Trading up has been the only way to move on

It was not without good reason that the Daily Mirror has lomng been referred to as the Daily Manc by Liverpool fans.

The tabloid and seeming most other titles plus broadcasters had what seemed an unhealthy pre-occupation with all Old Trafford.

The 1980s particularly was littered with stories which flattered to deceive about the Red Devils.

Any time spent at the pinnacle of Division One no matter how slim or wide the advantage enjoyed was joyously predicted as certain to break a title drought that had afflicted the club since the late 1960s.

The odd FA Cup win was greeted with the pomp and ceremony no number of League and European triumphs ever received from local and national TV.

It is perhaps the role of local stations to dwell on silverware brought to their region but in the North West - ‘Granadaland’ as it became known - there was live footage from open top buses chuntering along Salford avenues and alleyways affecting the scheduled programming on a Sunday afternoon.

There would be no such changes to the listings when Liverpool brought no small measure of bling to the streets.

People complained when coverage of Nelson Mandela's release from prison was shown instead of The Antiques Roadshow. Had the anti-aparthied campaigner been released on the same day as a United cup homecoming there is no doubt which would have been opted for.

Live TV coverage of matches which was far more sporadic than viewers are used to now would invariably centre around the more popular clubs. Therefore Liverpool and United amongst very few others would regularly feature.

However, man of the match awards were usually the theifdom of one side and when fit enough to play - no matter what his contribution - Bryan Robson would scoop the accolade.

Despite many false dawns and predictions of 'Gold Trafford' future being scotched well before the business end of a campaign the trend continued.

As Liverpool were more often that not the team to profit when the trophies were handed out. There was a long and heart last laugh.

In modern times Reds may be observing from a glasshouse in terms of championship success so the laughs are hollow as the media love or possibly fear continues.

In contrast been little succour for Rafael Benitez from many journalists. There are of course those who know the manager and respect his methods writing across various titles. Some are Liverpool fans - though not exclusively. In any case they are a small if select group.

There is no small measure of irony in that one paper - that aforementioned Mirror in its weekend and Sunday editions - has carried pieces dealing with Liverpool and Manchester United which raised similar issues but treated them very differently. Albeit it one was wholly opinion based and the other tagged as exclusive news.

Only a few days ago Martin Lipton used Birmingham City’s rejected £8 million bid for Ryan Babel plus the then imminent departures of Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena as a convenient reason to write an article slating transfer policy since Rafael Benitez took charge.

Lipton included players acquired if not sold before the Spaniard joined the club which he placed in his musings and calculations. His piece also lacked further matters of qualification such as profits which have been brought in - including those on Voronin and Degen if the latter is allowed to leave as the duo were signed on frees.

The rapid departure of some players was also raised.

It was suggested this was covered by the odd success actively used by the manager as a fig leaf to cover embarrassment.

However, the received wisdom that everyone could recognise the talent the likes of Fernando Torres possesses is untrue.

Alex Ferguson was one of many who took a long hard look at the player but decided not to follow up his interest. Doubts about his finishing and ability to adapt to English surroundings were amongst the issues raised.

Sunday’s paper suggests the United manager is attempting to get shut of Dimitar Berbatov as well as Anderson, Nani and Zoran Tosic.

Another likely departure is that of Nemanja Vidic described as unsettled but who as many know is able to take his pick of clubs in the summer and will most likely head to La Liga - though not necessarily to the club Sir Alex Ferguson stated he would not sell a virus to - when he inevitably does leave.

Yet there is no mention of the sums shelled out for these players. Nor the fact that absolutely none apart from Vidic will attract anything like a profit. In fact a loss of more than half their initial cost is the most likely outcome.

Nor is it raised that others signed for large amounts have not exactly provided lengthy or distinguished service nor reaped a decent yield when they have departed.

There has also been little analysis unlike in this piece - http://tinyurl.com/yfzjdr9 - which sets the record straight and provides the figures Lipton may have opted neither to research let alone include.

Of course it is written from a partial point of view but it is an opinion piece not reporting of actuality and unlike Lipton who has set out to write a piece and make the facts stretch to fit. There is in Paul Tomkins’s case an ability to detach from any liking for both the club and its manager. The research not to mention the figures bear his point out.

Doing no more than merely running an eye over some balance sheets demonstrates Liverpool's major signings plus almost everyone in the eight figure range are ones that have been a success on the playing side.

Plenty of success has been enjoyed below that mark but it is in this decidedly choppy lower end of the market and this area alone that the ratio only begins to slip.

