Liverpool Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Note in OP 28/8

Fescue

NukaCola wrote: »

Well you either trust your scouting network to find the best striker or you dont. Every transfer is a risk.

For sure but the further down the list you are forced to go, the greater the risk.

Remy really would have been perfect

If Bony is looking for £100k plus then you have to walk away.

Falcao, Benzema, Cavani are a no go.

Suddenly you find there aren't many quality options left and you begin to take bigger risks.

Hotfail.com

googled eyes wrote: »

Poor John Motson, his age is really getting to him thinking Utd will win the league.

Dion Dublin has no excuse

John has a lovely voice though.

Harry Palmr

Watching the press conference confirms what we all probably thought about the summer window - that this is the one that will be the biggest for years to come and that the squad is being assembled with 5-10 years in mind.

I can imagine that summer transfer windows for several years being two, three at most leaving as older players are phased out and replaced mainly by players who are already on the books.

daithijjj

The couple of million we saved on Sturridge by not getting him in the summer was really worth it the end of that season!!.

I dont think us 'winging it' like Ayre said previously is going to stand up this season. For one, we had Suarez, two, there was less expectation and three, there was plenty of time to sound out a myriad of targets because we knew the Suarez situation well in advance.

If we go into the season with Sturridge and Lambert only then were fked tbh in terms of really challenging, it simply wont be good enough.

googled eyes

Gbear wrote: »

Well, he does. He's a former professional footballer.

They're not brought into punditry for their vast array of critical thinking skills.

Vinz Mesrine

daithijjj wrote: »

The couple of million we saved on Sturridge by not getting him in the summer was really worth it the end of that season!!.

I dont think us 'winging it' like Ayre said previously is going to stand up this season. For one, we had Suarez, two, there was less expectation and three, there was plenty of time to sound out a myriad of targets because we knew the Suarez situation well in advance.

If we go into the season with Sturridge and Lambert only then were fked tbh in terms of really challenging, it simply wont be good enough.

Just out of morbid curiosity, how did you feel at this exact stage last summer?

Dickerty

Fescue wrote: »

Suddenly you find there aren't many quality options left and you begin to take bigger risks.

Then you have to consider, is Borini worth keeping?

What about Huntelaar, Higuain, Lacazette, Benteke, Firmino, Son?
Not saying I'd take them, but there are a good number of solid options out there...

Dickerty

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Watching the press conference confirms what we all probably thought about the summer window - that this is the one that will be the biggest for years to come and that the squad is being assembled with 5-10 years in mind.

I can imagine that summer transfer windows for several years being two, three at most leaving as older players are phased out and replaced mainly by players who are already on the books.

Well next summer, IMO we should be good for min 3 of the starting defenders (Lovren, Sakho, Moreno), min 3 starting midfielders (Can, Hendo, Lallana), and hopefully the same front 3 with Markovic featuring more.
Some of the players going on loan will be squad players (Wisdom, Ilori, Ibe?), and some others will drop back (Stevie, Lambert, Enrique).

So yes, this is the big surgery!

googled eyes

So who's going to be our 1-man team player this season ?

Sturridge or Sterling

Dickerty

daithijjj wrote: »

If we go into the season with Sturridge and Lambert only then were fked tbh in terms of really challenging, it simply wont be good enough.

We really don't know that (although I am sure we'd keep Borini if we don't sign someone). If Sturridge stays fit, he'll be our only out and out striker. Lambert would start any cup games and be subbed on where games are safe.

As GavRedKing mentioned earlier, Chelsea are in the same position, and were worse last year (Eto'o, Torres and Ba). They also play with 1 striker, supported by Hazard, Willian, Schurrle, Oscar. Arsenal also had one main striker last year in Giroud.

It only becomes an issue IF you lose your main strker for a long period...

Dickerty

googled eyes wrote: »

So who's going to be our 1-man team player this season ?

Sturridge or Sterling

Sterling for me. I think he's going to be double marked all the time, kicked around, winning penos, and getting rave reviews.

But Sturridge is more important as he's harder to replace - in the absence of Sterling, we can turn to Ibe, Suso, Markovic...

gafferino

Did Brendao say anything of interest in the presser?

Washington Irving

gafferino wrote: »

Did Brendao say anything of interest in the presser?

Not really.

Markovic, Agger, Flanagan and, of course, Lallana are out. Top four is the aim and if we just happen to win the league then great.

garra

Crystal Palace: Keith Millen says new signing Martin Kelly joked: "I didn't think I trained that badly yesterday!"

(Defender Kelly completed his move to Palace from Liverpool on Thursday morning - just hours before manager Tony Pulis left by mutual consent.)

Techniques07

gafferino wrote: »

Did Brendao say anything of interest in the presser?

