Jockey

To be honest, I'm not particularly surprised by our stance personally even though I think it's more to do with available alternatives than with confidence in getting the player. 

 

While Keita would have been brilliant, there are still a few quality midfielder options we could go out for if we miss out on him (Diawara, Kovacic, Bentaleb, Goretzka, Zielinski, Barkley, Seri, Milinkovic-Savic etc...).

 

Not so sure about VVD alternatives. I've seen quite a few say that we should be able to get a good alternative option for the money being bandied about, but yet to see any proper suggestions. Koulibaly is probably the only who comes close enough but would also represent a difficult £50m+ deal to pull through. De Vrij is one I like but injury record is a bit of a concern. I'm not sure who else there is out there. Manolas? Howedes? There are very few centre-backs who come close enough to VVD imo.

That is a good point! 

Although a worry if they do not intend to get anyone in. Unless he is prepared to give Sakho another go. 

But you are right about the midfield - there are lots of alternatives to Keita. 

I think Macron is more akin to Cameron than he is to Blair, or Obama! France still gave Le Pen 30% of the vote - which we shouldn't forget. I think Brexit was our wake up call - seems to have energised the youngsters, who have tilted popular opinion to the left for the first time since the 70's. 

America is just a fucked up Reality TV show! They have elected a man with learning difficulties as the president of the US. 

Liverpool have alternative options to Keïta, but manager Klopp has said he would only abandon the chase reluctantly. (Paul Joyce)

 

In contrast, Virgil Van Dijk, another target Liverpool are trying to lure to Anfield, is the only CB they are interested in. (Paul Joyce)

That reads that they are confident of getting VVD! 

They'll be stuck between 'The Rock' and a hard place. 

I was thinking of the cunt out of Deuce Bigalow! 

Imagine if the country split in two, and you had Trumpville and the rest. What a horrible place to visit that'd be, somewhat lagging behind in science too I wager. 

Just an extended Disneyland - with mobility scooters and daily prayers! 

Very similar to UK/France in the gap between cities and countryside. 

The real story in all this isn't Trump or his family, they're a skidmark on the underpants of humanity and that's been known for years, the real story is the Republican party who are enabling and protecting him. The party of Reagan and Eissenhauer, the party of 'law and order' and the military have knowingly allowed a state of affairs where the country's mortal enemy is balls deep in its backside. It's quite astounding on every single level, I've never seen anything like it and it's another cautionary tail about capitalism - neo liberal ideals have such a stranglehold on that country that it's literally been sold off, I mean its actual patriotism, its politics and its future sold. 

Yep. However it also shows the gap between the President and the party politics in America. He wasn't seen as Republican in the strictest sense, and many (wrongly) thought that the Republicans would work against him. He was always a Republican - the only difference was he was the Alan B'Stard type, not the William Reese-Mogg type. 

The american's have always had a habit of seeing 'one of us' as a plus point for a politician. Which is bollocks - i'm not voting for me, i want someone with principles, dignity and intelligence. 

Not sure where they can go after Trump. Unless white american's just come out and say 'we don't like the blacks or the hispanic' so, we'll have Jim Crow's lad. 

Looks to me like it's at the stage where he's going to have to start acting the dick or else we give it up

I think he needs to come out now and say he is staying! If he is (via his agent) giving us positive vibes - but doesn't want to agitate, then that isn't any good for us. 

Went to join his brother at Leverkusen last week.

He never told me! 

Well, you're right there. Goretzka plays higher up the pitch than Keita and as someone already mentioned Bender has already moved to Leverkusen.

No, I do know that Goretka can play deeper. 

Sorry for not being up to date with the signings in the German league. I've really lost my way since I lost my virginity! 

Can't wait to see who the, completely different style, player is on the list

I know you are criticising but that isn't the worst idea! Why spend £40m this year on an inferior player and then buy Keita next season? 

Buy someone different - and you can still fit in Keita without much disruption. 

Don't forget Rafa it seems had Alonso lined up to replace Gerrard in 2004! 

Haha - love the bit where people complain that we haven't put a 'bid' in - and when Leipzig say that we have. They don't believe it! 

Need to move on now I think. Obviously not happening, Keita could do with saying he is staying publicly as well. 

Just throwing it out there - I'm not knowledgeable about foreign players, but if he does want Keita next season, then i'd say Goretka as he can play deeper!

I'd go for Bender (Dortmund) and the Ox. 

I remember the days when I suggested Lee Catermole! 

But this is my point. The lack of transfers and the lowering of expectations. 

That is where I disagree. I don't think the original splurge could be argued to be lowering expectations it was just shite (Downing, Enrique and Adam for fucks sake!), and they did invest all the money from Suarez.

But - since 2011 they haven't spent any of their money! I can't defend that. 

Other than transfers and the stadium stand, what are we judging them on? 

Haha - I don't blame FSG per se for the transfers. Those involved have moved on and I can't complain over last years transfers. I think they have the main stand built - sound, looks good and we are financially far more stable than we have been for a while.

But - they could build the Anfield Road stand. And we need to see what this summer brings regarding recruitment. It would be gross negligence to not ensure we have at least three more players.  

