FSG out? Liverpool have never had it so good in the Premier League
What do Liverpool fans want? FSG have spent on players and on facilities. Elsewhere, there are calls for Man City opinions.
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At least Liverpool are replacing the old guard…
Interesting mail from David, Newport, that could have been written by an Arsenal fan in the 2005-2007 period when Wenger dismantled the Invincibles too quickly and replaced them with younger models who were always going to struggle to hit the heights of their illustrious predecessors.
Mentioning Mane, Firmino, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum… They were all great players for Liverpool, won you a pile of silverware, but were all past their peak and in their thirties. Klopp and the club are rightfully rejuvenating the squad, and with some decent talent.. Jota, Nunez, Szobozslai, MacAllister all look decent signings I’d have loved over at the Grove.
It’s never easy to experience a rebuild, watching legendary heroes reach their end of (football) life, others ushered out the door, sold to make way for the next generation. I still have trauma from Henry leaving, a truly irreplaceable player, and we’ll never have another Bergkamp – one of the games all time greats. Ljungberg hurt, even Lauren and Toure. We had something special and had to watch it all fall away.
With the genius of Edwards (like Dein at Arsenal) gone, a raft of your all conquering heroes consigned to history, and this season looking set to be tougher than ever, it could make or break Klopp’s desire to follow through with this iteration.
But it looks like Liverpool are investing well and the smiley German has got fire in his belly yet so give them time David and see how it lands.
I know you’re not supposed to have a second Big Team, but since Jurgen arrived on Merseyside I can’t help but love them a little bit.
Alay, N15 Gooner
Deluded LFC fans + American owners = scapegoating
Ex Liverpool player Stephen Warnock coming out yesterday and saying ‘what would have been’ an English record transfer fee of 111 million pounds for Moises Caicedo was nothing more then a ‘PR Stunt’ just so the fans could get off the owners back about the supposed ‘lack of transfer funding’ just typifies what delusion and short memory some of these so-called Liverpool supporters have and I’m sick to death of hearing the amount of whining and the use of the American owners as scapegoats, let me explain.
As an organisation, Liverpool Football Club has enjoyed its most successful period in the Premier League under Fenway Sports Group. We have played in countless cup finals, went right down to the wire on multiple occasions with arguably one of the best football sides in history (City) and won every single trophy that you could possibly win at English Club level.
Yet even with all this success due to one bad season, last season where we ultimately finished 5th after a late charge for Top 4 fell short all of a sudden. I hear all these fans calling out the owners for lack of funding or ‘FSG Out’ moans and groans just as fans begin to reach out for any excuse, they have to come to terms with as to why we had such a dramatic decline from going for the quadruple in 2021-22 to finishing trophyless and 5th in 2022-23
The fans scapegoating the owners must have short memories and forget how much the owners have actually given Klopp to spend over the years. 100m euros he needed to secure Darwin Nunez or the 75m he used to get Virgil or the 60m he got for Szoboszlai the 53m he got for Alisson, the 40m he got for Luis Diaz and the list goes on and on.
What I’m getting at is every step of the way whenever Klopp has asked for funds on a specific player he wants, 9 out of 10 times FSG will give it to him. Why would it be such an accurate astronomical figure and be reported by some of the most decisive and reputed journalists (Fabrizio) if the 111m pound offer was a so-called “PR Stunt”?! Wake up to yourself Stephen.
I’m only speaking with cold hard facts here and that is what I’ve already mentioned above, we have enjoyed our most successful period in the Premier League under FSG and on top of that the amount of money they’ve poured into the refurbishments of Anfield, increasing it from what was an old stadium with a mere 40,000 capacity to what will be a 60,000 seater modern day stadium with the new Main stand and by the time the top tier of the Anfield Road End is finished construction. On top of that they’ve built a state of the art “AXA training centre” in Kirkby, a huge upgrade from the old run-down facilities in Melwood.
The good that FSG has brought Liverpool overall far outweigh the bad. Granted that we’ve had an exceptional manager who has unearthed some absolute diamonds in the rough and a mastermind ex Director in Michael Edwards who pulled off some unbelievable signings, but FSG has backed them up every step of the way and helped Klopp rejuvenate the squad over and over each time we lost a key player whether like-for-like or not.
It’s time for these deluded fans to wake up and realise that one bad season (2022-23) aside is not reason enough to turn on the owners, the inconsistency of results and an ageing midfield was to blame!
I for one will never forget the days of Hicks and Gillett. Now those were the real DARK days for the club. A lot of you fail to remember how heavily in debt this club was up until FSG came, paid it all off and basically rebuilt it from the ground up. When comparing the former and current owners together it is incomparable, what they have done for Liverpool thus far has been brilliant and long may it continue.
Shaq, (stop dampening great victories by involving owners), Australia
Man Utd having a mare
Well, this has been one shite window.
If you call this period of transfer dealings adequate to equip ETH for the season ahead, to win something please, not nonsense about taking a decade to challenge, and you must be a fan of a rival club.
When we fall off commercially, and years of underperformance WILL eventually do it, we will really mourn these years of outrageous mis-management, when we actually could have afforded decent players.
