Liverpool FC Forum

by **JC_81** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:01 pm

I suppose this should be in the rumour mill, but feck it, I think the rumour mill should be kept for discussion of potential signings and sales regarding LFC only...

...anyway, Chelsea sniffing around German left back Lahm according to BBC...

Chelsea are keen to sign Germany left-back Philipp Lahm, according to a report in Bild newspaper.
It is claimed that the Premiership champions are willing to pay Lahm's club Bayern Munich £10.25m to secure the services of the 22-year-old.

But Lahm is focusing only on the World Cup and said: "This is the only thing I'm interested in. I'm not thinking about what happens afterwards."

Bayern director Karl Hopfner said: "We don't want to sell him. We need him."

Lahm is a regular in the Germany side and scored the first goal of the World Cup finals, a 20-yard screamer against Costa Rica on 9 June.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is thought to be looking for a left-back and has been linked with Real Madrid's Brazilian star Roberto Carlos.

Don't know about anyone else but having watched this guy in the world cup he looks a good player, but a left back he certainly is not. He cuts inside every time onto his right foot, surely he is only playing at left back for Bayern because Sagnol is the established right back? I also think that he is far better at coming forward than he is defending.

For me, Lahm would be better played at either right back or right midfield. Just a thought, but if this guy's available for around 10 million and just say our Alves deal falls through, I genuinely think this guy would be a cracking right midfielder. Anyway, it'll never happen, just a random idea I had. Surely someone must agree with me that left back is not this guy's best position though??

by **account deleted by request** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:12 pm

As far as I know he has always played left back. He is a quality player who has been held back by numerous injuries and the form of Lizarazu. I cant see Bayern selling him as he was marked down as a star of the future years ago. Could be one of the stars of the world cup if Germany do well.

by **2520years** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:52 pm

I thought he played for Wigan RLFC.

by **Bad Bob** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:56 pm

john craig wrote:Surely someone must agree with me that left back is not this guy's best position though??

My thoughts exactly John...

Everything he's produced this tournament--including his wonder goal--was from his right foot. He did produce a left-footed cross that Klose eventually slotted home against Costa Rica but that was a poor cross that took a lucky deflection off of a defender's head. He looks very strongly right-footed to me and I was shocked to read that he plays LB for his club as well...I assumed he was on the left to accommodate Friedrich on the right or some such.

Skillful little player, though. There was a moment in last night's game where he dance out of 2 challenges on the touch line and started a lovely attacking move.

by **JBG** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:44 pm

I remember Lahm at Leverskusen and he's a handy little player. However, I wouldn't get overly excited about players at the World Cup as international competitions often throw up average enough players who somehow happen to play out of their skins, eg. Schillachi, Baros, Salenko, Milla, the entire Danish team of 1992, Greece in 2004 etc.

Lahm is decent but I don't think he is any better than our Riise, for example.

by **laza** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 6:05 am

JBG wrote:I remember Lahm at Leverskusen and he's a handy little player. However, I wouldn't get overly excited about players at the World Cup as international competitions often throw up average enough players who somehow happen to play out of their skins, eg. Schillachi, Baros, Salenko, Milla, the entire Danish team of 1992, Greece in 2004 etc.

Lahm is decent but I don't think he is any better than our Riise, for example.

Yeah spot on, the hype of World Cup can really magnify someone's profile and transfer price.
One only has to look at Diouf/Diao situation to know that a few weeks of glory in a summer compeition can have no bearing on bread and butter playing in the winter leagues

by **davo_LFC** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:17 pm

I think lahm is a cracking little player, both footed can go outside or cut in, decent crosser of the ball, plenty of overlaps. Not sure about him as a defender, seems to be moreof a wingback/winger rather like alves.

by **-Taimur-** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 7:20 pm

great young player he is. But if he goes to chelski, he'll probably get wasted like others.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:25 am

Abramovich basically selects players to buy like I do when playing ProEvoSoccer.

I heard a rumour that when he bought Shaun Wright-Phillips, he tried to increase his skill levels to 99% and trained him on Skill Level: Six Stars.

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