Liverpool Football Club Thread

[Commander Jameson]

Thing of beauty, that.

[Takizawa]

Shame it didn't show the 10 seconds after where we scored the 4th goal, lovely bit of skill from Sturridge and a good run from Henderson, who was superb all game.

[Oh Danny Boy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28765444

The most prolonged and tedious transfer saga of the summer finally looks to be over.

Shame about Kelly leaving, I had high hopes for him but injuries seemed to have stunted any progress.

[Azrael]

Would rather keep Kelly around and send Johnson away.

[JamesTW]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28765444

The most prolonged and tedious transfer saga of the summer finally looks to be over.

Shame about Kelly leaving, I had high hopes for him but injuries seemed to have stunted any progress.

eh? I thought the whole reason it took so long was they were wanting 25m or whatever and we couldn't agree but now it's 12m?

[hmm]

Supposedly we had 12 on the table all along but they wanted 16.

[Gabe]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28765444

The most prolonged and tedious transfer saga of the summer finally looks to be over.

Shame about Kelly leaving, I had high hopes for him but injuries seemed to have stunted any progress.

Yeah, shame about Kelly. When he first got a proper run in the team he looked good, plus he could play CB (which I'm sure I read was his favoured position) and I hoped he might become a long-term option there.

Hopefully he'll kick-on at Palace and stake a claim for a future England spot.

[Stig]

With Kelly going and LB sorted do you think Flanno will start over Johnson? I really hope so. The longer he gets in the starting team the better.

Hope Wisdom improves and we see him back too. Possible replacement for Skrtl one day?

[Adrock]

I think Flanagan faces a really tough challenge now that Manquillo has arrived and obviously regardless of what we say about Johnson he still has the experience and quality. It's just a shame he forgets he is playing football a lot of the time.

Unless of course Rodgers is continuing his clear out and Johnson is on his way as one the last big earners.

Then there will be a fight between manquillo and Flanagan for right back, which will interesting.

[gospvg]

Just one more sticker needed then on BR's shopping list.

[Stig]

I think Flanagan faces a really tough challenge now that Manquillo has arrived and obviously regardless of what we say about Johnson he still has the experience and quality. It's just a shame he forgets he is playing football a lot of the time.

Unless of course Rodgers is continuing his clear out and Johnson is on his way as one the last big earners.

Then there will be a fight between manquillo and Flanagan for right back, which will interesting.

Ah shit yeah I forgot about Manquillo. How good is he? I know very little about him.

[glb]

Based solely on the performance against Dortmund, so admittedly not based on much more than nothing, Manquillo is pretty composed for a 20 year-old, looked to get forward but can be a little errant at times. So pretty much a perfect fit for our back line.

[Azrael]

Moreno deal done yet? Don't want another Remy situation.

[DeNeo]

Medical tomorrow, hopefully signed by the weekend.

In other news:

Rodgers wants one more signing before the window shuts on September 1.

The Reds boss admits securing the services of another striker is crucial to provide cover for Daniel Sturridge and Rickie Lambert. Fabio Borini remains a Liverpool player but the Italian will still be allowed to leave if he accepts the chance to join Sunderland for £14m.

The Reds have not made a contract offer to Samuel Etoo. The 33-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving Chelsea, has been considered as a stop-gap prior to Origis arrival at Anfield next summer.

But his age and his wage demands means Liverpool are currently pursuing other more attractive options. They would only look to Etoo in the closing days of the window if their striker search has been unsuccessful.

I really can't think who we could get. We need someone who can play either with Sturridge (up front or in a 3), or instead of him. Someone who wouldn't be too unhappy on the bench. Remy was pretty much perfect.

[Keiths_Dad]

But he wasn't pretty much perfect at all, otherwise we'd have signed him. Either his knees were likely to implode at any given point and we'd have been tied in to a long term, high cost contract with someone who probably wouldn't regain their form, or some part of his negotiations went sour. I'd much rather we took the time to find someone who wouldn't become a permanent fixture in physio in the first instance, and someone who isn't a dick in the second.

Whether or not Eto'o is up to the task is up for debate, but he's extremely professional and I can't recall any lengthy injuries through his career. No doubt there are other, more glamorous possibilities, but Eto'o would be the pragmatist's choice.

[DeNeo]

Oh, I'm not saying we should've signed him anyway, just a shame that it couldn't happen.

