That Ojo lad is a talent, anyway 1-1 in the end

I was going to write something interesting but the Thaimatches lady's photo continually distracts me.

^That'd be a first!

Balotelli.

Still can't believe this.

Crazy story, born to African parents in Sicily but raised by white Italians. He's Italian but surely has some issues with this biological parents.

Then being racially abused by his own countrymen several times, all his background and all surely contributes to some of his actions.

Anyway, enough of amateur psychology, I'm not sure whether to applaud this move or not.

Doubtless he can score goals, and I actually love him off the pitch, but it's his effort on the pitch.

Suarez never had an issue with effort, but we've all seen Balotelli sulk around the pitch before.

Anyway, I'm still optimistic as he's a great talent, which England knows all about, and in all honestly I've always loved his antics off the playing field.

I think he can play with Sturridge, as I think he's probably best when he's not leading the line, but he can still play that position if Sturridge is out, for sure.

Will be interesting to see how often he starts.

Anyway, we of course needed another proven striker and we've got one.

I am interested to see how well Rodgers handles the added matches this season and how successfully he's able to rotate the squad, as smart rotation will be needed.

Balotelli.

Still can't believe this.

Crazy story, born to African parents in Sicily but raised by white Italians. He's Italian but surely has some issues with this biological parents.

Then being racially abused by his own countrymen several times, all his background and all surely contributes to some of his actions.

Anyway, enough of amateur psychology, I'm not sure whether to applaud this move or not.

Doubtless he can score goals, and I actually love him off the pitch, but it's his effort on the pitch.

Suarez never had an issue with effort, but we've all seen Balotelli sulk around the pitch before.

Anyway, I'm still optimistic as he's a great talent, which England knows all about, and in all honestly I've always loved his antics off the playing field.

I think he can play with Sturridge, as I think he's probably best when he's not leading the line, but he can still play that position if Sturridge is out, for sure.

Will be interesting to see how often he starts.

Anyway, we of course needed another proven striker and we've got one.

I am interested to see how well Rodgers handles the added matches this season and how successfully he's able to rotate the squad, as smart rotation will be needed.

Anyway, we of course needed another proven striker and we've got one.

I am interested to see how well Rodgers handles the added matches this season and how successfully he's able to rotate the squad, as smart rotation will be needed.

Hi Jim good to see you on here ...

Thats part in bold is key for me also Jim, its a big test for Brendan this year and I am little concerned with the amount of new bodies coming in. We've done a lot of business - much more than an I ever expected at the start of the window.

There was little pressure or expectation at the start of last season and we basically had a squad of 14 each week and only the league to think about we clearly did better than expected, so as you say rotation wasn't an issue then for the manager so yes this year will be different proposition.

Don't get me wrong I am well made up with the new additions and business done, I think with the 16-18m reportedly now spent on Balottelli also it takes our Gross spend to over 140m ?? thats some going and one massive window. I can recall us doing this much in one window ??

I am really hoping most of the signings work out (as thats not always been the case) and they can hit the ground running...some of our buys look well planned in advance and by all appearances Brendan's first choice targets (Markovic, Moreno, Lallana and Lovren) and on paper they look fantastic buys. Lovren really looks like the piece of the jigsaw we have been missing for a few seasons now at the back.

Balotteli - he will give the fans, the squad a lift I am sure and maybe the focus has already been taken away from the other players who in theory have cost more money. He's a big personality and a 'Brand' which is part of the modern game. And from what I am hearing he has taken a pay cut to join us?? but there are a lot of permanence and good behaviour incentives written in his contract (might just be speculation) but when looking at this signing again there is some logic to it. Its within our Price range first and foremost when you consider were in for Remy/Boney and lets be honest (Benzema, Cavani, Falcau) we're never going to the most realistic targets imo. I think people still see last years success as a flash in the pan and clearly we need to be in the CL for a few seasons to say we are back to our best.

So for me this year is all about cementing a top four finish for the foreseeable future and building on that..Ok I will be disappointed if we are not challenging like last season but I have to look at Chelsea and City in that they have made some very impressive buys and also not done wholesale changes like us but strengthened were they needed.

I cant wait for the CL nights back at Anfield it just seems right ! and how Brendan and the younger players manage the competition and see how we set up in those away games or if we will go all out attack in home games. I have to believe some European teams won't know whats hit them with our pressing and fast counter attack game, but lets see

Fantastic time to be a Red !

Eto'o on the way as well ?

Eto'o on the way as well ?

suspect he's just a contingency.

Eto'o on the way as well ?

suspect he's just a contingency.

In these days of Political Correctness StevieH, need to be very careful about statements like that.

Might find you've got the Daily Mail wanting to destroy you.

BTW. Vincent Tan is a <deleted> from Asia.

Tell it like it is. Compromise and you won't score.

No biting though Luis. See you in the Championes League.

"Sanguinoso Inferno"....These boys are madder than me. What do I do now?

This may be a bit off topic, but does anybody else think that Algeria should be banned from international games for 5 years? Of course that would mean any similar incidents would need to be punished in accordance. make a statement and it ensures no arguments for bans later

This may be a bit off topic, but does anybody else think that Algeria should be banned from international games for 5 years? Of course that would mean any similar incidents would need to be punished in accordance. make a statement and it ensures no arguments for bans later

Que ?

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by rijit

This may be a bit off topic, but does anybody else think that Algeria should be banned from international games for 5 years? Of course that would mean any similar incidents would need to be punished in accordance. make a statement and it ensures no arguments for bans later

Que ?

