Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12 MOD POST #1130

jesus_thats_gre

djPSB wrote: »

Sometimes, when he's playing with donkeys that wouldn't score in a month of Sundays, he has no choice but to force the play a little.

See, it's that license to do what he wants that is ultimately the problem.

He should stick to the role and tactics that he is assigned. He is not bigger than the team that he is part of.

To add to that, his tendency to get caught too far forward in an attempt to do something positive for the TEAM often ends up negatively affecting the TEAM, i.e. he leaves a hole in midfield and the opposition take advantage.

machiavellianme

Ah I see what you did there...tried to force play a little by doing the same thing 3 times

machiavellianme

Ah I see what you did there...tried to force play a little by doing the same thing 3 times

Kirby

Nice hat-trick mate.

donfers

any linkage guys?

Captain Morgan Freeman

djPSB wrote: »

Anyone know Downings celebration? :-P

He points to the blue moon in the sky....

mike65

machiavellianme wrote: »

Ah I see what you did there...tried to force play a little by doing the same thing 3 times

you can talk

LuckyLloyd

Gerrard can't do what he is doing now over the course of an entire season anymore. Keeping his fitness and form in those conditions (hot / three games in eight days) is a minor miracle tbh.

He's been brilliant though obviously.

kingshankly

The thing is with gerrard it's probably the first time he's been fully fit in 2 years, from all accounts I hear he is absolutely flying in England training session and there was some pictures of him with his top off where is chiseled like a Actor out of 300.
He was brilliant tonight but it was a poor Ukrainian midfield.
Big test next Saturday against pierlo but I reckon scot Parker will shadow him

mike65

Ah the Daily Mail never let us down

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/euro2012/article-2161796/Liverpool-goalkeeper-Pepe-Reina-wanted-AC-Milan.html

Barely a paragraph with absolutely nothing to actually link Riena with Milan.

Jesus Wept

So new signings next season: Gerrard, Lucas, Aqua, Joe Cole.

Jesus Wept

And Stew.

slingerz

I do have a suspicion that the likes of Downing, Henderson and Carroll will be much improved next season under Rodgers. I also hope Aqualiniis moved on along with Cole and Maxi

klose

slingerz wrote: »

I do have a suspicion that the likes of Downing, Henderson and Carroll will be much improved next season under Rodgers. I also hope Aqualiniis moved on along with Cole and Maxi

Maxi has 1 year on his contract and has said himself he hasent had any dealings with leaving so see no harm in him staying atall! Aqua if he will play should be kept, a good player and 1 less position we've to replace then. Cole can feck off though!

Also lol at the daily mail article :pac:

Sir Gallagher

whippedcream wrote: »

Maxi has 1 year on his contract and has said himself he hasent had any dealings with leaving so see no harm in him staying atall! Aqua if he will play should be kept, a good player and 1 less position we've to replace then. Cole can feck off though!

Also lol at the daily mail article :pac:

Well i think we'd be better off without Maxi, he's taking up a space in the squad on big wages. Thats a space the likes of Sterling should be taking.

Dickerty

Captain Morgan Freeman wrote: »

He points to the blue moon in the sky....

With a pig flying across it - an alternative version of the ET symbol...

doc_17

I would keep Cole before Aquilani, that's not to say I really want him but he might want to play for us more than Aquilani

Grayditch

I can't wait to see Alberto realise his dream of playing regularly for Liverpool. He can link up well with Torres who's dying to come back.

Dickerty

doc_17 wrote: »

I would keep Cole before Aquilani, that's not to say I really want him but he might want to play for us more than Aquilani

I think Aqua could surprise us. In a game where we are meant to hold the ball and use it smartly, he could be very effective. He'd need to work hard to get the ball, but he's have help from the likes of Lucas, Henderson and Gerrard in that regard. There is no doubt he's tidy on the ball, moreso than Adam I think...

Kess73

doc_17 wrote: »

I would keep Cole before Aquilani, that's not to say I really want him but he might want to play for us more than Aquilani

Yeah he really showed how much he wanted to play for us anytime he got on the pitch. Unfit and disinterested. Nowt more than a big waste of wages. With any luck he will go back to London this summer and be washed up there instead.

citytillidie

Some big news on Hillsborough

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18518407

doc_17

Dickerty wrote: »

I think Aqua could surprise us. In a game where we are meant to hold the ball and use it smartly, he could be very effective. He'd need to work hard to get the ball, but he's have help from the likes of Lucas, Henderson and Gerrard in that regard. There is no doubt he's tidy on the ball, moreso than Adam I think...

