Liverpool Signings and General Rumours Thread

Zapp Brannigan

Daily Mail is linking us with Torres. Dunno bout him, maybe a bit weak for the premiership?

raven136

If we want a decent priced out and out goalscorer then diego milito would be a fantastic prospect,but like others such as torres you would have to wonder if he would settle in quickly enough.
We could really do with an established english based player and berbatov looks great but it will take a fortune for spurs to sell him.

We also need to quality wide players and while alves does the right who will play left?

Dont be at yourself

I think we have enough quality down the left, with Riise, Aurelio, Gonzales, Luis Garcia and perhaps even a fully-fit Kewell. On their day any one of them can do the required job, it's just a matter of consistancy!

Right-wing is the absolute priority at the moment, if only to free Gerrard up to move into a more central position.

Kimbot

I think Gonzo is doing ok on the left and maybe with a good pre-season behind him he might be better next season!! When he came on last night there was something about him that showed some improvement!! As has been said before there is enough on the left we need the right and a proven goal scorer and cover for carra/agger as the main priorities!!

raven136

Disagree bout our left side.Aurelio is at best a squad player and looks no better,gonzalez has been a major disappointment but deserves another season at least,riise continually has a mid season drop where he drops well below his usual self.
Kewell and Garcia are both right offs,even if fully fit they are not getting any younger and lack consistency in the league so selling both would be no major problem.

jesus_thats_gre

Gonzales has slowely improved in recent months and is showing signs of settling.. Pennant has improved quite alot and is certainly deserving of his place in the squad at the very least.


Someone made the point that Benitez seems to be leading the squad towards been able to play any of 1 or 3 (more with slight variations but you get my point) systems/formations depending on the opposition. These sytems are a little like this:

1

---

Reina

---

xxRBxxx

---

xxCBxx

---

xxCBxx

---

xxxLBxx
xxRWxx

---

xDMCx

---

xMCx

---

xxLWxx

---

xxFCxx

---

xxSTxx

---

2

---

Reina

---

xxRBxxx

---

xxCBxx

---

xxCBxx

---

xxxLBxx
xxRWxx

---

xDMCx

---

xDMCx

---

xxLWxx

---

xAMCx

---

---

xxSTxx

---

3

---

Reina

---

---

xxCBxx

---

xxCBxx

---

xxCBxx

---

---

xDMCx

---

xDMCx

---

xxRWBxx

---

xAMCx

---

xxLWBxx

---

xxSTxx

---

xxSTxx

---

It has been evident so far this season and it will become more evident towards the end of this season and into next seasm. I am basing those 3 systems on what I have seen Liverpool play a few times this season.

If you look at those formations and then consider the players that we have, you will notice that the squad are more than capable of playing any of those systems. You will also notice that there is plenty of depth in the squad. It is also apparent what positions needs strengthening in the summer. This is the choices we have at the mo:


xxCBxx = Carragher, Agger and Hypia
xxRBxxx = Finnan and Arbeloa
xxLBxxx = Riise and Aurrellio

xxMCxx = Gerard, Alonso, Mascherano, Sissoko, Zenden and Garcia
xDMCx = Alonso, Mascherano and Sissoko
xAMCx = Gerard, Garcia, Kewell

xRWBx = Finnan, Arbeloa and Gerard
xLWBx = Riise and Aurrellio

xxRWxx = Pennant and Gerard
xxLWxx = Riise, Gonzales, Aurrellio, Zenden and Kewell

xxFCxx = Garcia, Gerard and Kewell

xxSTxx = Crouch, Kuyt, Bellamy and Fowler

From that list, it is obvious that we need another out and out right winger. One of proven quality would be a preference and relegated Pennant to second choice in the Rafa's rotation policy. Lets assume it might be Simao or someone like that.

Ongoing concern would be a long term replacement for Hypia. A 4th CB would be nice but maybe Paletta is going to fulfill that role if he has settled in more by then.

A striker of proven quality will need to replace one of Crouch, Kuyt or Bellamy. Fowler will be replaced I feel. 1 of the previous 3 could replace Folwer and we may only see one stiker bought in. There is no doubting that someones role will be reduced next season. Lets say David Villa for arguments sake.

Then there is Kewell. I do not mind giving him a few months to prove his worth if and when he recovers again. It is likely that he will need to be replace though. Zenden is the player I look most forward to be being replaced tbh.

If Kewell and Zenden go, I would have no objections to Riise or Aurellio being moved forward into midfield and a left back of equal quality to Finnan being brought it.

Rafa is obviously a big fan of being able to rotate. He seems to want to have first choice players for each position and then a second alternative that offe 75% of what the first choice offers and use that person nearly as much but in less important matches.

