Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014/15

Francie Barrett

It seems clear that Balotelli won't be going anywhere at this stage. If we were going to ship him out, we would have done so at the start of the window. With Sturridge due back soon, with Sterling being able to play upfront and Lambert around for cover, you'd really hope that Borini would realise his future with this club is finished. Hopefully we can flog him for a profit (like we did with Assaidi) - that combined with a a possible sale of Balo in the Summer would give us a nice kitty to get a replacement in.

kop77

i heart chewy louie wrote: »

IF you could spend the night with any Liverpool player, who would it be and why?

hmmm,I'd say...... most of them!! :cool:

rob316

brevity wrote: »

This is the full text:

I’ve never regretted staying here,” Borini told the ECHO.

“Yes, I could have left but I wanted to stay at Liverpool and I’m glad I did.

“To be honest, going back to last summer, I didn’t expect to play as much as I have done so far.

“With Daniel Sturridge’s injuries, I’ve played more than I expected. I think I’ve done okay.

“I probably should have scored a couple of goals from the few chances I’ve had but I’m quite happy with my season so far.

“I won’t be leaving this month either. I started the last game and I don’t see any reason why I would need to change clubs. I see it as all positive for me.”

“The reason I said no to the clubs who wanted to sign me was that I wanted to play for a top four club,” he said.

“I wanted to play in the Champions League and in the biggest European competitions.

“I don’t think you can blame any player for having that kind of ambition.

“For me it was all about what I want to achieve in the future with my life.

“I took into account my football and also my personal life (he’s engaged to Liverpool model Erin O’Neill).

“That’s why I decided to stay at Liverpool. I have no regrets. This is what I want.

“It was never about money. If that was my motivation then I would have left for Dubai and I’d be playing football over there.

“I never looked at money. It was only ever about football and my ambitions. I still believe I can be a success at Liverpool.”

“I’ve never had a full season here,” Borini said.

“In my first year here I was unlucky with injuries.

“I wasn’t able to really prove myself and then in the second year I went out on loan.

“This is really the season for me. Yes, I haven’t played much, I don’t know why, but that’s not up to me.

“I’m working hard every day to show the manager that I can help. I want to prove myself here.”

“I had too much energy that day,” he said.

“I was excited to play. I wanted to come on and turn the game.

“I didn’t have enough control of my emotions. That’s why the red card was shown to me.

“I’ve never got red cards before. I think it was down to frustration and wanting to do well having not played so much. It happened and I’ve learned from it.”

“It’s never easy to get into it when you haven’t started many games because you aren’t used to the rhythm and the tempo of the game,” he said.

“There is also the emotion that you have when you play a game. I love football and when I got that chance to play I really wanted to take it.

“It was great to be part of it and to help the team get a win to keep this run going.

“That’s what I work for every day – to try to show I deserve to start matches.”

“Trying to get a consistent spell in the team is the key for me,” he added.

“I hope to play against Villa and I just need that one goal to start me off - maybe one which hits my back and goes in.

“If I am consistent in my work and show that to my team-mates and the manager I’m sure I’ll get the run I want.”

To be honest I don't really see anything wrong with what he said. Taking bits and pieces out of the interview is not fair IMO.

Great player to have around, a striker happy with his season who has 0 goals. :rolleyes:
I know he hasn't played much but its pretty telling of his ambition if he's happy with that.

Charlie19

i heart chewy louie wrote: »

IF you could spend the night with any Liverpool player, who would it be and why?

I'd wine and dine brad Jones then lock em up in my very own fritsel dungeon(by the way, I couldn't of done it without the help from the guys on the diy forum) and keep him there till the end of may.

Kirby

Wouldn't happen. You'd give him directions to your place and he'd go the wrong way.

tok9

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Calm down.

- manager wants to move player on;
- players seems satisfied with current level of involvement;
- player is not good enough;

So you're either happy for him to hang around until he's a free agent or you expedite the situation in order to make him happy to move on in the summer.

I don't particularly care. He's an irrelevance for us off and on the pitch.

Not really. Rodgers has already said he's staying and he has played him in a few matches lately which would go against your first point.

The player not being good enough doesn't matter, he's still probably our best option to continue playing the way we do without Sturridge or Sterling.

noodler

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I find it hard to consider Borini as being the best of anything.

I'd actually say Lambert has been the best.

Followed by Borini and then Mario.


Splitting hairs but Borini has probbaly had the least gametime of all three.



Anyway, we don't alienate players unless we have other options and, a healthy Sturridge aside, we don't.

