You’re right, and it raises some very difficult questions for Liverpool in the near future, most notably, the one you’ve asked; why would a player go to Liverpool? Having been to Anfield a fair few times myself, I’ll concede that it is a special club. The fans make it so. Huge flags being moved around the Kop, etc. Anfield is a true temple of football, and the local fans at least are realistic.
This guy though, takes the biscuit. Southerner, 41 years old, crying his eyes out on national radio because Liverpool got hammered 6-1.
http://talksport.com/football/id-die-liverpool-listen-distraught-reds-fan-cries-live-talksport-150524148043
Whether they like it or not, Liverpool are now competing for the same players as us, and having to exercise a similar strategy of taking gambles on players. If Arsenal do the expected and beat Villa in the Cup Final, then the Saints offering, competition-wise at least, will be exactly the same as what is on offer at Anfield. Other factors like salary, fame and location are going to vary.
They can be proud of their history, but the lower leagues are littered with teams full of history, but with relatively little in the way of recent achievement. A decent enough example would be Preston, masters of the early game, still to experience a season in the Premier League. Or perhaps Leeds, many times in the footballing ascendancy, but now slugging it out in the Championship, still trying to hit on the winning formula. No team is immune. Not Leeds, not Man City and not Liverpool.
I think transfer-wise, they’re at a tipping point. Brendan can’t be trusted with transfers, so he’s gotta go in favour of a big name replacement.