It's all here if you want a look. Nothing major.

joe123

Joao Tex is off to Brighton

James Pearce ‏@JamesPearceEcho 1m
#LFC youngster Joao Carlos Teixeira is off to Brighton on loan to link up with Sami Hyypia's squad.

Utopia Parkway

Dickerty wrote: »

Then you have to consider, is Borini worth keeping?

Hearing Poyet today it sounds like that deal will happen. Think Liverpool want to get in a striker though before it goes through.

tok9

joe123 wrote: »

Joao Tex is off to Brighton

James Pearce ‏@JamesPearceEcho 1m
#LFC youngster Joao Carlos Teixeira is off to Brighton on loan to link up with Sami Hyypia's squad.

That is great news. Hopefully Sami plays some decent stuff and we could see a lot of the liverpool fringe players going there.

MD1990

Good move for Teixera. Can't see him making it at Liverpool with all the attacking players we have. He will most likely have a good career in La Liga imo.

rossc007

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

What the BBC "experts" are predicting for the season ahead.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28778605

Garth Crooks makes me cringe, toss pot

Dickerty

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Hearing Poyet today it sounds like that deal will happen. Think Liverpool want to get in a striker though before it goes through.

Yeh, I am taking my lead from Poyet. He is saying that he expects it to be sorted in a few days, which to be suggests that LFC have told him he can leave when we get our replacement. So hopefully that will happen soon!

gafferino

Dickerty

So based on the BBC, I agree with these -

Robbie Savage
Danny Murphy
Mark Lawrenson
Danny Mills
Kevin Kilbane
Pat Nevin
Jacqui Oatley

That is -

Chelsea
City
Arsenal
Us

I don't think United have done enough, but they might surprise us yet...

Fescue

Dickerty wrote: »

Then you have to consider, is Borini worth keeping?

What about Huntelaar, Higuain, Lacazette, Benteke, Firmino, Son?
Not saying I'd take them, but there are a good number of solid options out there...

I wouldn't let Borini move unless we are sure we have someone better lined up.

MightyMandarin

Fescue wrote: »

I wouldn't let Borini move unless we are sure we have someone better lined up.

If we sell Borini, we'd need at least one other striker, with maybe another on loan for a season or a 1 year contract like Eto'o. Tbh I doubt we have a chance with Reus, but I'd love to see Volland or Firmino as they are great talents for Hoffenheim

Underpaid Mike

MightyMandarin wrote: »

If we sell Borini, we'd need at least one other striker, with maybe another on loan for a season or a 1 year contract like Eto'o. Tbh I doubt we have a chance with Reus, but I'd love to see Volland or Firmino as they are great talents for Hoffenheim

Reus and Firmino are attacking midfielders. We have endless attacking midfielders

Fescue

Fescue wrote: »

I wouldn't let Borini move unless we are sure we have someone better lined up.

I wouldn't let him leave if and when someone comes in. Let him and Lambert fight over the 3rd position

Gbear

Underpaid Mike wrote: »

Reus and Firmino are attacking midfielders. We have endless attacking midfielders

Both can fill in up front though and more importantly, score.

MightyMandarin

Underpaid Mike wrote: »

Reus and Firmino are attacking midfielders. We have endless attacking midfielders

Not necessarily, Reus and Firmino both play as 2nd strikers, and score plenty of goals, Reus scored 15 last year I think, Firmino plays in a front 2 with Volland but Volland is more the Centre Forward.

Fescue

MightyMandarin wrote: »

If we sell Borini, we'd need at least one other striker, with maybe another on loan for a season or a 1 year contract like Eto'o. Tbh I doubt we have a chance with Reus, but I'd love to see Volland or Firmino as they are great talents for Hoffenheim

I haven't seen much of either. Of the players linked outside of Falcao, Higuain, Cavani and Benzema, who are very unlikely to come, Bony is the one I have watched properly. For me he would be a very good option. But I wouldn't be held to ransom with wages. Any player coming into the club, must have a wage that fits in with the wage structure of the squad.

If the fee is somehwhat overpriced I'm not too concerned but wages must be in line.

MightyMandarin

Fescue wrote: »

I haven't seen much of either. Of the players linked outside of Falcao, Higuain, Cavani and Benzema, who are very unlikely to come, Bony is the one I have watched properly. For me he would be a very good option. But I wouldn't be held to ransom with wages. Any player coming into the club, must have a wage that fits in with the wage structure of the squad.

If the fee is somehwhat overpriced I'm not too concerned but wages must be in line.

Tbh I don't like the look of Bony. Yes he scores loads of goals, but he's quite slow (slower than the rest of our front 3 anyway) and would fulfill the role of Lambert as a big, tall, no.9. His wages should certainly not be anywhere near 100k p/week

googled eyes

I know some of these training photos are promotional but Dejan Lovren looks to have fit in perfectly.