I would like to think that but he has offered us nothing to suggest that he would be of any benefit. People rave on about one or two performances but I am not convinced.

I would love to see anyone signed for us succeed but I don't believe he wants to play in englanf

doc_17

Kess73 wrote: »

Yeah he really showed how much he wanted to play for us anytime he got on the pitch. Unfit and disinterested. Nowt more than a big waste of wages. With any luck he will go back to London this summer and be washed up there instead.

I possibly should have said "If someone put a gun to my head and made me pick either Cole or Aquilani then I'd pick Cole".

Sure Aquilani is probably on something similiar (albeit we have been burden sharing that with loan clubs) and he cosy us big money.

Yes Cole has been a flop too and on big momey but at least we didn't shell 17mil for him.

If it's a case of having to keep one of them due to financial constraints on our transfer budegt then I would keep Cole but if we have money to sign replacements then that'd be better.

Nuri Sahin

Honestly worried if fellow supporters actually think Joe Cole is worth keeping, be it over Aquilani or not. As already pointed out. He tried little to **** all in his time with us, I'll be nice and give him however many minutes before he was sent stuff for being an idiot vs Arsenal, looked like he was trying in that up until that moment.

Without a seconds thought, I'd have Aquilani all day, everyday back in the side so long as we wanted to play us of course.

Francie Barrett

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iPMypN5huOJybVvbawcUxWUHB5yg?docId=N0394351340183233205A

Aquilani is coming back to Anfield apparently now.

Looks pretty clear to me that Aquilani has two years to run on his contract of £60k a week but there are no Italian clubs who are willing to offer him a contract at anywhere near that. If you ask me, he is playing hardball with us. If Fiorentina are only willing to offer £30k a week, then I would say that Aquilani will only contemplate walking from Liverpool if we pay him the difference which comes to about £6 million or else try to get the transfer fee waived so he can get a decent contract. If we don't give into his demands, I would say he would be perfectly happy to sit rotting in the reserves collecting his paycheck. I mean, if the guy can't motivate himself to get into the Italian squad for the Euro's, there is clearly something wrong with his mentality (otherwise either Juve or Milan would have signed him up).

I still don't expect to see him line out for us again in a competitive fixture, his card has been marked. Dirty money grabbing parasite!

Sure wasn't Aquilani supposed to be staying last year too?

Expect an Italian club to come in for him, but not before we get trolled for the next 8 weeks by him and his agent.

Francie Barrett

-Ade- wrote: »

Without a seconds thought, I'd have Aquilani all day, everyday back in the side so long as we wanted to play us of course.

Really?

Rafa ran the rule over him.

Woy ran the rule over him.

Kenny ran the rule over him.

Juve ran the rule over him.

Milan ran the rule over him.

Rodgers has seemingly ran the rule over him and will let him go.

He has had so many chances it's ridiculous and quite frankly I think it's time to just accept that while he is skillful, he just doesn't have the determination or mentality to play football at a high level.

Francie Barrett

rarnes1 wrote: »

Sure wasn't Aquilani supposed to be staying last year too?

Expect an Italian club to come in for him, but not before we get trolled for the next 8 weeks by him and his agent.

I agree, I think it's just posturing so an Italian club can get even more concessions on any possible deal.

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Looks pretty clear to me that Aquilani has two years to run on his contract of £60k a week but there are no Italian clubs who are willing to offer him a contract at anywhere near that. If you ask me, he is playing hardball with us. If Fiorentina are only willing to offer £30k a week, then I would say that Aquilani will only contemplate walking from Liverpool if we pay him the difference which comes to about £6 million or else try to get the transfer fee waived so he can get a decent contract. If we don't give into his demands, I would say he would be perfectly happy to sit rotting in the reserves collecting his paycheck. I mean, if the guy can't motivate himself to get into the Italian squad for the Euro's, there is clearly something wrong with his mentality (otherwise either Juve or Milan would have signed him up).

I still don't expect to see him line out for us again in a competitive fixture, his card has been marked. Dirty money grabbing parasite!

That's a ridulous post. When he went out last summer, Comolli commended how he went about his business. He just wanted to play, and Kenny made it clear that he'd get very little playtime.

