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

Francie Barrett

Sorry lads, but Torres shouldn't even be in for consideration. Watched Chelsea with Torres last year and it was grim. Confidence gone, pace gone, work rate gone, mobility gone - all throughout his Chelsea career he has been a shadow of the player he was for us. With Costa in the team now, the difference is night and day, and all of a sudden Chelsea look like a cohesive attacking unit. Think they're actually playing like we did last year, which is scary for all involved.

Harry Palmr

Shaqiri getting some mentions in stupid cyberspace, Atletico want but don't seem to be getting yet while Juve want but on a cheapo loan to buy deal (the Italians must be the most stingy feckers in sport). I suppose he could be on the right what Markovic will be on the left :pac:

pmy.murphy

The Shaqiri is complete rubbish way too many players for that position on the wing already. If I thought there was something we still lack it is a top class central midfielder say in the role of a Fabragas or Alonso who can pull the strings

Im wondering are there any more potential signings in the pipeline?

Dickerty

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Shaqiri getting some mentions in stupid cyberspace, Atletico want but don't seem to be getting yet while Juve want but on a cheapo loan to buy deal (the Italians must be the most stingy feckers in sport). I suppose he could be on the right what Markovic will be on the left :pac:

Would allow us to send Suso on loan, but I don't think he wants to go. But I don't think we'd pay Shaqiri money for a 5/6th choice attacker?

Vanolder

I thought Coutinho was v good for about 60 mins v Man City- He had no outlet tho most of the time. With two strikers making runs for him he will shine.

Dickerty

pmy.murphy wrote: »

The Shaqiri is complete rubbish way too many players for that position on the wing already. If I thought there was something we still lack it is a top class central midfielder say in the role of a Fabragas or Alonso who can pull the strings

Im wondering are there any more potential signings in the pipeline?

I still think we'll bring in a keeper and let Jones get first team games somewhere else.

BUT

We need 8 HG players though. We have Johnson, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, Lallana, Lambert, Sturridge.
Borini and Jones both qualify. So if we sell both (as most suspect), we need to bring in a keeper and/or striker that DO qualify.

And that brings us back to Mainz keeper, Loris Karius. He was at City for 3 years as a youth, so he would qualify as homegrown. And would be a real threat to Mignolet's place, which is a good thing...

Nerdlingr

DenMan wrote: »

I think it's Austin Lipman, one of our academy players. That was a pre-season pic as Bendtner is there. He's on loan at Boreham Wood.

http://www.arsenal.com/academy/players/austin-lipman

Is it not Kim Kallstrom ??

ush

Dickerty wrote: »

Mertesacker - "Slow down lads!!!" #knackered

(Is that Ray Parlour Jr in the middle?)

DenMan wrote: »

I think it's Austin Lipman, one of our academy players. That was a pre-season pic as Bendtner is there. He's on loan at Boreham Wood.

http://www.arsenal.com/academy/players/austin-lipman

Really? Could have sworn that was Källström.

pmy.murphy

Dickerty wrote: »

I still think we'll bring in a keeper and let Jones get first team games somewhere else.

BUT

We need 8 HG players though. We have Johnson, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, Lallana, Lambert, Sturridge.
Borini and Jones both qualify. So if we sell both (as most suspect), we need to bring in a keeper and/or striker that DO qualify.

And that brings us back to Mainz keeper, Loris Karius. He was at City for 3 years as a youth, so he would qualify as homegrown. And would be a real threat to Mignolet's place, which is a good thing...

Would Suso not count as home grown or was he not in the academy long enough? Personaly Id like to see suso stay and given a crack at the first team, he has quality

Dickerty

pmy.murphy wrote: »

Would Suso not count as home grown or was he not in the academy long enough? Personaly Id like to see suso stay and given a crack at the first team, he has quality

He SHOULD be homegrown, he signed when he was 17, but the PL site doesn't have him marked as such. I think that's an error on their part...

Gbear

Vanolder wrote: »

I thought Coutinho was v good for about 60 mins v Man City- He had no outlet tho most of the time. With two strikers making runs for him he will shine.

He was very sloppy in possession when he had his back to goal.