Harry Palmr

joe123 wrote: »

Joao Tex is off to Brighton

James Pearce ‏@JamesPearceEcho 1m
#LFC youngster Joao Carlos Teixeira is off to Brighton on loan to link up with Sami Hyypia's squad.

tok9 wrote: »

That is great news. Hopefully Sami plays some decent stuff and we could see a lot of the liverpool fringe players going there.

The match report I heard from 5live on his debut was less than promising, although he was unlucky with a red card shown to a player early in the second half Hyypia was described as lacking in game management and the overall performance of his team poor. Basically he sat there and let it unfold.

Underpaid Mike

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Not necessarily, Reus and Firmino both play as 2nd strikers, and score plenty of goals, Reus scored 15 last year I think, Firmino plays in a front 2 with Volland but Volland is more the Centre Forward.

Gbear wrote: »

Both can fill in up front though and more importantly, score.

Ok lets clear this up for once and for all, Reus has not and cannot play as a lone striker. He got all his goals as an attacking midfielder in the same way as Sterling has. He would be brilliant to have in the squad but cannot replace an Etoo/Bony/AN Another striker.

We already have about 5 players that can play as a second striker, thats not what we are badly stuck for, we are stuck for a #9

SM01

Can has an impressive set of vastis medialis and vastis lateralis muscles.

sweetie

Dickerty wrote: »

So based on the BBC, I agree with these -

Robbie Savage
Danny Murphy
Mark Lawrenson
Danny Mills
Kevin Kilbane
Pat Nevin
Jacqui Oatley

That is -

Chelsea
City
Arsenal
Us

I don't think United have done enough, but they might surprise us yet...

I think City, Chelsea, Us, Arsenal with Lfc hopefully challenging for 2nd
Goals win games and I don't think Chelsea have enough in them. Similarly Arsenal have only added one player to their starting 11 that can improve them.

Underpaid Mike

sweetie wrote: »

I think City, Chelsea, Us, Arsenal with Lfc hopefully challenging for 2nd
Goals win games and I don't think Chelsea have enough in them. Similarly Arsenal have only added one player to their starting 11 that can improve them.

Fabregas and Costa = guaranteed goals. Have you seen the pair of them in preseason ? Injuries aside for me Chelsea have the best first 11 in the premiership. City have the best squad so it remains to be seen how the season pans out. Im not overly concerned though because while they are concentrating on winning the league we are gonna win the Champions League :pac:

Gbear

Underpaid Mike wrote: »

Ok lets clear this up for once and for all, Reus has not and cannot play as a lone striker. He got all his goals as an attacking midfielder in the same way as Sterling has. He would be brilliant to have in the squad but cannot replace an Etoo/Bony/AN Another striker.

We already have about 5 players that can play as a second striker, thats not what we are badly stuck for, we are stuck for a #9

What position they can nominally fill isn't important.

Sturridge is going to play about 30 games, if his fitness record so far is anything to go by. First and foremost, any attacker that's worth getting (and worth spending lots of money on) has to be able to play with him.

We're not missing goals from Sturridge's backup. We're missing goals from our starting 11. Given that we do at least have Lambert, getting in a wide attacker who can fill in up front, even if it's suboptimal and something we'd rather not resort to, is a better solution than spending 20m on a benchwarmer.

The other sensible solution is to get a benchwarmer, like Eto'o, a player like Remy who's good value (without having to necessarily be as flexible) or a loan signing. If worst comes to worst, like with Moses, we can just try our luck again over the next couple of windows.

greendom

sweetie wrote: »

I think City, Chelsea, Us, Arsenal with Lfc hopefully challenging for 2nd
Goals win games and I don't think Chelsea have enough in them. Similarly Arsenal have only added one player to their starting 11 that can improve them.

You've forgotten our "like new signings brigade" - Walcott, Chamberlain. Diaby :pac: Ozil is bedded in now so he's another in that category.

MightyMandarin

Underpaid Mike wrote: »

Ok lets clear this up for once and for all, Reus has not and cannot play as a lone striker. He got all his goals as an attacking midfielder in the same way as Sterling has. He would be brilliant to have in the squad but cannot replace an Etoo/Bony/AN Another striker.

We already have about 5 players that can play as a second striker, thats not what we are badly stuck for, we are stuck for a #9

The same thing was said about Sturridge when he was at Chelsea. They thought his pace would be better served out on the wing rather than upfront. Reus may not have played alone up top before, but with the aabsence of Lewandowski, he could play up front if Immobile or Aubameyang get injured. Reus is different to eg Sterling in that he would better suited up front as he has the height necessary aswell as the pace and ability.

MightyMandarin

greendom wrote: »

You've forgotten our "like new signings brigade" - Walcott, Chamberlain. Diaby :pac: Ozil is bedded in now so he's another in that category.

