Poll: Rate Liverpool’s Transfer Window

Meireles, Meireles, Meireles.  Yawn, yawn, yawn.  This is why I hate the international break at this time.   A player we didn't need went for a great price. That is it in a nutshell.  We are stuck on this last detail because we don't have any upcoming match to focus on instead.  I voted B, as the proof is in the pudding, but I was tempted with A, as every single transfer was inspired business and a great move for LFC.  The only question of the summer that remains for me is what is the real story with Aquilani?  It's clear he has no future at the club. I am just curious to know why.  The only blemish is having to send him out on loan again not getting a permanent deal for Joe Cole.  Also want to know the real deal behind paying 60% of his wages whilst at Lille and what we are getting in return.  Maybe the Hazard of paying that might turn good in the future..... ;)

What excites me most about this window is Kenny's intention of signing guys to be around for a long time.  Most of our signings will likely improve both as they get older and as they gel with the team, which should be great for the long term.  Just from a fan's perspective, I love having a consistent core of players to follow, as it feels more like the organic team sport that I want soccer to be and puts a karmic gap between us and clubs like the rentboys, et al.

yes, we forget that it's not all about star signings.  

There's lots of hum drum work that has to be done and there's plenty of build up that is more about decisions, accuracy, pace and timing and reading the game.

As these players play together they'll get better at working the ball at pace and advancing very quickly.  I think within a dozen games or so and further into the season, they'll relax a bit and beable to not try too hard. that's when players raise their game.

They're understanding should grow really well and as you say, they've many years ahead of them which is very promising.

I am beyond being productive with work today...so if ye be trolling the Twitterverse, how about an Inter-LFC 3v3 virtual tournament? 

Check out #YNWA3v3Classic for the teams and 1st round match-ups. If you're not tweeting, you hate puppies and whiskey. Or you work for a living. Sucker. 

Get your ass back to work!

Been supporting the reds 50 years. And imho this is now getting back to feeling like it's a true Liverpool team. What Kenny, Mr Clarke and Comolli have done in a little over half a season has been brilliant. To assume we know more than that little collective is pretty absurd. So whatever their reasons for letting Aqua and Mereiles go, I'm backing their judgement. As a truly old fart who stood in the kop watching some great red teams, there are two points. Firstly. we always had a few outstanding players but often backed by a team of less than stellar talent - but the sum of it's parts was always greater than the whole. So I don't care how fucking good they are, if they're not part of the machine, fuck off. Are we clear.
Second. No one in a red shirt pulls out of a tackle. Shanks would be shitting himself the second he saw that in your game. Anfield is a fortress, the warriors wear red, visiting teams shit themselves. You don't pull out of tackles. You never run out of songs.
Sorry to get all old school on you here, but it's simple. You're Red or you're dead. Sorry, Meireles, you're dead.

Crystal!

"...YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH..."  

was never too good with the real truth. Great movie.

I know this doesn't affect us short term but Kenny also brought in a few exciting youth team prospects so all in all, its been a pretty epic transfer window. Meireles is gone, that is depressing but I have faith in Kenny that he'll be able to bring out the cohesiveness and creativity and drive in the team.

No doubt. He did that last year in his first few games following the Hodgepocalypse. MUCH better circumstances and personnel this year.

B)  because I'm from Alabama and I looooove me some fried chicken. 

Frankly, we had bought 2 very good players (Enrique and Downing) while the rest (Adam, Henderson, even Bellamy) would have a lot to prove. The sale of Meireles leaves a very bitter taste. Many argued that he is injured often, pull out of tackles, etc, while this might be true or not but he does bring something different to the club in the attacking sense. We all witnessed that in the Arsenal game, where Meireles and Suarez won the game for us when they are on.
The fact is, we had sold one of our best player to a major rival, for pittance (with all their roubles) and it had strengthen them.

Many would say Meireles put in a transfer but to many including myself, he was driven to do that ala Alonso. He had been touted around Europe all season and generally made to feel unwanted, so what do you expect him to do when Chelski came calling?
We talk about depth and yet sell one of our best players. Did Fergie sell Berbatov?

Merireles would come back to haunt us and also say hi to our new role as the new feeder club to Chelski.

i like Raul (almost) as much as the next guy; but if 20 minutes at Arsenal are that convincing to you, i dont understand how the Bolton performance (where Meireles wasn't missed) doesn't tell you that if there's one man who's the critical ingredient, it's Suarez.
and yeah it's Chelsea, but if you don't think he's a difference maker for you, how much should you worry that he'll be a difference maker against you? (unless ur a spiteful, vindictive Ferguson) especially if it doesn't f up the overall plan. and you might think we got a pittance, but it's also btwn 33-50% of the 30-odd mil net we spent this summer. that ish adds up.

as for the feeder club bs, insha'fowler! its worked out pretty well so far.  not a long term m.o., i agree, but were chasing them and THEY'RE paying for it. let's not be too proud to succeed.

i take your point on the xabi treatment though. the one who ends a relationship isn't the only one responsible for killing it. but both sides seem to be happy, no?

This is a trimmed back squad to compete storngly in the EPL to deliver CL football.

Utd (your example of Berba) have Euro football so need a bigger squad, plus they're getting the CL revenue. We're not.
 
Its a streamlining move. Lots of the players can play in various positions in various formations.

I'm not denying the loss of quality we've seen with both Aqua and Raul leaving, but, I'm feeliing optimistic - which is something I haven't felt for a while!