Pilsbury Doughboy

I thought there was a few instances during the City match when Cout was on the ball and either Hendo, Sterling or Sturridge made great runs in behind, I dunno if Coutinho just didn't see them or what the story was but he never pulled the trigger.

Kess73

pmy.murphy wrote: »

The Shaqiri is complete rubbish way too many players for that position on the wing already. If I thought there was something we still lack it is a top class central midfielder say in the role of a Fabragas or Alonso who can pull the strings

Im wondering are there any more potential signings in the pipeline?

That is the signing I would love above all others at this point.


Would love a dream (unrealistic really) signing like Vidal or Pogba. But would also love to see us sniff around Kevin Strootman once he gets fit. If he recovers his pre injury form, then he would be a massive upgrade to our midfield and the guy can play make, tackle, score and is a bit of a physical presence. Would be a very good January addition imho.

billymitchell

Kess73 wrote: »

That is the signing I would love above all others at this point.


Would love a dream (unrealistic really) signing like Vidal or Pogba. But would also love to see us sniff around Kevin Strootman once he gets fit. If he recovers his pre injury form, then he would be a massive upgrade to our midfield and the guy can play make, tackle, score and is a bit of a physical presence. Would be a very good January addition imho.

Who would Strootman replace though? Hendo?

Dickerty

Kess73 wrote: »

But would also love to see us sniff around Kevin Strootman once he gets fit. If he recovers his pre injury form, then he would be a massive upgrade to our midfield and the guy can play make, tackle, score and is a bit of a physical presence. Would be a very good January addition imho.

I wonder what we will see from Gerrard in the next few months. Either we see the defensive liability that we saw multiple times this calendar year, or we see him pulling the strings from deep for a very pacy attack. That may decide whether we move in Jan or we wait.

Why did none of the English teams come in for Strootman last year? He went for a song...

pmy.murphy

William Carvalho or Strootman would be realistic signings I would think and needed badly, DM we are badly lacking. Gerrard is not a DM

gafferino

billymitchell wrote: »

Who would Strootman replace though? Hendo?

Reus... at right back.

Kess73

billymitchell wrote: »

Who would Strootman replace though? Hendo?

Would see him as being a Gerrard replacement from next summer on.


Go with a central trio of Strootman, Lallana, and Henderson. The likes of Gerrard, Can, and Allen would be competing with them.

Kess73

Dickerty wrote: »

I wonder what we will see from Gerrard in the next few months. Either we see the defensive liability that we saw multiple times this calendar year, or we see him pulling the strings from deep for a very pacy attack. That may decide whether we move in Jan or we wait.

Why did none of the English teams come in for Strootman last year? He went for a song...

Think you will see a mix of both. Against most teams we will have a lot of the ball and as such Gerrard will be able to have the time and space to use his range of passing to good effect. But in a smaller number of games we will come up against teams that will be capable of putting us on the back foot for sustained periods of the game and that is when Gerrard will come under serious pressure.

Dickerty

pmy.murphy wrote: »

William Carvalho or Strootman would be realistic signings I would think and needed badly, DM we are badly lacking. Gerrard is not a DM

Has to be a DM with smarts though. When we push the FBs up, we need that DM to be dictating and moving the ball, but not bursting upfield too often. It's effectively a back 3 then...

billymitchell

Dickerty wrote: »

Has to be a DM with smarts though. When we push the FBs up, we need that DM to be dictating and moving the ball, but not bursting upfield too often. It's effectively a back 3 then...

Just like United??

8-10

Dickerty wrote: »

I still think we'll bring in a keeper and let Jones get first team games somewhere else.

BUT

We need 8 HG players though. We have Johnson, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, Lallana, Lambert, Sturridge.
Borini and Jones both qualify. So if we sell both (as most suspect), we need to bring in a keeper and/or striker that DO qualify.

And that brings us back to Mainz keeper, Loris Karius. He was at City for 3 years as a youth, so he would qualify as homegrown. And would be a real threat to Mignolet's place, which is a good thing...

This is always a tricky one, I read a few places that a team needs 8 homegrown players but I am not convinced this is the case, I think it's the opposite.

I think the rule is that you can only have 17 players who are not homegrown or under 21 in your squad, which is capped at 25 with under 21's not counting.

So in theory you could have a squad of 17 with no homegrown players which obviously wouldn't happen.

