2 Mar 2012

Kenny Dalglish reveals Liverpool's summer transfer plans...

Despite 115m spent on transfers since Kenny Dalglish returned to Anfield, Liverpool could not beat inferior Championship opposition in 120 minutes of open play in the recent Carling Cup final. Some fans may be satisfied with that, but for me, it underlines again that the club has not really progressed over the last year. The main reason for that is failure of Dalglish's big signings, and many Liverpool fans will be hoping that the club splashes the cash this summer on some genuinely quality players.

After the Carling Cup final, Damien Comolli announced that 'big players' were interested in signing for Liverpool. A couple of days later - probably at the behest of Dalglish, or the club's owners - he sought to clarify his statement (i.e. manage expectations downward) by declaring that there would actually only be small adjustments in the summer.

In his weekly press conference, Dalglish was asked about Comolli's comments, and he outlined his plans for the summer transfer market. He said:

"We're not interested in big players; we're interested in good players, and if they're coming here, they need to be better than what we've got.

"The players have been fantastic for us, and if there is going to be a bit of movement, then anyone coming in here has got a hard act to follow.

"If we bring someone in, they'll need to be exceptional".


I fully understand Dalglish defending his players but in reality, much of what he says here is pure exaggeration.

* New players need to be better than what's already at the club? Considering the arguable failure of players like Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll, I don't see how that will be much of a problem.

* 'Hard act to follow'? Downing, Henderson and Carroll - all allegedly attacking players - have a grand total of 8 goals between them in all competitions this season (with Carroll getting six of those). That is not a 'hard act to follow' in any way, shape or form.

Have the players collectively been 'fantastic'? Maybe it's just me, but dropping 16 points at home, and languishing in 7th place in the Premier League (despite having no European distraction), is not a sign of 'fantastic' performance.

Overall, the thing that worries me is that Dalglish may actually believe everything he's saying; he may think that the players really have done fantastically well, and that Liverpool are where they should be right now.

Hopefully, he's just saying these things in public to keep the players motivated; privately, I hope he's as disappointed as many other fans with the team's league performance this year.

Jaimie Kanwar


135 comments:

  1. thats a very negative outlook!

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  2. Cant you at least TRY and balance your negative articles with positive ones or are you always so negative about Liverpool. I would say 90% of articles on here are negative, or is it just you?

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  3. Septimus_severus12:13 pm, March 02, 2012

    Jamie,

    The only person to be blamed is Dalglish  these are his purchases as he has final say.
    I really think you are over estimating John Henry and Co's loyalty to Dalglish.
    I keep telling everyone that JH expectation is 4th Spot.
    We are not going to get it with the signings we made and poor tactics which have cost us games.
    Kenny will be giving until Xmas this year to demonstrate that 4th spot is within his capability.
    If we are not close or in the Top 4 by Xmas this year I don't think ANYONE can argue that Kenny has not had enough TIME or MONEY.
    Additionally, I am certain that player purchase this summer will be taken AWAY from Kenny given his poor purchases (This will be the talk over the summer expect a spat with Comolli).

    I just don't see anything in the player kenny bought, the style we play the tactics employed that will see us get 4th spot.
    I hope I'm wrong but the evidence is pretty convincing.

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  4. You might be disappointed but don't speak for me

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  5. King Kenny, lot of respect to him as a player and also as a manager 20yrs ago but now....?? He is still stuck in his old ways where every team had 11 english players, he really needs to move one and pick the best not looking at where their from. Downing at best a squad player, henderson is not even good enough to do my lacases up never mind play for liverpool.

    Adam and caroll again squad players at best.

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  6. Tornike Khomeriki12:20 pm, March 02, 2012

    As you say, it's understandable and maybe even desirable that he defends his players, although I am often left with the impression that he genuinely believes at least part of what he says while praising players like Henderson, Carroll and Downing.

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  7. we badly need improvement and to add more pace and players who score goals.
    i'd like daglish to even adjust his tactics and tell his midfielders get into the box more.downing puts some good balls in at times and nobody gets in there.
    also on a side note-with what we know about aston villa's finances at the moment,i think that we could have got bent in january if we wanted.he'd have done a job for us.

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  8. I think from listening to various Liverpool legends that know him well, Kenny in the media is different to Kenny on the training ground. If a player is consistently not performing and its in the best interests of the club to move him on, he will and quickly.

    I think signing players like Downing, Henderson and Adam was the first phase of the re-building process. Yes we should have gone in for Mata etc but did Mata want to join us over Chelsea at the time?  

    I think part of the reason we went British was because these boys understand what it means to play for Liverpool and you cant deny that the effort they have put in since they came in has been generally top draw. That and the fact that there stats suggested we would create loads of chances which has happened has it not? We just cant put them away. :-).

    I think phase 2 of the rebuilding process starts now and in the summer, one thing I believe in Kenny's interview is that we are only looking at exceptional talent. The fact that Jan was so quiet and we could have signed the swiss lad or Sow shows how high we are aiming.

    Our attractiveness to top players is currently probably higher than at any point since Rafa's departure. Yes our league postion is debateable but we are in Europe regardless and the owners are going to spend big again and there is project there, history, Kenny and a at least 13 top international  players (Reina, Skrtel, Agger, Lucas, Gerrard, Suarez being world class) already there to entice the best players in.

    We won't have to do a City and buy 8 very expensive players, we will probably go for 2 or 3 exceptional talents and build up at a considered yet productive rate.

    What it unfold I think you will be suprised.

      

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  9. 100% agree with you! carroll n downing in my eyes will come good for us but I doubt henderson will but I would love to be proved wrong. the biggest problem with the team is a lack of pace and imagination, really needs to be addressed in the summer! it showed against cardiff and plus against many teams this season! we're too static, there is no movement off the ball, players just stand there! it winds me up it does.
    I can see where King Kenny is coming from because if we win our game in hand, we're only four points off cl spot, a good chance of winning the fa cup plus we have the first trophy of the season, which is remarkable with the bunch of players we have :-) every transfer is a gamble that's football but the ones that come in in the summer need to produce from day one. YNWA

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  10. Kenny is an old style manager and will always back his players publicly.  That doesn't mean he knows Liverpool need an injection of quality, and when he says he's not interested in 'Big Players' and only interested in 'Good Players', that can only be a good thing.  Liverpool don't need the big superstar names, we've always taken players with loads of potential and created a 'Big Name' player.  You only have to look as far back as Torres to see that.  Torres is also a good example of why going after 'Big Names' can be a problem - they have to be able to fit into the squad around them and have pressure heaped on them at their immediate arrival.

