Liverpool fans are out in some considerable force defending their club from \u2018buying the title\u2019 accusations.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a lot on net spend in here but keep reading because we have thoughts of Crystal Palace fans and others.<\/p>\n
Send your views on any subject \u2013 not just Liverpool \u2013 to theeditor@football365.com<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Reasons to be giddy after that transfer window<\/p>\n
Wow, what a transfer window and what a season we have ahead of us! Things I am most excited about:<\/p>\n
1) Liverpool\u2019s new attack. The benefits of keeping a settled squad are clear (hello last season), but in terms of start of the season excitement, spending 400 million in one window<\/strong><\/a> really does turn things up to 11.<\/p>\n 2) Man U and Amorim. Cunha and Mbeumo are quality but their squad is imbalanced, central midfield is a glaring weakness and Amorim looks defeated. There\u2019s definitely a chance he can turn it around but there\u2019s probably a bigger chance he can\u2019t.<\/p>\n 3) Man City\u2019s rebuild and Pep\u2019s head. They have quietly spent a lot of money over the last two windows as Pep rebuilds. They haven\u2019t started well, the squad isn\u2019t currently at the level of the squad of a few season\u2019s back and I\u2019m not convinced it has the ceiling to get there. I\u2019m also unconvinced Pep still has the appetite for it or the capacity to innovate effectively.<\/p>\n 4) Tottenham\u2019s additions, Tottenham\u2019s new manager. I think they could be a force this year. There, I\u2019ve said it. Kudus, Palhinha, Simons and Kolo Muani really add to the squad and Frank is a fantastic manager. Top 6 certainly and would love to see them sneak top 4 at the expense of one of the below.<\/p>\n 5) Chelsea and Arsenal. Both have spent heavily over the last few seasons and need to show progress this year. I dislike Chelsea\u2019s business model to the extent that I really want it to fail and whilst I respect the fact that Arsenal are spending money they have earnt, Arteta really has been backed and needs to deliver.<\/p>\n 6) Strikers. Isak for Wissa and Woltemade. Wissa will score goals and they needed depth up front, so two ticks there but how the unproven Woltemade does will determine how Newcastle\u2019s striker business is viewed. Sesko and Gy\u00f6keres are likewise unproven but are expected to lead the line at two big clubs. Can those three step up?<\/p>\n So much intrigue in the season ahead, bring it on! \u00a0<\/p>\n Liverpool buying the league? Behave\u2026<\/p>\n I haven\u2019t got the stats in front of me, but when was the last time a football club won the league without having any players who weren\u2019t bought, or has never bought a player\/facilities in some way?<\/p>\n Yes, Liverpool have spent money this summer, but everybody has. Whoever wins the league this season will have bought the league. Same as last year, year before etc\u2026<\/p>\n Give it a bloody rest\u2026 if you support a football team, pretty much no matter what badge, players (and facilities) have been bought to improve them with the goal of increasing the chance of winning matches and ultimately trophies.<\/p>\n In every other business, it\u2019s called investing. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2026So, Newcastle blinked (of course they did the silly sausages). After weeks of huffing and puffing, posturing about \u201cacting like a big club\u201d and holding firm at some fantasy valuation, they finally caved on deadline day. Alexander Isak, Liverpool\u2019s top target all summer, signed for a British record \u00a3125m.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s not forget \u2013 Liverpool had \u00a3120m on the table ages ago. Newcastle wasted half their own window chasing a few extra coins down the back of the sofa, upset their own striker in the process, and then sold him anyway. All that noise, and the inevitable happened. If anyone got \u201cboxed in,\u201d it was them.<\/p>\n And now, right on cue, the chorus of idiots emerges. \u201cLiverpool are hypocrites!\u201d \u201cLiverpool are bloated!\u201d \u201cBuying the league!