Stewart Downing (West Ham/Newcastle)

I wouldn't quite stretch that far Racer.

I can think of Voronin for a kick off.  His main fault was that he just wasn't anywhere near good enough.  He's stole a living that lad thanks to a few England games, and it looks like he will continue to steal one at West Ham on a reported 70k a week.

Better there than here.

Now lets hope we've a busy 3 weeks of incomings.

Christ on a bike he nearly made 100 appearances for us... Shocking

Pick two Liverpool XI's out of our current squad.

Pick a matchday squad without an U21 player.

I was making no comment about apportioning blame or anything else, I was pointing out the mention solely of Kenny Dalglish in the article in connection wth the acqisition and the omission of Comolli as 50% of the then management team.
A situation entirely created by the owners, this matter has been discussed previously and at length on this very forum.

Yeah you're quite right. I jumped the gun there.

Yeah you're quite right. I jumped the gun there.

No worries mate.

Pick a matchday squad without an U21 player.

Can it be done?

Pick a matchday squad without an U21 player.

               Mig
Johnson Toure Agger Enrique
       Lucas     Gerrard
              Allen
Suarez   Sturridge  Borini

Subs: Jones, Kelly, Skrtel, Henderson, Downing (hasn't left yet!), Aspas

Here in Brazil we usually joke about the "ex law" - that is, how it feels for most fans that former players have a tendency to score against their clubs. I surely feel that way with Flamengo...

If we think it applies to Liverpool, than my god, I'd be scared to face West Ham

Downing            Cole
               Carroll

And he scored against us for Villa in the last game of the season before he moved to Anfield!

Debs, why are you so cynical these days?

Because like everybody I couldn't wait to get shut of H&G and get proper owners who wanted the same as us.  To be successful, to win things again, to be challenging for the title, however what we got were leeches.

FSG leeches. 

Investment bankers, hedge fund managers, venture capitalists.  People with money, who buy things (like JWH) said last week) then strip them back to the bare bones, selling off the profitable bits, cutting costs from every corner, removing the weak links without upgrading the chain.

They aren't interested in Liverpool Football Club winning things, they just want to make money from us, the fans, so they can walk away happy after stuffing their pockets with our hard earned cash.

They are no different from H&G, they're just better at doing it.

Sorry just realised this is Stewy's thread.

Did he pass his medical?

               Mig
Johnson Toure Agger Enrique
       Lucas     Gerrard
              Allen
Suarez   Sturridge  Borini

Subs: Jones, Kelly, Skrtel, Henderson, Downing (hasn't left yet!), Aspas

Close.
You need another sub.

Close.
You need another sub.

Assaidi and Coates but I do think that's it isn't it?

I always do 2 defenders, 2 midfielders and 1 striker as subs, with ofc a keeper, force of habit.

Assaidi and Coates but I do think that's it isn't it?

I always do 2 defenders, 2 midfielders and 1 striker as subs, with ofc a keeper, force of habit.

Yup.
Thats it.

19 over 21 players for the 25 man squad, as things stand.
Not enough for two first 11s.

Because like everybody I couldn't wait to get shut of H&G and get proper owners who wanted the same as us.  To be successful, to win things again, to be challenging for the title, however what we got were leeches.

FSG leeches. 

Investment bankers, hedge fund managers, venture capitalists.  People with money, who buy things (like JWH) said last week) then strip them back to the bare bones, selling off the profitable bits, cutting costs from every corner, removing the weak links without upgrading the chain.

They aren't interested in Liverpool Football Club winning things, they just want to make money from us, the fans, so they can walk away happy after stuffing their pockets with our hard earned cash.

They are no different from H&G, they're just better at doing it.

Sorry just realised this is Stewy's thread.

Did he pass his medical?

sorry Debs, but I disagree totally.

FSG tried the spend big route and it ended with Kenny and Comolli wasting 100 million on some of the worst players I've seen in a red shirt since Souness was in charge.

Now the board are spending what they need and running the club like a business. They've also committed to a new Anfield, in partnership with the council.

They've shown they'll spent (they bid 23 million on Costa last week) but they won't throw money at the problem and hope for the best. I applaud them for it. Just like I applaud BR for getting rid of Downing...who should never have been brought here in the first place, regardless of price.

8 million for Downing is a good bit of business. Especially as he hasn't looked like an 8 million player for years, and the wages he'll command would have made him harder to sell.

I guess the question to ask is: will it be good business for Liverpool if it's reinvested into the squad or is it good for JWH's bank account?

If we don't get a replacement, it might be a little harder for us but it'll give the youngsters more games.

Yup.
Thats it.

19 over 21 players for the 25 man squad, as things stand.
Not enough for two first 11s.

I agree the experience level in the team is the lowest I've ever witnessed. 2 over 30's in the entire squad. With Downing on his way, Assaidi too you can cut that number to 17! Also the number of 22 / 23 year olds in that is Allen/Borini/Kelly/Henderson/Sturridge/Coates so we just about make a full XI of over 23! We most certainly will have one of the youngest squads in the prem, I'd be surprised if we weren't the youngest.

Rush :

Got Downing out of your head now?
Turning you into a right Diva 

sorry Debs, but I disagree totally.

FSG tried the spend big route and it ended with Kenny and Comolli wasting 100 million on some of the worst players I've seen in a red shirt since Souness was in charge.

Now the board are spending what they need and running the club like a business. They've also committed to a new Anfield, in partnership with the council.

They've shown they'll spent (they bid 23 million on Costa last week) but they won't throw money at the problem and hope for the best. I applaud them for it. Just like I applaud BR for getting rid of Downing...who should never have been brought here in the first place, regardless of price.

