Red Spartan

Now you are just asking for it....... I dont agree with that at all. Say what you like but in Gerrard, Alonso, Barry (hopefully), Babbel, Yossi, Masch and sometimes Keane and Kuyt we have a supreme midfield that can slug it off with the best out there. They are technical, quick, intelligent, excellent movement, strong, winning mentallity and can score from anywhere. Why do lack faith dear friend. We have a winning squad.

God forbid......sign him now and get it over and done with! If it is a January signing I would want to know why..........

Agreed. Kuyt just offers so much off the ball people who critisize him dont see all the work that he does. I think Yossi and Kuyt complement each other perfectly as one is good on the ball and the other does all the things thats not seen. He tracks back, closes down, piles on the pressure, can tackel, score and has decent movement up front. Yossi can open up defenses on a whim, make a killer pass, score goals and makes excellent runs behind defences.

Even so I would like to think that Liverpool have some top notch accountants that would ensure that this deal goes through. Whats the point of having to go through the entire summer to reach this point only to have the transfer stalled on some bureaucratic technicality. Its in Liverpools court and it seems very quite. Just worried.......

This is getting very tedious. Why has it stalled so much I dont know! I hate to say this but is Liverpool having difficulties in raising the funds??

I dont get why there was any doubt to begin with. I mean I knew about the interest from Roma about Yossi but Kuyt i did not know. In any case, I would keep them both, they are part of the "quality" equation to the squad. They add depth and can be used in multiple positions. Since the Roma interest surfaced I said that Rafa would not and should not sell Yossi for any price. The same goes for Kuyt. The guy just too much for the team that directly contributes to the teams winning attitude. He does a bit of everything, an all round Liverpool player thats too valuable to the squad. Yossi and Kuyt are part of what makes Liverpool tick and win games. Selling them was never an option in my view.

Kid looks good. Just a younger, faster, technically superior version of Crouchy. Helps that you can pick him out amongst other players.

I was refering to the reply of 8million being the maximum amount we can bring in for Yossi, and even though I personally would not sell him, 8million for a player of Yossis calibre is not much. I would not sell him, but people do like to evaluate their prize assets. To me, what Yossi brings to the team cannot be evaluate and thats why I said not to sell him at any price.

I wonder whos chin packs more of a punch....Chuck Norris or Martin Skertel??

I have been on here before and I have to admit that before yesterday I was suportive of Alonso leaving in favour for Barry. Now I am not so sure...... In the past few seasons we have seen Alonso play behind the attacking midfield, in front of the defence. As in very deep trying to dictate the play with his long range passing. Yesterday I saw him play very foward, supporting the attack....and I must say it was like watching a different player. He can pick out mid range passing with ease and can also pick up the ball from outside the box and score. I mean I still support the managers decision to bring in Barry but not at the expense of Alonso. If he is used where he was used yesterday then he can be a very usefull player to have in that positon....

Even then I would think twice about it. He has what it takes to go up against better oposition and come out a winner. His link up play is good and now he is developing a really good left foot of which he can score from anywhere. Yossi score from a position yesterday which Keane could not. What does that say? Sure he is an ugly bastard but lets not hold that againt him.......

No way in hell would I consider to sell Yossi. He is a top class player with an eye for goal and a killer pass. His is skillfull as he is intelligent. Rafa should not sell one of his creative midfielders for any kind of profit. We need him as much as we need Torres, Gerrard, Agger or Masch. He is an important squad player that gives you more options in attack. If Rafa does decide to sell him I will be full on against it as Yossi has not done anything to justify any kind of transfer to another club. To add he has scored some good goals in preseason that should cement his place in the starting XI. If I am being honest here, Yossi is one of those players that can have either a decent game or a world class game. He is a better Luis Garcia player. He can play on the wing, in the middle or in the hole. He can score, pass, link up and is strong with great intelligence. Rafa do not sell him, for any price.....

Just emphasizing that if you do vote for third that you are absolutely certain that comning second is not a viable outcome. And who the hell voted for outside the top 4??

I wholeheartly agree with that post. I am even going to rep you. The fact that Beintex wants Barry and Keane in the squad means that he has identified a weakness within the team and seeks players that can make the squad better. That enough for me to back him up.....

