Liverpool FC Forum

[RedAnt]

Time will tell, but so far everything looks rosey. I must confess, in recent years I find it hard to name the entire England squad and most of our signings I was only vaguely aware of as players. To say Cissohko is a marquee signing is optimistic. But BR has already showed that its attitudes and not names that matter.

Back to the old debate it is then...

A Team of Lucas's or a team of Suarez...

I know which one I'd rather see.

Understood. But we've seen clubs flooded with cash and in turn flooded with the "best" players. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. Personally I'd not take much satisfaction in such an approach. I love the game for its sportsmanship and passion. At the roots of football is still the basic human desire to compete and make sport together. Take away the money and its still just the same, though somewhat corrupted in its ethics.
For that reason, I'd rather 11 poor players playing for the badge than 11 good ones playing for cash.

I'm romantic like that.

[Kenny Kan]

All things considered, it was a good transfer window.

[devaney]

Time will tell, but so far everything looks rosey. I must confess, in recent years I find it hard to name the entire England squad and most of our signings I was only vaguely aware of as players. To say Cissohko is a marquee signing is optimistic. But BR has already showed that its attitudes and not names that matter.

Back to the old debate it is then...

A Team of Lucas's or a team of Suarez...

I know which one I'd rather see.

Understood. But we've seen clubs flooded with cash and in turn flooded with the "best" players. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. Personally I'd not take much satisfaction in such an approach. I love the game for its sportsmanship and passion. At the roots of football is still the basic human desire to compete and make sport together. Take away the money and its still just the same, though somewhat corrupted in its ethics.
For that reason, I'd rather 11 poor players playing for the badge than 11 good ones playing for cash.

I'm romantic like that.

When was the last time RM won the CL for example ? Desire and application together with the right attitude are right up there with skill. Look at Kevin Keegan he was never the most skilful but he would have died on the pitch for his team. I'll have 11 of him !!

[devaney]

Time will tell, but so far everything looks rosey. I must confess, in recent years I find it hard to name the entire England squad and most of our signings I was only vaguely aware of as players. To say Cissohko is a marquee signing is optimistic. But BR has already showed that its attitudes and not names that matter.

Back to the old debate it is then...

A Team of Lucas's or a team of Suarez...

I know which one I'd rather see.

Understood. But we've seen clubs flooded with cash and in turn flooded with the "best" players. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. Personally I'd not take much satisfaction in such an approach. I love the game for its sportsmanship and passion. At the roots of football is still the basic human desire to compete and make sport together. Take away the money and its still just the same, though somewhat corrupted in its ethics.
For that reason, I'd rather 11 poor players playing for the badge than 11 good ones playing for cash.

I'm romantic like that.

When was the last time RM won the CL for example ? Desire and application together with the right attitude are right up there with skill. Look at Kevin Keegan he was never the most skilful but he would have died on the pitch for his team. I'll have 11 of him !!

[Stu the Red]

Time will tell, but so far everything looks rosey. I must confess, in recent years I find it hard to name the entire England squad and most of our signings I was only vaguely aware of as players. To say Cissohko is a marquee signing is optimistic. But BR has already showed that its attitudes and not names that matter.

Back to the old debate it is then...

A Team of Lucas's or a team of Suarez...

I know which one I'd rather see.

Understood. But we've seen clubs flooded with cash and in turn flooded with the "best" players. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. Personally I'd not take much satisfaction in such an approach. I love the game for its sportsmanship and passion. At the roots of football is still the basic human desire to compete and make sport together. Take away the money and its still just the same, though somewhat corrupted in its ethics.
For that reason, I'd rather 11 poor players playing for the badge than 11 good ones playing for cash.

I'm romantic like that.

Should join the golf thread...

Look at Barca, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquests, Messi (sort of) all through the youth system and even Pique who left and re joined. Thats what happens when you
put footballers together. Its no good having him to do this job and such and such to do that job.

You need players who can do a bit of everything. Torres at his best for liverpool would defend, take the ball of players, scrap and tackle. He wouldn't just score goals. Great players are good alround. IE If i was a centre half playing against Suarez, I wouldn't mess about with the ball because he'd simply take off me. Where as if it was Sturridge, I'd feel confident taking a touch.

Thats what makes these great players true greats, because they can do everything well and its rare they have weaknesses and if they do have weaknesses, they have strengths that are as good as anything else at that particular skill in world football.

[Stu the Red]

Time will tell, but so far everything looks rosey. I must confess, in recent years I find it hard to name the entire England squad and most of our signings I was only vaguely aware of as players. To say Cissohko is a marquee signing is optimistic. But BR has already showed that its attitudes and not names that matter.

Back to the old debate it is then...

A Team of Lucas's or a team of Suarez...

I know which one I'd rather see.

Understood. But we've seen clubs flooded with cash and in turn flooded with the "best" players. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. Personally I'd not take much satisfaction in such an approach. I love the game for its sportsmanship and passion. At the roots of football is still the basic human desire to compete and make sport together. Take away the money and its still just the same, though somewhat corrupted in its ethics.
For that reason, I'd rather 11 poor players playing for the badge than 11 good ones playing for cash.

I'm romantic like that.

Should join the golf thread...

Look at Barca, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquests, Messi (sort of) all through the youth system and even Pique who left and re joined. Thats what happens when you
put footballers together. Its no good having him to do this job and such and such to do that job.

