FSG's Most Important Summer?

That confirms your IQ being lower than a snakes belly.

He is just another kid starved for attention Crouchie; good for a laugh though.

I can just see it now, we will buy Benteke and Delph in the Summer. 

The real question is, if this is another underwhelming Summer through lack of investment from FSG, as fans, where do we go from here?

I can just see it now, we will buy Benteke and Delph in the Summer. 

Don't forget Milner on a free.

The real question is, if this is another underwhelming Summer through lack of investment from FSG, as fans, where do we go from here?

They will spend up to FFP and that's it, we will be in the same place next year as we are now...maybe in 3rd, maybe in 6th...we are not going to crash and burn we will just go sideways.

There isn't just the on field uncertantity and unrest.

Off the field the clubs heart and soul is being ripped out. FSG's ongoing pursuit of the dollar is alienating the "proper" Reds in favour for tourists with big cameras and even bigger shopping bags.

The United game was the final straw for many, me included. It seems the tourist types are now the MAJORITY!

H&G were bad times but the club is in real danger of losing its identity and a generation of local fans.

I'm not trying to be a smart arse here but I'm genuinely curious as to how the day trippers and tourists that are ruining the match day experience for proper reds are getting their tickets? I don't quite understand ticket allocation but it seems like it's a real pain in the butt to get a ticket if you aren't a season ticket holder or a local? And if that's really the case then shouldn't the blame be shoulder d by those that are selling the day trippers the tickets in the first place? How would the club keep those people from getting tickets?

I can just see it now, we will buy Benteke and Delph in the Summer. 

 

They will spend up to FFP and that's it, we will be in the same place next year as we are now...maybe in 3rd, maybe in 6th...we are not going to crash and burn we will just go sideways.

All clubs spend within FFP now but that wasn't the question. I'm asking what we, the fans, do if it's another Summer of mediocrity? I mean we're all moaning about the fact but what can we actually do about it? Sure, fan opinion of FSG will likely head South but are they going to care? There's always more day trippers. There's always more season ticket applicants. I'm genuinely at a loss about what we can do as fans to halt the slide.

Our current squad needs another overhaul we need to embark on another period of "transition" . The following list of players in my mind for varying reasons (abillity, wages, age, injuries) will not be at the club come the start of next season.

Jones-needs replacing not good enough as a back up
Toure- age, abillity and wages
Coates- his third season at the club never appeared to be in Brendan's plan
Ilori-mystified with this signing has not featured a single minute seems to be doing well at Bordeaux though
Wisdom- same as Coates not getting into the WBA team either
Enrique-Injuries have limited him to a few appearences in 2 seasons
Flanagan-Seems to have a number of injury issues that are impacting on the club offering him a new contract
Johnson-Injuries and the clubs reluctance to offer him a new contract combined with his reluctance to take a pay cut
Lucas- Love the man I don't think Brendan rates him as highly though and his been whored around a couple of windows allready
Gerrard- LA Galaxy
Luis Alberto- Hardly set the world alight in Malaga
Borini-Lack of abillity no way will the club allow him to sit on the bench collecting his wages
Lambert-Abillity and age
Balotelli- Never settled and not suited to our style
Aspas- Same as Alberto

That is an absolute worst case scenario list consisting of 15 players littered with assumptions that could be very incorrect. Brendan and the club might have alternate views on any of the players on that list. Johnson might take a pay cut, Toure offered another year, Flanagan offered new contract etc. This then leaves our squad with Migs, Can, Skrtel (rumours around rejecting contract), Sakho, Lovren, Moreno, Manquilo, Allen, Henderson, Coutinho, Lallan, Markovic, Ibe, Sturridge, Sterling, Origi.  A squad which I think is not good enough to challange for the top 4 let alone the title if only half the players on that list are shown the door that would leave the squad 6-7 players short and that is alot of bodies to "transition" to a new club we experienced the difficulty of that  first hand with 9 players coming in this season.

All in all looks to be another busy summer with the doors at Melwood constantly revolving.

We need two things. Two or three top quality signings who, in the words of Brendan Rodgers last Summer (which provides more weight to the argument that he's not in total charge of signings) "can walk straight in to the first team and improve it", and a season with no major injuries to key players. Sure some will pick up knocks but we can do without Sturridge (or anyone else) missing eight months of the season due to injury. If we achieve both of these there's no reason why we can't challenge for the title again.

Even with all the talk about FSG backing the boss this summer, I'm not expecting more than a 15/20 million net spend. I see about 4 players coming in with anything up to 8 leaving.

