Summer Transfers 2014

[Lightforce]

Well known, established and underperforming. Hence Lyon got rid for £9m.

 

Hindsight is beautiful.

 

 

 

And also fucking annoying.

Wow, got rid of him for 9 million pounds! Did he cost them 20 million to buy originally then? No, what actually happened is they sold him for more than they bought him for so didn't "get rid of him" like you claim. Lyon aren't exactly tearing it up in France at the moment (finished 28 points behind the champions) so the idea that they get rid of international defenders because they would be better off without them is laughable.

 

Did he all of a sudden developed amazing defending skills last season did he? To make him worth over double? Skills that the scouts thought he never had before at age 23 but miraculously attained over the course of a few months up to age 24?

[The Golden Eel]

Not getting a lot for your money with that lot, we'll have spent the best part of 100 million, improved the squad but gone backwards on the first 11.

 

But the concept of improving the first 11 isn't as simple as that. 

 

How do we obviously improve the first 11?  IMO, we need two good full backs as starters.  That would immediately and significantly improve the first 11.  I disagree with not targeting a right back, it's a move I think seems motivated by Johnson's wage in that we don't want to have him on the books along with his replacement.  I don't know if anyone would be stupid enough to pay him that wage elsewhere - if they would, I'd honestly be happy to give him away and replace him.

 

Regarding the keeper, I think bringing in someone like Vorm would improve the first 11/squad in so much as it would mean that if Mignolet kept looking uncertain, we have a readymade keeper who the manager trusts to come into the side.  I don't see the point in replacing Mignolet with an obviously better keeper for a big fee.  So, the "first 11" is still better as it were.

 

Regarding the centre backs, we may as well sell Agger as it's clear he can't play with Sakho, who is the centre back we have with the most ceiling to improve.  He should improve with the experience of the first season under his belt.  So, bringing in Lovren, albeit at a high fee, surely again improves the first 11/squad as he can play with either Skrtel or Sakho.  Then we still have Toure and maybe Coates and/or Ilori as further back up. 

 

In the midfield, we can safely say that Gerrard is still a first choice player.  He's only going to get worse though, let's be honest.  So, bringing in Can seems like the right type of thing to do.  If we went out and signed a player who was obviously much better than Gerrard now, that would, IMO, improve the first 11 quality wise but you'd lose the other things Gerrard brings to the team.  Also, Henderson is a guaranteed first 11 starter now, I think we'd all agree with that.  You don't upgrade the lad after he's had his best season ever.  That leaves another space, or two, in the midfield depending on the formation and then we have Allen, Sterling, Coutinho and now Lallana to play in that positon.  Do you think we should sign someone better and shove one of those further down the pecking order and stifle their development?  It's not Liverpool under Rodgers, that type of approach.

 

Finally then, the other obvious area in need of improvement is Suarez's replacement.  As I said, that's the key signing this summer - it needs to be a player of top quality who can come into the first 11 straight away and hopefully relieve some of what we'll lose when Suarez goes.  Sanchez would be ideal, Shaqiri would be satisfactory.  If we did that, along with Lambert, Borini as options, we'd be looking good IMO with some of the main areas of weakness in the squad last season being addressed.

 

Obviosuly losing Suarez means that per se the first 11 will be weaker, which is why it's so important that we replace him properly and then we can build on what we have elsewhere.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Higuain is fucking brilliant and would be great for us. You Rolf Harris looking mother fuckers.

[Major Tom]

Wow, got rid of him for 9 million pounds! Did he cost them 20 million to buy originally then? No, what actually happened is they sold him for more than they bought him for so didn't "get rid of him" like you claim. Lyon aren't exactly tearing it up in France at the moment (finished 28 points behind the champions) so the idea that they get rid of international defenders because they would be better off without them is laughable.

 

Did he all of a sudden developed amazing defending skills last season did he? To make him worth over double? Skills that the scouts thought he never had before at age 23 but miraculously attained over the course of a few months up to age 24?

 

Lyon tend to drive a hard bargain and they don't sell their players cheaply. They certainly don't sell £20m defenders for £9m.

 

And, lastly on this here matter, I don't actually think Lovren is an improvement on what we have. So wouldn't want him for £9m or £20m. The idea is to pay £20m on a defender and improve the first XI in doing so.

 

That's the idea, that is.

[stringvest]

Higuain is fucking brilliant and would be great for us. You Rolf Harris looking mother fuckers.

