Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

RAUL ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
WHAT ?!
Raul would probably cost 50mill or something.....Aaaaaand since when is Raul second to Dirk Kuyt ?!
no offense but thats the most ridiculous thing i'v ever heard ! Raul is real madrid's captain, spain's captain , and historically is one of the best strikers in european history ! if we could have signed him, im sure we would have done that even if it would have meant swapping Xabi alonso...wouldnt have liked it, but could have happened if they would have offered raul...im sure ! Anelka is a more likely option...wouldnt fancy us signing him tho...he's good and all but we need that extra bit of quality if we are to sign a striker to pair up with bellamy ! Yakubu is good but would probably cost alot, and middlesb. would be reluctant to let go anyways ! Kuyt is looking a good option for now...still.... trezeguet on loan, or even as a buy would make a better piece of business imo !

Stop talking sh*t.

I must say aCe' I have to agree with Lando.

[babu]

I made a bet with a mate of mine january this year. I told him i reckon Traore will still be in the squad for the upcoming season, looks like i may be proved right..... damnit.

[account deleted by request]

could YOU not buy Traore with your winnings Babu ? He would be useful for getting things off high shelves etc 

[Espionage]

I hope the spending is not over because IMO not only do we need another striker but we are light in defensive midfield with Didi going. The only holding defensive midfielder we have is Xabi,who is actually much more than just a defensive midfielder, he combines this role with being a great creative midfielder. Momo is a great all action player who tackles and harries ALL over the pitch. Could he restrict his game and have the required discipline. Bolo is just not up to the job defensively. Gerrard would be wasted having to restrict his attacking game to play there, but would be our best option. Carragher could do a job in a pinch, but do we want to lose him from defence. Hobbs can play there but IMO he is not ready and he IS a defender.So if Xabi gets injured, suspended or needs a rest who do we play instead? Ironically we have much better options now if Gerrard is out than Xabi.
             We need another striker/target man because as we saw today Bellamy cant hold the ball up, hes just not that type of player, and neither is Robbie. Kewell and Luis our other possibles, Rafa has played as attacking midfielders supporting Crouch rather than as a second striker. So unless we change our style away from home and play two strikers Robbie AND Bellamy,we need someone who can hold up the ball allowing us time to switch from defence into attack apart from Crouch.
          I dont believe we need two proven top class players for these positions , maybe just two young players with lots of potential would be enough(easier said than done ), as hopefully they would only be playing a few games as cover for injuries or to give Xabi and Crouch a rest etc.
           The problem is we dont seem to have the funds to buy Kuit, nevermind Kuit and a holding midfielder until we get rid of the "surplus to requirements" players,and Clubs are hardly throwing money our way for them at the moment.
           I think we will finally buy Kuit, and gamble on being able to cover for any loss of Xabi with Gerrard and just hope its not for the big games.

I still dont see how we can cover for sissoko if he's injured or cant play for a long time....xabi and gerrard would play but defensively we'd suffer massively imo. Hamann i dont see why we sold him...he is one who could replace Alonso or Sissoko.. he probably wanted out since rafa said he wont be starting as often...
You said you cant see us playing without Alonso, i think zenden can only come in for alonso (given sissoko is playing) ... For DM cover any young player with potential would do as you said ( hobbs is a no no ) ...
but for that second striker role....we need a top class striker with quality finishing...nothing less ! kuyt is not looking too good as we cant seem to afford him, but we need to figure this one out asap !

Obviously we would be in trouble if anyone got injured but, the real trouble would be if Alonso got injured, as he is our only holding midfielder at the moment.  I have said time and time again, Sissoko is not a defensive midfielder, he is a box-to-bot type player that chases everything. 

On second thoughts even if Alonso got injured (and we still wanted to play a holding midfielder), i guess that we have Carragher (and Hobbs coming through for the future maybe??) who could probably slot into Alsonso's position without too much trouble.  Depending on how Paletta and Agger are coming along of course.

[Bad Bob]

RAUL ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
WHAT ?!
Raul would probably cost 50mill or something.....Aaaaaand since when is Raul second to Dirk Kuyt ?!
no offense but thats the most ridiculous thing i'v ever heard ! Raul is real madrid's captain, spain's captain , and historically is one of the best strikers in european history ! if we could have signed him, im sure we would have done that even if it would have meant swapping Xabi alonso...wouldnt have liked it, but could have happened if they would have offered raul...im sure !

Utter bollox. 