Being able to feel good about our prospects this year and generally excited about the team and really looking forward to all games is a great feeling. Seeing Raul go, and to Chelski felt like shit.

The Bellamy signing impresses me; not that I think he's world class, but he's the type of player we will use when 'wee Luis is out. Busy, pacey, nightmare for defenders. At 32 he know's he's not 1st choice, but he know's he'll be used regularly. Imagine the team without that sort of presence.
Coates is a bit of a gamble, but the kid looks to be a good prospect, although Paletta was a well regarded South American defensive prospect too. Wilson is a prospect and so was Ayala. I would have preferred a world class replacement for Carragher, someone who could slot straight in effectively. I'd like to think we could have attracted a Hummels/Subotic quality player. I think this is required ASAP to enable Carragher to 'hand over' and we should be looking for a recruit in January - perhaps one of the teams looking unlikley to finish in a CL place may have a CB looking to jump ship at that time.

Henderson and Adam are bedding in and there's no reason to expect the world from them yet. Adam need refining and adding a couple of strings to his bow. Henderson is still learning. Adam was a solid bit s of business for the money. Henderson was a bit of a gamble at that price, but there's a premium to pay for young English talent, so I'm not concerned. Utd - Jones/Arsenal - Oxlade both parted with relatively large sums of cash to procure similar prospects.

Downing. Not sexy, but more than solid piece of business.

Enrique. I wasn't convinced, 2 years at Championship level didn't do it for me, but what a start top his Anfield career. Players always have dips in form, but if the start is anything to go by, we've got a potential legend here.

Doni - cracking bit of business to bring in such a quality back up 'keeper. Relegates Jones to a more suitable place on the ladder.
Until January we can now assess the squad players and work out if the youngsters are good enough i.e. Spearing, Shelvey, Wilson, Kelly, Flanno and Robbo all get assesed this year. I suspect that at 22 Spearing is the one most likely to be monitored most closely and whoever isn't good enough will be replaced.

We also don't have an out and out right winger so a straight 4-4-2 is unlikley this year, but the squad looks comfortable enough to play as a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-2-2-2 and 3-6-1. Maybe with the Meireles money that might come in January.Beyond that it will be dependant on where we finish, but looking to the future, we'll need to plan for replacing Gerrard (31), Bellamy (32), Kuyt (31) and Maxi (30).

If the youngsters work out, it could be 1 world class signing per transfer window which would be the strongest position we've been in for a while. If the youth don't work out, then continued re-building would be required.

Although the B rating is more to do with the offloading of so much degenwood (sic) Plus the signings are to achieve a certain goal/

So I'd rate it as B.

Player Ratings:

Adam - C
Henderson - C
Coates - C
Doni - B
Bellamy - B
Downing - B
Enrique - A

For shifting so much degenwood - B (Downgraded through loss of quality of Aquilani & Meireles)

even if u want to be stingy with ur grades, ur havin a LAUGH considering the potentially transgeder doni a 'b' over adam, hendo and coates...

why so?

a really solid back up to reina isn't worth a B? Considering the back up we've had historically he could be close to an A

Hendo = potential and has had 1 good appearance - at the moment he;s a C
Adam = has a few issues to iron out, would you say he;s the finished article? - C
Coates = from a different league, typically a region where more players fail to setle in the EPL than suceed - bags of potential yes, bit he could go either way. Odds are he;ll do well, but at the moment hes a C

mostly my beef is adam is the shit - he's the xabi alonso dimension we've been missing that most every class team must have.  aside from gerrard no one in our side can hold a candle to adam's range of passing.  Strawberry Nose wasn't joking or being cynical in january when he said his set pieces alone are worth 10m... yes, he makes some silly decisions, but hardly enough to downgrade him to a c.  plus he was cheap, he's a team player, and im actually surprised with the amount of ground he covers since the book on him was he's not mobile enuff and runs outta gas.  in other words, he's a perfect foil to play between lucas and gerrard....

im ok with the hendo grade, and coates sure, but mostly doni is just not good.  i dunno why ppl think he's good, cuz he's not.  he played for a roma team when roma as an organization were going through very similar problems that liverpool had under hicks/gillett - spaletti HAD to play him because the only options were a young Curci, and a hapless Julio Sergio (who actually took the starting job away from doni cuz he was so bad).  of all the signings we made, doni has the best chance of walking next summer, prolly for free to brazil.  i dont buy this 'able deputy' tag he somehow merits without having done anything of note his entire career (and no, playing for brazil does not qualify as something of note - ever heard of rafael sobis?  thiago neves? kleberson?).  Cudicini, for example, quintessential deputy.  We prolly cuda had Steve Harper for free or rly rly cheap.  Doni is hilario with spikey hair and a weirder face.  our true deputy is Gulacsi - and after his loan this year, id expect him to be promoted to reina's undisputed deputy.

thats what i meant. but again, i agree on the hendo and coates grades, more or less.  if anything Doni's a D, adam's a B+

Too many talk about Meireles. I don't think he has as great impact compare to when Torres left. But Torres since I remember only scored 1 for Chelsea in EPL game so far. Torres before his departure didn't perform as good as before for Liv, and seem dis-interested at time, and I did make critics about him. When he left I have mix feeling. I believe he will hit top gear again for Chelsea, but only time will tell when. Meireles is a good player but I think he is not the first choice in Kenny plan. His middle finger gesture after his assist in the Arsenal may sum up as his frustration that, he should not be ignore.
Now both are gone, we should not turn against them. Rather I felt Torres depart seem to do more good than harm to Liverpool.
It almost a full bunch of new players at the middle which really overhaul the whole team play. WHen we say we want change, this is where it should start, in the middle. We saw pace from downing, we saw some pass and long range shot from Adam, we saw running in the box from Henderson, we saw strong, power and determine of Enrique, add to our present foundation of Lucas, Agger, Kuyt, Gerrard, Johnson and Suarez, we should see more light out there. 
I rate quite high on this transfer, but I still reserve a "C". Borrow a phrase from Roy, "Rate the team for 10 game", we only has 3 or 4 games. 

