27 Aug 2009

Forget missing out on the league - Liverpool FC has a bigger problem to deal with.

After a terrible start to the season, title number 19 seems as far away as ever, which is a depressing thought for every Liverpool fan. However, David Clarke believes that missing out on another title is small potatoes compared to the real problem the club must contend with this season.

Forget about Liverpool missing out on the title for a minute - has anybody considered the possibility the club could conceivably miss out on the top four? After a couple of recent poor displays and our lack of strength in depth, I have to admit that am not as certain as I was that Liverpool will be in the top four in May 2010.

Flying starts to the season by Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs mean that there is already a major concern over the three automatic Champions League qualification places. At the start of the season, many people were suggesting that Arsenal would be the team that makes way. I don’t know about you, but based on recent performances, I believe the Gunners would beat us comfortably.

Additionally, Tottenham are currently sitting pretty at the top of the league and who wouldn’t bet against them sneaking in the back door to claim third or fourth place?

Harry Redknapp has got a fantastic record at other ‘unfashionable’ clubs and his employers certainly aren’t shy when it comes to splashing the cash. Their frontline is far more impressive than ours, and two of them – Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch – used to be on our books!

My main concern is, however, Manchester City. You cannot help but take notice of the money they have spent, and will probably spend again in the January transfer window if things need freshening up, or if Sheikh Mansour has got some loose cash lying about.

City hasn’t spent all of that money to get into the Europa League; they want top four MINIMUM, and it seems inevitable that there WILL be a change to the dominance of the existing ‘big four’.

Failure to qualify for the CL is unthinkable - the revenue from the competition is anything from £25 million for qualification up to a total of £50 -
£60 million for going the distance and winning the trophy.

With our interest payments currently at around £37 million a year - an amount we have to pay just to survive – it’s clear that staying in Europe’s premier competition is essential.

Some may argue that this is a knee-jerk reaction, but I am concerned about the long-term future of the club and us ‘doing a Leeds United’ if the more ambitious clubs - who are hungry for success and much needed revenue to service THEIR debts - step up a gear and squeeze their way into the big boys club.

For all the gesturing, campaigns and protests, the Americans are still here and don’t look like going. We have got them for the long-haul it seems, so the team needs as much support as it can get.

The club is literally fighting for its future, and every match from here on in is basically a cup final.

Rafa said we needed perfection – that is obviously not possible, but it’s time he and the team to start delivering results before it’s too late.


59 comments:

  1. Hmmn, "...according to Dave Clarke..."

    what a paradox that is, how bizarre

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  2. Get rid of Rafa and the yank...........King Kenny to take over!!

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  3. All I can says is that we are three fucking games into the season, lost at white heart lane which others in the top four will do, Villa is tough loss as it was at home, but all the negativity shows how much you really support the team.

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  4. <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; ">I got Faith. I trust in our team. All we need is to get our heads sorted and get the momentum.</span>
    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; "> </span>
    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; ">I Believe and I don't give a S*** of what people say. I love this club and I'll be always Behind them.</span>
    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; "> </span>
    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; ">Will finish up there next May as we're a club that we bounce back.</span>
    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; "> </span>
    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: black; ">YNWA Malta</span>

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  5. liverpool will be back, starting with bolton, tuff start but come on man, support our troops,

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  6. Can't see us not getting top 4  - we have a more settled and experienced team.

    We have lost 2 very strange games, and had a very strange pre-season where our players and Rafa lacked focus. This seems to be to be the problem more than any player missing. A lack of focus and a lack of proper pre-season fitness.

    If you analysed Chelsea's pre-season compared to ours, they were playing competitive games against top class oppositon in America. We were drifting along playing rubbish teams and looking lazy. Pre-season this year was poorly organised by Rafa and the staff. The players should have been pushed a lot harder to get ready for the season. The poor start is a sign that they weren't properly focused - or fit enough in Torres and Gerrard's case.

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  7. F*ck Lucas, he's shit.

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  8. The threat is real. If not this season, definitely the season after... The rodeo clowns can't afford to own our club or fund transfers let alone build the new stadium which we truly need in order to stay competitive. With the current bullshit artists as our owners, we will be left behind. Finishing fifth would be a genuine catastrophe.

