Hard to tell, I would suggest too slow. How else can we explain ALL our top targets pretty much falling off the radar?

Maybe I'm cynical after so many years of watching dodgy summer signings flop at Liverpool, but does anyone really think that the players linked to us like Milito, Bent and Benayoun are going to win us the title ahead of ManUre and Chelsea?

There's no chance in my eyes. In fact, we'll be out of the title race by xmas AGAIN if we don't sign some seriously proven players because the start of the league fixtures isn't easy for us. We've bought enough "maybe" players in the past and none of them could put together a title challenge. Now we're after more players that none of the other top clubs want.

Chelsea can afford to buy Sidwell and co.. for their bench when they have a first team like Essien, Lampard, Terry, Ballack, Drogba, Cole, Robben etc.. etc..

Utd too can afford to be patient with Nani and Anderson because they already have a first 11 capable of challenging for the title.

Our first 11 needs at least 3 top class players to walk into it if we're to even compete for the league title. The players linked so far wouldn't get into any other top European teams. Yet as usual we are buying 3rd choice players and expect to win a league after 17 years.

We're kidding ourselves.

The spanish liga is over this past two days. I certainly hope some discussions are taking place for a big deal at the end of this week. We need to sign players in time for a full pre season so everyone gets to know each other and play together in friendlies. Kuyt signed after the league had already started and I think thats why he wasn't as successful as he might have been.

It's been over the net for a while today, saying Liverpool officials are in Madrid to discuss a move for Fernando Torres. Hope it's true, yet I don't know why but I don't think he'll do that good with us, may be cause everytime we splashed a lot of money on a big striker he ends up not being that great "Collymore, Cisse". I hope I'm wrong about him though!!!

Sceptical myself about Spanish strikers, defending is much more open in Spain and the football is more flowing and attacking. Not sure the English game suits Spanish strikers. How many of them have actually made it? Look at Nando, delighted when I heard we had him but then he was poor. Went home and he's back banging in the goals! That doesn't mean the Spanish league is poorer quality, quite the opposite but their style of play seems to suit their own better. The rumours also link Luis Garcia as part of the deal and I would not want to see that. Torres is not worth €25m and Garcia. Frustrating as he is, the little man has settled well and he scores important goals. Why lose a 10+ goals a season player for one unproven?

What i would love to see at Liverpool is an African striker. I don't know what it is but the majority of them seem to be top class players.Look at Eto'o, Drogba, Benni McCarthy....They have drive and stamina and the Continent is dispensing great players like South America has been for many many years now. I don't think it could cause any harm if LFC made a bid for McCarthy, I know the chances of him Leaving Blackburn this season are slim but with 18 league goals under his belt last season, it might be worth the try.

It seems we have a good chance of getting Torres which should make all Pool fans happy. At least it shows we're trying to bridge the gap with the top 2 by spending big.

Realistically, Benitez will be held responsible if Torres flops. All the board can do is give him the money and all we can do is trust his judgement. The lad seems to be very talented, even if he's not the prolific goalscorer in Eto's mould.

I've also seen Forlan being linked heavily again and that is very bad news, especially as they rckn he'll cost over £15 million. Yet only Aston Villa and Sunderland want him too which says a lot. Stay away from Forlan, Rafa and look to Anelka or Owen. It'll be a big error by Benitez I feel to take an expensive risk on a Man Yoo floooooooooooooooop.

he is not worth 3 mil never mind 15. next year, is a big year for rafa, everyone knows owen is better than forlan. so rafa please, spend wisely. i want you here at anfield. for a long time.

It's nearly a definite now that Torres is coming to Anfield.All reports suggest that Liverpool FC men are in Madrid now discussing the contract and he and A.Madrid are supposedly agree on a €25 mil swoop. There is no talk of a swap deal with any of our out of favour players but he looks like he is heading mersey way.