He didn't make the Italian squad because (a) they are very strong in centre midfield and (b) AC pushed him out of the squad so they wouldn't enforce the clause forcing them to sign him.

What has he done to suggest he is a parasite or a money grabber? Ridiculous...

Nuri Sahin

rarnes1 wrote: »

Sure wasn't Aquilani supposed to be staying last year too?

Expect an Italian club to come in for him, but not before we get trolled for the next 8 weeks by him and his agent.

I still expect that to be the case alright.

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Really?

Rafa ran the rule over him.

Woy ran the rule over him.

Kenny ran the rule over him.

Juve ran the rule over him.

Milan ran the rule over him.

Rodgers has seemingly ran the rule over him and will let him go.

He has had so many chances it's ridiculous and quite frankly I think it's time to just accept that while he is skillful, he just doesn't have the determination or mentality to play football at a high level.

Oh god yes, our dear friend Roy. The man who nearly drove Lucas and Agger out of the club. The latter because he wanted to play his natural game and not the hoof style clown defending he (Roy) wanted. Yeeeeeah.

He was good for Juve if you actually watched him, very good for a lot of games. The heck should I know why they didn't keep him.

Kenny ran the rule over him? Or did the player just want to stay in Italy in the Seria A at the time?

Rafa did play him but there was more to it, much like I think there was to the Keane situation IMHO. When he played, was he not one of our best players, no?

If you don't see why I'd want to keep Aquilani over Joe Cole which is my point here, god help you

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Rafa ran the rule over him.

And signed him...

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Woy ran the rule over him.

And signed Poulson for midfield instead - good judgement?

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Kenny ran the rule over him.

But wanted to buy British in Adam, Heno and Downing, and had no room for some soft Italian.

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Juve ran the rule over him.

And played him 33 times that season, before deciding to sign Pirlo instead - not a bad replacement.

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Milan ran the rule over him.

And only stopped starting him once their season was winding down to try and screw us into a cheaper sale.

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Rodgers has seemingly ran the rule over him and will let him go.

Seemingly? You know something we don't know?

Francie Barrett

Dickerty wrote: »

That's a ridulous post. When he went out last summer, Comolli commended how he went about his business. He just wanted to play, and Kenny made it clear that he'd get very little playtime.

Comolli is hardly going to come out and say that he is a problem play, especially if we've been trying to get rid of him for so long.

mike65

****s sake does anyone really believe that Aquilani wants to play for Liverpool?

If he did this wouldn't be a talking point.

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Comolli is hardly going to come out and say that he is a problem play, especially if we've been trying to get rid of him for so long.

So he's signed to a club where he is told he won't get game time, so he finds a club who will take him on loan and figure him in their first team plans. Which part makes him a parasite? The part where he still gets paid the amount that WE agreed to pay him? Should be do it for free cause we've been so good to him?

Francie Barrett

Dickerty wrote: »

And signed him...

Rafa also had a dig at him for feigning injury before he was forced out.

Dickerty wrote: »

And signed Poulson for midfield instead - good judgement?

We were in a bad way then, says a lot that Aquilani couldn't play his way into Woy's team.

Dickerty wrote: »

But wanted to buy British in Adam, Heno and Downing, and had no room for some soft Italian.

Henderson and Adam have been better players than Aquilani for us.

Dickerty wrote: »

And played him 33 times that season, before deciding to sign Pirlo instead - not a bad replacement.

Juventus finished 7th place in Serie A with Aquilani playing.

Dickerty wrote: »

And only stopped starting him once their season was winding down to try and screw us into a cheaper sale.

Aquilani's agent has come out and said no clubs are interested in him. Aquilani is on decent money, but if he is anywhere near as good as some people think, he would have had no problems in securing a club at somewhere close to his current salary.

Dickerty wrote: »

Seemingly? You know something we don't know?

Uhh, we wouldn't be going off and buying another central midfielder and allowing him to be pimped out all over Italy if Rodgers really had any interest in him.

Francie Barrett

Dickerty wrote: »

So he's signed to a club where he is told he won't get game time, so he finds a club who will take him on loan and figure him in their first team plans. Which part makes him a parasite? The part where he still gets paid the amount that WE agreed to pay him? Should be do it for free cause we've been so good to him?

