16 May 2015

Done Deal: Liverpool to sign 'outstanding' £100k-a-week star to replace Steven Gerrard. Insanity?

In April, Reds fans with genuine ambition luxuriated in a giddy feeling of delirium and joy when The Independent claimed that James Milner had 'made up his mind' to reject the Liverpool and sign for Arsenal. Alas, as it seems the news was too good to be true, with reports now indicating that a distressing reversal of fortune is on the cards.

According to The Mirror today:

* Milner will 'quit Manchester City' this summer and 'join Liverpool on a free transfer'.

* The midfielder has rejected Arsenal because he believes he will have 'more opportunities to play his favourite central midfield role'.

* Liverpool will pay Milner - recently hailed by Brendan Rodgers as 'outstanding' - '£100k-a-week'.

* Brendan Rodgers believes Milner can fill the void left by Steven Gerrard.

Intensely disturbing news. I just can't comprehend how any manager of sound mind can credibly believe that Milner is an adequate replacement for Steven Gerrard.

I also cannot conceive of a world where Liverpool pay James Milner £100k+ per-week. The idea is nauseating, and it's anyone's guess why an average British footballer nearing the end of his career is worth that much.

I appreciate that Milner has his supporters amongst the Reds fanbase, but if the apex of Liverpool's post-Gerrard ambition is a (comparatively) average, 29-year old bit-part player, then's it's depressingly indicative of the systematic lowering of standards at Anfield.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with Milner if he's a squad player filling in for better players (i.e. his role at Man City), but he is seemingly being positioned as one of the team's everpresent pillars for next season, and that is what really gets my goat.

Are we seriously to believe that after scouring the world for a 'marquee player' (Rodgers' words, not mine), Milner is the best Liverpool can do in central midfield?.



If that's the case, and Rodgers genuinely sees Milner as the man to replace Gerrard, then the manager deserves to be sacked immediately (IMO) for such a fatal (and potentially damaging) lack of ambition.

Liverpool will not progress with Milner as an integral part of the club's midfield unit. He is neither better than Henderson at the playmaking/attacking component of the position, nor superior to Lucas at the holding aspect of the role, so what's the point?

Liverpool needs to sign a superstar midfielder with prodigious talent, and presence to fill the Gerrard void, and whilst that may be difficult without Champions League football, taking the lazy way out and settling for Milner is not the answer.

Going from Gerrard to Milner is as regressive as swapping Suarez for Lambert, and in my view, it constitutes a football catastrophe of epic - no, biblical - proportions.

In the words of Colonel Walter E. Kurtz:


Author: Jaimie K


107 comments:

  1. Great news. Definitely not SG's replacement but Milner will be a good addition to the squad.

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  2. Today is going to be extremely emotional. His last game at anfield ever, I sincerely hope he comes back to manage Liverpool at some point in the future.

    We'll miss you Glen

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  3. As you say without CL football it will be difficult to attract the type of midfielder who might come close to replacing Stevie.


    Best though for BR not to say Milner would merely be a good addition to the squad. Especially when he has yet to actually sign.


    .

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  4. Haha love it

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  5. Leaves more money for a striker who hopefully can score, a versatile player a very good addition to the squad.

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  6. If you can show me direct quotes that Rodgers said Milner will be signed to replace Gerrard, then I agree with a lot of this article. Alas, there are no quotes so it's all just hear-say. In fact, Rodgers just said this week that it is not possible to replace Gerrard with any player. If Milner is signed, we know it is as a squad player - trash the signing by all means but not as a Gerrard replacement.

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  7. Robbie Fowler's record for the quickest hatrick has now gone.

    Southampton's Sadio Mane has broken it with a time of 2mins 56 seconds.



    Also no other PL midfielder has scored more goals in 2015 then Sadio Mane.

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  8. Nicolas Chamberlain1:18 pm, May 16, 2015

    Nonsense. Nobody will be able to raplece Gerrard, but to say that Milner isn't good enough is just ridicilous. He is versatile, proven, works his socks of and on a free transfer. Especially when Gerrard is gone we need experience and less unproven youngsters. Too much negativity these days. If we call this deal insanity what about all the massive flops we've bought!?

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  9. Sorry but not signing Milner on a free would be madness.

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  10. Stan Dinaround1:22 pm, May 16, 2015

    I always knew I short a few dozen... Bring on the medics!.... I don't think though that even Brendan considers this adequate replacement material..... Much needed experience and composure yes.... Replacement, No.