I don't quite understand the logic behind this Usamov bollocks! 

He has been holding on for 18 months until Arsenal are out of the champions league, dip into the massive reserves for a spending spree, and may lose Wenger and all the uncertainty that brings - It doesn't really seem a good business idea to do that?

Considering - what he could do is. Sell his shares! 

You know. If you really wanted to take over at Everton - why not just sell your shares? 

I don't get it. But then again I don't understand how City, Chelsea are bankrolled by billionaire's and therefore not proper football clubs, yet Moshiri and Usamov are completely different and Everton are still the 'Peoples club'! 

Their stadium is in a great place. 

Aye it is! 

That isn't FSG's fault though. Although I think they've been cunts over the Anfield road stand. 

What about Suarez? He had us popping for a bit didn't he? Nearly won us the title and then sold and never replaced. 

No you are right - we haven't (not sure we could), but that is were I can't defend them. Two transfer windows and £200m and the square root of fuck all. 

Let's stop defining ourselves with H and G years. We are well past that now. The bandaid has long been applied. What is happening now is slow blood letting. It's like a frog being boiled in hot water. The slow constant lowering of expectations and constant reminder of what we owe and how lucky we are. These guys stand to make 700M. I would say the debts been paid and then some.  

I disagree, fundamentally it would seem! 

Personally I think that is just hyperbole since 2014 a league title challenge, two finals, a European final. Not good enough but far from boiling a frog!

Compare our record to Spurs - who everyone thinks are in a great place! 

I'd argue we are in the middle of our worst decade in my lifetime - have we ever had a decade with the exception of the 90's where we won so little? and even in the 90's there was an fa cup and a league cup by the middle of it...

 

In the 10's so far we have a solitary league cup and that is it.

 

This 'top 4' lark something we have achived what twice this decade so far is messing with peoples heads. We were pretty much regulars in it in the last decade the 00's - and of course we won the european cup in that decade too.

 

I'd say this has to be our worst decade so far since the 50's.

As you say mate - the 90's - an FA cup, a league cup and another FA cup final! On the back of the eighties and pre - Chelsea and City (Wenger was 97).

We were penalties and a slip away!

This decade has been shit - but I think we are going in the right direction. Maybe it could be quicker, but I am sure we are moving in the right direction.  

It's the FSG piss blanket of slow failure. You don't know you stink of piss until it's too late. You feel warm and just glad to have the blanket. But then the warm feeling goes away and you just end up stinking of piss and no one wants you anymore. 

 

I remember kicking Barca's ass at the Camp Nou FFS. 

I remember Mash and Torres, Gerrard and Xabi. 

Hobbling Real and giving them a damn good thrashing to boot. 

 

Is it really so long ago? Are we really just a top 4 team looking up to spuds FFS? 

 

Don't forget what we are. We're Liverpool. We're not top 4. We are poetry in motion, we are the fucking dons of europe. 

I get that but;

That was all pre - parasites!

And that wasn't enough for people to give Rafa room. If I remember rightly this place itself wasn't particularly nice from 2008 on-wards. 

I have heard worse arguments!

But I was usually on a binge, and talking to a park bench. 

I wouldn't say we were especially unlucky it just felt like that because squad is so thin..

As for bench all that has happened is Robertson is coming to replace Bert Moron - we have lost Lucas who covered two positions and we have added another kid.

 

Salah is a good buy and ok he improves our attacking options - we are as of now no better off in defence or midfield, only arguably worse off.

 

Time of course will tell - i have little faith we will do enough to bolster squad.

I think at one stage we had - Henderson, Coutinho, Mane, Lallana, Lovren, Matip (missing), Can, all unavailable at the same stage for a few weeks. 

With Mane in Africa, we lost Lallana and Coutinho to injury (or recovering). 

Not even mentioning Sturridge, Ings in that! 

I remember Chelsea losing Alonso against United and they were fucked! I think you are right that we did have a small squad, but - we were also unlucky with injuries & and in light of not having Europe it was a fair assumption. 

But hopefully we have learned our lesson now. 

As I said earlier - there is absolutely no proof at all that they will not bolster the squad. The only question is whether it is with players whom are good enough! 

Bellamy was ace for us 

First time? 2006/07?

Ok bollocks may of been harsh, 1 fact relating to 1992 is that then we were one of the biggest clubs with one of the most expensive sides, we failed from a business side and declined.

The point about Balotelli was it was not a football decision but a marketing one, as he would shift shirts. (nor was this a manager signing)

Wages are directly related to revenue so should go up along with any increase in revenue( utd actually have one of the lowest % of wage to revenue)

So the aim is probably to be able to offer bigger wages to bigger players as our revs continue to increase year on year. 

I have no probs with FSG on the business side as such but have plenty of gripes on the football side, especially in relation to transfers. 

 

(For me players make the difference at clubs not facts and as you suggest sometimes that can be because of great manager buys or good scouting(or the reverse), how our recent history would of been different if we had signed Cantona or c ronaldo!!)

 

I just really feel this is the time for some big spending.

I couldn't agree more! 

I could be wrong, I just can't see us not ensuring there is a CD and CM and maybe another attacker come the start of the season.