Originally Posted by iaink

Liverpool need to figure our what they are doing with the stadium and get that project going if they hope to return to the top. Right now, despite improbably large sponsorship deals (given the current level of success), they are buying players without a track record of success because that's what they can afford without champions league income. If you were grading them for performance in the transfer market they would get a big fat F. When Craig Bellamy on a free is the standout signing, something has gone wrong. Liverpool need to get the stadium issue sorted in order to get the match day income up to the point that they can play at the top of the spending league. However the "moneyball" background of the owners makes that probably an unrealistic hope. Some of the current crop will hopefully grow into their roles and wont appear to be such a waste of money in a few years, but how long is it reasonable to wait?

There was a piece in the Guardian that pointed out that "If Liverpool finish sixth, it will equal or better the best ever Premier League finishing position for Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, José Enrique, Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson – a sizeable chunk of the Liverpool squad. While this does not necessarily prove anything, it does temper somewhat the notion that Liverpool are under-performing."

For Dalglish to use tiredness as an excuse with £50M of "talent" he signed on the bench is pushing his luck. Liverpools "bad luck" seems to have become a habit this season too, but while not wishing to totally absolve Dalglish, its worth remembering that Damien Comolli is the guy at Anfield responsible for identifying and signing the talent, and his record at Spurs at best could be described as a mixed bag. I was sceptical when LFC hired him, and I still wait to proven wrong. The problem in part is that footy is not like major league sports, the best upandcoming players generally only wish to play for successful teams, or teams on the cusp of success that are likely to deliver silverware. Without a "draft" system to try and balance out the talent pool, in footy money is key, and success begets success.

Originally Posted by JamesM

The problem Spurs had when Comolli was there was that the Manager had no input in the players signed. They were trying to implement some continental system that meant that they could change manager with out having to change players. It ended in tears.

Originally Posted by Mr Weeze

Can we talk about the excellent result in the FA cup this evening or are we EPL only?

Originally Posted by iaink

*that may not be 100% true

Originally Posted by iaink

The problem in part is that footy is not like major league sports, the best upandcoming players generally only wish to play for successful teams, or teams on the cusp of success that are likely to deliver silverware. Without a "draft" system to try and balance out the talent pool, in footy money is key, and success begets success.

Originally Posted by DaveLovesDee

The Draft system will never come to European football as I feel it's seen as 'American', and there's too much money at stake for agents for anything to change.

Originally Posted by iaink

Carroll to start against Newcastle...

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said*: “we’re hoping that in 90 minutes he can re­grasp the rudiments of a sport he’s been playing since he was a foal and reduce my looking the twat by enough of a margin to explain the whole Jordan Henderson confusion.”


*that may not be 100% true

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

Newcastle, through no real fault of their own, only have one fit centre back (who, although usually good in the air, is really a Championship class player), so if Carroll can't do well on Sunday it's not their fault.

Originally Posted by iaink

Well, in the spirit of fair play and all that, may the best team win*




* or Liverpool

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

*as long as it's the one in black & white stripes.