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  11. Sadio Mane to Liverpool for 35m

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  12. Stan Dinaround1:23 pm, May 16, 2015

    Give over, a 2 min hat trick is all well and good, but he has atendancy to go missing often.... In a game where Southampton are 5 up in 38 mins, he isn't all that...

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  13. Nicolas Chamberlain1:24 pm, May 16, 2015

    Southampton is tearing Villa apart.
    Disgraceful display.

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  14. Stan Dinaround1:25 pm, May 16, 2015

    Absolutely and without question...... These past couple of seasons has shown how indespensible he has become for the club... Chelsea made a huge mistake letting him go to Portsmouth...

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  15. Replacement for Sterling ?

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  16. Stan Dinaround1:26 pm, May 16, 2015

    Did you just make a sensible comment.... ?

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  17. I'm not expressing my opinion or desires, but rather, Liverpool FC's transfer tendencies.

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  18. so this summer we get Milner and Ingsfor free. atleast we will be most british team in the league.

    i do hope that its just one of those smart moves to snap 2 free agents who happen to be decent/good players. but i also fear that it will be the whole of our summer business.

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  19. Nicolas Chamberlain1:31 pm, May 16, 2015

    No doubt in my mind that we will sign a quality striker that can fit right in, and I'm not talking about Ings.

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  20. Sorry It won't happen again

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  21. i myself think that boardroom has told rodgers that his signings are better to come good on next season, and he can work the market without money. give us another start of season like this year and you are out by christmas.

    its just the gut feeling im having. i hope im wrong.

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  22. still. better player than sterling.

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  23. still better player than sterling. just like balo =P

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  24. Ian Rush P660 G3461:39 pm, May 16, 2015

    Liverpool need experience in the team, that was painful clear in our big games. Milner is like an underappreciated Dirk Kuyt.. the fans might not see their importance but managers certainty do.

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  25. comment of the week :-)

    Spot on though; today is the last opportunity we'll have to see BR yanking off Johnson at half time. I'm welling up already just thinking about it.

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  26. Can't help but laugh, Rodgers is definitely a 'Genius'

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  27. You beauti mane. 2mins hat-trick, he's earning peanuts while flop sterling wants 150per week

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  28. Not a fan of Milner either but still think he'd be a good signing. Eventhough i'm not excited by this news but he'll be a useful signing as he has experience and has won trophies too. But for me he'll be more of Allen replacement than Gerrard replacement.
    For me signing Ings would be really underwhelming, as i don't want us to sign him and would prefer to see us develop Sinclair or Yesil instead of signing him.

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  29. Did he break Fowler's record?

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  30. I just hope Milner doesn't turn out to be like Joe Cole signing.

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  31. Given BRs history of signings. Balotelli, lambert to replace suarez. I firmly believe that Milner is brought in to replace gerrard.

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  32. Not sure yet.. BBC reporting it was the fastest

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  33. Lacazete and I'm more then happy with that

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  34. Yes but as a squad player. Players like Milner and Pirlo on a free are too good for us to let the opportunity pass but they also have to accept that we have to prepare for the long term as well.

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  35. Jaimie, you are correct regarding Milner on every single detail

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  36. Always liked Coates.

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  37. Could be a lot of players vying for our transfer committees attention these last two games, in fact it could pretty much shape our whole summer.
    Maybe Glen nabs a couple of goals and Kolo gets in on the act with goal of the season and then we're all sorted and the TC are off down the beach for the summer.

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  38. The Upper Classes had a light afternoon tea at 4.30pm and dinner at 8.00pm. However; the working classes would come back from work and needed a large meal. They had dinner at the time when the upper classes were having afternoon tea, so called their dinner “tea”.

    .
    Source: Google

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  39. Who would you all like to get relegate? Sunderland, Hull or Leicester?

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  40. Providing Milner is not viewed as a Gerrard replacement I think it's a smart move, my only reservation would be the 100k figure you mention, seems too much to me but having said that if you go to low then maybe the player resents the fact and is disinterested.
    Either way if he signs I'm happy with it, I'll stick a quid in the kitty to buy Jamie a Milner shirt too.

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  41. Leicester for me, bit unfair on the team but I can't stand the manager.

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  42. I have this feeling that it's going to Newcastle. But they are one up.

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  43. Cheers :-)

    I can't imagine where BR will let him play today, on the right? on the left? As a wingback or maybe as centre back?

    Surely Rodgers can't afford to loose such a versatile player.

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  44. Journalists should stop talking about midfielders connected with Liverpool as Steven's replacements.

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  45. Good stuff, I like a bit of history :)
    Where do you hail form Chirag?