First point is :
why the hell are chelsea now considered as one of the elite clubs in europe.wanst it based on how well the team have done over the decades and not years and wether or not you can reach every final imaginable?I think abramovich has dug deep into his pockets to get this sorted or the football league has lost it.

2nd point :
Why the hell dont lyon buy cisse,why get him on another loan?this is unacceptable to be honest.we either cash in on him or keep him.no more loan deals ..next season he will be on a free and then any pie hole club can sign him.

3rd point:
Its starting to look like we are making moves in the transfer department, but yet again its going to be down to cash..Torres at 27 million...if we can buy him great if not , someone has to make way for a swap deal plus cash.
Roma have rejected a bid from us to sign Mancini..good thinking on behalf of the backroom staff ..he is a class act...but how much do roma actually want from him ?

i see we have had, a bid turned down. for mancini 12 mil i think. if we cannot get him, the porto winger ricardo quesmmo. is superb. i would like both.....

On regards to your 3 points mate:

I agree with the first point, yet it is also down to the clubs achievements in the League for the past 5 years, and not 10, otherwise we would have not made it to 3rd in Europe's ranking, nor Chelsea have made a pie out of honey!!

2nd point, Cissé was loaned to Marseille mate, not Lyon. Marseille are very much short on cash "how am I believe this I don't know, they made a fortune when they sold Drogba to Chelsea, but anyways" and we shouldn't let them get the player in loan again, cause it is really irritating how clubs mock us and get all sorts of cash out of our pockets for their players, yet they get our players for either loan, for cheap prices or even for free.

3rd point, Mancini sounds a good act, but I doubt his playstyle in English football, not for much of a reason than the fact, I hardly seen him play, and the only times I remember him play weren't good memories of the winger. I'd rather have the same cash splashed on Daniel Alves, or Ricardo Quaresma, and not Mancini or Simao!

YNWA

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=24257&cc=5739

This link to ESPNsoccernet should bring you to Fernando Torres' page. The scoring rate isn't great. But he is only 23 and the team he plays with are shit. His performances for Spain in the past year might be a better indicator as to how he'll play in a good side (10 games and 7 goals).

It's just as I stated, I dunno much about Mancini, I'm not a fan of Italian football to be honest with you. Quaresma I heard of, and I was keen as well to see Alves get in. Benitez ADMIRES versatile players, like Carragher. He's trying to make Gerrard versatile in playing him on the right wing, which did good when both Crouch and Sissoko were deployed to utilize the captain's potential. Cisse didn't make it, and Zenden was pretty much prefered for Benitez instead of a nervous Gonzalez.

The thing basically is; Rafa already left Valencia for their Spanish system where the manager can't have a hand in the players HE wants to bring in, it's like giving your wishlist to the Sporting Director "or whoever that is", ASK him if the club can make it or not, see the chairman if he has other options in mind, and get the targets in the common zone! That's why Benitez couldn't get Kuyt when he was in Valencia, and I believe it has a lot to do with him bunking the Royalty flush of Real Madrid to stay in the more commanding and more controling stake he has here with us in Liverpool. Now that the new owners are in their "Phase II", he wants things to be done, HIS targets brought in, HIS vision of a team built in. He was restricted to few targets, and a very reasonable budget for a club aiming to win the Premier League. And surely he did amazingly well in the League "which to my surprise no one speaks of it AT ALL" finishing only 9 points behind champions Chelsea that year, so in order to finish the jigsaw and get the proper picture obviously concreted, he needs his prime targets, and his plans being supported "being in the marketing front which we end up probably 500th in it where silly clubs in Asia -no disrespect- sell more merchandise than we do in Europe it self" or the Academy, the new reserves system proposed by Benitez, etc etc... people in this country should listen to him more often if they want their Football League system to develop and nurture as fast as possible.

