Because it's going to happen, and it's going to happen this season, so I might as well kick off the congratulatory thread now. With Manchester United shorn of anyone possessing as much as an iota of tactical nouse, and shortly to lose their playmaking and goalscoring fulcrum; Chelsea players adjusting to a manager who might, impudently, have the temerity to start telling them what to do and also having the best of their number poached by Inter; Arsenal being their usual dilettante selves and Hull City still a quality target man away from being a serious threat, the way is open for Liverpool to stride to the title, led by their terrifyingly astute manager and the best striker in Europe.

In short, only a fool would dispute that the top spot is theirs on a plate. Surely even they couldn't contrive to pull fourth place out of the hat again?

Anyone who doesn't like celebratory bragging served with a large side-order of sanctimony better take cover.

Ew, I've started a Liverpool thread. Now I feel all dirty.

They've still some work to do yet - they've only unsettled players at Villa & Tottenham so far - there's another 17 teams to pretend they have the money to buy key players from yet!

If they do it, I'll get £170.

After Spain came up with the goods, I spent a chunk of my winnings on going out for some tapas. I wonder what I ought to do if Liverpool fill my pockets...

Go to the drycleaners.

Heh heh.

Good work.

Did you go to Casa Don Carlos, SR? If so, what did you think?

The new signings look like this year's Josemis and Kromkamps.

Did Degen play a single minute for Switzerland at Euro 2008? I don't remember seeing him on the pitch at any point. Dossena didn't even make the Italian squad.

Gareth Barry and Robbie Keane are the sort of players who, while useful on their day, simply would not get a regular starting place for the three teams who stand in Liverpool's way.

Think it was a mistake letting Crouch go, too, especially when Dirk Kuyt and Voronin are still there taking up space.

Nico Rijnders wrote:

QUOTE:
Did you go to Casa Don Carlos, SR? If so, what did you think?

I did, and it was fantastic (although the next morning I paid rectally for my decision to try the deep-fried pimientos).

Every season I start with thinking "we could do it" and every season by Christmas (usually before) I'm thinking "I hope we make fourth."
The annoying thing is, every summer I'm a bit demoralised and tell myself that it ain't going to happen in my lifetime, not with the Siberian Orphans blood money of Chelsea and the fact that Imperial Lord Ferg obviously has a regular date with Satan's fetid and throbbing member (how else would a team with Michael Carrick and Wes Brown in it win even a game?)
Yet still by the first day of the season and our annual draw with Middlesborough or whatever pointless team we play I believe again, only to be crushed, again.
It's a hard life supporting a BRC.

Yeah. I'm mystified as to why they'd want to get rid of Crouch. I don't have any stats but I'm sure his goals scored to games appeared-in ratio is high enough to prompt the question as to why he doesn't appear more.

Did Degan even make the Swiss squad? I love how Rafa seemingly doesn't really like Steve Finnan, and every year he seems to buy a replacement (Kromkamp, Arbeloa, Josemi), only for them all to be shit (Arbeloa is ok) and Finnan keep his place.
I honestly don't see the point of forking out £17 million on Gareth Barry. Ok, so he can on the left of midfield, but he's now primarily a central midfielder. Is he really any better than Xabi Alonso? Why is Stevie G so gay for Gareth Barry?
If Barry does go to Anfield, does this mean Gerrard is odds on to start playing just off Torres, with Mascherano and Barry as cover in midfield?
Also, £7 million seems rather a lot for a left back from an unfashionable team, with one Italian cap. I suppose he might turn into being an astute signing as Evra has been for United, but I doubt it.

Degen wasn't fit, he was injured for most of last season. Left back is quite well covered, for Italy, but Dossena has played for them before and I understand is expected to feature more in future, with Grosso in particular not getting any younger.

They didn't want to get rid of Crouch. He was offered a new and improved contract. Crouch turned it down because he wasn't happy to spend another season as second fiddle to Torres. So the choice was, let him go now for e