There is no doubting that he thinks he can chop a change as much as he likes once he keeps the the same core of 3 out of 4 main players in the defence, i.e. if he rests Finnan, he will used Riise. If he rests Riise, he will use Finnan and so on...


So next season, in these systems, you might see the following:


1

---

Reina

---

Finnan

---

Carragher

---

Agger

---

xxxxx
Simao

---

Macherano

---

Alonso

---

Riise

---

Kuyt

---

Villa

---

2

---

Reina

---

Finnan

---

Carragher

---

Agger

---

Riise
Simao

---

Macherano----Alonso

---

Gonzales

---

Gerard

---

---

Crouch

---

3

---

Reina

---

---

Agger

---

Carragher

---

xxxxxx

---

---

Macherano----Alonso

---

Simao

---

Gerard

---

Gonzales

---

Villa

---

Bellamy

---

This who we could end up having:

xxCBxx = Carragher, Agger, XXXXX and Hypia
xxRBxxx = Finnan and Arbeloa
xxLBxxx = XXXXX and Riise

xxMCxx = Gerard, Alonso, Mascherano, Sissoko, XXXXXX and Garcia
xDMCx = Alonso, Mascherano and Sissoko
xAMCx = Gerard, Garcia, Kewell????xxxxx

xRWBx = Finnan, Arbeloa and Gerard
xLWBx = Riise and Aurrellio

xxRWxx = XXXXX, Pennant and Gerard
xxLWxx = Riise, Gonzales, Aurrellio, and Kewell???xxxxx

xxFCxx = Garcia, Gerard and Kewell???xxxxx

xxSTxx = XXXXX, Crouch, Kuyt and Bellamy


Obviously the names would change depending on the opposition and who was bought in. But it certainly gives a very clear impression of where Rafa is going with the team. Xxxxxx is used to represent yet unpurchased players that may be bought in the summer and I couldn't think of a suitable name of the top of my head.

mike65

Jasus its still only April!

I think Garcia is safe if he wants to stay, Kewell will proberly get until January if he gets a few games under his belt before the CL final (!). Zenden proberly gone (though as a left sided squad player Rafa may reckon he is worth a wage). Dudek gone, will Carson return or look for a transfer to Charlton should they survive? Hyypia almost certain to stay as cover for Agger (last season though).

Cisse/Pongo both gone proberly for about 10-12 million between them.

Fowler gone, Vorinin in. Kuyt safe, Bellamy unlikely to go but if the price was right....? Crouch same but a late season flourish would see him safe I think (Crouch is showing why he should be kept over the last two games). Pennant on borrowed time and needs a strong finish to the season. Gonzo safe for a season.

Mike.

event

DaBreno wrote:

People mention Villa a lot. While I would only cream my pants if we got him, his worth to Valencia is more in creating than scoring(which he can do quite well). Do we want another Kuyt type worker forward or someone more akin to Michael Owen whose sole job was to put the ball in the net?

Or do we just want it all?

david villa puts the ball in the net just as well as michael owen does, scores as many goals and can set up a few too

he is hardly a kuyt type player at all

StickyMcGinty

event wrote:

david villa puts the ball in the net just as well as michael owen does, scores as many goals and can set up a few too

he is hardly a kuyt type player at all

true, hes a raw finisher

whats the story with mascherano, he's been outstanding for us in the pasty couple of games, has been a breath of fresh air in the squad. Can we sign him at the end of the season or wha?

gary the great

VinnyL wrote:

true, hes a raw finisher

whats the story with mascherano, he's been outstanding for us in the pasty couple of games, has been a breath of fresh air in the squad. Can we sign him at the end of the season or wha?

we just discussed that on the last page

zing

Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan, Gonzalez, Sissoko, Mascherano, Gerrard, Crouch, Bellamy

Subs: Dudek, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Kuyt

Interesting to see Arbeloa coming in at left back again. Mascherano certainly seems to be making a claim on the center of the pitch.

Vokes

No Alonso + a target man & small fast player upfront looks interesting. Could be the focus isn't on keeping possession but on getting the ball from one end to the other quickly.

Could be goals galore from both sides :cool:

Stimpyone

Sissoko and Mascherano in the center together!?. That'll be interesting

Daemonic

Liverpool 1 up, Arbeloa the scorer, nice goal too.

zAbbo

great finish, nicely taken.

mike65

Bellamy is a pile of poo today, if he can pick the wrong option with or without the ball he will.

