Topic: FT: LFC 1-2 MUFC

[didi]

And there's plenty of good players we have signed without champions league football. Coutinho, Sturridge, Sakho, Suarez etc etc.

all under the radar type signings

[Caston]

all under the radar type signings

Still doesn't mean they aren't very good players and we can't do it again

[itsgunnabebarnes!]

When as a club have we ever signed big names? Who was the last?? Collymore??? Barnes?

Your Suarez's and Torres' were not huge names. I can't think of any we have signed

[Haemoglobin]

When as a club have we ever signed big names? Who was the last?? Collymore??? Barnes?

Your Suarez's and Torres' were not high names. I can't think of any we have signed

I think the apparently impotent, absurdly flexible nonsense that is FFP right now actually makes it harder for a club like ours to land huge under-the-radar upcoming talents like this. Suarez and Torres were both absolutely making waves in Europe when we took a chance on them; their gifts were already partly evident.

These days, a megarich club will probably take a fairly expensive gamble on them, loan them out if they don't pull up trees immediately for the first team, and then sell them on for a still-decent sum, but avoiding their domestic rivals so as not to be burnt again. FFP in its current form practically encourages it.

[killer-heels]

The history is there. Willian, Mkytaryan, Sigurdsson, Eriksen.  The list goes on and will continue. Big players will use our higher non-CL offer to jack their eventual price to a CL participant.

Eriksen didn't go to a CL side. Wasn't that Lamela regarded as the next big thing at Roma? Where did he go?

You pay the money, you generally get the player.

[Phil M]

Lock this and move on just going off into fantasy transfer nonsense now.

Roll on Arsenal.

[Walk On]

Agree with this.  Champions League is the most over hyped competition of all time.  Yet for me it's slowly becoming very boring over the last few years, particularly with now the best part of a month between legs in the latter stages.  And probably something to be said for the marketing of it by UEFA, although you can milk something to death by too many changes.  Yes a few years ago the money for getting there was important, but much less so now with the Premier new TV deals.

I'd much rather win a trophy than sneak into 4th.  When you open the matchday programme where it lists the clubs honours, you don't see any mention of top 4 finishes.  Also not being there didn't stop UTD signing supposed top drawer players.  You pay the wages and players will come.  You don't and they won't.

Same as it ever was.

It's a valid argument but it's not just about getting into the Champions League.  It's also about being able to get the experience of competing against the top teams and build up experience on that front (both for the players and manager).  With this experience you gain confidence and are then able to compete in the League. 

Another implication of not qualifying for the Champions League will have a bigger impact on player recruitment at Liverpool but also recruitment at those we will be/should be competing against in the league.  They will have an upper hand/incentive of recruiting top class talent and we are at risk of losing the players we have due to the lack of European competition.  We saw this and how the gap grew in the 90's/00's. 

[Haemoglobin]

Winning another European Cup would probably mean more to me than winning our first Premier League. Not by much, but yeah. So the longer we're out of it, the further off that delirious dream is.

Like it or not, it may not have maintained anything like the same footballing quality of several years ago in recent seasons, but it just brings too much, means too much for a club like LFC for us to churlishly play its importance down now our chances of nabbing an invite next term have taken a big hit. I hate us not being in the prime European competition, even crashing out woefully like we did this season represents a valuable learning experience if taken onboard correctly. There's no question that Rodgers has a lot to learn about how to set us up to play in Europe, and he's not gona learn anything if we're out of the big one for a significant stretch (2 consecutive seasons out of it is seriously damaging, financially and in terms of reputation and attractiveness to elite players, if you're not made of money).

[jambutty]

Winning another European Cup would probably mean more to me than winning our first Premier League. Not by much, but yeah. So the longer we're out of it, the further off that delirious dream is.

That's true of most OOT supporters that don't work with or have Manc friends or rellos playing hyena forever.  Our owners recognise the importance of a Prem win.  CL qualification and the money and players it attracts is a means to that end.

