Downing Completes Liverpool Transfer

[Stu]

Story in The Graun

Those quotes are fantastic. They believe there are replacements? I'm sorry but I don't trust Faulkner's judgement at all. In fact, it's all gone down hill very rapidly since his introduction. He knows fuck all about football and it shows.

[Greg N'Ash]

Well, Petrov has played consistently for us for 5 years. pretty good service that. he is still under contract, so if he leaves will comand a transfer fee, granted less than what was paid for him, but its not like we paid 8 million for him, and used him as a steward. He is the captain, and he is going to age, thus depreciate in value, but we have had some worth from him. Heskey is shit, I classed him as a mistake, remember?

Petrov was bobbins for his first season - the last two he's been in rapid decline, so a couple of seasons out of him at his peak really Doub't we'd get a million for him now.

[timeoutbigbar]

Maybe MoN was informed that this might have to be a recurring situation year on year by Lerner and so decided to walk.

[JJ-AV]

I'm not happy. At all.

But... Ashley was owed a move, and if we replace Ashley and Downing with N'Zogbia, a half motivated Ireland and Parker I'll be ecstatic.

Makoun and Bent are quality that we didn't have this time last year too.

I just hope McLeish can get it out of them. Although I have my doubts.

[glasses]

Well, Petrov has played consistently for us for 5 years. pretty good service that. he is still under contract, so if he leaves will comand a transfer fee, granted less than what was paid for him, but its not like we paid 8 million for him, and used him as a steward. He is the captain, and he is going to age, thus depreciate in value, but we have had some worth from him. Heskey is shit, I classed him as a mistake, remember?

Petrov was bobbins for his first season - the last two he's been in rapid decline, so a couple of seasons out of him at his peak really Doub't we'd get a million for him now.

I actually dont think he was bobbins in his first season. I think he has been consistent. The perception in the first season, was that he was bought as a goalscoring midfielder, and was judged as such. I distinctly remember watching him week in week out in his first season doing the same work (breaking up play, simple passing game etc) that got him player of the season in 08-09. I think you have picked a bad example of a 'mistake', and are now trying to fill things out.

Im off to bed. You will never listen anyway.

[Greg N'Ash]

Well, Petrov has played consistently for us for 5 years. pretty good service that. he is still under contract, so if he leaves will comand a transfer fee, granted less than what was paid for him, but its not like we paid 8 million for him, and used him as a steward. He is the captain, and he is going to age, thus depreciate in value, but we have had some worth from him. Heskey is shit, I classed him as a mistake, remember?

Petrov was bobbins for his first season - the last two he's been in rapid decline, so a couple of seasons out of him at his peak really Doub't we'd get a million for him now.

I actually dont think he was bobbins in his first season. I think he has been consistent. The perception in the first season, was that he was bought as a goalscoring midfielder, and was judged as such. I distinctly remember watching him week in week out in his first season doing the same work (breaking up play, simple passing game etc) that got him player of the season in 08-09. I think you have picked a bad example of a 'mistake', and are now trying to fill things out.

Im off to bed. You will never listen anyway.

Isn't just my opinion. From memory there was a big thread about his uselessness bobbing along the top of the forum for most of his 1st season here. i certainly didn't start it, nor did i contribute much if anything to it. He was rather like Dowining in that respect, except he came good to a certain degree while Downing has been just okay last season IMO

[coreyfeldman]

l. Just didn't think this club would take the direction it has the last couple of seasons. I don't trust Lerner in the slightest with this club anymore, he's made tidy profits on selling our prized assets 3 years running now.......

selling players who have clearly stated they don't wish to stay seems like sensible management to me. don't be such a reactionary wally and see what happens over the next 2 months. Randy cares, have faith

[KRS]

Not really bothered that SD has gone, but if we dont spend the £30m to replace and improve the squad then next season is going to be very long and very depressing.

We've lost 4 of our best players from an average team last season (including Walker and Friedel) so we need to bring in at least 5 or 6 players this summer to maintain top 10. Realistically I cant see it happening.

[Stu]

l. Just didn't think this club would take the direction it has the last couple of seasons. I don't trust Lerner in the slightest with this club anymore, he's made tidy profits on selling our prized assets 3 years running now.......

selling players who have clearly stated they don't wish to stay seems like sensible management to me. don't be such a reactionary wally and see what happens over the next 2 months. Randy cares, have faith

I haven't seen much evidence this summer that Randy cares. It's brilliant telling people to have faith when the club has been going backwards for a full year, with this summer being the icing on the shit cake. Manager with dubious track record appointed after an absolute farce of an interview process where the best candidates weren't even considered, the two most creative players in the team sold and a CEO who doesn't know the first thing about football advising RL and dictating how much the manager can spend and where.

I don't trust the board to do the right thing or sign the correct players. They've been found wanting when the chips were down so many times over the last season and this summer, the signing of Bent aside, obviously. Why do we have a CEO who knows nothing about football? Why are we having to rely on someone with no experience in the game? It's criminal.

[eamonn]

I feel oddly calm about it all. We're going to win the FA Cup next year and that's all that matters to me.

[Dante Lavelli]

What is our net spend now?


Also be interesting to claculate our wage bill as it stands too. Surely it must be looking a lot healthier, and will even more so next summer, when Beye and Heskey are out of contract.

Guzan 15k
L Young 40k
Cuellar 35k
Dunne 55k
Warnock 45k

Albrighton 15k
Makoun 40k
Petrov 50k
Ireland 50k
Bannan 10k

Bent 60k

Gabby 50k
Delph 20k
Delfonueso 10k
Heskey 50k
Beye 50k
Collins 40k
Marshall 10k

Roughly 650k a week I reckon?? So 34 million ish a year. I reckon 5 players on around 50k would swell it to 45-50 million. A long way off the 80 million and surely much healthier. I still reckon off loading Beye for free and Heskey for bugger all and replacing them with the likes of Clyne and AN other wardrobe youngster from the Championship would be worthwhile and cut another couple of million off the pie.

I'm quite excited about the future. We've almost got ourselves back in a position where the wages are under control and we can grow again. Personally I'd have hoped for a different manager but you never know McLeish could click with us and i still think he'll be well backed by Randy.

As Ozzjim has said there is room for 4 big signings this summer and a few next year when Beye and Heskey's contracts expire.

[wombat]

if he has gone for more than ashley young then the world is truely mad. ta ta Stu, if i could be arsed i'd get a t-shirt printed with 'tackles like a girl' on it, back frankly i'm just not that fussed.

[russon]

What weasel. We commit to him by buying him for squillions when he's got a busted leg and he clears off before seeing out his contract. Crap first season, decent last but no more than that. Another schister who just uses the Villa as a stepping stone. I have never seen a weaker player in the tackle (not that he ever made one) and just hope he bombs. Get lost Downing.

[Zhong Yi]

Story in The Graun

I'm sorry but I don't trust Faulkner's judgement at all. In fact, it's all gone down hill very rapidly since his introduction. He knows fuck all about football and it shows.

in total agreement. He is Jez Moxey light.

[Nev]

Story in The Graun

Those quotes are fantastic. They believe there are replacements? I'm sorry but I don't trust Faulkner's judgement at all. In fact, it's all gone down hill very rapidly since his introduction. He knows fuck all about football and it shows.

I have been suggesting this for nearly 12 months, since the departure of MON.

While everyone has been focusing on MON, Hou, Lerner, Downing, Young and the man that removed the Witton End screen, amongst all this there is the presence of our Chief Exec.

I may well be wrong (again), but the evidence is growing by the day.