First, you were right to say "historically" because Raul used to be awesome.  Now he's in marked decline.  A mere substitute's role for Spain this World Cup tells you everything you need to know about the direction his career is going.  Feckin'ell, I'd much rather have Trezeguet at the club than Raul, and you already know my reservations about him!

Second, there is no chance in a million years that Rafa would give up Alonso for anyone, let alone for Raul.  Rafa has very carefully constructed his team around Stevie and Xabi and he values both way more than any striker in the world.  Look at how he's built his last two teams--strikers were always the last pieces of the puzzle and they have not been the big name, 20+ goal scorers.  That's why he would seem to prefer Kuyt over Raul--because Kuyt fits the system he's building better and with Rafa, it is all about the system.

Third, and most importantly, if Big Mick has ever uttered a ridiculous word it hasn't been on this forum.  The man knows his football and he doesn't post sh!te.  In this case, he's merely suggesting that Rafa will have considered other options should the Kuyt deal fall through.  With Capello in at Madrid and both Raul and Ronaldo clearly on the wane (not to mention RVN's arrival), there's a chance that one or both could be sold, and for a reasonable price, a la Figo last season.  In such circumstances, Mick's suggesting, Rafa may have the clout to bring Raul--Ronaldo wouldn't come--to Liverpool for his twilight years.  Stranger things have happened although none of us, including Big Mick I'm sure, are holding our breath.

So, in conclusion, listen to Lando lad!

[Bad Bob]

On the issue of defensive midfielders it's time for a Stu the Red moment (without the rage )...

We do not have nor do we require a defensive/holding midfielder.  Let's take a look at our big three:

1) Gerrard...gets forward and defends with equal brilliance and can be expected to do both over the course of 90 minutes

2) Alonso...sits deep, gets stuck in but is so much more than just a "holding midfielder".  He is the creative spark in midfield and thus is crucial to our attacking play

3) Sissoko...our box-to-box ball-winner who can start our moves just as easily as he snuffs out opposition attacks

Now, I don't want to see any of these three out of the side for any significant time this season but, should one get injured, we will cope, no matter who that player is.  People already know how well Xabi and Momo play together so we can cope with a short-term loss of Gerrard.  What I don't get is this notion that we're screwed if Momo or especially Xabi are out.  Don't you people think that Stevie can adjust his game to play with either without unduly hurting his performance?  He is, after all, the best midfielder in the world!

I just don't see a problem with a Xabi-Stevie or Momo-Stevie central midfield.  Since both players in each pairing have the ability to contribute offensively and defensively they both will over the course of a match.  One does not have to sit back the whole match while the other gets forward.  This isn't England and there's no Fat Frank to carry here.  We have multi-talented yet disciplined central midfielders who can play well as a unit.  No need to draft Carragher into a holding role or anything silly like that if Xabi needs to miss a game, IMO.

And, for the record, no one at Liverpool wanted Didi to leave.  It's not like he was binned by Rafa.  Rather, the gaffer did the gentlemanly thing and told a great servant of the club that his playing time would be minimal this season and then gave him the option of seeking first-team football elsewhere--an option Didi went for.  Let's stop all this 'how thick is Rafa for letting Didi go?' nonsense. 

[bigmick]

RAUL ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
WHAT ?!
Raul would probably cost 50mill or something.....
no offense but thats the most ridiculous thing i'v ever heard !

Hmmmm. Well no offense taken of course but my suspicion is that Raul would cost considerably less than 50 million pounds. You may of course be correct in your valuation, in which case may I make the suggestion that we value Traore at 47 million and offer him in part exchange?

[joko]

a striker has now been a big target to land, the money is there. we once planned to buy kuyt, but come pennant, so the money is still remaining. he SHOULD be a striker if this money to fork out.

should no player to come, then i think it doesn't mean that the spending is over, but we just fail again in buying.

[account deleted by request]

On the issue of defensive midfielders it's time for a Stu the Red moment (without the rage )...

We do not have nor do we require a defensive/holding midfielder.  Let's take a look at our big three:

1) Gerrard...gets forward and defends with equal brilliance and can be expected to do both over the course of 90 minutes

2) Alonso...sits deep, gets stuck in but is so much more than just a "holding midfielder".  He is the creative spark in midfield and thus is crucial to our attacking play

3) Sissoko...our box-to-box ball-winner who can start our moves just as easily as he snuffs out opposition attacks

Now, I don't want to see any of these three out of the side for any significant time this season but, should one get injured, we will cope, no matter who that player is.  People already know how well Xabi and Momo play together so we can cope with a short-term loss of Gerrard.  What I don't get is this notion that we're screwed if Momo or especially Xabi are out.  Don't you people think that Stevie can adjust his game to play with either without unduly hurting his performance?  He is, after all, the best midfielder in the world!