A good question for another thread that addresses punishing clubs/nations for the actions of fans. I've never understood the logic and it seems these types of "punishments" rarely have the desired effect.

jelly were u in argentina whe the president threatened to totally ban football?

jelly were u in argentina whe the president threatened to totally ban football?

Yes, but remember that anything that comes out of the mouth of an Argentine politician must be taken with a bucket load of salt.

Not that that makes them all that much different from politicians darn near everywhere.

That Ojo lad is a talent, anyway 1-1 in the end

Yeh Sterling 20 , Ibe 18 , Ojo 16 multi million dollar talent no doubt . Utd to pay 70 m for someone who is not as good as ......LOL.

And as for the (probable) new boy.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s3lF1BQDdwI

And as for the (probable) new boy.....

Mad tekkers

Even I was screaming hit it hit it!.....<deleted>??

Man City win 3:1; Robbie Savage provides some positives in post match that 'Markovic made an impact when he came on and could light up the Premier League and Moreno, apart from the error for the first goal, did well'.

So why, did not Markovjc start? A bit of a blunder by Rodgers in such an important game.

Man City win 3:1; Robbie Savage provides some positives in post match that 'Markovic made an impact when he came on and could light up the Premier League and Moreno, apart from the error for the first goal, did well'.

So why, did not Markovjc start? A bit of a blunder by Rodgers in such an important game.

I thought our team selection was fine.

The first 30 mins or so we were the better team, Moreno was caught out knapping for the first goal, the lad looked better as the game went on tho also coming across to stop Dzeko pulling the trigger.

Maybe so, but I do think Markovic could have made a difference. In the big games, you need your best players on from the start.

Maybe so, but I do think Markovic could have made a difference. In the big games, you need your best players on from the start.

same as city started aguero?

it was his bloody debut, not starting markovic is not a stick to beat rodgers with for goodness' sake.

we played alright, number of positives, city looked extremely strong, very physical and very well-drilled. deserved winners. we'll be back though, only second game.

Overall we were outplayed by the better team....

We did seem to give the ball away needlessly, right from the start until the very end. City are very good at keeping the ball under pressure but they don't just pass it backwards they are always probing and looking for openings.

We did ok the first half and seemed to have a plan to contain them by staying narrow and compact, but the second half we clearly opened up and again whenever we gave away the ball away in the final third, we left ourselves open when we pushed bodies forward - need to get the balance right.

I like the look of Moreno - despite his blatant mistake. And as someone said before Markovic did look quality when he came on we will see...

I wanted a bit more fight and grit when we went behind for the second, we had to wait for the changes until we started to threaten them, the positive is whenever Lambert comes on his presence seems to distract defenders and gives us a focal point.

Bring on the next game - hopefully some lessons learned by the young players.

I thought there were plenty of positives to take from that match, one being all our new signings that played showed reasons why they were bought.

It's a young team with time to grow and for only a couple of lapses in concentration and our chances taken late on there we.might have got something.

No disgrace second game in against a team that has an unbeleivably strong squad, with a nucleus that has been together for a few seasons now. From a football fan perspective they are great to watch play.

I thought there were plenty of positives to take from that match, one being all our new signings that played showed reasons why they were bought.

It's a young team with time to grow and for only a couple of lapses in concentration and our chances taken late on there we.might have got something.

No disgrace second game in against a team that has an unbeleivably strong squad, with a nucleus that has been together for a few seasons now. From a football fan perspective they are great to watch play.

So have you put up the white flag and surrendered the league already? for me it is a two horse race between city and Chelsea they both have very strong squads and not much to choose between the two.

I thought there were plenty of positives to take from that match, one being all our new signings that played showed reasons why they were bought.

It's a young team with time to grow and for only a couple of lapses in concentration and our chances taken late on there we.might have got something.

No disgrace second game in against a team that has an unbeleivably strong squad, with a nucleus that has been together for a few seasons now. From a football fan perspective they are great to watch play.

So have you put up the white flag and surrendered the league already? for me it is a two horse race between city and Chelsea they both have very strong squads and not much to choose between the two.

don't know about any white flag but given their resources it really should be a two-horse race between city and chelsea. though it would be interesting to see how chelsea got on if diego costa picked up a six month knee problem, so much of their game is focused on him now. while city have four top class striking options.

The pundits on the TV show I watched seemed to have a few concerns about the Liverpool defense but no one seems to have mentioned the defence on here ! very strange

I thought there were plenty of positives to take from that match, one being all our new signings that played showed reasons why they were bought.

It's a young team with time to grow and for only a couple of lapses in concentration and our chances taken late on there we.might have got something.

No disgrace second game in against a team that has an unbeleivably strong squad, with a nucleus that has been together for a few seasons now. From a football fan perspective they are great to watch play.

So have you put up the white flag and surrendered the league already? for me it is a two horse race between city and Chelsea they both have very strong squads and not much to choose between the two.

It not a question of "white flags" its just a simple case of two clubs having extremely experienced powerful squads that are obviously superior squads, although as said Mourinho has lined himself up for a big fall if Costa suffers a nasty and if it happens i just can't wait to hear what excuse the arrogant <deleted> comes out with

The pundits on the TV show I watched seemed to have a few concerns about the Liverpool defense but no one seems to have mentioned the defence on here ! very strange

who were the pundits? not that i actually care that much.