January 2014 Transfer Thread

[SCOUSE TAPAS]

We will be below 10th in February with the current midfield.

Shaw is very good but he'd cost too much and his head is set on Chelsea I'm afraid. Moreno is the player to buy for me. If not - then Willems, Oczipka or Rodriguez from Wolfsburg (he was PSGs second choice in case of Lucas Digne deal failure).

I'd love Fischer, amazing talent, one of my favourite players around but I think Ajax won't sell him atm.

Ajax will sell if the right offer came in for him. There a selling club and have been for years.The problem might be with him not wanting to go to a club not playing champions league football.

The chances of Ajax still being in the champions league come January though is probably over right now. Though again he could look at it as well Ajax will be in it next season and we wont or probably wont be.

I would think that other clubs might be interested in him as well and again I would think a club with champions league football would be enough to tempt him away from any interest from us.

[TheHowieLama]

Ajax will always be in it and players always leave them.

[Gnasher]

I think the goals that Rodgers wanted came in the guise of the Armenian, too early to try and spell his name, Costa, the one that went to Chelsea.

We missed out on our three options and then seemed to go all defensive, no doubt we needed to strengthen at the back but we had other pressing areas as well.

 

Maybe he thought Lucas would get back to his best but that is not happening and Gerrards form has been poor, it makes the summer dealings look very bad.

 

Aspas looks like he is off, Alberto is not ready yet.  I had high hopes after the winter window but so far those hopes, seem very optimistic.

The costa bid was another strange one. If we'd have signed him would we have played with three centre forwards the way we play with three at the back? Great player but I'm confused by the thinking, unless he was lined up as a replacement for Suarez.

[Pureblood]

We will be below 10th in February with the current midfield.

 

Good God.  Someone make it stop arrrrgggghhhhhhhhh oooooowwwwwwww my eyes.

[Dr. J]

If we pay the wages, players will come. That's why they go to Zenit, or one of those other financially doped Russian teams, and why they don't go to Celtic or Steaua or some other team that is a perennial group phase only club.

 

The best players want the money and a decent chance at winning the trophy. The next best will take the money.

[Batigol]

If we pay the wages, players will come. That's why they go to Zenit, or one of those other financially doped Russian teams, and why they don't go to Celtic or Steaua or some other team that is a perennial group phase only club.

 

The best players want the money and a decent chance at winning the trophy. The next best will take the money.

[Ne Moe Imya]

Good God.  Someone make it stop arrrrgggghhhhhhhhh oooooowwwwwwww my eyes.

It's not his fault, not really.

 

Over the last few years Liverpool fans have gotten used to being terrible.  It will take time to adjust to the idea that even though we still may have a weakness (right now our midfield), we're still a decent team and will be in the top 6 at the very worst for sure.

 

Remember that we're still recovering from a time when Lucas-Gerrard-Henderson as our midfield would have been the strongest part of our side (with Konchesky in defense, Joe Cole up front, etc).  It will be hard for some of the dimmer fans to come around to the idea that we can have a weak point and still not be utter dross.

[Innova]

It's not his fault, not really.

 

Over the last few years Liverpool fans have gotten used to being terrible. It will take time to adjust to the idea that even though we still may have a weakness (right now our midfield), we're still a decent team and will be in the top 6 at the very worst for sure.

 

Remember that we're still recovering from a time when Lucas-Gerrard-Henderson as our midfield would have been the strongest part of our side (with Konchesky in defense, Joe Cole up front, etc). It will be hard for some of the dimmer fans to come around to the idea that we can have a weak point and still not be utter dross.

But below 10th???? I'll agree if we are 13th in the table right now instead of 3rd.

[Brigant Moloch]

Ehhh...we have a decent team - agree. We have solid defense and amazing strikers but unbalanced & soft midfield. We have medicore players in our midfield who need to be replaced, it's really simple. We faced two teams with solid midfield this season and lost twice (arse & southampton), it's not coincidence. We'll struggle against spurs and everton too, probably against Cardiff too. We struggled against Swansea, Jonjo fucking Shelvey outplayed Gerrard and Lucas in midfield in that game (yeah I know he made that shit backward pass), we had problems against Aston Villa when they started to press. We can not rely on luck and "SAS" (and Jesus this is cringeworthy, media must stop with this shit) all season. Our weakness, which is shite midfield, is getting more & more exposed with evey game, we will not finish top 6 with current midfield and people @ LFC know it, that's why we will buy at least one midfielder in January. 

