Epl 2010/11

[DeLorean]

Too cautious for your liking? I honestly think that is hilarious seeing as you defended Benitez to the last, and he is probably the most cautious manager in the game. To be fair to Hodgson he is working with the mess that Benitez left, a team in complete decline as last seasons 7th place would testify, having finished 2nd the year before. Of course people are entitled to their opinions, but that doesn't change the fact that there are millions of muppets out there, and anyone that wants a manager sacked after seven matches is a complete muppet.

[Closed Account 2]

I think it's harsh to blame Hodgson, he has no financial backing, the team is significantly weaker than say 2 years ago (no Alonso, no Hyppia, no Arbeloa, no Mascherano) players like Gerrard, Carragher etc are that bit older.

There is obviously some sort of morbid atmosphere at the club and you can't really blame the new manager, Kenny Dalglish hanging around muttering about how he would have taken the job probably doesn't help. I think a lot of the blame lies with Benitez, his bungled idea of selling Alonso and replacing him with Gareth Barry (ffs?) started this decline. Alonso had a good season after that but he always knew his future was away from Liverpool and ended up at Real. I don't know what Benitez was doing with the whole Robbie Keane thing, he apparently didn't want him, but he didn't give him a chance, instead he would bring on wasters like El Zahar, Babel, etc.

He let too many of the seasoned pros leave. For instance Hyppia (again spectacularly badly handled by Benitez who left him out of the CL squad) was farmed out to Leverkusen, where last year he was exceptional - Liverpool would be in a much better situation if they had him to call on as a back up for an erratic Carragher or an unconvincing Kyrgiatos...

[KK77]

Too cautious for your liking? I honestly think that is hilarious seeing as you defended Benitez to the last, and he is probably the most cautious manager in the game. To be fair to Hodgson he is working with the mess that Benitez left, a team in complete decline as last seasons 7th place would testify, having finished 2nd the year before. Of course people are entitled to their opinions, but that doesn't change the fact that there are millions of muppets out there, and anyone that wants a manager sacked after seven matches is a complete muppet.

I agree barstoolers the majority of them!

[KK77]

Good win even if expected for Chelsea on Sunday. Crucial with City winning earlier in the day. They 3 or 4 clear of City?

[Closed Account 2]

4 points (18 versus 14), in effect it's like 5 points as Chelsea have a massive goal difference advantage (+21 vs +6)... Villa v Chelsea in 10 days time (and Blackpool v Man City), then after that Chelsea v Wolves, City v Arsenal you'd have to think if the gap grows over the next two fixtures it will be hard for City to claw it back.

[Stevo Da Gull]

I think it's harsh to blame Hodgson, he has no financial backing, the team is significantly weaker than say 2 years ago (no Alonso, no Hyppia, no Arbeloa, no Mascherano) ...

Agree 100%. Players like those mentioned were a huge part of the team and are incredibly tough to replace. Simply put, they haven't been replaced. I'm a fan of Agger and Carragher but I think they could have really done with Hyypia last season. Alonso is a touch of class and the midfield became Gerrard reliant, as far as forward passing goes, when he left.

The same could be said of Arsenal. While Van Persie, Fabregas, Nasri, Vermaelen and a couple of others look like top drawer players. You can't help but think that, especially given how injury prone RVP is, this team is weak compared to a team with Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Ljungberg, Toure, Cole etc. Arsenal still play with the same style, but the players aren't as good. That said, Arsenal's strongest 11 is an amazing team, but how many games in a season will their strongest 11 be available?

[KK77]

Liverpool Football Club today announces that the Board has agreed the sale of the Club to New England Sports Ventures (NESV).

New England Sports Ventures currently owns a portfolio of companies including the Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network, Fenway Sports Group and Roush Fenway Racing.

Martin Broughton, Liverpool FC Chairman, said:

"I am delighted that we have been able to successfully conclude the sale process which has been thorough and extensive. The Board decided to accept NESV's proposal on the basis that it best met the criteria we set out originally for a suitable new owner. NESV's philosophy is all about winning and they have fully demonstrated that at Red Sox.

"We've met them in Boston, London and Liverpool over several weeks and I am immensely impressed with what they have achieved and with their vision for Liverpool Football Club.

"By removing the burden of acquisition debt, this offer allows us to focus on investment in the team. I am only disappointed that the owners have tried everything to prevent the deal from happening and that we need to go through legal proceedings in order to complete the sale."

