Liverpool FC Forum

by **Benny The Noon** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:08 pm

I know he is

by **Thommo's perm** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:32 pm

teamleader1 wrote:
bavlondon wrote:
Thommo's perm wrote:
bavlondon wrote:Maybe Aiden McGeedy?

7 goals 16 assists last season

That's ok isn't it? I think he is one of those players that could do well under Hodgsen.

Thats a plus about RH
I would trust him to make something out of any rough diamond we picked up, and to bring on the kids who show signs of being good enough.

In Woy we twust

by **Scottbot** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:52 pm

Good to us being linked with Joe Cole at the moment, I'm guessing Spurs are the favourites to land him but I think he'd be a tremendous signing if we could him. He'd be the sort of signing that might just swing the balance with Gerrard (assuming he is considering his future) and Torres as they are no doubt waiting/watching to see if we can strengthen the squad this year.

Was also fantastic to see Torres agent come out and quell the B.S quotes attributed to him in the mail yesterday. Players often leave that sort of thing alone and allow the speculation to grow but hopefully that reflects Torres's commitment to the club for this coming season and beyond.

by **Scottbot** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:11 am

bigmick wrote:I think it's imperative that we sign an absolutely top quality centre half if we are to challenge for honours. I actually think this is even more pressing a need than signing a striker (because i think if we actually play Babel there he might be alright).

Completely agree. Has to be the first spot Hodgson addresses for me. On paper we actually look OK with Carra, Agger, Skrtel and Krygiakos, decent defenders every single on of them but we don't have a good enough partnership. Our 4 centre-backs don't compliment each other, I know we lost the protection that Alonso gave them last season and the play of the fullbacks wasn't brilliant either but not at any stage of the season did a CB look comfortable.

Krygiakos is dominant in the air but he lacks, pace and mobility, that's not such a problem IF you've got a speed merchant (eg. a Gallas) to play alongside him but we don't. Carra is a real sweeper, all about last ditch tackles, reading danger, blocking shots and putting his body on the line but he isn't the quickest and he plays better with a Hyppia type alongside him. Agger is decent in all areas, not a bad header, has reasonable pace and can play an important part in our build-up play but aside from a decent period at the end of 2007-08 where he partnered Carra all the way to the Champions League final i've never really been convinced that him and Carra together are quite good enough. Skrtel is decent but I don't think he will ever approach the levels Carra reached a couple of seasons back and niggling injuries seem to have really stunted his development.

I was gutted to read Hodgson say he wouldn't go back to Fulham for players because Hangeland is an absolute must for me. I'd pay what we need to and slot him straight in as first choice CB and let Agger and Carra compete to play alongside him.

by **rocky29** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 1:57 am

neil wrote:We could get Alessandro Diamanti from West Ham before someone else steals him, the guy is absolute class and now that Zola has gone we could surely secure his services. Theres also that kid Earnshaw from...sorry I mean Carlton Cole, big striker- excellent on the deck that quite possibly is a superstar waiting to happen? we could get both for 9 mill, too much? both these guys are 25 -26 with the best 5 years ahead of them.

careful ihmo. I got absolutely slated for saying diamanti was class. You show me a better player with his technical ability that you could buy for 5million hes better than riera and babbel put together in my opinion.

by **Owzat** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:47 am

Scottbot wrote:
bigmick wrote:I think it's imperative that we sign an absolutely top quality centre half if we are to challenge for honours. I actually think this is even more pressing a need than signing a striker (because i think if we actually play Babel there he might be alright).

Completely agree. Has to be the first spot Hodgson addresses for me. On paper we actually look OK with Carra, Agger, Skrtel and Krygiakos, decent defenders every single on of them but we don't have a good enough partnership. Our 4 centre-backs don't compliment each other

I disagree that it is imperative, decent organisation and a decent pair of full-backs would reduce the sometimes calamitous defending from last season.

