Dunn And Morgan Fire In Defeat

Goals from Jack Dunn and Adam Morgan could not prevent Liverpool U18s slipping to their first defeat of the season against Derby County on Saturday lunchtime.

Mike Marsh's youngsters now have four points from their opening three games after the 3-2 loss - but it might have been more had a clutch of decent opportunities been converted.

The Reds took the lead on 15 minutes when Dunn fizzed home from an acute angle to submit an early entry into the Goal of the Season contest.

The visitors then mounted a comeback, equalizing through Callum Ball 15 seconds into the second period.

A frantic four minutes then followed as Ball struck again with a direct free-kick on 69 before Morgan headed home an instant leveller.

But the game had only just kicked-off once more when Kwame Thomas fired the winner on 73 minutes.

Liverpool looked good to snatch a point with a string of chances but it wasn't to be.

Gerrard: Liverpool Did Well To Axe Pricey Stars Like Joe Cole

Steven Gerrard has praised Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish for replacing high-earning fringe players such as Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic and Christian Poulsen with 'hungry' new talent during the transfer window.

The club captain has suggested Anfield will be a better place without squad misfits such as Cole, who has joined big-spending French side Lille on a season-long loan - in turn freeing up the former Chelsea man's rumoured £90,000-a-week wages for new recruits.

Cole was said to have rejected other lucrative offers from Spurs and Arsenal to move to Merseyside last year.

And despite being one of the club's most heralded signings of 2010, Cole was a flop - with injury and poor form hampering his entire 12 months at the club.

Gerrard claimed Dalglish and Reds director of football Damien Comolli have proved their worth as 'smooth operators' in the transfer market.

'They have shifted a lot of players who were no longer involved and were sitting on good contracts,' the midfielder said.

'And they have brought in some quality players who are hungry and want to do well.'

Among the other fringe players to have left Anfield during the clearout are Emiliano Insua, who went to Sporting Lisbon, and Jovanovic, who joined Anderlecht.

Unfancied midfielder Christian Poulsen signed for French side Evian, fringe striker David Ngog went to Bolton, and centre-back Sotirios Kyrgiakos transferred to Wolfsburg in what was an incredibly busy summer on Merseyside.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's squad was rejuvenated by the arrival of seven new players - including Jordan Henderson from Sunderland, Charlie Adam from Blackpool, and Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing.

Gerrard is now back in training with his new team-mates as he continues to make his way back from a serious groin injury.

The England international has not played competitively since March and he revealed that, at one stage, he feared for his career because of the long-term injury he was suffering.

'I basically had career-saving surgery and it's gone really well,' he told the Liverpool club website.

'Since coming out of hospital my rehab has gone really well. I'm really happy and positive again.'

Paul Merson: Craig Bellamy Deal Could End Up In Tears

Craig Bellamy going back to Liverpool shocked me. He needs to play football, and he’s not going to get it at Liverpool. He’s going to get frustrated. In two or three months’ time I can see it all ending in tears.

If someone gets injured, what a replacement he is to have on your books! But I don’t see him being happy waiting around for that to happen. He might not kick a ball there for three months! People say never go back to your old club. Usually I agree with them. But I can see it being effective. They are a big club, they are moving forward.

It’s not an easy decision, though, because if he had gone to QPR, he would be starting every game this season – guaranteed. He won’t let anybody down, and he will always be fighting 100 per cent for that club. But Liverpool doesn’t have a lot of fixtures this year. They’re not in Europe. I don’t think he’ll settle for Carling Cup football.

The risk is all the manager’s. But they don’t call him King Kenny for nothing. Because of Dalglish’s status at Liverpool, it’s going to be harder for the Welshman to rock the boat. If he does, he will be finished with the fans.

Gerrard Targets Comeback Against Tottenham

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard says he hopes to return for the Reds' September 18 clash against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.

The England international has not featured since March due to a groin injury. After surgery in April, his recovery was further delayed by an infection which put him back in hospital in July and ruled him out of Liverpool's first matches of the new campaign.

