Liverpool FC Forum

[SouthCoastShankly]

The one good thing about the setup NESV have imposed is that Hodgson has little influence with transfers. Even if he does see out the transfer window his opinion and influence over transfers will be minimal.

Our positional weaknesses and depth of squad issues means any good transfer will improve us regardless of the tactics the current manager is employing. Both the use of statistical methods to recruit talent (moneyball) and the position of the director of football (Comolli) means our possible targets and signings are long term and should not specific to Hodgson.

[red till i die!!]

4 decent signings in jan and we will be a totally different side.
striker.
2 wingers.
centre half.
we wouldnt miss babel,poulsen and jovanovich and could get much better replacements who could contribute to the rest of the season.
being realistic i reckon we'll probably only make two signings max this window:(

[bunglemark2]

The one good thing about the setup NESV have imposed is that Hodgson has little influence with transfers. Even if he does see out the transfer window his opinion and influence over transfers will be minimal.

Our positional weaknesses and depth of squad issues means any good transfer will improve us regardless of the tactics the current manager is employing. Both the use of statistical methods to recruit talent (moneyball) and the position of the director of football (Comolli) means our possible targets and signings are long term and should not specific to Hodgson.

If it means RH is NEVER allowed to sign another donkey like Konchesky/Poulsen, then long may the boardroom interference continue....

[shabelle50]

It doesn't matter who comes in if Hodgson is going to persist with scandanavian style tactics with everyone so deep and hoof football so that "we can match my achievements at Fulham where we trouble the opposition about twice in a match".

[crazyhorse]

There are a lot of posts here going on about needing several different players in a variety of positions.

For me the key to improving is to concentrate on quality, as opposed to quantity which has been where we have fallen down over the last 7 years or so. I have said this many times, but we have spent 20 million on four or five squad players when we would have been further forward spending the same sum on one outstanding player.

You build a squad of quality over a number of seasons, not one transfer window. I would be very pleased to see one good player coming in, and maybe two if we do unload some dead wood.

As it stands the squad lacks I think a central defender, left back, wide players and a striker. Now you can say we have ample cover in every position apart from one which is up front, this is not to say that the players we have are up to the required standard but it is up top that we have a real shortage. Ngog is not good enough to play up with Torres for 38 games a season and is not a consistant enough goalscorer.. for me he is is turning out to be another Pongolle -good but not good enough.

So first priority HAS to be a centre forward. And I mean a proper centre forward. Someone who will play up front with Torres and hold the ball up, letting Stevie run past. Someone that can score 10 headed goals a year and bring other players into the game. Such a player would have to good with his feet as well of course, and with the new regulations preferably English. Candidates that spring to mind are:

Carlton Cole - Seems to be Heskey in disguise. On his day unplayable, but he does not have anywhere near enough of these days. Best signing we never made last summer.

Bobby Zamora - Last season was immense, and has been unlucky with a broken leg. He is at the peak in terms of age but possibly not what we are looking for.

Peter Crouch - Been here before. We know what he can do. For me his sale was one of the things that marked the beginning of the end for Rafa. I dont think he would come back.

Roman Pavilcenko (spl) - Looks good when his confidence is up, but seems to be too much in need of a cuddle and a hug for me. I would not touch him.

Andy Carroll - Having a great season. Had a fantastic year in the Championship last year. Is doing well in a struggling team. This guy is at the beginning of his career, has a bit of pace, good ball control and has power and can head it. I think he is tailor made for us. Remembering the days of old when we took young players and turned them into legends  -  Keegan, Rush, Owen, Fowler... ect ect.. This guy is a rough diamond all right but he is well worth a punt. I would pay 15 million for him no sweat, maybe more in a swap deal for someone like Babel. he would fit into our setup very well, and I like the thought of him getting on the end of Stevies vision and crossing....

Failing this there are others out there.... Aderbayor (spl) is likely to leave City but I doubt they would sell to us, same with Santa Cruz.. There is also Benzema who appears to be struggling to get a game at Madrid as well... All are options.

[TarnRed]

There are a lot of posts here going on about needing several different players in a variety of positions.

For me the key to improving is to concentrate on quality, as opposed to quantity which has been where we have fallen down over the last 7 years or so. I have said this many times, but we have spent 20 million on four or five squad players when we would have been further forward spending the same sum on one outstanding player.

You build a squad of quality over a number of seasons, not one transfer window. I would be very pleased to see one good player coming in, and maybe two if we do unload some dead wood.

As it stands the squad lacks I think a central defender, left back, wide players and a striker. Now you can say we have ample cover in every position apart from one which is up front, this is not to say that the players we have are up to the required standard but it is up top that we have a real shortage. Ngog is not good enough to play up with Torres for 38 games a season and is not a consistant enough goalscorer.. for me he is is turning out to be another Pongolle -good but not good enough.