Mike.

zing

Very nicely taken goal. Momo's passing ability is really begining to annoy me.

mike65

I thought he did okay tbh, esp in the second half. Typical Pennant, I was starting to get annoyed with him and then a perfect dinked ball for Kuyt. Bellamys stock just plummeted.

Mike.

Dr. Nick

mike65 wrote:

I thought he did okay tbh, esp in the second half. Typical Pennant, I was starting to get annoyed with him and then a perfect dinked ball for Kuyt. Bellamys stock just plummeted.

Mike.

That was a wonderdink

Daemonic

I thought Sissoko was poor again today. Simple passes were mis-directed and those that did find their target often only made it due to the receiving player putting in more effort than should be required when receiving a pass.
He can do it though, his through ball for Kuyt when Kuyt missed narrowly with Gerrard almost getting the tap in was one of the best passes of the game

flanzer

mike65 wrote:

Bellamys stock just plummeted.

Mike.

Yeah, as soon as he went down looking for a penalty and did his usual moan, when he could of quite easily scored, Rafa had enough. I think it's the first time Rafa has been quite Mourinhoesque in losing patience with a player and substituting the culprit so early in the first half (edit:sorry 2nd half!). Maybe Bellamy has been voicing his disapproval off the field or in the training ground at not been a regular in Liverpool's good run of late?

Just shows we don't need him to be honest. I think the writing is on the wall for Bellamy's departure in the summer

mike65

Someone noted how the recent games when he's been absent have seen goals flow. I think 3rd place is pretty much nailed on now. Pity its going to be 12-15 points behind second though.

Mike.

PiE

Wouldn't say we're a dead cert for 3rd just yet. Arsenal still have that game in hand, though looking at our run-in it's really ours to lose.

Man City (A)
Middlesbro (H)
Wigan (H)
Portsmouth (A)
Fulham (A)
Charlton (H)

If only we'd had a better start to the season, that run-in coulda proven decisive in the title race, nevermind 3rd

el rabitos

bringing in a slew of new players this summer wont do anything to remedy the trend of poor starts. i'm hoping rafa keeps the incomings and out-goings to a minimum, but that money from the new owners could end up burning a hole in his pockets. we'll see i suppose.

leninbenjamin

el rabitos wrote:

bringing in a slew of new players this summer wont do anything to remedy the trend of poor starts. i'm hoping rafa keeps the incomings and out-goings to a minimum, but that money from the new owners could end up burning a hole in his pockets. we'll see i suppose.

i'd say he'll use it to buy some higher profile players, rather than a scatter of average ones. All Liverpool need really is to get a prolific scorer/poacher type. anything else is a bonus really, they have a squad to rival basically all the top teams as it stands imo.

Jazzy

eto'o + alves would equal a good summer.
we'd see fowler & kewell depart but watever... its ****ing samuel eto'o!

el rabitos

high profile players dont really seem to be what benitez is after. being high profile means that player has probably won a fair bit. benitez seems to be after hungry players that have quality.

i'd be dissapointed if there wasnt a bid to bring in alves in the summer, no doubt sevilla will be after stupid money though, and benitez wont pay a cent more than his valuation of the player.

a strong striker who knows how to finish would be handy too.

sell bellamy if an offer comes in to recoup the investment. sick of his moaning

mike65

Hopefully Rafa will value Crouches alround ability more than Bellamys pace (and attitude!).

The Tall Guy is a decent bet for CL top scorer, I put a 10nner on him at 7-1 with PaddyPower. So hopefully he'll get the start against PSV and knock a couple in.

Mike.

missingtime

I'd rather see some of the reserve players get a few games than more expensive signings.

leninbenjamin

el rabitos wrote:

high profile players dont really seem to be what benitez is after. being high profile means that player has probably won a fair bit. benitez seems to be after hungry players that have quality.

i meant high profile in the sense of Daniel Alves over a Jermaine Pennant. he wont go down the route of buying a high profile like Shevchenko, didn't mean to imply that.

PiE

I'd be very surprised if we got either Alves or Eto'o. Both long-shots but I really think the chances of Eto'o coming to sunny Liverpool are about 9 billion to 1. Alves can pretty much pick any club he likes now too.

~Rebel~

the only issue with eto'o is the money really i think, he obviously has no qualms with the place, having issued a come and get me plea a few years back and having said many many times that he wants to test himself in the premiership. Im not sure we could beat off the competition though, particularly if chelsea are interested. He has mentioned his admiration for liverpool though so never say never..