Turtyturd

Borini has offered more than our big name, big game, Italian superstar. I wouldn't be going alienating him, that behaviour should be reserved for the Andy Carroll's of the world.

JohnDaniels

It looked like we had already attempted to completly alienate Borini but it didn't work. Remember when he wasn't even making the bench when we had no strikers. His banishedment and subsequent return from the mist is just another in a long list of Rodgers decisions that seem completely baffling from the outside

gafferino

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/178205-can-talks-positions-form-and-turning-21

"It has always been the case that I have played in different positions," the former Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen starlet reflected to Liverpoolfc.com.

"It's an advantage for the team to have a player like that and it's an advantage for me personally as well. If I am needed in central defence, that is where I will play.

"My favourite position is central midfield and the manager knows that, but if I get a chance to play and help the team I will happily play at the back.

"It's great when you are playing and you don't lose. Nothing comes out of nothing; I think I've performed well and shown what I can do, but I need to keep on improving, and I hope I get a lot more games.

"For me personally, the last few weeks have been better than the weeks before that. I am playing more now and every player enjoys it more when he is on the pitch."

garra

brevity wrote: »

What the **** Lloyd? That makes absolutely no sense?

I wish Rodgers had kept him frozen out till now, he would be well on his way in this window, girlfriends and sisters thoughts regardless...and we could use the money to purchase a striker of the standard required

noodler

garra wrote: »

I wish Rodgers had kept him frozen out till now, he would be well on his way in this window, girlfriends and sisters thoughts regardless...and we could use the money to purchase a striker of the standard required

He has been predominantly been frozen out until now though and still no sign of him leaving.

SlickRic

Vicxas wrote: »

How we didnt win the league with Masch and Alonso in midfield is beyond me.

because Utd's team was pretty sensational unfortunately, particularly up front.

Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez. VDS, Ferdinand and Vidic at the back.

Agent Coulson

Borini suits the system we are playing at the moment or one up front he is not be good enough but he suits that system untill a better player comes in.

Both Lambert & Balotelli suit a two up front formation so it is unfair to judge them playing in the other systems.

Now this leads to why they were bought if you are not going to play systems that suit them.

I can understand Lambert at £4m being the plan b from the bench in league & CL and maybe a starter in the cup games.

So paying £20 for two players who do not suit the systems you want to play is a head scratcher.

That £20m could have got you Bony, Lacazette, Alcacer, Icardi and a number of other players from Europe.

But it seems our scouting network in Europe really isn't that good.

5starpool

SlickRic wrote: »

because Utd's team was pretty sensational unfortunately, particularly up front.

Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez. VDS, Ferdinand and Vidic at the back.

Despite the attacking talent, didn't they go on a run around Jan-March or something where they didn't concede for 10 games but only scored around 15 in those games as well or something? I remember they were pretty dire and boring to watch but kept grinding out narrow wins. It was quite depressing.

Chucky the tree

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

So Borini is going out with some model / B list celebrity based out of Liverpool yeah? Is it simply a case that her moving isn't an option and he's going to stick out his contract for the relationship?

We signed him, we gave him a deal. If he's intent on seeing that out then we can stomp and complain about it but we're stuck with it. I always thought Winston Bogarde was entitled to do what he did at Chelsea.

The next step is to remove him from first team activities entirely. He trains with the U21s / U18s and just plays U21 games the odd time. I'd be surprised if he was still adverse to a move in the summer after a few months of that...

Huh? I thought just winning games was all that mattered? For someone who's been so vocal against Rodgers I can't help but lol at you wanting him to weaken the squad to simply try and remove a player.

Harry Palmr

BBC reports that Liverpool are now in talks with Lille over Origi -

Liverpool have held talks with Lille over the possibility of Divock Origi moving to Anfield this month.

The striker, 19, joined the Reds in a £10m deal last year but was loaned back to the French club for this season.

"There has been some discussion but there is nothing to report," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "The agreement was for him to stay there so we will see how that works.

"If not we have the players here and we will go with what we have got."
Liverpool are light in attack, with Daniel Sturridge a long-term injury absentee and Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert delivering just four goals between them.

While I'd have been happy for Ibe to stay put this is a transfer I 'd like to see happen. It would be great to have someone to stretch defences.

LuckyLloyd

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Huh? I thought just winning games was all that mattered? For someone who's been so vocal against Rodgers I can't help but lol at you wanting him to weaken the squad to simply try and remove a player.

Borini isn't helping us win any games.

Chucky the tree

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Borini isn't helping us win any games.

