‘THE more things change, the more they stay the same’.
A famous saying but one that does not apply to Liverpool Football Club these days. In fact, turning the phrase on its head offers more accuracy. At Anfield, the more things stay the same, the more they appear to change.
On the face of it, little at Liverpool has changed since their encouraging opening day win against Stoke but the early sense of euphoria garnered from their deserved victory last weekend has already worn off. Focus has quickly shifted from the positives of that first opening day win since 2008 to the negatives of their transfer dealings this summer.
Willian, their main target for the past couple of weeks, has joined rivals Spurs. The Brazilian becomes the third big name player to reject Liverpool’s overtures this summer, following in the footsteps of his former team mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan and his countryman Diego Costa. Make no mistake; Willian’s deferral to Spurs is a huge concern for Liverpool.
The London club, who missed out on Champions League football by a solitary point last term, have added Etienne Capoue (£9.7m), Paulinho (£17m), Nacer Chadli (£7m), Willian (£30m) and Roberto Soldado (£26m) to a squad that finished 11 points ahead of Liverpool. They are also in the running to add the fantastically talented Eric Lamela to their squad. On paper at least, they appear to be leaving Liverpool behind.
A top four finish is Liverpool’s target this season and realistically, they are not going to catch Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea. That leaves Spurs, Arsenal and Everton for Liverpool to overcome in their desperate race to get into the Champions League places.
Arsenal are currently in disarray and Liverpool will fancy their chances of overtaking their neighbours but Spurs could now be over the hill and far away. They are amassing a squad capable of challenging for the title off the back of Gareth Bale’s imminent world record transfer to Real Madrid.
Of course, football is never won solely by who has the deepest or strongest squad on paper, but the quality added at White Hart Lane this summer is disconcerting for Liverpool supporters. So too are the conflicting reports on the failings of the club’s business this summer.
The Liverpool Echo would have its readers believe that Willian had simply chosen Spurs over Liverpool due to his preference for living in the nation’s capital after both clubs had made offers for the player. Conversely, Tony Barrett of the Times and various other journalists have suggested that Liverpool refused to match Spurs’ offer of around £30m for the Brazil international. If that scenario is true (and many believe it is) then Liverpool and owners FSG have some answers to give.
If FSG decided that Willian wasn’t worth the money required to prize him from Russia then who advised them on this? Why bother to publicly pursue a player of that profile in the first place when other top European clubs with financial clout were certain to be in the running as well? Why, with Liverpool’s net spend this summer in the minus column, could the club not dare to pay slightly above their valuation for a player who could potentially transform their already impressive attack into a top class outfit? Questions, questions, questions.
What we do know is that Liverpool have failed again to complete a significant piece of business and in doing so, they have allowed a rival to strengthen and further increase a gap between the clubs that was already going to be difficult to bridge.
Liverpool have conducted some decent business themselves this summer (not least keeping hold of Luis Suarez) but there has been no real statement of intent to suggest that the Anfield outfit believe they can blast their way back into the Champions League this season. They haven’t captured a signing to excite their fans and demonstrate true ambition. They will claim that they have tried, but have they tried hard enough?
Two weeks remain in the transfer window and the Reds are yet to purchase a player for over £10m. Considering how desperate Brendan Rodgers has been to add a top class centre-half and another match winner at the top of the field that just isn’t good enough.
The Reds are an exciting side with bags of potential but to seriously mount an assault on Spurs and the rest of the sides above them in the pecking order this season, a statement is required. At least one top quality player is still required to take them on to the next level.
The way the summer has gone so far that player seems unlikely to arrive.
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Its not just about spending loads, Its about how good your scouts are. This has been the difference between United and Liverpool for the past 20 years. Liverpool have relied on foreign managers who had some secrets they knew on who to sign – each time they failed once they had been in England because they had lost that connection with foreign players. Liverpool are now scouting much better value for their money. So far Rodgers signings have been pretty good.
If you take Bale out of Tottenham they dont look much so they know they know they have to spend…
Really? Fallen further behind Spurs? In what sense? That they’ve spent nearly as much as City and managed a place in the Europa? As I write, Willian still hasn’t signed for Spurs.