Clean Sheets : 08/09 20-17 09/10
Goals Conceded : 08/09 27-35 09/10

So three more clean sheets and eight less goals conceded = 23 more points, I don't think so. Not a massive difference, the bigger problem was goalscoring

Goals Scored : 08/09 77-61 09/10

16 more goals = 23 more points, much more likely equation

09/10

0 goals : P11 W0 D5 L6 F0 A9 (Won 0.00%)
1 goal : P9 W2 D2 L5 F9 A14 (Won 22.22%)
2 goals : P9 W7 D2 L0 F18 A6 (Won 77.78%
3+ goals : P9 W9 D0 L0 F34 A6 (Won 100.00%)

We go all defensive and we may as well swap places with Fulham

08/09

0 goals : P6 W0 D5 L1 F0 A2 (Won 0.00%)
1 goal : P9 W4 D4 L1 F9 A6 (Won 44.44%)
2 goals : P8 W7 D1 L0 F16 A4 (Won 87.50%)
3+ goals : P15 W14 D1 L0 F52 A15 (Won 93.33%)

Funnily enough we failed to score in ELEVEN league games in 09/10 compared to a mere six in 08/09. We also were terrible in Europe and cups until the Euro Disney League started (for us), not in a single CL match did we score more than once - even against Debrecen.

Over half our league games ended with us not scoring more than once, P20 W2 D7 L11 - if that doesn't tell you where the problem lies, nothing will. Any half-decent manager should be able to tighten the ship at the back with Carra, Krgyiakos, Agger and Skrtel, but they'll find it a lot harder to get more goals out of the side.

Was Agger the difference? I am posting these figures not knowing if they will support the theory the side was better with Agger in it

With Agger : P23 W11 D6 L6 F32 A17 PTS 39 (Won 47.3%)
W/O Agger : P15 W7 D3 L5 F29 A18 PTS 24 (Won 46.67%)

So fairly inconclusive in terms of results, but 0.739 goals per game against with him in the side compared to 1.200 goals per game against without - that rate with him in the side is about 28 goals per 38 game season, only one more than conceded in 08/09. What it does suggest is defence isn't the problem, scoring is, since we conceded less goals with Agger in the side but it didn't equate to more wins

That isn't to say we shouldn't go for someone like Hangeland if he is available at a decent price, but I'd be reluctant to splash the kind of cash would be needed to bring in a better CB than we have at our disposal when a new defensive system would do that better, and a decent FB or two at £2m-£4m might resolve a number of the defensive issues.

In my view the signing of Johnson was a big mistake, a lot of money wasted on one player when the £2.6m player he replaced did a better job defensively and what Johnson added going forward didn't amount to much in the goals column. I'd be surprised if anyone else paid more than £10m for him, so we're screwed on that deal, no better an indication than everyone talking him up into a winger when he's no more a winger than Riise was. Just because he was so poor defensively and better going forward, doesn't make him a winger :no

A poor full-back definitely, a maybe adequate winger, perhaps, but any more a winger than Kuyt, :no

I could claim it is another effort to displace Kuyt from the side, not on your part, but on the part of the Kuyt bashers and by some who really really want Johnson to be accepted (and maybe as worth £17.5m which he'll never be)

by **stmichael** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:00 am

Scottbot wrote:Our 4 centre-backs don't compliment each other, I know we lost the protection that Alonso gave them last season and the play of the fullbacks wasn't brilliant either but not at any stage of the season did a CB look comfortable.

Like you say that has a lot to do with the fullbacks. Both Insua and Johnson do most of their best work in the opponents half of the field. Thta for me was the main reason that Carragher had an absolute nightmare at the start of the season. He was dragged out of position trying to cover the space left by the fullbacks half the time. It's also an amazing stat that what most fans would have considered our best back 4 (johnson, carra, agger, aurelio) only started ONCE together in the whole season in the League (Arsenal at home).