Waster

Crouch is 16-1 with Ladbrookes and was 33-1 before the PSV match. Paddy Power generally have worse odds than the competition in my view.
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/champions-league/champions-league/champions-league/top-goalscorer

Dr. Nick

Nice article on next season's player of the year in today's Times:

Mascherano happy to step out of the shadows
The Liverpool midfielder was woefully underused at West Ham but the ‘new Claude Makelele’ can demonstrate his quality against PSV

WEST Ham, January transfer deadline day. Out: Javier Mascherano. In: Nigel Quashie. Not since Rodney blew the budget of Trotters Independent Traders on a job lot of suntan lotion in the middle of London’s coldest winter has the East End seen stranger business judgment applied. Quashie is a serviceable professional but you would hardly have him cloned. Mascherano, on the other hand, might prove Rafael Benitez right and be the “new Claude Makelele”.

For “Maka” read “Masche”? As well as their nicknames the Argentinian and the Frenchman are similar in size and house the same concentration of brains, focus and competitiveness within tiny, yet teak-tough frames. Liverpool’s finishing caught the eye in Eindhoven but their starting point was Mascherano in midfield. His tackling and intercepting enabled his team to defend the area; his passing, in concert with Xabi Alonso, to control it. “He doesn’t speak perfect English yet but on the pitch you have to speak with your feet,” Alonso noted. “He does that really well.”

That Mascherano was first ignored and then jettisoned by West Ham surprised discerning observers in England but amazed them in Spain. “I knew about Javier many years ago. I saw him play several games for River Plate on television before I came to Liverpool,” said Alonso.

“He was well known in Spain when he was 19 or 20. He was a target for Real Madrid and because of that all the media was keeping an eye on him and he was becoming popular.” Real wanted Mascherano as the replacement when they sold Makelele to Chelsea in 2003-04, but two mysterious management companies who “own” the player, Global Soccer Agencies (GSA) and Mystere Services Ltd, had different plans and transferred him to Corinthians. So began the saga that brought Mascherano, along with Carlos Tevez, to Upton Park and Mascherano onwards to Anfield.

“He took another path. The story is complicated,” said Alonso with some understatement. “But now he’s arrived at Liverpool and we are happy that he’s with us.”

It cost West Ham a payment of £339,000 plus about £800,000 in wages to lease Mascherano from GSA and Mystere, and the club’s alleged failure to disclose paperwork relating to the deal, and that for Tevez, could see them fined a further six-figure sum and deducted points by the Premier League. For the sake of all that, West Ham used Mascherano in just seven games. All were defeats and in none of the matches did West Ham score. Alan Pardew, citing the need for experienced campaigners during difficult times, preferred Nigel Reo-Coker and Hayden Mullins. His successor, Alan Curbishley, never considered Mascherano and traded him to buy Quashie for £1.5m. For the same sum, Liverpool secured Mascherano for 18 months with the option of a longer deal at the end of that period. Benitez, who travelled to the player’s London Docklands flat to persuade Mascherano to choose Anfield in the face of interest from Juventus and Real Zaragoza, pulled off a transfer coup only matched by Sir Alex Ferguson’s short-term deal for Henrik Larsson.

Mascherano had to wait first for Fifa then the Premier League to ratify his move and could not make his debut until February 24, but he has already played more minutes for Liverpool (352 before the Reading game) than for West Ham (393) and started Liverpool’s past four games.

“West Ham were in a difficult position, everything was going wrong, and in that situation it’s difficult for any player to play at their level. It’s been important for Javier to prove he can play well for a team like Liverpool,” Alonso said. Benitez marvels how, despite being just 22, Mascherano already has 20 caps for Argentina; he is considered such a prodigy in his own country that he made his international debut before he even played for his first club, River Plate. “He plays like a 30-year-old,” said Alonso. “He has a cool mind on the pitch. He is analysing and thinking about the game in each moment.”

Benitez said Mascherano is “a monster of a player”. Have West Ham made the season’s most monstrous mistake?

mike65

Bannor wrote:

There's a theory that the public interest in Crouch is just to get Feyenoord to do a deal for Kuyt.

Just went back to page one and found this. Ah so long ago, whither Bannor?

Mike.

Chardee MacDennis

not sure about the ins and outs of the masch deal, but if we lose him it would be a huge loss. he has shown why he was so well respected in south america and in the arge team.

zAbbo

The Hammers are some fudding clowns though?

Obvious talent, poor management, How hard is it to fit Mascherano into the WHU team, stick him in front of the back 4, match that with Bowyer, Reo-Coker and Etherington across the middle, and you can pick any 2 from Tevez, Zamora, Harewood or Benayoun. And you'd still have the likes of Carlton Cole, Boa Morte and Sheringham available, and Ashton (if he wasn't injured)

No-one's too good to go down, if they have asshats in charge.

