A Statement of Intent.

We have an opportunity here and one we should not squander.

Firmino is the type of player that could have (under the right circumstances) gone to any club in the world.

At the time Luis came here he was not as big a name as this kid...so we have gone out an finally looked the part of being serious about what we are doing.

We will be looked at differently now by other potential transfer targets, agents and clubs,

This does not mean we are going to win the league next season or even finish top 4, what it is though is an opportunity.

I have no problem with the Milner/Ings signings, in fact I think they were pretty smart business but neither one of those made a statement.

We need to capitalize on this transfer and continue to push ourselves back into the conversation by adding more names an better quality.

We don't need to go out and spend 100m to do this..but we need one of these other S. Americans, and a Nathan Clyne to make everybody stand up and take notice.

I am pleased with what we have done so far this off-season..and I think we have the "football clout" (despite not having CL) to really throw the gloves down not only in the PL but across the global footballing community.

FSG over to you.

We have an opportunity here and one we should not squander.

Firmino is the type of player that could have (under the right circumstances) gone to any club in the world.

At the time Luis came here he was not as big a name as this kid...so we have gone out an finally looked the part of being serious about what we are doing.

We will be looked at differently now by other potential transfer targets, agents and clubs,

This does not mean we are going to win the league next season or even finish top 4, what it is though is an opportunity.

I have no problem with the Milner/Ings signings, in fact I think they were pretty smart business but neither one of those made a statement.

We need to capitalize on this transfer and continue to push ourselves back into the conversation by adding more names an better quality.

We don't need to go out and spend 100m to do this..but we need one of these other S. Americans, and a Nathan Clyne to make everybody stand up and take notice.

I am pleased with what we have done so far this off-season..and I think we have the "football clout" (despite not having CL) to really throw the gloves down not only in the PL but across the global footballing community.

FSG over to you.

Spot on mate

It's a statement of intent all right.

4 new signings already!
Hope we don't have too many very good players unsettled through lack of game time!

Hope we don't have too many very good players unsettled through lack of game time!

After what we've had to suffer with I'd gladly have this problem every year.

Now keep Sterling so we stop the trend of chasing our own tail trying to replace top quality players and start adding more to the team.

We have an opportunity here and one we should not squander.

Firmino is the type of player that could have (under the right circumstances) gone to any club in the world.

At the time Luis came here he was not as big a name as this kid...so we have gone out an finally looked the part of being serious about what we are doing.

We will be looked at differently now by other potential transfer targets, agents and clubs,

This does not mean we are going to win the league next season or even finish top 4, what it is though is an opportunity.

I have no problem with the Milner/Ings signings, in fact I think they were pretty smart business but neither one of those made a statement.

We need to capitalize on this transfer and continue to push ourselves back into the conversation by adding more names an better quality.

We don't need to go out and spend 100m to do this..but we need one of these other S. Americans, and a Nathan Clyne to make everybody stand up and take notice.

I am pleased with what we have done so far this off-season..and I think we have the "football clout" (despite not having CL) to really throw the gloves down not only in the PL but across the global footballing community.

FSG over to you.

Agree with almost all of that AZ........but the Luis bit? 

When we signed him - Luis had starred in the 2010 World Cup, was an established international of 4 years standing (16 goals in 39 internationals) and had a career club record of 138 goals in 230 club games.

Roberto has 61 club goals in 206 appearances and 4 in 9 in an international career that began last November.

I sincerely hope he proves to be an exceptional signing and I really like the look of him but I think that's a bit misleading.

Agree with almost all of that AZ........but the Luis bit? 

When we signed him - Luis had starred in the 2010 World Cup, was an established international of 4 years standing (16 goals in 39 internationals) and had a career club record of 138 goals in 230 club games.

Roberto has 61 club goals in 206 appearances and 4 in 9 in an international career that began last November.

I sincerely hope he proves to be an exceptional signing and I really like the look of him but I think that's a bit misleading.

Numbers don't lie Scotia...perhaps it is just the hype bit.

When we got Suarez this board was happy but its not like people were screaming for us to go get him, whereas I have heard the Firmino name off/on for a year plus now.