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  46. 120 sec. It took Robbie 270..

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  47. You think Ballo and Lambert was his way of replacin Suarez? Damn..

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  48. Exactly why they won't do.

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  49. What else can you call it .???
    Sugar coat as much as you like !

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  50. Mumbai (Bombay), India.

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  51. A midfielder coming to Liverpool?

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  52. Love to be a fly on the wall for BR's team talk today. Unless their just trying to lull us - utd have a lot of injuries to contend with at the moment, mostly in jest but I wonder if Brendan is even considering goal difference.

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  53. Stan Dinaround3:51 pm, May 16, 2015

    We get a tax free status here in the UK.... I imagine the American chapter would get the same.... Sounds like a plan.....

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  54. You literally can't argue with that ;-)

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  55. Stan Dinaround3:53 pm, May 16, 2015

    All day long, I don't get the sense I'd like the bloke, but he keeps his mouth shut, and lets his feet do the talking.... I would pay his air fare no problem.

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  56. Where in UK do you reside?

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  57. Stan Dinaround3:56 pm, May 16, 2015

    Striker.

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  58. Haha, we can go half.

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  59. Three from Arsenal and one from Hull. And we do 5 and 6. Sounds right..

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  60. Very nice, I think you know your tea's there, definitely a part of the world I would like to visit, friends have been to Goa before and loved it, not sure if that is too 'touristy' or not though.
    England - south for me, but don't tell anyone because it may draw an amount of flak, not as close to Anfield as would like, but what's a person to do.

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  61. If Rodgers indeed feels this way about Milner then I agree wholeheartedly with this article.

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  62. Stan Dinaround4:01 pm, May 16, 2015

    It bugs me no end when new signings are seen as replacements... They may replace the position, but they have been brought in for the qualities they have, the contribution they can make, not to replace a player like for like, thats just not possible....

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  63. Brendan might be crazy, he ain't stupid..

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  64. I did my post graduation from University of Essex so have been to quite a few places in England and Scotland during my time there. Goa is good for tourists, beaches and stuffs. If you manage to visit India then you should go to Ladakh in North India.

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  65. Stan Dinaround4:04 pm, May 16, 2015

    In the top 6 of the table atleast..... Still plenty of possible freebies out there that can be seen as quality additions, hopefully LFC are canny enough to sign as many of them as possible freeing up meg funds and wages to entice a superstar striker or two....

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  66. Stan Dinaround4:08 pm, May 16, 2015

    Yep! Fowlers was 4 mins and about 30ish seconds....

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  67. Stan Dinaround4:10 pm, May 16, 2015

    Thanks, thought for a sec I'd bankrupted myself, as obviously it has to be first class....

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  68. You sound far better travelled than me, something I'm planning on changing in the future, will add Ladakh to my list, thanks for the tip.

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  69. Just had a quick Ladakh on the Lonely planet site - that scenery - wow.

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  70. England: Courtois
    Spain: Suarez
    Italy: Pogba
    Germany (assume you meant to put these in there): Alaba
    France: Verratti
    Portugal: Danilo
    Holland: Depay
    Ukraine/Russia: Witsel

    New team:

    Courtois

    Danilo / Kolo / Kolo / Alaba

    Witsel / Verratti

    Pogba

    Depay Sterling
    Suarez

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  71. Barely anyone has seen these players. We're all just charlatans who've played FIFA and Champ Man.

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  72. I have been lucky, will be travelling to Australia & New Zealand this December for my honeymoon. Hoping for a good experience.

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  73. Actually I am yet to visit Ladakh too. Maybe next year, lets see.

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  74. Its between Hull and Newcastle now.

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  75. Like you said as a squad player anything else is negligence from the top down as a sg replacement. If it is the case we really are mid table fodder

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  76. Rohan Anderson4:39 pm, May 16, 2015

    Another Rodgers out banner. How small time.

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  77. Yep, absolutely OUTSTANDING new acquisitions coming our way thanks to BR - Ings/Milner et al..

    I can just see the top four teams quaking in their boots at the prospect of face LFC next year...!

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  78. tODAY???? What is wrong with people?!?

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  79. Well I have in my hand a genuine certificate of sanity on behalf of BR..

    .. it's signed by Dr La La Tellytubby..

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  80. Just to be clear JK is Milner is supposed to be replacing the Stevie G of old or the one nearing the end?

