Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12 - Mod Note 4153

5starpool

5starpool wrote: »

Arsenal and Chelsea sold out now apparently. Looks like it's the lottery of finding something on the returns sale closer to the date if you want to get over. Ridiculous system really, but since the club always sell out, and get loads of members who they charge for the privilege, they aren't going to change it until such time as there is a new stadium or more seats in a redeveloped Anfield.

Was hoping for a Chelsea or Arsenal. Ah well.

Next stop Stoke.

Phoenix Park

Just how limited is "limited availablity" does anyone know? (it doesn't necessarily mean restricted view i take it). If you have not been to 13 games the previous season is it almost impossible to get a ticket for one of the bigger (Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd) games if you are just a regular member without those 13 games?. As a regular member you can scrape a ticket for Fulham, but its hard to get your foot in the door for the big games if you do not have access to 13 in the first place!
Most times i'm over i'm relying on friends getting tickets which is a pain, wonder where my name is on the updated season ticket waiting list that should be out in a week or two

copacetic

Limited availability basically means very few if any seats left in groups of 2 or more.

spockety

Kenny going nuts about the Man City and Chelsea fixtures being 48 hours apart.

"The one thing I will say to our fans is to think carefully before buying tickets for the League Cup game because we do not want them spending their money and then we decide there is no other option but to use only young players in the tie."

Wow.

opr

As with all things in football these days I take this stuff with a pinch of salt but still nice to see the quotes.

Suarez :

“I’ve just started a phase of my career which I always dreamed about and wanted to do, which is to play for Liverpool,” he said.

“I have five years left on my contract and I think beyond that, I’m already thinking about staying many more years at Liverpool.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/EXCLUSIVE-Luis-Suarez-interview-Liverpool-striker-on-Andy-Carroll-Kenny-Dalglish-and-why-he-wants-to-stay-at-Anfield-for-more-than-five-years-article828852.html

Opr

Leiva

opr wrote: »

As with all things in football these days I take this stuff with a pinch of salt but still nice to see the quotes.

Suarez :



http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/EXCLUSIVE-Luis-Suarez-interview-Liverpool-striker-on-Andy-Carroll-Kenny-Dalglish-and-why-he-wants-to-stay-at-Anfield-for-more-than-five-years-article828852.html

Opr

Read that and like yourself had a gallon of salt at hand .

Just hope the hating numptys drop their campaign as there has been a really nasty eye thrown on Suarez since he came to the EPL , more than I can remember any other player receiving .

The fella is class and his work ethic and attitude is amazing and the sort of shiite you can't teach .

Hope he sees out his career at LFC and makes captain sooner than later.

djfitzerjnr

mixednuts wrote: »

Read that and like yourself had a gallon of salt at hand .

Just hope the hating numptys drop their campaign as there has been a really nasty eye thrown on Suarez since he came to the EPL , more than I can remember any other player receiving .

The fella is class and his work ethic and attitude is amazing and the sort of shiite you can't teach .

Hope he sees out his career at LFC and makes captain sooner than later.

He's got a pretty big queue ahead of him once Gerrard goes.

Pepe, Lucas, Kelly are next on the list I reckon, and in that order. The way Hendo plays, you can tell he is a real leader on the pitch, captain of England u21's swell.

Leiva

djfitzerjnr wrote: »

He's got a pretty big queue ahead of him once Gerrard goes.

Pepe, Lucas, Kelly are next on the list I reckon, and in that order. The way Hendo plays, you can tell he is a real leader on the pitch, captain of England u21's swell.

WTF ?

Hendo as in Henderson or some other player I haven't seen , cause surely your not on about Jordan Henderson .

That_Guy

opr wrote: »

As with all things in football these days I take this stuff with a pinch of salt but still nice to see the quotes.

Suarez :



http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/EXCLUSIVE-Luis-Suarez-interview-Liverpool-striker-on-Andy-Carroll-Kenny-Dalglish-and-why-he-wants-to-stay-at-Anfield-for-more-than-five-years-article828852.html

Opr

He's off to City in January so. :pac:

djfitzerjnr

mixednuts wrote: »

WTF ?

Hendo as in Henderson or some other player I haven't seen , cause surely your not on about Jordan Henderson .

I am indeed.

He is still only a kid you know and we are talking about 4 years time roughly when the armband is passed to the first 3 I mentioned, and another few years after that.

The West Brom game is where I saw it in him, could be heard quite clearly ordering players around...etc

mormank

amiable wrote: »

So how much wages do you think David Villa would command?

