Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/2014

Dickerty

amiable wrote: »

Ignore him

I try, but I WANT to believe...

mike65

Alas Michu is so last years 2 million legend, LFC need to find this years Michu.

Mr Alan

If he's been convinced to stay, Rodgers of course deserves credit, don't think anyone will argue with that.

Be interesting to see if some of those who were seemingly happy about the sale will be the same ones lavishing praise on Rodgers though.

As I've alluded to numerous times, people who hold similar opinions as me seem to be fairly steadfast & consistant in those opinions, it's the ones who like trying to shout us down that are changing their opinions ad nauseum to suit the spin they want.

Re: Suarez's potential pay-rise. No issue with it whatsoever, he is the best player at the club by a considerable distance, his pay should reflect that.

ush

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

FSG may very well sack him but it doesn't mean they'd be right.

If we traded a few points in the league for deep cup runs then it would be hard to argue we'd regressed.

We'd have regressed and it wouldn't difficult to argue it. League table is where its at. Which is good. Cups are consolation prizes.

Dickerty

SlickRic wrote: »

you won't get Michu for less than £25m.

so no.

Plus, he's not the player we need, and we should be VERY wary of buying flavour-of-the-month player.

It will be a lot harder for him to repeat his success this season, I don't think he's someone we should be building the side around...

5live

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Finish 8th and make two Cup
Finals and Rodgers can have another season from me. You can quote me later if necessary.

I would still be in the opposite corner:)

Only 3 things matter

1. League position.

2. League position

3. Damn. Cant think what 3rd is now;)

I would expect EL qualification as a basic minimum. FA or LC is icing on the cake but for me its just decoration.

The Mulk

mike65 wrote: »

Alas Michu is so last years 2 million legend, LFC need to find this years Michu.

I think that's Aspas
We can sell him next year for £50 million;)

Knex*

SlickRic wrote: »

you won't get Michu for less than £25m.

so no.

Woah. Where did this valuation come from?

I think if you offered £15m you would likely get him.

And at that price I would still say no.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Francie Barrett wrote: »

It does seem plausible that Suarez can be persuaded to stay for another season with the notion that he is free to leave next year should Madrid come in or should we fail to finish outside the top 4.

As long as any get-out clause is clear and has a higher number than 50 mil on it. And hopefully can not be activated 24 horus before a window closes.

Kerrigooney

Francie Barrett wrote: »

It does seem plausible that Suarez can be persuaded to stay for another season with the notion that he is free to leave next year should Madrid come in or should we fail to finish outside the top 4.

If we fail to finish outside the top 4 then haven't we finished in the top 4?

Happy days

ush

SlickRic wrote: »

i know some think Rodgers gets credit for anything (i think that's bollocks, but whatever), but if that story is true, and he really has been convinced to stay for another season after a meeting with Brendan, then that is the best bit of work he's done so far, and he'll deserve an awful lot of credit.

we'll see.

*awaits the angle of "sure, Suarez simply had nowhere to go".

as said though, we still need two starting XI players.

Its not just a Rodgers thing though. The club is better organised than it was a few years ago. The owners, Ayre, Rodgers and everyone in between would have been on the same page. The club structure has been better at showing leadership and planning of late.

SlickRic

Knex. wrote: »

Woah. Where did this valuation come from?

I think if you offered £15m you would likely get him.

And at that price I would still say no.

not a hope you'll get him for £15m I'm afraid; though I think that is closer to his proper valuation.

Laudrup said £30m last season sure.

Daemonic

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

If he believes in him, why won't he buy him? Even if his wages are high. Why was Julio Cesar the primary Napoli goalkeeper target and not Reina?

Reina has already said it's Barcelona he wants to move to so Rafa could be thinking, get him on loan and if Barca drop their interest, assuming he played well, sign him up.
Also Rafa isn't an idiot, he'll have seen Reina's form drop the last couple of years and while he may think that form can be re-kindled, why commit when he can have a try-before-you-buy season.