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  9. ZZ - personal insults against players/staff are not acceptable, which is why I've deleted your post.

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  10. I can't believe all the negativaty i'm hearing. Please boys either support the team or go some where else and moan about a different team as you cannot be real reds fans.

    Things will improve on the points front and at the end of the day we lost to a team who we were far better than on the night.We just did not take our chances, but hey thats football and shit happens, it will all come good in the end.  Have faith.

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  11. <span style=""><span style="">I agree with whats already been said. The team has only played 270 minutes of football now is not a time to start panicking and writing off the season. This team is basically the same as the team that ended last season so strongly, and they are more than capable of going on a long run of wins. Just keep the faith and quit moaning. </span></span>

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  12. I love Liverpool FC with all my heart and I don't want it to get sucked into obscurity because other teams have more money than us. You cannot fault the passion, the fans, the history - but you can fault the lack of funds. We are nothing if we aren't competing in the top four at least. Man. City want it, so does Spurs and Villa - somethings got give I just hope it is not our great club.

    If Man City lost the two games against Spurs and Villa, would Mark Hughes be up for the sack? Probably yes - this is how much pressure is on Man City to perform this year.

    When I write an article, I really want to open up debate. Please do not question my loyalty/love of the club. I am just passionate.

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  13. I agree. Seems like our preseason priority was to do promotion shows in Asia rather than prepare properly for the coming season.

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  14. The Red Horseman1:52 pm, August 27, 2009

    We see this every season.  There is always a team that starts off well and half way through they are in a mid table position as Spurs will be.  It is no shame not being at the top in the first month we need to be in that position come May next year and thee is still time for that. so lets get behind the Reds and support them.

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  15. 3 games in and our season is over, lets forget the fact there are still 105 points to play for. wasnt it man u last season who had 5 points from the first 4 games - something like that anyway....

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  16. Dunno why people seem so confident of making the top 4.

    I think the end of last season has blinded some lfc fans to the 'fact' that Liverpool were terrible for long periods last year too.

    Scraping wins, scraping points. Numerous late winners, numerous draws.

    We were predictable with only one game plan last year and I think it's the same again this year. Really. We were the definition of average last year for lots of games but just managed to squeeze a result out. I have not got the same faith we can just do that again because it happened before.

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  17. The difference between those who fail and those who do not ... is there state of mind !!!

    Research has shown those who can not see a positve outcome when things are not good are those who fail (generally speaking of course).

    Those people who look beyond the present negative situation and can see a positive outcome usually succeed ... I'm not going to look at this poor start and spend too much time in this negative state of mind!

    Assuming the structure of the club doesn't change, we will not only finish in the top 4 ... we will finish in the top 2 !!!!

    Now lets get behind our team and be the 12th man, they need us now :)

    RR

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  18. As long as we are there or there about in December - we tend to finish quite strong - therefore will definately be contenders come May

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  19. It's too early to write off our season. But I agree that our long term future looks bleak due to Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb. As long as we have owners who will not contribute funds to the club and who will use transfer money obtained from the sale of players to pay off their debts then there is a very real possibility LFC will drop out of the CL places. Then where will they find the money to pay back their loans?

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  20. I think we might be OK for this season and hope that these fears prove to be unfounded.

    But, there is no doubt that the team needs investment. A team without investment can only sustain itself for so long before succumbing to the inevitable.

    Gillette and Hicks need to realise that without proper funding their investment will become a liability. Oh, and I'm not talking about borrowing more money and putting that debt on the club also.

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  21. Fighting for its future?! Crisis?? Come on Dave, this is a bit much 3 games into a new season. We've had an indifferent start to the season, and I specifically use the word indifferent rather than terrible, but we still have 35 games to go. Its far, far to early to be writing articles like this.  Spurs and Man City have had a good start to the season. And hopefully they'll take points off Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal. The season will be much closer this season but I honestly cannot see us falling out of the top 4.

    Lets get some persective. Last season Man Utd started it with four points from their first three games. We have 3 points from our first three games, so we're one point behind where the eventual Champions were at the same stage last season. Crisis? No, I don't think so.