He's a money grabbing parasite because quite clearly wages are the sticking point in him getting a move.

Fowler87

Cole might not be worth keeping with wages, age, form etc. but he warrants as much respect to the farce that has been Aquilani, no matter how good a player he is

Kess73

Fowler87 wrote: »

Cole might not be worth keeping with wages, age, form etc. but he warrants as much respect to the farce that has been Aquilani, no matter how good a player he is

So if he warrants an equal amount of respect, then I take it you think Cole is a farce also?

monkey9

Diame signed for West Ham

Francie Barrett

monkey9 wrote: »

Diame signed for West Ham

Good!

Dublin_Gunner

All this talk of buying central midfielders makes me a sad liverbird.

We have one of the best already - Steven Gerrard. I would suggest any of the 'Stevie is past it' merchants to go and have a look at Englands last 3 games. The man is still phenomenal, and still has a HUGE part to play for LFC.

I don't know what sort of formation BR is going to play with Liverpool, but I can certainly see a team with Gerrard, Suarez and Carroll in the starting 11.

Doesn't leave much room for other midfielders IMO, but if I was to choose any currently at our disposal, it would have to be Lucas (when he's fit again). Beyond Lucas, Aquilani subbing for Stevie would be the next best option IMO.

So personally, with Lucas, Shelvey, possibly Gylfi and Aquilani all at the disposal of the coach with Gerrard - we REALLY do not need to sign another midfielder. (and that's not counting Spearing as back up). Adam can go back to Blackpool. For free.

We need to use the ones we have much much better; and this is where I'm confident in BR's abilities.

D'Agger

While I was delighted for Gerrard last night (he played very well) and throughout the tournament so far, he's still not reliable for us.

We can hope that Rodgers plays him in a position/formation that gets the best out of him but his injury record means that he's not going to influence our season as much as he used be able to.

He's a world class player - no doubting it but I don't know how much we'll see of him this season - based on his injury record in the previous two or so.

Also - his discipline in CM has been unbelievable for England - something I haven't seen from him as much when playing for LFC - maybe himself and Parker complement each other well I don't know.

Must be said that Johnson is having a decent tournament so far.

Gbear

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

All this talk of buying central midfielders makes me a sad liverbird.

We have one of the best already - Steven Gerrard. I would suggest any of the 'Stevie is past it' merchants to go and have a look at Englands last 3 games. The man is still phenomenal, and still has a HUGE part to play for LFC.

I don't know what sort of formation BR is going to play with Liverpool, but I can certainly see a team with Gerrard, Suarez and Carroll in the starting 11.

Doesn't leave much room for other midfielders IMO, but if I was to choose any currently at our disposal, it would have to be Lucas (when he's fit again). Beyond Lucas, Aquilani subbing for Stevie would be the next best option IMO.

So personally, with Lucas, Shelvey, possibly Gylfi and Aquilani all at the disposal of the coach with Gerrard - we REALLY do not need to sign another midfielder. (and that's not counting Spearing as back up). Adam can go back to Blackpool. For free.

We need to use the ones we have much much better; and this is where I'm confident in BR's abilities.

Just because Stevie has played pretty well as a disciplined CM doesn't mean that's his best position.
He's having to put an awful lot of work in there and I don't think that would be sustainable at club level.

With what we currently have (+Gylfi) I'd favour Lucas and Henderson in CM with Suarez, Gylfi and Gerrard in front of them and Andy up top.

Then, just like he did a few times 2 seasons ago after Kenny took over, for tough games against the likes of Chelsea, Utd, City and Arsenal, he could play the more disciplined role.

mike65

Lucas could get injured in the same way any player can
Gerrard will get injured (no reason to think he will go a season without straining something)
Spearing is Championship level
Shelvey plays up the field (and may well be loaned)
Aquilani will not be staying (TRUST ME ON THIS!)
Adam better have had a character transplant

Gylfi Sigurdsson assuming he signs will probably be the only new MF face but I'd certainly prefer a proper deep lying back up for Lucas.

LuckyLloyd

Could have used someone like Diame tbh

Dickerty

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Could have used someone like Diame tbh

We can do better! And we should aim higher...

Dublin_Gunner

Gbear wrote: »

Just because Stevie has played pretty well as a disciplined CM doesn't mean that's his best position.
He's having to put an awful lot of work in there and I don't think that would be sustainable at club level.

