desjardfan

Okay, first of all, second time this happened where I typed up a big, huge thing and then lost it because "I wasn't signed in." What's the story??? Does it sign you out if you're stagnant for too long or what?

Anyways, lots has happened since I took over Liverpool, and I'm not going to go as in-depth with the narrative because if I lose it again that's another 20 minutes wasted.

Coaches were had to come by, and most clubs are asking for ridiculous fees. However Michael Watt, whom I brought into Rangers initially and subsequently moved to Newcastle with me, resigned from Newcastle upon my leaving and has since rejoined me as a first-team coach at Liverpool.

The rest of the staff fell into place on the eve of the season but I'm not too happy with it. Definitely be some changes forthcoming, and more than likely Watt will end up my right hand man in the summer. Definitely a good coach, highly recommend.

I was given 50m pds (!!!!!) which is ridiculous because I've never had more than 15m but once and that was because I downed the wage budget to a shoe-string level.

Out: Arbeola demnaded a move after Rafa left. On to Milan for 15.5m, 50 sell-on clause paid to Deportivo. Lucas for 7m, Skrtel for 7.75m.

In: Burdisso to fill the right-half at 19m. Bale for 11m. Michael Johnson demanded a move from City, gathered him for 7.75m. Mancienne on a free from Chelsea, signed for 33k/week and have already received one offer for 8m from Villa. Good piece of business I'd say. Also brought in Didier Digard, who was my final purchase at Rangers, for 6.75m. If you're going to get a defensive midfielder I figure he might as well be French.

Michael Laudrup was brought into Newcastle and has spent a TON of money. I have no idea where it came from because part of the reason I left was the club was so cash strapped. They'd just refinanced their debt at the end of last season leaving me with scraps to work with. I know the PL TV gave him some to work with but seriously... he brought in a big Danish contingent that wasn't cheap, then, and this is insane, he signed Gouffran from Fulham for 19.75m!!! With the potential for it to increase to over 21m! This is the same Yoan Gouffran whom I paid 3.2m for at Rangers, sold to Fulham for 5.75m after 9 months, and who Fulham have turned around for a 14m profit a year later. And it's not like he set the world on fire: 14 goals in 39 games for Fulham. Newcastle should be worth 6 points for me this year. The fact I kept that team mid-table was accomplishment enough, let alone bagging the FA cup. That club's not in good shape.

6-1-0 on the season so far, 13 for-1 against. Torres is a world beater with a hat-trick at Middlesbrough and two braces already, Gerrard with two and some beautiful passing off the right, Xabi's a force in the middle, Burdisso's picked two off corners already.

Formation:

----------------------------Reina----------------------------
Burdisso---------Agger--------------Mancienne---Insua/Risse-
----------------Digard/someone else (can't remember, damn)---
Gerrard-----------Xabi Alonso--------------------Bale/Babel--
------------------------------Pandev/Babel------------------
--------------------------Torres----------------------------

It's a staggered 4-1-3-1-1, has worked wonders for me at every stop. Have to have a strong attacking midfielder to play behind and to the left of the striker. I play the ball down the right mostly with the left mid as a holding/distributing position letting him and the left full back overlap a lot

That pairing between the CM/AM is crucial. I had Ferguson/Adam at Rangers, Defour(Vidal)/Lampard(Eagles) at Newcastle, and now Xabi/Pandev. Gerrard's by far the best right-mid I've had in this system and it's working better than ever. Either the centre-halves concentrate too much on Torres freeing up space for Gerrard/Xabi to make runs off the right, or they spread the defense to cover the wings leaving Torres and Pandev with room to roam in the middle. Balls off the wing to Pandev, Pandev through balls to Torres, Dangerous.

Okay, so the narrative was just as long. Guess we could move this to Your current game or whatever it is. And I should probably get back to work....

Cheers