<\/strong><\/a>\u201d Honestly, it\u2019s embarrassing how predictable and lazy some of these contributions are. These are the same people who spent years moaning about our so-called \u201cnet spend<\/strong><\/a> trophy\u201d \u2014 and now that we\u2019ve finally flexed our financial muscles after 15 years of discipline, they still can\u2019t cope. The jealousy drips off the screen.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the reality they don\u2019t want to face: Liverpool just had the biggest transfer window in Premier League history \u2014 \u00a3446m spent \u2014 and every penny of it was earned. Not handed over by a sugar daddy. Not laundered through dodgy sponsorships. Not hidden in 8-year contract loopholes. Earned. Through Champions League nights, league titles, commercial growth, expanding Anfield, building Kirkby, selling cleverly, and being the best-run club in the league. Full stop.<\/p>\n Look at what we\u2019ve actually done. We lost Jota tragically. We sold D\u00edaz (\u00a365m), N\u00fa\u00f1ez (\u00a346m), Quansah (\u00a330m), Doak (\u00a325m), Morton (\u00a315m), Elliott on loan with a \u00a335m obligation. Trent went to Madrid, Kelleher to Brentford, Phillips to West Brom. That\u2019s a serious churn of players. And we replaced them with Isak, Ekitik\u00e9, Wirtz, Frimpong, Kerkez, Mamardashvili, Leoni, plus prospects like Pe\u00e7si and Wright. That\u2019s not bloated \u2014 that\u2019s balanced squad building, with an eye on both now and the future.<\/p>\n Wirtz in particular shows how clueless the \u201cluxury\u201d brigade are. He\u2019s not some shiny toy, he\u2019s the best player in Germany, only wanted Liverpool, and was a once-in-a-generation market opportunity. Any club with ambition takes that deal in a heartbeat. Madrid did it with Zidane, Bayern with Kane. Liverpool saw the chance and took it. That\u2019s what proper clubs do. The Mailbox geniuses crying \u201cluxury signing\u201d should stick to Football Manager.<\/p>\n And don\u2019t give me \u201cbuying the league.\u201d If money alone guaranteed success, United would have a dynasty by now instead of a decade of mediocrity. Chelsea would be parading trebles instead of eighth-place finishes. Arsenal wouldn\u2019t still be bottling titles while parading \u201cprocess\u201d banners like it\u2019s a consolation prize. City are the only club who can pretend money = trophies, and even then they\u2019ve got 115 charges hanging over their heads. Liverpool win because we spend wisely. Our \u201cmisses\u201d are rare, our hits define eras. Compare that to Antony, Sancho, Maguire, Lukaku, Caicedo, Mudryk\u2026 the graveyard of stupidity elsewhere is endless.<\/p>\n And let\u2019s talk selling, because it\u2019s the bit the haters never mention. Liverpool are kings of the transfer market. Quansah \u00a330m, Doak \u00a325m, Ibe \u00a319m, Brewster \u00a323m. Not a single one we\u2019ve sold has ever come back to haunt us. Not once. Meanwhile, United practically gift-wrap players who improve the minute they leave Old Trafford. Chelsea can\u2019t shift their deadwood without writing off half the value. Arsenal don\u2019t even bother selling, they just let players rot until their contracts expire. Liverpool sell brilliantly, buy cleverly, and build sustainably. That\u2019s why we can spend \u00a3446m now without breaking a sweat.<\/p>\n And yet\u2026 the Mailbox is full of self-appointed accountants and comedians trying to tell us we\u2019re suddenly hypocrites. Spare me. We\u2019ve gone from being mocked as \u201cnet spend FC\u201d to being accused of \u201cbuying it\u201d in the space of one window. You can\u2019t have it both ways, lads. Pick a lane. The truth is you\u2019re just bitter that Liverpool have played the long game better than your clubs ever will.<\/p>\n So yes, it does feel good to spend. Because we earned it. Because we did it properly. Because we didn\u2019t have to cheat, or cook the books, or sell our soul. Liverpool are champions, Liverpool are record breakers, and Liverpool are set up to dominate again. And if rival fans want to keep crying into their spreadsheets, let them. We\u2019ll keep collecting actual trophies while they collect excuses. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2026Now that the transfer window is closed we can all take a breath and look forward to seeing how all the clubs new shiny toys perform and see whether or not they become new fan faves or Antony type flops.