So first priority HAS to be a centre forward. And I mean a proper centre forward. Someone who will play up front with Torres and hold the ball up, letting Stevie run past. Someone that can score 10 headed goals a year and bring other players into the game. Such a player would have to good with his feet as well of course, and with the new regulations preferably English. Candidates that spring to mind are:

Carlton Cole - Seems to be Heskey in disguise. On his day unplayable, but he does not have anywhere near enough of these days. Best signing we never made last summer.

Bobby Zamora - Last season was immense, and has been unlucky with a broken leg. He is at the peak in terms of age but possibly not what we are looking for.

Peter Crouch - Been here before. We know what he can do. For me his sale was one of the things that marked the beginning of the end for Rafa. I dont think he would come back.

Roman Pavilcenko (spl) - Looks good when his confidence is up, but seems to be too much in need of a cuddle and a hug for me. I would not touch him.

Andy Carroll - Having a great season. Had a fantastic year in the Championship last year. Is doing well in a struggling team. This guy is at the beginning of his career, has a bit of pace, good ball control and has power and can head it. I think he is tailor made for us. Remembering the days of old when we took young players and turned them into legends  -  Keegan, Rush, Owen, Fowler... ect ect.. This guy is a rough diamond all right but he is well worth a punt. I would pay 15 million for him no sweat, maybe more in a swap deal for someone like Babel. he would fit into our setup very well, and I like the thought of him getting on the end of Stevies vision and crossing....

Failing this there are others out there.... Aderbayor (spl) is likely to leave City but I doubt they would sell to us, same with Santa Cruz.. There is also Benzema who appears to be struggling to get a game at Madrid as well... All are options.

Good post mate. Like Andy Carroll myself powerful forward, equally as good on the floor and a monster in the air, he is on his day an handful and much much more.

Think we can tick Benzema off the list. Higuain has been ruled out for the rest of the season and other than Benzema they don't have another striker as backup.

[neil]

Adeybayor should be the main focus of attention over the next couple of weeks (though probably wont be) he could well come in and have an immediate impact. I imagine he feels he has a point to prove wherever he goes and we really should be looking to take advantage of that. We could easily expect 12-15 goals from him by the end of the season. Adam johnson is another top player that would enhance our first XI and looks to be coming on the market. He is young english and would blossom given a regular starting place in a quality side. We do need a left back and N'Zogbia looks a class act and appears to be within reach. I'm not sure we require an additional CB, I'm Aggers biggest fan and I'm happy for him to partner Carragher for the rest of the season at least with a couple of decent guys on the bench(greek & skrtel). So if we could get the 3 guys mentioned I'm sure we could even tickle with the 4th spot near the end of the season.

[crazyhorse]

Adeybayor should be the main focus of attention over the next couple of weeks (though probably wont be) he could well come in and have an immediate impact. I imagine he feels he has a point to prove wherever he goes and we really should be looking to take advantage of that. We could easily expect 12-15 goals from him by the end of the season. Adam johnson is another top player that would enhance our first XI and looks to be coming on the market. He is young english and would blossom given a regular starting place in a quality side. We do need a left back and N'Zogbia looks a class act and appears to be within reach. I'm not sure we require an additional CB, I'm Aggers biggest fan and I'm happy for him to partner Carragher for the rest of the season at least with a couple of decent guys on the bench(greek & skrtel). So if we could get the 3 guys mentioned I'm sure we could even tickle with the 4th spot near the end of the season.

Out of these I can only see N Zogbia as a realistic option. City will not sell Adeybayor to us for even stupid money, and Johnson for the same reason. They will not sell to rivals.

[neil]

I dont believe City are too concerned with LFC right now tbh, I've also heard that Johnson would insist on a move to us if we came in with a realistic offer. I can only hope and no-one knows for sure if theyre rediculous ideas just yet.

[crazyhorse]

City have so much money they can afford to leave a player rotting in the ressies.. If they dont want to sell to another team in the PL (like Bellamy) they wont... simples.

[neil]

They gave Bellamy the move he wanted. If they stop players of adaboyars stature in the prime of his career moving on if he can't get into the team, well that would become a bargaining chip in the hands of city's rivals for sought after world class stars. That's my opinion.

[crazyhorse]

Its a good one mate and you may well be right, but Bellamy would not have gone to Cardiff given the choice. It was widely touted that City would not let him go a decent PL outfit and they ended up paying some of his wages to allow him to go to Cardiff. The bumf about him going home was a face saving exercise in my opinion. With the form bellamy was in last season a few Pl clubs were sniffing around but City would not allow him to go to any of them, i seem to remember Spurs were sniffing around. Its a question of if City can afford to keep players on the wage bill until they can be moved abroad.. and they can.

[red till i die!!]

i just wish we'd sign someone quick:( .
hate all this waiting and it will drag on till the end of the month.
too long a window imo and it should be reduced to just 1 week as nothing usually happens till the last one anyway.

[eds]

From all the rumours going on I would be over the moon if we got Adebayor on loan for the rest of the season or brought in Suarez to beef up our frontline and got a quality winger who can play or either flank, I think N'Zogbia or Young could do the job for us.

[Waldo]

Tiote (Newcastle), Young (Villa) and N'Zogbia (Wigan) and it will have been a good January window for us.