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

Lord Trollington

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Have never been a fan of Balotelli, clear as day that he has enough talent to be one of the best forwards in the world, but usually this is nullified by his stinking attitude. The interview with Mourinho sums him up pretty well, you could bring him on with 30 mins to go against United and he could get sent off within 2 minutes of being on the pitch, or alternatively he could bang in a winner from 30 yards. IMO he is the riskiest possible signing in world football. But at £16m you have to wonder is he worth the risk? Probably. Especially if we are getting £14m for Borini. I've never been a fan and still not sure if I ever will be a fan, but for some reason I'm excited.

Would rather see us sign Balotelli than Eto'o, and as people are saying it will certainly take a bit of the spotlight off players like Sturridge, Coutinho and Sterling, in the same way Suarez did in the past. If Brendan Rodgers manages to tame Balotelli he will have a serious player on his hands, but I won't get my hopes up about that happening, if Mancini and Mourinho couldn't do it I wonder can anyone. The only hope I have of him calming down is that if he arrives at the club he won't be one of the young players at the club like he was at Inter, City and AC Milan, our squad is very young and he fits in with it, hopefully this will give him a bit more responsibility and might help him settle in - he won't have the excuse of being the baby of the bunch to get away with his antics.

I'm excited. Let's see how it goes...

Mancini and Mourinho. If anyone has a bigger ego than these two in World Football. Please name them.

Sideshow Mark

segadreamcast wrote: »

Desperately low (well, inconsistent at best!) goal conversion % for Balotelli - around 8.25% last season.

Which is about the same as Luis Suarez in his first season with us.

Insane Rambling

When you think that Shane Long went for £12m last week getting Mario for £16m would be a super bit of business... baggage and all !

unplayable

just to let ye know ye are taking balo and eto'o. going all out. #prayforlambert

joe123

Tor-Kristian Karlsen ‏@karlsentk 16m
Nice chain reaction: Lorient's Vincent Aboubakar to FC Porto (£8M) probably paves way for Jackson Martinez to replace Balotelli at AC Milan

All moving very quickly. Bit sickened Martinez is off to Milan and by all accounts this Aboubakar is a big prospect.

Francie Barrett

segadreamcast wrote: »

Desperately low (well, inconsistent at best!) goal conversion % for Balotelli - around 8.25% last season, non-existent the season before that, a touch short of 13% the season before that, 9% in 10-11 and 14.5% with Inter in 09-10. Hm hm hmmmmmmm.

I'd say Sturridge would have had similarly woeful statistics before he played for us.

Speak Now

I thought we all agreed, no more Italians!

Lord Trollington

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I'd say Sturridge would have had similarly woeful statistics before he played for us.

Sturridge was on his last chance as a credible footballer before he came to us.

He was staring the likes of Sunderland and West Ham in the eyes.

darced

This post has been deleted.

Kimbot

Instead of the Champions League theme all im gonna hear now is the Super Mario theme haha

Ardent

Mario f@cking Balotelli. Is this what we've been reduced to?

SlickRic

it's happening.

wow.

fair play to all for getting this done, if it indeed gets done, as seems very likely at this stage.

he's not Suarez, but he's certainly a presence, and on his day is absolutely brilliant. Rodgers just has to get inside his head.

Lord Trollington

Ardent wrote: »

Mario f@cking Balotelli. Is this what we've been reduced to?

Unfortunately Messi and Ronaldo's phones were engaged when we rang them.

gafferino

Brad Smith called up to Aussie squad

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/169267-brad-smith-receives-australia-call-up

Lord Trollington

Sturridge, Sterling and Balotelli for the same price as Luke Shaw.

SlickRic

Gabriele Marcotti mirrors my thoughts on it (bar being skeptical about our need for a big-fee striker).

If Balo fee is £16m, it's a good deal for LFC. Was skeptical abt need for another big-fee striker. But at that number, worth risk.

Harry Palmr

Next summers attack

Sturridge, Balotelli, Origi, Sterling (yes he'll be a "second striker" by next summer) and Ibe

ike

Too soon?



:cool:

LuckyLloyd

The club has a special talent at ****ing deals like this up, so I won't believe it until it's fully wrapped up. We'll try and short them on the fee or him on the wages and it will break down. And we' be fools for letting it slip through our fingers.

5live

I can't help thinking the signing of Balotelli will define Rodgers Liverpool career.

Good Balotelli and Rodgers will be remembered as a manager that dragged Liverpool from the ashes.

Bad Balotelli and Rodgers could be gone by the end of the season.

I hope Brendao and Peters know wtf they are doing!