    The reason we didn't win the league last season was because we drew too many games not because of how many we lost. It was the 22 points we dropped in drawn games rather than the 6 we lost in losing games. Man Utd lost 4 and still won the league. This season we've already beaten a team we drew with twice last year. We've lost to a potential top 6 team in Spurs and a top 8 team in Villa.

    Since the inception of the PL, the team that wins the league has on average lost 5 games. The only major variations to this average was the "invincible" Arsenal team that lost none, and Chelsea a year later losing 1. So to talk about a crisis,  dropping out of the title race or the top 4 is ridiculous at this stage of the season.

    <div class="splitLeft" style="font-weight: bold;">

    1992-93 - Man Utd - Six defeats
    1993-94 - Man Utd - Four defeats
    1994-95 - Blackburn - Seven defeats
    1995-96 - Man Utd - Six defeats
    1996-97 - Man Utd  - Five defeats
    1997-98 - Arsenal - Six defeats
    1998-99 - Man Utd - Three defeats
    1999-00 - Man Utd - Three defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2000-01 - Man Utd - Six defeats
    </div>
    <div class="splitRight">
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2001-02 - Arsenal - Three defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2002-03 - Man Utd - Five defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2003-04 - Arsenal  - No defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2004-05 - Chelsea - One defeat
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2005-06 - Chelsea - five defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2006-07 - Man Utd - Five defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2007-08 - Man Utd - Five defeats
    <p style="font-weight: bold;">2008-09 -Man Utd - Four defeats
    </div>


    You mention how our squad is lacking in depth. We pretty much have the same squad as last year, bar Alonso. Last year we scored 77 goals, 9 more than Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. We had 16 different goalscorers; we were the only team to have more than two players who scored more than 10 PL goals (Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt). Along with Spurs and Man Utd we had most goals scored by subtitutes; nine goals. So no strengh or depth in the squad? I would disagree based on the statistics from last year.

    How is this squad any worse than what we had last year? You'll say we've lost Alonso. True, but even though he had his best season last year, why was it that we still drew 11 games. Everyone has talked about how he was a "quarterback", how he was our playmaker, his incisive passing etc etc. Why is it then that he had no effect in those 11 games we drew? Why couldn't we break these teams down if he was so good, if he was so important. If he was so pivotal to our success, then why weren't pundits/critics calling us a three man team, rather than just the two (Torres/Gerrard). Surely if he was so important he would be spoken about in the same breath as them, but no, no-one spoke about how he won us games, or how he [...]

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  22. Fighting for its future?! Crisis?? Come on Dave, this is a bit much 3 games into a new season. We've had an indifferent start to the season, and I specifically use the word indifferent rather than terrible, but we still have 35 games to go. Its far, far to early to be writing articles like this.  Spurs and Man City have had a good start to the season. And hopefully they'll take points off Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal. The season will be much closer this season but I honestly cannot see us falling out of the top 4.  
     
    Lets get some persective. Last season Man Utd started it with four points from their first three games. We have 3 points from our first three games, so we're one point behind where the eventual Champions were at the same stage last season. Crisis? No, I don't think so.  
     
    The reason we didn't win the league last season was because we drew too many games not because of how many we lost. It was the 22 points we dropped in drawn games rather than the 6 we lost in losing games. Man Utd lost 4 and still won the league. This season we've already beaten a team we drew with twice last year. We've lost to a potential top 6 team in Spurs and a top 8 team in Villa.  
     
    Since the inception of the PL, the team that wins the league has on average lost 5 games. The only major variations to this average was the "invincible" Arsenal team that lost none, and Chelsea a year later losing 1. So to talk about a crisis,  dropping out of the title race or the top 4 is ridiculous at this stage of the season.  
      