Or to retain our best 2 players in the Women’s team. (Ona and Alessia, clearly).
Yes, Battle came from La Maisa, and has returned which is not out of sorts for graduates of the academy.
But please, if players in the Men’s game can be excused for anything when their already-astronomical wages are tripled, then Manchester United can afford to quite frankly ensure that players in the Women’s game, who do actually have an argument about it being a short career and trying to make it financially worthwhile, are seriously tempted to stay at United, even when they are Barca graduates eager to return.
Just like the Kane matter, it is fully understood that sometimes the player/the club just will NOT want to do business with United, or come to United/remain at United.
So what? You still TRY.
For the fans of the club to see and appreciate.
Manc From SA (I mean shit man, I would be so embarrassed, but this shameless ownership is exactly that, shameless, so no problems sleeping at night. Thanks again to the beloved Glazers.)
What’s the craic with Palmer/Nunes?
I noticed no mention of the Cole Palmer to Chelsea situation going on – will be exciting to see him and Madueke fight for a position on the left wing. Thoughts on this City fans? Bad temperament, not worth the ego type player?
I know 45m is a lot for a player of this experience but that’s the big ol’ long Chelsea gamble it seems. I’ve only seen flashes and youtube highlights and he looks amazing, so turning to city fans for perspective on how this signing will let me down. I think a player’s former team’s fans’ perception is quite informative.
On that note, I really think Havertz will shine, and am kind of enjoying his slow start and playing in midfield (same with Mount and playing DM although I know this won’t last for sure). Lamps tried to play him in midfield and it did not work at all. His best attributes are his silky touch – taking down those over the top balls where he can just flick it over the defender with a sumptuous touch before stroking it into the net.
When I first saw him I thought he was the second coming of Bergkamp and think he belongs as a support striker. Long may he play in left midfield in the Xhaka role??!!
Saaj, CFC
…I’ve seen relatively little from City fans on the impending Nunes deal and I’m wondering what you guys actually think of it? Not so much about the player himself, who is clearly talented if not remarkably so, but rather what its costing you. In order to sign a 25 year old Brazilian of little note City are sacrificing two Manchester born academy graduates with significant potential and connection to the club.
Nunes seems more like signing another body just in case, like Kalvin Phillips, rather than an impactful player so I don’t think its reasonable to argue the switch is necessary to maintain the clubs success this season, especially as Palmer has looked good on the rare occasion he’s played.
So beyond the safe sentiment of ‘trust in Pep’ aren’t you a bit pissed off? I would be, to me having local players excel for your club is one of the most satisfying parts of being a fan and it helps keep me connected to the team despite the corporate nonsense of football. Seeing Foden play for your club must feel like what watching Rashford feels like for us, wouldn’t you want more of that, and surely that’s worth more than slightly better coverage in your 3rd- 4th choice midfield spot.
I understand Palmer may want the move but wouldn’t that be tempered if Pep were to assure him of a rotational role this season similar to what Nunes is likely to get.
Dave, Manchester (not trying to poke a bear, genuinely interested)
Luk who is subject to revisionism
It is funny reading one sensible email about revisionism about Kai Havertz and then see Romelu Lukaku`s transfer to Man Utd thrown in with Coutinho to Barca or Hazard to Real. Sure, Lukaku`s last 2 seasons now were bad and his style is not really good for modern football but come one! In the 2 seasons with Utd he scored 42 goals in 96 matches, almost 1 in 2. Mostly in Mourinho`s low scoring team. He didnt really leave because he would flop but as Ole wanted to go another direction in the attack and to give space to Rashford and Martial.
Jan, Prague
Man United at home again, is it?
I’m not sure how they do it? Deepfake, warm balls (oo-er), film the rehearsals and use those instead?
League and FA Cup 2021/2022, three home draws and zero away.
FA Cup 2022/2023, four home draws, two neutral and zero away.
League Cup 2022/2023, three home draws, two neutral and zero away.
League Cup 2023/2024, one home draw so far
The odds of getting 11 home draws in a row and zero away is 2048 to 1.
This is why I am Anyone But United since about 1995.
Jon, London
Best goals by meh players
Any discussion regarding ‘Best goal by a meh player’ must include Saeed Al Owarian. Most probably won’t recognise the name but some may remember the Saudi Arabian forward’s wonder goal against Belgium in the 1994 World Cup.
As the old cliché goes, if that goal had been scored by Maradona, Brazilian Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldo CR7 etc. it would surely be recognised as one of the greatest World Cup goals of all time but instead is relegated to a footnote as a half decent goal in a World Cup competition where more people remember the missed spot kicks by Diana Ross & Roberto Baggio.
Phil (exiled in Brisbane) Chiz
…The first name that came to my mind of the best goal scored by a meh player was Erik Edman, played a single season at Spurs before moving to Rennes, but his goal against Liverpool in April of 2005 is one of the best in the Premier League, oh my word, honestly if you do not remember it go head to YouTube, 41 yards out!
The Admin @ At The Bridge Pod