I'm not trying to be a smart arse here but I'm genuinely curious as to how the day trippers and tourists that are ruining the match day experience for proper reds are getting their tickets? I don't quite understand ticket allocation but it seems like it's a real pain in the butt to get a ticket if you aren't a season ticket holder or a local? And if that's really the case then shouldn't the blame be shoulder d by those that are selling the day trippers the tickets in the first place? How would the club keep those people from getting tickets?

The prices at Anfield for a catorgory A game have gone up 50% in the last 5 years so basically the "average" fan cannot afford to attend on a regular basis anymore especially if for instance, they attended with a child. The lack of child tickets available generally mean if a parent decides to take their little un they are looking at over £100.00! This also is contributing to the lack of youngsters coming through now so there is a chance a whole generation of local / regular Reds will be lost.

The club have also changed the selling arrangements for members. They keep selling the package and the dream to people all over the world and while the numbers of new members are swelling, the match allocation is decreasing. (From 10,000 to 8,500 for next season) Where are these extra tickets going? To new STH? General sale? I doubt it very much. They've also sh*t on the loyality from loyal members. An example being, I have been going on the Kop since 1996 but this season Ive only been on there for cup matches as basically I could only get single seats (usually go with a mate) in the Main Stand for the league games as I only had 11 home league games from last season. This season, a new member with who's never been to Anfield before could have purchased a Kop ticket for say Chelsea or Man City, where as due to the nature of the sale, I failed to get tickets for either game.

There is the issue that some regulars (STH's / members etc) are selling their tickets on for massive profit but the fact remains FSG sell the Anfield experience and how "you can be a part of it" when the reality is it's being killed off. There are loads of Reds on the verge of chucking the towel in, me included. This is not something that comes easily believe me, as it's been a way of life for over 20 years but things have got that bad! It used to feel like at Anfield you were surrounded by like minded people all with the common cause...to cheer the Redmen with unrivaled passion and a bit of humour thrown in. I look around these days and generally feel I have nothing in common with the so called fans around me. The type that film you while you sing...or stare at you if you dare show a bit of passion...Unbelievable!!!!

Not sure what the answer is but a start would be to get like minded regular fans on the Kop together. You should earn your stripes to get onto the Kop so some sort of criteria on past seasons would be a start. Could also make for example the central blocks 105,205,305 general admission (apart from STH) as this would allow the fans who qualify to sit by their mates. Also free up more child tickets and put them on sale at the ticket office the week prior to the game. There are things...the question is, do the club give a toss as all they see are the dollar signs that the tourist type provide.

I can understand why the club needs that kind of "fan" who spend hundreds in the club shop and buy anything with LFC badge on it but when their kind are starting to become the MAJORITY then there is something seriously wrong.

The prices at Anfield for a catorgory A game have gone up 50% in the last 5 years so basically the "average" fan cannot afford to attend on a regular basis anymore especially if for instance, they attended with a child. The lack of child tickets available generally mean if a parent decides to take their little un they are looking at over £100.00! This also is contributing to the lack of youngsters coming through now so there is a chance a whole generation of local / regular Reds will be lost.

The club have also changed the selling arrangements for members. They keep selling the package and the dream to people all over the world and while the numbers of new members are swelling, the match allocation is decreasing. (From 10,000 to 8,500 for next season) Where are these extra tickets going? To new STH? General sale? I doubt it very much. They've also sh*t on the loyality from loyal members. An example being, I have been going on the Kop since 1996 but this season Ive only been on there for cup matches as basically I could only get single seats (usually go with a mate) in the Main Stand for the league games as I only had 11 home league games from last season.

There is the issue that some regulars (STH's / members etc) are selling their tickets on for massive profit but the fact remains FSG sell the Anfield experience and how "you can be a part of it" when the reality is it's being killed off. There are loads of Reds on the verge of chucking the towel in, me included. This is not something that comes easily believe me, as it's been a way of life for over 20 years but things have got that bad! It used to feel like at Anfield you were surrounded by like minded people all with the common cause...to cheer the Redmen with unrivaled passion and a bit of humour thrown in. I look around these days and generally feel I have nothing in common with the so called fans around me. The type that film you while you sing...or stare at you if you dare show a bit of passion...Unbelievable!!!!

Not sure what the answer is but a start would be to get like minded regular fans on the Kop together. You should earn your stripes to get onto the Kop so some sort of criteria on past seasons would be a start. Also free up more child tickets and put them on sale at the ticket office the week prior to the game. There are things...the question is, do the club give a toss as all they see are the dollar signs that the tourist type provide.