    1992-93 - Man Utd - Six defeats  
    1993-94 - Man Utd - Four defeats  
    1994-95 - Blackburn - Seven defeats  
    1995-96 - Man Utd - Six defeats  
    1996-97 - Man Utd  - Five defeats  
    1997-98 - Arsenal - Six defeats  
    1998-99 - Man Utd - Three defeats  
    1999-00 - Man Utd - Three defeats  
    2000-01 - Man Utd - Six defeats  
    2001-02 - Arsenal - Three defeats  
    2002-03 - Man Utd - Five defeats  
    2003-04 - Arsenal  - No defeats  
    2004-05 - Chelsea - One defeat  
    2005-06 - Chelsea - five defeats  
    2006-07 - Man Utd - Five defeats  
    2007-08 - Man Utd - Five defeats  
    2008-09 -Man Utd - Four defeats  
     
    You mention how our squad is lacking in depth. We pretty much have the same squad as last year, bar Alonso. Last year we scored 77 goals, 9 more than Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. We had 16 different goalscorers; we were the only team to have more than two players who scored more than 10 PL goals (Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt). Along with Spurs and Man Utd we had most goals scored by subtitutes; nine goals. So no strengh or depth in the squad? I would disagree based on the statistics from last year.  
     
    How is this squad any worse than what we had last year? You'll say we've lost Alonso. True, but even though he had his best season last year, why was it that we still drew 11 games. Everyone has talked about how he was a "quarterback", how he was our playmaker, his incisive passing etc etc. Why is it then that he had no effect in those 11 games we drew? Why couldn't we break these teams down if he was so good, if he was so important. If he was so pivotal to our success, then why weren't pundits/critics calling us a three man team, rather than just the two (Torres/Gerrard). Surely if he was so important he would be spoken about in the same breath as them, but no, no-one spoke about how he won us games, or how he was pivotal to the team. Now that he's gone, every second rate pundit is talking about how important he was. I've said since Alonso left, that we the fans and pundits and critics are overstating his importance. Don't get me wrong I loved him as a player but we'll be fine with out him. If Aquilani can get as many goals and assists as Alonso did last [...]

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  23. Another typical Liverpool Kop article: hysterical rantings of anti-LFC footie fans.

    Blimey, not content with just going with the media hyperbole about not winning the title, three games in and you're prattling on about not finishing in the top four even. Look at it in the cold light of day guys and you'll realise just how pathetic that is!

    This site is run by a small group of so-called fans who have an axe to grind and an almighty chip on their shoulders. Ok, you didn't like Parry. Ok, you don't like Rafa.

    Now build a bridge and get over it! Pathetic!

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  24. Got to agree for once. I had the the same conversation with my hubby ( Man City fan, a real pain in the arse) on Tuesday. It's not the performances as such it's squad strength. When you look at the other top six or seven teams they have real quality now and more importantly a lot more depth. Yes we have match winners and world class players but only 4 or 5. It's the bench that concerns me. Skint or not we should have better quality. Carragher is getting on a bit, still great though, Stevie at 29 has 2 or 3 seasons left and Torres won't stay, I believe, if we don't strengthen and give him a top class forward to play alongside. There are so many problems on all levels that will only worsen because we are in so much debt. I love this club. I first sat in the Kop when I was 5 years old but I do fear for the future if we are not bought out. Not because we have had 3 bad games but because of the underlying problems.

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  25. We'll be all right. I think the overall quality of the teams in the prem is on the rise and each of the teams that make the top four are going to have substantial losses this season. What will be important to The Reds is the outcome of games that the top five play against each other. Fort instance, the Arsenal - Man U game this weekend. If Arsenal wins, Man U is in the same boat as us. If Man U wins, that knocks Arsenal down considerably.

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  26. <span style=" color: #404040;">"We are nothing if we aren't competing in the top four at least"</span>

    So we weren't anything when we were in the second division then? A slighly strange comment for anyone to make about their own team. Surely we support the club through thick & thin, two words that aptly describe our current owners - thick about the requirements of running a successful club and thin on the finances needed to do so. 

    I have to agree with the majority of comments on here though; it's still August... pretty sure CL places won't be decided for another 8 months and god knows how many minutes of football (ok so 3150 minutes of football plus injury time).

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  27. Few others have mentioned before me, but I say the same nonetheless. It's three games into the season and we have been performing just as poorly as early doors last season. It doesn't seem to click for our squad right now, but I believe that it will pretty soon. It surely doesn't really help that our manager publicly criticises our own players, but after all it is him who has to worry about the consequences of this first and foremost.

    In general you are right. There is a mayor worry that more and more clubs are financed by bored rich people who have nothing else to do than to bankroll any random club that is up for sale at the time they are bored the most, maybe when their wife is out shopping or something. As much as I don't like Michel Platini, he has a point in asking for wage-caps or revenue based club spendings.