Well the problem with this question is that teams like city have skewed things here quite a bit. I'm sure he is probably on close to 200k a week at Barca, I hae no figured at hand to quote but that's my guess. Who knows, if Villa really wants out of Barca so he can challenge himself again somewhere else or play in his favoured position up front he may take a pay cut to move somewhere. All the signs point to this being highly unlikely but I just wanna quell the talk of not signing someone like him because of wages and no resale value. We cannot only sign players with low wages and high potential resale value.

In fact if you look at the revolutions of both chelsea and city when they came upon money they both took a fairly simliar approach to it. Buying as much young english talent as they could (Chelsea purchased a young J. Cole and G. Johnson amongst others and city got the likes of Lescott, milner etc) with a few international stars also, as good as they could get at the time. After this initial phase of buying up everyone they could with their previous 'reputation' they began purchasing the best of the best in there next phase, hoovering up as many highly rated players as they can with little or no thought put into formations or tactics. As this next phase happened some of the signings from the initial phase proved not good enough for a team challenging at the top at moved on. Leaving a squad more than capable of challenging for honours.

The reason i bring up these two revolutions is because I believe we have completed a similar phase one to both these teams(obviously hampered by the massive amount of competition for signings compared to the other two teams revolutions). The question on my mind is, is there a serious phase two for us (signings players like Hazard, Jovetic, Hummels etc.) or are we gonna have to make do with the signings already made? If it is the former for us I wouldn't be too worried, if it is the latter I worry gravely.

Blatter

mormank wrote: »

amiable wrote: »

So how much wages do you think David Villa would command?

Well the problem with this question is that teams like city have skewed things here quite a bit. I'm sure he is probably on close to 200k a week at Barca, I hae no figured at hand to quote but that's my guess. Who knows, if Villa really wants out of Barca so he can challenge himself again somewhere else or play in his favoured position up front he may take a pay cut to move somewhere. All the signs point to this being highly unlikely but I just wanna quell the talk of not signing someone like him because of wages and no resale value. We cannot only sign players with low wages and high potential resale value.

In fact if you look at the revolutions of both chelsea and city when they came upon money they both took a fairly simliar approach to it. Buying as much young english talent as they could (Chelsea purchased a young J. Cole and G. Johnson amongst others and city got the likes of Lescott, milner etc) with a few international stars also, as good as they could get at the time. After this initial phase of buying up everyone they could with their previous 'reputation' they began purchasing the best of the best in there next phase, hoovering up as many highly rated players as they can with little or no thought put into formations or tactics. As this next phase happened some of the signings from the initial phase proved not good enough for a team challenging at the top at moved on. Leaving a squad more than capable of challenging for honours.

The reason i bring up these two revolutions is because I believe we have completed a similar phase one to both these teams(obviously hampered by the massive amount of competition for signings compared to the other two teams revolutions). The question on my mind is, is there a serious phase two for us (signings players like Hazard, Jovetic, Hummels etc.) or are we gonna have to make do with the signings already made? If it is the former for us I wouldn't be too worried, if it is the latter I worry gravely.

I don't think you can look at what Chelsea and City have done and apply it in any way, shape or form, to what Liverpool are going to do.

City(not so much Chelsea anymore) are playing a different game altogether compared to the rest of us.

That_Guy

That_Guy wrote: »

He's off to City in January so. :pac:

Silva + £100 million

Devilman40k

rarnes1 wrote: »

Silva + £100 million

Get to.... Silva,Dzeko & Kompany + 100 million and we might do business

danniemcq

what would people rather see?

Stronger team against City or Chelsea?

mike65

The league then the cup.

Blatter

danniemcq wrote: »

what would people rather see?

Stronger team against City or Chelsea?

City

danniemcq

Devilman40k wrote: »

Get to.... Silva,Dzeko & Kompany + 100 million and we might do business

If he hands in a transfer request we'll let them keep Kompany

mormank

Blatter wrote: »

I don't think you can look at what Chelsea and City have done and apply it in any way, shape or form, to what Liverpool are going to do.

City(not so much Chelsea anymore) are playing a different game altogether compared to the rest of us.

I understand that but my point is that we have a strategy, of that I am in no doubt. However, what the strategy is is the real question. Have we seen the full fruition of out transfer policy already? Or will we continue to invest in the playing squad significantly? If the former is true we could be in for an awful long wait to challenge for anything again. The title challenge is 08/09 when we finished 4 points behind utd was the only real title challenge I have experience in my lifetime and I hope I don't have to wait another lifetime till the next one. The way the game has gone unfortunately it looks like we may have to invest further heavily to challenge anytime soon.

Kess73

danniemcq wrote: »

If he hands in a transfer request we'll let them keep Kompany

Bugger that. I want Kompany in our team.

danniemcq

Kess73 wrote: »

Bugger that. I want Kompany in our team.

are our defence that lonely they need kompany?



so so so sorry, i really am

danniemcq

Blatter wrote: »

City

have to agree, top 4 is more important than league cup although a trophy would be nice this season, young lads could probably take chelsea!