    I'm saying mistakes haven't been made, but we need to be a little more intelligent and read between the lines a bit.  And have a little bit of faith in the club, the manager and the players.
    Downing has started, in the past two games, to show a little of the quality Dalglish originally saw in him.  Carroll is starting to adapt to the deliveries he gets, and Henderson looks a different player to when he first arrived.We knew rebuilding the team wasn't going to be a quick process, and two transfer windows isn't a long time.  And given the fact we've just won a trophy, I don't think its such a disaster.  Improvements need making, but the signs are there that we're going to buy some quality in the summer.

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  11. Is it really helping the LFC players to constantly hear how exceptional and fantastic they've been when in fact they've been decidedly average? KK may be pulling the wool over certain fans' eyes but to most he's just making himself look ridiculous as there most certainly are far better players than some of them.  Let's please not settle for mediocrity - 7th on the log at this stage of the season is not good enough.

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  12. It takes more than a season to bring the changes around that dalglish is trying to implement. The club for so many years played boring defence minded don't lose first football, and we are playing a better brand of football now. It might not be as successful at the moment but I believe it will improve.

    Better more established names than Carrrol have struggled to justify there price tag and I believe we have started to see improvements from him recently.

    I saw the cup final on Sunday the same as England Wales on saturday England should not of got with 20 points of Wales on Saturday but they had nothing to lose and played a great game the same with Cardiff.

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  13. Why do you constantly state Dalglish brought the players in when you do not know this at all?

    Dalglish was caretaker manager when Carroll came in, plus it is well known Comolli likes to bring in young English talent.

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  14. Dalglish has final say on transfers. Deal with it.

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  15. Surely they wouldn't be "Big" players if they weren't "Good" or "Exceptional" players??  Sometimes Kenny talks a lot but says nothing.

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  16. When Comolli first came in, he stated publicly that KD has the final say.

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  17. I have watched all the top teams in the EPL and unfortunately Kenny has no strategy, he has the inspiration and I frankly think we need a better coach even Benitez was better. We are playing outdated football...

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  18. ObservationalTragedy1:16 pm, March 02, 2012

    There are some terribly ill-informed and reactionary "Reds" fans commenting on this site.

    There is also some very irresponsible OPs as well, so perhaps the comments reflect what's above the line.  Does the writer ever feel that the near-continuous negative stance he employs is helpful or positive for the Club?  Or does it simply give fuel to those ready to shame the Club's traditions by openly and aggressively attacking young and/or new additions to a squad that was in need of overhauling? 

    Throwing around figures such as £115m is misleading.  We all know that after player sales and reductions in overall wages, the 9 new additions have set the owners back more in the region of £35-45m.  Or a H&G interest payment, if you will.

    Now, the impending home-grown player rules has impelled LFC to stock up on the best of the available British talent to add to those coming through the ranks.  We couldn't/can't get Young, Jones, Ox-Chamberlain, McKeachran, Wilshire etc so LFC bought other coveted young lads. 
    Need I remind you that Jordan and Andy were impressing for their age, showing scope and hunger for improvement and on the radar of most of the top clubs.They are playing only their 2nd PL season, their 1st with their new club and on top of that they are youngsters.  They need support and encouragement, not the attitude many (now proven) idiots showed towards the similarly-positioned Lucas two seasons ago. We have the following H-G players:  Johnson, Kelly, Flanagan, Carragher, Robinson, Spearing, Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Downing, Bellamy and Carroll.The vast majority are young and can make up our H-G quota for years to come, particularly with Sterling, Coady and co coming through.That means one thing:  Future funds will be spent sprinkling the squad with players like Suarez, Cavani, Lavezzi, Hazard.Get it now?The hard work has been done.  We have shown in the mass-televised games (that top players watch) that already this season we can take on and beat Utd, City and Chelsea.  People with a footballing brain - including those who would love to link up with Gerrard & Suarez in front of a passionate Kop - have seen that we are playing a lovely passing style, frustrated this season by nothing more than the woodwork, excellent 'keeping, wayward finishing, the banning of a star player and the loss of our midfield anchor.Have faith.  The club is undoubtedly moving in the right direction and the 9 additions have strengthened us in areas we were short (CB,LB,LW,S,CM) - remember our bench at the start of 2010/11??Now to buy a bit of gold-dust.YNWA

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  19. If as fans we are truly honest, the players KK has bought have not lived up to our expectations, But may have lived up to what KK expected.

    We are still in with a shout for 4th, We have won are first trophy in 6 years. 

    SG has not played may games this season, and he is probably are most influential player.

    We are solid in defence, and we are heading in the right direction.

    City have spent 3 times more than we have over the last few seasons, and this is the first year they have put in a strong challenge for the prem title.

    As the club has said, we are a work in progress. This year are target was a cup and min 4th spot. We have the cup and we may or may not get 4th.

    in the past £120mill would have bought you success, in this day and age. 

    Spending £450mill like city have, has only put them in a position to make a strong challenge, they have not won the prem yet. 

    we need to be realistic and manage our expectations.

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  20. You keep tellin everyone what JH's expectations are. Really? And who are you exactly? The negativity on here truly beggars belief. Everyone's entitled to an opinion but how can anyone say we haven't improved this year compared to last?! It's alright JK having a dig at the quality of opposition in the cc final but it was that, a final and they had won their previous games to get there. We won it after falling at the first hurdle last year. We're in the quarters or the fa cup with a home draw and do a good chance to progress whilst being in touching distance of 4th. Were we doing as well at this stage last season? No. Any comparison

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  21. I am amazed to think that you believe that "the effort they have put in...is top draw". I must have been watching other players!