So if you want a squad of 25, you need a minimum of 8 homegrown players over 21. Otherwise you must have a smaller squad. And an unlimited number of under-21 players (Manquillo, Sterling etc) can be added.

Washington Irving

Peterson to Utrecht a done deal

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/169671-peterson-completes-switch-to-utrecht

Liverpool youngster Kristoffer Peterson has today completed a permanent transfer to Dutch side FC Utrecht.

The 19-year-old Swede departs the club three-and-a-half years after arriving from Savedalens IF in January 2011.

Although the forward never made a competitive senior appearance for the Reds, he rose to prominence in pre-season this summer.

Peterson was on target in consecutive friendlies against Brondby and Preston North End last month, earning a place on the subsequent tour of America.

Everybody at Liverpool wishes Kris all the best with his move to Utrecht and future career.

segadreamcast

Nerdlingr wrote: »

Can hasnt started, or finished, a game for us yet. He didnt cover himself in glory when he came on against City the last day...and could easily have been sent off. Allen was probably our best midfielder on the night. Can has that physical presence alright but I think Allen's ball retention and distrubition is whats going to be required Sunday.

Can, Hendo, Gerrard would be far too slow IMO.

I'm not going to go on an anti-Gerrard rant or anything, he's still reasonably good, but I would like to see Allen, Henderson and Can next week - but, as ever, we all 100% know that's not going to happen.

D'Agger

What's the story with Adorjan?

Gbear

segadreamcast wrote: »

Can, Hendo, Gerrard would be far too slow IMO.

I'm not going to go on an anti-Gerrard rant or anything, he's still reasonably good, but I would like to see Allen, Henderson and Can next week - but, as ever, we all 100% know that's not going to happen.

With so many injured full backs I'd imagine Can will be considered for LB.

Francie Barrett

Good move for Peterson, I think that decent flourish he had towards the end of the u-21 campaign and impressive pre-season secured him the move.

Francie Barrett

D'Agger wrote: »

What's the story with Adorjan?

His career with us is certainly over as his contract expires at the end of the season. If we rated him we would have had him signed up by now. I feel sorry for him. He barely featured in pre-season and was not wanted by Groningen. The club will be trying to do their best by him and will be working behind the scenes to get him a club, but the lack of interest isn't good for him. Hopefully someone comes in for him before the close of the window, because another year rotting in the u21's will not help him.

Dickerty

8-10 wrote: »

This is always a tricky one, I read a few places that a team needs 8 homegrown players but I am not convinced this is the case, I think it's the opposite.

I think the rule is that you can only have 17 players who are not homegrown or under 21 in your squad, which is capped at 25 with under 21's not counting.

So in theory you could have a squad of 17 with no homegrown players which obviously wouldn't happen.

So if you want a squad of 25, you need a minimum of 8 homegrown players over 21. Otherwise you must have a smaller squad. And an unlimited number of under-21 players (Manquillo, Sterling etc) can be added.

That's actually a good point. But we will definately be declaring 25 players, even if we never use some of them because the likes of Sterling, Flanagan and Suso will feature.

1. Migs
2. Jones (HG)
3. Johnson (HG)
4. Manquillo
5. Moreno
6. Enrique
7. Toure
8. Skrtel
9. Lovren
10. Sakho
11. Flanagan (HG)
12. Allen (HG)
13. Henderson (HG)
14. Can
15. Lallana (HG)
16. Lucas
17. Markovic
18. Coutinho
19. Gerrard (HG)
20. Balotelli
21. Lambert
22. Sturridge (HG)
23. Borini ??
24. Coates ??
25. Suso ??

Francie Barrett

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Jordon Ibe is off to Derby County.

I would have liked to have kept Ibe, but at least this is a decent loan move and McLaren will know how to use him to best abilities.

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

His career with us is certainly over as his contract expires at the end of the season. If we rated him we would have had him signed up by now. I feel sorry for him. He barely featured in pre-season and was not wanted by Groningen. The club will be trying to do their best by him and will be working behind the scenes to get him a club, but the lack of interest isn't good for him. Hopefully someone comes in for him before the close of the window, because another year rotting in the u21's will not help him.