Has Henry, Dalglish, or Comolli said anything about Meireles? About why he left, what happened, etc.? They usually are pretty trusting, and have given clear cut answers to questions like this in the past. 

also curious how the lads are responding. i'm not sure if it's (partly, at least) intended to keep everyone on their toes (and their fingers even), but it def adds a lot of responsibility on some young shoulders.

Comolli: "We are pleased because we had a big squad so we knew we had to let some
players go, some players wanted minutes they weren't getting here"

I think that's the closest to a clear cut answer you'll get.

I gave us a B, with Meireles being the only blemish. I really liked him as a player, but if he wanted to go, then I don't blame Kenny for getting rid of him. However, the thing I was bothered by was the transfer itself. I don't think we should have sold to Chelsea, and if we absolutely had to (if Meireles, for instance, insisted on staying in the Premier League), then we should have taken a cash + player exchange that late in the window.

I don't think our team will suffer much for his absence, and I think that Kenny, Comolli, etc will strengthen where necessary come January. I don't like filling a hole for our competition though.

The mirror has Bellamy on half his Citeh wages, but he didn't care as he got paid out by them and at 32, it wasn't clear he'd be anywhere but Cardiff (15K/week!!)

"...a great transfer window, or... left with questions about some of the moves and fees involved?" Yes.  

Great cuz we've taken a reasoned and commited swing at addressing needs up and down the park (as well as weeded out the surplus).  the new boys might not all be hits but i'd be shocked if 3 out of the 6 weren't high quality 1st XI in 4 years (and not so shocked if it was 5 out of 6).  When Enriques came in i'd have been satisfied if we'd called it a summer on the in-coming.  since then we've added a hugely promising cb and an effective (part time) striker - two significant areas of need. and it's all been part of a coherent, sustainable plan to play attractive and winning football in keeping with the club's great tradition, with the on-field results so far being, at least, positive.  we're leagues better than we were a year ago AND we can reasonably expect to be better yet at the end of the season.  that's pretty great to me. 

But yes, also questions. about losing Raul to a competitor: was it 12 or 15 mil? we didn't use the money anyway, but was there at least another quality player targeted? ambition sometimes involves failure, after all. or was this about leaving room for the new boys to gel and develop? or, was it about leaving us better equipped for the January window?  and when did he take his Chelsea medical anyway? cuz getting 15mil for a guy with a broken collar bone could turn out to be a master stroke too. and, what's the REALLY TRUE story behind the central finger (h/t Antonio) Raul offered at Arsenal?
**************

 finally (and awkwardly) a big thank you to our hosts Ed & Noel. the amount of info you two quickly absorb, digest and process in order to produce this quality site is impressive. but that you do it w/out losing a fan's passion is what i think has attracted the quality (and regular) crowd participation that i've come to enjoy since i found the site this summer. i've been an LFC supporter since '74 (ouch!), but always from afar. (i.e. i've never been - let alone lived - in Liverpool).  That'll change soon, fowler willing, but until it does i look forward to enjoying KK III's new reign at Liverpool with the motley here assembled. Liverpool Offside and a matchday live stream are as close as i've ever come to Anfield. again, thanks for the effort and execution. it's wildly appreciated. drinks on my next time you find yourselves in Oakland, CA. 

Thanks for the kind words, and glad to have you around.

I don't think Kenny didn't rate Meireles, otherwise he would not have played him at all in the league game to prevent injuries.

I've made the assertion that this has been our finest transfer window of the Premier League several times in these comment sections so I can't go back on that. Looking at the positives, we finally have the depth we've craved for years, the left-back position has finally been sorted, we have a manager who knows his shit and whom we trust, a full squad of players who we know for a fact WANT to represent the Red of Liverpool and will do so with pride, and capable owners who only want the club to move forward and back atop its perch. Sure, we lost some creativity in the middle of the field and Aquilani and Meireles departing, but we have enough quality and strength (and few enough games) to be a force this season and make it back into the top 4. And if not, we have owners who will gladly bring in anyone we need in January to kick-start our season at that point.

So yeah, I voted A.

I voted C. just making it not anonymous. buhuh. 

I think that our left side is a lot stronger than the right side.  We need a right winger (ala Downing).  Meirelss left is disappointing because he could be the only playmaker from the middle after Aquilani and Joe Cole.  We need to get someone to create spaces from the middle as Gerrard will need a lot time to get back to his level that we all expect. 
For me Lucas is the man to hold everything together... he is brilliant...

I don't think Kenny intends two uniform wingers.  He's using an out and out winger on one side (flexible which side) and a quick right midfielder on the other (Hendo or Gerrard/Kuyt).
It's a bit more flexible and less predictable, particularly when the winger swaps sides.