SlickRic

ush wrote: »

Its not just a Rodgers thing though. The club is better organised than it was a few years ago. The owners, Ayre, Rodgers and everyone in between would have been on the same page. The club structure has been better at showing leadership and planning of late.

indeed.

it's whether it's the right plan that is in question; because the plan has not, as of yet, included the signings of 2 or 3 instant starting XI players this window.

if that doesn't happen, questions will have to be asked.

Doff

Didn't Rodgers say he expected Reina to go to Barca before Valdes said he'd stay on another year? Fully expect Reina to go to Barca next year.

amiable

Doff wrote: »

Didn't Rodgers say he expected Reina to go to Barca before Valdes said he'd stay on another year? Fully expect Reina to go to Barca next year.

I wouldn't bank on that. ter Stegen a more likely option in my opinion

YouTookMyName

Will Rodgers, Gerrard and Suarez, Convince Coutinho to stay next summer?

Knex*

SlickRic wrote: »

not a hope you'll get him for £15m I'm afraid; though I think that is closer to his proper valuation.

Laudrup said £30m last season sure.

He certainly set the bar high with that price. Honestly believe a club would need their collective heads examined if they paid over £18m for him tbh.

Swansea signed Bony for £10m already this summer so its not like Michu is their only attacking option.

Anyway, we're probably discussing something that is highly unlikely as I'd be surprised if Swansea left him go. Especially now that you mention their valuation of the player.

Turtyturd

Fantastic man management skills on display again. Yes Reina was like a man who puts a dog on a boat in his flirting with Barca but at least he was upfront with the club...he could have been given the same courtesy.

Mr Alan

SlickRic wrote: »

indeed.

it's whether it's the right plan that is in question; because the plan has not, as of yet, included the signings of 2 or 3 instant starting XI players this window.

if that doesn't happen, questions will have to be asked.

The way you say "questions will have to be asked" implies that there might be a couple of slight concerns, it's infinitely more serious than that imo.

If we don't get a couple of quality players straight into the first team it's the second summer window in a row we'll have made a total arse of. It will be confirmation that all concerned are not capable of doing what we need to do to get where we want to be.

Already you have the likes of whatawaster saying that we don't know that Aspas & Luis Alberto won't turn out to be 1st season worldies. The narrative is already starting to change to "ah well, we don't know what'll happen, sure give it time". It's incredibly transparent.

billy2012

Alot of pressure being placed on Coutinho, sometimes I forget just how young he is.

Hope he can live up to everyones expectations and does not suffer from 2nd season syndrome.

Turtyturd

Isn't Michu late 20's?....won't somebody think of the sell on value...and the wages?

Knex*

The club aren't clairvoyant, they can't tell Reina about a loan offer before it's received.

They got one, accepted it, and then told him about it.

He could still have refused it, but likely he knew he wasn't getting the number one spot off Mignolet.

Knex*

Turtyturd wrote: »

Isn't Michu late 20's?....won't somebody think of the sell on value...and the wages?

Turned 27 in March.

Turtyturd

Knex. wrote: »

Turned 27 in March.

Thought he was older than that.

citytillidie

Leiva wrote: »

Looks a bit light to me. Big test coming up for him and Alberto.

Stoke should open their eyes first game.:)

Dont forget this will be a different Stoke under Mark Hughes than under Tony Pulis

Kirby

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

If we traded a few points in the league for deep cup runs then it would be hard to argue we'd regressed.

Cup runs are based around luck. Who you draw which is random, home or away, lesser teams playing out of their skin, whether the opposition puts out a full strength team or mickey mouse team, etc.

Cup runs should not be used as a yardstick for progression or regression. They are fairly meaningless as a tool for measuring. The league table, however, never lies and is not luck based.

Finishing eighth with a cup run? I don't think that will happen as your team as a whole is much better than it was a few years ago both in terms of management and personnel. I'd expect you to finish 5th or 6th and be close to the 4th spot.

