Brendan Rodgers Walks Into a Bar...

Tell me if you've heard this one before: A man walks into a bar, pulls up a stool, and asks for a pint and a pie. Then he tells the bartender that Liverpool are looking to buy and not sell in the January transfer window and that they really need to reinforce their options up front if they're to have any hope of pushing up the table in the second half of the season. Then he pays, gets up, and leaves.

Oh, the punchline? That he's Brendan Rodgers, I suppose? Or that he's done the same at every bar he's walked past this month? I mean, you didn't expect something that starts with "a man walks into a bar" to actually end in anything resembling laughter, did you?

Any case, where was I? Right. Brendan Rodgers. And Liverpool's striker options and the transfer window and things everybody's heard only about a hundred times before. Like that Brendan Rodgers is determined to bolster Liverpool's options at striker come January, preferably without weakening the squad elsewhere to fund it. So tell me if you've heard this one before.

"We're looking to do business in the striking department in January," said Rodgers following Saturday's convincing win over Wigan at Anfield. "The reality is that there was always going to be a bit of movement this season with the club trying to regain some of their money. This season was always going to be difficult.

"We'll look to do something in the January transfer window, though. There's not going to be wholesale changes in terms of players coming in, that's the reality of where the club is at. We're looking to grow over the next six months, we'll get some reinforcements in January and that will support the group who have been magnificent for me so far.

"Hopefully in the summer we can build again."

New striker in January? Check. Clearing dead wood off the books was necessary? Check. Always a tough task to get the club moving in the right direction? Check. Suggesting whatever does happen will be part of longer term efforts and not a quick fix? Check. Namedropping this "reality" bloke? Check and etcetera.

So. In case there was any doubt left amongst Liverpool's fans and supporters and the tea lady about where the club stands heading into the new year and with the re-opening of the transfer window just a touch over six weeks away. But do tell me if you've heard all this before.