You need a reality check pal. This club doesn’t have billionaire owners. This club nearly went under a few years ago. This club has to do things a little different in order to get to the top. Can it be done? Of course it can. Borussia Dortmand toppled Bayern two seasons ago with a squad that cost £40m. Mega bucks can help but it’s no guarantee.
Stop moaning and start believing.
YNWA
Willian had already gone through the medical. He has second thoughts of signing for Spurs.
Belief won’t help …that’s stupid. Belief won’t get us good players. Belief won’t make Rodgers a good manager. Wake up man…Liverpool ARE falling further and further behind every year
Br,ian ayre they ar all dumb buyin us crap and leavin quality players out there..they suck big tym ,gustavo was available bt ddnt even make an attempt to sign and now lettin willian leave 4 spurs…definately no top 4 for us our midfield needs reinforcements esp some1 2 challenge lucas nd a left winger then a CB.
We are never going to be top 4 under Rodgers or FSG . Never . Until we get the greedy yanks and their yes man Rodgers out we will stay mediocre
Excuse me! Does Brendan Rodgers read articles from this site at all? Eriksen, Turan, Sakho, Hughes Damiao, are these players not good enough for our great club? With due respect, is he (BR) not too daunce and sluggish for us? Lets keep our fingers cross.
He has no time to read this site. He worries too much about Suarez and Agger .
Can Brendan even read ?
No one knew who J.Klopp was untill he made magic with B.Dortmund.If Sean Murphy was correct than amazing what he did with just £40m. So why cant we do the same with BR who is just early in his second season. And one guy saying we cant achieve anything by believing..Hello..hello do you remember the phrase ‘impossible is nothing’? Tell it to SG8. If he thought the same way as some of us thinking now,i dont think no.5 UCL trophy will be in the trophy cabinet now.Honestly i wish for a middle eastern oil tycoon or any kind of billionairs running our club too but looking at Anzhi,FSG is not perfect but we’re far more better. Way better than Gillet and Hicks time. So lets support the players who are here now. Forget about those are not. On the matter about Willian,if he has not signed yet after medicals at Spurs, imagine how would we felt if he came to LFC and did the same. I think he is waiting for either Chelsea or City to come with bigger paycheque!
Everyone in Germany knew about Klopp. He did fantastic before Dortmund got him . Rodgers is a joke , not fit for any premier team
FSG, Ayre and B Rodgers should have gone all out to bring Willian to the club, he is in the same calibre and class as Suarez, Gerrard and Coutinho.
The owners don’t want to spend anything: And have not spent anything this summer:
We sold:
A Carroll(£15M) S Downing (£5M) J Shelvey (£5M) and J Spearing( £1.5M) = £26.5 worth of sales brought in
Brought in:
Alberto (£6.7M) Aspas (£7.7M) Mignolet(£9M) Toure ( Free) Cissokho ( Loan/£850,000) = £24.05M Spent
So there is still £2M spare .
Willian would have been a class, quality addition and a front three of Suarez Sturridge Willian with Coutinho just behind them in the hole would have caused any team in the premiership and world problems.
But due to the fact the owners are tight clowns , who think they can spend peanuts and get us back amongst the elite and a force in world football again, its not happening.
Not when our rivals are spending millions millions on class quality players year in year out, every season we are falling further and further away from top 4 , yet we are playing better football. Playing good great football is good but if you do not have enough class or quality in first 11 and in reserve then during long course of season, the league table in May shows that.
Tottenham have brought some class quality players and now everyone will take them serious, i am gutted FSG have not backed B Rodgers with some real money. ( £50-£70M) then Rodgers could bring in two new centre backs, a class, mobile solid tough tackling Quality Defensive Midfielder who can compete and Cover Lucas, A creative attacking, goalscoring midfielder and Two pacey quick wingers with real class, quality and goals in their locker to club.
Spurs have got the money to spend. But can their quality players work as a team ? If I not wrong Dempsey had left for the States.
Great comment.