30 Aug 2024 21:24:26
Hi Ed,

With two hours left, are we still working on any potential deals or has our business finished?

{Ed002's Note - Hard to see a late attempt to find a bargain being successful There needs to be a lessone learened again.}

1.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 21:48:31
Let fly the Babelcopter!

2.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 22:14:31
Safe to say Richard Hughes has failed his first window. He’s somehow made Schmadtke look like a genius.

4th season in a row we go into a season one or two players short.

Shame on the nerds who claimed to be back in charge.

3.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 22:33:24
Should go to Aldi or Lidl for the bargains.

4.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 21:44:27
Doubt it unfortunately. The gaps that needed correcting haven’t and it’s good to see this dismal window come to an end.

5.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 23:02:34
Loose on Sunday and the knives will be out.
Slot can handle it though-lets see what a good coach he is, whilst we do some more window shopping.

6.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 23:08:56
Good luck Arne Slot. Because you’re going to need it with bosses like this.

7.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 23:35:00
Reality we have a squad that finish just of the champions.

Dissapointing window, as I feel our midfield does not fit slot system.

Disaster no, we did not need a rebuild, opportunity missed 100%.

Think personally we have a top 3 squad. no progression. As a 45 year old man would I take this over the mid table mediocrity. yes.

Lesson need to be learnt, let's hope they are, and move on.

8.) 30 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 23:43:49
Let’s see how the season goes guys. Would rather be a Liverpool fan than a Chelsea fan, and they have all the new shiny toys that so many desire.
No one really expects us to win the league, and we probably won’t, but that’s not down to lack of transfer activity. New manager, new structure etc.
Klopp only stopped City once, and that was after years of planning and stability.
Time to get behind the team now and see how far we can go.
I for one am optimistic for the coming season and hope that Klopp leaving won’t be as catastrophic is I first feared.

9.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 00:00:56
6 gold stars - admirable but not really fair. We didn’t need to do very much at all to have a title challenging squad ready, and chose to do nothing. If this was the first summer it’d be forgivable. But it’s 4 seasons in a row now. Half the careers of generational talents like Alisson Virgil Trent Salah.

10.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 00:06:44
@FOF, I agree wholeheartedly that we are one or two players short. I’m not sure that it applies just to the last four years though. I’d say the same would apply at the start of each season for the 60 odd years that I’ve been a fan. If, for instance, we’d bought Inacio and Zubimendi the focus would have changed to the next one or two weakest links.

The trouble, in general, these days is that, with social media, everybody has a voice and there is now a gap between being a fan - watching the match and enjoying (or not) the game and those who mistake their opinion as something that influences the club. It’s fair to say an awful lot of us expend an awful lot of pointless worry on things we can’t change and increasingly in transfer windows I find myself asking wharpt’s the point.

Think that we are never going to have the perfect team - there is always room for improvement whoever you are - that should be part of the fun of the game and not an excuse to vilify people for not doing their job properly, at the very least when those doing the criticising are not privy to the circumstances within the club.

Sorry @FOF, as I say I agree we need a couple more players - everything after my first sentence was me rambling in general and not being specific to you or your post.

Anyway, onwards and upwards - let’s sort United out.

11.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 00:24:15
WDW - I don’t think we are an unreasonable or deluded fanbase. It’s a transfer window. Normal clubs do business to improve their chances.

12.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 01:00:53
6 Gold Stars, I’ll tell you how far we’ll get. It won’t be a league title or a champions league win as we’re far too weak in midfield . It’ll be City or Arsenal (if City get punished), we’ll be 3rd or lower at best. As for the champions league, we aren’t going to get close. We failed to strengthen the areas we should have done and Hughes has shown himself to be less than competent. You don’t win the league with a weak midfield.

13.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 02:23:35
Well said, WDW.

14.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 06:46:15
Not only are we short in defence (CB) and probably midfield (DM) the lack of recruitment and investment may well effect VVD, Salah and Trent’s decision to sign new contracts meaning going into next season we could be far far weaker. Not getting the new contracts sorted is the bigger issue for me. Which I know aren’t restricted to the transfer window but surely it helps to know where you are going forward.

15.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 06:56:33
FSG have drilled most fans into the sustainability narrative, although there have been times when we have suffered because of being short, for example at CB.
Many of us are accountants for rich businessmen these days.

Numbers wise we are not short in MF, only coaches need to coach to a very high level, and players need to adapt to what's being asked-These are the brass tacks of football.

How about the possibility of Nyoni breaking through for some games, which otherwise may not have happened had we bought in more bodies?

