I see that Branthwaite is still an oaf.

I tell you what, if Ismael wants to play like this all season he needs a MUCH stronger bench than we've currently got. This pressing is relentless - our squad won't last without heavy rotation.

Pace. Strength. Physicality. Hold up play.

As a defender I'd much rather play against Ohashi than Gueye.

Be still my beating heart.

I gather he didn't disgrace himself on his debut. From what I've seen of his highlights he's quick, without being lightning and skillful enough. Think Emerton (obviously Bret was in a different class, but that kind of 'athletic wide player who gets up and down').

Or familiarity with how we want him to play. Last thing you want to do with a new signing is throw him in against a PL outfit and let him get murdered 'cos he doesn't know where he's playing.

Gueye for Ohashi, Kargbo for Hedges - is our strongest side I think.

They have money, a waiting list for season tickets and owners that care. We have the Venkys.

Two year contract - bizarre.

Could you point out which one decided not to have reversed halves for the home kit? I'd like to slap them.

That's how I categorise Leonard due to his lack of height / pace. He'll have to play as a 10 (pushing on past the CF) or as a hard working L/RW as a 'playmaker' type. He has good movement / a good feel for the game too - albeit I wish his finishing was better.

Or Birmingham or Charlton?

Loaning players only make sense if you're pushing for promotion or staving off relegation. Why develop a player from Liverpool if the plan is to just sit comfortably in mid table?

Poor sods.

Manager doesn't fancy him is what I've read. Sometimes it's as simple as that.

Normally, yes, but it's the kind of mad transfer we sanction.

It was a shame at the time - the wrong move for him professionally (yes I know his bank manager and agent would have been thrilled).

Forever in Liverpool's shadow - they sold out Deepdale.

So any more on that Harry Pickering link, or was it bogus?

Unless he's regressed massively he's far quicker than Brittain and a much better one-on-one defender. Nowhere near the attacker though.

It'll go through, the £3m will be banked and we'll bring in a cheap, untested, PL loan RB.

JDT and Eustace often turned to the bench and thought "who the fuck do I bring on?" It's why Eustace ran Travis and Tronstad into the ground last season. It's been our achilles heel for years - absolutely no quality depth. Games we're very much in used to change when the subs were made - the opposition got stronger (or at least posed different questions) and we either didn't make any (with our tired players going up against their fresh ones) or got significantly weaker.

I don't like slotting CBs in at FB - especially in the modern game when the FB is asked to provide attacking options. Nor do I like slotting tall FBs in at CB as a Plan A. That's a Plan D when everyone is injured and the transfer window is closed.

Is it impossible to say? I genuinely can't think of anything they've done right in 15 years.