Liverpool FC Forum

On this occasion, I hope Spudz hijack it...

Yeah forgive me for reading this on the BBC...

Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, has signed a five-year £100,000-a-week deal with Liverpool worth £26m in wages to complete his £25m transfer...

And thinking he'd signed.

Is Adam a very late improver? He is 26. Played 235 games for Southampton and scored 48 goals which is 1 in 5 games. Played in the England youth and under 21's but didn't get a chance with England's first team until 2013. Has his ability been improved by a change in manager and can BR improve it even further. Based on his record to date and his age we certainly seem to be paying top dollar with very little chance of a profitable return (could be wrong) in the future.

Pinched this from Wiki and it doesn't really get me that excited: Lallana was a member of the Bournemouth Centre of Excellence, where his rich potential was eventually spotted by a talent scout from Southampton, with Lallana snapped up by the Premier League club, joining the Saints Academy as a 12-year old in 2000. Southampton paid £3,000 compensation to Bournemouth with further payments of £5,000 and £10,000 when he signed scholarship and professional contracts respectively. Bournemouth are reported to have a 25% sell-on clause if Lallana is sold.

Lallana was involved in Southampton's FA Youth Cup squads of 2004–05 and 2005–06, when they reached the final and semi-final respectively.

Lallana joined the first team squad in July 2006, making his debut on 23 August 2006, in a 5–2 victory over Yeovil Town, in the League Cup.On 31 October 2006 he signed a new contract to keep him at Southampton until December 2009. On 9 October 2007 he joined Bournemouth on loan for one month. On 28 April 2008, Lallana scored his first professional goal for Southampton against West Bromwich Albion in a crucial Championship clash, with a well placed finish in the bottom left corner.

He became a regular in the first team at the start of the 2008–09 season. On 29 August 2008, he signed a new three-year deal with the Saints. 

Correct me if I am wrong but this is a lad who has spent the majority of his football life playing in the Championship or the First Division hence his late call up to England's first team. Is one good season and a World Cup call up good enough reason to spend £26m and maybe more on a 26 year old. WHY HASN'T ANYBODY SNAPPED HIM UP BEFORE? We have made enough noise about wanting to buy him and no other teams seem to have shown a lot of genuine interest. Carroll had half a season in the Premiership and did ok before we splashed out £35m which will go on record as probably one of the clubs biggest fk ups. I just hope we have got this one right.

leeroy74 » Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:02 am wrote:Yeah forgive me for reading this on the BBC...

Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, has signed a five-year £100,000-a-week deal with Liverpool worth £26m in wages to complete his £25m transfer...

And thinking he'd signed.

Sorry leeroy74, wasn't having a dig at you mate, was just commenting on the double standards, selective moderation for some and not for others

devaney » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:02 pm wrote:Is Adam a very late improver? He is 26. Played 235 games for Southampton and scored 48 goals which is 1 in 5 games. Played in the England youth and under 21's but didn't get a chance with England's first team until 2013. Has his ability been improved by a change in manager and can BR improve it even further. Based on his record to date and his age we certainly seem to be paying top dollar with very little chance of a profitable return (could be wrong) in the future.

Pinched this from Wiki and it doesn't really get me that excited: Lallana was a member of the Bournemouth Centre of Excellence, where his rich potential was eventually spotted by a talent scout from Southampton, with Lallana snapped up by the Premier League club, joining the Saints Academy as a 12-year old in 2000. Southampton paid £3,000 compensation to Bournemouth with further payments of £5,000 and £10,000 when he signed scholarship and professional contracts respectively. Bournemouth are reported to have a 25% sell-on clause if Lallana is sold.

Lallana was involved in Southampton's FA Youth Cup squads of 2004–05 and 2005–06, when they reached the final and semi-final respectively.

Lallana joined the first team squad in July 2006, making his debut on 23 August 2006, in a 5–2 victory over Yeovil Town, in the League Cup.On 31 October 2006 he signed a new contract to keep him at Southampton until December 2009. On 9 October 2007 he joined Bournemouth on loan for one month. On 28 April 2008, Lallana scored his first professional goal for Southampton against West Bromwich Albion in a crucial Championship clash, with a well placed finish in the bottom left corner.

He became a regular in the first team at the start of the 2008–09 season. On 29 August 2008, he signed a new three-year deal with the Saints. 

