To the other LFC supporters on here....

[bobby1]

Gareth Barry is one of the best midfieders in the Country and if he had been foriegn and playing for say Milan and cost 15 million it would be heralded as a coup. Coz he plays for Villa and of course Villa are miles behind Liverpool you are judging it as a backward step, well to my eyes Barry is one of the best midfielers in every game he plays, thats against exactly the same teams Liverpool will be playing next season and Alonso is a little lightweight, a little slow and disappears in games. You have done a good bit of business in my opinion.

[TightEnd]

but he gladly would have gone until the "heavies" threatened him and Alex with all sorts of pain if he went.....

[bobby1]

According to Stevie G Barry should want to move to Liverpool to further his career by playing for a better club, its is(according to the world class Liverpool midfielder) every players dream to play at the highest level possible, this from someone that has played for Liverpool all his career and bottled a move to Chelsea.

Except the fact Chelsea had a windfall in the form of Abramovich, Liverpool were a bigger club in every other way when Gerrard had to choose. Plus Liverpool had just won the Champions League knocking out Chelsea on the way. Not quite the same in the Villa Vs Liverpool stakes.

Look how badly Henry has done when he went in search of something away from the club where he was captain and was asked to play out of position. Everyone outside of Chelsea knows Gerrard made the correct choice rather than being just another Chelsea midfielder asked to play on the right of a diamond.

True, but it was obvious at that stage that Chelsea were to be a major force in world football and not a cup team ;o)....and he was going until the big guys threatened him wasnt he?

[The Baron]

but he gladly would have gone until the "heavies" threatened him and Alex with all sorts of pain if he went.....

Quite possibly. That is the word on the grapevine. By and large it's hearsay though. (Or heresy - whichever)

[TightEnd]

Gareth Barry is one of the best midfieders in the Country and if he had been foriegn and playing for say Milan and cost 15 million it would be heralded as a coup. Coz he plays for Villa and of course Villa are miles behind Liverpool you are judging it as a backward step, well to my eyes Barry is one of the best midfielers in every game he plays, thats against exactly the same teams Liverpool will be playing next season and Alonso is a little lightweight, a little slow and disappears in games. You have done a good bit of business in my opinion.

I agree

Alonso isn't 100% every game, Barry is..and Barry can play 3-4 positions well

I would want Barry in my team ahead of Alonso at basically an equal fee

[The Baron]

Gareth Barry is one of the best midfieders in the Country and if he had been foriegn and playing for say Milan and cost 15 million it would be heralded as a coup. Coz he plays for Villa and of course Villa are miles behind Liverpool you are judging it as a backward step, well to my eyes Barry is one of the best midfielers in every game he plays, thats against exactly the same teams Liverpool will be playing next season and Alonso is a little lightweight, a little slow and disappears in games. You have done a good bit of business in my opinion.

You're probably right about the Barry being foreign thing. He's definately more suited to a league campaign and a rough and tumble premiership game.

I just have doubts about him not doing it against the very best midfielders which Alonso was doing in Spain at 22.

[77dave]

Baron - what would need to change at LFC for you to trust the current owners?

[mondatoo]

Also the fact gerrards liverpool thru and thru and had won every trophy there bar the epl why would eh want to leave its like shearer coimg to toon then going to mancs it was his boyhood team (except the fact we didnt win fuk all) i still think big al is glad that he's loved by everyone up here compared to anything he could've achieved at mancS.Gerrard made the correct choice imo

[bobby1]

Gareth Barry is one of the best midfieders in the Country and if he had been foriegn and playing for say Milan and cost 15 million it would be heralded as a coup. Coz he plays for Villa and of course Villa are miles behind Liverpool you are judging it as a backward step, well to my eyes Barry is one of the best midfielers in every game he plays, thats against exactly the same teams Liverpool will be playing next season and Alonso is a little lightweight, a little slow and disappears in games. You have done a good bit of business in my opinion.

You're probably right about the Barry being foreign thing. He's definately more suited to a league campaign and a rough and tumble premiership game.

I just have doubts about him not doing it against the very best midfielders which Alonso was doing in Spain at 22.

