Raheem Sterling

[topscorer]

Hope we've negotiated a QPR style sell on fee so we can pocket some more money when he next has a tantrum to force a move.

[Kenneth]

You've got to see the problem to be able to fix it.

The question is if FSG don't see the problem why not and if they do see the problem are they going to fix it or is this what they want?

But again, either way, there's **** all we can do about it. Best to just shrug and see how **** goes down.

[Montana]

The guy is not even a consistent proven pl player so £45m is great business for a person with a such a bad attitude

Good deal

[TheElephantMan]

He was probably one of the first names on the teamsheet for us. Let's give credit where it's due - we didn't have an abundance of creative threatening players last season. Since Suarez left Sterling has been our most consistent threat up until the point when he stopped wanting to play football.

[Montana]

Most consistent threat up front was Coutinho

[TheElephantMan]

No he wasn't. Sterling was our best attacking option until he started being a dickhead.

[Vermilion]

While i have sympathy with the view that we never seem to sign many if any quality top proven players of CL quality. etc etc. i don't think it's for the want of trying.

We've probably asked the question of quite a few players that fall into the above category, but if they wont come here what is the club meant to do ?

The only answer that i can see is for us to get lucky/smart; with a few shrewd purchases under the radar of the super wealthy more alluring clubs, and for a manager to get us to overachieve for a decent period of time, so that we are seen as CL regulars, who are then seen to be willing to invest in the best players to win trophies and titles.

I just don't see us buying a team of ready made quality players of the level our rivals are able to in order to suddenly challenge for titles consistently, even if we wanted to, not as we are now.

[peekay]

While i have sympathy with the view that we never seem to sign many if any quality top proven players of CL quality. etc etc. i don't think it's for the want of trying.

We've probably asked the question of quite a few players that fall into the above category, but if they wont come here what is the club meant to do ?

The only answer that i can see is for us to get lucky/smart; with a few shrewd purchases under the radar of the super wealthy more alluring clubs, and for a manager to get us to overachieve for a decent period of time, so that we are seen as CL regulars, who are then seen to be willing to invest in the best players to win trophies and titles.

I just don't see us buying a team of ready made quality players of the level our rivals are able to in order to suddenly challenge for titles consistently, even if we wanted to, not as we are now.

Alonso.. Rafa tried to flog him..Tax in England.. Blah Blah..
Mascherano...Highly unprofessional, refused to play, wife not settled..
Torres...lacked loyalty, Chelsea's wages...
Suarez...Too many issues to handle...We were always going to lose him anyway...
Sterling...Not that good..Not a big loss anyways...

At some point the heat should fall on our management structure. Start winning stuff and pay the necessary wages and most players will stay. If not they will find creative ways to leave. Not sure if half of our legends from our glory years would have been around if we were consistently below Spurs.

Not to turn this post into a criticism of FSG or Ayre or Rodgers. But our management better plan with the aim of competing for the top prizes within the next 2 years or I am sure there will be another breakout star leaving us soon.

[ChrisDR1968]

Alonso.. Rafa tried to flog him..Tax in England.. Blah Blah..
Mascherano...Highly unprofessional, refused to play, wife not settled..
Torres...lacked loyalty, Chelsea's wages...
Suarez...Too many issues to handle...We were always going to lose him anyway...
Sterling...Not that good..Not a big loss anyways...

At some point the heat should fall on our management structure. Start winning stuff and pay the necessary wages and most players will stay. If not they will find creative ways to leave. Not sure if half of our legends from our glory years would have been around if we were consistently below Spurs.

Not to turn this post into a criticism of FSG or Ayre or Rodgers. But our management better plan with the aim of competing for the top prizes within the next 2 years or I am sure there will be another breakout star leaving us soon.

Ultimately everything rests on how good the team manager is. That's been the case since Kenny resigned in 1991.

The fact that overall we've failed as a club to achieve anything like the consistancy we had between 1973-1990 is because the team managers we've had since then have not been good enough.

The club has certainly spent enough... at least in terms of transfer fees since 1991.

[baitman]

...But our management better plan with the aim of competing for the top prizes within the next 2 years or I am sure there will be another breakout star leaving us soon.

it might be a level that FSG are reluctantly happy to settle for until we finish the stadium [main stand phase] and then lets see if they stick or twist then.
they may decide its a good time to cash in on their asset [shanghai] or they might then decide to develop the Anfield road end.

at the moment we dont have a wide enough scouting structure to allow us to cash in on our best players every couple of years knowing we have a steady stream of new lads coming through who are ready to step up to the highest level. we will struggle to go out and buy two or three top class players every year without selling someone like suarez, sterling or maybe coutinho.

we need to be bringing them in at a lower level [ings, gomez] and allow them to peek here.
the odd big signing will still be needed to plug any obvious gaps in our starting 11 as we have been too lightweight in several areas.

[Slinky Skills]

If Sterling is worth £50 million. I can't imagine what Coutinho is worth.

[danperkins]

I think we're going to find out exact how much next season, when the bog boys come calling.

[captainfog]

This is the most he'll ever be sold for. Good business. Massively overrated footballer. And he's a tit.

[captainfog]

I think we're going to find out exact how much next season, when the bog boys come calling.

Yup.

[Harv]

Ah well. I think he'll go onto become a top class player and eventually a 15-20 goal a season man. Maybe he won't. Whatever, he's gone now and £49m is a great fee. I think we're wasting the dough spending it on Benteke but there's **** all I can do about it.

Meeting all the lads on Sunday before they play here Monday night. I'll be doing all i can to try convince Rodgers to sign Lacazette or Reus instead of Big Chris.