Liverpool FC Forum

by **andy_g** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:36 am

In and Out wrote:If he is a 'mercenary' he's a professional mercenary, he had another good game in a red shirt yesterday.

this is what i've said before. whatever club's shirt he happens to pull on for a game of football, he will give absolutely everything to try and help that club win that game of football. if he stays this season, despite his obvious desire to relocate, i would expect nothing less than 100% from him every game.

by **devaney** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:49 am

Benny The Noon wrote:
Waldo wrote:Mascherano was awesome yesterday. He was all over the place and was MOTM IMO.

I think it's inevitabe that he will go during this transfer window and I will be sad to see him leave. If Roy can somehow manage to keep him beyond the window then our chances of doing well are greatly enhanced. If he was to stay for the season then, given he will have 1 year left on his current deal, he will become less valuable but if he was to play a part in us securing a top 4 spot then I would take that and trade in the difference between selling him now and in 12 months time.

Those who have questioned the signing of Poulson are off their trolley. For years we fans have bemoaned the fact that we lack any strength in depth. Already we are going to see the need for cover in MF as Joe Cole is suspended. Assuming Mascherano is still here I expect him to be joined in CM by either Poulson or Lucas with Gerrard playing a more advanced role off a lone striker.

Over the course of the season we will need 2-3 players for each position; something we have not had before. The spine of the team is where this is most important IMO. Poulson is a sensible signing. Time will tell as to how big a part he has to play with a lot hinging on what happens with Mascherano.

I absolutely get the point that another striker is required and I am sure that Roy knows this and will be doing the necessary to bring another striker in.

It is good having strength in depth but we needed it in more crucial areas than CM - we had more than enough cover there yet we are still playing a CB at LB and we still have no quality cover up front - both areas we are far far far far weaker at this moment than CM.

7 players for two positions is over the top .

I never thought I'd say this but for all the mistakes Ngog makes he is improving. Ngog would not have had the confidence to attempt the shot that resulted in a brilliant goal twelve months ago! Whilst he cannot be compared with an on form fit Nando he can certainly do a job when needed. He is getting himself in much better positions. I know he was caught offside several times but I actually see that as a positive. They were marginal decisions and he was very unlucky with one of them which would have left him one to one with their goalkeeper. Ok he might not of scored but the more chances he has the better he is going to get. A lot of us including myself had written Lucas off but he is also improving and only time is going tell.

Yes we need additional strikers but perhaps the situation is not quite as dire as some people seem to think.

by **RED BEERGOGGLES** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:34 am

BBC Sport ......
Javier Mascherano was left fretting over a proposed £25million move to Inter Milan last night after Rafa Benitez finally began his recruitment drive by snapping up Genoa midfielder Giuseppe Sculli.

Unsettled midfielder Mascherano was pinning his hopes on Inter finally making a bid for him, once funds were in place from Mario Balotelli's transfer to Manchester City.

But former Liverpool boss Benitez made Sculli his priority, instead, tieing up a £5million deal that casts doubt over whether he will follow up his interest in Mascherano.

I don't know whether this rules Inter out of the running ...but its getting interesting

by **centarec** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:42 am

So i thank this year there is a posibility of singing WE HAVE THE BEST MIDFIELD IN THE WORLD again .. Am absolutely happy that Masch is staying .. Number 19 , here we come , finnally ( i hope )

by **roberto green** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 5:47 am

If he doesn't go he will get use to the idea again, I don't think he actually minds staying here and at least he can tell the missus that he has done everything he can to engineer the move

by **skatesy** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:30 am

roberto green wrote:If he doesn't go he will get use to the idea again, I don't think he actually minds staying here and at least he can tell the missus that he has done everything he can to engineer the move

At least, then, he will not have to be sleeping on the couch anymore.

by **dawson99** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:19 am

Another one? Clancy's never gonna forgive him

by **matt_liverpool** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:20 am

IMO only a miracle can keep him here now that Inter have the money from Mario's sell. We all know Rafa and his love for solid defensive players.

by **RED BEERGOGGLES** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:42 pm

Todays Liverpool Echo ... Early edition

LIVERPOOL will include Javier Mascherano in their squad to face Trabzonspor on Thursday provided he recovers from the injury he sustained against Arsenal.

Though Mascherano has made no secret of his desire to leave Anfield, the Reds – who will today tie up the formalities of a deal to sign Middlesbrough keeper Brad Jones – are determined to hang on to the captain of Argentina. Mascherano was outstanding in the 1-1 draw with the Gunners on Sunday but tweaked a muscle in his leg that forced him off during the latter stages.

However, the problem is understood not to be too serious and should he respond to further treatment in the next 48 hours, Mascherano will be involved in the first leg of the Europa League play-off tie with the Turkish side.

It is the clearest indication yet that Roy Hodgson is planning for future which includes Mascherano and the manager has gone on record several times in the last few days to stress how much he wants to keep him.

Hodgson feels the styles of Mascherano and new signing Christian Poulsen can compliment each other and has pointed that the Dane’s arrival does not mean the beginning of the end for the 26-year-old.

“I don’t want to let Javier go and at the moment he has shown no signs of going,” said Hodgson.

“I believe Javier Mascherano is going to play for us and I believe Christian Poulsen is going to play for us.

“We can have both players. This is a big club and a club with a lot of games to play this year hopefully.

“Christian is a quality player and we want quality players here.

“ He is a good passer and supporter. He will fit in nicely with the way we try to play.

“We try to play football through the midfield and Liverpool have always been a passing team; there is going to be no change to the style, whether it is me or someone else is manager.”