    Under the current climate you could buy any club with attendances of zero and buy better and better players every year. If the players don't mind that every home game will be like an away game you may be successful after a while, but the roots, the bond between club, players and supporters will be lost forever. Football would then be more like sports in the USA where it is more of an event that occurs to be staged in one's city rather than religious-like following that is passed on from one generation to the next.

    Could we be the next Leeds, or the next Newcastle? Yes, any club could be. What if Abramovich gets bored or his missus starts offering him her body? What if no-one wants to buy oil anymore. Man City would be doomed. How would they pay the wages?

    Will we miss out on a top four spot this season? I hope not, but it could happen. Far to early to tell. This time last season I thought Spurs and Manure could get relegated (wishful thinking). Anything can happen. It could happen to any of last seasons top four, or none of them.

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  28. Most people seem to be missing the point here. This season is far from over but it is a fact that our current owners will never be able to give the manager a decent transfer kitty let alone finance the new stadium as they are struggling with the loans they took to buy the club. The new stadium is a must if we want to be competing with the likes of ManYoo and Arsenil who can sell up to 30 000 tickets more every match day. Even with the new stadium it will be difficult to compete with the riches of Chelski and Man City. There is a real problem at LFC and it is the owners. I'm 100 % behind the team and Rafa and I'm sure we will come good this season but it is the future with Gillett and Hicks that worries me.

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  29. I agree that we weren't brilliant in all of our games but that is not what makes you champions. Its the ugly and scrappy wins that get you titles.

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  30. I am loving all the optimism on here today, however, once again I have my love of the club questioned. What I intended to get across with my article had no real bearing on the fact that we have lost two out of three games, but about how difficult it is to sustain our postion within the top four over seasons to come. I don't think that it is unfair of me to say that a third of the teams in the Premier League have as much if not more money in the bank than we do. Players are becoming more and more mercenary and chairmen are becoming more and more impatient. My point is that gaining qualification to the Champions League every year might not be enough for the longterm to keep us afloat. We cannot afford to rely on that money being a gimme every year - for crying out loud Everton got the fourth place spot in 2005! We know where we went wrong last year, too many draws. We only lost twice last year and we have already lost twice this year. Are we now going to go on an unbeaten run from now until the end of the season? I sincerely hope so for the sake of our club. In response to someone questioning whether or not I would support my team through thick and thin, I would of course do that but I would certainly prefer for my club to be where it belongs challenging for the Premiership and CL as opposed to the Johnstone Paint trophy - wouldn't you?

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  31. I totally agree. I think that you have 'got' my argument.

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  32. I don't think we missed the point. I think everyone will agree that the situation with out owners is not good for the club. However you r artciel put emphasis on the reults we've had so far and the suqad we have in place lacking strength and epth, and I think most pople who posted have reftued that.

    Lets think about it from another point of view. The reason Leeds are now where they are is because they kept on spending when they had no money. They relied on getting into the Champions League and the one year they failed they had to sell their best players to cover debts and evetually got relegated. Could it not be that, in this current economic climate and world recession, our owners are actually being prudent? Its not as if we haven't spent, its just we haven't spent frivolously. Just a thought. 

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  33. you haven't got a chance

    GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED
    UNITED'S FLAG IS DEEPEST RED
    IT SHROUDS ALL OUR MUNICH DEAD

    RIP NO. 6 DUNCAN EDWARDS

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  34. I don't think we missed the point. I think everyone will agree that the situation with out owners is not good for the club. However your article put emphasis on the results we've had so far and the squad we have in place lacking strength and depth, and I think most people who posted have refuted that. 
     
    Lets think about it from another point of view. The reason Leeds are now where they are is because they kept on spending when they had no money. They relied on getting into the Champions League and the one year they failed they had to sell their best players to cover debts and evetually got relegated. Could it not be that, in this current economic climate and world recession, our owners are actually being prudent? Its not as if we haven't spent, its just we haven't spent frivolously. Just a thought. 

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  35. I am sorry, but it is ridiculous to jump to conclusions so early into the season. I am sure it won't come to that...Rafa (as much as I resent his "tactics") is smart enough to work with limited resources. If worst comes to worst, we'll just play more-compact, less-ambitious and salvage the season.