Once again Comolli was in situ in the 50% management team at the behest of FSG, it is impossible to believe that he was there for any other reason than gather information about any planned action and relay such information to the owners, as well as which he was in a position to influence any such action putting FSG's interests and preference to the fore.

How is it all these ''attempted offers'' come to nothing? All we hear is some paper talk of a supposed £20m+ bid for so and so that turns to sh*t because of one reason or the other, no attempt is made to change anyone's mind by raising the bid of course - it might be accepted. Beside the fact of course it is only a half-truth initially.
Even the paper-talk about supposed £6 - 8m bids go no further with the ever present likelyhood of a bid being accepted with the resulting loss of capital.

Tell you what why don't you praise them for their broken promises and innaction which sees us hovering just shy of mid-table for two consecutive seasons? Why not laud them as well for stripping the squad to the bone and leaving us with an outfit unable to cope with the demands of a full Premiership programme

   We most certainly will have one of the youngest squads in the prem, I'd be surprised if we weren't the youngest.

And dare I say it probably one of the cheapest in total wages paid.

And dare I say it probably one of the cheapest in total wages paid.

You might very well say Billy 'cos it's the truth mate.

Considering your age and wages, we had to move you on. I would certainly expect you to do well at the Hammers. Good luck Stewie!

sorry Debs, but I disagree totally.

FSG tried the spend big route and it ended with Kenny and Comolli wasting 100 million on some of the worst players I've seen in a red shirt since Souness was in charge.

Now the board are spending what they need and running the club like a business. They've also committed to a new Anfield, in partnership with the council.

They've shown they'll spent (they bid 23 million on Costa last week) but they won't throw money at the problem and hope for the best. I applaud them for it. Just like I applaud BR for getting rid of Downing...who should never have been brought here in the first place, regardless of price.

I've replied to this in the NESV thread mate.

FSG tried the spend big route and it ended with Kenny and Comolli wasting 100 million

Well, first off... some folk tend to, rather conveniently, forget that Kenny Dalglish was not in control of either negotiations or finances. To even hint that he was is misleading at best and black propaganda (propagated by people wanting to justify Kenny's sacking) at worst.

The facts are:

* John Henry's DoF [Comolli] was in charge of 1# statistics based scouting and #2 contract negotiations.

* John Henry/FSG sanctioned and even praised each and every one of those [Comolli] deals.

Now whilst Kenny Dalglish had the final say whether he wanted the players or not and some of those players "flopped": he had no control over their cost.

That being clear let's look at how much money was "wasted" in the FSG, so-called, "spend big route"...

Bought: Carroll £35m + Suarez £22m + Downing £20m + Henderson £16 + Adam £7m + Enrique £6m + Coates £7m = £113m
Sold: Torres £50m + Meireles £12m + Babel £6m + N'gog £4m = £72m

"Big spend route": £113m - £72m = Total £41m.

Now let's look at how much of that £41m "big spend" was lost or "wasted" (if it suits better):

Carroll; sold for £15.5m + Adam; sold for £4m + Downing sold(?) for £5m(?) = £24.5m. Money lost ("wasted") in the "big spend" is now down to £16.5m. * n.b. none of this includes amortisation or wage cuts by the way.

Surely I don't need to factor in how much we could get for Suarez, Enrique, Henderson & Coates (if we sold them tomorrow) for everyone to see that the myth about money "wasted" by Comolli/Kenny Dalglish is just that... a F***ing myth.

A myth peddled by FSG's PR Dept. and bought by mugs. Some mugs are simply too daft to think for themselves but others buy it, knowingly, because it somehow makes them feel justified in their anti-Dalglish stance.

Think for yourselves Redmen and women... don't buy into the myth(s). 

On topic: Stewart Downing - another few million quid saved, a figure of ridicule gone and a nice distraction... what's not to like; eh?   

Well, first off... some folk tend to, rather conveniently, forget that Kenny Dalglish was not in control of either negotiations or finances. To even hint that he was is misleading at best and black propaganda (propagated by people wanting to justify Kenny's sacking) at worst.

The facts are:

* John Henry's DoF [Comolli] was in charge of 1# statistics based scouting and #2 contract negotiations.

* John Henry/FSG sanctioned and even praised each and every one of those [Comolli] deals.

Now whilst Kenny Dalglish had the final say whether he wanted the players or not and some of those players "flopped": he had no control over their cost.

That being clear let's look at how much money was "wasted" in the FSG, so-called, "spend big route"...

Bought: Carroll £35m + Suarez £22m + Downing £20m + Henderson £16 + Adam £7m + Enrique £6m + Coates £7m = £113m
Sold: Torres £50m + Meireles £12m + Babel £6m + N'gog £4m = £72m

"Big spend route": £113m - £72m = Total £41m.

Now let's look at how much of that £41m "big spend" was lost or "wasted" (if it suits better):

Carroll; sold for £15.5m + Adam; sold for £4m + Downing sold(?) for £5m(?) = £24.5m. Money lost ("wasted") in the "big spend" is now down to £16.5m.

Surely I don't need to factor in how much we could get for Suarez, Enrique, Henderson & Coates (if we sold them tomorrow) for everyone to see that the myth about money "wasted" by Comolli/Kenny Dalglish is just that... a f**king myth.

A myth peddled by FSG's PR Dept. and bought by mugs. Some mugs are simply too daft to think for themselves but others buy it, knowingly, because it somehow makes them feel justified their anti-Dalglish stance.

Think for yourselves Redmen and women... don't buy into the myth(s). 

On topic: Stewart Downing - another few million quid saved, a figure of ridicule gone and a nice distraction... what's not to like; eh?   

That is a good honest genuine assessment,well done.