Now fully recovered from his long layoff, Gerrard says he can't wait to return to first team action.

"I feel really good and I'm back kicking balls again - it's all positive," Gerrard told the club's official website.

"I should be back in full training with the team on Thursday or Friday of next week.

"I won't be involved against Stoke next Saturday but my plan is to hopefully be involved in the game against Tottenham [the following weekend on September 18]. It will be Kenny [Dalglish]'s decision when I come back in.

"I need to get some full training with the team under my belt and I'll have a better idea of my fitness condition when I play in a practice match which is being arranged."

Gerrard admitted such a long spell on the sidelines had taken its toll on him at times but insisted he felt better than ever and is ready to play a big part in Liverpool's season.

"It's been a tough five months for me since I had the surgery," he said. "It's been up and down emotionally and I've missed playing so much.

"I've had a good rest, I'm fired up and I'm raring to go again. I know I'm going to come back fitter, stronger and hungrier than ever.

"At the moment it's all good and I'm itching to get back. In fact it's worse than itching, my stomach is turning."

The 31-year old was also confident that he could avoid any recurrence of the groin problem and revealed that tests run on the problem area showed his rehabilitation had made him stronger than ever.

"Since coming out of hospital my rehab has gone really well. I'm really happy and positive again. My groin is as strong as it's ever been," he continued.

"It's not just what doctors and physios are telling me - the stats are there to prove it.

"My groin is tested when I'm working and the physios collect data. My groin scores now are better than before I even started feeling my groin.

"I'm in good shape and feel better than ever. My body weight, fat levels and upper body strength are all good.

"But it will take time for people to see me out playing again and playing well for them to believe what I'm saying in this interview."

Pearce: Henderson Was On His Knees

Stuart Pearce has conceded Jordan Henderson was 'on his knees' when playing for England at the European Under-21 Championship in the summer.

Henderson has been handed the captain's armband for England's bid to qualify for the 2013 tournament after struggling to make an impression during this year's competition in Denmark.

He failed to replicate the form which had earned the midfielder a move to Liverpool from Sunderland, and Pearce believes it was due to fatigue.

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere missed the tournament due to injury, but prior to that there had been concerns raised by his club boss Arsene Wenger regarding the potential for burn-out.

Under-21 coach Pearce, whose side thrashed Azerbaijan 6-0 on Thursday, admits Henderson was running on empty by the end of England's involvement at the finals.

"He captained the side well,' said Pearce regarding Henderson's performance against Azerbaijan, which included a goal.

"He will be a great talent for the future. But we have to nurture everyone in this squad.

"The one thing that did affect him (in Denmark) was the season. A lot was said about Jack Wilshere and his condition.

"But Jordan Henderson was the one player that we realized at the end of the season was flat.

"He took the move to Liverpool in his stride. But he was physically on his knees come the summer, if I'm being quite honest, and that was the only distraction for him.

"I thought he had a decent tournament but come the last group game he ran out of gas."

Gerrard: Last Season Was The Toughest Of My Career

Last season was the toughest of Steven Gerrard’s career. Injury restricted the inspirational Reds skipper to just 24 appearances. He played just six games under Kenny Dalglish and is eager to get back and impress the Kop legend.

“I wasn’t fit when I played for Kenny last season,” he said. “Yeah, we won at Chelsea but I was struggling with the injury. I was grinding through, just trying to get from day to day, week to week, with my groin.

“I want to come back and be 100% for Kenny. I want to put in that first top performance, get a good goal and a good win for the manager. “I’m basically in a pre-season situation now. I’ll be back in full training with the lads next week and everything is positive.

“The manager has to make a decision when I’m physically ready and when my form is good enough to come back in. I’m the type of player who gets fit quite quickly. It’s just a matter of getting training sessions and game time in the bank.”

Door Is Wide Open For The Impressive Stewart Downing

It has been a long road to international credibility for Stewart Downing but six years after making his debut for England he might just have found it.

