We're having a similar discussion in another thread so I'll consolidate my response here and we can leave that one focused on the transfer rumors rather than on FSG.

Our problem areas were:

-GK: Migs and Karius were simply not good enough. If we want to give another season of trying to get Karius to actually push Migs, then I'm fine with that for now. Didn't expect us to improve spectacularly on what we had here.

-CB: Matip was/is a very very good player. Lovren has improved steadily since his first season and is a solid CB, but I think we could see an improvement on him with a large investment. Look at the Spuds CBs, Alderweireld and Vertonghen are the quality of CBs we should be targeting. Lovren is not there. Klavan meanwhile was pretty awful and I would not trust him when we need him. Gomez has some good showings, but is too young still and seems he could be unreliable with injuries. We needed to invest here. Fine, we've been targeting VVD for months now, but we haven't landed him. We have our opener in 4 days and we're still scrambling for coverage at CB. Going into the season with what we have is a failure for this window - this is a gamble.

-LB: As you mentioned. We've held on to Moreno, maybe he's improved, maybe he hasn't. Milner is aging and who knows if he'll be able to pull out performances like he had last season. Robertson is still young and in early days and played in a defense which gave up 80 goals while only scoring 37 in the PL. Our defense and keepers only conceited 42 (which was high) - maybe he'll be a great addition I don't know, but to me that is a gamble and not what I'd consider shoring up that position with a top class player.

-CM: We don't have a great #6, we don't have a great #8, we do have a great #10 (maybe two if you count Lallana) and we've got three guys (Gini, Emre, and Hendo) who are good players, but seem like they're all still trying to figure out what types of players they wanted to be. Either way we need coverage there. We're seeing the likes of Woodburn and Kent being actually considered in people's lineups - maybe they're good talents, but that's not what a team who wants to fire on all cylinders and compete strongly for the PL title should be banking on. Going into the season without improving our CM is a gamble again and in my opinion was a failure.

-General depth: Mentioned it before, we're going to be playing 55+ games this season and a club of our stature should be planning to win a vast majority of these games. Our first team may be pretty strong on it's day, but how's our second team? How's our depth at CB, how's our depth at CM, how's our depth in the attack if one of Mane goes down again? Is it strong/reliable/ready to fill the boots of our best? No, it's not.

The point being is that we're valued as one of the top franchises in all of sports - top 10 in world football - and we have been for a very long while. I want to see us wake the f*ck up and start acting like it when the time comes, and with how we're positioned right now ahead of the season I think it's very clear that the time has come and I don't think we're acting like it.

So please tell me, if you were the owner of LFC with a decent but not unlimited budget, ie not PSG, Chavs, Manure or Citeh, what would you be doing beyond trying to buy Keita and VVD?

LFC announces Tibet Water Resources Ltd. partnership

Liverpool FC has today announced Tibet Water Resources Ltd. as their Official Regional Water Partner in China.

The partnership will see LFC and Tibet Water collaborate to create unique experiences for Reds fans and consumers alike. Tibet Water will also benefit from a range of LFC marketing and promotional rights, including digital and social media support and access to players and legends of the club.

Sunny Wong, executive director of Tibet Water Resources Ltd., said: “This marks a major milestone in Tibet Water Resources Ltd.'s development. We are proud to be Liverpool FC’s Official Regional Water Partner in China, one of the world’s most renowned football teams with a massive fan base around the globe.

“The partnership with Liverpool FC will further enhance the influence and value of the water brands under Tibet Water Resources Ltd., which will pave the way for extending our footprint in the international premium mineral water market. We look forward to working with Liverpool FC to create unique experiences for both fans and customers.”

Billy Hogan, chief commercial officer and managing director at LFC, said: “We are proud to welcome Tibet Water to the LFC family as a regional partner in China. We have so many supporters here in Asia as we’ve just seen from two sold out matches last week in Hong Kong. We look forward to working together with Tibet Water to create opportunities to further engage with our supporters whilst helping to further build their brand in China.”

Tibet Water Resources Ltd. strives to provide high-quality and healthy drinking water that is rich in minerals to people who value quality of life. Its bottled water portfolio includes the flagship product Tibet 5100 Glacial Spring Water, which was awarded 'Best Still or Sparkling Water' at the 10th Global Bottled Water Congress, and Gesang Spring, which targets a broader market.