Of those with large hopes placed against their name only Fernando Morientes who virtually everyone thought was perfectly designed for the English game and Ryan Babel who has an attitude that neither matches his talent nor does it any favours have ultimately disappointed.

However, so does the record of every manager. Sir Alex included.

Using the players Ferguson is rumoured to be ready to part with plus a selection of those he has already waved through the door makes for interesting reading.

Nani cost just shy of £17 million - a fee Rafa Benitez and by virtue Liverpool has only exceeded four times while Alex Ferguson has breached that ceiling on more than double that number of occasions.

One of those being in the recruitment of Anderson who apart from the odd cameo compares just as unfavourably as Ryan Babel.

So too Owen Hargreaves and Berbatov. But for Manchester City finding they suddenly had more money than Croesus the latter would have set a domestic record at the initial £30.75 million (excluding the value of Frasier Campbell’s loan) laid out as confirmed by Tottenham‘s published financial accounts.

Tosic is well below that point. £7 million is the down payment possibly rising to as high as £16 million depending on various clauses of the deal. Now he purportedly sees his career written off after just a year and five full appearances.

Hargreaves who was also not far shy of the £20 million mark brought some badly needed solidity to the United midfield has played less than 40 times in almost three seasons - though Alberto Aquilani who as good as becomes a new player in 2010 is slammed as a poor signing due to his injury record.

Factor in to this David Bellion, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Tim Howard, Kleberson, Alan Smith and Diego Forlan. The Uruguayan may be something of a cult figure amongst the United number for making 'the Scousers cry' but he only damaged the Reds once and is generally regarded as someone who lost their way at Old Trafford.

Those names and again the list is far from exhaustive outnumber the likes of Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand but demonstrate the financial clout which has been at Sir Alex‘s disposal for almost a decade - Dwight York and Jaap Stam were bought in 1998 allowing the Old Trafford transfer record to jump by over 50% and exceed £10 million for the first time.

That mark was almost trebled just three summers on with the arrival of Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy for £28.1 million and £19 million respectively.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and some other equally astute purchases seem like the exception rather than the rule when compared to some names. It is also notable that very few players are emerging from the junior ranks compared to the 1990s.

Ferdinand bought for £30 million in 2002 cost almost £7 million more than all those who turned out in Liverpool’s defence throughout the whole of last season.

Glen Johnson’s national rather than actual value alters that situation but perhaps also demonstrates a key financial strategy Rafael Benitez has needed to employ over the last four and a half years. Namely trading up.

A desire to move Jamie Carragher in to the centre rather than see someone regarded as a utility man serve across the rear necessitated the signature of a specialist right back.

Josemi was the first player the manager used in a first class game and indeed his first signing possibly a signal of the importance he placed in the role. After failing to settle he was replaced just 18 months on by Jan Kromkamp in a direct swap.

Neither made the greatest impact but the budget just wasn’t there. Though it did snap Steve Finnan into the form and consistency most fans had been begging for him to show.

Much needed competition for the Irish international came in the shape of Alvaro Arbeloa who started as a £2.64 million rival for the role but one capable of turning in exceptional perormances on the left until he graduated to become the first choice. Allowing the opportunity for Finnan to make a deadline day exit in August 2008.

A lack of real width and consistency from those supposed to provide it made the full-back positions but especially that particular flank vital.

One of the hallmarks Rafa has historically puts on his sides has been attacking and defending as one unit down the flanks. Though there was a will to overlap and play a full part in forward moves as part of a fluid wing which would snap back and forth as required neither Arbeloa or Finnan seemed overly comfortable bombing on. A requirement given that the wingers or at least notional wide players Liverpool did have were essentially players more comfortable inside.

At the same time there was no money available to recruit a top class winger meaning Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena - who Rafa this week admitted he signed as offensive full-backs as they were cheaper alternatives - were brought in to add greater weight.

Injury, tactical demands and acclimatisation issues have mitigated against these gambles working but only at the cost of salaries.

There was fortune in that the finest attacking full-back in the country and one far better at defending than the received wisdom would have many believe belonged to a cash strapped club. Not only that one who were not only keen to rid a high earner from their books but also owed the Reds from Peter Crouch’s profitable transfer.

With a mutual desire on behalf of the club and player to link up the ideal right back was acquired.

It has been the same in other departments including attack.

A need to make ends meet until enough money could be generated to find the right player led to a genealogy of Milan Baros, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Djibril Cisse, Fernando Morientes, Peter Crouch, Robbie Fowler’s second coming, Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt allowed the cycle to reach Torres.