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  22. can you provide proof?

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  23. Do you really think that a man of kenny's success really thinks the players have been fantastic in their performances? When he says this he's talking about their effort and application. He's trying I back them and give them confidence to progress. You wanted a man manager and ten criticise kk (acknowledged as one of the best) for backing his players like this. Would you prefer he just said they were shite and a waste of money? Kk can't win with you as you criticise him for backing the players like this as exaggeration but also criticised him for chastising them after the Bolton defeat

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  24. How does it work then, does Comolli select, say 5 players, and KK pics which out the 5 he wants.

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  25. Are you an LFC fan? Are you over the moon after winning the Carling Cup?Are you rejoicing at the new Renaissance under the King?

    Just read Jamie Kanwar!!Instand Depression with 10 seconds!!

     

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  26. Heading in the right direction. How? Of our main competitors, Man City are strong, Tottenham are fairly strong. Man Utd have had all kinds of problems, yet leave us for dust and, most importantly, two clubs, plus Newcastle, who's managers have been under intense pressure for the entire season both lead us by around 7 points. If we don't beat Arsenal on Saturday and Chelsea better our result, we can forget catching them. All this achieved while we are not playing in Europe and everyone else is, while other sides have had as many injuries as us. When will we have a better chance of finishing ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea? We may see some youngsters coming through, but I'm sure all top teams have youngsters, and we may buy new players, but judging on our signings, we may not fare better in that area than anyone else. I manage my expectations to expect us to finish above Arsenal and Newcastle, for  example, based on what we have spent and what Arsenal have lost. Watching Wenger and AVB come under such pressure and seeing Dalglish getting it easy is a mystery to me.

    We are one of the worst scorers in the league, we still cannot put away weaker teams and we are struggling to compete with teams who were only promoted 18 months ago and teams who have required huge overhauls. There's been no improvement from last season and the signing of Enrique excepted, our dealings in the transfer market have not worked so far. Many of those players should have been able to adapt quickly but they have not been able to and, mostly, don't look good enough. The buck stops with the manager.

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  27. Chelsea and Arsenal  have a strategy this season?

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  28. Arsenal minus Fabregas and Nasri are ahead of us in the league. And people consider this to be progress? Why is Wenger under so much pressure then?

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  29. Lot of fans talk about Mata but even he couldn't put them on a plate for Torres to start scoring again!

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  30. Understandable he defends his players, even to laughable levels as above (as a Newcastle fan, I have good experience of this due to Dalglish failure at Newcastle) but sooner or later, if they continue to churn out the same level of standards they have set this season into next season, than he will have to stop defending them and move on to better players. As they simply haven't been good enough for the club of Liverpool's so-called stature and expectations. Unless Arsenal and Chelsea don't improve their squads in the summer (wouldn't surprise me if one of the clubs that finish in CL spot sign Hazard in the summer), it would be mad and going backwards not to bring in one or two attacking players to improve the first XI. 

    So what if club x has spent more to get success, concentrate on your own club and players as there are different ways to skin a cat. We picked up Cabaye and Tiote for not much money (both fees together amounts to less than £10m) and apart from City's and Spur's central midfield, they have arguably been as good as any other central midfield pairing in the league, if not better. Just stop being obsessed with buying British players, Dalglish. 

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  31.  carroll's efforts have been top draw?
    have been you watching old newcastle games on espn classic? because he spends half his time on his arse playing for us.

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  32. I think one of JH's expectations have been reached and that is European Football of some sort. 

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  33. There are several comments out there in the public domain, made by KK and Comolli that Dalglish has the final say on transfers. Its no secret...unless you want it to be, like a dirty secret.

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  34. do you honestly think commoli has final say over kenny?
    do you not remember it being said he'd have final say over commoli when he came back?

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  35. well said,i can guarantte if wenger had 35mil to spend on a striker they'd be well in the race for the title.

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  36. Carroll was our 'gold dust'

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  37. Nothing more to say. Whatever is to be said has already been said.

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  38. If your not disappointed with the season thus far and with some of the big money new signings then I can only assume your satisfied..

    I don't think you quite understand the meaning of the word 'disappointed' which is ' Sad or displeased because someone or something has failed to fulfill one's hopes or expectations'

    Have you been to Anfield this season.. Or any season ?? cause if you had been my friend, everybody to a man, woman and child has walked out the Shankly Gates disappointed this season, and all too often unfortunately.

    If your satisfied with drawing 8 home games including the likes of sunderland, Norwich, Swansea, Stoke , Blackburn and scoring a grand total of 14 goals in 12 games then perhaps your better off supporting a team whos ambitions match your own.. may I suggset one of the above ..

    Just because someone expresses dissapointment doesn't make them any less of a supporter.. setting ourself the target of being the very best is what has made this club great and its a worrying sign if you and others(10 likes) aren't disappointed we're not performing better !!!

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  39. KD has lost his mind. he has bought dross , plain and simple. he needs to be treated as rafa and roy ie sacked at the end of the season for a very very average job.

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  40. Stavroskyrtsosthess4:53 pm, March 02, 2012

    Liverpool Football Club deserves more than what's currently going on at the club.Just look at the squad:
    Goalkeepers:Reina,Doni,Jones - Check
    Defenders:Skrtel,Agger,Carragher,Coates,Kelly,Flanagan,Johnson,Enrique,Aurelio - Check
    Midfielders:Lucas,Spearing,Adam,Henderson,Gerrard,Maxi Rodriguez,Stewart Downing,Dirk Kuyt,Craig Bellamy - A back-up defensive midfielder and another winger is needed
    Attack:Suarez,Carroll ...... where are our strikers??
    Manchester City's strikers:Aguero,Dzeko,Balotelli,Tevez
    Yeah i understand that City spend millions on players every year,but if you are at Liverpool football club,you have to compare yourself with the best.Squad needs development and not any more average additions.Adam is a good player to watch on his day but is worse than Craig Lindfield in his bad day.Liverpool FC is one of the greatest in the world,and us fans are the best and we deserve way more than that.Spending 100 million on 1 year and the squad looks a bit better is bad.You were all criticising Rafa for his Babels and Aquilanis but you dont look at Alonso(BIGGEST BARGAIN EVER-ONLY 10 million),Torres,Mascherano,Kuyt,Reina,Agger,Lucas.Even N'Gog was only bought for 1 million and we sold him for 4 million.Kenny better make things better otherwise cant see you behind here next season.I love you King Kenny,you are one of the greateste football players ever but as a manager right now Liverpool might deserve something better.YNWA

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  41. Kenny does exactly that! And for good reason. 'behind closed doors' we won't know who is coming to anfield until the day they arrive.

