NickG

Its his testimonial season next season, he isn't retiring.

Liverpool finishes pre Suarez... 7th 8th 6th 7th I'm hoping, and the club are planning for our next 4 years being better. If Rogers stays I think they will need a better window than us, or they could struggle to be the best of the rest.

No, you are missing the point. He was talking about being a club which improves players. Clyne has had a career of steady progress. Fonte and Pelle have improved at ages most have peaked and earned caps older than most.

I know you can't just view players by stats but I do like the below site. They rate every player, every game on their contribution. A very good performance, maybe with a couple of goals will get 8 point something, never seen 10. Mane and Long both rated 10 for weekend. http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/829751/Live On the debate, there was nothing wrong with raising bad games, or even have a view they didn't think he would be very good - clearly wrong but an opinion based on poor judgement. (A lot on here like all the relegation predictions). What was totally wrong was the ridiculous posts comparing to Ali dia or laughing at the fee. For example, just as he posts so much, Batman, who would slate Pelle as well. No players are above criticism but players who got us our best ever prem finish ARE good enough!

Can hardly deny you were wrong! Clear from start to anyone with any football knowledge he was a good player. Think its more some like putting our players down.

Mane still not worth the money we paid?

But it's not beyond all our expectations. People wrote him off with half brained knee jerk opinions. Several could see his quality. I don't know why some are so keen to write off our players.

You are twisting things. There is no way Cork was seen as 6th choice. He certainly wasn't first 11 when everyone is fit. He is much more proven than Reed, and probably a better player. However when Reed has been used in odd games (Cork often wasn't that good when playing odd games, was his best with a run of games). Such as Newcastle he looked very good. We clearly have different opinions on Cork, I think he is over rated on here. Doesn't mean I don't like him nor does it mean he isn't decent player. I just think he is good prem midfielder bit limited - doesn't excel in any area and plenty better. I would prefer he was still here and part of squad but respect the club for offering contract but with honesty on role he would play. Respect him for seeing less competition at Swansea and moving for first team place

Even with one of our two CM players out he didn't always start, an acedemy player JWP has been picked over him. To be honest, Harrison Reed away at Newcastle was probably similar standard to Cork. A decent reliable player, and I'm sure good enough to have some game time but has his faults. You ask if we need him if VW and MS leave...I would hope they would be replaced with players better than Cork. We will never know but wouldn't be surprised if Reed could have done as well as Cork if he had been playing regularly for Swansea. I have a lot of respect for Cork going somewhere where there weren't better players blocking his place.

Fonte was first choice for first team last season and this, and club capt. Cork was back up/ squad player in an area where we have several good young players coming through. You may not agree with decision but surely understandable for a new manager to compare him with the developing other players?

Couldnt understand why so many here were so annoyed with Chambers going. Was bit of no brainer, he would hardly have got a game this season. Played CB at arsenal, and did wonder if would make a good third CB for us. However if stayed would have been 2nd choice RB, and 4th/5th CB. Chance to move to top 4 club. Good fee. Player wanted to go.

I am genuinely not sure if some posts on this thread are jokes, or maybe written by children? Clearly a disappointing end, to a clearly very good season. Anyone with a brain knew we had a chance of staying in to 4 or 5 but most likely would drop to around 6th, 7th. Of course 8th would seem an anti climax due to positions we have held all season. However, these pathetic criticisms are based on your raised expectations due to the good things you saw rather than being objective. To suggest our season would be hugely different by having Cork on the bench is ridiculous. Take yourself back to the summer... If we had signed and managed as badly as some say we would not have had our best prem season, Koeman would not be widely tipped for manager of the season. Batman you seem to relish putting our players down (Mane for example) and bigging up players of other teams. Disappointing, anti climax - yes. But not a bad season, and one most could see coming

Another strange one You rate Cork and his scoring boots and think we should have increased our offer, yet slate likes of Mane as waste of money. Cork is decent but limited player. Reliable in his work rate but plays himself into trouble more than he should and doesn't offer enough at either end of the pitch to make him stand out. He was only likely to be back up to MS and VW as they are significantly better. Maybe HR would match him already if had regular game time?? His attacking flair and scoring boots you rave about? He has 1 goal and no assists for Swansea. Your waste of money Mane 7 goals, 2 assists, 5 times more key passes per game. James ward prowse 1 goal, 6 assists and again 5 times more key passes per game. I liked cork, and think he would be good squad player if we got into Europe , but he turned down staying as a squad player. So what did the club do wrong? Unless you think he should start ahead of MS or VW?