Correct me if I am wrong but this is a lad who has spent the majority of his football life playing in the Championship or the First Division hence his late call up to England's first team. Is one good season and a World Cup call up good enough reason to spend £26m and maybe more on a 26 year old. WHY HASN'T ANYBODY SNAPPED HIM UP BEFORE? We have made enough noise about wanting to buy him and no other teams seem to have shown a lot of genuine interest. Carroll had half a season in the Premiership
and did ok before we splashed out £35m which will go on record as probably one of the clubs biggest fk ups. I just hope we have got this one right.

There are shed loads of players in the lower leagues with far more ability than players in premier league. Just because someone plays in the lower league does not mean they aren't a good player and quite frankly that attitude is one thats gotten English football into the state its in.

Lallana has more ability than Henderson and is a good player. Is he worth twenty five million? No way, have we signed a decent player who will contribute? Definately

Good signing, but not for 25m.

Bizzare that we could have paid 5m extra and brought Fabregas instead 

Stu I know you have a soft spot for the lower leagues but anybody that is really good gets snapped up and certainly doesn't stay about in the First Division when his team gets relegated. Frankly mate I want something considerably better than decent for a purchase price of £25m and £4m a year in wages. Another reason he hasn't moved is because he was keen to stay at Southampton. Doesn't that lack ambition?

Thats rubbish dev to be quite frank. They dont all get snapped up just as there are Sh*t loads in prem with massively over rated reputations... Moses being a marvelous example.

As you go lower in the leagues you often get footballers in every team who would walk in top half sides but the common opinion is "they dont have the physical side".

You also get players who are better who crumble under pressure or aren't as good at following instructions.

There are plenty of factors.

Lallana is a really good player, always has been. But 25m is a massive over spend. Especially considering the fabregas deal recently

I still believe our transfer policy to be a joke. Nothing I have seen so far is convincing me otherwise

Stu give me a few names of players that warrant a £25m price tag that have been overlooked. I know Adam is a decent player. I am simply questioning what he has actually achieved so far in his career because it certainly doesn't get my juices flowing !!!! He actually stayed at a team that were financially up shi.t creek without a paddle and got relegated to the first division as a result. You talk about strength of mind and mentality. We'll Stu that suggests a lack of self belief and a preference towards being a big fish in a little pond !! You've already agreed that we are spending too much money on him. If we were paying £12/15m then I wouldn't be so concerned and we probably wouldn't be having this discussion. You actively criticise the clubs transfer policy and yet you enthuse about Llalana who has cost us silly money. Sanchez at £25m or Llalana at £25m? Suarez cost £22m? Torres cost £21m? I just hope we don't live to regret this one.

Decent addition to the squad . Had a good season with the Saints but will never justify the price tag .

stu the red

There are shed loads of players in the lower leagues with far more ability than players in premier league

....name them !

Dev I do have a problem with our business. Its awful and I agree the lad is never a twenty five million pound player, just as I believe we well overpaid for Henderson by about eight mil. However I have no doubt he will contribute positively if played centrally.

I actually think Rodgers has ear marked him to replace coutinho which grub mistake.

Sanchez would be a great addition. Ive made it clear who I thought we should have gone for, our manager thinks differently though. Hence the reason I think we will go backwards this season

It's a signing to show that Gerrard will be used less, let's face it, he wouldn't cope playing 2 games a week, and Lallana has most likely been brought in to show leadership on the pitch.

I would have paid £15 - £20 million, all will be forgiven in my view if we sign Shaqiri.

Stu the Red » Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:39 pm wrote:Dev I do have a problem with our business. Its awful and I agree the lad is never a twenty five million pound player, just as I believe we well overpaid for Henderson by about eight mil. However I have no doubt he will contribute positively if played centrally.

I actually think Rodgers has ear marked him to replace coutinho which grub mistake.

Sanchez would be a great addition. Ive made it clear who I thought we should have gone for, our manager thinks differently though. Hence the reason I think we will go backwards this season

Stu mate I want somebody who will do a lot more than contribute positively for £25m especially at the age of 26. If you had said that he will make a massive impact then I could accept that. You have supported the purchase of Llalana and he was a player you highlighted earlier in the season that we should be considering. Southampton finished mid table and played some attractive football. Selling Shaw and Llalana for a combined total of nearly £60m is absolute madness. They are not that good. Competent yes. Brilliant no. We have given up on potential transfers in the past because of silly price demands. I'm not sure why we didn't this time with Llalana. Sturridge and Coutinho cost £20m for the two of them ffs. We have pi.ssed some very serious money down the river in the past. I hope this is one we don't add to the list if indeed Adam eventually signs. Don't get me wrong I think he will be ok. I just don't think he will make a massive difference.