If you finished eighth again only a fool would argue that progress has been made. Rodgers would have to go. Champions league is the king here. The main squad should be rested for every round of the Capital One and FA cup, at least until the final.

mike65

citytillidie wrote: »

Dont forget this will be a different Stoke under Mark Hughes than under Tony Pulis

True, under Sparky they're like Barcelona now I hear

5live

SlickRic wrote: »

i know some think Rodgers gets credit for anything (i think that's bollocks, but whatever), but if that story is true, and he really has been convinced to stay for another season after a meeting with Brendan, then that is the best bit of work he's done so far, and he'll deserve an awful lot of credit.

we'll see.

*awaits the angle of "sure, Suarez simply had nowhere to go".

as said though, we still need two starting XI players.

Best bit of business Rodgers has done this window:D

whatawaster

Mr Alan wrote: »

Already you have the likes of whatawaster saying that we don't know that Aspas & Luis Alberto won't turn out to be 1st season worldies. The narrative is already starting to change to "ah well, we don't know what'll happen, sure give it time". It's incredibly transparent.

Whereas, with still a month of the transfer window left, you already know how everything is going to pan out?

djPSB

League performance is the best indicator of progress or lack of progress.

Cup runs, while welcome, are not a good indicator of where a team is really at. i.e. Wigan

Tusky

I hope Suarez stays so we can see this:

---

Sturridge

Coutiniho

---

Suarez

---

Aspas

5live

Mr Alan wrote: »

The way you say "questions will have to be asked" implies that there might be a couple of slight concerns, it's infinitely more serious than that imo.

If we don't get a couple of quality players straight into the first team it's the second summer window in a row we'll have made a total arse of. It will be confirmation that all concerned are not capable of doing what we need to do to get where we want to be.

Already you have the likes of whatawaster saying that we don't know that Aspas & Luis Alberto won't turn out to be 1st season worldies. The narrative is already starting to change to "ah well, we don't know what'll happen, sure give it time". It's incredibly transparent.

Dont you mean 4th?

Well you are right about one thing. Some things ARE incredibly transparent!

SlickRic

basically, there needs to be a balance Alan.

you bring in enough proven quality so that, results-wise, you are unquestionably heading in the right direction, but also, while you bring in your potential, you're not completely relying on your potential worldies to become actual worldies.

it could work, and fair fúcks if it does. but it's unlikely.

January was a decent start obviously. but Coutinho, and Sturridge to a lesser extent, will need to be replicated 2 or 3 times for us to be where we need to be.

if everything is about the long game, unfortunately, the reality is players like Coutinho will ultimately leave.

it's a difficult job, and I like to think I'm patient, but that is the job facing the powers that be.

shamrock55

Tusky wrote: »

I hope Suarez stays so we can see this:

---

Sturridge

Coutiniho

---

Suarez

---

Aspas

That does look nice:)

billy2012

Tusky wrote: »

I hope Suarez stays so we can see this:

---

Sturridge

Coutiniho

---

Suarez

---

Aspas

2 months into the season if were lucky. I'm sure then Sturridge will have recovered and injured himself again by then.

NoelJ

Tusky wrote: »

I hope Suarez stays so we can see this:

---

Sturridge

Coutiniho

---

Suarez

---

Aspas

That with Gerrard and Lucas behind is actually a class team. Well depending on how good Aspas is.

Just need a solid back 4 now.

Knex*

Tusky wrote: »

I hope Suarez stays so we can see this:

---

Sturridge

Coutiniho

---

Suarez

---

Aspas

If we can keep that for the season then over time the movement that we could potentially see from them all interchanging fluidly could be frightening.

Even better scenario would be Suarez out right, Eriksen in and Aspas on the bench.

Mr Alan

whatawaster wrote: »

Whereas, with still a month of the transfer window left, you already know how everything is going to pan out?

I'm predicting the most likely outcome.

Simply answer this, if we finish the window with only a couple more players around the level of Aspas & Alberto....will you then admit that the window has been a very poor one if we're hoping to mount a credible challenge for CL football? Or you will say, "ah well, you never know!"