Fabio Capello started with the Liverpool winger in Sofia on Friday night, promoting him ahead of the Manchester City pair of James Milner and Adam Johnson, and he could be here to stay.

This fairly abject Bulgaria team was not much opposition but Downing gave an understatedly impressive performance in the fluid attacking three behind Wayne Rooney. His corner was headed in by Rooney for the second goal and Downing himself hit a post with a header after some fine combinational counter-attacking play with Theo Walcott in the second half.

This 4-2-3-1 system demands flexibility from the attacking three and Downing and Walcott exchanged flanks frequently. His movement has improved dramatically in the last 18 months — playing in the centre for Villa helped that — and as the game drew to a close he even took up the playmaker’s role in the hole behind Rooney. He’s come a long way since his presence in the team was a perceived reflection of their impotence.

Downing was given his debut by Sven-Goran Eriksson against Holland in Feb 2005 but it was not until Steve McClaren took over that he got a regular run in the side. He played in eight of those disastrous Euro 2008 qualifiers and was tainted by association with McClaren from their time at Middlesbrough together.

He was on the pitch in Barcelona when the England support turned brutally on McClaren with the score 0-0 at half-time against Andorra. The hate poured down from the terraces and many felt Downing’s presence in the team was symptomatic of what was wrong with England.

When McClaren went, you thought Downing would go with him. Worse was to come, though, and it came back in Andorra. In Capello’s first competitive game was a surprise starter but an insipid performance meant he was booed by the fans who had made the trip. Capello, ruthlessly, replaced him at half-time with Joe Cole (who ended up scoring both England’s goals) and Downing did not start another competitive game until on Friday night.

Those three years have shown an impressive resolution to Downing’s personality. His youthful promise had plateaued when Martin O’Neill took him to Aston Villa. Boro had been relegated and Stiliyan Petrov — an opponent on Friday night — had broken his foot. Downing's his career was at a turning point. He did not look back.

His second season at Villa was outstanding — many Villa fans arguing he was superior to Ashley Young — and his move to Liverpool appears to have accelerated his grade of improvement. Capello and his coaching team have been impressed by his revived confidence and his hunger for the ball. The accuracy of his crossing - not really needed on Friday - will also be a great asset when Andy Carroll gets back to form.

It is not as premature as you might think to talk about the make-up of the England team at Euro 2012. Walcott will be desperate to retain his place in the team after missing out on the 2006 World Cup and while he did not knit easily into the make-up of the team in the first half on Friday he grew into the game and was excellent in the build-up to England’s slick third goal, sprinting towards the edge of the box before releasing Young out wide.

While Young has frustratingly fractious in his play, there were positives to draw from the way Walcott and Downing combined after the break. Rooney can often be left isolated when he plays the lone strikers role so it is important that he gets swift support on counters and Downing certainly provides that.

Walcott’s instinct is to go beyond the last striker while Downing’s is either to pull off him, into the space behind, or look to get down the touchline. It brings an attractive balance to England’s wide play.

There are only two more qualifiers and then two friendlies scheduled before the team gets into their warm-up games — assuming they qualify.

With Milner and Johnson threatened by reduced game-time and Downing likely to remain fresh without European football this season, it is wide open for him. Finally, he might take his chance.

Why Jordan Can Emulate Gerrard

There can be few better compliments for a young footballer than being identified as a potential long-term successor to Steven Gerrard's Anfield throne.

But that is the claim made in an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.tv by a man who knows Jordan Henderson the footballer perhaps better than anyone else.

Ged McNamee, Sunderland's Academy manager, who coached Henderson from the age of eight, has explained why he thinks Reds fans will come to love Henderson.

"Anybody who knows Jordan will tell you that he's just an absolutely smashing lad and anyone who's seen him play will tell you he's got bags of natural ability and a strong work ethic," he says.

"If you look at a young Steven Gerrard, he was all over the park, chasing down players and charging up the park too - trust me, Jordan has all of that in him.