The reason why I do not agree with your use of Pennant is that I do not categorise him as a class player so in effect it would take longer for him to adapt or even to have an impact on the team. He never had quality performances and as such I did not see at the time why Rafa signed him. Keane on the other hand is a consistent performing goalscorer who is rated highly in anyones book. A players player if you will. As such Keane and Pennant would not adapt in the same time period that you have set out (2 years) as in many ways Pennant is an inferior player to Keane. So we move on from Pennant to Bellamy who is a similar player but moved on why. Why? Because although Bellamy had tons of experience he did not simply socre goals or do enough for the team. Comparing straight talent of Keane and Villa and in many ways Keane will come up short, however I can see him adapting faster in the Liverpool team than Villa and in some way scoring more goals than him that dont only require talent but also experience.

....and personally I would go for Keane who will cost 10million less.

Now now, you are comparing a second class player with proven talent. When you compare Villa to Keane (both exceptional players) the difference between them is PL experience, one has bag loads of it and the other one does not. Talent or not if you go into something unknown then you must adapt to it and learn it. Ronaldo did not have the best of first season but look at him now. Benitez doings is a reflection of what the fans want and thats the title. Whilst brining in the likes of Villa and Silva will pay off in the long run, Benitez has to gamble on wherever they will make an impact now or 2 years from now. The fans are getting impatient and sadly cannot wait another 2 years for a title challange. So instead of buying quality players he goes for a quality PL players. Its unfair to use Pennant as he was never as the same standard as Keane or Barry.

The root of Benitez thinkings is that he does not have the time to gradually introduce foreign players in order to produce a title challange this year. The problem with that is that you trade talent for proven experience. Gonzales had great potential but could not hack it in the big league and no matter how much talent you have if you cannot play in a strong league then whats the point? Villa could turn out to be excactly the same, albeit Torres being the exception to that rule.

Maybe not but at least he is a proven goalscorer in the PL unlike Villa who would be a bigger gamble.

Looking at what Rafa had to deal with in order to get to this also shows what a great manager he is. He oversuceeded in his first season true which piled more pressure on him in later years but he has now built a team of winners amid speculation surrounding his job and his relationship with the current owners. Yes, Rafa has achieved many great things under different circumstances to United, Chelsea and Arsenal and we should thank him for that.

True but I say rotation because a lot of people in here beleive that is the rotation policy adapted by Rafa that cost us losing ground on our rivals mid-way through the season. I dont agree with this but I am here to argue that. I put up there as a factor that could influence the final standing positon of the team.

A lot of talk is going on regarding to the finishing postion of Liverpool in upcoming season. Some are pessimistic enough to state that we will finish no more than fourth or third. The more optimistic fans say that we will finish second whilst a small majority actually think that Liverpool will push either United or Chealse all the way to May for the title. Now I know that there is a good chance that Liverpool might not win the title but in the pool I have given a variety of options including winning the title. As another option I have put second, third, fourth or outside the top four. What you need to take into consideration to your answer is the tranfers, the depth of the squad, the quality of the players on the field and the bench and Benitez tactics and rotation policies. As an added note just take a moment and look at United, Chealse and Arsenal squads and estimate how strong they are to relation to us then make up the finishing positons of the top 4. Personally I think it will look something like this: 1. Man United 2. Liverpool 3. Chealse 4. Arsenal (if not then Tottenham or Portsmouth) P.S: I make this assumptions basing on the fact that Barry will make his transfer later on this week. P.P.S: If Reira was to come my finishing top three will be Liverpool, United and Chealse.

Agreed. The major weakness about last years squad was we did not have quality deapth to rotate quality players for quality. This year will be huge in regards to how Benitez will man manage his squad and who he rotates. Agger was sorely missed last term and he has to prove that he is worth his starting place on the first team as he has now Skertal to contend with, so hopefully we will see a better improved Agger this year.

Andy Gary is the biggest brown-nose there is to Ferguson and Wenger. Liverpool dont get a mention and this year we are problably stronger, faster and better equiped then any of the other 3. He have made some key signings this summer that would enable us to push on even further in the title race whilst Chealse, United and Arsenal are seemingly standing still, not buying players or losing key players. Andy Gray is so off the ball on this one,,,,,,

Dont need any wingers in the current liverpool squad. Rafa has an idea of how the team is played and who plays in the team. Admitelly he is going all out and is gambling on the team and how its played with the playes that he is signing this summer. In this idea of his, he is not going for wingers as alreay he has enough creativity and attacking players in his team. Why should he add another inflated ego in the team to unstable it??