Everything's the Worst: Weekly Wrapup Edition

I guess we're seeing the beginnings of a permanent schism in the Liverpool camp. Luis Suarez has poured his feelings to another person who will listen and is rumoured to be training alone. Tough love or hate, depending on your constitution. Something else is happening at Liverpool, well it's been happening this year and it might get lost underneath Suarez. This is becoming Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool.

Look at the confirmed departures from Liverpool in 2013. Joe Cole - a player on huge wages, a big reputation, and a failed gamebreaker. Andy Carroll - our record signing and symbol of a bygone, misguided transfer philosophy. Jamie Carragher - Liverpool stalwart, defensive titan, and legend. Pepe Reina - long-serving Liverpool goalkeeper for nearly a decade and dressing room good egg. Adding Stewart Downing - expensive scapegoat extraordinaire - and Martin Skrtel - former player of the year - would add further to what already has been a striking overhaul of personalities and symbols in key positions.

Then there is Suarez. Maybe his departure will truly mark the beginning of Rodgers having his own team. Four big names confirmed and another three likely to be on their way. Old stalwarts depart and new ones emerge, ready to take extra responsibility.

• So...Luis Suarez definitely wants to leave Liverpool. We don't have to sell him just because he says so, the club aren't going to sell him, and now PFA chief Gordon Taylor is saying that it would be "practically impossible" to sell him. But we probably will have to sell him for some sort of acceptable fee because he says so. Going to Arsenal would be unenviable and Liverpool would have a second former idol turned sworn enemy in the capital. Going to Madrid or anywhere in mainland Europe would be much better. To follow the Suarez saga just google him or you could leave it alone. Or you can follow the story on here before falling into despair with a bit of magic from Ed.
• Liverpool have been doing well in preseason. Perfection is often something ephemeral if achieved and virtually unattainable yet with all that's swirling around the club right now, Gerrard's testimonial victory against Olympiakos and the preseason clean sheet breaking victory over Valerenga comes close. Quite close indeed. Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Kolo Toure, and Simon Mignolet are all settling in well. Raheem Sterling's breakthrough last season wasn't an isolated burst of precociousness, Andre Wisdom is probably more of a prospect than we realised, Jordon Ibe will make us feel sorry for opposing players, and Joe Allen actually likes to get forward (Rodgers wasn't lying about him). So far so good.
• Doing well in some friendly games can taste like lukewarm tea if new transfers aren't lining up to join the existing pool of forever loyal Liverpool soldiers. Rodgers has been fully armed with our Transfer Committee this summer and did anyone perceive a manager galvanised by some structure in identifying and acquiring players? Looking like being on the precipice of a genuine top four challenge is tough but some club's got to do it. After a quick start to the window, players look like they could arrive...then they don't. Maybe this is what it means to continue to be a Champions League outcast, drunk on former glories. Diego Costa enjoying life at Atletico Madrid but will Liverpool proceed to ruin the happiness of yet another South American?
• If anyone is a follower of Game of Thrones then Jose Mourinho's games with Manchester United must have been interesting. Mourinho might not be too popular among Liverpool fans after his battles with the club in his first spell at Chelsea and bitter exchanges with Rafa Benitez but he's playing an interesting game with Manchester United. He wants Wayne Rooney but doesn't need Wayne Rooney. Romelu Lukaku, Fernando Torres, and Demba Ba should be enough to tide him over until January. Two bids have been made and rejected so a transfer request might be in order but Moyes will have to make a big decision either way, a real test for him so early on his tenure. Mourinho just needs to sit and wait.
• International friendlies are coming up soon and that's just great news. The English Premier League is such a big financial and commercial beast that there's often a footballing as well as a fiscal rationale for English players to remain at home. Traditionally, English/British players have remained on the Isles with notable exceptions such as the legendary John Charles and former Liverpool talisman, Steve McManaman. Is there a fear of playing abroad? Does anyone even care?

Back for more on Monday to take a look at how the weekend unfolded for Liverpool, as well as any goings-on around the country and continent. Until then, something that maybe wasn't the worst--Philippe Coutinho versus Valerenga.

Video by i7Comps