Might just be my selective memory on that bit.

Agree with almost all of that AZ........but the Luis bit? 

When we signed him - Luis had starred in the 2010 World Cup, was an established international of 4 years standing (16 goals in 39 internationals) and had a career club record of 138 goals in 230 club games.

Roberto has 61 club goals in 206 appearances and 4 in 9 in an international career that began last November.

I sincerely hope he proves to be an exceptional signing and I really like the look of him but I think that's a bit misleading.

I'd be very fortunate to see another player as good as Luis ever play for the club again within 20-30 years.

Suarez was ready to burst onto the world stage with us

He was another player with a great scoring record in Holland - which has been known to be hit and miss and in the World Cup he was infamously known for his handball - he also had that bite incident hanging over him.

His ability was second to none and he showed that with us - its just such a shame his character isnt what you would expect to see from a player associated with the club.

Numbers don't lie Scotia...perhaps it is just the hype bit.

When we got Suarez this board was happy but its not like people were screaming for us to go get him, whereas I have heard the Firmino name off/on for a year plus now.

Might just be my selective memory on that bit.

It wasn't a pop or a dampener mate.....rather a mild note of caution.

I think you have to remember where we were then mate with the cowboys at the helm till the previous October - Hodgson?; Poulson?; Konchesky?

Mascherano had left and our focus was more on keeping Torres than his replacement (though in fairness I was only an observer till till the end of the Jan 2011 window!).

I'll be more convinced if we a) keep Sterling or b) reinvest all of his fee and more on top of this.......

It wasn't a pop or a dampener mate.....rather a mild note of caution.

I think you have to remember where we were then mate with the cowboys at the helm till the previous October - Hodgson?; Poulson?; Konchesky?

Mascherano had left and our focus was more on keeping Torres than his replacement (though in fairness I was only an observer till till the end of the Jan 2011 window!).

I'll be more convinced if we a) keep Sterling or b) reinvest all of his fee and more on top of this.......

It better at least be option: B Scotia seeing how the club is going ad nausea the idea that this purchase had nothing to do with Sterling leaving.

We best be ready to go out and spend the 40 million or so we should have coming from Sterling; I don't mind a net spend of 29 million or whatever but I pray to God we are not going to see Sterling's money pay for Firmino and that is that.

I will be seriously pissed if that is the case; as I said in the first post..now is the opportunity to show everybody that we mean business...a Bacca & Clyne transfer on top of Firmino shows we are ready to go at it.

It better at least be option: B Scotia seeing how the club is going ad nausea the idea that this purchase had nothing to do with Sterling leaving.

We best be ready to go out and spend the 40 million or so we should have coming from Sterling; I don't mind a net spend of 29 million or whatever but I pray to God we are not going to see Sterling's money pay for Firmino and that is that.

I will be seriously pissed if that is the case; as I said in the first post..now is the opportunity to show everybody that we mean business...a Bacca & Clyne transfer on top of Firmino shows we are ready to go at it.

Agreed AZ.

I fear there is form though my friend.....time will tell.

Your challenge is spot on.

I'd be very fortunate to see another player as good as Luis ever play for the club again within 20-30 years.

Agreed. 

I'm no huge fan of Sterling but the club rate him, so maybe a statement of intent would be refusing to sell him to a title rival.  Unless of course the club hierachy don't believe LFC should be aiming as high as the title?

Perhaps a ruthlessly ambitious club would consider it better to sell a talented player abroad for a few million less?

I remember United not even giving us a sniff of Gabriel Heinze even though we had offered more. 

I think we're getting a tad carried away here if Firmino is being regarded as a "statement of intent" he's a good footballer who'll probably grow into a great footballer but he isn't at the level where a top club would nail their colours on his mast and say he's "their" guy. Arsenal signing Özil and later Sanchez was a statement of intent. Chelsea signing Fabregas was a statement of intent. Citeh signing Aguero was a statement of intent. The Mancs signing Di Maria was a statement of intent. Firmino is not in that bracket of player yet. And he is not going to change other clubs, agents and player's perspectives of us.

