Liverpoolway

I guess I'm in a minority, but I really rate Fellaini. In fact, I think he would get into any team in the PL, and I've seen him really dominate the top teams (wath his latest game vs. Man U for example - he totally bullied them, scored one and created another). He can win the ball and he can use the ball. His aerial strength is almost up there with Andy Carroll (though not quite), which would be an added bonus on free kicks and corners.

A typical moneyball move would be to sell Johnson for £15 million, buy Nathaniel Clyne for £2-3 million (he's out of contract) and let Clyne try to take the place from Martin Kelly.... There might be better choices than Clyne, but he's only used as an example.

The problem is that the football market is broken, due to Chelsea, Manchester City, PSG etc. There is not enough money in football (without the financial doping) to support wages such as those at City, and because the wages are not financially rational clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal etc will lose out (or be forced to make irrational decisions). I think the best way is to position the club well for FFP rules (and if the first implementation doesn't measure up, join forces with the likes of Arsenal and kick up a fuss about it). As for soccermetics, I think there is a lot of value in the >20 level as well, but it might very well be that certain players at the age 17-19 are a bit overpriced (high risk), but I think Wenger has shown that there is value to be found there as well. However, I think buying Sterling, Sinclair, Ojo, Smith, O'Hanlon etc is the way to go... Players where you have a lot of time to integrate them into the philosophy and playing style.

I don't see the point in slating Rodgers. You haven't done the ground work right if you have to interview 12 people. I'm sure he'd reconsider if he was one of four or something. Rodgers has a lot to lose if he's seen chasing the job, and then don't get it. He needs to keep the core of the Swansea team to ensure that if he stays he'll continue the excellent progress they've had so far. I think he would be a better choice than both Martinez and Villas Boas. He has that thirst for knowledge that will ensure he'll keep on growing both as a manager and as a person. He comes off very well in interviews, and his team plays better football than most teams. In fact I think Swansea plays better football than any other team with similar resources.

At first I thought it was a bit harsh myself, but then I had a closer look at some of the results. One game was 17-0!! Zaton scored three, but another AB player scored six. Goalscoring statistics for individual players are not worth too much with results like that.

The bump is related to Kris Peterson's twittering about having lunch with his good friend Armin (and posting a couple of pictures of Armin Hodzic - who is in Liverpool atm). We'll probably have to wait a bit longer for the details.

I think Barnes is an excellent ambassador for the club, but he could (and should) be much more. I'd love for him to be involved at the academy, the way Dalglish used to be. It would be great if one of his kids could follow in his footsteps (some of them are obviously too old, but I think the youngest is only two years old).

I don't expect them to fund a massive transfer spending, but I do expect them to show a bit of ambition and take a bit of risk. If we look at the net spend, as well as the allowance of having a decifit of €45 million over the first two years of FFP, I assumed they would be a bit more expansive (for two years before that the squad became gradually weaker, as a lot of players where sold without decent replacements being brought in). Having said that, if Meireles hadn't been sold - or if a replacement had been bought - the spending would be more in line with what you'd expect. It might be a coincidence, and that is something we will only know after a period of time. With a net spending of £35-40 million in the summer (and not on the expense of not spending the next summer) a lot of doubt will be gone...

Suarez should appologize to Dalglish (having told him he would shake hands with Evra), but if he really does feel he has the moral high ground vs. Evra (and other than the two of them who knows what really happened?) he has nothing to appologize for to anyone else. I don't like Ayre's statement at all.

He did have a quiet game, but unlike Downing he put in an effort. I do think he needs to get stuck in more, as too often he chickens out of challenges, but if can get a bit stronger I think he has it in him to become an excellent player.

And what players are they talking about? Ibe, Sinclair, Ojo, O'Hanlon and Shelvey didn't play. Sterling, obviously, but Tottenham had Coulibaly.

According to ESPN there might be some movement. Sao Paolo and Catania both want Doni...