I disagree. I think his style would have given us a much better chance to win games than Lambert. We'd have beaten Basel if we started Borini up front imo.

Dirty Steve

Some people really dislike Borini on here.
Judging by some of the comments you'd think he deserved to be taken out and shot.

He's the best striker available (of the 3) for the system Rogers is currently playing.
It's a shame we don't have anyone better, but he doesn't deserve half the stick people give him.

garra

noodler wrote: »

He has been predominantly been frozen out until now though and still no sign of him leaving.

Hope will kill you in the end, he was given hope after being brought back into the fold recently - probably with the intention of getting him into the shop window - but he has completely refused to see the longer term reality that he is not going to get regular football at the club.
Sometimes posters are labelled "deluded", but in this case we are certainly looking at a deluded player. He does not see what is best for his career and is talking through his ar$e at present (I did not think I would get so many games when I decided to stay at Liverpool!!?? - so he was expecting to not be asked to play football at all??)

I blame the model.

Francie Barrett

Dirty Steve wrote: »

He's the best striker available (of the 3) for the system Rogers is currently playing.

People keep saying that, but his goal scoring record just does not back that up.

T-K-O

Francie Barrett wrote: »

People keep saying that, but his goal scoring record just does not back that up.

None of them can score goals so we need to look at what they can offer and fabio offers more than rickie and Mario

Realistically Borini is number 5 striker.

Sturridge is number 1 when fit.

Sterling is number 1 when Sturridge isn't fit. This itself is damning on number 3 and 4, Ballotelli and Lambert.

I'd keep the first 2 obviously and ditch the other 3 in the summer. Cash only, none of this loan nonsense.

Agent Coulson

Tony Barrett on Lucas.

Brendan Rodgers has ruled out the possibility of Lucas Leiva leaving Anfield during the current transfer window, despite interest from Inter Milan, because of his belief that Liverpool’s momentum could stall should the midfielder be allowed to depart.
Liverpool’s run of improved form has coincided with Lucas’s return to the side — the only game they have lost in their past 13 fixtures was one in which the Brazilian did not feature, a 3-0 away defeat by Manchester United.

In an attempt to convince Lucas of his value to Liverpool, Rodgers has assured him that he was overlooked for the bulk of last season for tactical reasons, with Steven Gerrard’s switch to a deep-lying midfield role negating the need for a conventional defensive midfielder. That situation has changed given Liverpool’s switch to a 3-4-3 formation, in which Gerrard operates in a more advanced role.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/football/article4324664.ece

PhiloCypher

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330242-morgan-schneiderlin-injury-updates-on-southampton-stars-adductor-and-return

That's Alderweild, Schneiderlin and Wanyama out injured for the guts of a month if this article is to be believed. They will surely drop points in that period without their defensive shield, so we really need to make hay between now and the 22 Feb when a sturridge hatrick will hopefully put them firmly in our rear view. Obviously how other results go will dictate whether such a reversal of fortune puts us in the CL places.

tok9

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Borini isn't helping us win any games.

Except for the previous match we played...

Dirty Steve

Francie Barrett wrote: »

People keep saying that, but his goal scoring record just does not back that up.

Lambert 566 PL minutes this season, 1 goal.
Balotelli 759 PL minutes, 0 goals.
Borini 274 PL minutes, 0 goals.

Lambert 10 shots, 1 goal, 0 assists.
Balotelli 33 shots, 0 goals, 0 assists.
Borini 10 shots, 0 goals, 1 assist.

I'd be willing to bet Borini will at least have a goal by the time he gets up to Balotelli's playing time (if that even happens this season).
Lad has barely been given a chance but people are in a hurry to slate him.

Vicxas

PhiloCypher wrote: »

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330242-morgan-schneiderlin-injury-updates-on-southampton-stars-adductor-and-return

That's Alderweild, Schneiderlin and Wanyama out injured for the guts of a month if this article is to be believed. They will surely drop points in that period without their defensive shield, so we really need to make hay between now and the 22 Feb when a sturridge hatrick will hopefully put them firmly in our rear view. Obviously how other results go will dictate whether such a reversal of fortune puts us in the CL places.

Overall our injury situation seems to be lightening coming at a time where others are facing a crisis.

Arsenal are missing Debuchy and Arteta

Southampton are now missing most of their solid back line

Man Utd are an injury crisis all season


A good push through Jan - March could see us sitting in the drivers seat to get 4th.

brevity

Dirty Steve wrote: »

Lambert 566 PL minutes this season, 1 goal.
Balotelli 759 PL minutes, 0 goals.
Borini 274 PL minutes, 0 goals.