Underpaid Mike

Well my 2 cents is this.
I didn't want Mario at Liverpool because he simply doesn't score enough goals. Very wasteful at City but that was a huge squad. We don't have that. He will play a lot for us in an attacking team. He will have endless opportunities to score and if he grasps it with both hands then we will have a great season. If he doesn't we will sign someone in January and he will be gone next summer for 10m.its not that high risk and I hope for all concerned it works out. If Rodgers gets him scoring freely then he will quickly become one of the best coaches on earth

tok9

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The club has a special talent at ****ing deals like this up, so I won't believe it until it's fully wrapped up. We'll try and short them on the fee or him on the wages and it will break down. And we' be fools for letting it slip through our fingers.

I take that to mean you would be pleased with us signing Balotelli?

daRobot

SlickRic wrote: »

Rodgers just has to get inside his head.

My gut feeling says he can. Mourinho, while a notable man manager has a different style to Rodgers. When he goes off a player, his strategy seems to blank and isolate them and see if they respond. Mancini, who knew Balotelli for a long time, is a real cold fish too.

My guess is that Balotelli needs a bit of love, and 'Beautiful man Brendao' might just be the one to get his head right.

Pyjamarama

Ardent wrote: »

Mario f@cking Balotelli. Is this what we've been reduced to?

We get linked with bony, "we need a big name striker". We get linked with falcao, "awful deal.. Too much for a loan" we get linked with Etoo, "too old, not good enough". We buy balo "is this what it's come too?". Well when every other option gets **** on I guess it is... Some people don't want to be positive.

Chardee MacDennis

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The club has a special talent at ****ing deals like this up, so I won't believe it until it's fully wrapped up. We'll try and short them on the fee or him on the wages and it will break down. And we' be fools for letting it slip through our fingers.

£16m and 90k a week has been agreed it seems, the 45 shirt is available. Unless he fails a medical I'm very optimistic...

Ganymede Glow

Francie Barrett

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Sturridge was on his last chance as a credible footballer before he came to us.

He was staring the likes of Sunderland and West Ham in the eyes.

Same goes for Balotelli. If he blows his chance with us, his next realistic destination won't be much better than Sunderland. If Rodgers can get Danny playing to his potential, then I am sure he'll have a chance at getting Balotelli to do so as well. Of course, it is risky and in terms of instability, Balotelli is on another planet to Danny. But we are desperately in need of a truly top class striker and in a market where those kind of players cost £40m+ then Balotelli is a risk worth taking.

djPSB

Ganymede Glow wrote: »

Definetley shopped.

kfallon

Super Marioooooooooo

Will he get the no.7 shirt?

I didn't really want him at first but am actually delighted now we look like getting him. This season is gonna be even crazier! :pac:

LuckyLloyd

tok9 wrote: »

I take that to mean you would be pleased with us signing Balotelli?

Would be a money signing. First ambitious move we've made this summer. If you want to win **** you need talent.

We'll **** it up though...

I am pie

First presser, even money BR says more weird stuff like "Mario is a beautiful boy, I have been watching him for a while"

I think the relationship between him, Sturridge and Sterling will be the most important. If they click, dont hate each other and he is accepted by them off the pitch he will be fine.

DrumSteve

If Mario lives up to his potential, this could be a great signing.

If he doesn't, at least he'll be interesting.

gafferino

Has Mario got up to any hijinks in Milan?

Harry Palmr

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Would be a money signing. First ambitious move we've made this summer. If you want to win **** you need talent.

We'll **** it up though...

Lovren was that signing within the context of immediately improving the first 11.

Your weird pessimism is amusing though.

noodler

You have to play him with Sturridge if it happens.

Front three as mentioned by others here


Sterling----Balla-smelly

---

Sturidge.

I think he is vastly overrated myself though. I have faith in Rodgers but I think this would be a challenge too many and there will be little chance of a roll up your sleeves attitude from him if it does not work from the off.

Kess73

Soooooo...



If it goes ahead that gives us a front four of


Sturridge, Balotelli , Lambert, and Borini.


Good enough, based on what all four have done in recent season rather than on potential, in the eyes of the thread users?

joe123

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Would be a money signing. First ambitious move we've made this summer. If you want to win **** you need talent.

We'll **** it up though...

There is a deep lying anger in you towards Liverpool. You are disgusted by your love of all things Liverpool.

spockety

Could this be Rodgers El Hajdi Diouf? His Aquilani?

Or could it be his Torres... his Suarez....?

segadreamcast

Sideshow Mark wrote: »

Which is about the same as Luis Suarez in his first season with us.

