Oct 8 2010, 10:41 AM
QUOTE(Haihzz @ Oct 8 2010, 09:44 AM)
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Their animosity towards absentee landlords Hicks and Gillett - and the way those two burdened debt on to the club - saw them side with former manager Rafa Benitez.
And yet Benitez played a huge role in Liverpool's downfall. Amid all the bile directed at Hicks and Gillett, it is often overlooked Benitez was given some £170million in transfer funds during their time at the club.
Whether it was technically their money or not, it was still made available.
Only two clubs - Manchester City (£426m) and Tottenham (£177m) - have spent more since February 2007.
Liverpool outspent Manchester United (£142m) and Chelsea (£112m), while Arsenal (£71m) trailed in well down the list. Despite that, Liverpool languish 18th in the Premier League.
But should we be totally surprised, considering the dressing room mess Benitez left Hodgson?
OK, Benitez is not responsible for the injury problems affecting Fernando Torres, while most managers would not mind being left Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger and, maybe, Maxi Rodriguez.
But what of the other players Benitez bought?
Some £16m on Glen Johnson, a right-back who cannot defend? Another £11m on Ryan Babel?
Aurelio? Kyrgiakos? Insua? Degen? Lucas? And, before them, Morientes, Nunez, Josemi, Sissoko, Pennant and Dossena?
Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch - how Liverpool could do with them now - were both sold on, while Yossi Benayoun was too often left frustrated on the bench.
Finally, he unsettled Xabi Alonso by moving for Gareth Barry, while the popular Sami Hyypia was none too impressed at being left out of Benitez's Champions League squad.
In all, Benitez signed more than 90 players for £260m and a net spend of £120m. And he left the worst to last. The delicate Alberto Aquilani for £18m.
In Rafa We Trust?
Liverpool fans will say he got them to two Champions League finals and second in the league.
And yet one of those finals and the runners-up spot came on the Hicks-Gillett watch. While the miracle of Istanbul in 2005 was accomplished with a team largely bequeathed by Gerard Houllier.
If only Hodgson had been left similar players.
Of course, Hodgson did not help himself by selecting a reserve team against Northampton in the Carling Cup.
And eyebrows have headed north over signings like Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen.
But it was not as if he had much time to orchestrate a coherent transfer policy.
And he was certainly not to blame for the threadbare nature of the squad he inherited.
So Liverpool lie marooned in the bottom three. And is there any reason to believe financial salvation off the pitch will kickstart an immediate recovery on it?
That like the Boston Red Sox - who, within two years of Henry buying them, won their first baseball World Series since 1918 - Liverpool will rise phoenix-like from the ashes?
The reaction of the fans has been lukewarm. Once bitten, twice shy.
It will remain so until specific details are known about transfer funds and the new regime's exact plans for either a new stadium or the redevelopment of Anfield.
Apart from piling up the club's debt, the other main crime perpetrated by the Hicks-Gillett regime was to promise 'a spade in the ground within 60 days' only to do absolutely nothing to move the Stanley Park project forward.
Yet does Henry (with a personal fortune of 'only' £600m) have the spare cash to wipe out most of the debt, inject transfer capital AND finance his preferred Anfield redevelopment scheme?
Would the club get planning permission from a council who prefer a new stadium?
And what, more immediately, of Hodgson?
Should Liverpool's woeful form continue in their next seven matches - Everton (a), Blackburn (h), Bolton (a), Chelsea (h), Wigan (a), Stoke (a) and West Ham (h) - he will probably be gone.
Not even given the chance in the January transfer window to show he can spend whatever money there is wisely. Another victim of the blame game.
And yet Benitez played a huge role in Liverpool's downfall. Amid all the bile directed at Hicks and Gillett, it is often overlooked Benitez was given some £170million in transfer funds during their time at the club.
Whether it was technically their money or not, it was still made available.
Only two clubs - Manchester City (£426m) and Tottenham (£177m) - have spent more since February 2007.
Liverpool outspent Manchester United (£142m) and Chelsea (£112m), while Arsenal (£71m) trailed in well down the list. Despite that, Liverpool languish 18th in the Premier League.
But should we be totally surprised, considering the dressing room mess Benitez left Hodgson?
OK, Benitez is not responsible for the injury problems affecting Fernando Torres, while most managers would not mind being left Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger and, maybe, Maxi Rodriguez.
But what of the other players Benitez bought?
Some £16m on Glen Johnson, a right-back who cannot defend? Another £11m on Ryan Babel?
Aurelio? Kyrgiakos? Insua? Degen? Lucas? And, before them, Morientes, Nunez, Josemi, Sissoko, Pennant and Dossena?
Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch - how Liverpool could do with them now - were both sold on, while Yossi Benayoun was too often left frustrated on the bench.
Finally, he unsettled Xabi Alonso by moving for Gareth Barry, while the popular Sami Hyypia was none too impressed at being left out of Benitez's Champions League squad.
In all, Benitez signed more than 90 players for £260m and a net spend of £120m. And he left the worst to last. The delicate Alberto Aquilani for £18m.
In Rafa We Trust?
Liverpool fans will say he got them to two Champions League finals and second in the league.
And yet one of those finals and the runners-up spot came on the Hicks-Gillett watch. While the miracle of Istanbul in 2005 was accomplished with a team largely bequeathed by Gerard Houllier.
If only Hodgson had been left similar players.
Of course, Hodgson did not help himself by selecting a reserve team against Northampton in the Carling Cup.
And eyebrows have headed north over signings like Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen.
But it was not as if he had much time to orchestrate a coherent transfer policy.
And he was certainly not to blame for the threadbare nature of the squad he inherited.
So Liverpool lie marooned in the bottom three. And is there any reason to believe financial salvation off the pitch will kickstart an immediate recovery on it?
That like the Boston Red Sox - who, within two years of Henry buying them, won their first baseball World Series since 1918 - Liverpool will rise phoenix-like from the ashes?
The reaction of the fans has been lukewarm. Once bitten, twice shy.
It will remain so until specific details are known about transfer funds and the new regime's exact plans for either a new stadium or the redevelopment of Anfield.
Apart from piling up the club's debt, the other main crime perpetrated by the Hicks-Gillett regime was to promise 'a spade in the ground within 60 days' only to do absolutely nothing to move the Stanley Park project forward.
Yet does Henry (with a personal fortune of 'only' £600m) have the spare cash to wipe out most of the debt, inject transfer capital AND finance his preferred Anfield redevelopment scheme?
Would the club get planning permission from a council who prefer a new stadium?
And what, more immediately, of Hodgson?
Should Liverpool's woeful form continue in their next seven matches - Everton (a), Blackburn (h), Bolton (a), Chelsea (h), Wigan (a), Stoke (a) and West Ham (h) - he will probably be gone.
Not even given the chance in the January transfer window to show he can spend whatever money there is wisely. Another victim of the blame game.
I took this out from an article from THESUN.. sorry to break the non - THESUN article, but.. this is rather true in some ways. hmm.. He failed to include Robbie Keane though..
Chelsea/ManU/ManC can spend huge lump sum in a transfer of player.
The Sun took it out of context.
Quote
More problems n is Konchesky/Aurelio fit? 
Wrong time to get injured, it seems to be a bad year for Kuyt, 2 injuries in a row n both wif international team...
Digi-Hodgson 
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