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  42. 100% agreed with all of that.

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  43. theycallmemrburt5:31 pm, March 02, 2012

    When Kenny starts talking I stop listening.  He has always towed the party line.  He knows we are rubbish and I will not insult his intelligence by suggesting otherwise.

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  44. Time and patience please gentlemen. Great post ObservationalTragedy. Jaime, please be more positive about our football club, we all love it, so lets look forward with optimism. Our club still exists(we might have ceased to), is still in the top tier (we were facing administration, relegation was a realistic prospect but someone dragged us away from that), is in Europe next year, and is moving onward and upward. Too many fans hated Lucas even 18 months ago, now what? Stop being so negative, we all want to be the biggest and best again, but it takes time. WE ARE LIVERPOOL. PS is anyone happy we have won our first trophy in six years? Inject some reality into your pointless moaning everyone. Come on what's say in two years we will be fighting for titles and the CL again? YNWA. (even moaners)

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  45.  Don't expect anybody on here to show any positivity mate, there all bitters in red, who change their opinion on a regular basis, and am beginning to suspect are a bunch of Mancs in disguise.

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  46. The negativity is from fans of opposing clubs ....Why they keep posting about LFC is beyond me....i've never once even visited a different clubs web site....sad f..kers

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  47. Can you really, pray tell how?

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  48. I agree with most of what jaimie is saying ,but how long did it take Lucas to reach his potential? I think your being just a little impatient with these new guys.Liverpool is such a big club ,I think these lads take that little bit longer to settle down.In the words of the great Bill Shankley "in this game of football you need patience to succeed" don't panic jaimie.

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  49. Jamie Foe manager I say............dick

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  50. This one is for Mr Kanwar and all other negative comments: the project currently underway at Anfield cannot be completed in one season, it will take at least 3, then make a judgement on Dalglish. Many examples of producing successful teams include the likes of Barca, and if you look nearer to home I.e. Man City, it has taken them a fair few seasons and shed loads of money. I also get frustrated with the current performances but am in touch with reality and realise slowly, slowly catchy monkey !!

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  51. i really believe that henderson and downing should be replaced with world class european players imagine hazard and dare i say it robben ,,at present liverpool take to the field with nine players cause henderson wonders about passing the ball five yards to the nearest lfc player,,while downing really hasnt shown anything to suggest he,s a top four team player and would be best suited to a fulham or stoke,,also i believe gerrard isnt the player he once was,and its time to think about a replacement and the worrying thing is henderson is lined up to replace him,,,if jhenry wants us to be a force in europe again he should look as an example to the midfield we once had  masco alsono gerrard kuyt ,world class springs to mind unlike todays  henderson downing adam gerrard average springs to mind,,our strike force will only get better and our defence is fine just need to replace the average over priced midfield players with experienced european quality players,,its one thing playing against fulham stoke etc but to take this current midfield into europe to play we will only  end up getting a severe beating,,,

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  52. Alas some realistic/genuine fans making statements that make sense !!

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  53. You talk absolute rubbish mate. I've been to most home games this season and haven't always walked out disappointed. I walked out of Wembley not too disappointed either so am wondering which Anfield you've been to? I can understand why people are disappointed with the draws but some of the performances and results (particularly against Man United and City) haven't been disappointing. There is far too much negativity it's unbelievable. Just because Cardiff are a championship team why do we have a right to roll them over? Spurs have struggled against Stevenage, Chelsea against Birmingham and Man United against Palace. Cardiff are undoubtedly better then these teams. Some people need to stop thinking we have a divine right to be in the top four. It's not rose tinted glasses, just perspective. Chuckyred.

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  54. My point is even if we finally get the 4th spot,Hendersen should be loaned out,maybe Carroll too.SHevlev is better than Hendersen and what piss me off is that Hendersen has played many more minutes than any other Liverpool player this season apart of Reina.Why?

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  55. Agreed !! Hes listening to ex players.. I ll listen to current players. Reina said of Caroll, that he was the worst trainer at the club, that he didn't seem to like to run..

    This was clearly translated onto the pitch for the first half of the season. Lack of effort was my main criticism of Caroll and not lack of goals. I fail to see how you could describe his efforts as top drawer.. some days it looked like he spent the night before sleeping in a sock drawer !!

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  56. because he has a far better record of buying attacking players than we have in the last decade.
    arsenal are having a nightmare season but are still ahead of us and can put us out of the cl race tommorow.

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  57. Lucas was a puppy, a Brazilian one. 19/20 when he joined us and not played a minute in European league, let alone the PL. Different circumstances. 

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  58. Wow. Is this really an LFC fan site? Very disappointing to hear such negative comments that take no consideration of where we have been in the last 2/3 years. Just over 1 1/2 years ago we were less than 24 hours from going into administration. Just over 1 year ago we were playing dire football and staring at a possible relegation battle. KD has achieved nothing short of a miracle in changing the negative culture that had infested the club and although results have not followed, we are playing attacking, passing football. Patience is obviously a word list on ignorant football fans that demand instant success with no right to demand it. For comparison - look at AVB at Chelsea as another manager who is struggling to try and change the culture of a football club!

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  59. comolli has the final say believe me I know

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  60. Best comment I have read on LFC in ages... WEL SAID PAL!