He's not hard enough to make it at a lower league English club, IMO. Should look to get into a Belgian, French or Dutch team, but he's not a top drawer player by any means...

Francie Barrett

Agger will surely get a squad number now that interest has appeared to have evaporated. Might as well give Assaidi one too.

8-10

Dickerty wrote: »

That's actually a good point. But we will definately be declaring 25 players, even if we never use some of them because the likes of Sterling, Flanagan and Suso will feature.

1. Migs
2. Jones (HG)
3. Johnson (HG)
4. Manquillo
5. Moreno
6. Enrique
7. Toure
8. Skrtel
9. Lovren
10. Sakho
11. Flanagan (HG)
12. Allen (HG)
13. Henderson (HG)
14. Can
15. Lallana (HG)
16. Lucas
17. Markovic
18. Coutinho
19. Gerrard (HG)
20. Balotelli
21. Lambert
22. Sturridge (HG)
23. Borini ??
24. Coates ??
25. Suso ??

Flanagan is not homegrown as he qualifies as u-21. Manquillo, Markovic, Suso, Can and Sterling (who you haven't listed) along with Flano will all be outside the 25-man cap is my understanding.

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I would have liked to have kept Ibe, but at least this is a decent loan move and McLaren will know how to use him to best abilities.

I do think he'd have been a good impact sub, but he'll learn a lot more being a regular starter. Far more likely to be ready for a starting berth next season.

We should have enough on the bench this season, and can pull from the reserves to pad the bench when needed - Dunn, Brannagan, T-S, Wilson, Kent, Phillips...

Francie Barrett

Ryan Crump (who!?) has signed for Blackburn - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2735611/TRANSFER-NEWS-COLUMN-Hamburg-look-sign-Lewis-Holtby-Tottenham-Abel-Hernandez-prepares-Hull-medical.html

Dickerty

8-10 wrote: »

Flanagan is not homegrown as he qualifies as u-21. Manquillo, Markovic, Suso, Can and Sterling (who you haven't listed) along with Flano will all be outside the 25-man cap is my understanding.

I left out Sterling as an U21. Flanagan was 21 on 1st Jan, which is the cut-off date, so I don't know where he falls.

And I forgot that so many of the new guys were under 21. We might only end up naming about 22 players!

We still need 8 HG though. I think that, even if we don't name 25, we still need to name 8 HG, don't we?
Otherwise, you could name 20 players instead of 25, and only 3 would be HG. You can't do that.

Seems odd - what if you have a team full of young English players, and you don't have 25 over 21s to name - what then?

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Ryan Crump (who!?) has signed for Blackburn - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2735611/TRANSFER-NEWS-COLUMN-Hamburg-look-sign-Lewis-Holtby-Tottenham-Abel-Hernandez-prepares-Hull-medical.html

Youth goalie, I don't think he made the expected impact...

Knex*

Dickerty wrote: »

I wonder what we will see from Gerrard in the next few months. Either we see the defensive liability that we saw multiple times this calendar year, or we see him pulling the strings from deep for a very pacy attack. That may decide whether we move in Jan or we wait.

Why did none of the English teams come in for Strootman last year? He went for a song...

We should have gotten Stevie G to belt out a bit of Phil Collins.

Luckycharms_74

Champions league draw tomorrow. Bring it on biatttches :P

Dickerty

Knex. wrote: »

We should have gotten Stevie G to belt out a bit of Phil Collins.

"Oh Ricky...Ricky, don't you lose that number (9 shirt)..."

SlickRic

John Giles on Liverpool, Balotelli and Suarez.

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/another-for-the-anfield-couch-30538444.html

so many half-truths, spin and amateur analysis it's almost funny. did Rodgers bang Giles' wife behind his back or something?

1. nobody said Suarez was "cured". his behaviour did improve last year, and Rodgers said as much when he was asked.

2. Has every manager said that Balotelli's attitude is appalling?

3. I'm pretty sure Rodgers wasn't going to sign him until he realised how cheap we were getting him for. that's far more logical than jumping to the conclusion that Balotelli was signed without his approval. calling Pulis a man of principle was an hilarious kicker to Giles' point.

i could list many more.

Giles should spend more time worrying about his beloved Leeds tbh.

