debate on the Sunday Supplement last September , and I'm sure you'll pick apart the figures . But the stats that they brought out we that from 2004/5 to 2009 the net spend of the big Clubs were

Liverpool £88.4m, Man Utd £6.25m, Arensal £27.9m (profit), Man City £232.4, Chelsea £97.5m

[hudson]

Are Dorba and Keen an ice skating duo?

[SharkSkin-Man]

Crouch wasn't happy being an experienced backup, asked to leave and turned down a contract extension. He would've been perfect.
Keane was just hopeless and also, if reports in the press are true, not a player signed by the manager.

Both of course are in the past, from a time when money was available and the club made steps forward. We are now in the present, where it is not available, and have moved backwards.

Aquilani is actually fantastic example of the current situation.
He was signed because we needed a quality player to replace Alonso, but we could only use a fraction of the fee. Roma were prepared to accept a deal where the pay was massively staggered because Aquilani represents a risk to any buyers. (The fee currently paid is 8m Euros for anyone interested). This is despite the fact that Real Madrid paid the entire fee for Xabi Alonso up front.

[Team Andromeda]

Crouch wasn't happy being an experienced backup, asked to leave and turned down a contract extension. He would've been perfect.
Keane was just hopeless and also, if reports in the press are true, not a player signed by the manager.

The point is there was money there for both players , and for what ever reasons , didn't really get a fair crack of the whip at Liverpool

We are now in the present, where it is not available, and have moved backwards.

Same deal for lots of Clubs , even Man Utd .

He was signed because we needed a quality player to replace Alonso, but we could only use a fraction of the fee

I wouldn't really call ?10m less a fraction of the fee, and at least Liverpool let their Manager spend some of the fee, unlike with 80m Man Utd got with Ronaldo . And if we're to believe reports , Rafa wanted rid of Alonso anway, to get Barry

I think its time to stop going on about the Money .

[SharkSkin-Man]

Crouch did fine at Liverpool, then he was essentially replaced by a better player in Torres, and decided he would rather move than be a back up. There is really nothing strange or whatever from either party in that series of events.

Keane is different. His signing was odd to say the least, and it turned out he was actually quite rubbish at football. But definitely a bad deal by the club, whoever did it.


The comparison with United is slightly disingenuous. It's easier to maintain a perfectly working car than it is to build one from scratch (just look how long Ferguson took and how much he spent to form a solid platform at United).


Alonso was sold for a ?30m lump-sum payment. Aquilani was signed for 5M euros plus potential add-ons. A huge, astronomical difference.

And yeah he wanted Barry, but could not afford him or his wages.

[Team Andromeda]

Crouch did fine at Liverpool, then he was essentially replaced by a better player in Torres,

Replaced ?, They're 2 totally different types of Strikers , and it's not like Liverpool is strong in that Dept .

Keane is different. His signing was odd to say the least, and it turned out he was actually quite rubbish at football.

I would hardly call him rubbish at football . whatever Liverpool spent 20m. So more often than not , Liverpool have had the money

The comparison with United is slightly disingenuous. It's easier to maintain a perfectly working car than it is to build one from scratch (just look how long Ferguson took and how much he spent to form a solid platform at United)

How long has Rafa had , how long did Gerard have and how much money did or have they gone through .

Alonso was sold for a £30m lump-sum payment. Aquilani was signed for 5M euros plus potential add-ons. A huge, astronomical difference

Lets player the game , That happens with most Transfers these days . Hardly anyone pays up front in full

[SharkSkin-Man]

Torres plays up front on his own, that is his best position. So he replaced the current front line of the time. They either had to adapt (a-la Kuyt) or be happy being a back up, which Crouch wasn't. He was offered a new contract, and turned it down.

I think most people would agree the whole Keane affair was a massive **** up and a waste of time and money, I wouldn't argue with that for a second. Although it has to be noted that the deal was probably done/pushed for by Rick Parry and not Rafa.

Houllier and Rafa have both had less time and money than Ferguson.

And while a lot of deals are indeed staggered, the Aquilani deal is especially protracted and the initial fee of 5m Euros is very low. A similar deal couldn't have been done for Barry, for example, when other clubs were happy to pay up front.

Still Aquilani remains a gamble, the Alonso sale is the one thing I really think Rafa has ****ed up badly on, and if Aquilani has another season like this one it really will represent a bad bit of business, I don't think anyone could argue against that.

[Scythe]

But Alonso wanted to go?

[DeathAdder]

the Alonso sale is the one thing I really think Rafa has ****ed up badly on

sorry to quote so selectively, but what do you (presumably a Liverpool fan) think Rafa should have done, with a player who wanted to leave?

I am not a Liverpool fan, so I won't be getting into an argument about it, but I am interested to see the views of Liverpool fans about this.

[Team Andromeda]

Houllier and Rafa have both had less time and money than Ferguson.

Rafa been there for going on 6 years , 6 to 7 years is when Ferguson won the title. Houllier did a decent job , given the total mess of a Team he inherited.
There comes a time , when you really do have to start to blame the manager . He had 6 years , gone through millions and loads of players and Liverpool position in the league is just poor .

And while a lot of deals are indeed staggered, the Aquilani deal is especially protracted and the initial fee of 5m Euros is very low

Its a good point, but given how Liverpool and the likes of Man Utd are in debts up to their Eyeballs , I'm amazed you're even allowed to trade in Transfer Market . These days most Clubs are so skint , they're very rarely pay up front

A similar deal couldn't have been done for Barry, for example, when other clubs were happy to pay up front

fair point , its hard for any team to complete, with Man City at the mo

[Team Andromeda]

sorry to quote so selectively, but what do you (presumably a Liverpool fan) think Rafa should have done, with a player who wanted to leave?

And what's a player to do , when he knows the Manager wants to sell you, for another Player ???.