Hodgson will finally be able to welcome Jones into his squad after the 28-year-old passed a medical at the club’s Melwood training base last night to rubberstamp his switch from Teesside.

Liverpool first’s offer for the Australian international – who will be constitute one of the club’s seven home grown players because he has been in England since he was a teenager – was rebuffed 10 days ago but their latest bid of £2.3m was accepted. Jones has agreed personal terms on a three-year contract and he will make the deal official today when he puts his signature to the paperwork.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have confirmed they will not be contesting the red card Joe Cole received for the foul on Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny.

Hodgson had suggested after the game that Liverpool would consider their options but they have now decided not to take the matter further, which means Cole will miss games against Manchester City, West Brom and Birmingham

I think Aquilani should play the premiership games in place of the suspended Cole ..as for Mascherano I am delighted Roy is going about his business in the face of the ensuing Media frenzy and dismissing all speculation with his own slowly evolving inimitable style
Lesson Two ..... we are Liverpool you want Our attention ....you do the chasing
Well done Boss

by **maguskwt** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:06 pm

Hodgson said: "We want to keep him here and we will keep him here unless an offer comes along that is correct.

"As yet we haven't had any offers. There's two weeks to go in the transfer window and some of these clubs for some reason like to come in with offers on the 28th or 29th of August.

"But we want to keep him here and we will keep him here unless an offer comes along that is correct - one that is commensurate with his value and one where we would think it would be wrong to turn down because we've said to him if that offer comes in we'll accept it.

"At the moment it's not there, it's not even on the horizon. If all these clubs are interested it would be nice if they contacted Liverpool one day."

****************
that last bit made me chuckle

. I don't know whether he's being a bit sarcastic or trying to be cute here...

But after having read that it seems like a striker is not really a priority for Roy. Otherwise he'll be hinting how fustrating it is to have to wait for Masch deal to go through to buy a striker...

by **Ben Patrick** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:11 pm

maguskwt wrote:Hodgson said: "We want to keep him here and we will keep him here unless an offer comes along that is correct.

"As yet we haven't had any offers. There's two weeks to go in the transfer window and some of these clubs for some reason like to come in with offers on the 28th or 29th of August.

"But we want to keep him here and we will keep him here unless an offer comes along that is correct - one that is commensurate with his value and one where we would think it would be wrong to turn down because we've said to him if that offer comes in we'll accept it.

"At the moment it's not there, it's not even on the horizon. If all these clubs are interested it would be nice if they contacted Liverpool one day."

****************
that last bit made me chuckle . I don't know whether he's being a bit sarcastic or trying to be cute here...

But after having read that it seems like a striker is not really a priority for Rio. Otherwise he'll be hinting how fustrating it is to have to wait for Masch deal to go through to buy a striker...

Ever played poker mags ?

Never show your hand :;):

by **RED BEERGOGGLES** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:15 pm

Ben Patrick wrote:Ever played poker mags ?

Never show your hand

Roy's our Robbie Box
Robbie Box

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:59 pm

Mascherano vs Arsenal

by **Calum** » Sat Aug 21, 2010 12:40 am

In today's Telegraph, it is reported Roy has been assured by the owner of Inter Milan that his club would not be moving for any of his players this month.

"Javier Mascherano may be forced to remain at Liverpool until January at the earliest after Roy Hodgson revealed he had been assured by Massimo Moratti, the owner of Inter Milan, that the Italian champions would not move for any of his players this month.

The Argentina international informed Hodgson he wished to leave Anfield for personal reasons upon his return to training last month and Inter, now managed by Rafael Benítez, had been expected to lodge a £25 million bid before the transfer window closes on Aug 31. Dirk Kuyt's agent has also confirmed that his client his a £13 million target for the Spaniard.

But Hodgson, who retains close ties to the club he once managed, has been told by Moratti that Inter will not pursue their interest in either player despite Benítez's desire to be reunited with both.

"I spoke to Massimo Moratti on Wedneday about the fact they are not going to buy Liverpool players," said Hodgson. "I believe they were only interested in two of our players and they are not going to buy them. Moratti said they are not going to do that."

It is believed Benítez had prepared a player-plus-cash deal – including either the former Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari or Brazilian winger Mancini – to secure Mascherano, though he may yet lobby Moratti to make Liverpool a straight cash offer matching their asking price.

The Argentine's other long-term suitors, Barcelona, last week suggested they are not considering a bid for the 26 year-old – though sources in Spain intimated they are monitoring the situation – while he is not thought to be a priority for Real Madrid, despite suggestions Jose Mourinho will try to hijack any deal.

Hodgson is so confident of retaining Mascherano, though, that he is thought to be close to allowing Alberto Aquilani, the Italian international signed for £17 million just a year ago, to join Juventus on a season-long loan.

"He might go out on loan," said Hodgson. "It is being discussed. Last year he came here and hardly played, so if he has another season like that, his value will vastly diminish and, more importantly, he will be very unhappy.

"He came here to play every week as a very expensive signing, the first name on the team sheet. But with Steven Gerrard, Mascherano and Joe Cole, it is going to be very hard for me to say to him that he will always be playing, so of course then he would risk not getting enough games again."

Carlos Salcido, PSV Eindhoven's Mexican international left-back, has emerged as Hodgson's latest target to fill his troublesome left-back slot. Liverpool are also tracking the 30-year-old's club team-mate Ola Toivonen."

by **jacdaniel** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 4:17 pm

Rumour has it that this lad is refusing to play tonight! Its been mentioned in the match thread.

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