Luckycharms_74

Luckycharms_74 wrote: »

Champions league draw tomorrow. Bring it on biatttches :P

Tomorrow?

Usually Fridays I thought?

It's been a while tbf!

Cjs21

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2014/08/report-liverpool-back-bayerns-xherdan-shaqiri/

I'd be very surprised with this, at the same time I'd take him.

BeepBeep67

Dickerty wrote: »

I left out Sterling as an U21. Flanagan was 21 on 1st Jan, which is the cut-off date, so I don't know where he falls.

And I forgot that so many of the new guys were under 21. We might only end up naming about 22 players!

We still need 8 HG though. I think that, even if we don't name 25, we still need to name 8 HG, don't we?
Otherwise, you could name 20 players instead of 25, and only 3 would be HG. You can't do that.

Seems odd - what if you have a team full of young English players, and you don't have 25 over 21s to name - what then?

Champions League squads
25 Players
2 must be goalkeepers
8 must be locally trained
- club trained or association trained
- club trained = between 15 (or the start of
the season during which he turns 15) and 21 (or the end of the season
during which he turns 21), registered for 3 full seasons
- max 4 of these can be association trained (same as club, but with the
FA)
If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players in its squad, then the
maximum number of players in the squad is reduced accordingly

Dickerty

Cjs21 wrote: »

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2014/08/report-liverpool-back-bayerns-xherdan-shaqiri/

I'd be very surprised with this, at the same time I'd take him.

Ah, I got excited, then say it was reported in the Daily Express...:(

Francie Barrett

I am glad that all these so-called journalists are coming out of the woodwork and calling Balotelli into question, because I am sure that Rodgers will be using this as ammunition to get Balotelli riled up.

Harry Palmr

Dickerty wrote: »

"Oh Ricky...Ricky, don't you lose that number (9 shirt)..."

AOR fail! That's Steely Dan, whom Phil Collins is not fit to share the same planet with.

googled eyes

I think he may have mixed it up with "BILLY don't lose my number."

Your done for now Harry. Everyone will catch onto you music loving secret identity !!!!!

8-10

Dickerty wrote: »

I left out Sterling as an U21. Flanagan was 21 on 1st Jan, which is the cut-off date, so I don't know where he falls.

And I forgot that so many of the new guys were under 21. We might only end up naming about 22 players!

We still need 8 HG though. I think that, even if we don't name 25, we still need to name 8 HG, don't we?
Otherwise, you could name 20 players instead of 25, and only 3 would be HG. You can't do that.

Seems odd - what if you have a team full of young English players, and you don't have 25 over 21s to name - what then?

Flanagan qualifies as u-21 as I believe it's anybody born on or after Jan 1st 1993 (his birthday). And I don't think you are correct, my understanding is that we can name 20 players only 3 HG if needed. And then pad out with u-21's. The important number is no more than 17 'foreign' i.e. non-HG.

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Champions League squads
25 Players
2 must be goalkeepers
8 must be locally trained
- club trained or association trained
- club trained = between 15 (or the start of
the season during which he turns 15) and 21 (or the end of the season
during which he turns 21), registered for 3 full seasons
- max 4 of these can be association trained (same as club, but with the
FA)
If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players in its squad, then the
maximum number of players in the squad is reduced accordingly

This. Although for some reason I thought CL squads were 21 players. But this is what I think it is for EPL and CL, if there's fewer than 8 in the squad, overall squad is reduced. The CL requirement that at least 4 of them are trained by the club is new to me, so that means that they must have been at Liverpool for 36mths prior to end of season when turning 21? And the other 4 (max) could have been with other club(s) during that time, is that right?

NukaCola

SlickRic wrote: »

Giles should spend more time worrying about his beloved Leeds tbh.

Giles is a dinosaur. He's out of touch with modern football and i suspect the majority of fans will know this.

There are many examples that show him up. At his best he throws around the usual generic quotes like "The problem with Arsenal is they try and walk the ball in" etc, at worst he is unprofessional eg calling Van Persie a prat when there was unconfirmed rumours he wanted out under Moyes, or even "tactics dont matter" that he throws out every now and then.

Anything i happen to read or hear from him is instantly forgotten as i neither care for or value his opinion on anything football related. He generally comes across as clueless.