Riise has gone to Roma, Alonso looks like he might be on the way out, Alonso lools like he might join. Who do ye want to see being signed lads - if not names then priorities in terms of positions.
Also last year Farmer you defined a benchmark for Benitez that he failed and in fairness you stayed true to it all year. So what’s the challenge this year - in contention at Christmas again irrespective of CL performance?
[quote=“therock67”]Riise has gone to Roma, Alonso looks like he might be on the way out, Alonso lools like he might join. Who do ye want to see being signed lads - if not names then priorities in terms of positions.
Also last year Farmer you defined a benchmark for Benitez that he failed and in fairness you stayed true to it all year. So what’s the challenge this year - in contention at Christmas again irrespective of CL performance?[/quote]
Been through this a gazillion times on here. The priority is the wide areas - full backs and wide men. As I’ve said to Bandage elsewhere, I think Barry will be a good addition in pursuit of the EPL although possibly not great in Europe. I’d happily lose 6 out of 6 in Europe(presuming we get through qualifying) if we won the EPL.
Was a bit worried about Degen not even being a starter for the Swiss but the lad who has his position, Lichtsteiner, is being chased by Real Madrid apparently, so I’ll reserve judgement on him for now. At left back we’re after Dossena from Udinese and I know nothing about him tbh. So at full back we’ll have to see. I do like Aurelio but he’s quite injury prone.
Out wide we really only have Babel that’s worth a curse although Benayoun is useful on his day. Been linked with Downing and Milner and I don’t want either. Milner’s just not good enough imo. Downing’s main strength is crossing I would have said which wouldn’t really suit the 4-2-3-1 that Rafa seems to have settled on (thankfully). If Downing were to arrive I’d like to see him on the right. I’m a fan of Quaresma and I’d love to see him sign. Apparently Chelsea and Big Phil are interested so that could make things difficult in terms of price/wages etc but I wouldn’t take it as a foregone conclusion that he’d pick them over us, mainly due to the fact he’s not first choice for Portugal.
Other than that some more cover at centre-half would be good.
Rafa was rotating less at the end of last season so hopefully that’ll continue.
The following first choice eleven looks strong on paper:
---------------------Reina----------------------
Degen-------2 of Skrtel/Agger/Carragher----Aurelio
---------------Mascherano-------Barry-----------
-------Quaresma------Gerrard---------Babel------
----------------------Torres---------------------
Would still take SWP from Chelsea btw and possibly Bridge too.
Really think Downing is the exact type of winger ye don’t want. Playing him on the right might help a small bit but that’s really just trying to negate his obvious strengths because they don’t suit your current formation. The obvious solution is to not buy him at all. He may work well with Crouch somewhere but I don’t think that will be at Liverpool.
Quaresma would be a quality signing. Agreed on Chelsea, hasn’t proven himself as a guaranteed first pick for Scolari with Portugal so he’d be reluctant to join him somewhere else. Besides he’s already been stung with his spell at Barcelona where he got no games and he got out of there as quick as he could so I’d say he’ll be wary of making the same mistake again. He’d cost a fair bit I’d imagine (the Portugese clubs know how to price their players) but think he’d be worth it. Liverpool need to buy class, not mediocrity.
In your formation above who are the alternatives to Macherano and Barry? Presume Alonso is on the way out?
[quote=“therock67”]Really think Downing is the exact type of winger ye don’t want. Playing him on the right might help a small bit but that’s really just trying to negate his obvious strengths because they don’t suit your current formation. The obvious solution is to not buy him at all. He may work well with Crouch somewhere but I don’t think that will be at Liverpool.
Quaresma would be a quality signing. Agreed on Chelsea, hasn’t proven himself as a guaranteed first pick for Scolari with Portugal so he’d be reluctant to join him somewhere else. Besides he’s already been stung with his spell at Barcelona where he got no games and he got out of there as quick as he could so I’d say he’ll be wary of making the same mistake again. He’d cost a fair bit I’d imagine (the Portugese clubs know how to price their players) but think he’d be worth it. Liverpool need to buy class, not mediocrity.
In your formation above who are the alternatives to Macherano and Barry? Presume Alonso is on the way out?[/quote]
Presume Alonso is gone alright. Lucas can cover there as can the French young lad who got a few games at the end of the season, Plessis. If both Barry and Mascherano were gone though you’d be a little tempted by a change of formation. Carragher started his career as a defensive midfielder so he could also do a job.
Crouch must be gone too. That is upsetting to me.
I’d also be happy to sign Bentley.
Alonso is definitely on the way out. It is looking like max 14 million for him and looking like min 15 million for Barry which is crazy business if you ask me. Alonso hasn’t done the business for the Pool since 2005 (when he was actually one of the best midfielders in the world) but clearly has bags more ability than Barry. Benitez probably has one eye on the Homegrown initiative that UEFA are meant to be bringning in.
Milner is a better player than Downing who is frankly shite. But neither are good enough. It is alright saying that we should go for Quaresma but we have no money to do so. Delighted to see Riise go - a truly horrendous player with nothing to his game. And we got 5m for him as well!
It will be Alonso out, Barry in, Riise out, Dossena in and maybe Pennant out and Milner in and that will be it.
Same criteria - be in the league come January…
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]Alonso is definitely on the way out. It is looking like max 14 million for him and looking like min 15 million for Barry which is crazy business if you ask me. Alonso hasn’t done the business for the Pool since 2005 (when he was actually one of the best midfielders in the world) but clearly has bags more ability than Barry. Benitez probably has one eye on the Homegrown initiative that UEFA are meant to be bringning in.