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  61. Arsenal are what 4 points ahead of. there or there abouts..no chance of any trophy this year and have not had to rebuild as much as we have...have been in a far better financial position for years.. yet we are only a few points behind them with a trophy in the bag.. think about it!

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  62. you forget they do have 35 mill to spend... just they chose not to , o and they did buy that fench striker and a few others.. not like they have not spent money at all.

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  63. JK this is not true

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  64. I must admit that I am fed up with everyone talking about 4th place being an achievement? It isn't, winning trophy's and finishing first is what this club has always been about. First is first and second is nowhere, fourth is nowhere bloody near. What does fourth get you? A chance of Champions League football, which is about money and being able to afford overpaid players who only want to play in the Champions League. When you have a bad year, they all go and piss off back to Spain or a smaller club who have secured 2nd, 3rd or 4th spot this year....give me a break.

    Kenny has probably gone for English and UK based players because they will be more loyal to a club who are truly a big club and definitely bigger than Chelsea.

    I don't give a monkeys about 4th spot unless we win trophy's as well. Bob Paisley said that he was here during the good times and the bad, one year we came second. We have just won the league cup, it may not be the Champions League, but it felt bloody good. Much better than being 4th. Aim higher chaps, or start supporting Everton.

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  65. Keep the faith. Rafa had players like Gerrard bailing him out several times. Football under Rafa was sterile - remember that Jaimie? Forget abt Rafa - always uses wrong players, wrong tactics, wrong man management. Rafa's football was uninspiring. Dalglish's football now more entertaining and quite exciting, just results not coming our way.
    Get Rafa back and team will be gg in wrong direction. A few bad trades so what? Even Fergie made a few expensive bad trades. But both Dalglish and Fergie have been able to make average teams play better. Rafa on the other hand, makes a good team play worse than its intrinsic potential. He couldnt even make it in Inter Milan.

    For heaven's sake Jamie, stop harping back to the days of Rafa. Rafa's poor strategies and player selection and management were the main reasons why pool failed to win Manu in the league then.

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  66. Maybe yes,or no...but the league table does`nt lie!!!

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  67. dalglish didnt have final say on the players at all and to be honest if i had been shown the players in question judging by their performances with there previous clubs i would have bought them they all had outstanding stats and played realy well, when i watch liverpool it just seems nothings planed like when watching even cardif our players just dont seem to know what each others doing and as if every ones in free role positions so when moving forward no one can find each other or recieve through balls properly thats why we play the most boring pass backing football ever it's just frustrating to watch us and it just seems to get worse, our counter attack is probibly the weakest and slowest in the league and p**ses me off, small teams get away with murder against us because we allow them to barrack the penalty area with players and catch us on their counters all the time we need to risk loosing the ball sometimes if it means getting the ball past their defence more we need more nice planed bits of play between a few players, dont know whos to blame for this but lets not forget steve clarke (if hes still head coach) must take some blame aswell as dalglish, and the thing with downing is the rest of the team arent fast enough to play well with him often having no men in the box to cross to and having to hold the ball on the wing rather tan swinging it straight in if we had three attackers that could keep up on the counter we would score so many more, NO MORE PASSIN BACKWARDS TAKE THE CHANCE, HE WHO DARES WINS, STOP BEING PU**IES

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  68. Hope Rafa goes to Chelsea today. Then he'll bring down that club once and for all!

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  69. cant remember kd doing great at celtic and newcastle,,,didnt rafa beat barcelona in the new camp beat juventus milan and made us feared in europe two champions cup finals in three years lost the league when really we should of won it but for two bad results,,,led valencia to  league glory in a league dominated by two teams,,,bought alsono mascho torres reina agger skrtel kuyt ohh and also stuffed utd at old trafford,,won in europe 8-0,,,u really are a noob as ur name states,,,if it werent for them yanks i would of loved to of seen rafa stay,,,p.s have some respect for a man who helped the hillsbrough families financially and emotionally ,,,

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  70. what a stupid article followed by equally stupid comments.
    we've just won the first silver wear in 6 years and you're still moaning.
    We all know where we're struggling this season, in converting chances.  Every one of the signings was a proven goalscorer in their previous clubs so how were they bad signings exactly? Hind sight is fantastic when you're an armchair expert but doesn't translate into the real world unfortunately. Look at chelski. All the money in the world and an armchair expert owner interfering with the running of the team and they're a complete bag of sh*te. Wake up and support your club.

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  71. Seeing that we have beat all of last seasons top 4 in the league or cup Kenny has must have some strategy! They my be a head of us they are hardly setting the Premier League a light this season.

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  72. Because sacking managers and coaches all the time really works!
    How many teams in the Chelsea dressing room at the moment?
    Mourinho's, Ancelotti's and now AVB's !

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  73. theycallmemrburt2:11 am, March 03, 2012

    Kenny's managerial philosophy:

    "It was John who signed all the players at Celtic," Dalglish said  "I don't know who was the worst although there were more bad ones than good ones.

    "Obviously there was some consultation between us but, at the end of the day, the guy who is responsible for who plays, how we played and where and when we trained is the guy who is ultimately responsible for buying players."

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  74. The point you have there about being good because we have beat strong sides in the competition is countered by  failure against weaker sides proves everyone's point that there is no good strategy or if its the strategy it's simply is not working. 
    We have beat both Chelsea and Arsenal yet they sit 7 points ahead albeit we have a game in hand but that could easily be 10 behind arsenal should our winless Anfield streak continue.Liverpool is there to be a strong contender not simply raise the bar for a few top games. 3 points gained against Chelsea does not atone for 3 points lost against Bolton with a minus 2 goals to  boot.
    Liverpool nowadays is behaving just like every other team that used to raise their game against us when we were top dogs.
    The fact we raise our games for United, Chelsea Arsenal, City and maybe Spurs too shows we clearly now feel inferior to these sides and play out of our skin to feed on good results against them as our barometer for successes of the season when they keep us out of the top 4.