I've seen him play a few games (in addition to a the highlight packages), although the games have been for the dutch U17 and U19. He has a lot of pace, and would be the fastest player at Liverpool. He's also a very good finisher. He needs to work a bit on his strength, including his acceleration. His technique needs a bit of work as well, though he's usually a good dribbler. I'd say he reminds me lot like the Thierry Henry that played as a right winger for France in 1998 (when he as a bit of a raw talent). Henry improved a lot after that, and I'd say he really blossomed about 18 months later. I'd be more than happy with two signings such as Castaignos (not as a regular loan though) and Redmond/Markovic. It might not be enough to get fourth this year, but it will give a lot of hope for the future.

You put it like Shitty actually have the moral high ground. They are cheats, and they have made a huge contribution to the demise of football... If Tevez had behaved the same way at another club (bar Chelski, PSG et al of course) then I would probably think differently, but Tevez and Shitty deserve each other.

No contract for Arteaga, who now looks set to have a trial with Tottenham...

Raheem Sterling has been quite poor this season (with the exception of two or three games), compared to his first 18 months at the club. I think he needs to play five or six games in a row at the same level that he showed last week. If he can do that then I think he'll probably get himself into the first team squad. Suso is probably not as close to the first team as Sterling, but I think he'll get into the first team squad over the summer. He's not as dominant as he was a year ago (when he was the focal point of the team), but he has added a bit of strength and grit to his game. I think it is just a matter of time before he finds the right balance to his game.

Jakob Glesnes will have a trial with Liverpool next week: Skal trene med Liverpool | ba.no He's a 17 year old defender, and a Liverpool fan (he had a trial with Arsenal a couple of years ago, and he then said that although he would prefer it to be Liverpool, having a trial with Arsenal was a great opportunity). He'll probably join Brann if he can't get a contract with Liverpool.

Abubakar and Arteaga.

Quique Pina is supposedly set to sign for Liverpool. He seems to be a 14 year old left back. Supposedly very fast and very strong, and wanted by all the top sides in Spain. It seems that Antonio Gomez has encouraged the kid to join Liverpool, whilst also working on some sort of co-operation arrangement between the two clubs. As he played for the U18 side during his trial I assumed he was 16 or 17, especially as the fee mentioned is €200,000 - potentially rising to €300 000.

I don't think Ince will make it at a higher level than the Championship, and Eccleston will end up at a lower level than that. Mendy will not make it in league football at all. Today I thought most of the players were excellent (with the exception of Eccleston and Mendy). Brad Smith did extremely well and was probably MoM for me, but there were a lot of very good performances. Hunter said that Sterling was back to his best, but although I think he can be proud of his performance (which is his best so far this season), I think he has an ever higher level in him...

A friend of me is married to a serbian woman, and he speaks the language fluently. I got him to translate a couple of articles from the serbian press, and it seems like the interest is genuine. The fee mentioned is between €10 million and €13 million. In one of the articles his agent is quoted as saying that the wp is the sticking point, but he thinks that it can be done (the player is on the verge of a full international cap, at the age of 17).

I haven't heard anything about Moli having trials elsewhere, and for me he is one of the most talented youngsters in the U18 squad. Mukendi is probably the least talented player I've seen play for Liverpool.

Most displays have been average though, and this team is nowhere near the quality of the team last year. Liverpool have probably had 60 or so England youth international players in the period 2000 to 2010. How many of them can you say have made it? If Liverpool want to emulate Barcelona, Arsenal, Sporting etc, then the current U18 side is nowhere near good enough. That might be expected, when you consider that Robinson, Suso, Pelosi and Sterling could have played, but you'd still expect better performances than the ones we've seen this season. I rate five or six of the youngsters who played yesterday, but there are too many who are not good enough for a club such as Liverpool. Personally I think things will be a lot better next year (the current U16 side seems to be quality, and the best players in this years U18 side can still play for the team next season).

Craig Bellamy clearly called Tim Krul "...dutch cunt" in the game vs. Newcastle. What is the difference between "...pakistani cunt" and "...cunt"?

Dembele is one of the players I've found most impressive in the PL over the past year or so. Diame (Wigan) is another player I really like. If Commoli/Dalglish look to the PL for an "replacement" for Lucas then I'd want Diame (I have to admit that I would prefer Fellaini, but that is not happening).