[Haemoglobin]

That's true of most OOT supporters that don't work with or have Manc friends or rellos playing hyena forever. 

I'm from Liverpool, I do work with plenty of Mancs and Evertonians, and I still feel that way. And I never said a Prem win was not important, so...

[gregorio]

Our club should write to Utd , the Premier League & the FA, formally warning that if their away support continue with the Hillsborough and Heysel songs there will be no away allocation.

I know some survivors and felt physically sick listening to that on Sunday. I can only imagine how it affects survivors and families.

It seems to be getting worse

[Mutton Geoff]

Given some of you wallow in despair and negativity and never post after a win this thread has hit all time lows, it seems like our season ended on Sunday and nobody sent me the memo. WTF are you lot on, Drama Queens abound this place.
 
We lost a game but still plenty of points to gain yet, and if being in the CL is the price of your support other clubs are available with spaces for plastic fans.

[spider-neil]

Given some of you wallow in despair and negativity and never post after a win this thread has hit all time lows, it seems like our season ended on Sunday and nobody sent me the memo. WTF are you lot on, Drama Queens abound this place.
 
We lost a game but still plenty of points to gain yet, and if being in the CL is the price of your support other clubs are available with spaces for plastic fans.

Thinking Liverpool have blown 4th place makes you a plastic fan?

[redbyrdz]

That couldn't have gone much worse, couldn't it?

Two bans, two injuries, and a loss to the shite from down the east lancs seriously harming our top four chances.


Oh well. Live and learn or something like that. Roll on Arsenal.

[Mutton Geoff]

Thinking Liverpool have blown 4th place makes you a plastic fan?

Reacting like some in here have and always do makes them pillocks will that do for you !

[Historical Fool]

Thinking Liverpool have blown 4th place makes you a plastic fan?

Not blown yet. A setback but we go again. There is a golden sky.

[Gerrard#1]

Inter want Yaya.

I'm sure they can afford to pay Lucas more than what he is on here.

Seriously you're in dreamland.

Ok, then no Liverpool player will leave in the summer and we can afford who we like.

I don't think  we'll be very active in the market this Summer. Other than finding a Gerrard replacement and possibly a RB.

[Caston]

I don't think  we'll be very active in the market this Summer. Other than finding a Gerrard replacement and possibly a RB.

Striker???
GK???

[Gerrard#1]

Winning another European Cup would probably mean more to me than winning our first Premier League. Not by much, but yeah. So the longer we're out of it, the further off that delirious dream is.

Like it or not, it may not have maintained anything like the same footballing quality of several years ago in recent seasons, but it just brings too much, means too much for a club like LFC for us to churlishly play its importance down now our chances of nabbing an invite next term have taken a big hit. I hate us not being in the prime European competition, even crashing out woefully like we did this season represents a valuable learning experience if taken onboard correctly. There's no question that Rodgers has a lot to learn about how to set us up to play in Europe, and he's not gona learn anything if we're out of the big one for a significant stretch (2 consecutive seasons out of it is seriously damaging, financially and in terms of reputation and attractiveness to elite players, if you're not made of money).

Rodgers seems to be a complete contrast to Rafa. He can pick up points against the bottom half teams but he leaves a lot to be desired in the big games (especially away from home).

[Gerrard#1]

Striker???
GK???

Origi and do you mean a backup keeper? Mignolet's in great form.

[Caston]

Origi and do you mean a backup keeper? Mignolet's in great form.

So you think we will only get Origi in when it's likely Balotelli Lambert and Borini will be off?
We wanted a keeper in the Jan window so we are probably still looking for a comfortable sweeper keeper

[Gerrard#1]

So you think we will only get Origi in when it's likely Balotelli Lambert and Borini will be off?
We wanted a keeper in the Jan window so we are probably still looking for a comfortable sweeper keeper

I don't think we'll let three strikers leave in the same window. We'll definitely keep one of Lambert/Balotelli. Borini is gone but Origi should cover his place in the team.