Centre back is again the issue, if Ibou/ Gomez get injured. Jarell could then be overburdened, for his age.

if we suffer because of apparent weaknesses/ being short of a specialist CDM or CB, then half of the support base will be upset. If we buy world class players/ potential once available, its better than stockpiling as some clubs do. Its a fine balancing act.

16.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 07:16:35
Let's see how the season goes, last season we were too open with the way we played, slots tactics seem to set us up better defensively and we have the attacking power going forward, I'm looking forward to see how the season goes hopefully with 9 points after tomorrow.

17.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 07:22:52
Compelled to say as an older fan, that I like to win stuff. As good as this squad is, with the added UCL pressure, 3rd and a cup is the likeliest outcome. Is that really good enough? Have some fans been conditioned to think that is an acceptable aim? Saying that we are 'well run' and at least we don't conduct ourselves like X, Y, or Z club is gaslighting pure and simple.

Questions remain, but most obvious is can Gravenberch play 40+ games and how will he fare against the best clubs in the clutch matches? Potential for one of McConnell, Morton, Nyoni to make it their breakthrough season is actually quite exciting. Or will slot promote Trent into midfield sometimes to give Bradley game time. I'm still grasping at more straws than a masturbatory scarecrow and hoping free agent Rabiot will join.

The one thing that I hope has happened this window is that credulous fans have been disabused of the notion that Michael Edwards is the Messiah. He's not, he's a very haughty boy.

Now on to give the current manager and squad 1000% support.

18.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 07:31:44
@FPF, I never said anybody was delusional. What I did say was that an awful lot of people seem to think what they say has some bearing on what the club will do which is an erroneous view. I also said that people spend an awful lot of people obviously worrying about stuff that they can’t change / fix / improve and they are wasting an awful lot of energy in a useless manner.

The club will be in the mix for the PL this season. We have a very good squad with a good mix of experience and youth and I believe that the sum of the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts.

Anyway, the transfer window doesn’t matter any more - it’s done. What matters now is the match against United and playing the best we can.

19.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 07:43:49
WDW3 it’s a transfer forum so the platform is designed to share an opinions and rumours. Yet you’re grating on the fact people are unhappy with the squad. It’s justifiable to be critical given our one title in 35 years. Hughes isn’t being vilified he’s being called out for his poor outing this window, there’s a difference. I’ve seen a multitude of pathetic excuses such as “he’s assessing the new squad” yet other new managers have spent accordingly. “Fans want new toys” “fans want to be like Chelsea”. I’ve seen this nonsense thrown at fans aggrieved by the lack of desire to get the right players in. You think we’ll be in the mix I think we’ll be scrambling for fourth, I hope you’re right.

20.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 07:45:58
A friends opinion.

I have to say I'm shocked. Not how I was expecting the summer to end. There was no crescendo to end August. Just a ton of exits.

We've pretty much approached a no.6 target 3 or 4 summers in a row. But for some reason, it always takes us a year to identify an alternative target. because we never go back for previous targets. So this trope about Liverpool waiting for 'their guy' is just a falsehood.

Hughes (and therefore Edwards) have egg on their face. Don't need to sugar-coat it because we love Edwards so much. Attempts to paint this summer a window a success are actually a bit comedic. It's futile. And Edwards will know that. We acted late. and therefore obviously found it hard to improve the team.

Over to you, Slot. here's to no injuries during 24/ 25.

21.) 31 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 22:51:44
Ed02- how can the club get to a position where -if you’re right and lessons need to be learned- we have arguably have not addressed what maybe key areas yet again?

Our window has resulted (so far) in signing a keeper for the future, and a 6th senior forward - whilst trimming the squad (which no doubt should have been done)

If the majority are right and the club were looking at defensive and midfield additions then this window can only be seen as underwhelming.

{Ed002's Note - For me it was a mistake not to replace Endo and to let SVDB depart.}

22.) 31 Aug 2024
30 Aug 2024 23:15:20
Ed, I appreciate you don’t like to talk money, but your comment kind of got me thinking - why must it be a bargain? I appreciate chiesa is a low risk low fee option, which I’m behind, but I can’t believe slot didn’t want at least one more. Is it FFP, FSG or worried about replacing one of the big ones next year? Especially after we made good money from sales, what stopped us investing?

{Ed002's Note - If you hold back on purchases until the final day, then you are looking for a bargain.}

23.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 09:22:36
If luck is on our side injury wise then we’re good but if not it could expose us.

Personally I think we have quality cover everywhere except if I don’t want to name names and jinx them but we lose our best centre half or our new found position of deep lying midfielder.

Also as well Kelleher is a very good keeper but if Alison stays fit the full season then our chances of trophies greatly improves.