That did occur to me as I typed it. So what though? "It happened to Suarez, it can happen to Balotelli!" isn't a sound reason for signing him tbf. He has gone nowhere but downwards since he was 19 and I think this'll be a mess.

Harry Palmr

noodler wrote: »

You have to play him with Sturridge if it happens.

Front three as mentioned by others here


Sterling----Balla-smelly

---

Sturidge.

I think he is vastly overrated myself though. I have faith in Rodgers but I think this would be a challenge too many and there will be little chance of a roll up your sleeves attitude from him if it does not work from the off.

When they play together I reckon more like this

---

XXXX

---

XXXX---XXXXX

---

Sterling

---

Strurridge

---

Balo

Ganymede Glow

This is done

Tony Barrett @TonyBarretTimes · 10m
@JoeRuss10 Permanent mate. £16m

Bacchus

From my armchair I always thought a big part of Balotelli's problem was that he just thought he was better than everyone else so didn't have to put in 100% to be the most awesomest player on the pitch. Maybe having to fill Suarez's boots will give him a kick up the arse that he needs to put some effort in to his talent.

joe123

Henderson is just going to get confused if Mario scores and does his usual non celebration thing.

billymitchell

Kess73 wrote: »

Soooooo...



If it goes ahead that gives us a front four of


Sturridge, Balotelli , Lambert, and Borini.


Good enough, based on what all four have done in recent season rather than on potential, in the eyes of the thread users?

Not bad, about a 7 out of 10. Nowhere near United or City's front line, but better than Chelsea's and Arsenals. But the latter have much stronger midfields than we have, that will chip in with more goals.
It Lambert and Balotelli play to their potential, we could be laughing, but they are a risk

bennyineire

Charlie19

He's a perfect match.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O283MijqqxU

Riesen_Meal

Tenner bets he gets a red against united around the start of the second half...

rob316

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Would be a money signing. First ambitious move we've made this summer. If you want to win **** you need talent.

We'll **** it up though...

Baffling quote.

Lovren, Moreno and probably Lallana all can go straight into the first team and improve it drastically. Would £27m on Shaw or something pleased you more?

Ganymede Glow

In other news Phil continues to give us more of dem feels

Coutinho: I've found a family at Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho believes the family feel of Liverpool has allowed him to blossom and play with a confidence in his own outstanding ability.

The playmaker was in exceptional form throughout the Reds' pre-season programme and was rewarded for his endeavours with a call-up to the Brazilian national team this week, for two friendlies in the United States in September.

The news was met with delight from both teammates and fans alike, who feel it is a just decision for Coutinho - and the man himself cites the close-knit nature of the club as a major factor in allowing him to perform with a self-assurance in his talents.

"I've improved my confidence quite a bit," the 22-year-old said in an interview with Liverpoolfc.com. "It is very important, as a player can only give his best when he has confidence in himself. Playing consecutive games with the first team [when I first arrived] was also helpful.

"I found a family when I first arrived here. This club really is like a family and this helped me feel very comfortable when I first came to Liverpool.

"Playing alongside great players such as our captain, Steven Gerrard, and seeing how simple, humble and hard-working people they are also helped me learn and feel comfortable here."

Coutinho's call-up is part of new coach Dunga's plans to revive the Brazilian national team following their World Cup disappointment in the summer.

Many had tipped the Liverpool No.10 to be given the nod to represent his country at the tournament, but it wasn't to be.

"In all honesty I did not have many hopes of being called up for this World Cup as I hadn't been named in the squads prior to the tournament," he reflected a few days before he discovered he was back in the Brazil fold.

"I tried not to raise my expectations because I knew it would be difficult to happen.

"One of my dreams was - and still is - to play at a World Cup. But in the end I was there supporting Brazil and now I'll try to work harder at Liverpool to get my chance with the Brazilian national team."

That hard work has ultimately paid off following Tuesday's news of his call-up for friendlies against Colombia and Ecuador in Miami and New Jersey.

Still, Coutinho is aware there's still plenty of graft ahead on the training pitches as he aims to hone his talents.

"I'm constantly trying to grow and show improvement," he concluded. "It's important to frequently show something new as there are so many players in constant competition in football."

Sappy404

ike wrote: »

Too soon?

:cool:

London. A darkened room. A chamber in the floor groans and begins to open. Steam rises from the pit revealing a lone, bald, slumbering, cross-armed human figure. His eyes dart open. He sniffs the air and smirks in readiness. He emerges. A cowering lackey hands him a mobile phone while others prepare a black suit and a tiny pair of spectacles. The phone rings with news, but he knows what is happening.

Liverpool have had a bid accepted. Daniel Levy is ready.