I believe if you want to win the title, 1 Downing is not enough.... (injury, suspension and form)  Liverpool is predictable when you have only 1 of this type of player... remember Chelsea with Duff and Robben, Arsenal with Pires and ManU have had the best wingers for a long time and they still have good ones... These type of wingers can and will create lots of problem for the defense, they are very difficult to deal with... and thats what we need, we have been missing them for decades... John Barnes, McManaman, Giggs, Young, Pires, Robben, Duff, the list goes on... these players can cross and can score... they go wide or inside... very difficult to know what they will do with the ball because they are quick and the ball always stick to their feet... we need these type of players to win the league... remember both Ronaldo and Henry started as wingers and became so good with the ball at their feet and thats why they scored so much goal and turn into strikers.... and liverpool were doing the opposite... buying strikers and turning them into wingers... we should do the other way.... buy wingers and turn them into strikers or scorers....

Looking at the Transfers Out list it's all good news - apart from Raul (although I do remember him less than committed in a couple of challenges he did turn out to be an excellent player and I would have had him in the starting eleven). 

On the Transfers In only time will tell.  If I had seen that list drawn up at the end of last season I wouldn't have got too excited.  Coates and Enrique are exciting, Downing, Adam and Henderson less so - let's hope they do the business.  That said no one will ever convince me that Bellamy isn't....what's the words I'm looking for here...a total prick.

I voted A. This is just another phase in completely rebuilding the club, and we have upgraded a lot. Enrique and Coates are fantastic signings, for little money. We paid a lot for Downing and Henderson, but that's how you have to do it without CL football to offer. Adam is cheap and committed, good for the changing room. Bellamy's not ideal but an improvement over Ngog.

Not going to miss Meireles, really. Next summer when we buy again, we will have 12m more to up our offer for a big player. Good business decision!!

Voted "B" solely because I like fried chicken.

Also, I shan't be found uttering mean things about Raul Meireles as a footballer--was and, painful as it is, will still be a player that I really enjoy watching. Think he makes a unique contribution to any side he's in, and it's disappointing that his impact won't be to the benefit of Liverpool anymore. I'm still unhealthily optimistic about how things will turn out for the club this season regardless of his presence, but I think having him around would have been a big boost. 

Well put. You should write for a blog.

I'm hoping someone takes their game to the next level to fill, what I believe, is a partial void in the middle.

fried chicken AND waffles??  cuz that rly wud be unhealthy...and delicious.

Roscoe is that you? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R...

To answer the above question - lfc is the most improved team in the epl.  This feels like the offseason we shuda had right when gillett/hanks took over.  Remember that off season?  Rafa wanted to finish clearing houllier's leftovers and if i'm not mistaken he had penciled in villa, downing and silva to go along with stevie in his pomp and a xabi alonso just realizing his potential... the rest is history obviously, and this refrain is starting to sound boring, but hats off to Henry, really.  Best part is, I get the feeling if the boss had the chance to describe his impact so far, he may summon up the immortal words of Lieutenant Col. Frank Slade, "I'm just gettin WAAARMMMEDDD UP!"
 

Most improved? More than Manchester City? And what is so good with our owners apart of their culture of expression and PR intuition?

Kun Aguero alone makes City twice the team they were last year. He'll score as many goals as the whole rest of the team, including Tevez, if he stays. We are more than twice the team we were last year. So, close call. But I think we shade it.

def more than man city - they had an amazing team to start out with before this transfer window... or do you think we were about on even footing with the mancs b4 we made a solitary signing?  u cud argue utd, but again - they were champions so its not like they got massive margins to work within is it?  chelsea, more or less the same thing.  we completely fell from grace, it was ugly, and in one an a half transfer windows we're back - thats my logic.

as far as the owners: patience, cash, willingness to spend cash, sound business ideas and practices, willingness to learn and quick studies at that, humility, excellent at matching the right people for the right positions (i.e. kk, ia & dc), FAITH in the people to do the jobs they were hired to do, proven pedigree and sustained success at the highest level of professional sport.  I mean, honestly, i'm sure i could go on, but the question doesnt seem to be what is so good about the owners, but rather how long has it been since your last eye exam, as u obviously can't tell a good thing when u see it...

Faith in people, proven pedigree .... that's ok, but if money is a relative tool to some extent, it's true for the people and their pedigree, too. So do we have a proper combination of all the items? I think, no, because 42 - 43 mln. pounds in two consekutive transfer periods is a chicken food for a club with high ambitions in EPL. It is a matter of wisdom and honesty to recognise it. At least the sums from our last two sales could have been reinvested in a kuality winger or a playmaker and if the lack of time should be used as an excuse for not doing so, that's again not honesty, but a PR campaigning of the owners.

ur problem is ur taking a russian oligarch and an oil laden sheikh - neither of whom have any sense real business responsibility - as the norm, when it so clearly is the exception.  Even Man Utd, with their their trophy laden cabinets and extensive sponsorships, execute a business plan.  Without consistent execution on that front, the club would crumble.  Henry underlined this point clearly in that telegraph interview when he mentioned that he runs clubs with the idea that when he eventually moves on (dies, sells, etc.) the club will be sustainable.  Outside of the world of football, think of it in light of the global financial meltdown, businessmen of henry's ilk are more important than ever - people like abramovich and mansour are exactly the type of folks in charge of the banking system and governments that got us in this mess in the first place.  Its exactly these types of businessmen that are eating away at the game - sure liverpool has a sweet owner, but what about bolton?  blackpool? burnley?  the whole reason the EPL is considered the best league is the parity - 6 teams battle for 4 places - and the whole world of football should strive for parity as much as possible, not crave the meaningless riches of a lucky few ultimately have no respect for the game...

so, go ahead an scoff at the responsible, effective, and sustainable net spend, but what happens ur 'high ambitions' when mansour gets bored with football and moves on to formula one or building a space station or whatever the hell he gets off on...

are the results on the field and on the balance books, also PR contrivances?  fair point if you believe you've got to spend like a billionaire to earn like a billionaire - to each his own.  but do you really think we lost Mata (or Aguero) only because we wouldn't pay their wages? if you're umimpressed with FSG's financial commitment to the cause, i'd suggest that lack of CL football on offer is most responsible for the modest net spend.

now, if we qualify for next year and they don't stump up for Hazard...