Bent is a proven goalscorer in the premiership..he don't need lots of time to adapt..and he is not such a big risk..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2KjqI9p1s
Torres can score for Spain but against which team??? Serbie montenegro/Faroe islands etc...
He is a big gamble, what if he don't succeed just like morientes??? It will be double lost, money and Luis garcia!!
What have happen about Tevez case..liverpool just dont seems to be interested by the player.
And finally..Banayoun!! What the fUc k do we need such a player for, when we already have pennant?? Either we get someone better or nobody but no waste of money!!

criticalmind, you are almost right. torres, is a far better player, than bent. but he is a gamble, they all are. torres will need time, but at27 mil he wont get it. but bent is only a average player at 17 mil far too much,henry was only 16mil nobody wants bent only spurs. no top team will buy him, torres will be top class given time to adjust,to the prem.iam sorry mate but most liverpool fans dont want bent 8mil maybey best spending10mil on anelka.

Atletico Madrid have issued a statement claiming that they have not recieved any bid for Torres friom Liverpool, or any team for that matter. So we have to wonder if it will happen at all the way things are going in the transfer market this summer. However, it has been said that Torres has spoken to club bosses telling them he wants to go Liverpool as he has become unhappy in the Spanish club. Rafa has said he wants to get the players in before pre-season starts, well he hasn't got long now has he?

i think the rate of urgency is not high enough for us to have torres, bent, or malouda, we already have lindfield and anderson, lindfield will be the next 'fowler' and anderson will be the next "McManaman", all they need is a decent chance to prove themselves are worhted in the first team

I agree Lindfield and Anderson should be given a shot next season. A half an hour here or there in the prem and starting in the league cup.

just read that on thursday,when plans for the new ground are shown. it is then we will have are first new player/s on show. don,t hold your breath.

The two yanks promised Rafa money to buy new players, were is it then guys?. LFC being linked with Eto, Torres, Messie,etc,etc, we wont get any of them on the cheep so come on Mr Hicks & Gillet get your hand in your pockets and pull out a fist full of dollars and give them to Raffa so he can tie up the deals before pre-season training starts, or is it that we have to wait to sell some of our less desirables (Bellamy, Cisse, Crouch) before we can buy.
Or have you yanks being telling us fans a load of BULL SH*T!!!

if rafa dont get the players he needs and next season finishes like the last he will be off to some mega bucks club like madrid
and the yanks will bring in some
puppet. if these yanks go on as they have started LFC will be in trouble . we need success on the pitch along with the new stadium
look what happened at Arsenal
nice stadium best player gone and manager likely to follow
im gettin bad vibes from all this delay stuff . if rara wants benyahun but Man city get him now
instead its all a joke
Lfc are a thier one club but with a thier two purse it wont last and something is going to give
and if it does LFC fans aint gonna like it

i have no doubt torres will join lfc, only reason atletico denys it,lfc wont confirm it is: atheltic need a replacment when torres deal is struck they gonna have to pay between £2millon and £5millon more for a striker than after the deal is done.
so the transfer isnt gonna happen before they have a deal on a new striker

I TOTALLY AGREE THAT A GOOD SEASON IS VITAL. LAST YEAR WE WERE 21 POINTS BEHIND THE MANCS, THE SEASON BEFORE A SIMULAR NUMBER OF POINTS BEHIND CHELSEA. THE REALITY OF IT ALL WAS WE WERN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
THIS TIME AROUND RAFA HAS THE MONEY TO BRIDGE THE GAP. I WOULD LIKE RAFA TO ADOPT A MORE ATTACKING POLICY. LAST SEASON WE WERE SO DEFENSIVE IT WAS UNTRUE ( THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL WAS A PRIME EXAMPLE ). LETS SEE THREE OR FOUR TOP QUALITY SIGNINGS AND A GOOD STARTY TO THE SEASON.
THE BACKBONE OF A GOOD SIDE IS ALLREADY THERE WHATS NEEDED IS A BIT OF FLAIR AND A MORE ATTACK MINDED MIND SET.