    And regarding Spurs, if I had a dime/currency-unit for everytime I heard them say that they'll break into the top four...

    Man City for all their splurging have signed a (costly) team of rejects,

    -Adebayor (shudder!), the less said of him, the better.
    -Fergie didn't deem Tevez to be worth the asking price.
    -Robinho was supposed to be make-weight for Ronaldo, moreover, he doesn't seem to be taking his ManC stint seriously...
    -Barry, Santa Cruz, Lescott and Toure are all decent, but hardly world-class.
    -Their latest addition seems to be Sylvinho, who is way past his sell-by date.

    I find it hard to believe that all of them left for ManC to improve the club and take it to Champions League. A group of merceneries don't make a team.

    Fortunately or unfortunely, due to lack of cash, we are forced to prove that money doesn't necessarily buy success in football.

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  36. Of course it's wise not to spend money if you don't have any money to spend. The problem with Gillett and Hicks was their initial message. A) There will be no debt on the Club and B) we intend to spend money to take the club forward i.e. invest in the squad to win trophies and build the best stadium in the world.

    If you take into account the current rate for top players and GBP they haven't really provided significantly more per year for buying players than Moores did. Actually, they gave Rafa a negative transfer kitty for this year (I know the window is still open). The Stadium plans are put on hold indefinitely as these muppets will never be able to find funding for that. Broken promises, lots of them. They clearly have neither the intetion nor means to take the club forward and every Liverpool supporter should be very anxious about that.

    Rafa and the boys might well pull off another miracle this season but in the long term, we're fucked with Gillett and Hicks. Remember, according to uncle Tom, Liverpool FC is just like Weetabix.

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  37. Consider these two facts:

    Where is the big world class player(s) that Man City crave?  The players they have signed were hardly courted by europes best were they.  That should tell you something.

    As for Tottenham - well good start, I think they were determined after last season.  But as we saw with Villa last year, a good start does not always mean a good finish.  Again look at Spurs players - how many would get into a Man U, Chelski, Arsenal or Liverpool first XI ??

    We just need to find our stride - and there have been positive signs - eg Johnson and having 12/13 shots on target against a very negative Villa.  It does beg the question though - Tom and George - where is the money??

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  38. Who can forget Hick's response before the CL final in Athens when he was asked what LFC need to rule Europe again and he pulled a roll of dollars out of his pocket and gloatingly said "This". That roll of money quickly disappered into his pocket and never saw the light of day again.

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  39. i hate this..WITH ONE TWO BAD RESULTS EVERY STU""D BAS"""D journalist cuts every hope and put PRESSURE ON THE TEAM and MAKES PROBLEMATIC THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEN TEAM AND FANS i really hate it and IM DISSAPOINTED HOW EASY CHANGE THEIR MINDS.F""" THEM WE DONT NEED THEM  they FEED from dead bodies..KEEP LIVER UNITED..WE HAVE GOOD TEAM with just a really small and UNLUCKY bad START.

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  40. The main problem this season is finding a proper replacement for xabi alonso and there lies benitez's poor man- managemnt skills in that he literally pushed alonso to the exit door and tries a quick fix solution of replacing him with an utterly useless player called LUCAS, and buying an injured player for 20 million.why does rafa not keep things simple and buy some decent players that are fit and can slot in now to improve the team instead of wasting money on starlets that will never make the grade to the first team.Rafa is too stubborn to accept his mistakes and his public criticism about steven gerrard was improper as every player is entitled to an off-day and how many times has gerrard single-handedly carried Liverpool all along the way.As a die-hard liverpool fan I sincerely hope things will improve fast for my beloved club.

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  41. One way of looking at it is in the event that we do poorly in both domestic and european competitions, this might be grounds for the useless owners to sell the club given the severe financial implications of the above scenario.

    Let's all hope for the best.

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  42. It's along season, and it hasn't been the best of starts, but we are to good of a team for this to keep going. We'll be right. These sort of starts to the season are not rare to top teams. Man U have never been the quickest of starters over recent years yet finish stronger than everyone. I sometimes feel starts like this to the season can work in your favour, most fickle fans have given up after 3 games, Title talk is over already,the tabloids are running bollock stories, it all leads to proving all of them wrong. Beware the Red Stampede is near!!!!!

