Liverpool FC Forum

just alarming how we are neglecting any defensive reinforcements so far this summer.
We already have a lot of small technical attacking players in the club and we go out and spend quite a sum on that and a another 10 million on a backup keeper.
Meanwhile we are still minus at least 1 cb and all our current defenders are neither leaders nor good at marking or heading the ball.
BR so far seem to think it doesn't matter as long as we score 5 each game...

Penguins » Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:48 pm wrote:just alarming how we are neglecting any defensive reinforcements so far this summer.
We already have a lot of small technical attacking players in the club and we go out and spend quite a sum on that and a another 10 million on a backup keeper.
Meanwhile we are still minus at least 1 cb and all our current defenders are neither leaders nor good at marking or heading the ball.
BR so far seem to think it doesn't matter as long as we score 5 each game...

Love it. Last season has barely ended, we aren't even in July yet and the criticism of the transfer policy is already happening. You couldn't write this tripe 

BTW did you fail to forget the Kolo Toure signing? Of course you did you muppet.

Would you want Toure as our starting CB ?

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:29 pm wrote:check out the last 2 paragraphs of this article - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/midfielder-luis-alberto-taking-medical-4693807
had my heart set on him signing, i was hoping he`d be some sort of panacea for all our defensive woes, unbelievable that we`ve spent half that amount on a back up keeper (that tonights echo is saying is here to challenge reina, in other words we are going into next season with the both of them!)

£20m is too much and too far away from our valuation

Most of the top players are over priced but if someone like Papa brings the solid physical dominating presence at the back that could bring us CL footy - then he would be worth every penny of the £20mil.

Both him and Henrik are two quality players that would enhance our first 11 is a great way - both worth the money

@ArmeniaSoccer: Mkhitaryan transfer looking morenconcrete as he misses team training in Vienna
#Mkhitaryan

Have to laugh at those criticising the club to for not giving into Schalke's reported 20 mil asking price for Papadopoulos.

Admittedly the lad looks quality and I think one day he could be top class, but he's just missed the best part of a season with a very serious knee injury, one that in days gone by may have been career threatening.  I think the concerns surrounding paying 20 mil for him are completely justified.

If it was money coming out of your own pocket you'd certainly think twice.

One year from now he could be worth 30 mil after a good season in the German top flight with every top European club circling for his signature, or he could have lost a few yards of pace and be heading back to a Greek club for a couple of million.  In any case I don't think we can afford to gamble 20 mil on this player.

People with short memories don't remember the last time we spent 20mil on a player who had just missed half a season out injured... I'll remind you, Aquilani.  And his injury record didn't improve after we signed him funnily enough.

Aquilani had a history of injuries before he was bought -

The gamble for Pappa could be worth CL footy.

Benny The Noon » Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:41 pm wrote:Aquilani had a history of injuries before he was bought -

The gamble for Pappa could be worth CL footy.

Can't argue with the fact Aquilani had a history for injuries.  That was just a bad buy all round.

Still think I'd want to see Papadopoulos get half a season or so under belt before investing that sort of money.  I also think, unless I'm mistaken, that Zenit had all but agreed to buy him for around 14 mil just before he got injured.  So how the fu.ck does a serious knee injury increase his asking price by 6 million?!  Schalke are taking the pi.ss and we are right to walk away imo.

Have to agree John. I probably would have been ok with 17 as they reportedly wanted, but it sounds like at this point they're just trying to hold us for ransom.  We need to show that we won't give in for any target we want like we did when Comoli was in.  The Dempsey situation last summer was a good example of this, and if we consistently show that we won't be held ransom for targets we want, people will stop trying to do it.

With that said, you must wonder about the reported fees for Mignolet, Aspas, and Alberto.

john craig » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:45 pm wrote:

Benny The Noon » Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:41 pm wrote:Aquilani had a history of injuries before he was bought -

The gamble for Pappa could be worth CL footy.

Can't argue with the fact Aquilani had a history for injuries.  That was just a bad buy all round.

Still think I'd want to see Papadopoulos get half a season or so under belt before investing that sort of money.  I also think, unless I'm mistaken, that Zenit had all but agreed to buy him for around 14 mil just before he got injured.  So how the fu.ck does a serious knee injury increase his asking price by 6 million?!  Schalke are taking the pi.ss and we are right to walk away imo.

Understand the risk because of the knee injury but the ability is there no doubt about that. I expect we could negoiate to get the price down plus some clauses - but walking away would be foolish - he is exactly what we need - another Sami

ethanr » Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:47 pm wrote:Have to agree John. I probably would have been ok with 17 as they reportedly wanted, but it sounds like at this point they're just trying to hold us for ransom.  We need to show that we won't give in for any target we want like we did when Comoli was in.  The Dempsey situation last summer was a good example of this, and if we consistently show that we won't be held ransom for targets we want, people will stop trying to do it.

With that said, you must wonder about the reported fees for Mignolet, Aspas, and Alberto.

Can't say I'm thrilled either mate at the fees we're forking out for fairly unproven players.  Alberto has virtually no top flight experience, while Aspas has one top flight season and Mignolet has been first choice for 2 seasons (I think - and he's only really come to the fore as a good keeper last season).

I'm willing to cut Rodgers some slack here though, since I didn't fancy either Coutinho or Sturridge and have been forced to eat my words!  Plus most of us moaned last season that Rodgers only fancied players he'd worked with, so it's a bit rich to continue to criticise him when he puts a new scouting network in place and goes for lesser known players on the back of it.

I have a funny feeling this Aspas could turn out to be a really good signing and Alberto's stats (albeit in the second division in Spain) were impressive.  Mignolet is the one I'm least impressed with for the price being quoted.

The fees are strange I would say - a lot of money for the players that we have night - around £26 plus mil for the three of them - if Ilodra and Atsu arrive that will be around £35mil spent with Carroll going out.

Do we have more money to spend or will it be dependant on Suarez ?

Benny The Noon » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:00 pm wrote:The fees are strange I would say - a lot of money for the players that we have night - around £26 plus mil for the three of them - if Ilodra and Atsu arrive that will be around £35mil spent with Carroll going out.

Do we have more money to spend or will it be dependant on Suarez ?

I would think (completely guessing mind) that a spend of 35 mil balanced by 15 mil coming in for Carroll, giving us a net spend of 20 mil would be our lot, depending on who is sold.

I still can't believe (despite what Rodgers says in the press) that we'll spend 10mil on a keeper and then have either him or Reina (who is on 100k+ per week) on the bench.  Reina going would probably free up some money - doubt we'd get the 10 mil back but his wages would be a big save.  There's nobody else I can really see leaving who would generate big money (in wages or fee) other than Reina/Suarez.  I thought before the summer Skrtel might go, but all seems quiet on that front.

I think that's where the Henderson leaving stories are coming from. It was reported that we had around £20mil to spend which will give us the three players we have bought plus Ilori and Atsu. Maybe Henderson and Pepe going might free up money ? Possibly Skrtel