KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Looks like we are moving in the right direction

City are an awesome team, the PL is notoriously difficult to defend, they have struggled in the past to defend it, so we need to be on our toes and start the season fast, putting the pressure on incase City do struggle initially.

I'm not sure on their spending plans, I know someone at a senior level who works closely with City as a key sponsor, they are wanting to move into a model of self sufficiency, rather than rely on Abu Dhabi money, abit like Chelsea are trying to do after Abramovich splashed out to bring them to the level they are, but now they are struggling to maintain it. City pulled out of Sanchez due to cost, a few players they didn't go for based on price, so they might be more vulnerable than people think.

City have spent big on players, but I think us, Man Utd & Chelsea have all spent more on an individual player, isn't De Bruyne their record but at £60 million? the likes of Sane, Gundogan & Edison were all bought for around £25-35 million, so were available at what are reasonable transfer fee's these days, it was good scouting that got them.

But if you are going to be the best is competent enough ? I presume we still want to be the best or am I out of touch ?

It's better than what we had.

Is it enough? Maybe, maybe not. Throwing our toys out of the pram because they aren't oil sheikhs won't magically get us owners who are.

Meanwhile, in the past few years the owners we do have have improved our financial situation, expanded the stadium, revamped our training facilities, hired one of the most in-demand managers in the game. We've bought players every year, and some of the earlier purchases were hit and miss, pretty much everyone we've bought in the past 2 years has improved the team and either met or exceeded expectations.

And that work off the pitch is starting to bear fruit on it. We've come out of the mid-table wilderness back into relevance in Europe, and we're playing some of the most exciting football in the world.

A few years ago, cl qualification was a pipe dream. Now we look to finish second or third, and we're all but certainly in the quarterfinals. We did this in an era where there are 6 big teams mixing for those 4 spots, not the big 4 back in the Rafa days.

Compare the way our owners are running things to the way some others have been. Look at Ashley who does f*ck all for Newcastle, despite having a world class manager way out of his club's league right now. Or look at Arsenal's board, too terrified to make a decision, despite the fact that they are sinking lower and lower.

Give FSG credit, they've not got a perfect track record, and tried a few different approaches. But every time they gave it time to see where the idea was going, and if wasn't working, they tried a new idea.

They tried an old legend to steady the ship, and it looked like he was turning things around, so they gave him money and a DOF to give him some players. The all-British approach didn't work, so they changed gears, hired a young promising manager and tried to use the moneyball approach to find undervalued talent. Some hit, some missed. It very nearly came off in the second year, but the wheels fell off the next.

So as soon as Klopp is available, they act, and they seemed to have worked out a way of picking players that is more focused on getting the one quality player he wants rather than a lot of bodies right now to plug holes. Sometimes it takes longer than we'd like with VVD or Keita, but it's starting to look like this way is getting better results. I'm happy with the progress, and while I may look enviously at what City are doing this year, I am grateful we aren't in the position Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea or Newcastle are in right now. Even United are in a strange place and don't look like they are ready to take off. The grass isn't always greener.

Yes but what about the shiny new stadium some of us want to see before we die?

4 years ago, our European ranking was 44th, lowest it's been in our history. We've moved up 17 places since Klopp arrived. We're actually in the top 30 again, and we've acquired the 3rd most points in the competition this season.

Provided we qualify again this year, we lose a 0 point year from 13-14, and we will have a strong chance of moving into the top 20 again. Huge progress there.

We've been eating stale bread and crackers for years, and now we have a nice meal, but you turn your nose up because it's not filet mignon.

Football must be no fun for you at all.

We've been eating stale bread and crackers for years, and now we have a nice meal, but you turn your nose up because it's not filet mignon.

Football must be no fun for you at all.