Liverpool Football Club Thread

[SMD]

Beeb are reporting that you're close to signing Origi too.

Agreed a fee during the World Cup and apparently agreed terms this week so should be sorted. He'll go back on loan to Lille though so not seeing him this season.

I think barring full back we're looking good across the squad though I guess we'll see the full effect of losing Suarez shortly.

[Kelthink]

I just want us to get a new goalie. Mignolet isn't very good.

[Chewylegs]

That's pretty harsh, but if we were getting rid I'd just have Peps back in.

[Chewylegs]

Osvaldo? He's a current saints player, so the primary qualifying attribute is met.

16 to 20+ million for Lovren is a good deal for us. He cost 8m a season ago. Shame he forced the move like a Lallana cunt, but that's football.

I'd be concerned that you are buying a lot of mid quality players though. Not really improving your squad in quality sense.

You may want to be concerned your team are stockpiling cash only to be relegated from the Premiership.

Lallana, Lovren and Lambert are a definite improvement on what was on our bench last season. In a lot of ways I like the fact that Rodgers goes down the route of not buying one superstar to fix all our problems.

[SaintM]

The old guys on your bench helped you to second. The new guys on your bench helped us to eighth.

Maybe it'll all work out, but it's rare that a large influx of players has resulted in an improved season.

[DeNeo]

The old guys on your bench helped you to second.

Well, they didn't really. We had a fairly consistent side in the league (thanks to no Europe), so the likes of Aspas, Moses and a few youngsters didn't get used. The new guys will be an improvement, and will actually be needed.

[DeNeo]

Maybe it'll all work out, but it's rare that a large influx of players has resulted in an improved season.

It seemed to work for Man City and Chelsea...

[Kelthink]

It didn't work for Tottenham because they rush bought players when the season had already started.

[Charliemouse]

We also had two managers last season and none of them seemed to know what to do with most of the new players, it was only Eriksen that was given a decent run in the team really.

[ryodi]

And you never know Liverpool might turn one of the new players into a world beater like they did with Suarez who even Spurs under Harry Redknapp didn't go for when he was available from Ajax.

[JamesTW]

And you never know Liverpool might turn one of the new players into a world beater like they did with Suarez who even Spurs under Harry Redknapp didn't go for when he was available from Ajax.

true, I remember being a bit underwhelmed with Suarez, didnt think he was anywhere near as good as Torres or even Forlan who looked much better for Uruguay in the World Cup just gone, to be honest I wasn't sure if he'd be the better player out of Andy Carroll!

[dizogg]

Good news for us that Gerrard has retired from international duty. We should get a few more years out of him even if he's not a regular. Having someone like him around especially when we're signing a few players and in somewhat of a transitional period can only be a good thing IMO.

[Azrael]

I think Mignolet is good. And if we can't get rid of Reina there's no point looking for another keeper. Him and Migs will do.

Still need at least one new full back and another that can play across the front three - the Sanchez type.

Isn't Lovren a left sided CB - like Sakho and Agger? Still not convinced about him.

[dogsout]

The old guys on your bench helped you to second. The new guys on your bench helped us to eighth.

Maybe it'll all work out, but it's rare that a large influx of players has resulted in an improved season.

Our bench was woeful last season. Absolutely terrible. The likes of Aspas, Moses and Cissokho definitely weren't much "help" at all. I take your point about introducing so many new faces at once but then again, I don't suppose many of us actually expect an improvement over last season in terms of league position. Everyone was banging on about the lack of depth in the squad all season, and now it's being addressed people are wondering why we're not signing ready-made superstars to slot into a team that finished within touching distance of the champions. This is a team that had the 5th highest wage bill last season - I'm really struggling to think of a team that has won the title over here that hasn't been in the top two for wages paid. For what it's worth, City's, Chelsea's and Arsenal's league positions all matched their respective positions in the wages table. The point is we over-achieved last season and nobody can reasonably expect us to match that this time, never mind improve on it. Particularly after losing Suarez. All we can hope for is that the weaknesses in the squad are addressed, and the club have had a good go at that this summer.