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  75. Come on people is it realy that bad!!
    With a good signing in the summer i am sure CL football will be back.I think we should go all out for Hazard at 35m he could play behind Suarez or on the RW.
    -----------------------Reina-----------------------
    G.Johnson----M.Skirtel---D.Agger----J.Enrique
    ---------------S.Gerrad----Lucas-----------------
    S.Downing----------E.Hazard----------C.Bellamey
    ----------------------L.Suarez---------------------

    SUBS=D.Kuyt,A.Carroll,J.Henderson,J.Spearing,M.Kelly,J.Carra etc.

    That is a great team which would scare any team in the PL.

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  76. You can always bugger off to RAWK, where fans believe its possible to polish a turd

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  77. 'every one of the signings was a proven goalscorer....'

    What planet you on? Enrique? Goalscorer? 

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  78. how many times ROBBEN PLAYS IN THE CHAMP LGE, WE DO NOT.
    If your not in it why would players leave teams who are to join us?
    as fans, the answer is "because we are liverpool" unfortunatley players dont think like that. so when we play champ mgr can we have a little perspective on realistic targets please.
    this is why we signed who we signed so far.

    thank you

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  79. Dear Jamie. For some time i did enjoy reading what you had on mind. However i am getting increasingly tired of you constant negativity. I see it as a sign of you being impatient. I do very well understand that, but i am afraid i have to ask you for a bit more. A bit more trust, a bit more faith, a bit more respect - simply a bit more patience. I think no one can argue that we aren't slowly progressing, nobody can argue that we do not have a better squad now than we had this time a year ago. We have improved under Kenny, we have. Not as much as we could have hoped for - but progress is being made. The Mickey Mouse Cup, yes maybe the least attractive one, but atleast we finally have something to show.Top four or not, our squad will be a bit better again next year and so on - we will keep improving and sooner or later win the league. I have no doubt we one day will see Liverpool back where it belongs... But please everybody, we have waited so many years - keep being patient. Be it sooner GREAT, be it later - well, we would still have that to look forward to. Let us embrace our club with a positive vibe - let us have fun, enjoy what we got, not dreaming of our neighbors wife. I think you are guilty of that jamie. Please put you personal agenda in the background and channel all that energy of yours into something positive, something that will lift the place - and thereby the institution we love, Liverpool Football Club! 

    Lauge

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  80. I fully agree. Enough said!!

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  81. good points well made, I hope jaimies breakdown of the accounts at year end can back up your points and my thoughts/theory on the transfer money and wages offset combination since FSG came in.
    we needed to get our financial house in order after H+G an hopefully that happend.

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  82. A 'Big' name player is someone who is already established as a good player, yes.  But they are often bought with the expectation of instant impact and an ability to fit into the teams current formation.  That adds a hell of a lot of pressure.

    A good player isn't always a 'Big' name.  But will have been bought to fit into the playing formation and be compatible with the style of play.

    You can't honestly say that Torres wasn't a 'Big Name' in football when he was sold to Chelsea, but he still struggles to fit into their formation and isn't as compatible with their style of play as, for example, Juan Mata.

    We're still in the process of re-building, I admit, it will take a few more signings to get it right, but going for big names, for big names sake is not the Liverpool way, and shouldn't ever be, for good reason! - It's never been a successful long term strategy for any other team!

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  83. Your list of HG players as a team would be a mediocre mid table team barely capable of beating the cellar dwellars! I'm assuming you're a Brit since they are the only ones delusional enough to think that list of mediocrity qualifies as quality...Spearing..Henderson..Adam.. Downing.. Carroll..Robinson..Johnson.. Are you kidding? SG Carra and Bells, while still solid  are on the downside of their career and are no longer world class.. This is the classic "living in the past" mentality that we are stuck with and one of the reasons why we will once again miss out on CL next year. The clowns keep confusing quality with Brit! ... it needs to end.

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  84. yeah bcuz those titles they won really suck... meanwhile we can't reach Europa!  

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  85. yes there has been disappointing points about this season but there has also been promising points as well. yes the home form has been disappointing but at the start of the season we was playing attractive good football and it was down to super keepers, the woodwork and bit of poor finishing that cost us the points in them games but recently it's been down to a lack of belief, confidence and creativity that has cost us the points which has shown in the poor performances. for me losing lucas has played a major role in our poor performances as he offers the energy and cover that allows us to attack more freely  like we did at the start of the season.

     king kenny has frustrated me at times this season with some of his team selections and stubbornness to play out of form players but don't forget he has masterminded some absolute great performances against man utd, man city and chelsea being a few of them. he has also won us our first trophy in six years, yes it might only be the league cup but it's a start isn't it? we are in the quarter finals of the fa cup and if we win our game in hand were four points off the champions league spot, so those who are questioning him need to have a good look in the mirror! and if you really think we're not improving then you clearly know nothing about football! 

    most of you's live in the past! forget the past it's what happens in the future that really matters! we have four world class players in reina, agger, gerrard, saurez! players like johnson, enrique, skrtel, lucas, adam, downing, kuyt, bellamy and carroll aren't world class player, they are quality players! we have young players like kelly, coates, henderson and a youth system full of promising players that will hopefully become quality players too maybe even world class! rebuilding a squad takes time unless you have the finances that man city have! so let's be patient! 

    what I think we need is a young quality keeper who can replace reina when the time comes, a good young left back for cover for enrique but who has potential to take his place in years to come, we need another quality defender (young or oldish) for competition for agger and skrtel, we need a world class right winger as we only have downing who is a natural winger in the team, another world class or quality creative and defensive centre midfielder for competition for gerrard, lucas and adam and finally we need a quality pacey striker so we have different options and cover for saurez and carroll. we could also need another natural winger and striker but hopefully one of the youngest in the youth system will have broke into the first team squad. 

    so that six to eight players we need to become the force we once was, three or four this summer and three or four next summer seems achievable and plausible to me! the future is bright just have faith and be patient YnWa

    I apologise for the long comment.

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  86. GM - seriously, I think we can tell you don't support our team.  Easy to register, after all.

    Your views suggest youth, ignorance or stupidity.   

    Either way, you would not be welcome on the kop.

