Cost Roma 7m just a couple of years ago and was playing second fiddle to Szczesny just over a year ago. That’s some rise to the top.

Genuinely don't understand how he's gotten so hyped up, but the hype train that is lolerpool is well and truly off the rails now. Ridiculous deal, and not one that I envy in the slightest.

He's hyped up because last season he looked like the best goalkeeper who has come through Serie A since Buffon emerged.

There are a lot of things to be said about the ridiculous state of transfer fees, but in a league where Kyle Walker is worth £50 million and Virgil van Dijk is worth £75 million, Alisson is easily worth £65M. Liverpool just made sure they've got the best goalkeeper in England. It's a massive statement, and it's also a signing that strengthens them in the area where they were the weakest.

Coombs wrote:

Genuinely don't understand how he's gotten so hyped up, but the hype train that is lolerpool is well and truly off the rails now. Ridiculous deal, and not one that I envy in the slightest.

it's amazing. he was woj's understudy 2 seasons ago.

Alisson is a great signing because they've strengthened arguably their weakest position, same like the VVD deal. The players might not be absolutely elite, but they will definitely improve Liverpool

Spotlight is well and truly on klopp now. This level of financial backing is rare for them. It will be hilarious if they finish below 80 points again

All of us said Liverpool needs a good defender and a good goalie to challenge, they have got a great one in both areas now. Sensible by Klopp to address his squad weakness immediately, something Wenger never ever does.

Allison

Arnold Lovren Van Dijk Robertson

Fabinho Henderson

Keita

Salah Firmino Mane

Yep, they're gonna win the league.

No.

Looks a solid bunch though

That's a great team unfortunately.

We should be where they are right now but for years of neglectful and shit management.

Got to love Klopp, a man of principles.

You already know jose has a few diss tracks prepared for jurgen

Jed wrote:

We should be where they are right now but for years of neglectful and shit management.

When Klopp came in 2.5 years ago, they were pretty much where we are today, with the exception of 75M for Suarez and Coutinho (who eventually netted 120M). They have done this transition (to an impressive looking squad, a Europa league final and a CL final) in 2.5 years. Shows what you can really do if you put your mind to it. Obviously still need to see results this season on the pitch, but definitely feels like they have made significant progress in this period.

Klopp is very smart with controlling the media, building a positive momentum and fan morale. He announced Fabinho almost immediately after the CL final to keep the positive momentum, then he didn’t announce Ox’s long term injury until later and followed that up immediately by making a world record bid for a keeper. Wenger really didn’t place any importance on this.

I think Liverpool are in for a tough season. Don’t think they can handle the expectation

Ray wrote:

Klopp is very smart with controlling the media, building a positive momentum and fan morale. He announced Fabinho almost immediately after the CL final to keep the positive momentum, then he didn’t announce Ox’s long term injury until later and followed that up immediately by making a world record bid for a keeper. Wenger really didn’t place any importance on this.

Well I mean half of them were calling for his head in Jan so he can't be that great at it. 

Also I don't think the pain of losing Ox would be enough the dent the enthusiasm of reaching a CL final and spending _£150m regardless of when you announced it. 

Wenger's main problem was that when we had a season worth building on, we rarely did. The Sanchez summer is probably the one exception.

What are the odds of Liverpool performing worse than they did last season ? Their team looks great on paper but football isn't played on paper, things could work out differently in practice .

You give yourself the best chance by getting the best possible manager and the best possible manager. On paper, Liverpool are doing this. You will then have some variation around your expected position based on your own and other teams' performances.

The minute we got ourselves, Aubameyang, for example, we changed our outlook from being a no-hoper to someone who can break into the top 4. You need to go out and buy the positions.

Tactics wrote:

What are the odds of Liverpool performing worse than they did last season ? Their team looks great on paper but football isn't played on paper, things could work out differently in practice .

Aye, there's always a chance that you wreck a dynamic that used to work when you chop and change too much. No one really cares when it comes to Arsenal because we were horrible throughout last season; there's virtually no chance of making it worse right now. Liverpool got maximum out of guys like Salah and Firminho though.