LuckyLloyd

Be careful lads. TONS exepcted in this thread of Couthinho and Sturridge for the coming season.

ush

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Be careful lads. TONS exepcted in this thread of Couthinho and Sturridge for the coming season.

Like a decent cup run!

Knex*

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Be careful lads. TONS exepcted in this thread of Couthinho and Sturridge for the coming season.

I think that's why I feel its imperative that we bring in a player at least of the ilk of Eriksen to add to the options.

Then I feel we will have a suitable mix of quality and depth to progress from.

Leiva

Just read that Christian 'Chucho' Benitez has been killed in a car accident.

not so long ago was linked with a couple of PL clubs

Terrible tragedy.

Edit: early reports incorrect seems to have been a medical problem that took him.

Morzadec

Mr Alan wrote: »

I'm predicting the most likely outcome.

Simply answer this, if we finish the window with only a couple more players around the level of Aspas & Alberto....will you then admit that the window has been a very poor one if we're hoping to mount a credible challenge for CL football? Or you will say, "ah well, you never know!"

I don't agree with Alan's general anti Rodgers stance but I would agree with this.

If we don't bring in any extra players, or only players of potential/unknown ability, then I think we basically only have a minuscule chance of 4th.

Going into the start of the season believing that we probably don't have a shot at 4th would represent a failed window imo, and that is where we stand at the moment

whatawaster

Mr Alan wrote: »

I'm predicting the most likely outcome.

Simply answer this, if we finish the window with only a couple more players around the level of Aspas & Alberto....will you then admit that the window has been a very poor one if we're hoping to mount a credible challenge for CL football? Or you will say, "ah well, you never know!"

I will say I'm incredibly nervous for the season ahead, but that I have no idea how good these new signings are.

Football isn't played on paper.
Price, or whether you or I have heard of or seen a player before, are not reliable indicators of how good they are.

Stewart Downing.
Sami Hyypia.

Mr Alan

5live wrote: »

Dont you mean 4th?

Well you are right about one thing. Some things ARE incredibly transparent!

No, I mean second.

4 summers ago, G&H were still lingering around.
Then in Dalglish's only summer there was an entirely different approach taken by the owners with a DOF, money available etc.

What we're talking about is FSG's latest greatest plan to get us back to the top table & the man they've entrusted to do it. Only 2 summers are relevant.

Morzadec

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Be careful lads. TONS exepcted in this thread of Couthinho and Sturridge for the coming season.

I was thinking this the other night...

We only have to look at Jelavic and Papiss Cisse to be reminded that 5 months in the PL is not enough to know for sure.

Coutinho looks to have it all and I do believe he will become a star eventually.

I also think that Sturridge looks very good technically, very fast, great shot, and has far more brains about him than I expected.

So I think both will have good season, but it's right to be wary.

LuckyLloyd

whatawaster wrote: »

Football isn't played on paper.
Price, or whether you or I have heard of or seen a player before, are not reliable indicators of how good they are.

Stewart Downing.
Sami Hyypia.

Luis Suarez
Javier Mascherano
Fernando Torres

I am pie

I find the anti-Rogers brigade on here transparently comical in their attempts to appear non-judgemental and even handed, that said if we do not add another two first 11 players after all the manager has said then it would be evidence that we do have a serious problem in the player acquisition side of things.

I do wonder have we been sidetracked looking for additional sponsorship and potentially more and haven't given our full commercial attention to completing deals for players. Another month and bit will tell us a lot.

Mr Alan

whatawaster wrote: »

I will say I'm incredibly nervous for the season ahead, but that I have no idea how good these new signings are.

Football isn't played on paper.
Price, or whether you or I have heard of or seen a player before, are not reliable indicators of how good they are.

Price of a player or demand for a player is unquestionably the best metric when it comes to judging a player's ability. There will always be exceptions obviously, but as a general rule, good players cost good money and are wanted by good clubs.