We made a too thrifty selection amounting to no more than a net investment of 42 - 43 mln. pounds. Was and is that the margine between Manchester United and us really? Do we have now a bigger depth in the lines? Ceratinly not, although we should be a stronger team than in the past 2 years, anyway. But stronger at best for the 4 th position in EPL. No more.  

Voted B - As we'll see how they all work out, but the early signs are promising.
My main point would be getting those key signs done early is a HUGE win. We've always left things too late in the past, and it was good to see players being bought early  - so they can settle in quicker, and so that we don't get to panic like Arsenal this time :)

absolutely.  3 games in and some of those signings are already finding their feet and looking convincing.  This last week was almost like a separate window.

The Bolton game was very convincing.  No doubt they will need time to become clinical and consistent and truly settled in but the transformation even from last season was superb.

Wenge on the other hand didn't even seem to have a plan to replace Nasri and Fabregas the loser.

Is our central midfield worse than this time last year? (bear in mind we just loaned aqua out the first time so there was still the possibility of his return - now there is no hope.) When Gerrard and Adam are absent, we have Lucas 24, Spearing 22, Henderson 20 and Shelvey 18. And we hope they control the likes of Yaya, Nasri and Barry; Lampard, Meireles and Ramires? Last season we could call on Poulsen 30, Meireles 27 and Cole 29, for some experience, which was comforting in a sense. Those four midfielders are good midfielders, Shelvey and Henderson in particular have great futures, but we're fighting to get back into the top four with them, this season.

Spurs held out for over a month with Modric, and turn down as much as 40m. We have Chelsea press for a couple of days and put in a 12m bid in the 11th hour and we crumbled. We spent 110m building a squad and we're left with three u/23 englishmen with very little experience. We were incredible fickle. And if he really was that expendable, a decent experienced back up would have been appreciated. Where were we when Parker was skipping on to Spurs for 5m. Spurs a week ago looked awful because i thought they would crack over modric. but now they have kept him and brought in parker. So we'll see Parker, Sandro and Modric possibly lined up against our three u/23's, should one of the older fella's get injured.
I must say I am nervous. A bit more muscle back there would have helped in my opinion. Never-the-less they're good players and done well so far. I only hope they're maturer than we expect them to be, even.

but we're not STARTING shelvey and spearing are we? so its a moot point to suggest they'd automatically be playin against city's first choice or vice-versa...  Further i dont thnk u can make an objective argument that spearing hendo and shelvey wud necessarily lose out vs. barry/milner/hargreaves (yes that is city's like for like back ups as it stands)  or gibson/fletcher/carrick or  mikel/mceachren/romeu (although i do kinda like that future chelsea midfield...) 

Spurs basically bought themselves a nasri/cesc scenario - modric will not play up to the same level he did last year until he is sold on, mark my words.  we didnt make that mistake, ole boy handed in a transfer request and we dont keep players who dont want to be there, wuda thot the Torres transfer made this Absolutely Clear... parker is stevie g jr., so redundant tactically, plus he's old and would eat into the development of the aforementioned players plus stunt any potential dvlpmnt of reserve/academy players, which is a stated aim of this new regime. 

we're not winnin the prem this year, no matter WHO wuda bought, but we are winnin the prem in the near future if we maintain the astute purchases and dvlpmnt of in house talent... same ish barca did around 10 years ago, and thats turned out pretty fair for them id say...

All this talk about Meireles and nothing about Bellamy. Kids gonna get his feelings hurt and come out swinging. Does he have any of the pace left that I loved to watch at Newcastle? $95k/week. He better have 95% of his old skills.

Is he expecting to cement a partnership with "El Pistolero"?

The Mirror has him on half the Citeh contract with them having paid him out.  Otherwise he was looking at Cardiff at £15K/month, unless he wanted to do a QPR or something.

Raul was slick, but if bellamy's hamstrings are ok (here's hoping), he has pace and guile.  He was awesome with Tevez actually.

Kenny has Lucas and Adam/Gerrard distributing and the targets are Downing, Hendo/Gerrard, Suarez, Carroll, with Bellamy as backup.  That's not bad at all.  There's pace, experience, strength and trickery spread amongst them.

They're already binding well and it will only get better with KK and Steve Clarke.

I loved watching Bellamy at Newcastle with Shearer. SO much raw pace and intelligent very fast running with & without the ball. ( and the trickery you mention). He would drive defenders nuts.

If he's 95% what he was then, I would expect Suarez is going to love playing with him.

And at half the City contract the wages probably make sense.

I get the impression we might have been in for a couple of other strikers first (younger obviously).  Borini has been mentioned, as has Jelavic from Rangers.

I'd rather we didn't do Italians again for a while, the last one's bad taste is still in the mouth.