As a Chinese company with deep roots in Tibet, Tibet Water Resources Ltd. has always strived for balance between its business growth and economic development in Tibet, as well as supporting the conservation and protection of water sources and the environment across the region.

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/269478-lfc-announces-tibet-water-resources-ltd-partnership

DHARAMSHALA, August 10: To raise awareness on Tibet’s water resources exploited by China and to urge the Liverpool Football Club not to fall into Chinese trap, the members of Tibetan Community in Britain will stage an awareness campaign at the club’s opening match of the English Premier League against Watford FC at Vicarage Road on August 12.

The members plan to distribute water bottles and leaflets to protest the club’s partnership with Tibet Water Resources Ltd (TWRL), a Chinese company known for commercially exploiting Tibet’s water resource. They will also urge the fans and players not to ‘fall into China's trap of exploiting Tibet’s resources’.

“The match is yet to begin and Liverpool has already conceded an own goal by dealing with a Chinese commercial company that exploits Tibet’s resources. The club must understand the sufferings and sentiments of Tibetan people. Partnering with TWRL is like endorsing the occupation of Tibet and agreeing with treatment of Tibetans by Chinese regime,” said Pema Lobsang, Chairman of Tibetan Community in Britain.

Reminding Liverpool FC, one of the biggest clubs in England and the world, of how China occupied Tibet by force and how Tibetans inside Tibet are facing the worst human rights abuse, the members of the community urged the club ‘not to trade human rights for commercial gain’ and to stop befriending blood-stained hands of Chinese companies.

The 18 times English Champions on July 25 announced the partnership declaring TWRL as their official regional water partner in China. The deal opens doorways for the company to access the club’s marketing and promotional rights, players and club legends as well.

According to the press release by Free Tibet, a London-based Tibet advocacy group, they have already received messages by Liverpool fans who are concerned that their football club is entering into such an unethical and unwise partnership.

The organization in its statement on July 27 said, “We urge Liverpool’s commercial department to see the damage that this deal could cause to Tibetans, and the risks it poses to the club’s reputation, and terminate this agreement.

FREE TIBET STATEMENT ON LIVERPOOL FC'S PARTNERSHIP WITH TIBET WATER RESOURCES LTD

It is regrettable that Liverpool Football Club has announced Tibet Water Resources Limited (TWRL) as their Official Regional Water Partner in China.

Chinese companies such as TWRL are only able to commercially exploit Tibet's water resources because China has brutally enforced a military occupation on Tibet since invading it in 1950. The absolute denial of political freedoms and the widespread use of torture and other forms of severe repression are commonplace in Tibet and have turned the country into a human rights black spot.

The Chinese government’s human rights abuses in Tibet continue to draw condemnation from across the world. Signing a deal with a company that exploits Tibet’s resources lends legitimacy to China’s military occupation and the abuses that help prop it up. So long as the occupation and abuses continue, any such partnership is an affront to Tibet's beleaguered people. 

There is also an environmental risk to bottling from Tibet’s glaciers. Tibet's environment and water resources are already under severe threat from pollution, climate change and the effects of massive damming and diversion projects undertaken by the Chinese government. Water bottling in Tibet risks exacerbating this environmental destruction and continues to deny Tibetans the right to manage their own resources.

We have already received messages by Liverpool fans who are concerned that their football club is entering into such an unethical and unwise partnership. We urge Liverpool’s commercial department to see the damage that this deal could cause to Tibetans, and the risks it poses to the club’s reputation, and terminate this agreement. 

https://freetibet.org/news-media/pr/free-tibet-statement-liverpool-fc-partnership-tibet-water-resources-ltd

Well we shouldn't be making deals with dodgy sponsors. That's common sense.

I cant help but wonder if they got Phils email requesting to leave before they announced they wouldnt sell then broke the news about the email.

Therefore making themselves look like they done everything to keep him only for him to hand in the request!!!

To thin???       

Unless something drastic happens in the next 18 or so days, these guys need to pack it in and leave. Let's be honest, however you cut it, it's been pretty miserable under their watch.

Tick tock

Unless something drastic happens in the next 18 or so days, these guys need to pack it in and leave. Let's be honest, however you cut it, it's been pretty miserable under their watch.

Tick tock