Diaby will get about 5 games this season before he breaks his leg or tears a ligament, it's an unfortunate habit for him. Ozil may be 'bedded in' but judging by his performances at the WC, I don't see him justifying his price tag anytime soon.

K-9

Who'd have thought that knowing we would lose Luis this Summer a year ago, we'd be predicting mostly top 4 and even a title challenge. Shows you how far Rodgers and the team came on. For me I think we'll compete for 4th, possibly 3rd if it's tight, using the reasoning joe123 used earlier. We need a decent start which would mean not chasing 4th when the CL starts.

Harry Palmr

The kids are playing Utecht leading 1-0 through Sergi Canos

Fulton, Brannagan, Brewitt, Canos, Cleary, Ejaria, Maguire, Ojo, Rossiter, Sinclair and Virtue-Thick

Seagulls are less than whelmed by Teixeia signing but they are speaking from a position of utter ignorance of course

http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?306952-Joao-Carlos-Teixara-in-on-loan

D'Agger

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The match report I heard from 5live on his debut was less than promising, although he was unlucky with a red card shown to a player early in the second half Hyypia was described as lacking in game management and the overall performance of his team poor. Basically he sat there and let it unfold.

Saw his interview afterward and tbh he looked really annoyed - also said that he was annoyed with the transfer business done so far. Said something along the lines of other teams have better squads which I thought he was far too blunt about.

Super-Rush

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The kids are playing Utecht leading 1-0 through Sergi Canos

Fulton, Brannagan, Brewitt, Canos, Cleary, Ejaria, Maguire, Ojo, Rossiter, Sinclair and Virtue-Thick

Seagulls are less than whelmed by Teixeia signing but they are speaking from a position of utter ignorance of course

http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?306952-Joao-Carlos-Teixara-in-on-loan

What a name.

Underpaid Mike

MightyMandarin wrote: »

The same thing was said about Sturridge when he was at Chelsea. They thought his pace would be better served out on the wing rather than upfront. Reus may not have played alone up top before, but with the aabsence of Lewandowski, he could play up front if Immobile or Aubameyang get injured. Reus is different to eg Sterling in that he would better suited up front as he has the height necessary aswell as the pace and ability.

What? :eek:
Sturridge played up front for Bolton and was a revelation, he didnt play up front for Chelsea because they had Drogba, they sometimes played him on the wing where he was ineffective and he wasnt a bit happy about it.

Your argument about Reus is crazy. The man is an attacking midfielder. He is direct, dribbles and creates endless chances. This is completely different to being a 9. That would be like buying Lovern and asking him to play right midfield because he is athletic and can pass so could obviously do well there. People often drop backwards as they get older in their careers, but only in the very very rarest of cases do they move up the field (Henry being the only one I can think of that worked out v well). Look how difficult Walcott is finding the transition despite giving interview after interview saying he wants to play up front.

Reus would be great but he is not what we need, if we were to sign him we would DEFINITELY still need another striker

recylingbin

Any sign if a match thread yet? I have some interesting insight on the match.

MightyMandarin

Underpaid Mike wrote: »

People often drop backwards as they get older in their careers, but only in the very very rarest of cases do they move up the field

Not really, VanPersie played on the wing in during his days at Feyenoord and Wenger turned him into a CF, countless fullbacks are suddenly becoming centre mids, Lahm and Blind off the top of my head.

Sturridge might have more experience as a striker than Reus, but they many of the same attributes, Pace, Skill and, an eye for goal. No reason why he couldn't play upfront, but what is best about him is that he gives options, he can play midfield, wing or as a striker. We'd only need him up front if Sturridge got injured and Lambert or Borini were unavailable.

jesus_thats_gre

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

What the BBC "experts" are predicting for the season ahead.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28778605

Unfortunately, this is how I see it going unless things really go in our favour.

Not the end of the world given that we lost Suarez and that we apparently have a shed load of cash available still.

Underpaid Mike

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Not really, VanPersie played on the wing in during his days at Feyenoord and Wenger turned him into a CF, countless fullbacks are suddenly becoming centre mids, Lahm and Blind off the top of my head.

Sturridge might have more experience as a striker than Reus, but they many of the same attributes, Pace, Skill and, an eye for goal. No reason why he couldn't play upfront, but what is best about him is that he gives options, he can play midfield, wing or as a striker. We'd only need him up front if Sturridge got injured and Lambert or Borini were unavailable.

Sturridge has more experience ? I have more experience than Reus as a striker as I once played a U17 game in that position.

We dont need a 4th choice backup to lambert and borini, far from it. We need a striker who can play with Sturridge or replace him for 10-15 games a season. Sterling could probably do it for 1 or 2 games against poor opposition but not against good teams and the same is true for Reus.

We can agree to disagree on this from here on out but its irrelevant as we are not interested in Reus and are interested in getting a striker according to todays interview with James Pearce