City bought out the remaining two years of his £95,000 a week contract.  Although I think they compromised on the buyout as Bellamy was going to be signing a new contract with Liverpool.  It sounded similar to how Doni left Roma.

Raul meireles will be rembered very fondly by myself. maybe only me, by myself. nonetheless, my two reasons that anyone who bought a meireles shirt shouldn't feel too bad (i wasn't one i'll let you guess whos got my back), and two good reasons that his short stay here was significant to the club. The Camden loving, finger flippin, money grabbing, MEGAVOLLEYing git. 
    http://youtu.be/NOR7M3tDUDE                 http://youtu.be/Ii53oAQHKgk
 Ha.   Ha.   Ha.                                          Poor soundtrack, wicked finish.

B.

it been a few years since liverpool fc had such a balance transfer window in terms of getting defenders,mid field and another striker in one transfer window,gone the era of benitez and hodgson whereby lack of funds to get a decent squad.i am happy and optimistic about the future of this club i so supportive with my heart,i hope daglish and comoli can get another out and out winger in the next window,i still felt that on the wings we are quite weak .

Sad 2 c Raul leave, but we still have alota depth in his position & alot younger then him, So gud luck Raul hope u as succesful as Torres @ Chesea, cause all good players carees DIES @ THE BRIDGE. EG: DECO SHEVCHENCO, CRESPO the list goes on & on LOL!!!!!!! 

Good, solid stuff. More to come in January for sure. Bring on the Potters! (good deal on their side as well btw: Delap -> Crouch ->scramble -> 94th min goal)

I voted B.  I am and have been really enthusiastic for about half of the new signings and am hoping to be proven wrong week-in and week-out about those over whom I wasn't as enthusiastic (as I was against Bolton).  I'm also really impressed by the purging job carried out in the last days of the window.  I honestly didn't think we'd be able to move on so many players who weren't playing for us.

On the other hand, I'm extremely disappointed that we've lost Meireles and Aquilani.  It may well be the case that we'd lost their devotion to the club earlier in the summer or before and that they needed to be moved on, but regardless of why they left, I think we're the worse off for it.  The "Meireles shits out of the tackle" and the "Aquilani is soft and can't handle the pace of the game in England even though he's a gifted one-touch player" characterizations bandied about in connection to the pair are-- in my opinion-- misguided to the point of being kind of ridiculous.  But it doesn't matter now because they're gone and we're still a tremendous side with what looks like a positively-exciting future ahead of it.  C'MON YOU REDMEN!

It's the revising of history that happens any time a player wants to leave. My favourite is "Kenny didn't rate him because he started Henderson against Sunderland" when Meireles was coming back from injury and hadn't had a preseason. I get that people want to say he sucked and it won't hurt the team and we didn't want him anyhow, but there's no evidence of who Dalglish would have picked first had both been equally match ready and meanwhile the club turned down £12M from Italy and told Chelsea not to come back before the written request forced their hand.

But he totally sucked and is a coward and Kenny loathed his worthless guts and when you consider how great Jonjo Shelvey's gonna be it's really addition by subtraction if you think on it, etc., etc.

Noel your feelings on the meireles transfer are well documented, and it's hard to disagree. The revisionism is unwarranted and it is absurd to suggest Raul wasn't a well above average player. However, I do believe it's a bit naive to think the club had no intention of selling the player until some mysterious transfer request was dropped off in Comolli's office one hour before the deadline. Furthermore, all transfer speculation with regards to the Italy bid is just that - rumor - as it is for any unconfirmed transfer story. We may never know what the true story is here, however I believe it's far more sensible to believe that Kenny simply didn't rate him, or didn't rate him enough to give him the playing time and/or pay raise he wanted. Once this story is viewed in that light, it's understandable that people are focusing on Raul's shortcomings and deficiencies so as to at least try to understand why Kenny didn't find Raul to be a crucial part of the squad.

Thank you.  I'm as emotional and stubborn as the next fan, but revisionism is where I draw the line.  Suddenly everyone around here does, and always has, view Meireles as second-rate garbage.

I guess everyone has already forgotten his 20 minutes at the Emirates 2 short weeks ago. He was the difference maker as much as Suarez. The whole dynamic on the pitch changed drastically.  He decided the match with his movement and play to set up Suarez 90 minute goal. And to suggest that he should be behind Hendo and even Adam is ridiculous.

And, I am very happy to finally realize that we stole Abramovich's $19 million.

IMO, when there is Suarez everyone seems to make a wonderful off the ball movement. With the exception of Carroll of course ( not bashing him, I wish he could learn from Kuyt how to link up very very well with Suarez, but now it is just the reality that he does not link that well with Suarez, yet). Not that I don't like Meireles, everyone does but as you can see vs Bolton with Suarez on the pitch, we don't need a certain Raul to combine with him for our attack to be effective. Oh and now I hope Meireles ends up performing like you-know-who.

I really liked Raul, both what he brought to the team as a creative midfielder and playmaker and personality wise. And I feel he got somewhat of a raw deal in regard to his contract and vs. Adam. Would like to have seen him get an improved contract at the beginning of the summer. The case for Raul is stated quite elegantly by GerrardsBoxingCoach in his TWO posts above. So, no need to rehash here.

And now I find myself in the position, like you, of hoping Raul plays like shit at Chelsea. Like you know who.

