A SUMMER OF INACTION

A couple of of weeks ago, it seemed Juve wanted to buy most of the players we were keen to ship out.
They'd taken Sissoko, they were coveting Alonso, they were eyeing up Riise as well (!!)
The rumour mill was telling us that Crouch was having a medical with Portsmouth, and Kewell and Pennant were free for offers.
On the importing side, we've learnt that we might buy a centre-mid cum left back, who maybe has three years left at the top, for £10.
And we're potentially close to securing the services of a 26-year-old Italian full back who I've never heard of for £8m.
Hardly inspiring stuff. We can only hope that there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to sign up the big guns.
A good Red in our office rightly bemoans the way the Reds management traditionally leave transfers until late in the summer - sometimes when the season's already begun.
Consequently, those new recruits don't have the benefit of pre-season friendlies and seeing how the team plays, and as a result, they feel their way into Premiership games that leads to us tripping up.
It seems the age of £6m punts for unheard of foreign players is gone, unless you're called Arsene Wenger.

Now, it's all about buying big, and snapping up players that you KNOW are going to be the business.
£26m got us the best striker in the Premiership. End of story.
Of course, you need to have the financial backing for that, and in the current Anfield climate, that could be a long way off.
But if Hicks is lodging his feet firmly under the table, its time to start backing Rafa in bucks.
At the time of Benitez's infamous press conference ('focusing on coaching and training') Hicks suggested that the manager had more than enough quality with his current squad.
But I reckon after his initiation in English football, I reckon even the Texan can see that Leto, Pennant and Kewell aren't on a par with Old Trafford reserves like Nani, Anderson and Giggs.
Surely Hicks realises that with a bit of genuine quality for Torres, Gerrard, Skrtel and Co we could launch a really serious title bid.
If Hicks is committed to being in charge at Liverpool, and its still a very big 'if', there would be no better way than showing that committment than giving us some clout to go after the Berbatov's and the David Villa's of this world.
That's pretty much how Glazer's Man Utd reign has reluctantly passed from indignation to grudging acceptance.
They can't stand his involvement with the club, yet when you fund Hargreaves, Tevez, Anderson and Nani for £50-£70 then it does cause even the most sceptical fans' eyebrows to rise.
I don't think many of us could put up with another summer of unconvincing foreign buys, which is curently headed by a Swiss right back who likes to model casual jeans and sweatshirts.

- In other news, anyone see Kuyt's barnstorming header for Dutch the other night? About 15 yards out, on an angle, and it crashed into the top corner.
It was like watching those YouTube vids of Dirk when his signing was announced, when we licked our lips at the prospect of getting that swashbuckling centre forward we'd craved for.
On the subject of forwards, Tony Barrett was showing me clips of young reserve hopeful Krisztián Nemeth in action for the Hungarian Under 19s.
He looks a real prospect with a great touch, skill, movement and a coolness in front of goal. Could be set for quite a few appearances this coming season.