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  87. Jamie, you should be ashamed of yourself.  You encourage this type of Talksport reaction.

    I hope you are proud of yourself, though I am sure you dare not reveal yourself near Anfield.

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  88. What an ignoramus you appear to be.  You have literally attempted to write off the careers of some of England's best youth players before they've begun.  How brave of you.

    Did you miss the UEFA meeting about Homegrown players, or are you convincing yourself that the other Top 6 have world-beating HG lads?!

    I was not listing a team to beat all comers, you numpty. 

     Merely showing that from now on, we can purchase the kind of European flavour that will take us to the next level - knowing that those bought last summer/jan will (over time) compliment the genuine stars, such as Suarez.

    Think long term, please.

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  89. And the alternative is to stay and listen to ill-informed bollocks from the likes of you, Chan?

    Why do you support LFC again?

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  90. 18months ago we were flirting with relegation.  Roy in charge and Poulsen shoring up the midfield.

    You genuinely think we have not moved on from there, as a club or squad?

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  91. I cannot understand how you get any enjoyment out of supporting Liverpool. You just moan and whine about everything really. I feel sorry for you.

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  92. You're seeing exactly what I'm seeing! Therein is the problem. Kenny wants all of our players to have relatively free roles, as opposed to Woy's freedom within a rigid shape and Rafa's specifics. When you have very fixed ideas as a manager, it is easier to get new players to perform. When you constrain a player to positions, top players can't shine. However, to allow for everyone to play to their potential tends to result in insecurity and sloppiness that can only be addressed with familiarity. Our players are as unpredictable to themselves as to our opponents and that's why we aren't creating very good opportunities! But our 80s sides did well under this strategy, so in Kenny we should trust.

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  93. If you've watched their games, it's not Mata, it's Torres. If Torres turns provider, Mata scores.

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  94. I don't see it as a lack of pace or imagination - more of lack of communication and coordination! We are indeed too static with no or poor movement off the ball. There is very little anticipation or understanding going on. We are slow because our players are never one step ahead, not because they aren't fast individually. Ever since the absence of Alonso and Aquilani, but for Maxi + Bellamy + Suarez, we almost never see 1-2s between our players. Attacks are almost always solo and therefore end up without a finish.

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  95. Torres was a "good player" when we bought him. He became exceptional for us and a "big player" when Chelsea signed him. Modric was a "good player" when Spurs bought him and he is now a "big player". Bale was an unknown who wasn't even a good leftback, but look at him now. Nasri was a "big player" when City bought him - is he exceptional for them? In a squad full of "big names", Tom Cleverley is Man U's best midfielder by far - he was no "big name" when they signed him, neither was Gerrard for us, nor even Jonjo Shelvey, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen nor Raheem Sterling. How stellar was Fernando Morientes? How did he do for us?

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  96. Here we go again KK says any players brought in have to be better than what we got. What a load of shit, that sounds a lot like what was said last time and look at the players they brought in Carroll, Downing, Adam and please for the the love of god Henderson. Why should we believe anything he says, just because you are stupid enough to pay huge money for very average players that does not mean that they are better than what we have. He has left out Kuyt from the starting 11 and plays Henderson f#$ksake Kuyt has done more for the club in the last few months than what Gerrard has and he puts Hendo in front of him, what a joke. Maybe we should let the owners pick the players. 

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  97. Show me a player considered to be England's best and I'll show you a player that is overrated, overpriced and fairly average...  

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  98. Jamie - why dont you stop being such a negative twat.

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  99. You've obviously been seated in the away section for the season MATE !

    First off I didn't mention anything about Wembely, but seen as you touched on the topic.. whooop de fuckin dooooo ... good day .. long since forgotten .. Theres a reason the final is played in Feb, so lets not  get carried away with a cup that if anyone bar ourselfs won, we'd take the piss out of.

    Don't get me wrong, it's important you win any final, and given the collapse of Arsenal after their CC loss last season, it can't be understated what damage losing that final could have done to a teams confidence tinkering on the edge like ours. I hope that this does act a spring board for the rest of the season.

    Because lets face it , we need it.. You seriously trying to tell me you've been at almost all home games this season. Where you buying your rose tinted glasses.. must get a pair !!

    And I didn't say 'always' disappointed , read my post properly before you get up on your high horse the next time ! I said sadly ALL TOO OFTEN !! We beat Man U and City in CUP competitions, In the league we managed to beat the mighty Bolton, wloves , qpr and newcastle.. and drew 8 others, 4 of them I was at and the one victory against Wolves.. 14 goals at home this season..

    I'm travelling from Ireland for these games MATE.. they cost me approx 500 quid a pop, and if I'm not entitled to say I'm disappointed in their performances thus far this season, then F&%K you.. And just for the record.. Every home game(inc Wolves 2-1 victory with the aid of an og) Ive been at , the Vast majority have come away disappointed.. saying any different is just LIES.

    Theres NOTHING wrong with being disappointed, KK & co have come out after the majority of these games and said 'WE'RE DISAPPOINTED'

    Dont see what your rant is about really

    I'm disappointed in you...

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  100. Exceptional talents don't sign for teams outside the champions league, unless you pay them megabucks like city have, hence 8 very expensive players and  that's why they're top of the league.

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  101. The REAL problem is KD is still trapped in time warp by buying crap English players at the price meant for world class players.We are not in the 70's or 80's anymore.Players like Carrol,Downing and Henderson cannot even  distinguish themselves from the Championship players like Cardiff let alone trying to compete in the Champions League.To me KD is the problem and he should go.

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  102. Outdated football.....what a load of crap. We have been playing good attacking football and have out played most teams. The only problem we have had is the end producted but that will come.

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  103. Except Stevie G and Suarez the rest of your world class players were bought by Rafa with total price less than 30 mil!!

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  104. This is Mata's first season in EPL but so far he has 5 goals and 9 assists, more than total of Downing and Hendersen!!

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  105. cleverly better than scholes?
    my arse,he hasn't played 15 games for them yet.