With what we currently have (+Gylfi) I'd favour Lucas and Henderson in CM with Suarez, Gylfi and Gerrard in front of them and Andy up top.

Then, just like he did a few times 2 seasons ago after Kenny took over, for tough games against the likes of Chelsea, Utd, City and Arsenal, he could play the more disciplined role.

Gerrard has been misused quite a bit by the last 2 managers IMO.

He needs someone else to help do donkey work (ala Lucas) to give him the freedom to get to the advanced positions like he's always done.

I see very little different in how he's playing for England, than to how he plays for Liverpool when the right players are around him.

He could very well play in behind a front 1 or 2 (which may require going 3 at the back if 2 other CM's are used).

I'm not so sure I fancy a season of either Carroll or Suarez playing up top by themselves.

Our current squad (hopefully with Gylfi) suits a 3-5-2 type formation perfectly IMO. But we'd need more CB options.

4-4-2 / 4-4-1-1 requires a Lucas. It also requires a decent RW which we don't possess.

Lucas/Gylfi/Gerrard would be a lovely midfield trio IMO.

So a 3-5-2 suits us best, using wingers / wing backs to get up the line and drop back to make a 5 man defence.

Kelly/Glenjo/Enrique are all suited to this, and we arguably played our best football at the start of last season using this. Downing can alos play a wing back role, and has done in the past.

PiE

Shelvey is the only young attacking player we have coming through who has shown the mentality, desire and current ability to truly be a part of the starting eleven. Every effort should be made to encourage his development.

If he wasn't getting his game for City, some here would be fawning over him.

Milkers

mike65 wrote: »

Lucas could get injured in the same way any player can
Gerrard will get injured (no reason to think he will go a season without straining something)
Spearing is Championship level
Shelvey plays up the field (and may well be loaned)
Aquilani will not be staying (TRUST ME ON THIS!)
Adam better have had a character transplant

Gylfi Sigurdsson assuming he signs will probably be the only new MF face but I'd certainly prefer a proper deep lying back up for Lucas.

+1 to pretty much all of this. Am torn on Aqua because he could be great within a Rodgers type system and felt he should have been played more when he was fit but many posters here seem to know more about his unwillingness to play for us so I'll take that as true. For me Adam's problems are indeed character and additionally fitness (which also speaks to his character). The chap is like a throwback to the days of heading straight to the pub after training for a few pints, huge surprise then when he fades badly in the second half of games and always seems to arrive about half a yard too late to every tackle. Wasted talent imo.

Gbear

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Gerrard has been misused quite a bit by the last 2 managers IMO.

He needs someone else to help do donkey work (ala Lucas) to give him the freedom to get to the advanced positions like he's always done.

I see very little different in how he's playing for England, than to how he plays for Liverpool when the right players are around him.

He could very well play in behind a front 1 or 2 (which may require going 3 at the back if 2 other CM's are used).

He's playing for England like he did for us during, for example, the 3-1 against Utd 2 a year or so ago.
At his best under Rafa he avoided doing donkey work by mostly not playing in midfield.
If how swansea played is any indicator it should be the same for us. It's well and good having him in CM if we're not going to have possession, but like with Rafa, we probably mostly will, and then you want Gerrard playing right off the striker.

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

I'm not so sure I fancy a season of either Carroll or Suarez playing up top by themselves.

Our current squad (hopefully with Gylfi) suits a 3-5-2 type formation perfectly IMO. But we'd need more CB options.

4-4-2 / 4-4-1-1 requires a Lucas. It also requires a decent RW which we don't possess.

Lucas/Gylfi/Gerrard would be a lovely midfield trio IMO.

So a 3-5-2 suits us best, using wingers / wing backs to get up the line and drop back to make a 5 man defence.

Kelly/Glenjo/Enrique are all suited to this, and we arguably played our best football at the start of last season using this. Downing can alos play a wing back role, and has done in the past.

What do you mean by themselves? Nominally playing 4-5-1 doesn't mean that there's nobody within miles of the 1. That would be especially true if the 3 playing off Carroll were players like Suarez, Siggurdsson and Gerrard.
Unless Carroll is dropped, he'll probably continue dropping deep (although hopefully not as deep as under Kenny) and link with the other attacking players.

If downing was our left wing back then maybe. Enrique is good with the ball at his feet but overall, he's terrible going forward.