"I think he could be a little star for Liverpool. He's versatile; he'll always keep going and will always give you 100 per cent. He's the kind of guy Liverpool fans will easily take to."

Henderson was firmly established as a star at the Stadium of Light prior to his switch to Merseyside - but McNamee admits there were times in his earlier days when Sunderland had doubts over whether he'd make it.

"Obviously he's been with us for a long time and he joined us from the age of eight and so we've been with him through the ups and the downs," he says.

"There were times you'd look at Jordan and you'd think 'There's something special about that boy' and then other times you'd see him struggling and you'd worry for him.

"It was only really when he turned 16, where we were forced into making a decision whether or not to give him a contract, which we began to realize what kind of special player we'd signed."

Henderson went on to make over 70 appearances for the north-east club and managed to win himself the Black Cats' Young Player of the Year award for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

McNamee believes it was those difficult earlier experiences that made Henderson the player and person he is today.

"He's well rounded now, he's got his feet firmly on the ground and there really is no edge to him at all," he explains. "Thankfully we gave him that opportunity and to be fair to the lad he's taken it with both hands.

"Jordan will be the first to admit that he's got a lot of work to do before he catches Gerrard.

"Steven is a recognized international player, with tons of experience, but it's where Jordan wants to be and I think he can do it."

Liverpool Legend Bill Shankly's Birthday Today

It’s Bill Shankly’s birthday today and Kopites are congregating in establishments, social gatherings and the internet to discuss the impact of the man who is wholly acknowledged to have had the greatest influence on Liverpool Football Club, inspiring the team to become the footballing giant that it is today.

Shankly breezed into Anfield with his magic broom. A fiercely single minded man, he addressed the press upon arrival: "I am very pleased to and proud to have been chosen as manager of Liverpool FC, a club of such potential.

"It is my opinion that Liverpool has a crowd of followers which rank with the greatest in the game. They deserve success and I hope, in my own small way, I am able to do something towards to help them achieve it.

"I make no promises except that from the moment I take over I shall put everything into the job I so willingly undertake."

Hailing from Glenbuck, an Ayrshire coalmining village in the east of Muirkirk, Shankly was born into a family of ten. Times were hard. He received no formal education, and spent two years of his youth earning a meagre wage down the coal pits.

His hard upbringing shaped his philosophy and it was no great secret that he was greatly influenced by Robert Burns, the eminent Scottish Poet.

With his deep thinking not shackled by the formalities of a University education, Shankly provided intelligent opinion and an alternative viewpoint to almost everything. His utterances struck a chord and were lapped upon by the public.

In 1932 Shankly joined Carlisle, leaving to join Preston North End a year later. His bright thinking of the game was noted by greats such as Sir Tom Finney.

Anfield To Host Celebration Evening To Mark 10th Anniversary Of 2001 Treble

Anfield is hosting a special celebration dinner on Friday, October 7, to mark the 10th anniversary of Liverpool’s historic treble.

Special guests include Phil Thompson, who was assistant manager to Gerard Houllier back in 2001, and former Reds midfielder Gary McAllister.

They will discuss their memories of a remarkable campaign which resulted in Liverpool clinching the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup.

Thompson and McAllister will be joined by impressionist Darren Farley.

Standard Chartered Launch Hunt For Liverpool’s Most Dedicated Fan

Standard Chartered has launched a hunt for Liverpool’s most committed fan.

Throughout this season the club’s main sponsors will hand out Fan of the Month awards to recognize the efforts of those who go to great lengths to show their support for the Reds.

Every month a judging panel will choose a winner from the stories entered.

Each monthly winner will win a trophy, a Liverpool shirt and see their story in the club’s program. At the end of the season the public will get to vote on who they think should be named Fan of the Season.

Entry details are available at: www.liverpoolfc.tv/fanofthemonth.

Liverpool Failed In £9m Bid For Rangers Striker

According to a report in The Sun this morning, Liverpool aimed a speculative offer for Rangers hitman Nikica Jelavic as the transfer deadline approached on Wednesday night.