Its a reoccuring thing in all football conversations that players that play for the clubs we support are always over rated in the grand scheme(so and so is world class when they are just good etc)

Its also the same when clubs buy players, if you are after a player from a sexy club it must be a good thing, if that player comes from an unfashionable club then it is met with indifference, usually beacause the people judging their team have a bias towards them. I think Barry is exactly what Liverpool want and even tho Benitez has made some shocking signings I think this is a good one. I also think it will take a lot if additions to get them into a position to chalenge for the title tho, the Pool squad is some way behind the big 2. If only he could unearth a few more in the Torres class eh?

[bobby1]

Also the fact gerrards liverpool thru and thru and had won every trophy there bar the epl why would eh want to leave its like shearer coimg to toon then going to mancs it was his boyhood team (except the fact we didnt win fuk all) i still think big al is glad that he's loved by everyone up here compared to anything he could've achieved at mancS.Gerrard made the correct choice imo

yes I agree with most of that, the point is Gerrard is telling Barry to do something that he failed to do himself as if it is obvious and Gerrard of all people should know that outside things will influence, like your Shearer example above.

[The Baron]

Baron - what would need to change at LFC for you to trust the current owners?

Ownership. Simple as really. It's gone past being about money. It's about lies. Sucking in the fans who only read the London rags etc and believe what they say.

If they were to stay a few things need to happen.

1) Parry must go

2) The stadium must be built as a priority

3) Regardless of what is spent in transfer funds the truth must be told. Not "we spent 50 million" when the truth is closer to Benitez spent 40, gained 23-25 in income and didn't even spend that seasons earnings from TV rights! The fans aren't stupid. We know what an EPL season is worth financially. Dont say stuff like "we'll never borrow money against the club" and then go and do it!

4) We shouldn't ever hear about the wrangles in the press. Hicks in particular needs to shut up.

5) If they cant agree to work together Hicks need to consider that either his partner or both of them must sell for the good of the club. Whilst this goes on and we keep competing on an uneven playing field financially we're risking doing a Leeds. Either back us together or do one. The one time Benitez had money he bought Torres and Babel (and Mascherano) - good investments and we made another step forwards.

That list is too long. In a perfect world they'll go. If they dont I dont now if they'll ever win our trust back - too many lies.

[The Baron]

Gareth Barry is one of the best midfieders in the Country and if he had been foriegn and playing for say Milan and cost 15 million it would be heralded as a coup. Coz he plays for Villa and of course Villa are miles behind Liverpool you are judging it as a backward step, well to my eyes Barry is one of the best midfielers in every game he plays, thats against exactly the same teams Liverpool will be playing next season and Alonso is a little lightweight, a little slow and disappears in games. You have done a good bit of business in my opinion.

You're probably right about the Barry being foreign thing. He's definately more suited to a league campaign and a rough and tumble premiership game.

I just have doubts about him not doing it against the very best midfielders which Alonso was doing in Spain at 22.

Its a reoccuring thing in all football conversations that players that play for the clubs we support are always over rated in the grand scheme(so and so is world class when they are just good etc)

Its also the same when clubs buy players, if you are after a player from a sexy club it must be a good thing, if that player comes from an unfashionable club then it is met with indifference, usually beacause the people judging their team have a bias towards them. I think Barry is exactly what Liverpool want and even tho Benitez has made some shocking signings I think this is a good one. I also think it will take a lot if additions to get them into a position to chalenge for the title tho, the Pool squad is some way behind the big 2. If only he could unearth a few more in the Torres class eh?

I agree with most of that. World class is used too often.

In simple terms it comes down to this for me. World class or not I've seen Alonso do it in the very big games. Barry is largely unproven at the very highest level. For me he's only "good player".

I dont think we need a lot of additions. I think we need 2-3 quality signings. The spine is excellent. Reina, Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Mascherano, Gerrard, (Alonso), Torres. I'd add Babel in their as a potential talent for one wing or a future striker.

We've signed a new RB and LB already. Now we need a world class winger to go with the young Babel (ie Ben Arfa or Ribery - a genius would sign one of them! ) and our first XI will be very good if the signings weve made come good.

The current players like Pennant, Kuyt, Aurelio, Finnan etc would then become second string and the strength in depth would be there.

[bobby1]

Baron - what would need to change at LFC for you to trust the current owners?

Ownership. Simple as really. It's gone past being about money. It's about lies. Sucking in the fans who only read the London rags etc and believe what they say.

If they were to stay a few things need to happen.