 

I know I'm babbling about this midfield situation all the time, but it really amazes me that people can't see the urgent need to replace abject medicority with good players, balance the midfield and push for the top 4. No more talk about our midfield from me till Jan, thank You for your patience lads;)

 

I said below 10th - the league is very tight this year and will be till the end, only 6pts separate 4th and 10th

[Jay86]

Ehhh...we have a decent team - agree. We have solid defense and amazing strikers but unbalanced & soft midfield. We have medicore players in our midfield who need to be replaced, it's really simple. We faced two teams with solid midfield this season and lost twice (arse & southampton), it's not coincidence. We'll struggle against spurs and everton too, probably against Cardiff too. We struggled against Swansea, Jonjo fucking Shelvey outplayed Gerrard and Lucas in midfield in that game (yeah I know he made that shit backward pass), we had problems against Aston Villa when they started to press. We can not rely on luck and "SAS" (and Jesus this is cringeworthy, media must stop with this shit) all season. Our weakness, which is shite midfield, is getting more & more exposed with evey game, we will not finish top 6 with current midfield and people @ LFC know it, that's why we will buy at least one midfielder in January.

 

I know I'm babbling about this midfield situation all the time, but it really amazes me that people can't see the urgent need to replace abject medicority with good players, balance the midfield and push for the top 4. No more talk about our midfield from me till Jan, thank You for your patience lads;)

 

I said below 10th - the league is very tight this year and will be till the end, only 6pts separate 4th and 10th

Pretty much my take on it mate. Our defence will look a lot more solid as the season goes on, Sakho looks like he'll be class and sort out our frailties, we've obviously got 2 great strikers it's just our poor midfield.

 

I can see people's points on persisting Henderson but he's just not good enough in my opinion, Lucas the same. How many of the teams who will finish above us would them too be considered "key" midfielders. My guess is not many.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

11th or below? Erm... What? No. Just no.

[Gym Beglin]

I just wish that Rodgers would sit down with Lucas, Gerrard and Henderson in front of all the kids in the canteen and just push them in the chest and shout "STOP BEING SHIT, OTHERWISE YOU'RE OUT, SO STOP BEING SO FUCKING SHIT."

 

"OH MY LEGS HURT, FUCK YOU YOUR LEGS HURT, YOUR WALLET WILL HURT WHEN I SELL YOU ALL TO FUCKING SWANSEA".

 

"HOW HARD IS THIS? PLAY FOOTBALL, TRY TO WIN THE GAME, TRY TO STOP US CONCEDING, PUT SOME FUCKING TACKLES IN, STOP BEING A SET OF TWATS"

 

"ETC"

[J-V]

I just wish that Rodgers would sit down with Lucas, Gerrard and Henderson in front of all the kids in the canteen and just push them in the chest and shout "STOP BEING SHIT, OTHERWISE YOU'RE OUT, SO STOP BEING SO FUCKING SHIT."

 

"OH MY LEGS HURT, FUCK YOU YOUR LEGS HURT, YOUR WALLET WILL HURT WHEN I SELL YOU ALL TO FUCKING SWANSEA".

 

"HOW HARD IS THIS? PLAY FOOTBALL, TRY TO WIN THE GAME, TRY TO STOP US CONCEDING, PUT SOME FUCKING TACKLES IN, STOP BEING A SET OF TWATS"

 

"ETC"

 

 

He should then punch himself in the face because he bought Joe Allen for £15million. A midfielder inferior to all those you mentioned.

[Boss]

What's encouraging is the quality of the players were linked with, I remember when BR first got here we lined up in Boston for a pre season game with Adam and Spearing as the central midfield, Joe Cole as the attacking mid and Dani Pacheco as the left winger, think about how far we've came.

[Boss]

Remember when we tried to sign Scott Dann from Birmingham and they refused because they wanted to hold out for 8 million, just remember that when you see us linked with the Pastore's, Cabaye's and Iturbe's of this world..

[Gnasher]

He should then punch himself in the face because he bought Joe Allen for £15million. A midfielder inferior to all those you mentioned.

Bollocks. Two seasons ago Allen played for swansea twice against a liverpool side that included midfeilders Lucas, Henderson, Gerrard, Adam and twice looked the best player on the pitch. Swansea were unfortunate to come out of those two games with only four points.

 

Allen might not be a world beater but he can close down the opposition, receive the ball in tight areas, trap the ball and pass the thing to one of his own team mates.

[Ne Moe Imya]

What's encouraging is the quality of the players were linked with, I remember when BR first got here we lined up in Boston for a pre season game with Adam and Spearing as the central midfield, Joe Cole as the attacking mid and Dani Pacheco as the left winger, think about how far we've came.

I was bored last night so I watched the highlights of last year's cup game against West Brom for some reason.