Reds manager Kenny Dalglish allegedly aimed a £9 million offer at the Glasgow side after seeing David Ngog, Raul Meireles and Joe Cole leave Merseyside on various deals.

Though Craig Bellamy was brought in on a free from Manchester City, Dalglish chanced his arm with an approach to take Jelavic to Anfield on loan, before making a more realistic multi-million attempt as the clock ticked down.

Despite the fact that Liverpool’s frontline is brimming with talent, and Luis Suarez looks to be in fantastic form to start the new season, Jelavic would have been a great addition.

Since arriving from Rapid Vienna in 2010, he has scored 22 goals in 36 appearances across all competitions, helping Rangers to the Scottish Premier League title.

A 12-cap Croatian international to boot, there is no doubt that Jelavic could be a force at Premier League level and Dalglish's interest may indicate that a January swoop could be in the offing.

Cardiff City Tried To Keep Bellamy From The Clutches Of Liverpool

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has revealed the Bluebirds tried in vain to keep Craig Bellamy from the clutches of Liverpool on deadline day.

The 31-year-old spent last season on loan at his hometown club from Manchester City, but was unable to help them secure a passage into the Barclays Premier League.

Cardiff were, however, keen to bring to Bellamy back to South Wales before the close of the transfer window, but had to step aside when Liverpool made their interest known.

"You're talking about Liverpool, which is a huge club," Mackay said.

"[Bellamy's] someone I've spoken to three or four times since I've taken the job, in a friendly capacity.

"Really until Manchester City decided what they were going to do, I think there was nothing I could have done.

"Certainly we looked at something and put a proposition when we found out it was an opportunity that he'd be leaving.

"But at the end of the day you're talking about Liverpool, which is a huge club.

"But our chairman really showed ambition yesterday and we'd made tentative calls, but by that point it was so far down the road with Liverpool."

Clarke - Coates Is Ready

Liverpool coach Steve Clarke believes new signing Sebastian Coates is ready to be thrown into the first team.

The 20-year-old Uruguayan completed his move from Nacional on Tuesday to provide extra competition at centre-half in an undisclosed deal.

Fresh from being crowned Young Player of the Tournament at the Copa America, in which Uruguay were triumphant, Coates arrives with undoubted potential.

Clarke, though, is wary of the demands of the Premier League, which has so often got the better of youngsters making their bow in the English game.

"He's a full international and Uruguay is amongst the top five in the world, so they're a strong international team," Clarke told the club's official website.

"He's a talented youngster and gives us different options at the back. He's ready to play if required, but we've also got many other centre-halves ready to play if required.

"You never really know how a foreign player coming into the English game is going to adapt. Some take a long time to adjust, while others like Luis Suarez come in and settle straight away.

"You just keep an eye on it and hope the boy settles quickly, gets to know his team-mates, gets a few chances to play and then you build on it from there.

"It'll be a different challenge for him because the English Premier League is a league that takes a little bit of getting used to, so hopefully we can nurse him along, get him ready and he'll be a valuable addition to the squad.

"We look to sign young players that can improve and we looked at his performances throughout the Copa America when he was named Young Player of the Tournament. It's certainly exciting."

Coates is one of seven summer signings made by Liverpool, and Clarke reckons things are starting to take shape.

"All over the team you can see little partnerships and combinations starting to form," he said.

"We're basically a young team who are still getting to know each other and still working on strengths and weaknesses.

"Hopefully over a period of time we'll improve and the team performances will improve too."

Carra Lauds Bellamy Return

Jamie Carragher believes Craig Bellamy can top his first spell at Liverpool after returning to his former club on transfer deadline day.

The 32-year-old signed a two-year deal on Wednesday having come to an agreement over the final 12 months of his contract with Manchester City, where he had fallen out of favour with manager Roberto Mancini.

He returns to the Merseysiders four years after leaving following just one season under Rafael Benitez in which he scored nine goals.

"It's a great signing. As a kid he always said he was a Liverpool fan," said Reds vice-captain Carragher.