It's very hard to imagine they won't be better off in the long run with all these signings, but maybe they'll drop a place or two in the table in the short term.

Goon, you underestimate the gap in quality between the Liverpool squad and City squad. Salah had a superhuman year and carried that team. If he wobbles next season and is good for a miserable 26 goals, that Liverpool team is in tough shape. These investments were critical to overcome that potential variance.

Yeah, that's kinda what I meant by there being lots of variables.

For what it's worth I don't think the gap is all that big. City have a lot more depth but the first XI is comparable in my opinion. Controversial opinion maybe, but I don't think City's front 3 has a single top level player in it except for Aguero, who's becoming increasingly unreliable.

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

I think Liverpool are in for a tough season. Don’t think they can handle the expectation

This is true, the Scouse boom and bust cycle is a real thing.

goon wrote:

Ray wrote:

Klopp is very smart with controlling the media, building a positive momentum and fan morale. He announced Fabinho almost immediately after the CL final to keep the positive momentum, then he didn’t announce Ox’s long term injury until later and followed that up immediately by making a world record bid for a keeper. Wenger really didn’t place any importance on this.

Well I mean half of them were calling for his head in Jan so he can't be that great at it. 

Also I don't think the pain of losing Ox would be enough the dent the enthusiasm of reaching a CL final and spending _£150m regardless of when you announced it. 

Wenger's main problem was that when we had a season worth building on, we rarely did. The Sanchez summer is probably the one exception.

Maybe not but this is management of squad and fan morale, which is obviously linked to good results. Most of the teams that have won the last PLs they have used positive momentum to get a run of results.

The squad year were clearly lacking confidence and fans fighting to get wenger out was poorly managed by Wenger. After all the fans, manager and players want the same thing.

Clrnc wrote:

All of us said Liverpool needs a good defender and a good goalie to challenge, they have got a great one in both areas now. Sensible by Klopp to address his squad weakness immediately, something Wenger never ever does.

Its ok man, he can't hurt us any more.

Everton certainly know how to waste money.

£50m for Ricarlison?

Barca seem determined to get willian. 3rd bid in of 60m euros

Wonder if this what frees up dembele

Barca and Madrid seem determined to become average.

Liverpool have got 12.5M for Danny Ward. Shows how average our sales are (bar Chamberlain) that we got a similar fee for Walcott.

it's not about being average in the sales dept, it's about being irresponsible in the wages dept. a transfer is a 3 party agreement. when a walcott transfer is on the table the buying club isn't going to pay big money to arsenal and match his arsenal wages.

oh and what everton is doing isn't funny because they help make the market impossible for a club like arsenal.

Didn't we get around 20m for him? 29 years old winger who's biggest asset was always his pace, torn ACL, was on big wages and a very poor injury record overall. Agreed we can and have to improve on the selling front but Walcott isn't a good example

We got 20m for Walcott and most people on here seemed to think that fee was hilarious.

Mirth wrote:

£50m for Ricarlison?

I didn't see him in those five initial games where he apparently performed last year, but he looked like a complete houseboat on every other occasion. That fee is just unbelievable.

Meatwad wrote:

it's not about being average in the sales dept, it's about being irresponsible in the wages dept. a transfer is a 3 party agreement. when a walcott transfer is on the table the buying club isn't going to pay big money to arsenal and match his arsenal wages.

Yup, it was this stupid wage structure which has made it hard to offload certain players. Players like Carl Jenkinson on something like £50k a week, why would he leave for a paycut and no club will pay that. So you either are stuck with the player or you offload them cheap.

Wenger and the board thought it was a good idea to have a socialist wage structure (where difference between top and bottom earners wasn't as big as some clubs) to promote harmony within the squad. Only thing it achieved was to disgruntle our players who should have been on top wages and lump us with bang average players who were earning too much other clubs wouldn't touch them.

Yeah, it will take another 4-5 years to undo all the damage this system did to us. By then we should be able to clean out every overpaid shitster Wenger ever employed and establish a new structure.