Liverpool FC Forum

[roberto green]

This is how it will go, he will get 1 or 2 start this season, next season he will be loaned out, after that Rafa just sees no point in keeping him and then sells him.

What's next weeks lottery numbers?

[metalhead]

This is how it will go, he will get 1 or 2 start this season, next season he will be loaned out, after that Rafa just sees no point in keeping him and then sells him.

What's next weeks lottery numbers?

12,10,4,6,9,7

[roberto green]

This is how it will go, he will get 1 or 2 start this season, next season he will be loaned out, after that Rafa just sees no point in keeping him and then sells him.

What's next weeks lottery numbers?

12,10,4,6,9,7

[GYBS]

Poor GYBS posted this three days ago and everyone ignored it

[GYBS]

its nice to see the lad panned already thou - maybe if he was english people would give him a bit of a break - the thing that stands out for me about him is the fact wenger wanted him - so surely must have some talent and ability .

[JoeTerp]

By the way this mavinga lad is 170 cm rather short for a center back, and if were going to sign someone from psg , i would have hoped it would be mamadou sakho , he's a big lad and very highly rated all around the world , this would have been a good chance to snap him from psg as a replacement for hypia , he's only 19 as well and can play left back

reminds me of the Pacheco signing.

We signed a teenage sensation striker from Barca,  Was it Bojan?  No, his name is Pacheco.

We signed a teenage fullback from PSG, was it Sakho? No, It was Mavinga.


When the rumors first started other newspapers called him a centre half that can play at fullback, but in the official sites press release it says he is a fullback who can play CB, surely his lack of height will take away from his versatility at higher levels.  Still find it strange as we have Insua who has done well and Butchmann who was named by UEFA as one of the best 17 year olds at any position in all of Europe.  And we have two other senior LBs

[roberto green]

its nice to see the lad panned already thou - maybe if he was english people would give him a bit of a break - the thing that stands out for me about him is the fact wenger wanted him - so surely must have some talent and ability .

yeah but wasn't Wenger also interested in Babbel before we signed him?

[bigmick]

Best leave it at that, the last thing I want to be is a usual supect displaying lunatic tendencies.

Where have you got that impression from?

Dunno I probably imagined it again 

[red37]

Best leave it at that, the last thing I want to be is a usual supect displaying lunatic tendencies.

Where have you got that impression from?

Dunno I probably imagined it again 

Oh ok then....as long as nobody on here has cast any unwarranted aspersions in your direction. Just checkin' 

[bigmick]

Yep, no need to "panic" red, all is good.

[LFC2007]

He is considered to be one of the top talents in france.

Here's hoping it wasn't the same scout that spotted Ngog, another of France's 'top talents' 

I suspect it probably is, but who knows... Football's a bit hit 'n' miss like that. I bet the guy that spotted Zidane also spotted a few of these other 'top talents'.

[bigmick]

Don't rate N'Gog mate? Me neither, although every time he is asked Rafa is veryt complimentary about the young striker. I thought in the game where he played up top on his own (was it Pompey away, can't remember) he looked a mile away from being good enough. He didn't move into the right spacves at the right times and I couldn't really make out what kind of striker he is trying to be. He's not especially pacey from what he's shown so far, isn't really a target man and doesn't take up predatory positions naturally enough to suggest that he's going to score lots of goals. he doesn't really drop in and link it up, and when he attempted that curious little back heel step over thing on the half way line he really got  my attention.

Course he's only a kid and they can develop out of all recognition, few who saw Teddy Sheringham as part of the battering ram duo for Millwall alongside Tony Cascarino would have picked him developing into the "thinking mans striker" which he became. There are numerous other examples, so N'Gog really could be anything given time. My money though would be on my intitial assessment, and it says it all really when you consider that if we don't sign anyone, I'm strongly advocating giving Babel a go as first replacement striker. I never thought I'd become a Babelian, but even though I'm not quite there yet in a fully fledged sense I can feel it taking me over. I'll be getting an i-pod and listening to rap music next.

[LFC2007]

It's hardly a surprise considering he's been bequeathed part of the 'Boumsong genome'.

You do wonder where the evidence of a good player in him lies. It could have been the U21 vid's which can be quite convincing, he was highly rated in France at youth level if I recall rightly (and, btw, if you'd seen Babel in the '07 U21 Euro's you'll have seen he looked a bit of prospect).

[LiverpoolMadman]

usually the french are not really known for their defenders... not too impressed...

He may be the next Laurent Blanc..doubtful  lol...but best wait and see before we are impressed or not!

He may turn out great or maybe we wont here of him again much!

Maybe Rafa should buy Mamadou Sakho ...

[Cool Hand Luke]

Obviously my gripe should I have one is that we could just as easily signed some bloke from Tranmere, but as I can't actually think of any right now, I'll keep an open mind.

Since Rafa has been here we have signed plenty of British players, including several youngsters from the lower leagues including Carson, Hobbs, Anderson and Martin. We have also seen our academy aggressively recruit the likes of David Amoo from lower league teams and also from aboard. If there was “some bloke from Tranmere” that was worth brining in and it was actually feasible to do a deal I’m sure we would.

British players that Rafa has signed:

Scott Carson from Leeds United for £750,000
Peter Crouch from Southampton for £7,000,000
Jack Hobbs from Lincoln City for £150,000
Paul Anderson from Hull City in exchange for John Welsh
David Martin from MK Dons for £250,000
Robbie Fowler from Man City on a Free
Craig Bellamy from Blackburn for £6,000,000
Jermaine Pennant from Birmingham for £6,700,000
Robbie Keane from Tottenham for £19,000,000
Glen Johnson from Portsmouth for £17,500,000

The gripe should be around the fact that none of these young players bought into the academy and reserves are actually taking the step up. Not a single player, from what I would consider the current first team squad, has come through the academy/reserves since Rafa has been here. People can keep pointing the finger at the academy but there is nothing stopping Rafa from promoting players to Melwood and taking them under his wing.