The Woolster

Suarez launches into studs-up tackle... during a training session with Liverpool ladies! Read more: Luis Suarez two-footed tackle on a girl in Liverpool training - WATCH VIDEO | Mail Online Diabolical!

Thats an improvement! Last season I thought we always looked fucked in the last 30 minutes of a game..

Forgot to post the link, its in the Mirror Liverpool's Daniel Agger says he's never been fitter and hails Brendan Rodgers training regime as route to trophies - Mirror Online

Here's another article, this time with Agger. And I think Gerrard is one of only 3 outfield players to play every minute this season. I don't think its by chance that were are having fewer muscle injuries.

Thought I would try to forecast our next set of accounts and write a little about it. Ended up writing a fuck of a lot more than I expected! Its a bit long, so I won't take offence if you don't read it. Wooly Jumpers For Goalposts: Liverpool's Annual Accouts: Will the Reds stay in the red?

Probably a bit under as there won't be bonus/appearance type payments in those 2 months over the summer, but last year was £129, so not a massive difference. The summer before last we got rid of a lot of crap, but we also signed Downing, Henderson, Bellamy etc, so was going to be around the same. I think the next set of accounts should show a decent decrease. The important thing though is wages relative to revenues. We don't know what the commercial revenues would be in those 2 months, but it could be quite high with new shirt sales and summer tours.

Unless you have studied or have a working knowledge of accounts, then it can be very easy to get things the wrong way round. I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't think the loan was secured on the stadium, it was a working capital facility which had some of it designated for stadium expenses. I think the banks would have been happy picking up their £2m a year in interest now that we are a club without a significant debt problem, thats how they make their money.

The £37m goes through the cash flow statement, not the P&L.

That is revenue recognition, I am talking hard cash, which has to be shown in the Cash Flow Statement and Balance Sheet as and when it is there, and its hard cash that is used against net debt

From memory, the loan has been on the books since the H&G era, so I don't think we will ever find out. When it was borrowed, they probably then created an asset, with a bit of 'value added' to get the £50m that FSG have written that asst off in the last accounts, and paid off the loan in this accounting period.

Its an interest free loan.

It was a rhetorical question, as I've been arguing that the shareholder loan was a cash investment from FSG. This payment will not have been part of any agreement when they purchased the club. If we assume the debt had an interest rate of 5%, that would save us a couple of million each year in interest payments as well.

I'm gonna guess that the majority of season tickets are paid for in June, so that could have bought the Net debt figure down considerably after the accounting year end.

He's usually 'on top' of things like this, but thats not quite right as the lending from the owners, which can be considered as equity, was used to pay off some of that net debt, so it is not "On top of".

Wages

What is the deadline for season ticket payments?

The owners have put in £47m in I see. I wonder if that is also part of the agreement from when they bought us.

I'm not saying he wouldn't, but if both Agger and Skrtel are still here if he does come, I would expect them to get plenty of games as well, although that would in part be dependent on us getting in Europe. They can battle it out between them and the 2 in form should get the nod. It was more of a comment on price/value/expectations, for me, and this is clearly in general as there will always be the odd bargain and flop etc, I'd say for one of the big 6 clubs anything from £8m and below is for a squad player, £8-15m is for a regular starter, hopefully a first teamer but you would be ok with 20+ starts a season, £15m+ and you would be wanting a first teamer getting 30+ starts a season. Its a squad game nowadays, and I think the big clubs need sufficient quality in the squad to be able to cover for injuries and to be able to rotate, especially if they are in Europe, and with each new TV deal, transfer fees go up. £10m just isn't a lot anymore. The average transfer fee is about £5m now, and I would expect all of the players that we buy to be better than average.

I think Skrtel is a better player, I think Coates is potentially a much better player, however Rodgers' system leaves his CBs very exposed, so do Skrtel and Coates have the qualities required to play it? I think Skrtel could do, but he hasn't been great in it so far this season, but like the team as whole, these things can take a bit of time. So whilst I don't think Williams is a better player, having played in it for a couple of seasons under Rodgers, he may just fit the system better and it could be a case of the sum being greater than the parts. Having said that, I am sure there are other CBs who can fit in this system.

I don't think it necessarily is nowadays, not for the bigger clubs anyway, although clearly you wouldn't be spending that simply on a back up. Arsenal have 3 CBs that all cost between £8-10m off the top of my head, and all 3 of them have had a decent amount of games.

I think we need a goal scoring right forward. My knowledge of European players is limited, so have not seen the likes of Yarmolenko or Mertens, but Ince looks like good value. Otherwise get an AM, like an Erikson, and give Suarez a free role on the right. I'd look at Mulumbu as cover for Lucas or perhaps one of the Bedners (can't say I've seen them though, just going on reputation), but if they just promoted Coady I'd be ok with that. I think we should get an experienced LB on a 2 year contract to cover Enrique so that we can send Robinson out on a season long loan. Maybe someone like Figueora who is on a free. Need replacement for Carra. If its Williams I won't have a hissy fit. Whilst as an individual ability I am not sure he is good enough, he obviously knows how to play in our system, and perhaps that is more important. I really like Coates, but he may be unsuited to the system that Rodgers wants to play, so perhaps he should be replaced. I'm not yet decided. I'd sell Carroll, Assaidi, Pacheco and Spearing, and would loan out Suso and Coady (if we get a DM in) and probably one or 2 other ressies, and perhaps Shelvey if a Prem team was interested. I've not spent much money there, but I'd like us to get on with the stadium as quickly as possible and with as little debt as possible, and would plough any money into that. Its a long term play though and the owners would need to make it clear that is what they were doing though, otherwise there would be hell to pay!

This is what you said in the Caroline Wozniaki thread, and saying that you've had better Yet you start this thread? Your standards going down then Simon?

Knew you'd be all over it... but as I said, it lacks any context or comparisons

I presume you are getting them from WhoScored? the problem with that is I think that they are simply starting positions, so won't include us changing shape/formation mid game, which we have done often. Rodgers system is also very fluid and changes when transitioning from defence to attack. They are also squeezed into a common and easy to understand format, I think if you look at our average position on the pitch, we were generally playing more of a 2332/2323, at least prior to Sturridge joining.