 

It was a real eye opener as to how far we've come in such a short time.  It was our second team, but it was still really shocking how poor we were: Jones in goal, an 18-year old Wisdom lining up alongside Robinson, Coates and Carragher in defense.  In midfield, the mighty Nuri Sahin, Pacheco and Henderson in midfield, and ahead of them Yesil, Assaidi and Downing.

 

We may still struggle a bit for depth, but I would say that our second XI right now would be:

 

Jones

 

Kelly  Toure  Skrtel  Cissokho

 

Allen  Rossiter?

 

Moses  Alberto  Sterling

 

Aspas

 

which shows that, midfield apart, we are miles ahead of where we were.  That team would beat last year's second team 3-0 or so.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Buy some top quality midfielders and I think we will look a lot better a lot more consistently. Its no coincedence since our midfield dropped in quality with the loss of masch and Alonso that our standing has dropped too. The only transfer window we've had right in years was the coutinho and Sturridge one and I don't think the club even expected those two signings to be as good as they turned out.

 

If Rodgers follows the pattern we've formed over the years of buying a plethora of players of mixed ability and mixed ages like we are trying to address the present and the future all in one go on a shoe string budget then he and the club will never be a force in this league. Aim to Buy better players for the first 11 than the ones you have now and holy shit your team might improve. Its astounding how we totally fuck up that basic concept. Fuck the squad that will take care of itself the managers only thoughts should be first 11. Let the academy go have their own small budget seeing how that is a constant fixture unlike managers who come and go.

[Red Hot]

I agree with what you are saying entirely, we have bought too many gambles which have backfired. At present we need a commander of a DM and a box to box midfielder who can score 8 th 12 goals per season. If we wait till the summer transfer window being world cup year, a premium will come with players brought in.

 

FSG should give BR a budget to get these quality players this winter transfer window.

[The Great Jacko]

I was bored last night so I watched the highlights of last year's cup game against West Brom for some reason.

 

It was a real eye opener as to how far we've come in such a short time.  It was our second team, but it was still really shocking how poor we were: Jones in goal, an 18-year old Wisdom lining up alongside Robinson, Coates and Carragher in defense.  In midfield, the mighty Nuri Sahin, Pacheco and Henderson in midfield, and ahead of them Yesil, Assaidi and Downing.

 

We may still struggle a bit for depth, but I would say that our second XI right now would be:

 

Jones

 

Kelly  Toure  Skrtel  Cissokho

 

Allen  Rossiter?

 

Moses  Alberto  Sterling

 

Aspas

 

which shows that, midfield apart, we are miles ahead of where we were.  That team would beat last year's second team 3-0 or so.

I agree to some extent but Cissokho and Moses would cost £20m probably that we haven't spent yet and when you look at say Chelsea's second team it shows how far we have to go

[beejay]

I was at that game v WBA in the Cup and we were terrific, totally outplayed a strong Albion side.

 

Sahin, Pacheco and Assaidi were excellent, the young lad Sinclair came on and straight away played a part in our winning goal, it was a really enjoyable night that filled me with confidence about our future.

 

Funny how things change, some players you are convinced will be top draw end up in the Spanish 3rd division while others like Skrtel who I have written off on several occasions especially after his first clueless game v Havant, become stalwarts.

 

It ain't as easy as it sounds being a manager or coach.

 

That said, there's hardly a red I know who doesn't think our midfield is the major problem, but there again there's none that choose the same player to solve it   

[beejay]

While I'm on the subject, the team that I would hope could keep a lid on our season until the respite of the January transfer window is

 

-------------------------Mignolet----------------------

 

Toure------------Skrtel------------Agger--------Johnson

 

------------Henderson------Gerrard-------Allen---------

 

------------------------Coutinho-----------------------

 

------------------Suarez---------Sturridge-------------

 

I think Toure offers so much leadership and will to win that I would fit him in wherever I could and he has the pace and commitment to do a seriously effective job at right back for a couple of months.

 

GloJo has always seemed to be better at left back than right and he's a threat cutting in on his right foot. Agger should return to keep us on the front foot with his ability to move upfield and run with the ball to stretch the opposition.

 

The midfield has a higher energy, ball retention and tempo than our current set-up and the forwards will interchange and get on the ball in the right areas to hurt the opposition.

 

Sakho, Lucas, Enrique etc can still make strong contributions from the bench but that's what I would go for

[Dr. J]

Anything to this story that Rushie said we'd be signing Stephen El Sharaawy this January? Apparently he tweeted it.

[Red Banjo]

Milan selling their wonderkid who the fans love?

 

Hmmmm. Let me think about this....

 

Err no.

[Gym Beglin]

I have a fear of signing anyone with 'El' in their name.

 

Not sure we should be happy that we're linked with strikers in this transfer window, it seems to indicate that we might sell a certain somebody in January.