<\/p>\n As a Liverpool fan I\u2019m very excited to see how all the new players gel and whether they can reach the heights that we all hope they can. So far Ekitike looks to be a great addition, while Wirtz looks like he\u2019ll need a bit more time to get used to the pace and physicality of the league (he looked a lot better in the 2nd half of the game against Arsenal) but ultimately I reckon he\u2019ll be a star once he finds his rhythm.<\/p>\n Kerkez looked a lot better against Arsenal than he did in the first two games and Frimpong unfortunately got a knock in the first game so we haven\u2019t really been able to see what he can bring as yet. The big one is Isak and once he gets to match fitness and is firing on all cylinders he\u2019s going to rip the league up once again. Exciting times as a Liverpool fan.<\/p>\n I was looking forward to this mornings mailbox and was wondering how many mails would be published regarding Liverpool \u201cbuying the league\u201d and to be fair it wasn\u2019t as bad as I thought it would be, although Chris NUFC\u2019s mail did make me want to do some net spend<\/strong><\/a> \u201cScouse maths\u201d as he put it because a lot of people are asking how we can spend so much money this summer and being able to recoup money on selling players plays a significant role in it.<\/p>\n So I calculated every teams net spend from this summer which I think some readers may find interesting and there were some surprising results.<\/p>\n Team. Money out. Money in. Net spend (I\u2019m not expecting these figures to be bang on but they\u2019re close, maybe 1 or 2 million off here and there)<\/p>\n The first thing I noticed is that Arsenal are by far this summer\u2019s biggest spenders. Laying out \u00a3267m while only getting \u00a38.3m in player sales. In his time as manager Arteta has spent over \u00a31 billion on players while only recouping just over \u00a3200 million in player sales. So a net spend of over \u00a3800 million for an FA Cup which he won with Emery\u2019s team. No other manager would be afforded this.<\/p>\n The other interesting thing I noticed is that Chelsea made \u00a3300 million in player sales this summer, the revolving door at Chelsea is creating its own orbit (don\u2019t think that analogy makes sense and I couldn\u2019t be arsed thinking of another one).<\/p>\n Anyway, I just wanted to do a bit of Scouse maths because as we all know Net Spend is real and is a factor when it comes to PSR, transfers and how much a club spends. Liverpool haven\u2019t bought the league they\u2019ve invested wisely after a few years of hardly buying anybody and then receiving a good chunk of change for players leaving, this summer alone Liverpool received roughly the same amount of money on players sales as Arsenal have since 2020.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s to a brilliantly exciting season of football. \u00a0<\/p>\n An awful lot of words to say \u2018This Means More\u2019<\/p>\n Fans of other English clubs don\u2019t seem to recognise how well run Liverpool are, how big the club is, and how much money they make \u2013 legitimately too. Foreign supporters seem to recognise Liverpool\u2019s heritage, and status as a club.<\/p>\n Supporters of clubs like Spurs, Newcastle, Villa and the like, seem to think they have the same pulling power, and don\u2019t understand when Liverpool beat them to a signing, or when one of their players want to join them.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not trying to disrespect those historic great clubs but the reality is Liverpool is on a par with Bayern, Man United, Barcelona, and possibly only out ranked by Real Madrid.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure if rivals equate Liverpool Football Club with the city of Liverpool, a relatively poor city compared to others, and can\u2019t understand how big, rich and successful the club is.<\/p>\n You also have the simple bigotry of anti-scouse sentiment displayed by the simpler supporters of rivals. (Which filters down to refs and officials). It\u2019s ok to hate scousers \u2013 Gary Neville proclaimed it on TV, so it must be ok.<\/p>\n But we\u2019re used to it now, it\u2019s water off a duck\u2019s back. It makes it easier though, when we can show them our trophies or the 1.5 million who turned out for the victory parade.