‘FSG didn’t save Liverpool. They bought a global brand on the cheap’

John Henry: Liverpool's owner

Liverpool fans vent their frustration, Man Utd supporters hope they can cash in, while Leicester’s ‘return’ and an Arsenal future without Arsene Wenger are also debated.

Have anything to add to these or any other subjects? Join the debate here

 

Liverpool will never compete for top titles with FSG in charge

Title says all that needs to be said. We’ll never compete with this lot in charge. Anyone on here who sympathises with them, you’re a big part of the problem too. Just blindly nodding along and accepting their mediocrity as ok.

Until they piss off and owners come in and finance Klopp so he can be competitive in the market we’ll never be more than a 5th/6th placed side. #FSGOut

Before we get the usual tripe….they didn’t save us. They bought a worldwide brand at a heavily discounted price.

RS7

 

I get the frustration mate and putting aside whether FSG did or didn’t save Liverpool there are lot worse owners.

As I understand it every penny made on player sales has been ploughed back into the transfer fund to be spent, the owners have never taken a penny out of the club and they provided the club with an interest free loan to build the new Stand too.

Even if FSG wanted to sell the club and they have continuously said they don’t any new owners would be restricted in what they could invest in transfers now under FFP anyway.

nine nine nine

 

So did Klopp earn the right to spend? no because he lost in Europa League final against Sevilla side otherwise Liverpool would have been in the Champions league which means more money would have been earned and that in return would be more funds would have been made available for Klopp to spend. FSG can give a limited backing to Liverpool these days as FFFP has restricted owner’s contribution to their clubs right.

Instead Klopp have to work hard to create more funds for the team. or perhaps may be and i’m not saying its a reality but may be, Klopp isn’t as good as people are hyping him to be. because Liverpool’s squad isn’t as bad as people are making to make a case for Klopp. United haven’t got better squad than Liverpool. or can we say Klopp was in decline before Liverpool brought judging by the season he has had before he arrived?

wise-fan

 

Liverpool have spent £502.45m since FSG rook over and recouped £350.73m (since start of 2010/11 season. FSG took over in Oct 2010).

That money spent includes Carroll for £35m, Miereles for £11.5m, Downing for £20m, Allen for £15m, Borini for £10m, Sakho for £18m, Mignolet for £10m, Balotelli for £16m, Moreno for £12m, Markovic for £20m, Lovren for £20m, Lallana for £25m, Benteke for £32.5m.

That’s quite a lot of money (£245m to be precise) on poor to average players. That’s not FSG’s fault. Selling Sakho and playing Lucas at centre back isn’t FSG’s fault.

I can’t comment on their commercial growth but I expect that it could be better.

manthistle

 

Liverpool’s loss is Man Utd’s chance to move up table

 

The defeat of Liverpool at Leicester could see the start of UTD move up the table this weekend.
As UTD have the early game at home to Bournemouth then a victory could see UTD move above both Liverpool and Arsenal to 4th place although it may only be until late games.
However the move should give the players a huge boost towards cementing a place in the top 4.

concernedfan

The team’s morale is very high and i don’t think we’ll bottle it again, we’ve been careless for too long esp when it comes to seizing our chances but hopefully Mourinho’s expression meant he wasn’t happy with the performance and will use his version of the hair dryer treatment or whatever it’s called to get us going.

libanski

 

I think with the consistency we’ve shown (albeit with some really frustrating draws that should have been wins) it was only a matter of time before we would reel in some of the teams above us. I’ve always felt that once we get into that top 4 we won’t drop out of it. Obviously Chelsea will win it and it looks like Spurs and City are in pretty good form in the league. Liverpool and Arsenal are the ones who are going through bad spells, so hopefully we can leapfrog them two and get right in the mix of the top places. Now is our chance!

Happyhurling

 

 

 

Leicester lies and how they’ve let Ranieri down

Can’t believe that the Leicester players could put that performance in after being so poor all season, really let Ranieri and the club down.

How many Leicester players can look in a mirror and say they have given 100% up until now this season?

Alfie07

The fact is this. That was the first time I saw that line up play in that formation all season. That was the same line-up as the one that won us the league last season, minus Kante. It was also the same formation that won us the league as last season. It was also the same style of play that won us the league last season.

Everything was the same as when we pulverised teams like City on their home turf and others. That was the first time in my recollection that this had been replicated this season. Albrighton has rarely started for us this season, Okazaki has rarely partnered Vardy this season, even though this was a really good combination last season. These are players who had great understanding with the players around them. Put simply, Ranieri reverted to type this season and went back to his tinkerman name. This is not a club with shitloads of world class players where you can change things and expect them to swim immediately. We arguably only had one world class player last season and we sold him.

I can’t help but think back to some comments Peter Schmeichel made towards the start of this season when it was clear we were struggling for consistency. He was a guest pundit on during a Leicester game and commented that at half time Ranieri’s tactics would be frustrating the players. The show’s anchor pressed him and said “do you really think that is the case?” to which PS said “I know it is the case”. This would have been back in October if I remember correctly and this is all starting to make sense now in hindsight. Ranieri was clearly changing a lot of things and clearly the players were not bought into those changes. That’s when problems start.

