Liverpool FC Forum

[bunglemark2]

Olympiakos? Hardly likely to be that good...
A probable waste of money, in my humble opinion.
I want a quality midfielder or two. Not a squad striker, we already have one of those on loan at Sunderland.

[JC_81]

Haven't heard us being linked with him, but I'd be taking a serious look at Ryan Gauld, a young attacking midfielder with Dundee United.  Only 17 I think, but looks a cut above in that league already.

I do think we need a couple of players for the now though in January.  Even one quality central midfielder would do me.  I'm not sure Cabaye who's been linked, would give us the athleticism we need in there even though he's a good player.  Don't think Will Hughes is ready to be a regular for us either.  I see Matic being linked but have to be honest I've not really seen him play.

[kazza]

I think we'll be surprised by the spending in the Jan window. The bit that gets missed in the discussions on here is that people really didn't believe that we'd be anywhere near CL come the end of this season (some still don't) and one of the major challenges the club has is changing it's image in the eyes of the footballing world. Personally I think we've been doing that quietly the last couple of seasons after the drama of G&H, Rafa, Kenny, Carroll, Suarez etc etc. Irrespective of whether other teams are warming up now and might overtake us, there's no denying that we've done well the last 10 games and have exceeded a lot of expectations and we're a least in discussions around potential winners now, as opposed to the season being more or less over for us at this point This has to play a part in the way potential players view us as an option. We've got a world cup coming up and people will be looking for game time, so it's not out of the realms of possibility that we might pull someone in who's looking to sway a manager and is looking for game time. This is something we'll definitely offer over other teams.

The next 10 games will be important. I'll be surprise if we take a significant step backwards and expect (hope) to be there or thereabouts and think it could be quite interesting for us.

Regarding BR and his signings, you never know as a recruiter how someone is going to fit in until they're on board and you're living the life with them. I think you take gambles along the way and the ones that work stick and those that don't move on. A lot of people wanted Henderson gone at the end of last season, but you have to give the boss credit for holding onto him. Is he world class? No. But he's a key player for us at the moment.

I think he's been caught unawares by Stevie and Lucas. I think he was expecting them to cope better than they are and he's on a hiding to nothing regardless of how he handles Stevie. If he plays him, he's losing games, if he drops him he'll be slaughtered by the faithful. I think that is why you only ever hear him talking overly positive about him, he's playing the game. He needs the Kop to realise that his legs have gone and we need to move forward by getting new people in. I think we'll see the midfield addressed in the Jan window and I think you'll see Stevie playing more of an impact role rather than a starting role going forward.

As for the questions about the changes made, honestly I think he got the dissenters out. Pepe being a case in point or Torres for Kenny...you need as a manager to have people who want to be there else the team is disrupted. Often when moving a senior person out, that leaves space for others to fill and a different unity to develop. I think that's what we've seen this season to be honest. It's closer to a team/squad than I think we've seen in a long while and it bodes well if we can keep that rolling. We can only go on the position where we are today and if we'd forecast this position back at the beginning of BR's tenure, I don't think many would have believed it. It could be luck, or it could actually be the start of something.

Good post

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

good to hear rodgers saying our squad is big enough now and we need to bring in proven quality in january and next summer.
good to hear him say in the pre match press conference too that midfield was an area he`s looking to strengthen.
he`s doing an excellent job imo.

[eds]

To raise funds I would sell Allen, Aspas as quickly as possible as they bring NOTHING to this club. Might get a few million for each but if it gets us a quality signing in January, pull the trigger Rodgers and pull it quick.

Don't disagree with that Ed's, but would the manager ? He'd effectively be admitting that he'd spunked £15 million on Allen, who he'd worked with at Swansea and is not without skill but who even when fit struggles to get into the side, and an additional £7 million + on Aspas who has made just six first team appearances.

The squad did need some depth which is probably how Rodgers would justify their respective purchases. 

I think he'll hang onto them, for the time being at least.

Not sure if he would Woof but in my eyes he would validate himself as a top, top manager if he did.

The love-in that Rafa use to have on these boards was always over-shadowed by the fact that he kept his deadwood signings for far too long. In the end it was his eventual un-doing.

At this level signings are always going to be hit and miss, you will never get 100% duds or 100% quality in a transfer window. But unlike Benitez, Rodgers has shown early signs of ruthlessness.

22m on 2 average players is very tough to justify but hopefully Rodgers is man enough to accept that these two in particular need to give way if we are to improve our first XI.

[JC_81]

I think the accusation of Rafa keeping deadwood signings too long is inaccurate.

In his early days he was ruthless in moving on his own signings - Nunez, Josemi, Kromkamp, Gonzalez, Zenden etc.  Later on it became more difficult for him (Although he still took a hit on Keane) because he knew if he sold players he wouldn't get the money back to replace them.  I think that's why the likes of Babel and Ngog lasted longer than they should've.