So lets enjoy the privillages of being a globally supported football club and collect all the TV revenue we can because fans tune in across the world to watch our games but limit the opportunities to watch a live match to the local geographic fan base only. I am affraid it does not and should not work like that in my one experience at Anfield it was not the tourist types that were sat moaning and yawning at the Kop it was the locally privilleged season ticket holders that sat watching in silence. I was mortified and saw first hand the library that the famous Anfield ground has become. How many "tourist" types do you get a game 2/3000 add another 3000 allocated to the away section and you are left with another 38,000 odd to generate plenty of support and noise.

The fact that you refuse to go because you can't attend with a mate higlights the bigger problem you have been spoilt having the privillege all these years, I have personally known people that were extorted by touts as much as 500-600 quid a ticket and paid because they have travelled from as far as Australia for the "experience" as you like to call it.

Yeah I got the dirty looks and stares many times sitting in the Kop trying to generate a bit of noise and support I was sat and surrounded by season ticket holders who frankly looked like they were going through the motions of watching another football game.

The prices at Anfield for a catorgory A game have gone up 50% in the last 5 years so basically the "average" fan cannot afford to attend on a regular basis anymore especially if for instance, they attended with a child. The lack of child tickets available generally mean if a parent decides to take their little un they are looking at over £100.00! This also is contributing to the lack of youngsters coming through now so there is a chance a whole generation of local / regular Reds will be lost.

The club have also changed the selling arrangements for members. They keep selling the package and the dream to people all over the world and while the numbers of new members are swelling, the match allocation is decreasing. (From 10,000 to 8,500 for next season) Where are these extra tickets going? To new STH? General sale? I doubt it very much. They've also sh*t on the loyality from loyal members. An example being, I have been going on the Kop since 1996 but this season Ive only been on there for cup matches as basically I could only get single seats (usually go with a mate) in the Main Stand for the league games as I only had 11 home league games from last season. This season, a new member with who's never been to Anfield before could have purchased a Kop ticket for say Chelsea or Man City, where as due to the nature of the sale, I failed to get tickets for either game.

There is the issue that some regulars (STH's / members etc) are selling their tickets on for massive profit but the fact remains FSG sell the Anfield experience and how "you can be a part of it" when the reality is it's being killed off. There are loads of Reds on the verge of chucking the towel in, me included. This is not something that comes easily believe me, as it's been a way of life for over 20 years but things have got that bad! It used to feel like at Anfield you were surrounded by like minded people all with the common cause...to cheer the Redmen with unrivaled passion and a bit of humour thrown in. I look around these days and generally feel I have nothing in common with the so called fans around me. The type that film you while you sing...or stare at you if you dare show a bit of passion...Unbelievable!!!!

Not sure what the answer is but a start would be to get like minded regular fans on the Kop together. You should earn your stripes to get onto the Kop so some sort of criteria on past seasons would be a start. Could also make for example the central blocks 105,205,305 general admission (apart from STH) as this would allow the fans who qualify to sit by their mates. Also free up more child tickets and put them on sale at the ticket office the week prior to the game. There are things...the question is, do the club give a toss as all they see are the dollar signs that the tourist type provide.

I can understand why the club needs that kind of "fan" who spend hundreds in the club shop and buy anything with LFC badge on it but when their kind are starting to become the MAJORITY then there is something seriously wrong.

Have a look at this fella, it may help. I know a few Liverpudlians who feel the club has gone to the dogs - some of them on the committee.

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/fans/supporters-committee/home

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/fans/supporters-committee/minutes

Our current squad needs another overhaul we need to embark on another period of "transition" . The following list of players in my mind for varying reasons (abillity, wages, age, injuries) will not be at the club come the start of next season.

Jones-needs replacing not good enough as a back up
Toure- age, abillity and wages
Coates- his third season at the club never appeared to be in Brendan's plan
Ilori-mystified with this signing has not featured a single minute seems to be doing well at Bordeaux though
Wisdom- same as Coates not getting into the WBA team either
Enrique-Injuries have limited him to a few appearences in 2 seasons
Flanagan-Seems to have a number of injury issues that are impacting on the club offering him a new contract
Johnson-Injuries and the clubs reluctance to offer him a new contract combined with his reluctance to take a pay cut
Lucas- Love the man I don't think Brendan rates him as highly though and his been whored around a couple of windows allready
Gerrard- LA Galaxy
Luis Alberto- Hardly set the world alight in Malaga
Borini-Lack of abillity no way will the club allow him to sit on the bench collecting his wages
Lambert-Abillity and age
Balotelli- Never settled and not suited to our style
Aspas- Same as Alberto