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  106. Dalglish has bought poorly and his protestations of their success fools noone except perhaps himself

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  107. that's celtic buddy,not lfc

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  108. Oh go and bury your head in the sand with the turd your trying to polish, instead of dictating how fans should be supporting their teams.

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  109. who made you judge-jury?

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  110. Is that some of veiled threat?

    How brave, little internet warrior. Grow up.

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  111. The second half of last season was what one calls genuine progress but after that, that progress has decreased heavily.

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  112. 'not had to rebuild as much'.

    I don't see how Liverpool lost, in the last summer, the equivalent of Fabregas and Nasri. Cesc excretes all over any midfielder that Liverpool have (Gerrard is showing his age these days, so I include him too). 

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  113. I think some people are missing the point that against most teams this season we have created over 20 chances, the only thing we are missing is someone to be in the box who can score.  You dont have to be a scientist to realise that when someone like downing crosses the ball but there is no one there to convert then it makes downing look like a bad player when in fact it is the fact that we dont have an out and out striker.

    Carroll is just a clown, he acted like he won us the carling cup with that flick on when in fact he is not even fit enough to lace heskeys boots.

    Put Kuyt up front to the end of the season and put carroll in the reserves or out on loan as no doubt he will be one for the future and with the right training he could be another hulk.

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  114. I agree, its the British culture though unfortunately, Liverpool are going through a transition bigger than ever before.  Benitez bought nearly ten times the amount of players the King has but we only have a few trophies.  Kenny has one a cup in his first season and is faced with a team that was worse than the one Shankly took over.  The net spend by Kenny aint that bad, we sold Torres at the right time and will get him back on the cheap.

    I think Kenny could have taken Owen though even as backup, he would have converted a couple of the chances we missed and maybe put us higher up in the table.

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  115. At the end of the day this is a forum where everyone is encouraged to air their views so you shouldnt take it too personally.

    At the end of the day Liverpool have the most knowledgable and honest fans in the game so this sort of chat is not really how a true red should behave.

    If we beat Arsenal today we will be right in the hunt for 4th as Manu will probably beat spurs so lets put our focus on that rather than getting angry over someone elses point of view.

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  116. Do Chelsea look like they are going to win the title this year, on going dress room problems, why keep changing successful coaches?  We have reached the Europa League by winning the League Cup.

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  117. it is still early days, and we have improved from where we were. whether the likes of adam and henderson are long term liverpool players is up for debate, and for them to prove their case. But it must be said the squad is stronger than it was.

    What we need in the summer is a midfield creater, a gola poacher i.e. darren Bent and a pacey winger.

    i was at the brighton game and watched henderson play on the right side. as a ntyural central player he wanted to drift inside and this all to often left us with no out ball down that flank.

    we must believe in Kenny he has delivered before and at least we are winning things again. success breads success

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  118. Only thing this team failing with is sticking the ball in the back of the net, to create chances for scoring the team has a strategy.

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  119. Torres is not firing, we judge Torres on goals.

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  120. Wasn't talking about Mata's record but getting Torres scoring goals which he has failed you would have thought he would have struck up the same sort of partnership Torres had with Gerrard.

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  121. Isn't Liverpool FC in Britain so supporting Liverpool is supporting British quality no matter what nationality is in the team?

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  122. Easy targets all the time from Jamie.

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  123. I think their play this season has been good just poor finishing i think Downing can go he is awful for a proven experienced player he has been just that.
    They need to bring in a decent finisher or even 2 and sell Carroll who will i say never be up to the standards expected of liverpool players
    So to this i feel for Dalglish he simply cannot put the ball in the back of the net  though his movements in the transfer market suggest he is not up to choosing talent.

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  124. So Commolli had nothing to do with the signings that are failing!?? Hmmm what's his job then glorified scout!? Carroll was knee jerk, Downing was Villas player of the year and we bought him based on that one season, distinctly average the rest of his career, as we did Carroll based on a quarter of a Prem league season, Henderson was overpriced and is being to exposed IMO, he should be brought in gradually and develop a hunger to want to be picked, not be picked outright because Commolli n Daglish bought him in and they are to proud to drop him. Another worry for me is Adam he's weak, slow, poor defensivley, no consistency and his main attribute: deadball specialist (shootout miss aside) is never utilised because he is always outranked by the old boys Gerrard, Kuyt and Bellamy when free kicks or pens are in the offing it's a joke, it leaves me scratching my head!

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  125. This time last year we had the same points as we do now but ere 7 points off 4th instead of 10!!!! So League improvement? Nope, we play better but struggle painfully in the last 3rd n seem to have no solid idea how to break down determined "weaker" teams, we do raise our game for the big clubs, fact, our home form is awful and if the OWL was in charge we'd be demanding his head simple as that. We have average players coming in and an average league position. It's horrible to see but I don't think we're outdated I think there's a certain naivety to Kenny that shows in our home form and performances agains the so called weaker teams.

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  126. JH QUOTE "If we fail to achieve Champions league football we will consider this a failure"

    Don't kid yourselves.

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  127. We will not get 4th get over it. 3 teams ahead of us will all perform worse between now and the end of the season? I'm sorry it just won't happen! Arsenal are on fire, Spurs and Chelski are sadly to strong player for player our squad doesn't stand up, we'll struggle to finish 7th IMO. I'm usually and optimist to. We have took a mediocre squad left by the Owl and added more Mediocrty to it Suarez aside who is to good for Liverpool as we stand. HOW does Carragher keep getting games, if Kenny's giving Henderson all this rope to bed in let Coates dothe same when glass mans injured.

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  128. Still ahead of us though?

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  129. ARRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH HAZARD WILL NOT JOIN LFC in our current state why do you idiots dream, he's covetted by World Class Champs League teams!!

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  130. Rose tinted specs. I love LFC, I love my mam but I still moan at her if I go for Sunday tea and it burnt. Put your joint out n get your hippy hair cut. We're seeing the same problem week in week out no strategy in the last 3rd and inconsistency across the park apart from Enrique, Skyrtle and Agger.

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  131. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 

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