IrishMike

Anyone got a link for the goals against reading?
Missed the highlights over the weekend

Malice

IrishMike wrote:

Anyone got a link for the goals against reading?

I was just looking myself Try this YouTube link. I've no speakers on this PC so I don't know what the sound quality is like but the picture quality is fine.

mickith

good to hear that he would like to go to us if he came to engerland, but at that feckin buyout price i dont think he will go anywhere soon


Valencia striker David Villa has revealed he would be interested in a move to England if the opportunity arose, with Liverpool his favourite club.


http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=459991&CPID=23&clid=191&lid=4161&title=Villa+reveals+Reds+liking

The Spanish international has been continually linked with a move to the Premiership with Chelsea and Liverpool among his suitors.

Villa is one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe after his goalscoring exploits for club and country in the last few years.

Liverpool tried to sign Villa before he joined Valencia and reports suggest they could make a new move for the skilful forward in the summer.

Villa, who says he follows Liverpool because of his friendship with Reds keeper Jose Reina, admits he would consider an offer to play in England.

"I never planned to play in England, but if an offer arrives I'll take a look at it," Villa told Zoo magazine.

"I'm a great follower of football all around the world and I watch lots of games from the Premiership.

"I don't have a favourite English team, but because of my friendships with some of their players, I follow Liverpool most. My favourite player there is my friend Pepe Reina."

Valencia are determined to keep hold of their prized asset and they inserted a buy-out clause of £85million in his contract.

Villa has admitted himself that the price tag on his head is "ludicrous".

"It seems like a ludicrous amount of money! I believe it is too much money," added Villa.

"But football is like that, so we'll have to wait and see what happens. But £70m is insane!"

At the price Chelsea would be the only realistic side capable of buying him funded by Roman Abramovich's millions and Villa is full of admiration for what the Russian billionaire has done at Stamford Bridge.

"Abramovich can spend his own money how he wants.

"He's certainly made Chelsea's fans happier! He's turned them into England's most successful club and I think that he seems like a good person."
Read the full article in ZOO magazine, out now

zing

Was expecting a relatively strong lineup for tomorrow night with the likes of Fowler & Zenden been fairly certain to start. But I was also expecting a few of the younger players to be on the bench to come on for the last 15 or 20 mins assuming all was going according to plan - players like Anderson, Linfield, Hobbs & El Zhar but they're all named in the reserves for tonight so I guess that won't be happening then. Ideally I'd like to have seen a good solid defence with maybe Linfield or El Zhar given the chance up front along with Fowler from ko - oh well.

However sicknote was expected to feature in the reserves for tonight but isn't named so maybe he'll do some bench warming tomorrow night instead. Unless he broke a toenail or something ..

PiE

Considering the CL is the only thing we've got left this season, I'd rather Rafa play his stronger teams. I don't think we should be taking any game for granted before the tie is over. I'd rather he gave the youngsters a run in the Prem once 3rd place is sewn up, than risk catastophe in Europe.

mickith wrote:

"I think that he seems like a good person."

Heh, he obviously doesn't know too much about him then.

IrishMike

malice_ wrote:

I was just looking myself Try this YouTube link. I've no speakers on this PC so I don't know what the sound quality is like but the picture quality is fine.

Perfect
thanks mate

zing

zing wrote:

players like Anderson, Linfield, Hobbs & El Zhar

As it turns out Anderson is the only one of these in the Uefa squad so none of the others could featured anyway.

missingtime

From BBC --

Real Madrid striker Raul is interested in a move to Liverpool. (Independent)

mike65

Feck off Raul!

Mike.

leninbenjamin

missingtime wrote:

From BBC --

Real Madrid striker Raul is interested in a move to Liverpool. (Independent)

shades of morientes all over again. besides that rumours being there on and off for the past few years and nothing has come of it. i think Rafa would want someone a bit younger anyway, as good as Raul is he wouldn't be there for too long.

Stimpyone

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Sissoko, Alonso, Zenden, Crouch, Bellamy.

Subs: Dudek, Carragher, Paletta, Mascherano, Gonzalez, Gerrard, Fowler.

zing

Reina, Arbeloa, Agger, Hyypia, Riise, Zenden, Alonso, Sissoko, Pennant, Crouch, Bellamy. Subs – Dudek, Gerrard, Fowler, Gonzalez, Mascherano, Carragher, Paletta.

IrishMike

Suprised he didnt play fowler to be honest and have mascherano in midfield
as he needs the games.
Strong team though

Cant wait to hear giles and dunphy tear liverpool apart for only winning 5 or 6 nil on aggregate
God i hate those two idiots