How could I or anyone else judge the differences between Lovren and Alderweireld over a season before I'd seen one of them play? I still think Lovren is good, just not as good or consistent. It's doubly frustrating that with Toby someone else is likely to get a bargain, with Lovren at worst we made a big profit. Now, me and Adrian have had a few ding dongs in the past but I really dont see the point in what you have posted here tbh. Sorry to tell you that you've gone and wasted you're time again. Lovren was a excellent excellent CB for us, he really was and many of us feared him leaving as it didnt seem likely that he would be so easily replaced. Nobody could guess the complete capitulation in form he was going to have at Liverpool either. Now, Lovren, early season last year was performing as arguably one of the best CBs in the league, he definately tailed off towards the end but was still very good. Alderweireld however, IMO, is the best CB I have ever seen in a saints shirt, his athleticism, positioning, strength and ability on the ball is far far better than Ive seen. He really is quality. Agreed that two of the 'arguably' best 3 DMs in the prem infront of our defence, and now what seems like a very competant (yet on here much maligned) goalkeeper behind them probably makes their job easier. So no, I dont see what he has got wrong here at all Not saying adrian has anything wrong, nor saying TA a bad player etc. Just pointing out that a year has changed the view of Lovren but his progress / increase in marketability was much greater than Toby. Lovren was not highly thought of and then proved himself in a top league. TA joined us on loan when we were tipped for relegation. His club were happy to agree to quite a low fee. Surely if bigger club / better deal was around he would have gone elsewhere? He was already a regular international player. He had played in a decent amount of games league, cup and CL for the Spanish title winners, hardly unproven or unknown. Main thing noticed about Adrian's post was how he talked about Lovren as having dodgy games, and not raving about him, protected by midfield, inconsistent etc However 12 months ago, before he left and performed badly for Liverpool (but after dodgy games for us) he was "fantastic" "one of best CBs in prem". Not knocking Adrian as its natural and we all feel same. But TA may end up a star for us, or elsewhere but his first season was not, if we are totally honest and try to be objective, a class above Lovrens. Think some of Lovrens performances were amazing last season.

Isn't that a contradiction? Confirmed Liverpool before it happened? If hadn't happened then was still the widely reported info that they wanted him, he wanted to go but we were not selling cheap. Nothing personal, just interesting that compared to years ago we only now hear the press rumours, which range from obvious to shotgun. We have very little good info coming out, I know a couple of posters in the summer were held up as knowing the inside story but don't recall them breaking reliable news. Again nothing personal to them, I would rather read these rumours, just comment that only leaks out seem to be agents or other clubs to the press now.

Not that different than a year ago .. quote=adriansfc;1943596]8m?! Yes, let's sell one of the league's best CBs who cost us that and is off to a world cup. How much was Sakho, because Lovren looks a fckload more composed! £20m. Screw it, £18m plus Agger. Lallana, £20m plus Coutinho. Shaw, £33m plus Evra.

To be fair, probably much what I expect you thought about Lovren, and his move to a bigger club hasn't gone great so far! Very good player for us, but I don't think demand will be automatically hugely higher than it was last summer...he had played a decent amount for a top side and was an established international.

That is funny...in an uncomfortable (office TV prog way). Pearson is so out of his depth intellectually. He does look like the caught out school bully who knows he is wrong, not bright enough to answer but too arrogant to show any humility. Having that widely viewed may make he realise how his pointless goading of the young journalist made him feel. Quite clear he cannot answer honestly, as he can't say he likes using his power to take his stress out on someone else for his own entertainment. We are lucky with Koeman, not just because of his ability but he appears classy I'm contrast to Pearson who appears a thick unpleasant knob.

Would you want him? How much would you value him at? Scored less than Pelle who you slate (and cost £8m) and only 4 more than Mane who you think is a waste of money at £10m. With your player judgement should snap him up at £6 to £12m?

Clyne was clearly first choice by distance and rightly so

Fonte has been our best CB, plus he has been a success as a captain and without doubt organises the defence. I do think there seems to be some exaggeration about what Toby has done this season, by no means knocking him but I think if Fonte had missed as many games, leaving Toby with Gardos and Yoshida we would be worse off.

2 goals in total over last 4 seasons? Decent ayer but would not have been likely to have given us goals from midfield....even if he gotuch game time, which I doubt

Was trying to remember that name...he got caught when arguing with me using another log in to back himself up, was looking silly before that then pathetic

I am clear on which positions qualify for Europe and what happens with the two possible FA cup winners, however I don't know how the FA cup winner effects the stage of the Europa league teams finishing 5th to 6th/7th has. Could someone explain please?

Not great performance but felt quite relaxed we would win. Not so much bad individual performances, although Toby was poor in first half, big improvement 2nd. Probably most credit to; Fonte - effortless defending, good on the ball. Player of the season. Yoshida, good both defensively and in possession. Kelvin - reliable, already some good saves since came in JWP made a difference, getting stronger, intelligent with the ball, personally think a little less reliable than Davis but better. Schneiderlin good 2nd half, unselfish with assist. Long good work rate, at times lacks composure Pelle, frustration over!