[Gabe]

The old guys on your bench helped you to second. The new guys on your bench helped us to eighth.

Maybe it'll all work out, but it's rare that a large influx of players has resulted in an improved season.

Many, many times we were much worse after bringing somebody on from the bench. The whole problem was lack of depth and ability to change things up, issues which are being addressed.

As dogsout puts better than I, I don't think anybody is expecting the title, not with our defence. Even had we kept Suarez it would have been a massive ask. Rodgers is bringing in players at good ages so they can develop and grow together as a team as part of a longer-term goal.

A good performance this season would be top-4, a cup win and solid performance in the Champions League (I'd like to say quarter-finals, but that all depends on our group).

[SMD]

Gonna win the league and CL, lads.

[Commander Jameson]

I think, given the solid improvements in the other teams around us, top four would be a struggle. Again, not impossible, but very difficult. Reckon this season will be more about bedding in the new players, giving them playing time over the year and letting them get used to the PL, CL and the way we play. We are inevitably going to have a few more bumps this season than last and with Suarez going and no sign of a "marquee signing", it has dampened expectations significantly, perhaps for the best.

But, I do like the idea that we have actually got a viable second 11 now.

[hmm]

I mainly like the idea that we won't have to play Toure.

[Gabe]

I think, given the solid improvements in the other teams around us, top four would be a struggle. Again, not impossible, but very difficult. Reckon this season will be more about bedding in the new players, giving them playing time over the year and letting them get used to the PL, CL and the way we play. We are inevitably going to have a few more bumps this season than last and with Suarez going and no sign of a "marquee signing", it has dampened expectations significantly, perhaps for the best.

But, I do like the idea that we have actually got a viable second 11 now.

The top-4 is going to be tough, of course, but it has to be the aim. Ignoring last season and the teams strengthening around us, we have to be setting that as a target. The loss of Suarez shouldn't mean the end of the ambitions of the club (I know you aren't saying that, but I don't agree with the 'dampened expectations' sentiment). Even if we had kept Suarez, our defence needs work and will be what holds us back if it isn't addressed.

[Commander Jameson]

The top-4 is going to be tough, of course, but it has to be the aim. Ignoring last season and the teams strengthening around us, we have to be setting that as a target. The loss of Suarez shouldn't mean the end of the ambitions of the club (I know you aren't saying that, but I don't agree with the 'dampened expectations' sentiment). Even if we had kept Suarez, our defence needs work and will be what holds us back if it isn't addressed.

I agree. Top 4 will be our target (as it was last season). I'm hoping the potential improvements in defence will be enough to offset the loss of Suarez's goals.

[Oh Danny Boy]

Theres no point looking for a marquee signing. We have have Coutinho, Sterling, Sturridge, Ibe and Markovic, all have the potential to be world class. This transfer window is about strengthening the overall squad and using the Suarez cash to plug the holes.

I don't see how anyone can argue that having Remy and Lambert on the bench isn't a far greater improvement then having Aspas

[SaintM]

Our bench was woeful last season. Absolutely terrible. The likes of Aspas, Moses and Cissokho definitely weren't much "help" at all. I take your point about introducing so many new faces at once but then again, I don't suppose many of us actually expect an improvement over last season in terms of league position. Everyone was banging on about the lack of depth in the squad all season, and now it's being addressed people are wondering why we're not signing ready-made superstars to slot into a team that finished within touching distance of the champions. This is a team that had the 5th highest wage bill last season - I'm really struggling to think of a team that has won the title over here that hasn't been in the top two for wages paid. For what it's worth, City's, Chelsea's and Arsenal's league positions all matched their respective positions in the wages table. The point is we over-achieved last season and nobody can reasonably expect us to match that this time, never mind improve on it. Particularly after losing Suarez. All we can hope for is that the weaknesses in the squad are addressed, and the club have had a good go at that this summer.

