There have been critics, who shall remain fabulous and anonymous, of Rafa Benitez's transfer policy in recent seasons, but when he gets it right, few can pick them better.
A vast majority of neutrals consider Javier Mascherano to be among the leading defensive midfielders in the world, and you would struggle to find a better all-round No. 9 than Fernando Torres.
Robbie Keane may have ended up being a monumental way to waste £8 million (money spent factoring in the resale), and going as high as £17m for Gareth Barry seemed wholly unnecessary for a team that already had one of the best central midfield partnerships in the world, but Rafa now, by some method of madness, appears to have found his way again.
No one with £17m in their pocket would usually think that the best place to spend it would be on a right-back, never mind a right-back playing for Portsmouth, rejected by Chelsea and written off as nothing more than a failed prospect, but this time next summer, they might just be re-evaluating their principles.
For those who don't know, Glen Johnson appeared on Liverpool's website in what was a comical give-away of his having agreed to join the Reds. It would take a revolt of Robinho proportions or a teething problem in the mould of Aly Cissokho to put a stop to this deal now.
Portsmouth already accepted a bid from them, as well as one from Manchester City and another from Chelsea, but the full-back could not have made a better choice from the three.
Chelsea's mere interest, as the club that rejected him just two seasons ago, is more than curious. They only just filled their right-back slot for good last summer with the quality acquisition of Jose Bosingwa, and unless new Blues coach Carlo Ancelotti had planned to ship off the Portuguese elsewhere, quite how Glen Johnson figured into the equation at Stamford Bridge is unclear.
City offer one obvious incentive with not a lot else on top, when you consider they are competing with two of the highest ranked clubs in UEFA. Again, amongst the likes of the promising Micah Richards and new signing Pablo Zabaleta, there was no necessity for Johnson at Eastlands and nor would there have been any guarantee of success.
Still just 24, the defender has shot straight into his prime, further fine-tuning his initial promise going forward with more discipline in defence. Liverpool, while not ill-equipped with Alvaro Arbeloa at their disposal, were missing that little extra something, but not anymore.
Michael Carrick established two seasons ago the going rate for an England international signing for one Premier League club from another, and excessive though it is, Johnson is as good a guarantee as any to be, in relative terms, more than value for money.
For all Dirk Kuyt's virtues for Liverpool operating from right-wing, his talent is goal-poaching, and he can't help but look a little lost out wide when he has the ball and is under a degree of obligation to do something with it. Johnson, fresh from providing no fewer than four assists in his last England appearance and being arguably Portsmouth's most creative player all season from right-back, will go some way towards solving that problem.
The Reds have a spine to match any other in world football, but where they lack is not only in alternatives, but also quality flair players to fill the wide slots in Rafa's rigid 4-2-3-1 formation. Signing Johnson, assuming they can keep Arbeloa from fleeing back to Madrid, will give them both the strength and depth they require to match anyone.
It can only help the team to have more quality English talent to add to the mainstaying duo - club captain Steven Gerrard and his deputy, Jamie Carragher - who have been left holding the fort in the Reds' current best XI. Gareth Barry fell through - and probably for the best - but Gerrard in particular would no doubt be delighted to welcome another international team-mate to the fold and help shake Liverpool's tag of being something of a Spanish Armada.
In truth, Man United may have done well to snap up a third product of West Ham's youth system for their starting line-up, but look like settling with the rotation system between the injury-hit Wes Brown, the eternal stand-in John O'Shea and Rafael da Silva - another in a long line of flying Brazilian full-backs.
Here, Liverpool have made the move and spent the money where United did not, and they will be the ones to benefit immeasurably next season - a full-back may only be a full-back, but the best ones always find a way to make a difference. Bakary Sagna at Arsenal and Chelsea's Jose Bosingwa can claim superior proven pedigree, but it's Johnson who outshone them both last season, and he now has the perfect platform to cement himself as the best in the Premier League and of course, the best England has to offer.
A vast majority of neutrals consider Javier Mascherano to be among the leading defensive midfielders in the world, and you would struggle to find a better all-round No. 9 than Fernando Torres.
Robbie Keane may have ended up being a monumental way to waste £8 million (money spent factoring in the resale), and going as high as £17m for Gareth Barry seemed wholly unnecessary for a team that already had one of the best central midfield partnerships in the world, but Rafa now, by some method of madness, appears to have found his way again.
No one with £17m in their pocket would usually think that the best place to spend it would be on a right-back, never mind a right-back playing for Portsmouth, rejected by Chelsea and written off as nothing more than a failed prospect, but this time next summer, they might just be re-evaluating their principles.
For those who don't know, Glen Johnson appeared on Liverpool's website in what was a comical give-away of his having agreed to join the Reds. It would take a revolt of Robinho proportions or a teething problem in the mould of Aly Cissokho to put a stop to this deal now.
Portsmouth already accepted a bid from them, as well as one from Manchester City and another from Chelsea, but the full-back could not have made a better choice from the three.
Chelsea's mere interest, as the club that rejected him just two seasons ago, is more than curious. They only just filled their right-back slot for good last summer with the quality acquisition of Jose Bosingwa, and unless new Blues coach Carlo Ancelotti had planned to ship off the Portuguese elsewhere, quite how Glen Johnson figured into the equation at Stamford Bridge is unclear.
City offer one obvious incentive with not a lot else on top, when you consider they are competing with two of the highest ranked clubs in UEFA. Again, amongst the likes of the promising Micah Richards and new signing Pablo Zabaleta, there was no necessity for Johnson at Eastlands and nor would there have been any guarantee of success.
Still just 24, the defender has shot straight into his prime, further fine-tuning his initial promise going forward with more discipline in defence. Liverpool, while not ill-equipped with Alvaro Arbeloa at their disposal, were missing that little extra something, but not anymore.
Michael Carrick established two seasons ago the going rate for an England international signing for one Premier League club from another, and excessive though it is, Johnson is as good a guarantee as any to be, in relative terms, more than value for money.
For all Dirk Kuyt's virtues for Liverpool operating from right-wing, his talent is goal-poaching, and he can't help but look a little lost out wide when he has the ball and is under a degree of obligation to do something with it. Johnson, fresh from providing no fewer than four assists in his last England appearance and being arguably Portsmouth's most creative player all season from right-back, will go some way towards solving that problem.
The Reds have a spine to match any other in world football, but where they lack is not only in alternatives, but also quality flair players to fill the wide slots in Rafa's rigid 4-2-3-1 formation. Signing Johnson, assuming they can keep Arbeloa from fleeing back to Madrid, will give them both the strength and depth they require to match anyone.
It can only help the team to have more quality English talent to add to the mainstaying duo - club captain Steven Gerrard and his deputy, Jamie Carragher - who have been left holding the fort in the Reds' current best XI. Gareth Barry fell through - and probably for the best - but Gerrard in particular would no doubt be delighted to welcome another international team-mate to the fold and help shake Liverpool's tag of being something of a Spanish Armada.
In truth, Man United may have done well to snap up a third product of West Ham's youth system for their starting line-up, but look like settling with the rotation system between the injury-hit Wes Brown, the eternal stand-in John O'Shea and Rafael da Silva - another in a long line of flying Brazilian full-backs.
Here, Liverpool have made the move and spent the money where United did not, and they will be the ones to benefit immeasurably next season - a full-back may only be a full-back, but the best ones always find a way to make a difference. Bakary Sagna at Arsenal and Chelsea's Jose Bosingwa can claim superior proven pedigree, but it's Johnson who outshone them both last season, and he now has the perfect platform to cement himself as the best in the Premier League and of course, the best England has to offer.
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