That is an absolute worst case scenario list consisting of 15 players littered with assumptions that could be very incorrect. Brendan and the club might have alternate views on any of the players on that list. Johnson might take a pay cut, Toure offered another year, Flanagan offered new contract etc. This then leaves our squad with Migs, Can, Skrtel (rumours around rejecting contract), Sakho, Lovren, Moreno, Manquilo, Allen, Henderson, Coutinho, Lallan, Markovic, Ibe, Sturridge, Sterling, Origi.  A squad which I think is not good enough to challange for the top 4 let alone the title if only half the players on that list are shown the door that would leave the squad 6-7 players short and that is alot of bodies to "transition" to a new club we experienced the difficulty of that  first hand with 9 players coming in this season.

All in all looks to be another busy summer with the doors at Melwood constantly revolving.

Agree with some of that, I reckon most who are loaned out will be sold on, and replaced with u-21 players who will be loaned out again. So no bigee there, its just youth development.

Bold who are defo gone IMO

Jones - will probably stay, but we do need another goalie
Toure - will probably stay on a rolling 1 yr contract
Coates - time to go
Ilori - Might come back, might be sold
Wisdom - Will come back, highly thought of I think
Enrique- - What is up with this guy 50/50 if he stays or goes ?
Flanagan - New contract on way
Johnson - Bye bye
Lucas - Not going anywhere
Gerrard- LA Galaxy
Luis Alberto - Will be sold or loaned out again
Borini - Got to go, Not had a fair crack IMO, but maybe cos not quite good enough
Lambert - Will have to be dragged out of LFC, probs stay and run his contract down
Balotelli - WIll be given another season I think
Aspas - Will be sold or loaned out again

The real question is, if this is another underwhelming Summer through lack of investment from FSG, as fans, where do we go from here?

Underwhelming? We spent £120m this season!!

Underwhelming? We spent £120m this season!!

We did not really when you consider players sales.

I said in another thread, all we are doing is swapping players, and maybe spending nett £30 million each summer.

We swapped suarez for Balo, Lambo, Lovren & Lallana - Which tbf we would probably have preferred Suarez for sanchez, but the board & BR decided to compete on 4 fronts we needed more players, and took a gamble on balo when other strikers never happened.

But bottom line we never spent £120mill we spent nett £30mill.  The board will probably never spend nett £120 mill. & thats the problem most have with this board.

Who's refusing to go Dadorious?

And you think its OK for loyalty to mean nothing then?

The STH / grumpy old arses is a different issue that has been there for years now. I'm talking about tourists coming in on mass on organised trips and the like!

All clubs spend within FFP now but that wasn't the question. I'm asking what we, the fans, do if it's another Summer of mediocrity? I mean we're all moaning about the fact but what can we actually do about it? Sure, fan opinion of FSG will likely head South but are they going to care? There's always more day trippers. There's always more season ticket applicants. I'm genuinely at a loss about what we can do as fans to halt the slide.

Agree and why I started this thread.

It was more a question posed out of hope than possibility.

I have next to no confidence that what I'd like to happen, outlined in the OP, will happen.

Underwhelming? We spent £120m this season!!

We paid £111 million on transfer fees. We spent a total of £28 million net. I felt more and more underwhelmed as each signing was made. I can't remember the last time I was excited about a transfer window.

We paid £111 million on transfer fees. We spent a total of £28 million net. I felt more and more underwhelmed as each signing was made. I can't remember the last time I was excited about a transfer window.

I don't get excited about them at all anymore mate.. Since each window has gone past and it's become clear we can't compete for the top players or the real exciting ones I just let it happen and see where we are after it's shut

We paid £111 million on transfer fees. We spent a total of £28 million net. I felt more and more underwhelmed as each signing was made. I can't remember the last time I was excited about a transfer window.

I'll admit I was genuinely excited about Balotelli.

Even with the doubts about how he'd fit I think he is a very talented footballer and maybe in hindsight of we bought him we could have got more out of him?

We paid £111 million on transfer fees. We spent a total of £28 million net. I felt more and more underwhelmed as each signing was made. I can't remember the last time I was excited about a transfer window.

As fans we want great layers linked and to eventually sign for us, but as the next summer window comes into view I agree with 5TAC, it feels like we going to see the same again… more potential and not enough “now” quality