Kee

The problem with being a side outside of the top four is that you are susceptible to becoming a selling club. Teams don't establish themselves as top four sides in one season unless they are backed by Abramovich. So in those 3 or 4 seasons it takes to make that big push for the top four, similar to what Everton have done, the best players soon realise that they are better than the standard of Football to which they are playing alongside. In the next season or two. Evertons best players that are capable of playing at top four sides. Players like Lescott and Arteta, they will think "sod this" i've got Liverpool, Chelsea, United and Arsenal all offering me double my money on wages, and i'll be playing with much better players, at bigger clubs where i'll be travelling all over Europe to places like the Nou Camp and the San Siro every season, and fighting for the big honours at the top of the league and i'll get more of a look in with the national team, oooo i'll have a bit of that !". When Everton managed to break into the top four, that was their big chance, they needed to invest and invest considerably, and had they done that, they may still be there now, or they would be a damn sight nearer thats for sure. But they didn't and they are now in the Uefa Cup once more, building back up to that second go. Sadly, it is all about money, and when you get your chance as a team you have to take it, Everton didn't, Liverpool spent more and the gap between the top four and the rest widened. The gap between the top four and the rest now is almost as big as the gap between the Championship standard and the Premiership standard, don't let individual results fool you, the league table doesn't lie. And the fact is Liverpool have grown ever closer to the top in the past 3 seasons. The introduction of Torres and the reinvigorated Gerrard will only increase their chances next year, throw Barry and a couple of other top notch signings into the mix and they are as good on paper as any of the other top four teams. I hate the monopoly of the big four, and my teams part of it for christ sake. It makes the league so predictable and sadly it is going to take something rather dramatic for any one team to bridge that gap. It would take Liverpool or Arsenal to sell a big game player like a Torres/Gerrard or a Fabregas/Hleb and a couple of dodgy replacements, and a Villa, Pompey, Everton or Blackburn to spend big and get a whole lot of luck to even come close to bridging it. As for Barry's versatility and its use at Liverpool i don't think that will be a problem. They are losing Lucas and Mascherano to the Olympics for the first month of the season and Alonso is being sold to Juventus. So he will be vital in central midfield. His versatility will only come into use if there are injuries on the left side, and with the depth that Liverpool have over there i don't think it will be a problem.

Not really. I mean Gerrard has already achieved everything possible in club football bar the league title. He has had regular finishes of 3rd and even 2nd in a Liverpool shirt. Liverpool have shown they are capable of success at the highest level and are always there or therabouts in the title race, a couple of new faces (starting with Barry) and they may well be able to put in a concrete title challenge. Villa are a team on the up i don't deny, they are a very good team and i like them alot, i admire MON, but they are a Uefa Cup team at very best. And they are yet to qualify for that. If Barry wants to move forward in his career, win things and keep his place in the national side, he joins Liverpool. If not, he stays with Villa. I mean no disrespect but it really is that simple. So you see, it really isn't a similar situation. Spurs spent £45 million last season and still didn't manage to breach the top four. Villa require a replacement for Mellberg, which is easier said than done and improvements in other area's if they are even to sustain their league finish from this season. As other teams around you, such as Spurs, Blackburn, Everton, Portsmouth, City and Newcastle will all strengthen. Surely now you can see Barrys predicament. He can stay with a team, undoubtedly that have improved, a team he has remained loyal to his entire career, but ultimately will be fighting for an automatic Uefa Cup spot next season. But with Liverpool there is just so much more to gain, an International place, Champions League football, fighting for the top honours and playing alongside world class players. As i say i mean no disrespect, and i wish Villa and MON all the luck in the world next season, you are my second team, Ashley Young and Barry are players i've admired for a long long time now and the prospect of seeing one of them in a Liverpool shirt interests me.

Liverpool have been clinging on to that 4th spot have they ?. Despite finishing an overwhelming 11 points clear of Everton and 16 points clear of Villa you mean ?. Recent league finishes indicate that Arsenal in fact are the lesser of the two teams. Liverpool established 3rd place as their own for 2 seasons running prior to this season, with Arsenal languishing in 4th in those years. Arsenal losing Flamini and Hleb means they are in desperate need of re-strengthening, as well as Arsene Wengers "team" emphasis looking very shaky toward the end of last season, surely they are the more susceptible of the top four. 2 seasons ago Liverpool finished 21 points behind eventual winners Man United, this season they finished 11 points behind the leaders. This combined with the red-hot form of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard could see Liverpool as genuine contenders next season, with the right investment. Barry would certainly be a right investment. This is a career move that he would not regret. Champions League Football season in season out, a starting berth that he deserves in the national team, and challenging for major honours each season. Under Martin O'Neill's tutolage Villa have progressed, there is no doubting that, but under Benitez, Liverpool have also progressed. Make no mistake, he would be leaving a club on the up to join a club on the up. The fall-outs behind the scenes at Anfield have calmed considerably since the turn of the year and now things are beginning to look up for Liverpool. Yesterday they unveiled the largest club shop in Europe in Liverpool city centre. Work on the new stadium starts in September. And Rafael Benitez is realistically targeting players of the quality of Gareth Barry, all over the pitch. I disagree that Steven Gerrards comments will hike the price of Barry further. Once Barry makes his decision when he returns from International duty in a few weeks time. All is required is for him to say to MON that he wants to leave. Villa can then either have a player who doesn't want to be there, who resents his boss for not giving him his big move, or £12 million in their back pocket and Scott Carson. Barry knows deep down what every Villa fan does. He is going to leave.