1) Parry must go

2) The stadium must be built as a priority

3) Regardless of what is spent in transfer funds the truth must be told. Not "we spent 50 million" when the truth is closer to Benitez spent 40, gained 23-25 in income and didn't even spend that seasons earnings from TV rights! The fans aren't stupid. We know what an EPL season is worth financially. Dont say stuff like "we'll never borrow money against the club" and then go and do it!

4) We shouldn't ever hear about the wrangles in the press. Hicks in particular needs to shut up.

5) If they cant agree to work together Hicks need to consider that either his partner or both of them must sell for the good of the club. Whilst this goes on and we keep competing on an uneven playing field financially we're risking doing a Leeds. Either back us together or do one. The one time Benitez had money he bought Torres and Babel (and Mascherano) - good investments and we made another step forwards.

That list is too long. In a perfect world they'll go. If they dont I dont now if they'll ever win our trust back - too many lies.

great point re transfer fees.

Generally in football fans don't understand the transfer market at all and Chairman these days are getting away with it. When a team spend 20 million on one player and 30 on another the chaiman has spent precisely none of that. The club usually pay for the player in installments over the length of their contract so it is the club paying for the player and has nothing to do with the chairman in most cases(Chelsea excluded). If Liverpool pay 4 million a year for 5 years to pay for Torres what exactly has the the chairman spent? and in the books he has an asset that is worth 20 million before its even been paid for. So in the books this year we owe Athletico 4 mill in one column, in the other column we have a 20 million asset.

Sam Hamann and Mandaric have tried the same trick at a couple of clubs, buying into them at their low ebb and turning them around finaincially with prudence and cuts behind the scenes while still appearing to be spending money on players( they are oking the signings but arent paying for them directly) but in both cases all they have done is quick hit the clubs with new optimism, raised the value of the playing squad at no cost to themselves and then sold on when the value of their investment as increased. Mandaric has got it badly wrong at Leicester but got it very right at Portsmouth.

Prob Liverpool have is it looks like these two Yankee boys are trying the same thing there which is a shame as a club of that size don't deserve it.

[The Baron]

Baron - what would need to change at LFC for you to trust the current owners?

Ownership. Simple as really. It's gone past being about money. It's about lies. Sucking in the fans who only read the London rags etc and believe what they say.

If they were to stay a few things need to happen.

1) Parry must go

2) The stadium must be built as a priority

3) Regardless of what is spent in transfer funds the truth must be told. Not "we spent 50 million" when the truth is closer to Benitez spent 40, gained 23-25 in income and didn't even spend that seasons earnings from TV rights! The fans aren't stupid. We know what an EPL season is worth financially. Dont say stuff like "we'll never borrow money against the club" and then go and do it!

4) We shouldn't ever hear about the wrangles in the press. Hicks in particular needs to shut up.

5) If they cant agree to work together Hicks need to consider that either his partner or both of them must sell for the good of the club. Whilst this goes on and we keep competing on an uneven playing field financially we're risking doing a Leeds. Either back us together or do one. The one time Benitez had money he bought Torres and Babel (and Mascherano) - good investments and we made another step forwards.

That list is too long. In a perfect world they'll go. If they dont I dont now if they'll ever win our trust back - too many lies.

great point re transfer fees.

Generally in football fans don't understand the transfer market at all and Chairman these days are getting away with it. When a team spend 20 million on one player and 30 on another the chaiman has spent precisely none of that. The club usually pay for the player in installments over the length of their contract so it is the club paying for the player and has nothing to do with the chairman in most cases(Chelsea etc). If Liverpool pay 4 million a year for 5 years to pay for Torres what exactly has the the chairman spent? and in the books he has an asset that is worth 20 million before its even been paid for. So in the books this year we owe Athletico 4 mill in one column, in the other column we have a 20 million asset.

Sam Hamann and Mandaric have tried the same trick at a couple of clubs, buying into them at their low ebb and turning them around finaincially with prudence and cuts behind the scenes while still appearing to be spending money on players( they are oking the signings but arent paying for them directly) but in both cases all they have done is quick hit the clubs with new optimism, raised the value of the playing squad at no cost to themselves and then sold on when the value of their investment as increased. Mandaric has got it badly wrong at Leicester but got it very right at Portsmouth.

Prob Liverpool have is it looks like these two Yankee boys are trying the same thing there which is a shame as a club of that size don't deserve it.

Amen.

[Nem]

Signing Gareth Barry will not close the gap on the teams above Liverpool last season.