You need players who can do a bit of everything. Torres at his best for liverpool would defend, take the ball of players, scrap and tackle. He wouldn't just score goals. Great players are good alround. IE If i was a centre half playing against Suarez, I wouldn't mess about with the ball because he'd simply take off me. Where as if it was Sturridge, I'd feel confident taking a touch.

Thats what makes these great players true greats, because they can do everything well and its rare they have weaknesses and if they do have weaknesses, they have strengths that are as good as anything else at that particular skill in world football.

[Stu the Red]

When was the last time RM won the CL for example ? Desire and application together with the right attitude are right up there with skill. Look at Kevin Keegan he was never the most skilful but he would have died on the pitch for his team. I'll have 11 of him !!

When was the last time Liverpool even qualified for it?

[Kenny Kan]

Should join the golf thread...

Look at Barca, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquests, Messi (sort of) all through the youth system and even Pique who left and re joined. Thats what happens when you
put footballers together. Its no good having him to do this job and such and such to do that job.

And there was me thinking Dortmund and Munich played out the CL final last year.

German football is the way forward - the methodology of it anyway.

[RedAnt]

Look at giant killers in cup matches. It's desire, the chance to perform on the big stage that kindles the inner flames that win such matches. Granted, doing such on a more consistent basis is not easy, and just about impossible for teams in the lower leagues.  But there are gems out there, undiscovered, that need only a little polish and the right stage, and the collective of these gems can be much prettier than the big shiny diamond.

[Kenny Kan]

When was the last time RM won the CL for example ? Desire and application together with the right attitude are right up there with skill. Look at Kevin Keegan he was never the most skilful but he would have died on the pitch for his team. I'll have 11 of him !!

2002, we've won it since then. 

[Fowler_E7]

Should join the golf thread...

Look at Barca, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquests, Messi (sort of) all through the youth system and even Pique who left and re joined. Thats what happens when you
put footballers together. Its no good having him to do this job and such and such to do that job.

And there was me thinking Dortmund and Munich played out the CL final last year.

German football is the way forward - the methodology of it anyway.

Both of those teams are filled with excpetional talent, you dont win trophies if you dont have good players, its as simple as that. Attitude and passion is a bonus, but talent is most important

[Redrider]

From all the information coming from within the club and comment in the press. I think that it is fair to say that our player purchasing policy is all about unearthing young and unproven talent, which will occasionally be suplemented with a proven and experienced (more expensive) player as needs arise.
The downside of this policy is that with any mining operation there will inevitably be more waste than nuggets, however the value of the nuggets will eventually far outweigh the value of what is left by the wayside.
Distilling the latest crop, I think it is fair to say that Toure, Mignolet and Sakhot fall into the experienced category as we have had a real need to recruit all their positions and Toure is an absolute no- risk bargain, albeit to cover a short term need.
The rest have been purchased in the realistic hope that one out of the four may make the grade. I leave it to your judgement to make the best guess as to who will succede at this stage.
But one thing is certain, that to be successful at the highest level requires a level of outstanding ability and not just ordinary commitment. There are few who make the transition, Raheem Sterling is discovering that the gulf is difficult to bridge and others like Jonjo Shelvey, Borini and Joe Allen have had their limitations exposed.
We should not be expecting that each and every one of our purchases will become a fixture in the LFC dressing room and neither should we be critical of the club for those who fail to make the grade.

[Stu the Red]

Robben exceptional?

Surely not... he's only been a key player for league winning sides in two or three countries. Played for Madrid, Munich, PSV, Chelsea (when they were good).

No... Munich's team was built on hard work.

Not world beaters like Robben, Neuer, Lahm, Schweinsteiger etc etc

[Kenny Kan]

Robben exceptional?

Surely not... he's only been a key player for league winning sides in two or three countries. Played for Madrid, Munich, PSV, Chelsea (when they were good).

No... Munich's team was built on hard work.

Not world beaters like Robben, Neuer, Lahm, Schweinsteiger etc etc

Their skill is complimented by industry - a typically German trait. That's also how their national side won 3 world cups - not on skill alone as you allude.

Look at all the players Madrid have had since 2002, all that fawning of talent alone wasn't good enough to bring them the European cup. Rafa's Liverpool 2005 was testimony to this. Djimi Traore was no Paolo Maldini.

Sky generation, unless he can do 20 step overs in the blink of an eye, run with the ball on his head and scorpian kick the ball into the net he just isn't going to cut the mustard.

[Stu the Red]

Robben exceptional?

Surely not... he's only been a key player for league winning sides in two or three countries. Played for Madrid, Munich, PSV, Chelsea (when they were good).

No... Munich's team was built on hard work.

Not world beaters like Robben, Neuer, Lahm, Schweinsteiger etc etc

Their skill is complimented by industry - a typically German trait. That's also how their national side won 3 world cups - not on skill alone as you allude.

Look at all the players Madrid have had since 2002, all that fawning of talent alone wasn't good enough to bring them the European cup. Rafa's Liverpool 2005 was testimony to this. Djimi Traore was no Paolo Maldini.

Sky generation, unless he can do 20 step overs in the blink of an eye, run with the ball on his head and scorpian kick the ball into the net he just isn't going to cut the mustard.

So are you telling me Barcelona weren't industrious at there best?

Seriously?

They had a manager who gave them 3 seconds to win a ball back. You don't win leagues with Traore's in your first 11.

Typical of the old Generation, thinking hard work makes up for a lack of skill. You need both in abundance. Not one or the other.