Paul Marin, X and (hangers-on) PeterR...hehehehehe....

[Jangle]

Overpriced and overrated Johnson will be just another Rafa defensive howler - like Dossena, Arbeloa and Degen


Last updated at 9:10 AM on 18th June 2009

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If Rafael Benitez pulls off the signing of Glen Johnson from Portsmouth he will probably consider it a major victory.

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Adequate defender, not a midfielder: Glen Johnson will be £17m poorly spent by Rafa Benitez
After all, considerably richer clubs than Liverpool - Chelsea and Manchester City - have also been seriously interested in the defender.

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But if Benitez pays £17 million or more for Johnson it is more like an own goal that should be condemned than a deal which deserves a bout of backslapping at Anfield.
No matter how much Liverpool are still owed by Portsmouth for Peter Crouch, the headline figure for Johnson is exorbitant.
Any fee would eat in to Benitez's unimpressive transfer budget and it would be money wasted.
Liverpool already have defenders who haven't lived up to expectations. Indeed, they are going to have to sell one or two of them to try to balance the books after forking out for Johnson.
Benitez is clueless about full-backs - think Alvaro Arbeloa, Andrea Dossena and Philipp Degen - and allowing him to sign one of the world's most expensive even though doubts remain about his defending means Liverpool's American owners are even sillier than we thought.
Johnson is one of those players who is not quite solid enough as a defender or clever enough in midfield.
Managers can make a team work with him in it but Benitez would be better off spending what little money he has ensuring key players such as Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Pepe Reina stay than adding to his list of inadequate signings.

[Paul Marin]

Once again, I will tell you, you can't pick out the duds without giving Rafa credit for his winners - you have to look at BOTH the players that have gone UP in value as well - Xabi, Torres, Masch, Pepe, Arbeloa, Kuyt, Benayoun, Babel...get it?

[Peter R]

Didn't Babel leave? for Turkey?

[Paul Marin]

Not yet...I don't think so. I hope he doesn't go.

[Me]

Can't really understand the rush to pay so much for Glenn Johnson. His overlapping was very good last year, but his defending was still a little bit lacking for a top 4 team.

[Gamma]

maybe rafa sees where he could improve that?

[Sir X]

RBS outlines support for Liverpool FC owners in letter to fans

Hicks and George Gillett 460

THE Royal Bank of Scotland has taken the unprecedented step of writing to Liverpool Football Club’s supporters to justify its continuing financial support of the club’s American co-owners.
The bank has been flooded with emails from Liverpool fans calling for the plug to be pulled on Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s £350m debt.
Earlier this week, the Daily Post reported how discussions on refinancing the loan, ahead of its expiry on July 24, were “progressing well”.
The sending of the email is virtual confirmation the loan will be refinanced.
The message from RBS says the bank has a “long-term relationship with the club, and we look forward to this continuing for many years to come”.
“In our view and that of the executive management of the club, it is financially healthy and able to service comfortably its debt obligations from cash flow generated by its playing and commercial activities.
“It is in our commercial interest to support the club . . . so that it can continue to perform successfully on and off the pitch.”

• Last night, fans’ group Spirit of Shankly, which has campaigned against the American ownership said it was “surprised and disappointed”.
  Spokesman James McKenna said: “The fans’ relationship with RBS is not great because of their support for Hicks and Gillett.
  “I’m disappointed that the bank doesn’t feel we should have any input or say on this, even though it is tax-payers’ money that has bailed them out.
  “The main value for RBS must be financial, in terms of the interest payments they receive.”
  The email states: “RBS is the main banker to the club including all of its operating accounts, cash management, online banking, automated payments, and credit card processing to facilitate ticket sales and retail merchandising.
  “We also lent money to the club’s parent, Kop Football Limited, so that it could repay debt which was on the balance sheet of the club at the time of its acquisition by George Gillett and Tom Hicks.
  “This is the only portion of Kop Football’s bank debt for which the Club is legally responsible. We took great care when making our original loan in early 2007 and when refinancing it last January to distinguish between obligations of the Club, primarily those outlined above, and obligations of its parent company, the latter being secured by personal guarantees and collateral from the owners and a pledge of the shares they own in the Club.”

[Sir X]

From what I am reading Pool is owned by a BANK , if it fails the bank fails .Its a win win for us, if the bank fails then pool will be liquidated to the highest Arab bidder.