Note to editors:

The sale is conditional on Premier League approval, resolution of the dispute concerning Board membership and other matters

[Razors left peg]

Liverpool Football Club today announces that the Board has agreed the sale of the Club to New England Sports Ventures (NESV).

New England Sports Ventures currently owns a portfolio of companies including the Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network, Fenway Sports Group and Roush Fenway Racing.

Martin Broughton, Liverpool FC Chairman, said:

"I am delighted that we have been able to successfully conclude the sale process which has been thorough and extensive. The Board decided to accept NESV's proposal on the basis that it best met the criteria we set out originally for a suitable new owner. NESV's philosophy is all about winning and they have fully demonstrated that at Red Sox.

"We've met them in Boston, London and Liverpool over several weeks and I am immensely impressed with what they have achieved and with their vision for Liverpool Football Club.

"By removing the burden of acquisition debt, this offer allows us to focus on investment in the team. I am only disappointed that the owners have tried everything to prevent the deal from happening and that we need to go through legal proceedings in order to complete the sale."

Note to editors:

The sale is conditional on Premier League approval, resolution of the dispute concerning Board membership and other matters

Personally I think this is a takeover engineered by the Green Party so the Liverpool fans dont damage the enviroment throwing away all their "yanks Out " signs

[superfrank]

Hadn't they won the league two years previous before that without him?

I think they'd won it the four years before he came in but, as you can see in the last two seasons, success isn't guaranteed for them, regardless of them being far and away the financially strongest club in that league.

[gaiscíoch]

I think they'd won it the four years before he came in but, as you can see in the last two seasons, success isn't guaranteed for them, regardless of them being far and away the financially strongest club in that league.

He did do a good job while he was there but look at the players they have sold.
Coupet, Abidal, Cacapa, Juninho Pernambucano, Essien, Diarra, Malouda, Thiago, Benzema, Wiltord, Squillaci, Govou, Fred, Carew, Ben Arfa, Boumsong....
The list is endless it would be extremely hard to sustain that type of success having to replace players like them.

Houllier IMO was mixed at Liverpool. Winning the 4 trophies was amazing for him. But in general he bought worse than Benitez did. Eric Meier for example who against all odds managed to play a few games. Lets not forget while he did get some signings right remember. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.....

[Roadend]

Too cautious for your liking? I honestly think that is hilarious seeing as you defended Benitez to the last, and he is probably the most cautious manager in the game. To be fair to Hodgson he is working with the mess that Benitez left, a team in complete decline as last seasons 7th place would testify, having finished 2nd the year before. Of course people are entitled to their opinions, but that doesn't change the fact that there are millions of muppets out there, and anyone that wants a manager sacked after seven matches is a complete muppet.

God above, I've been hearing this utter nonsense since the season began. 5 transfer windows in a row Liverpool turned a profit, which meant RB's hands were tied for two years with regards to transfers. The squad "nice guy" Hodgson inherited is largely the same bar Mascherano. I don't recall that squad ever being within an asses' roar of the bottom 3 last year.
His insistance on playing the utterly woeful, washed up, Poulsen and moving everyone else around to accomodate him is a joke. Playing Agger left back is a farce and persisting with a nervous wreck of a right back is just baffling.
He has brought a small club mentality with him into the club, no surprise as he has predominantly been a small club manager all his career. Maybe uncle Roy could answer this one, if he is such a well respected manager across Europe why were inter not banging down his door to appoint him.

[DeLorean]

Liverpool won 5 of their last 13 games last season, were knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League and at home to Reading in the FA Cup. I would consider that a complete mess by their standards, so to disregard it as nonsense is a bit baffling to me. The net transfer value is always used in Benitez defence, but the fact remains that he spent over £250m and has very little quality to show for it. He was never forced to sell his top players, yet ended up with the likes of Babel, N'Gog and Lucas when he could have had Bellamy, Couch/Keane and Alonso at his disposal. Yes, those players wanted to leave, but only as a result of very little game time and/or being badly treated.

Nice to see Rafa himself showing his gratitude to you for backing him up!

