Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[Risso]

I think by and large the signings GH have been okay however my bugbear with him is

- Playing Gabby as a winger
- AY in the hole
- Sending bannan and the Fonz on loan
- Signing and playing Pires
- Surrendering the FA Cup and then not being able to understand why we were pissed off
- Touching the Liverpool sign and disrespecting the Villa Fans who had travelled
- Standing on the touchline during the home defeat against Sunderland and not having a fucking clue what to do next
- Not playing Albrighton enough
- Playing Downing on the right wing
- Giving it the big un about Collins and Dunne then playing them both at the next opportunity (What has happened to Cuellar?)

So what you seem to be saying is that if a manager doesn't pick the side that you want him to every week then you will call for him to be sacked.

I think it's more the outcome of those decisions, ie losing lots of games and being in a relegation battle.

[UsualSuspect]

Who cares if Pires was signed before january? the fact he was signed and then is chauffer driven from London is virtually a sackable offence.

Sending Bannan on loan when he was on loan all last season. What will Bannan and the Fonz have learnt from their time away aprt from that have done averagly well playing in the fizzy pop.

I jsu cannot believe that you were happy with Gabby playing on the wing looking like a little boy in a forest. Same as Downing being played out of position the right.

[Clampy]

-maybe you just want him out at all costs and will not give credit where its due?

Did'nt you want him out after the Wolves game Eastie?

The signing's he's brought in have been fine, but let's not get carried away, we've only won 3 games since January.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

We had an excellent transfer window with the "goal scorer" problem at last being addressed. Pires was brought in when we had no mid field and Walker was a great loan signing. Agree that Albrighton should play more and that he has allowed Ash to play where he wants. But he has done ok and thats about all. To sack him would just mean starting the whole process over again. He has massive football experience and think he should be given a chance .......

[dave.woodhall]

I don't think he's done bad so far with transfers given the circumstances. Bent 5 goals in 10 games is a fair return given what the existing strikers have managed. Makoun looks a good player but needs time to adapt. Walker has played well on occassions, Uncle Bob and the other guy - the less said the better but they're on loan, were only brought in to bolster the squad short term, so no loss to us

The point is we were told he had a great network of contacts in France and the rest of Europe.  The result of this is that we bought Bent, a great buy but I reckon my 5 year old daughter could have suggested buying him.  Walker was a Spurs player on loan at another English club, then we have Bradley who's of no use, Pires who was being training at Arsenal but looking at playing for non-league clubs, and Makoun the only possible signing who'd fit the criteria of requiring European knowledge, and I think the jury is definitely out on him so far.

Add in the fact that he bought a right load of old shit towards the end of his Liverpool days, and I hope that come the summer he's nowhere near the club in any sort of capacity.

sure criticise him on man management , tactics etc but how can you seriously slag off his transfer record when in one months window he addressed the holding midfield role , striker and right back roles , something the previous manager never solved in 4 yrs of trying. houllier can be criticised for a lot but certainly not his transfer dealings in january-ridiculous!

How exactly has he addressed the holding midfielder role?  By buying Makoun?  Do me a favour, he couldn't tackle a two course dinner.  And I'd hardly call a loan signing sorting the right back issue either.  What about left back as well?  Central defence?

I'd say Makoun is looking like he could become a very good player once he settles down, nobody else signed Bent despite his supposed obvious availability and the other signings were short-term solutions to immediate problems. Considering we've had the mantra of "No big deals are ever done in January" held as a given since the transfer window was put in place, it's a bit much to expect half a dozen first teamers to be signed in four weeks.

[Mazrim]

I think that, a few of his dodgier Liverpool signings aside, Houllier' record in the transfer market stands up quite nicely given that it led to lots of silverware including titles, FA Cup, League cup, UEFA cup, and a good way to the European Cup.
It's well known around Europe that he has in depth knowledge of the various leagues, has made many useful relationships over the years and set up a highly respected academy that led to a World Cup and European Championship winning team.
He does have some clout in this regard, I cant see how anybody can argue that.

Anyway, I would be delighted if he took up a role as a director of football or something with another man in day to day charge of the team and Moyes would be a good choice.
I think it could work very well indeed.

[ROBBO]

He's had one January window in which he bought the best forward we could hope to get and a midfielder who shows great promise, but some will always point to a negative like Pires. As for playing Gabby on the left i don't like it either but his predecessor played plenty of players out of position without the stick that Houllier is getting.

[Concrete John]

his predecessor played plenty of players out of position without the stick that Houllier is getting.

That's because his predecessor won games while doing it.

[Merv]

He's had one January window in which he bought the best forward we could hope to get and a midfielder who shows great promise, but some will always point to a negative like Pires. As for playing Gabby on the left i don't like it either but his predecessor played plenty of players out of position without the stick that Houllier is getting.

You're right, some will always use Pires as a stick to beat Houllier's transfer record with, much as, three-four years on, some did the same with O'Neill and Didier Agathe.

Walker's done well, though he's far from the finished article. Makoun, I think, looks a good player and I doubt very much the previous management would have signed him. Bent is that big name striker we've been screaming for since we signed JPA ten years ago - and he could very well be the player who saves our skin this season.

Houllier's done some odd things tactically, but his signings stand up pretty well so far IMO.

[UsualSuspect]

Perhaps as Director of Football he would encourage the manager to put out a decent team for that FA thingy competition

Playing players out of position is one of many things that piss me off with Houllier.

I'm just glad that a lot of people have forgiven the FA Cup debarcle

[dave.woodhall]

I know it's going off at a tangent, but in O'Neill's first season we finished 11th. We're currently two points off ninth. If we make up those points and finish higher in Gzza's first season than we did in Martin's, what does that say about the ability of either manager?

[not3bad]

As for playing Gabby on the left i don't like it either but his predecessor played plenty of players out of position without the stick that Houllier is getting.

What, you mean like playing a centre back at right back which has arguably been the biggest moan of O'Neill's tenure as manager?  I think you're way off on that one TBH.

[mattjpa]

I know it's going off at a tangent, but in O'Neill's first season we finished 11th. We're currently two points off ninth. If we make up those points and finish higher in Gzza's first season than we did in Martin's, what does that say about the ability of either manager?

excellent point Dave. I would love it if he managed to get 9th....would shut some of the idiots up anyway. I still stand by my initial thougts the Ged should be judged on our position and squad at the end of next season. I would hope we have a higher level of intellegence than the bin dippers that hounded out hodgson after a couple of month's

[Concrete John]

I know it's going off at a tangent, but in O'Neill's first season we finished 11th. We're currently two points off ninth. If we make up those points and finish higher in Gzza's first season than we did in Martin's, what does that say about the ability of either manager?

Such a comparison is only valid if you take into account the players each had to work with and it's a much stronger squad now than in 06/07.

[dave.woodhall]

I know it's going off at a tangent, but in O'Neill's first season we finished 11th. We're currently two points off ninth. If we make up those points and finish higher in Gzza's first season than we did in Martin's, what does that say about the ability of either manager?

Such a comparison is only valid if you take into account the players each had to work with and it's a much stronger squad now than in 06/07.

Which can be countered by the amount of injuries this season and the much better working conditions O'Neill enjoyed, with the club united in post-Doug euphoria and the media eulogising over him.