I think we can agree that the above makes for some grim reading.

Blatter

Turtyturd wrote: »

Borini has offered more than our big name, big game, Italian superstar. I wouldn't be going alienating him, that behaviour should be reserved for the Andy Carroll's of the world.

Carroll >>> Borini

5starpool wrote: »

Despite the attacking talent, didn't they go on a run around Jan-March or something where they didn't concede for 10 games but only scored around 15 in those games as well or something? I remember they were pretty dire and boring to watch but kept grinding out narrow wins. It was quite depressing.

Went 14 consecutive games in the league without conceding.

Harry Palmr

Lucas staying and Ibe and Origi re-joining and Sturridge being like a new signing looks like being our lot!

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Lucas staying and Ibe and Origi re-joining and Sturridge being like a new signing looks like being our lot!

A keeper?

Surely a keeper!

5starpool

Blatter wrote: »

Went 14 consecutive games in the league without conceding.

Cheers. I'm not imagining how dour a lot of those games were am I? There were quite a few grim 1-0 wins in there I think. Obviously I'm not saying that utd didn't deserve to win the league, but ye weren't a free flowing team most of the time, despite the attacking talent.

the kelt

rarnes1 wrote: »

A keeper?

Surely a keeper!

Thats my thinking.

Its not going to be a great window by the looks of things, however im happy enough to keep Lucas, bring in Origi and Ibe but to not bring in a keeper is borderline negligent to be honest.

jasonb

5starpool wrote: »

Cheers. I'm not imagining how dour a lot of those games were am I? There were quite a few grim 1-0 wins in there I think. Obviously I'm not saying that utd didn't deserve to win the league, but ye weren't a free flowing team most of the time, despite the attacking talent.

Not that I'm avoiding work or anything, but here are the league results of that 14 game streak:


15 Nov, 15:00 Manchester United 5 - 0 Stoke City
22 Nov, 17:30 Aston Villa 0 - 0 Manchester United
30 Nov, 13:30 Manchester City 0 - 1 Manchester United
6 Dec, 17:30 Manchester United 1 - 0 Sunderland
13 Dec, 17:30 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Manchester United
26 Dec, 12:45 Stoke City 0 - 1 Manchester United
29 Dec, 20:00 Manchester United 1 - 0 Middlesbrough
11 Jan, 16:00 Manchester United 3 - 0 Chelsea
14 Jan, 20:00 Manchester United 1 - 0 Wigan Athletic
17 Jan, 15:00 Bolton Wanderers 0 - 1 Manchester United
27 Jan, 20:15 West Bromwich Albion 0 - 5 Manchester United
31 Jan, 17:30 Manchester United 1 - 0 Everton
8 Feb, 16:00 West Ham United 0 - 1 Manchester United
18 Feb, 20:00 Manchester United 3 - 0 Fulham

8 1-0s and couple of 0-0s...

J.

jasonb

the kelt wrote: »

Thats my thinking.

Its not going to be a great window by the looks of things, however im happy enough to keep Lucas, bring in Origi and Ibe but to not bring in a keeper is borderline negligent to be honest.

Have to agree with this. A case might be argued that Mignolet might be good enough for the club (as a 2nd choice Keeper) based on his 'shot-stopping', but clearly Jones isn't good enough. To be 'happy' to continue with Mignolet/Jones is just not on. Of course, they might be desperately trying to buy someone for all we know...

J.

Blatter

5starpool wrote: »

Cheers. I'm not imagining how dour a lot of those games were am I? There were quite a few grim 1-0 wins in there I think. Obviously I'm not saying that utd didn't deserve to win the league, but ye weren't a free flowing team most of the time, despite the attacking talent.

No you're right, it was in stark contrast to how the team had performed in the two previous seasons in an attacking sense. Ronaldo was throwing strops and Tevez was isolated because Berbatov was taking his place (which unbalnced the attack imo). The defence was immense though, I think VDS broke the all time English record for mins without conceding.

Doff

Everytime I come here looking for Liverpool gossip its always chat about United.

Oh well at least I can discuss Liverpool in the United thread.

brevity

Doff wrote: »

Everytime I come here looking for Liverpool gossip its always chat about United.

Oh well at least I can discuss Liverpool in the United thread.

Should come in more often then. There's tea. And drugs.

Doff

brevity wrote: »

Should come in more often then. There's tea. And drugs.

I've heard bad things about people who drink tea

Kirby

Doff wrote: »

Everytime I come here looking for Liverpool gossip its always chat about United.