No doubt it does improve things there (though Moses was the toughest opponent Shaw played against ) but I guess my point is that if they are mostly on the bench then they are not affecting the team. Losing bitey is a massive dent for any first eleven, but I just sorta hoped there would be a big signing to replace what he gave the squad - from a neutral's PoV.

Apologies if it feels like I'm intruding (chewey ) but this is the closest there is to a Southampton thread

[dogsout]

I don't think they will be mostly on the bench, though. I'd expect Lallana and Markovic, for example, to start the majority of games. I'm personally glad that we haven't just gone out and looked for a big name striker. Rodgers did an admirable job of fitting both Suarez and Sturridge into the team, but it did have a destabilizing influence on the team some of the time, too. Now we can revert to his preferred set-up without making compromises by just buying players that suit the way he wants to play. Lambert obviously gives us a different option but you can totally see that the rest of them have been pursued because they fit Brendan's 4-3-3.

I'd have thought Lallana will be used in the midfield three as well as the front three. This also means that Coutinho probably won't be shunted out on the left through a lack of other decent options once this season. Most of the new players strengthen multiple positions, and this is why they won't just be sat on the bench most of the time.

Lallana (LW/RW/CM)

Markovic (LW/RW)

Remy (LW/ST/RW)

Can (CM/CDM and he can apparently play across the back, too)

They will all get their share of games, I'm sure.

I know a lot of people aren't particularly enthralled by the prospect of Lovren coming in. I'm quietly optimistic. Not because I have a high opinion of the player, though. It's because I believe he doesn't need to be world class to sort the problems out. As soon as I heard he was a talkative type of defender the deal got my approval.The biggest problem we had in defence last season was we lacked an organiser. Go back to the season before and the up-turn in form coincided with Carragher coming back into the team at Skrtel's expense. Carragher was old and slow and bound to have problems with the high line, possession style we were attempting, but it didn't work out that way at all. I think Sakho will be nailed on to start when fit this season, and he's a terrific 1v1 defender. If he has someone solid beside him organising the line, I think we'll see a huge improvement in the defence.

Mertesacker and Koscielny got a lot of praise last season (and rightly so), but if you look at them in isolation they both have glaring weaknesses. However, they also cover one another's shortcomings quite ridiculously. This is what we should be aiming to replicate, rather than just buying another aggressive 1v1 CB to play next to Sakho.

And please don't apologise for posting in here. It's generally a much more interesting thread when fans of other teams join in.

[Chewylegs]

Mertesacker and Koscielny got a lot of praise last season (and rightly so), but if you look at them in isolation they both have glaring weaknesses. However, they also cover one another's shortcomings quite ridiculously.

THIS is so true. If you look at the best defensive partnerships over the years, the above is a key aspect.

[carlito]

What is Koscielny's glaring weakness?

[dogsout]

That he's rash and tends to leave space behind because he presses so aggressively at times.

[carlito]

The rashness comment I presume is based on him giving away a few pens and getting the odd red so there is, I suppose, a bit of base to the one but his last ditch tackling and recovery play is really fantastic so it's hard to call it a glaring weakness. The other one just isn't applicable at all.

I think he's perhaps just below Kompany in terms of being an all round defender, he's really, really excellent.

I certainly agree our CBs compliment each other but Koscielny is pretty complete as centrebacks go.

[Takizawa]

What is Koscielny's glaring weakness?

He's not as handsome as the rest of the squad.

[Takizawa]

THIS is so true. If you look at the best defensive partnerships over the years, the above is a key aspect.

Made me think of Hyypia and Henchoz, dam those guys were good.

[phresh]

The rashness comment I presume is based on him giving away a few pens and getting the odd red so there is, I suppose, a bit of base to the one but his last ditch tackling and recovery play is really fantastic so it's hard to call it a glaring weakness. The other one just isn't applicable at all.

I think he's perhaps just below Kompany in terms of being an all round defender, he's really, really excellent.

I certainly agree our CBs compliment each other but Koscielny is pretty complete as centrebacks go.

Surely having to make last minute tackles and recovery play is a weakness? Look at Ferdinand in his prime - barely ever got a yellow, let alone giving away penalties etc.