[Roadend]

Liverpool won 5 of their last 13 games last season, were knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League and at home to Reading in the FA Cup. I would consider that a complete mess by their standards, so to disregard it as nonsense is a bit baffling to me. The net transfer value is always used in Benitez defence, but the fact remains that he spent over £250m and has very little quality to show for it. He was never forced to sell his top players, yet ended up with the likes of Babel, N'Gog and Lucas when he could have had Bellamy, Couch/Keane and Alonso at his disposal. Yes, those players wanted to leave, but only as a result of very little game time and/or being badly treated.
Nice to see Rafa himself showing his gratitude to you for backing him up!

I'll just highlight those points you've made which are very very wrong. I'll grant you Alsonso left over what happened the previous season but the otherplayers did not want to leave at all. In fact Crouch would have stayed but the board refused to increase his wages so he moved on. Bellamy went out torres came in, big mistake there alright. The amount of mis-truths around the transfer wheelings and dealings is hilarious, but I don't expect any less as these are the "facts" peddled by the tabloids and the Jamie Redknapps of this world and everyone takes it as gospel.

[KK77]

Yanks gone happy days! No more debt!

EDIT: There still hanging on cnuts.

[KK77]

A new dawn. Get the fcuk in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liverpool have confirmed New England Sports Ventures have completed their takeover of the club

After a week of drama off the pitch John Henry's NESV have finally completed their takeover of the club after Tom Hicks and George Gillett accepted defeat in their bid to prevent a sale.

American duo Hicks and Gillett lifted the final obstacle standing in NESV's way by removing the restraining order they won in a Texas court to block the proposed sale.

However, Hicks and Gillett have announced they plan to sue for "at least $1.6billion" for "an extraordinary swindle".

Hicks, who believes the NESV sale undervalues Liverpool, had been trying to sell his stake to Mill Financial, a USA-based hedge fund, so they could pay the club's debt to the Royal Bank of Scotland and scupper the takeover.

Mill Financial had approached the Premier League to take the mandatory owner's test on Thursday, but were rejected when the league told the fund they could only take instruction from the Liverpool board, led by chairman Martin Broughton, who have already agreed to sell to NESV for £300 million.

NESV's takeover means the Royal Bank of Scotland will be paid the £237million they are owed and the threat of administration is avoided.

Liverpool's board agreed to sell the club to NESV for £300million last week, but the deal was upheld as Hicks and Gillett opposed the deal.

The news ends Hick's and Gillett's turbulent ownership of the club after they gained control at Anfield in 2007.

[osarusan]

Wayne Rooney refusing to sign new deal at Man. United?

From the BBC

Manchester United have been informed that Wayne Rooney will not sign a new contract with the club, according to reports from the Press Association.

The 24-year-old striker's current deal runs out in the summer of 2012 and it is understood negotiations over a new contract have broken down.

[OwlsFan]

Man U:- a team in decline? Huge debt. Top players unhappy. Fergie pushing on.

[Closed Account 2]

Look at the spine of that team, and how old they'll be half way through the season:

-------------Van Der Saar (40)
--------Ferdinand (32)----Vidic (29)------
---------------Fletcher (26)/ Carrick (29)
------------------Scholes (36)
------------Berbatov (30) Rooney (25)

So apart from Rooney and Fletcher most players are 29 or over, some like Vidic and Berbatov might still have a few years left in them but most of the spine is in need of serious investment. There are some other young players (Hernandez, Smalling, Nani etc) but there are also older players on the flank (like Evra, Park etc) who again are pushing 30.

They need investment in new players but they seem very reluctant to pay for experienced players and are instead obessed with paying over the top for youth players. £7m for Bebé ? When Van Der Vaart would have only been a million or so more ? Smalling for £10m last Christmas ? They could have got Thiago Sliva a year earlier for less (Milan signed him for €10m).

[shakermaker1982]

I hope Fergie does get rid of Rooney if he's starting to think he is bigger than Man Utd. Better players than Rooney have left the club and they've survived.

I've been impressed with Smalling and expect him to take over from Rio in 2 years. Bebe looks a handful and think he'll come good. Hernandez is gonna be a star......they just need to invest in two central midfielders and they'll be fine. It has been a problem area since Keane left but Ronaldo winning games on his own against the lesser sides meant they could get away with it.

[KK77]

Fergie just said Rooney has asked to leave the club. Fergie: "the player says he's adamant he wants to leave"
Think he is out tomorrow night as well. Something about his ankle.