24.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 10:22:56
Unicorn bargain hunting is tiring business. Poor Mike and Dick haven’t slept in months.

25.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 10:25:33
Heaven forbid that anyone should express the opinion that they are reasonably satisfied with the squad given external factors such as, unavailability of the right players at the right price, Slot still getting to know the players we have and players not wanting to come to Anfield. Ir appears that Slot prefers a system that does not depend on a CDM but this doesn't stop posters endlessly banging on about the need for one and as other posters have pointed out we will not recruit a top class left footed central defender who is willing to play second fiddle to Virgil.
Standing by for corrective advice from Frode Klippers etc.

26.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 11:03:23
I have no reason to worry.

Alisson best GK in the world
CK best 2nd GK in the world

TAA top 3 attacking RB
Bradley top 3 back up RB

Ibou Top 5 CB in PL
VVD Top 2 CB in the world
JQ Top 2 Young CB alongside JB
JG Top 5 Back Up CB in PL

AR Top 3 LB in PL
KT Not the best LB back up but Fine

RG Top 5 DM in PL even though slot don't play with DM
WE Top 5 DM in PL

DS Top 5 LM in PL
HE Top 3 Young LM (Bright Future)

AMA Top 3 AM in the world
CJ IMO not adequate back up AM

Mo Salah no 1 RW in the World
FC at least top 10 RW in PL

LD Top 3 LW in the world
CG Top 5 LW in PL

DJ Top 5 CF in PL
DN Top 10 CF in PL

Back up VJ, NP, TM, JD, TN, OB, JMC good enough for cup rotation

Top 3 squad i say, with potential to be no 1 in PL, UCL semifinal, and win one of LC or FAC, injury free and slot tactical tweaks running well.

MC punishment is coming. could be Pep last season in PL. so their focus will be disturbed. chelsea needs time for team cohesion, and MU is MU, AV and WH Will be dark horse.

Arsenal or us could overtake city in that throne. so the meeting versus Arsenal should be win at all cost.

Like i said i have no reason to be worry.

27.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 11:55:45
Be interesting to know what the true ambition of FSG is for us. They’ve built our valuation up amazingly well over the years, so that is no doubt their number one priority, but despite being really well run in that sense we feel a bit short changed in terms of success and they don’t seem inclined to sell.

It’s all relative though because the only clubs really consistently winning anything in the Prem or in CL seem to be financed differently to everyone else. We want to be better than them, but we can’t generally be because of the way they’re funded and the top payers always win more. The only real prospect is that they will lose the plot occasionally, get key players injured etc and we or someone else are in the right place to capitalise on it, I think that’s the game we’re in unless the rules bite.

Perhaps our real problem isn’t FSG, Richard Hughes or anyone at the club. They could do a bit better but would it be enough to consistently topple Man City and Real Madrid.

28.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 11:56:40
I had to laugh my head off when it said RG top five DM in the prem after two games. Brilliant.

29.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 15:02:29
ViktorVaughan-This is assuming that 1-Grav will not come good/ be good enough as a number 6, despite him being one of the most sought after young MF's in world football not so long ago. 2-That Endo has been written off and is incapable of adapting to Slot's system, despite owning City and Chelsea's MF last season. 3-Jones is a busted flush who won't stay fit/ holds the ball for too long. 4-Morton is just not good enough. 5-That Slot won't improve / adjust players enough to level them up.

That's a lot of assumptions.

30.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 15:07:55
@ Fowler that's crazy to list out players so high. Appreciate everyone's got an opinion but I wouldn't class any of our players in such a high ranking position.
Can we even class Alison as number 1 in the world? Last few seasons with the injuries he's had and goals conceded I wouldn't even have him in top ten.
Anyway let's hope we enjoy the season ahead.

{Ed001's Note - stop trolling, Alisson is clearly top 3 in the world at the very worst.}

31.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 15:41:35
The mistakes made were not being quick off the blocks in buying a high quality DM and CB as well as not resolving contracts of three of our best players. I’d describe it as bordering on negligence, and Hughes has not come out of the window looking good at all. I hope we vastly improve how we do things in January and next summer in particular.

32.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 16:17:22
KremlynCatt? I’m not here to correct anyone it’s an opinion, you have yours and I have mine. I feel my points are grounded in valid scepticism. If you think the squad is good enough, great I hope you’re right. I don’t, why am I a sceptic? History. Like I said I hope I’m wrong and we clean up.

Cheers to the Ed’s too for all their clarity and updates.

33.) 31 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024 16:19:04
Ali not in the top 10? Are you kidding the man is the best out there. Best shot stopper and the best distributing.