<\/p>\n People think scousers are sensitive, or touchy about things but they respond or react to abuse or untruths online because they are stubborn and won\u2019t let things lie. We defend our club, especially as the club have done everything by the book.<\/p>\n It only makes our victories all the more sweeter.<\/p>\n People are still quoting Liverpool\u2019s net spend this summer as \u00a3300m, when it\u2019s far less than \u00a3100m when you consider they will have received an insurance payment for the tragic loss of Jota. Who cares though? No one cared how much City spent after their takeover, or Chelsea continue to spend or where that money came from.<\/p>\n The reality is FSG (who I have been critical of in the past) have restored Liverpool to the pinnacle of English and European football.<\/p>\n The simple fact is English rival supporters cannot accept that fact, but it\u2019s happened. Get used to it. Klopp leaving hasn\u2019t resulted in the downfall which rival supporters were praying it would do.<\/p>\n Hating Liverpool and scousers is a pointless exercise. No one expects sportsmanship or anyone to acknowledge sporting success anymore. People can\u2019t hold their hands up these days and say \u201ccongratulations the best team won\u201d. Not when managers like Arteta can\u2019t even manage it.<\/p>\n I watched a video of Lodz knocking Liverpool out of the European Cup at Anfield in 1973 and the whole Kop applauded them.<\/p>\n Liverpool applauded Arsenal in 1989 on one of the worst nights of my life when they won the league.<\/p>\n Gone are the days when teams fought to win, and sportingly accepted defeat.<\/p>\n Liverpool have done everything by the book, are back challenging for major honours, with great players who all seem to be decent people but the haters still hate.<\/p>\n We live in a childish, petty, hateful society.<\/p>\n It is after all \u201conly a game\u201d.<\/p>\n All the best, \u00a0<\/p>\n Guehi was not \u2018screwed\u2019 and neither was Isak<\/p>\n Maybe I\u2019m missing something here with all this chat about whether Isak, Trent or Guehi but the point that people seem to miss is simply this:<\/p>\n They signed a contract agreeing to play football for a certain club for a set amount of time for a certain wage.<\/p>\n It is no more complicated than that surely.<\/p>\n The reason most people think Trent was badly treated by the \u2018fans\u2019 is because all he did was comply with his agreed contract while winning trophies for Liverpool. He did what he said he was going to do, and after that he went to play for another team, as is his right to do so.<\/p>\n Is that not him having workers rights?<\/p>\n Someone mentions what would happen if Guehi broke his leg \u2018would Palace offer him a new contract?\u2019. Well what if he signed a 6 year deal, did his ACL and never played a game again, then Palace are stuck with the bill. It works both ways.<\/p>\n The reason everyone has condemned Isak, and only Isak in my mind as I don\u2019t think Liverpool or Newcastle did anything particularly wrong, is because 3 years ago he signed a 6 year deal to commit to the club. Then he promptly refused to honour his contract. Ok there are well established mechanisms for this, hand in a transfer request, tell the club you want to leave but if they don\u2019t sell you then tough. Shouldn\u2019t have agreed to the contract. But I guess handing in the transfer request means you lose out on some more \u2018loyalty\u2019 money in your contract.<\/p>\n And Guehi wasn\u2019t \u2018screwed\u2019 by Palace<\/strong><\/a>. Some people have such a ridiculous view of the world. Palace said they would sell him if they found suitable cover. They are a Prem team and want to do well in their competitions. They have as much right to expect their players to fulfill their contract as Liverpool or Chelsea do.<\/p>\n Guehi signed an agreement to play for the club. Palace couldn\u2019t get the deal done to cover him so they need him to fulfil his contractual obligations for one more year when he will be free to move wherever he wants. He\u2019s out of contract in summer so will probably still get a move in January anyway so Palace get some money for him. I think Guehi has done all the right stuff, it hasn\u2019t worked out this summer but he\u2019s not going to suffer for it and will leave knowing he was fair and honest. Fair play to him, I have a lot of time for that.