In Rodgers' case, getting rid of Sahin after half a season showed he can be ruthless, likewise letting Borini go on loan after one injury-hit season.  I think actively going out and replacing Reina when he was flirting with Barce was strong management too.  The guy isn't stupid, he'll know Aspas was a mistake.  But the likes of Allen and Alberto are young and with potential so I'll be surprised if he sacrifices either to raise funds - I don't think he can be criticised for holding onto them and trying to develop them, but the fees paid for them if they don't do the business can be questioned.

[maypaxvobiscum]

Alan Dzagoev...stop messing around already!! That guy would improve our midfield immensely.

[metalhead]

Alan Dzagoev...stop messing around already!! That guy would improve our midfield immensely.

Maypax!!!!

[red till i die!!]

dzagoev would be a good shout but i doubt rodgers is looking at top prospects like him.
15 players he has brought in and 2 have turned out to be exceptional with another 3 being decent. the rest have been a waste of money or will never graduate to first team.
so far we have been strongly linked with hughes and dembele but imo neither of those will aid our cause for 4th this year.  for me its a case of signing players who can make a difference now and not in 3-4 years time because i can honestly put hand on heart and say that most of what he has bought now will be still average then.
even though most (inc me) would have predicted a 6th place finish this year, does anyone else think the bar has been raised now due to the excellent position we find ourselves in ? not implying we will win the league or anything but after that start, top 4 is achievable.

[maypaxvobiscum]

Definitely won't be a defender. We have too many defenders who can play in a variety of positions.

RB - Johnson, Toure, Kelly, Flanagan
LB - Enrique, Aly, Johnson, Sakho, Robinson
DC - Skrtel, Agger, Sakho, Toure, Coates, Illori

It's the attack that concerns me because, as we saw in the Arsenal game, if Suarez and Sturridge aren't performing, we have no goal threat at all.
We have scored a total of 25  goals this season so far and 18 of them were from the pair.
The remaining goals were from Gerrard(2), Moses, Henderson, Sterling, Skrtel - 1 each. And an own goal.
Hence, I feel we need a goal threat.

But the problem with buying a new player or two right now is that it leaves question marks over the places of Aspas, Yesil and Morgan.
Yesil is the one that should be given more playing time especially when the game is already killed.
Aspas on the other hand, as we have seen, only threatens the referee. He should be sold asap.
Morgan is probably not gonna make it and reminds me a lot of Neil Mellor in that sense.
In addition to the above, we have Teixeira and Borini on loan.

It'll surely be nice buying a top player to help the attack, but it has to be someone who improves the first team, rather than hinder the progress of the other top prospects.
I reckon, the player that we should be looking at is  Edin Dzeko, or Chicarito. I highly doubt the latter would happen but worth giving it a try.

They may be rejects or second choices in the other teams but the fact remains that their rejects are in most instances, as we have seen with Coutinho, Sturridge and Moses, upgrades for us. That's how much average  players we have in the attacking third and it's important to sell players like Assaidi and Aspas who are in the way of other talents.

As for the midfield, we screwed it up big time by not purchasing Eriksen for such a small fee when the chance was given.
If it's not Dzagoev , I would really want to see Suso come back and stake a place in the first team. OR Wesley Snjeider.

[bunglemark2]

I think Cissokho should be shipped OUT in the transfer window!

[eds]

Dortmund have confirmed that Marco Reus has a buyout clause on his contract.

If I were Mr Henry and Mr Werner I would jump on the very next plane to Germany with a cheque in hand for $30m pounds.   

[maguskwt]

Dortmund have confirmed that Marco Reus has a buyout clause on his contract.

If I were Mr Henry and Mr Werner I would jump on the very next plane to Germany with a cheque in hand for $30m pounds.   :nod

How do you know the buy out clause is 30 mil?

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

we need central midfielders imo

[woof woof !]

Dortmund have confirmed that Marco Reus has a buyout clause on his contract.

If I were Mr Henry and Mr Werner I would jump on the very next plane to Germany with a cheque in hand for $30m pounds.   :nod

How do you know the buy out clause is 30 mil?

It's been talked about for some time now. Mentioned by many sources, although there has been some debate over when the buyout clause can kick in and final figure.

Express on line
Reus, meanwhile, is also being monitored by Arsenal according to reports and had been linked with a January move to the Emirates.

Wenger is thought to have £30m left in his transfer kitty even after splashing over £42m on Mesut Ozil as the transfer window drew to a close.

And while that may be enough to tempt Dortmund to part with Reus, it is thought his buyout clause is closer to £34m.