[Gerrard#1]

The history is there. Willian, Mkytaryan, Sigurdsson, Eriksen.  The list goes on and will continue. Big players will use our higher non-CL offer to jack their eventual price to a CL participant.

Sanchez? We finished above Arsenal it made no difference.

[Gerrard#1]

That couldn't have gone much worse, couldn't it?

Two bans, two injuries, and a loss to the shite from down the east lancs seriously harming our top four chances.


Oh well. Live and learn or something like that. Roll on Arsenal.

Who?

[Steak Bake]

Only Daniel is injured, no?

[cowtownred]

Only Daniel is injured, no?

And Lallana.

[rickardinho1]

I don't think we'll let three strikers leave in the same window. We'll definitely keep one of Lambert/Balotelli. Borini is gone but Origi should cover his place in the team.

[/b]
I love it when people say this. It's as if Borini has played more than twice this season and we are somehow in desperate need to fill those minutes when he leaves.

As far as I'm concerned Origi could replace the combined contribution from Balotelli/Lambert/Borini on his own pretty much. Though another striker would be nice too.

[thelinnen]

Sanchez? We finished above Arsenal it made no difference.

And offered him much less than Arsenal.

[Phil M]

It's Thursday, move on already ffs.

[gatcliffe]

It's Thursday, move on already ffs.

Could not agree more why thread is still open god only knows.

[exiledintheUSA]

It's Thursday, move on already ffs.

Another downside to International Week.

[Kopenhagen]

I don't think we'll let three strikers leave in the same window. We'll definitely keep one of Lambert/Balotelli. Borini is gone but Origi should cover his place in the team.

Might be harder to offload these players than we realize.

I'm sure relegation fodder will be interested in Lambert (his level). Balotelli is on big money and who'll be willing to pay him after his poor season? Three "man managers" - Mancini, Mourinho, Rodgers - have all given up on him now. Again, Borini, I'm sure some relegation fodder would be interested, but would he just block the move like last time? He doesn't seem too bothered about playing time. Maybe an Italian club will take the piss completely and offer £5m and we'll be forced to accept it.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Balotelli is on big money and who'll be willing to pay him after his poor season? Three "man managers" - Mancini, Mourinho, Rodgers - have all given up on him now.

Might help if we give him a few starts, you never know. Hard to properly judge a footballer who rarely plays, and of course every player adapts immediately to a new club.

[Kopenhagen]

Might help if we give him a few starts, you never know. Hard to properly judge a footballer who rarely plays, and of course every player adapts immediately to a new club.

Well, we might have to find a use for him. He has a big money contract until 2018.

I was looking at some of our contracts last night, and we still need to clear out a lot of dross. For example, Jones and Enrique are both stealing a living and have contracts until 2016 - we need them gone and adequate replacements purchased, though I doubt anyone would want them. Borini can hang around here and steal a living until 2017. Lovren has a contract until 2019 and has flopped, too.

[rickardinho1]

Well, we might have to find a use for him. He has a big money contract until 2018.

I was looking at some of our contracts last night, and we still need to clear out a lot of dross. For example, Jones and Enrique are both stealing a living and have contracts until 2016 - we need them gone and adequate replacements purchased, though I doubt anyone would want them. Borini can hang around here and steal a living until 2017. Lovren has a contract until 2019 and has flopped, too.

Surely there would be plenty of takers for Enrique, he's actually a decent player on his day and would be good for a mid-table side.

Borini is young enough to want to play football to earn a good long-term living beyond 2017, but I suspect his girlfriend being Scouse has something to do with him insisting on staying.

[Kopenhagen]

Surely there would be plenty of takers for Enrique, he's actually a decent player on his day and would be good for a mid-table side.

Eh, maybe the Enrique of 2012-13, not the one who's had knee issues and can't stay fit.

[Mutton Geoff]

And offered him much less than Arsenal.

actually we offered more to Barcelona but Sanchez asked them to take Arsenals bid, funny old world hey

[redalways]

Stevie should have gone out in style and knocked out Rooney.