<\/p>\n Screwed is my employer repeatedly telling me I can\u2019t have my weekends or bank holidays (which I am due) off work with my family because they\u2019ve failed to prepare properly but I can\u2019t do anything about it. Screwed is CEO\u2019s telling employees they have to take pay cuts, or lose their canteen and lunch or other benefits or even their jobs and ability to put food on the table because the company can\u2019t afford it while they drive around in supercars and pay shareholders millions for doing nothing. Screwed is people being told their pensions have gone and they can\u2019t retire anymore while the person responsible sits on a superyacht in Monaco.<\/p>\n Screwed is not a multi millionaire being asked to fulfil their contractual agreements they agreed to for sums of money that would set them up for life many times over for a few more months to help the club that allowed them to shine on the world stage to compete.<\/p>\n All of these players agreed to their contracts of their own volition. All of these players are paid incredibly well to do so. Everything in football and life in general is a bit of gamble, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn\u2019t. The least they could do is understand that and realise they are not in a difficult position in the real world and maybe just show some moral fibre and dignity rather than having tantrums on social media.<\/p>\n \u2018Going on strike\u2019 because he wasn\u2019t allowed to move clubs. That\u2019s selfish and entitled behavior and most normal people condemn it because it is so far removed from the real world struggles most people are facing these days.<\/p>\n He\u2019s not going on strike because his breadline wages are being cut and he struggles to keep the heating on, he\u2019s not going on strike because his company is skimping on safety and putting his life at risk. He is going on strike so he can go and kick a ball for another team and get paid even more ludicrous wages for living a luxurious lifestyle.<\/p>\n Some fans, and based on the last few months of mailboxes have become so entitled and so myopic it\u2019s quite something to see. Demanding other clubs sell their best players for their benefit. People saying things like \u2018Nice guys finish last\u2019 and \u2018they need to be selfish\u2019, I really pity your view on the world. It makes it just that much worse for everyone else who wants to do the right thing and put others first but then get kicked in the face by people like you as they stitch them up for their own benefit. You\u2019re the problem.<\/p>\n I haven\u2019t even bothered to go into the fact that society on the whole has become so selfish and that everyone seems to go about their lives thinking only about themselves and how they can benefit from something. It\u2019s just indicative of our current social problems.<\/p>\n
Willy Lambshank (good luck, Harvey Elliott)<\/strong><\/p>\n
Rob, Hove<\/strong><\/p>\n
LJ DUB \u2013 LFC stranded in Salford<\/strong><\/p>\n
Arsenal. \u00a3267m. \u00a38.3m. \u2013 \u00a3258.7m
Aston Villa. \u00a328m. \u00a346.5m. + \u00a318.5m
Bournemouth. \u00a3125m. \u00a3158m. + \u00a333m
Brentford. \u00a393m. \u00a397m. + \u00a34m
Brighton. \u00a369m. \u00a3109.5m. + \u00a340.5m
Burnley. \u00a354.7m. \u00a331m. \u2013 \u00a323.7m
Chelsea. \u00a3302.5m. \u00a3300m. \u2013 \u00a32.5m
C. Palace. \u00a346.5m. \u00a367m. + \u00a320.5m
Everton. \u00a3124m. \u00a310m. \u2013 \u00a3114m
Fulham. \u00a335m. \u00a39m. \u2013 \u00a326m
Leeds. \u00a3103m. \u00a30. \u2013 \u00a3103m
Liverpool. \u00a3416.5m. \u00a3228m. \u2013 \u00a3188.5m
Man City. \u00a3185.8m. \u00a355m. \u2013 \u00a3130.8m
Man United. \u00a3233m. \u00a361.7m. \u2013 \u00a3171.3m
Newcastle. \u00a3256.3m. \u00a3167m. \u2013 \u00a389.3m
N. Forest. \u00a3182.5m. \u00a361.5m. \u2013 \u00a3121m
Sunderland. \u00a3159.6m. \u00a342m. \u2013 \u00a3117.6m
T. Hotspur. \u00a3172m. \u00a338m. \u2013 \u00a3134m
West Ham. \u00a3131.3m. \u00a355m. \u2013 \u00a376.3m
Wolves. \u00a369.7m. \u00a3126.5m. + \u00a356.8m<\/p>\n
MickT Liverpool<\/strong><\/p>\n
Mick<\/strong><\/p>\n