Yea its not like when they came on Arsenal had lost their legs and was down to 10 men. It's not like 8-or-9 of the players on the pitched were already tired from playing a midweek match against Udinese. I know Miereles is a good player and I was sad to see him go, but to say that he was 100% responsible for the win over Arsenal is a bit daft.

One other very minor point Mr. Griffin. The Udinese match was the Wednesday AFTER our game. Then the Arsenal played United on the Sunday after Udonese.

The first leg dude, on the Tuesday before, no?

Yea, I'm writing this stuff at 2 AM after having been on the road for 8 hours. can't see straight.

Didn't say he was 100% responsible. I think it was pretty obvious to most people watching that the 2 subs changed the game for us and and that without them, even with 10 men for Arsenal a draw was likely.

Like I said, the whole dynamic on the pitch changed Directly as a result of those 2 guys. 2 different guys, draw.

But I was also trying to reinforce the points made above by Noel and the two very astute posts made by GerrardsBoxingCoach. The refutation of Meireles "Dodging tough tackles" is especially good.

*takes off tin hat* 

Lucas still sucks though, right? 

Spot on. Too many of our "fans" turn to hate as soon as a player changes his employer. Maybe when they're old enough to have had jobs and changed them for better pay, location, wall to wall fanny, they'll chance their tune?

I'm disappointed he went, we could have wrapped up his contract at the end of the season, the club chose not to for reasons we'll never know. But I'm not going to mope about and spout crap about him. 

We're in a much better position than this time last year with a decent squad, and a successful manager. I'd be surprised if we didn't pull away from the pack, even if we're way off the two Manc sides. Chelsea are rebuilding, so they're probably our rivals for third if all goes well. I can't see Arsenal or Spurs keeping up.

Save the vitriol for the refs, not our ex-players!

IT was  a bit bizarre paying him so little and then not sorting it out, given they wanted him to stay (refused all offers).  I don't get that.
He was going to have to have a new contract next summer due to 2 years being left on it at 29, so it's possible they might have sold him then anyway.

Think the 4yr contract at Chelski (champs league footy) and more than double the wages was too much to pass up - probably his last senior contract.  Cant blame him for that.

But as an intelligent player, it seems that they could have just reneg'd his contract now as he would be the senior/wise midfielder when Gerrard retires (so long as his legs hold out). 

To be fair.  The transfer request means the club gets the whole £12 million and doesn't have to give Meireles the bonus he would have gotten.  Ultimately, I don't think Dalglish wanted Meireles.  He was far more complimentary of Joe Cole in the media than he was to Meireles.  And many journalists with good connections to the club were firmly holding the line that Meireles was for sale and Dalglish didn't rate him for the squad.  It is possible that Dalglish has flaws.  Apart from Doni who isn't particularly relevant, LFC didn't buy a single player from outside the Premier League.  There were quite a few Leighton Baines rumours over the summer and Dalglish was said to be driving the interest.

They did sign Coates and of course Suarez in January, but your point is well taken.

In addition to Doni, we also got Coates, and Marveaux went as far as a medical.

lol, that's because he wanted to get rid of Joe Cole.

absolutely, the whole pre-season was about bigging up the shop window.  Next year will be much better. Bet they do the States.

B! Bitches!

Would have been A, just for the Jesus (our savior of the LB spot) Enrique signing, until the Raul news broke out...that Judas.

I know this flies in the face of most opinions, but Meireles....let's talk... 
Scored a few goals..and a few assists, his short distribution was adequate...but can't tackle, prone to injury, brushed aside quite easily, physically seems lightweight, not the speediest, Kenny & Comolli wanted more pace in the team than last season) a tad guilty of jumping out of the way on quite a few occasions when faced with what appears to be a tough looking challenge coming his way. Can only seem to play centrally (either midfield or behind the striker)Certainly not the range of passing or goal scoring and assist record of Charlie, nor the assist record of Henderson, or the positional flexibility and assists of Downing, who all tackle back more effectively than Raul (even Charlie!)
With Lucas and Gerrard pencilled in, ask yourself...
Is he good enough to replace any of the above?
Simply put, he had to go.
A total (I think) of 19 out, either released, loaned out or sold, none of Roy's players remain, and figures vary, but estimated we've slashed about £30mill off the wage bill.
While we've gained impressive young prospects, pace, wingers, players who can really play naturally on the left! (at last), experience and cover, while keeping the best of the youngsters.
All-in-all, hat's off to the owners, Kenny and Comolli.

I think calling his short distribution "adequate" is selling him massively short, as is leaving out his positional play and knack for making good runs.  As for dodging tough-looking challenges, if he's not going to be able to keep the ball regardless of whether he tries to ride it out/absorb it or jumps out of the way, I can't imagine why anyone would want him to do anything other than dodge it-- maybe if he doesn't end up in the dirt, he can collect the ball wherever the challenge ends up putting it.  I never had the impression he was needlessly losing possession simply because he wasn't willing to absorb challenges, and I don't think there's some intrinsic value in allowing someone to take you out, so for me, even if it were undeniably the case that he didn't like physical play... I wouldn't care.  I never remember thinking as I watched him play that he was a poor tackler, but then neither did I think he was particularly good at it-- which is about how I feel about the tackling ability of all the new signings you suggest he couldn't replace.  I also think his apparent willingness to run himself into the ground would indicate that he probably does track back pretty effectively, and I can't say I've been struck by a Kuyt-like tenacity in any of the 3 new boys.  I also very seriously doubt he's any slower than Adam.  Having said all that, it doesn't matter now and I want everything you've said about him to turn out to be a spot-on assessment of his performances for his new employers. 

