rahl

Nope, read better pls.

Dont write off Ox so quickly. He has pace and power, looks the type with physical qualities Klopp can develop. Coutinho was pretty average stats wise for a long time too. More worrying though is Ox's injury record.

Coutinho doesnt seem the sort to hand in a transfer request or go to war, as Stevie said?

Anyone keen on Tadic?

No way VVD gets done at 70m. Prolly the club was willing to pay 45.

I don't get it, why are we still seeing reports of players agreeing to move to a club or personal terms when agreement with the player's club has not been obtained? Is it cos the club has not been reported by the player's club? Is it alright to approach player if the club had made a formal bid? Is it cos English FA regards the press as crap (which they mostly are)? Are we just worried cos of the existing 2 year ban? Are we just chicken? Are we just happy to pull the plug? What?

Some heads must roll surely after such a massive f***-up - starting with Michael Edwards.

I don't understand some journos saying we could still rekindle our interest in vvd somehow if he submits transfer request post-shambles.

It's all been rather buried under the vvd debacle and rightly so but how the f*** too did we so quickly screw up the Salah situation and 'bid' for an hitherto unknown player who may cost even more? Long long summer ahead.

Height in defence and pace in attack, will be over the moon.

Hope Milner gives some crossing lessons to Moreno and Clyne. You don't have to fizz the ball at 100mph.

Don't think though Klopp is the pragmatic sort. He will try to win the next game and pick the best team to do it (in the Bournemouth sense) rather than 'protect' players for the 'most important' games. His football has always been high risk (and I think he's right).

Question if we Klopp it: can our squad press? I know it's not all about pace but many of our midfielders are one pace (think Lallana). Hendo does it well cos he is relentless and has the stamina. Ings will be great, not sure about Origi. Cou is good at stealing the ball. Moreno with that recovery lunge as big as his body. Ibe seems to be half confused in his defensive work.

Guys, did Aquilani play against Kaiserslauten? If not, why?

thank you rafa for bringing us hope and dreams, as great managers and players do.

Restores a bit of my faith in journalists!

It doesn't make sense to do something drastic like sack Rafa and then appoint an interim manager. This I really hope suggests we have a good plan manager-, team- and club-wise.

If you're worried about Torres' injuries, look at Messi a few seasons back; he seems to have been over his niggling injuries for two solid seasons (although I would be particularly worried about Torres for next season if he is going to the World Cup). If we can sell our match winners and become a better side, the selling clubs would have broken into the top 4 or are challenging for the title No need for drastic measures (yes I understand the frustration about the injuries and Stevie's at times less than committed performances, and Torres' on-field petulance - I think those may be the real reasons why we think selling them would benefit the team but it doesn't quite work that way).

Don't think it's the quality of the delivery in general (although some of them were really poor) but the players attacking them. Stevie (the usual taker), Torres and Agger are just about our best attackers of the ball. Sigh...

Agreed, even a manc wouldn't be as critical of us.

For a start, some stats? How many goals has he scored, particularly last season? We do need goals from the rest of the team.

Yes, it's disappointing to see the fans so divided over the Xabi-Barry debate. I don't think there's a clear answer at this point but we should all recognise that it is not about individuals but the team. Will we win the league title with Alonso in it or will we have a better chance with Barry? I for one like the fact that Rafa is trying to change things and do something about winning the league. Would it be better if he did nothing at all and just stayed within his comfort zone, buying the same type of players? It's a gamble to swap Xabi for Barry for sure but at least it gives us a chance, and hope.

I think people are over-reacting to the idea of Alonso going to Arsenal. Not that I want it in particular but as a manager, you think of what a new signing brings to the team and not what selling your player to a rival brings to them. If Rafa doesn't think Alonso has a future in the Pool squad and has lined up someone better for us, then I'd support him being sold to Arsenal or anyone else (except the Scum and Everton!).

Wouldn't it be particularly good now if we DON'T sign Barry? LOL On a more serious note, I find it interesting that we seem to (or have been perceived to) delay/bargain the Barry deal while we have done the Keane transfer much more quickly and smoothly, for a similarly large sum of money (almost tantamount to overpaying), plus add an extra to the Spurs charity. This seems to cast doubt on two theories - that we have no money and that we are being difficult on the Barry case. One apparent explanation is that we don't value Barry as much as Keane, not sure how true that it though. In any case, it is quite clear that the MON factor is quite negligible.

Exactly, none of the others mentioned ever came close to Diouf.