He's not even as good a player as Luis was before he joined us. Firmino shows just how starved we've been of quality players, you give a starving man a biscuit and he'll swear it's the best biscuit he's ever eaten..You give us long-suffering Liverpool supporters a good player and some will swear he could play for any club in the world. Let's slow down for a second and let's not put too much pressure on the lad.

Agreed. 

I'm no huge fan of Sterling but the club rate him, so maybe a statement of intent would be refusing to sell him to a title rival.  Unless of course the club hierachy don't believe LFC should be aiming as high as the title?

Perhaps a ruthlessly ambitious club would consider it better to sell a talented player abroad for a few million less?

I remember United not even giving us a sniff of Gabriel Heinze even though we had offered more. 

A good point.

I don't think there is much to be gained by keeping Sterling against his will but I do agree that the club could play hardball and only agree to selling him abroad.

Who knows may even refocus his mind a little and make him see what he may be losing by leaving.

You know what, if this isn't enough of a sign of intent to show players like Sterling that we are serious then he can go count his money in London or wherever else, I couldn't care less.

I am only worried by the lack of experience in the club. I mean no one in the team has won anything. Who are the leaders? Are we buying youngsters because they will follow BR or will potentially last the rigours of a long season. Are we buying them because more experienced top drawer players won't come to a side not in the CL. I don't know if we will make a profit as we are paying quite high fees.

I am only worried by the lack of experience in the club. I mean no one in the team has won anything. Who are the leaders? Are we buying youngsters because they will follow BR or will potentially last the rigours of a long season. Are we buying them because more experienced top drawer players won't come to a side not in the CL. I don't know if we will make a profit as we are paying quite high fees.

It's the reason Toure was kept and Milner was brought in. That is about as much experience as we had in the side when we came in 2nd.

I will take raw talent myself...go grab us a couple more young Brazilians as far as I am concerned.

It's the reason Toure was kept and Milner was brought in. That is about as much experience as we had in the side when we came in 2nd.

I will take raw talent myself...go grab us a couple more young Brazilians as far as I am concerned.

Toure was never an organiser, he was always a one on one defender because of his immense pace. If he is organising a team we will be f*cked. Milner? Maybe, I hope so. Lucas needs to play because we definitely need some organisers out there. I love Brazilians and flair football but at this moment I would offer money for some Italian or argentine defenders/cm anyday.

I agree it's a very good statement. I don't agree though that Luis wasn't as big a name when he came here.

I agree it's a very good statement. I don't agree though that Luis wasn't as big a name when he came here.

I'd say they are at a similar level when they came to us Bier.

If anything Firmino a little bit more of an unknown quantity.

I'd say they are at a similar level when they came to is Bier.

If anything Firmino a little bit more of an unknown quantity.

Yeah, especially because of the great but controversial World Cup Suarez played just before he joined us.

The thing with Luis wasn't that anyone doubted his talent, he was just already a controversial figure. Something Firmino is not. But he might well be as talented. Let's be honest here though, even a bit less talented than Luis will do for most I imagine, but we can dream.

I think we're getting a tad carried away here if Firmino is being regarded as a "statement of intent" he's a good footballer who'll probably grow into a great footballer but he isn't at the level where a top club would nail their colours on his mast and say he's "their" guy. Arsenal signing Özil and later Sanchez was a statement of intent. Chelsea signing Fabregas was a statement of intent. Citeh signing Aguero was a statement of intent. The Mancs signing Di Maria was a statement of intent. Firmino is not in that bracket of player yet. And he is not going to change other clubs, agents and player's perspectives of us.

He's not even as good a player as Luis was before he joined us. Firmino shows just how starved we've been of quality players, you give a starving man a biscuit and he'll swear it's the best biscuit he's ever eaten..You give us long-suffering Liverpool supporters a good player and some will swear he could play for any club in the world. Let's slow down for a second and let's not put too much pressure on the lad.

I doubt many on here had heard of him before we got him or if they did fancied him, which is indicative of the PR machine and the '0' or '10' rating system employed by fans. We all had heard of Suarez and he was confident because the world knew about him.