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  43. Mate I couldnt agree more.  I hate all you idiots who throw Benitez and our team to the lions as soon as things get even a little rocky. Where is your support?Where is your belief? Maybe be because you follow a team that has such high standards you wont accept anything but perfection. Football has its ups and downs. Look how United started last season?!!??!

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  44. rednut, u are the type of negative, leave-the -stadium-early embarrassment us real redmen abhor. have a moan, sure, but rememember u are a supporter....so support!!!! a lobotomised dog would be able to see that the yanks have tied rafa's hands in the market. even purselow admitted on a day when we're schmoozin' with the euro elite that there will be NO more additions. thank you tom, george, david and rick. just when LFC is primed for domination the legacy of this unholy and ill-conceived alliance comes back to seriously impair any progress.....nice....dont care tho'...i believe in rafa, the staff and the squad. keep your whingey rants, i choose to believe and support.

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  45. get these fucking americans out of our club.they are the only one to be blamed for the downfall of our glorious liverpool.rick parry is a judah.he helped destroyed our legacy and now the whole team and fans have to suffer without being able to do anything.I still believe Rafa is the best man for us to win the league provided he gets all the financial support he needs or else he will leave and things will get worse for us

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  46. Lets hope that the form improves along with the body language of the side . Certain players seem flat as if lacking inspiration . We have a great squad . we are all disappointed that we havent signed a top class striker to take the pressure off torres , even so we are still strong enough to ensure a top four finish . Meanwhile we will continue to STAMP ON OUR CATS , HEADBUTT OUR GRANNIES AND SPREAD LIPTONS FINEST MARGERINE UPON OUR LIVING ROOM WALLS . . Until the self belief returns . Up the Reds .

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  47. why are mancs even on this site??

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  48. It's a bit too early to condem Liverppool. Besides everything that Liverpool does is bad. Liverpool lose one match, they will not win the premiership. Man Utd loses one match, no comments. Leave them alone and let them play.

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  49. <span style="font-family: Arial; color: #000066; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">IF you can keep your head when all about you 
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;
    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
    Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
    And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:</span>

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  50. <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="">IF you can keep your head when all about you </span></div>
    <span style="font-family: Arial; color: #000066; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,</span></div>
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,</span></div>
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">But make allowance for their doubting too;</span></div>
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,</span></div>
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,</span></div>
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">Or being hated, don't give way to hating,</span></div>
    <div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="color: #000000;">And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:</span></div>
    </span>

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  51. <span style="font-family: Arial; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">IF you can keep your head when all about you 
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;
    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
    Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
    And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:</span>

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  52. yeah i think all lfc fans should support the team even during tough times, got to learn from those newcastle fans

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  53. This is utter rubbish mate. I've had enought of liverpool fans saying that Rafa pushed Alonso to the door He wanted to go. what can a manager do when a player wants to go. Look what happened with Lescott? Look what happened with Ronaldo. If a player wants to go there is nothing you can do.

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  54. 3 games - what a c*ck
    If you are a red then behave like one.

    Get behind the team and learn to endure or go support and cash rich team and join all the jonny come lately fans!

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  55. Spanish La Liga's blog in English: click here.

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  56. Spanish La Liga's blog in English: http://spanishlaliga.wordpress.com

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  57. Funny how after four games things look a bit different. Admittedly Liverpool's defending is now a serious problem that requires work but they have the players and given some time playing together i'm sure our new greek defender will settle and the players around him will COVER the spaces.

    But now Arsenal have lost and proved they have some weaknesses. And Tottenham losing Modric and King with injury is bound to slow their progress. No the problem is Chelsea and Man City and their solid defences and sprightly attacks....but third and fourth places are there for the grabbing. It just needs more concentration, commitment and fitness and an adaptability in games to change tactics more quickly to counter the opposition and NOT lose the midfield as we have already done in our 2 defeats.

    Casey

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  58. Your facts are WRONG. nterest at £37m equates to 12% interest. Complete bollacks.probably half that. I for one am fed up with this guy's negativity

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