"I think he was quite disappointed with how it finished, with how he left.

"He'd have liked to have done a lot better and hopefully this gives him the chance to do that.

"For the last few years at Man City he has been excellent, not just as a striker but as a wide player. In the squad we've probably only got Stewart Downing as an out-and-out wide player.

"I think Craig prefers to play as a striker but he could certainly do that job for us."

Carragher was also pleased to see the defence reinforced with the arrival of 6ft 6in Uruguay centre-back Sebastian Coates, who impressed during this summer's Copa America.

"I haven't seen a lot of him but I think he got young player of the tournament," the veteran centre-back told Liverpool's official website.

"That shows he's got great quality and I think it's going to be a great addition to the squad.

"You can't think of yourself, you have to think of the club. One centre-back (Sotirios Krygiakos) went so we needed another.

"Time will tell how good the lad is but his pedigree looks fantastic.

"He's probably been brought up playing a different type of football than I have, a South American style - so maybe I can learn from him as well.

"It's not always about the older players helping the younger - it can work vice-versa. You're always learning from different people."

Henderson Fires For England

Jordan Henderson scored an excellent goal while captaining England U21s to a 6-0 Euro qualification victory over Azerbaijan on Thursday night.

The 21-year-old bent a right-foot shot beyond the goalkeeper to cap a mature display in the centre of the park.

Jon Flanagan also impressed on his U21 debut, playing 90 minutes and looking every inch a Premier League player.

Andre Wisdom didn't get off the bench but another debutant Jonjo Shelvey was sharp after entering the game in the 79th minute.

England's other scorers on the night were Henri Lansbury (2), Craig Dawson (2) and Martyn Waghorn.

Maxi Sets Goals Target

Maxi Rodriguez hopes his new squad number will inspire him to a best ever goals tally in a Liverpool shirt.

The Argentine enjoyed a rich vein of form in the latter stages of 2010-11 including hat-tricks in consecutive games but has already set his sights on surpassing those exploits this time around.

Our new No.11 told LFC Weekly: "Football is a game where you always want to do better and, after scoring 10 goals last season, it would be nice to improve on that this year.

"From when you are a kid you always want to improve year on year so if I can, that will be fantastic.

"The main thing is to try and make the most of any opportunities you do get to play so I will be going all out to do that."

Maxi switched shirt numbers during the summer having previously donned the No.17 jersey.

He admits he has a fondness for the number 11 and hopes it can have a positive impact upon his game.

"It was something that I asked for personally. It's just my favourite number," he said.

"I wore it at Newell's Old Boys and at Atletico and also in a couple of games for the Argentina national team.

"Albert Riera was the last person to have it at the start of last season but he left that summer and so the number was spare. Let's hope it brings a lot of luck."

Downing: Kenny Given Me Confidence

Stewart Downing claims Kenny Dalglish has given him the confidence to become an England hero.

By his own admission, the winger has had an up and down England career, but he is now aiming to follow former Aston Villa teammate Ashley Young in becoming a regular for Fabio Capello.

Like Young at Manchester United, Downing has been on top form since swapping clubs in the summer - and our new No.19 has doffed his 27 caps at the part played by Dalglish.

"I certainly feel more confident as a player," said Downing ahead of England's clash with Bulgaria. "The team at Liverpool is playing well and I'm happy with my form at the minute. The fact the manager put a lot of faith in me, spending that amount of money, does give me a lot of confidence.

"He's quite a man-manager, always hands on and speaking to you. He knows how to play and he's given me a lot of confidence as a player - and when players are playing with confidence they tend to play quite well.

"As soon as I went to Liverpool I felt settled at a great club.

"Playing in a big squad, fighting for my place every week, will bring the best out of me."

Downing added: "Ashley has seen people competing with him for a place in the team and he's grabbing it with both hands, which we all have to do when given the chance."

"His progress does act as an inspiration, and not only for me. We all have to be ready when called upon by Fabio.