Kess73

danniemcq wrote: »

are our defence that lonely they need kompany?



so so so sorry, i really am

Me so ronery.:D

kop77

Carra back for Chelski..................

"It's the first time I've ever had a muscle injury in my life but I'm coming along fine," the centre-back said. "I'm working with the physios this week and if things continue to go well the plan is to get back into full training at the start of next week.

"It was always going to be tight to be fit for the Swansea game last weekend and with a two-week break after that match there was no point doing anything silly. It's important to ensure I get it 100 per cent right.

"Hopefully I'll be available for the Chelsea game but I'm not thinking about games at this stage. My first target is just getting back on the training pitch with the lads and that should happen early next week."

D'Agger

kop77 wrote: »

Carra back for Chelski..................

I'm taking that as bad news tbh

PaulieC

PaulieC wrote: »

I'm taking that as bad news tbh

Hardly bad news.

I'd still have him in ahead of Skrtel everyday tbh.

D'Agger

rarnes1 wrote: »

Hardly bad news.

I'd still have him in ahead of Skrtel everyday tbh.

I dunno....I like Skrtel and Agger as the two CBs

PaulieC

PaulieC wrote: »

I dunno....I like Skrtel and Agger as the two CBs

Carra imo is still the better defender and organiser.

Tbh, it really should be the last season for both players as first teamers.

danniemcq

PaulieC wrote: »

I dunno....I like Skrtel and Agger as the two CBs

yeah, they look much calmer, no carra screaming at them

D'Agger

rarnes1 wrote: »

Carra imo is still the better defender and organiser.

Tbh, it really should be the last season for both players as first teamers.

Skrtel will be kept for another few seasons imo until Wisdom, Wilson, Kelly are able to step into the breach

Once Agger's there I'm happy

kop77

As a matter of interest, what do ye think we could get for Skittles in the summer?

Kess73

kop77 wrote: »

As a matter of interest, what do ye think we could get for Skittles in the summer?

Something in the £3m to £6m range at a guess.

Kess73

rarnes1 wrote: »

Hardly bad news.

I'd still have him in ahead of Skrtel everyday tbh.

Whilst I do think that Carragher needs replacing as a first team starter, Skrtel is certainly not the man to replace him. Don't think that Skrtel will ever get to the level that Carragher is at now, let alone be as good as Carragher was four or five years ago.

kop77

Kess73 wrote: »

Something in the £3m to £6m range at a guess.

Was thinking £5-£7m myself, still only 26 though, think we paid £6m for him.

Kess73

kop77 wrote: »

Was thinking £5-£7m myself, still only 26 though, think we paid £6m for him.

Yeah but I don't think he has done anything over the last few seasons to add any value onto what we paid tbh. I think we would be doing well to break even on him.

If Scott Dann went for around £5m in the summer, then I could not see Skrtel going for more than that.

Sir Gallagher

Not a huge fan of Skrtle myself but he's worth keeping around as a squad player. Doubt he's on huge wages and we wouldn't make much on him anyway.

Blatter

I do think Carragher is slightly better that Skrtel individually but I do think Skrtel works better with Agger.

Skrtel + Agger >>> Carragher + Agger imo

Kess73

Kess73 wrote: »

Yeah but I don't think he has done anything over the last few seasons to add any value onto what we paid tbh. I think we would be doing well to break even on him.

If Scott Dann went for around £5m in the summer, then I could not see Skrtel going for more than that.

I agree.

Kess73

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Not a huge fan of Skrtle myself but he's worth keeping around as a squad player. Doubt he's on huge wages and we wouldn't make much on him anyway.

If the club did go out and buy a much needed quality CB (if not two based on how often Agger gets injured), then we have Carragher, Skrtel and Coates as squad players as well as any ressie that improves enough.

In an ideal world, well in my world anyway ) we would get two quality CBs in and Carragher and Skrtel would be out. That way Agger and one of the newbies would be competing to play alongside the better of the new guys, and Coates would become the backup along with the loser of the Newbie/Agger struggle.

Blatter

Blatter wrote: »

I do think Carragher is slightly better that Skrtel individually but I do think Skrtel works better with Agger.