I'm always sort of stunned at how any two supporters of a club can have such wildly different impressions of a player they both watch every week, and Meireles and Aquilani were the two on the squad who I think most polarized opinions throughout the window.  At this point-- with him gone-- obviously we can all just agree to disagree, and lord knows I wish him no luck at Chelsea, but at the beginning of the summer I'd rather the club have given Raul a bigger contract and not signed Adam.  For now, I'm looking forward to being proven wrong.  Players come and go.  Oh well.

Excellent analysis. What take a hit just to get creamed when you can sidestep and try to collect the ball after the other guy goes flying in.

Adam tracks back better. Please. Adam tackles better. Usually late, often from behind and often terrible at it.

Who's a better creative midfielder. Rail was much better even considering the occasional Hollywood ball he would produce.

Who put in a stronger shift and tireless running? Raul.

I would have also rather we gave Raul an improved contract and pass on Adam.

Oh well, like you said, we'll just have to disagree on this one.

 And think of the number of people that went out... 19!!! Is it a portent of things to come?

They'd better not get rid of another 19!!

I couldnt agree more! the only players with a question mark now are lucas,maxi and kuyt. Are they good enough? personally i dont think so, yes they can do a job but lets be patient things are looking up. 

lucas not good enough? seriously what r u smoking?

Fair play to you chief. Your take on Meireles will meet with a few glares round these parts but the overall argument you make is bang on. I've always liked what Raul had to offer on the ball and his prozone stats seemed to suggest that he covered a tremendous amount of ground. Like you though, I always felt he was suspect defensively and a bit 'windy' (as we say in these parts) in the tackle. That's not revisionism or sour grapes, by the way. It's a shame that his impact at The Emirates was so striking really, as it leaves the loss of such a classy attacker as the main thing in my mind.

However as myself, yourself and others have said, the reality was that Raul was behind Lucas, Adam, Stevie and even Hendo for a starting berth in the centre of the park. And when looked at objectively, the business done by Kenny, Comolli and FSG has been astute, canny and very pleasing for us fans of LFC.

 My fondness for Meireles made me lean towards a (B) vote but when you consider Adam, Hendo, Downing, Doni, Enrique, Coates and Bellers IN and the shedding of The Hair, The Greek, The Winded One, Jova, The Chunky Fella, The Konch, Wash ngog and (fanfare) Phillip Fuckin Degen....well, I'm voting (A). Best window since we got Barnesy, Beardo and Houghton in 87. Yes, I'm that old....

Hi redtrev...and others, Just want to make a final point, I need to stress this is not a case of revisionism...plenty of witnesses around here can attest to my long standing opinion of Raul....that said, I genuinely don't dislike him as a player (still perplexed at how he got the award tho'...what happened to Lucas!?)
Someone here mentioned he made some good runs...(when Suarez was on the pitch creating the space)...sorry but show a rabbit a hole and he'll run down it, we didn't seem to have the wit to get the ball there in an accurate and or timely fashion though...Just some stats...Raul...Last season...Games 35, goals (the only true measure surely) 5Charlie..Games 36, goals 13 (at Blackpool!)Downing..Games 44, goals 8 (at Villa) And Yes, I'm older, again let's not forget Molby...Charlie Adam's long lost Dad/role model...Didn't run around much, track back, tackle well either, but could put the ball on a thru'penny bit!

If you want to use goals as the true measure, these are the stats I found on Anfield Index for Charlie. Games 34, goals 12, penalty kicks 8!!!, free kicks 2!, goals from open play 2! A goal from open play every 17 games.

Another very interesting statistic, minutes played
per shot on goal, 87. Charlie averaged one shot on goal per game.

Raul averaged a goal from open play every 7 games.

So, if you want to use stats, let's use some meaningful ones.

Raul had half a season not under the ball and chain of Mr verbal diarrhoea 'c5ntin owl face' as the XtraNormal vid describes him.  Not really great stats.

Hi JPR, Stats can and do hide a multitude of things...including your well made point about open play goals, but equally important must be what team you ply your trade with(and therefore what calibre of players surround you).
Raul was statistically in the better team..fact (sorry Rafa lol) and therefore perhaps should have done better?...A fair point I think.Throw some more stats in the mix...Raul assists 5.Adam assists 8.(And so far 2 more assists and a goal for us from open play!)And perhaps if he'd taken the penalty instead of Suarez?...oh well...I'm not saying Adam is a better player than Raul, just the better player for us now and used the right way, with his delivery and dead ball skills, we are in my opinion, better off. 

Of course, Raul was in the better team. Fair point. So should have done better.

One of your BIG points in comparing Raul and Charlie was 12 goals vs 5 goals. ("goals, the only TRUE measure, surely"). I was just making the point that when you consider that 8! of Charlies goals are PK's and two are DK's, the goal comparison favors Raul, not Charlie.

So, now goals is not the only true measure, surely?

Anyway, I would have preferred Raul, for a number of reasons. But he's gone so no sense debating.

And, I do very much like Charlies dead ball skills. Although, at Arsenal they were a bit off.

6 months, a new squad on a seriously modest net spend.  Bitchin!

good argument on Raul Meireles.  I liked him for his possession game.  He made a lot of disruptive runs and passed well but it looks like Henderson can be that player with a bit more power.  Would have been nice to see another winger signed, but if there is need Comolli can find one in January.