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  81. Unbelievable but it only takes one or two clearly the vast majority will condemn it

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  82. Team news:


    22 Mignolet
    23 Can
    37 Skrtel
    06 Lovren
    33 Ibe
    08 Gerrard
    14 Henderson
    18 Moreno
    10 Coutinho
    31 Sterling
    20 Lallana

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  83. If Gerrard played till the age of 60, Milner still wouldn't be capable of replacing him, or any version of him.

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  84. we need to sign marquee manager, first priority.

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  85. Another friend recently got back from 8wks in New Zealand, spent the whole time on the road in a Winnebago type effort. Absolutely loved it, I bet you'll have the time of your lives, well gel ;-)

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  86. Funny enough I've not been to Scotland yet, mad isn't it, such a small Island I'm on too, another on my list though.
    Thus far Corfu was my favourite trip, not exactly long-haul style but a week on mopeds all round the island was very pleasant, nearly two decades ago though so not sure how it is presently.

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  87. I sure hope he ain't!

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  88. You are in for a cruel disappointment, my friend. Origi will be no more successful than Markavic - possibly even less. The man has so little to offer it is embarrassin. .In short, a typical Rodgers signing.

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  89. Think it will be Johnson for Gerrard in the next few minutes.

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  90. Could go global...

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  91. Insanity? I don't think so. A better way to describe it would be pure mediocrity. If I was a fan of a mid table team like Everton or Stoke I wouldn't have any doubts that Milner would be a good signing.


    But what makes BR think that paying 100k/pw for a near 30 year old who doesn't even start for a top 4 club is going to be able to replace someone like Steven Gerrard?


    To tell you the truth, I really don't know. If BR has stated our signings will be geared towards starting 11 players, why are we signing Milner? Where does BR expect us to finish? Because expecting signings like these to take us to CL and top 4 is, to be honest insanity.


    If players like Milner fit the caliber of our signings this summer, I will definitely be expecting a mid table finish.

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  92. There is one word/ assit that i am looking at with future Liverpool signing and that is dynamism. Today was another example of the forward line lacking in dynamism to create chances. Origi from the various reports Ive seen possessives this characteristic. If this is the case I know he will make a impact in the EPL.

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  93. I think, in short, Gerrard for what he brought to Liverpool can't be replaced, Carragher said in an interview that United are still trying to replace Roy Keane and Arsenal, Patrick Viera and both have failed.


    I've always thought Gerrard, while being an undoubtedly awesome servant and talent to the club, has been a tactical liability because of the lesser players surrounding him on the pitch.


    I often felt when he was the forward marauding midfield man he left the defence exposed, when he was in the midfield pulling strings he often played balls other team mates couldn't get on the end of because they didn't have the brain he did and when injuries got the better of him and his pace slowed, players around him still expected him to be the player of old. He could've won a hell of a lot more trophies if he'd joined a team of more talented players, no doubt and as a result could've had a bigger collection of accolades. He didn't, thankfully for us.


    Watching today, every man on the pitch played comfortably within themselves, when we needed the spark, the moment of brilliance we were woefully short. Not one man gave everything for the shirt that Gerrard has done for all of his career, that's what it means to be the heartbeat of the team, the talisman. Not one man stood up to be counted, not one man could pay him back for carrying them for so long.


    Why would someone want to come to play for us, to carry the others, when the current recipe for success is to join teams that are already winning things the moment a player puts a couple of good games together? That's why he's a legend and that's why we are in trouble now because we are basically saying to any world class talent interested in joining us (if there are any) you have to carry the other 10.


    I think it will be next seasons mantra....Liverpool without Gerrard. If it does get used by whoever is in charge, then it is unacceptable in my eyes, as we've had plenty of warning that Gerrard's leaving. Let's see what the club has put in place, will the collective effort from the team increase or will FSG just view this as a trimming of the wage bill?

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  94. thexcuriousxwanderer3:12 am, May 17, 2015

    By paying him 100K a year, it means that it's still cheaper than going out to pay 10m for transfer and sign them for 50K a week. Let's say if we sign someone with real ability, like cout or sterling. The asking price would be way more than 10m, their wages wouldn't be far from 100K, and their current powers would not be as good as milner's. Yes you can factor in future transfer prices, but the coin knows just as well as them it seems.

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  95. Lambert, Borini and now Ings, sigh

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  96. You never scored a goal on Buggy Boy?

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  97. Pleasant green stuff - weed? :)

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  98. Why have you not published my last comment...I'm talking from my heart and that is how I feel about the Imposter Rodgers.

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  99. I never play video games. My life is so awesome and exciting that fantasy-based uber exhilirating entertainment is just like a busman's holiday for me.

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