FoxyFoxes

Some people blame the players, some the loss of Kante, some the manager. The truth is probably somewhere in between.

Ranieri seems to have changed tactics from last season and the players didn’t buy into it. If that’s the case shouldn’t the senior players (Morgan, Drinkwater, Vardy) not have approached Ranieri and voiced their concerns? Maybe they did and were ignored, who knows.

It’s tough to win the league but ten times harder to retain it and keep the players hungry for more. Sir Alex was the master of it, keeping the players motivated and hungry for more silverware. 2008/09 was the last time a team retained the title and Chelsea are the only other team in the Prem era to retain it which was in 2005/06.

When a team like Leicester wins the league though it’s even harder to keep the players motivated IMO. Look at Blackburn (who you could argue were the other big underdog story), they finished 6th following their title winning season 28 points worse off.

If they beat Sevilla in the CL then it’s even more of a crazy season for the Foxes.

Manthistle

 

Terry worth a Chelsea recall to nullify Carroll?

JT could certainly provide the organisation needed at the back against the Hammers…and nullify the likes of Carroll etc. Who would make way for him? Moses, Alonso? One of them would have to as Azi remains our most reliable defender this season.

Stuilse

 

Don’t care how well Fabregas played my odds are on Conte recalling Matic for the WHam game without doubt. I would use Fabrgas as the key to unlock the game in the second half if that is required

I would then use Matic to man mark Carroll. He is defensively minded and tall so should be able to compete with Carroll and if he followed him all over the park it would go a long way to nullify the threat. It is obvious that Wham will target set plays or the long diagonal ball if they can. KTBFFH

CFC1905

 

Wenger is Arsenal’s immediate problem and needs changing asap

Arsene Wenger: Worried by 3G pitch

I know this is pointless debate as no matter what, you will defend Wenger and find any way to not blame him for us not challenging and getting humiliated every season.

The ambition the board has should have any correlation on what wenger does as manager, do you actually understand what you are typing?? You are suggesting that a manager doesn’t want to win or even challenge for the title because the board dont need him too…. that is just completely ridiculous.

The board have offered him a contract extension, so what, is it the right thing to do? To me no as i think we need change. The board want to show their support to the longest serving manager in football. Not sure how the dots connect for this being the reason Wenger does not succeed. What evidence do you have TSO? dont forget i actually agree with you on this, but you cant use it to back up your side of the debate as its fiction until proven as fact (which you cannot do)

Even still, if what you say is correct and top 4 is the requirement. How does that mean wenger doesnt challenge for the title. Ambition of the board has nothing to do with how wenger sets up a team, prepares for opposition, the players HE identifies and buys, the way he gets into his team, the coaching staff around him, his continued deployment of under performing stars. At what point does wenger take the blame for this?

Wenger is the immediate problem as you rightly say, and that’s what needs changing. The board, as long as they put up the money for transfers can stay (for now, as far as i am concerned). Thats all a manager at a club like ours should need. They shouldnt need to micromanage the coach/manager of said team and hold their hand to win a trophy, that is after all what they pay managers to do!

That doesnt mean i support them whole heartedly either, I would love some younger blood on the board, i would do whatever it took to get DD back as well.

 

[of_poll name=’What should Arsenal do with Arsene Wenger?’ id=’1436028′]

 

Again, i do not hate wenger at all. I appreciate all that he has done for us. Just because i do not think he is the right man for the job anymore does not mean i hate him.
I wont ever agree with you on this not at all. For me you are clutching at straws to defend the indefensible.

TheHulk

 

Henderson growing in importance for Liverpool

Was never a fan of him before the summer, but the games I have watched him play this season, he has grown as a player. Covers ground, gets stuck in, has a good and sensible pass in him. When Liverpool do not have him in the side they do not perform, when teams mark him out, Liverpool do no perform. Last nights game was a prime example, it just showed the difference between him and Can. He is like the battery for this Liverpool side.

CM

 

Liverpool only perform against the top sides

After Liverpool’s display last night, the only certainty on Saturday is that they will play really well against us as they have yet to lose against a top six club this season.

Last night they played like we did in all of our drubbings against City, Pool, Chelsea and Everton three seasons ago- high line and suicidal. I expect Klopp to roast his players and with the realisation that top four is now in doubt, I expect Anfield to intimidate our precious team of bottlers.

Mane will slaughter either the pedestrian Monreal or left winger Gibbs and I fear that Wenger will play for a draw which means starting with both Coquelin and Xhaka who will give away midfield control.

Wenger didn’t want Kante as it would supposedly hinder Coquelin’s progress- laughable. If we lose, we will still be sixth as United will surely beat Bournemouth. And the manager has the nerve to say he’ll wait until April to announce his decision- why?

Jeff

 

“Liverpool are certainly becoming the Robin Hood of the PL, take points from the rich and give to the poor.” – Hahahahahahahaha!

Hatters