Skrtel + Agger >>> Carragher + Agger imo

Carra has always played well with Agger too tbh.

opr

Murdoch has just issued a statement apologising over Suns Hillsborough coverage.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11669/7302411/Murdoch-s-Hillsborough-apology

http://www.itv.com/granada/murdoch-apologises-over-sun-hillsborough-coverage73499/

Opr

opr

Charlie Adam Creates Chances

One of the summer's main talking points was "chances created," a fairly new statistic meant to replace assists. Assists take two to tango, reliant on the goal scorer actually scoring the goal. LiverpoolFC.tv clarifies the stat by renaming it "shot assists," a name I actually prefer, although I'll stick with Opta's nomenclature since I'm using FourFourTwo's StatsZone stats throughout this piece. The official site also has slightly different numbers than StatsZone, crediting Adam with two fewer shot assists than StatsZone credits chances created.

After the summer signings, Liverpool fans couldn't wait to pass around a chart showing Adam, Downing, and Henderson in the Top 10 for chances created in the league last year. Anfield Index featured multiple articles on the stat. Given how Liverpool struggled for goals last season, most notably under Hodgson, adding players who set up goal-scoring opportunities seemed crucial.

Well, Liverpool are creating more chances. They're simply not taking them. And Charlie Adam tops the list of those creating said chances.

After 11 games, Adam's created 26 chances, more than any other in the Liverpool squad. Suarez and Enrique on 20, Downing with 17, and Lucas with 10 are the only other players in double figures. Adam played 35 games last season; currently averaging 2.36 chances created per game, Adam's on pace for 83 chances created this season if he plays the same number of matches. Which is 19 more than his total for Blackpool last season. And with Downing, Suarez, Henderson and (sometimes) Gerrard involved, he's not taking every set play either.

Adam created eight against Swansea, five more than the next closest player (Downing) and the most in any Liverpool match this season. Four came from set plays and four came from open play. There were chips and crosses to Suarez, corners to Agger, and layoffs and throughballs to Downing. Probability more than suggests at least one should have led to an assist and Liverpool winner.

In total, Liverpool have created 137 chances through this season's 11 matches. The side created 121 in Hodgson's first 11 matches and 120 in Dalglish's first 11 matches as "caretaker manager." Liverpool scored 12 goals in Hodgson's first 11 games, 18 in Dalglish's first 11 games, and 14 through this season's 11 games. This season's chances created-per-goal ratio (9.79) is far closer to Hodgson's mark (10.08) than that from Dalglish's first 11 matches (6.67). Again, creation isn't the problem. Conversion is.

Admittedly, Adam has multiple faults. Fitness is usually the first mentioned: how he tends to tire after the hour mark, with skepticism exacerbated by his less-than-ideal physique. He tends towards the spectacular and over-ambitious when Liverpool might be better served by keeping it simple. He's also more than questionable defensively: in positions he takes up, in his frequently rash tackling, in his recovery speed. And, yes, he's seemingly better in a three-man midfield, which Liverpool rarely uses.

All players have faults; it's balancing the good against the bad. As long as the positives outweigh the negatives in the manager's mind.

We can argue whether Liverpool would be better in a different formation, with support from two other "orthodox" central midfielders rather than the 4-2-2-2/4-3-3 half measure that has Henderson often coming inside. Or whether Spearing's a better partner for Lucas in the formation Liverpool's using. Those are questions for management. However hesitant I am (and you should be) to criticize Dalglish's evolutionary team after less than a third of the campaign gone, they're valid debates.

But the main reason Liverpool bought Adam from Blackpool was to create chances. And Charlie Adam creates chances.

http://ohyoubeauty.blogspot.com/2011/11/charlie-adam-creates-chances.html

Opr

D'Agger

I would've thought Enrique may have been on that list tbh

Leiva

opr wrote: »

Murdoch has just issued a statement apologising over Suns Hillsborough coverage.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11669/7302411/Murdoch-s-Hillsborough-apology

http://www.itv.com/granada/murdoch-apologises-over-sun-hillsborough-coverage73499/

Opr

Quote:

Rotheram pressed Murdoch to pledge that The Sun would be closed down, as the News of the World was, if evidence emerged to prove its reporters were involved in phone-hacking.

I would hit my local and get fairly pissed with celebration if that day ever arrived .

opr

PaulieC wrote: »

I would've thought Enrique may have been on that list tbh

It says he is, joint with the same number as Suarez on 20.

Opr

Devilman40k

What that article shows is the glaring deficiency we all know exists. We need more midfielders in and around the box and a better number 9 (unfortunately)

D'Agger

opr wrote: »

It says he is, joint with the same number as Suarez on 20.

Opr

Apologies - speed reading at work leads to errors!

Super-Rush

Martin Kelly just scored a cracker for the U21's and Henderson is playing very very well also.

opr

Is Kelly playing CB ?

Flanagan, Morgan, Coady and Andre Wisdom all started for England U19's tonight!

Opr

Daemonic

super-rush wrote: »

Martin Kelly just scored a cracker for the U21's and Henderson is playing very very well also.

What position is Henderson playing?