Eto'o feels similar to Lambert, I think that'd be the only thing that would put me off - we'd have 2 older players who only really play as out-and-out strikers, we wouldn't have the flexibility we would with the likes of Remy.

[dizogg]

Fucking hell if you love Remy that much why don't you marry him?

[lolly]

He's bethrothed to another, fairer, prince

[dogsout]

Maybe it's the lack of sleep (and options in the market) talking, but I'd quite like us to go for Agbonlahor. I reckon he could be decent back up for Sturridge. Wouldn't cost the earth, has experience and plenty of pace, and I'm sure he'd accept being back up, too.

[SMD]

No.

[DeNeo]

Fucking hell if you love Remy that much why don't you marry him?

His heart wasn't in it

[Stig]

Bollocking to Adeybayor. He shows about 2/3 flashes of brilliance in a season and then forgets how to play the rest of the time.

There are defiantly options and we've just got a butt load of cash for Suarez and freed up his wages up, so why can't we attract a top striker?

[Kelthink]

Because we've already spent a boatload of cash? I'm pretty sure we'd be looking to spend £25 million on a striker at the very most.

[Stig]

Before Suarez was even talked about going Rodgers said in a conference that he'd been given the go ahead to get around 4 £15-£25m players. So we must have had some funds set aside to spend before Suarez even left.

[Takizawa]

Bollocking to Adeybayor.

Who said anything about Adebayor?

[dogsout]

Bollocking to Adeybayor. He shows about 2/3 flashes of brilliance in a season and then forgets how to play the rest of the time.

There are defiantly options and we've just got a butt load of cash for Suarez and freed up his wages up, so why can't we attract a top striker?

First of all, I said Agbonlahor. And second, name a striker that you would describe as 'top' that would meet the following requirements:

- Suit the system in place

- Accept a back up role to Sturridge

I really don't think this person exists. As some of us have said, Remy seemed to be close to perfect but it wasn't to be. The only decent link is Eto'o. I think that should serve as a wake up call to people - we're not going to sign a 'top' striker. We're essentially looking for cover.

[Keiths_Dad]

I've seen Lavezzi linked this morning, but it was in the Metro so it's almost definitely bollocks.

Good news though, in a schaudenfraude (sp?) manner - Suarez has had his ban upheld, so there is some justice finally when it comes to Barcelona.

[Fr Chewy Louie]

First of all, I said Agbonlahor. And second, name a striker that you would describe as 'top' that would meet the following requirements:

- Suit the system in place

- Accept a back up role to Sturridge

I really don't think this person exists. As some of us have said, Remy seemed to be close to perfect but it wasn't to be. The only decent link is Eto'o. I think that should serve as a wake up call to people - we're not going to sign a 'top' striker. We're essentially looking for cover.

Completely spot on. In many ways we're back in the situation we had with Torres- striker that likes to play through the middle alone and is injury prone. Any "big" signing won't come to sit on the bench. If not, we risk upsetting the system. Remy would have been perfect but it's telling that he's still at QPR really.

We need someone, although I'm not sure Agbonlahor is the solution. I don't think Eto'o is that bad an option really, provided his wages aren't astronomically high.

[Stig]

First of all, I said Agbonlahor. And second, name a striker that you would describe as 'top' that would meet the following requirements:

- Suit the system in place

- Accept a back up role to Sturridge

I really don't think this person exists. As some of us have said, Remy seemed to be close to perfect but it wasn't to be. The only decent link is Eto'o. I think that should serve as a wake up call to people - we're not going to sign a 'top' striker. We're essentially looking for cover.

Indeed you did, sorry I must have skim read it. As for the other point, I honestly don't know who we could get in.

[Adrock]

I don't know about a top striker upsetting the system. Suarez and Sturridge has, for some reason, been revised as something that wasn't ideal.

That was the partnership that got the club second. If it happened once then it could again with the right players. Although I concede replacing Suarez is not an option and getting any of the top strikers in the world unrealistic.

Of course if, as most of us suspect, Rodgers has indeed chosen to change the system then the goals will have to come from the support. The defence will need to tighten up massively because playing one up top will result in less scoring.

Edit: no club in world football could keep Sturridge happy on the bench, he is that kind of person. The Sturridge back up will have to either be old or young or just not very good.

So in essence I'm saying the midfield had better get scoring goals and lots of them.