It's a real shame that Sami wanted to leave (even though I can fully understand it). He could still have done a more than adequate job at this level imo.

by **Redman in wales** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:05 am

agree mick - he still played something like 32 of the 38 league matches in the german league last season - he's still got it (though not for long)

by **Redman in wales** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:22 am

parchpea wrote:There are no English players at the top level worth the money so best bet may to be recruit younger lads and give them a shot rather tha waste our budget on over priced, ordinary footballers with English qualification. We have already started with the kid from Charlton so lets give him a place to make the numbers up along with one or two young lads from the ressies or something. Feck paying top coin for Ashley Young or frikking Milner types they are shat.Least God was smiling upon us when Rafa tried to drag that carthorse Barry our way or that would have been another £20m down the pan, sweet jesus have you seen that lad trying to run

But isn't that the point that you dont have to spend mega bucks on an Ashley Young or a James Milner. Martin O'Neill paid £9m for Young and £12m for Milner. And they both went straight into the first team. That's what we need to be looking for.

Similar to the Adam Johnson deal. His value will triple over the next few years. Hopefully this Shelvey dude will do the business in the same respect.

But they are the type of british players we need to be looking at. Tomkins & Sears (West Ham), Muamba (Bolton) - could all prove to be diamonds in the rough. Even Cattermole (who cost the same amount as Lucas) would, imo, do a job as good as Lucas - and is younger than Lucas. So they are out there...

by **Ben Patrick** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:50 am

I think we should be looking at Nzogbia for lb myself.
Very good player although not sure what he would cost.

by **tubby** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:08 pm

Hodgson tells Babel and co. it’s time to shine

New Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has given hope to Liverpool’s benchwarmers, saying that everyone in the squad will have a chance to impress and secure a first team place this coming season.

The new Premier League campaign doesn’t begin for over a month, but the Reds’ busy pre-season campaign gets underway shortly and Hodgson has confirmed he is open to fringe players getting a look-in.

He said, “Whenever a new manager comes in, players who have been on the periphery start to see it and maybe think, ‘This could be my chance, I’ll have a go.’

“You’d be foolish as a manager not to give them that chance.”

from TIA

by **crazyhorse** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:10 pm

Ben Patrick wrote:I think we should be looking at Nzogbia for lb myself.
Very good player although not sure what he would cost.

I have always liked him... but is really a left back? i always saw him as a winger, or midfield player. Dont know what he is like defensively.

by **Ben Patrick** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:13 pm

crazyhorse wrote:
Ben Patrick wrote:I think we should be looking at Nzogbia for lb myself.
Very good player although not sure what he would cost.

I have always liked him... but is really a left back? i always saw him as a winger, or midfield player. Dont know what he is like defensively.

Yeah i see what your saying, but him and Johnson as full backs could be dynamite going forwards.
It would just mean Carra and co would be alot more vulnerable on counter attacks.

by **Redman in wales** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:15 pm

Nzogbia isn't a bad shout, though I've never seen him play LB, only LW. Again raising the question of our right/left backs being great going forward, but not great at defending.

Boltons Cahill might cost a bit, but he would be worth a punt if by some miracle we did find some ££ down the back of the sofa. He's english, only 24 and will prob be a mainstay in the euro 2012 squad alongside dawson once carra/king/upson are all left out/retired again. Though we'd prob need double figures to prize him away from bolton

by **Redman in wales** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:19 pm

Ben Patrick wrote:
crazyhorse wrote:
Ben Patrick wrote:I think we should be looking at Nzogbia for lb myself.
Very good player although not sure what he would cost.

I have always liked him... but is really a left back? i always saw him as a winger, or midfield player. Dont know what he is like defensively.

Yeah i see what your saying, but him and Johnson as full backs could be dynamite going forwards.
It would just mean Carra and co would be alot more vulnerable on counter attacks.

i think with him and johnson in the same team, you may even have to look at that terrible formation of 3 centre backs, with 2 wingbacks... (just for example, with the current squad:)

Reina

Carra Skrtel Agger

Johnson N'Zogbia
Masherano

Kuyt Gerrard Babel

Torres

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