"I've got myself back in the squad but I don't just want to be making up the numbers. I want to be playing. There's a big championship at the end of the summer. To get in that squad will be difficult, because there are a lot of players playing for places, a lot of wingers. So I've got to be on form and playing well."

Downing started Capello's first competitive game in charge of England against Andorra but competition from James Milner and Adam Johnson meant opportunities were limited thereafter.

"It's been up and down, I'm not hiding that," he said. "I had a run of games under Steve McClaren and was then in and out.

"The thing for me is that I have been in and out but of late I've been in the squad and involved in games. I think it's a big season for me. I want to play well, get in that 11 and be in the squad.

"I started Capello's first qualifier. I thought I did well in some games. In others not so well, and I've got to be honest and say that.

"I don't worry about other things. I need to play well and not worry about the past. I'll be happy if I can get into the team and stay there."

Comolli Hails Fenway Backing

Liverpool's director of football Damien Comolli has praised Fenway Sports Group for their "brave" approach to the transfer window.

Liverpool's American owners provided significant cash for the signings of Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Alexander Doni early in the summer.

They supplemented those additions by bringing in Jose Enrique and Sebastian Coates over the last fortnight before Craig Bellamy arrived on a deadline day which saw four players moved on.

In the two transfer windows since taking over the club last October FSG have sanctioned about £120million-worth of signings, although they have recouped well over half that from the sales of Fernando Torres, David Ngog, Ryan Babel and - late on Thursday night - Raul Meireles to Chelsea.

Joe Cole and Christian Poulsen, both drains on the wage bill, were offloaded to Lille (on loan) and Evian (permanently) respectively.

And Comolli believes the way they operated in the window worked out almost perfectly, thanks to the backing he and manager Kenny Dalglish received from principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner.

"It's difficult for me to put into words what they gave us throughout the summer," said the Frenchman.

"Their support was absolutely tremendous, in the down times and in the up times.

"When they needed to invest money we didn't think they'd have to, John and Tom were unbelievably helpful.

"I think we are very lucky to have these owners because people need to realize a lot of owners would have said the squad is too big so you need to reduce it, and then when you've done that bring some players in.

"But that was never the approach they had. They were happy to take risks, for us to spend the money, to support us and to trust us as well.

"I told them in the summer we need to buy players first and towards the end of the window there would be a lot of movement with players going out.

"They were very brave to accept that, having had no experience of a similar transfer window.

"From the outside it might be difficult to understand, but from my side their support was absolutely tremendous."

Ruthless Streak Returns To Liverpool FC’s Off-field Dealings

If there’s one thing Liverpool’s extensive summer squad overhaul has shown, it’s that the Anfield outfit have regained a ruthless, decisive edge.

Gone are the days of dawdling over lengthy negotiations for prospective new signings who eventually lost patience and headed elsewhere.

Gone are the days when the playing staff was top-heavy with has-beens, could-have- beens and never-will-bes struggling for a sniff of first-team action.

And gone are the days when the club would pander to those who weren’t fully committed to the cause.

Clearly, you are now either with the Anfield revolution, or you aren’t. No grey areas. No confusion. No hesitation.

Like Fernando Torres in January, Liverpool wasted no time in moving on Raul Meireles once the Portuguese decided he preferred Stamford Bridge to L4.

It’s the kind of sure-footed decision-making that was lacking during previous ownership regimes of the all-too-recent past.

Liverpool supporters will hail the magnificent seven new arrivals, but it’s in chopping much of the deadwood that the club has most impressed.

Suddenly, while there’s a streamlined appearance to Kenny Dalglish’s squad, with it has come a genuine competition for places.

That hasn’t come without considerable expense, but for the £120million-plus outlay of Fenway Sports Group since the New Year, more than half has been recouped in player sales which have also greatly lessened the wage bill.

Credit must also go to Damien Comolli.

His initial appointment and subsequent promotion to director of football were greeted with skepticism by many supporters.

But, working alongside Dalglish, the early signs are that the Frenchman’s efforts have been worthwhile.

Now Liverpool must show they can be the sum of their parts.