I just don't see a problem with a Xabi-Stevie or Momo-Stevie central midfield.  Since both players in each pairing have the ability to contribute offensively and defensively they both will over the course of a match.  One does not have to sit back the whole match while the other gets forward.  This isn't England and there's no Fat Frank to carry here.  We have multi-talented yet disciplined central midfielders who can play well as a unit.  No need to draft Carragher into a holding role or anything silly like that if Xabi needs to miss a game, IMO.

And, for the record, no one at Liverpool wanted Didi to leave.  It's not like he was binned by Rafa.  Rather, the gaffer did the gentlemanly thing and told a great servant of the club that his playing time would be minimal this season and then gave him the option of seeking first-team football elsewhere--an option Didi went for.  Let's stop all this 'how thick is Rafa for letting Didi go?' nonsense. 

I agree with most of your post Badbob as basically its pretty much what I was trying to say. I dont however agree that Gerrard can cover for Xabi's absence without severely compromising his performance and that of Liverpool. Gerrard when he plays central midfield plays the same role as Momo.Differing styles and strengths but essentially the same role.
           Xabi is the one that takes the ball from the back four.Xabi is the one that protects the back four. When Xabi moves forward it is not Momo or Gerrard that covers for him it is Carragher who steps up. If you play Gerrard in that position (which he is more than capable of playing) Either you finish up with Carragher stepping out of defence or Gerrard being restricted by his defensive and distribution duties.
           Momo as we both agree is a box to box midfielder. ( more similar to a young Roy Keane when he played with Ince, than Vierra)He doesnt hold a defensive line he attacks the player and the ball. He doesnt cover positions.Hence Zenden playing D/M yesterday not Momo.
           Gerrard would be the obvious choice as I said in my earlier post but it would definately have an adverse effect on the teams attacking or defensive capabilities. In a nutshell (for anyone who still cares) Gerrard can cover for Momo, Momo can cover for Gerrard, but Momo cant cover for Xabi. Gerrard can cover for Xabi but with the loss of the better part of his game. Gerrard could play right- back but you wouldnt want him to.

[maverick_ charan]

I agree with most of u guys but having offloaded cisse,morientes,hamann,he need cover in central midfield,if siisokko get injured then zenden will have to be played in central midfield and i dont think he has the pressence or tenacity of sissoko,also worryiny with kewell beind injured there is added pressure on gonzalez to adapt fast,let make it clear iam not dissing pennent,i thought (simao or joaquin) would be a better choice but theu would have cost 13 million,So RAfA rightly thought that pennent at half the price and already acclimitiiced would be a better bet,We are 1 striker short ,but the eternal question whats left in the tranfer kitty,i hope it is somwhere in between 7-9 million pounds.Because we have not spent extrvagantly BELLAMY- 6 million PENNENT-6.5,PALETTA-3.2= 15.7 million they should be able to swing striker most pundits think it is either Kuyt or trezeguet but for my two cents i rather it be Ibrahimvich

[NiftyNeil]

I don't think the spendings are over yet.
There is an interview with Fowler in the Echo yesterday, and he says they are expecting another striker.
I just hope we don't leave it too late like last year, and be disappointed on the day the window closes. If this happens though, it won't be the end of the world. We'll have Fowler, Bellamy, Crouch - with FSP as back up, and also the likes of Garcia, Kewell, Gerrard who can play SS in emergencies.

[48-1119859832]

I've a sneaking suspicion we're done spending until January.  Dunno why, really, just a gut feeling.

I thought we had 30mill in the bank to buy David Villa?

[flipmode]

I've a sneaking suspicion we're done spending until January.  Dunno why, really, just a gut feeling.

I thought we had 30mill in the bank to buy David Villa?

Where you here that?

[48-1119859832]

I've a sneaking suspicion we're done spending until January.  Dunno why, really, just a gut feeling.

I thought we had 30mill in the bank to buy David Villa?

Where you here that?

Some poster on the offical Liverpool board.

[48-1119859832]

Let's stop all this 'how thick is Rafa for letting Didi go?' nonsense. 

Well he is thick if Sissoko is out injured who on earth will replace him?