Milner is a better player than Downing who is frankly shite. But neither are good enough. It is alright saying that we should go for Quaresma but we have no money to do so. Delighted to see Riise go - a truly horrendous player with nothing to his game. And we got 5m for him as well!
It will be Alonso out, Barry in, Riise out, Dossena in and maybe Pennant out and Milner in and that will be it.
Same criteria - be in the league come January…[/quote]
I think Rafa has about 20m to tinker with Farmer although I could be wrong. I’d say he’ll roughly balance the books in the fashion you’ve outlined above Alonso/Barry and Riise/Dossena but don’t think we’ll sign Milner. Pennant will probably be let go as will Crouch I’d say, which would leave cash for a big money signing like Quaresma or Bentley.
He would have to replace Crouch then in that case…
Not necessarily. 4 strikers is optimum when you need 2 come matchday. But if you’re only playing 1 up top then 3 is fine. Plus Babel can play there too.
I’d rather keep Alonso then have Barry. I hear he had a man of the match performance last night for Spain, almost scoring from the half way line again.
I’ll cry if Milner or Downing are bought, there just not good enough I feel and not what Liverpool need. Dossena was regarded as one of the best full backs in Seria A last season so looks a good signing. I’d love to see a bid for David Villa, himself and Torres would be the next Yorke and Cole!!
[quote=“TwoRunnyEggs”]I’d rather keep Alonso then have Barry. I hear he had a man of the match performance last night for Spain, almost scoring from the half way line again.
I’ll cry if Milner or Downing are bought, there just not good enough I feel and not what Liverpool need. Dossena was regarded as one of the best full backs in Seria A last season so looks a good signing. I’d love to see a bid for David Villa, himself and Torres would be the next Yorke and Cole!![/quote]
Villa is now priced out of our market I’d imagine. A shame.
Those three are Torres, Voronin and Kuyt, though. Voronin and Kuyt are definitely second rate. Not strong enough to build a league challenge with only one fella carrying the goalscoring can.
Torres doesn’t get many injuries though so the other two wouldn’t play I would hope. Obviously I’d prefer more quality there but I think there are other positions that deserve higher priority. Even if Crouch wasn’t sold I think they could afford Bentley/Quaresma.
Does anyone feel like it’s time some young players from the academy were given a chance?? They haven’t produced anyone in years which is shocking and in benitez’ 4 years they have won the youth cup twice as well as spending heavy on youth,but still no sign of any youngsters.
Winning youth cups means feck all though. You could win 10 youth cups in a row but that’s worth less than bringing one player through even if you just sell him for a few quid down the road.
I don’t think Liverpool’s youth strategy seems all that great at the moment. Since they bought Le Tallec and the likes they seem to have decided to buy in their teenagers - even including Lucas and the likes. That’s all well and good but it’s expensive and it takes alot of the soul out of a club like Liverpool.
The new away kit is pretty shite looking this season.
You’re right Juhnaillio. And Voronin isn’t even second rate, fourth maybe. If Crouch goes they have to sign another striker. It’s all well and good playing Torres up there on his own for 50 games but it strikes me as being a bit one dimensional.
As I’ve said elsewhere I don’t think Barry will be an improvement on Alonso - hopefully he proves me wrong. I’m looking forward to seeing Dossena play but I’d be fairly sceptical of Degen. There’s not much quality in free transfers these days. I’m also a growing fan of Aurelio so there’s decent competition for places there. I wouldn’t have too many worries about the centre halfs although I think we might see Carragher play a lot of his football at full-back next year.
Bentley or Quaresma would be welcome additions to the wings. Much more so than Milner & Downing. I don’t think the money is there to be forked out on David Villa even though he seems keen but in the words of Kevin Keegan “AI wood luvit…” if they signed him
It looks like Liverpool may have given up on Barry. Good news IMHO. Barry was a step sideways for more money than Liverpool were getting for Alonso.
From goal.com
Now Alonso Wants Liverpool Stay
Juventus’ intensive efforts to prise Xabi Alonso away from Liverpool look to have been in vain as the highly regarded Spanish midfielder has now revealed that he wants to stay at Anfield.
The Bianconeri were expected to unveil the signing of Alonso as early as last Monday, but Juve cheif Giovanni Cobolli Gigli’s admission that the deal has stalled has now been compounded by the latest statement of the Spaniard they so covet.
“My plans are to start next season with Liverpool,” Alonso was quoted as saying in The Mirror.
“I signed a contract last summer and I have four more years to go, unless there is a change. We’ll see what happens.”
Alonso, who is currently preparing for his country’s mouthwatering quarterfinal clash with Italy, then turned his attention to the challenge at hand by saying: “We know it will be hard but we are ready.”
Would love to see an excellent playmaker signed for liverpool. Think the likes of Deco would be perfect considering he will prob be let go from Barca. It has been years since Liverpool have had a proper playmaker and I think its needed in this current squad.
Hope to see Babel improving on his good start to his liverpool career to justify the amount of money we paid for him. Also hope to see more of Lucas as I think he is an excellent prospect.
Also would hate to see Downing at Liverpool. Another overrated English tosser.
On Liverpools hopes, I think its prob going to be more of the same unfortunately. Benitez seems to chop and change his team for every game at the start of every season and then seems to stumble upon a particular style of play which works around feb or march, by that time Liv already out of contention. Then the next season, instead of sticking to the same style of play or team he does the same as previous and the same thing happens.
I really hope Im wrong because I think he has the potential to become absolute legendary but realistically I see him getting about 4 or 5 signings, tweaking the team and out of contention and a job by christmas.
As a matter of interest what do Liverpool Fans make of your decision to play Rangers in a pre season friendly at Ibrox?