At least when the talk is about United, it's football related.

There were times last season I thought I was in the Animal forum. Panda's everywhere.

Bandana boy

Kirby wrote: »

At least when the talk is about United, it's football related.

There were times last season I thought I was in the Animal forum. Panda's everywhere.

It can be about Pandas and football

Kirby

Ah yes. Pandinho. Plays for Spurs. Forgot about him. :P

MR NINE

I understand peoples frustration at our lack of striking options, but I just cant understand why all the blame and anger is directed at Borini, the player whos played the least of our three dud strikers. As has been pointed out countless times, he offers us more than the other two when playing in a lone striker role in the current formation. Why would you want to freeze him out of the squad now? So we can go back to having Rickie Lambert spectating games from the best seat in the house? Or is it because Borini doesnt score enough goals, so we should start Balotelli instead? (When was the last time he scored a pl goal? Its probably close to 100 shots without a goal at this stage, thats a LOT of wasted possession).

Also, borini doesnt help us win games? Last weekend, 1-0 win, goal scored by Markovic, assisted by Borini.

The Mulk

jasonb wrote: »

Not that I'm avoiding work or anything, but here are the league results of that 14 game streak:


15 Nov, 15:00 Manchester United 5 - 0 Stoke City
22 Nov, 17:30 Aston Villa 0 - 0 Manchester United
30 Nov, 13:30 Manchester City 0 - 1 Manchester United
6 Dec, 17:30 Manchester United 1 - 0 Sunderland
13 Dec, 17:30 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Manchester United
26 Dec, 12:45 Stoke City 0 - 1 Manchester United
29 Dec, 20:00 Manchester United 1 - 0 Middlesbrough
11 Jan, 16:00 Manchester United 3 - 0 Chelsea
14 Jan, 20:00 Manchester United 1 - 0 Wigan Athletic
17 Jan, 15:00 Bolton Wanderers 0 - 1 Manchester United
27 Jan, 20:15 West Bromwich Albion 0 - 5 Manchester United
31 Jan, 17:30 Manchester United 1 - 0 Everton
8 Feb, 16:00 West Ham United 0 - 1 Manchester United
18 Feb, 20:00 Manchester United 3 - 0 Fulham

8 1-0s and couple of 0-0s...

J.

2 things I remember from that season, 08/09


1.Gerrards perfectly good disallowed goal v Stoke at Anfield, I remember thinking it wasn't going to be our day, finished 0-0
2.Spurs being 2-0 at Old Trafford at Webb giving Utd a soft peno, and I sat there thinking "they're going to win this now", and they did

rob316

The Mulk wrote: »

2 things I remember from that season, 08/09


1.Gerrards perfectly good disallowed goal v Stoke at Anfield, I remember thinking it wasn't going to be our day, finished 0-0
2.Spurs being 2-0 at Old Trafford at Webb giving Utd a soft peno, and I sat there thinking "they're going to win this now", and they did

And that prick Macheda scoring the last minute winner against Villa at old Trafford. I just knew they were going to go on and win it then.

noodler

The Mulk wrote: »

2.Spurs being 2-0 at Old Trafford at Webb giving Utd a soft peno, and I sat there thinking "they're going to win this now", and they did

rob316 wrote: »

And that prick Macheda scoring the last minute winner against Villa at old Trafford. I just knew they were going to go on and win it then.

Both of these tbh.

Heartbreaking.

Soft Falling Rain

rob316 wrote: »

And that prick Macheda scoring the last minute winner against Villa at old Trafford. I just knew they were going to go on and win it then.

And went on to achieve fcuk all in his career. Typical.

5starpool

MR NINE wrote: »

I understand peoples frustration at our lack of striking options, but I just cant understand why all the blame and anger is directed at Borini, the player whos played the least of our three dud strikers. As has been pointed out countless times, he offers us more than the other two when playing in a lone striker role in the current formation. Why would you want to freeze him out of the squad now? So we can go back to having Rickie Lambert spectating games from the best seat in the house? Or is it because Borini doesnt score enough goals, so we should start Balotelli instead? (When was the last time he scored a pl goal? Its probably close to 100 shots without a goal at this stage, thats a LOT of wasted possession).

Also, borini doesnt help us win games? Last weekend, 1-0 win, goal scored by Markovic, assisted by Borini.

Assist is a very generous word for last weekend's goal.

I think the problem some have is that he refused a move that would have given us more funds and that when paired with the Balotelli money might have allowed us to buy someone else.