Christ. That first sentence carries concentrated wrong. Fortunately you pulled your reputation out of the fire with your second.

 

[robbiefowler9]

Isn't Higuain a big number 9? From what I've seen he's excellent but not sure him and Sturridge could/could work together.

 

To be honest, I think Suarez leaving will see us go back to 433, with Sturridge the main central striker. That would explain our (reported) interest in Shaqiri/Markovic/Sanchez, as the 442 diamond doesn't really make use of wingers.

 

So if we're planning to adopt 433 as our dominant formation, I'd argue that signing another top class central striker would be a bit redundant given we already have Sturridge. The priority has to be wide players. We only really have Sterling for those positions at the minute. I know Lallana can play wide but I reckon Rodgers wants him to play predominantly in the hole.

[El Dangerous]

I'm happy with with Studge as our focal point. Lambert and Borini will do the job against lesser teams. Wouldn't mind a shit hot youngster in the mix, a tricky forward.

 

What we really need is that injection of first team class from the wide forward. If not Sanchez I want Griezman, before everyone else cottons on to how good he can be .

[Lightforce]

Lyon tend to drive a hard bargain and they don't sell their players cheaply. They certainly don't sell £20m defenders for £9m.

 

And, lastly on this here matter, I don't actually think Lovren is an improvement on what we have. So wouldn't want him for £9m or £20m. The idea is to pay £20m on a defender and improve the first XI in doing so.

 

That's the idea, that is.

I hope that happens but it seems we can't stop ourselves once we enter "shop at Lidl" mode.

[Cardie]

I'm happy with with Studge as our focal point. Lambert and Borini will do the job against lesser teams. Wouldn't mind a shit hot youngster in the mix, a tricky forward.

 

What we really need is that injection of first team class from the wide forward. If not Sanchez I want Griezman, before everyone else cottons on to how good he can be .

Think that ship has sailed but agree, Markovic, Shaqiri and Griezman would be a good effort at replacing a few goals and spreading them around the team.

 

[JaminKibbler]

We absolutely must get Sanchez as part of the deal, if not 80 million minimum. Shaqiri must be the next best target we can get.

[moof]

We had the absolute best attack in Europe last season. That doesn't need improving so this first 11 stuff is bollocks. It's our defence that needs improving and if we can get a really good left back and Lovren, guess what, it's improved.

 

We'll still have a shit hot attack, but with a more solid defence.

[PestiRed]

We had the absolute best attack in Europe last season. That doesn't need improving so this first 11 stuff is bollocks. It's our defence that needs improving and if we can get a really good left back and Lovren, guess what, it's improved.

 

We'll still have a shit hot attack, but with a more solid defence.

We lose 31 goals and 13 assists. I agree that we need to tighten up at the back to compensate but we still need to do something up front as well

 

[moof]

We lose 31 goals and 13 assists. I agree that we need to tighten up at the back to compensate but we still need to fly something up front as well

Ya but we're adding Lallana, Lambert, Borini, Suso into the mix along with hopefully Shaqiri/Markovic and someone boss like Sanchez.

 

You can't possibly think we're getting rid of Suarez and not replacing him with anybody?

[Jairzinho]

We had the absolute best attack in Europe last season. That doesn't need improving so this first 11 stuff is bollocks. It's our defence that needs improving and if we can get a really good left back and Lovren, guess what, it's improved.

 

We'll still have a shit hot attack, but with a more solid defence.

 

We're about to lose the absolute best attacker in Europe, of course it will need improving.

[Strontium]

I'm talking about that level of player.

 

We've got a lot of goals to replace.

Suarez is irreplaceable. Our chances of adequately replacing him are approximately equal to my chances of being invited to a private orgy with Girls Aloud this weekend.

[moof]

We're about to lose the absolute best attacker in Europe, of course it will need improving.

That's not the argument. The argument is last seasons first XI needs improving. It does in defence but not in attack. We could take a small decrease in attack if our defence was markedly better.

[PestiRed]

Ya but we're adding Lallana, Lambert, Borini, Suso into the mix along with hopefully Shaqiri/Markovic and someone boss like Sanchez.

 

You can't possibly think we're getting rid of Suarez and not replacing him with anybody?

You're aware that we can't play all of them at the same time?

[moof]

You're aware that we can't play all of them at the same time?

The goals only count if they play at the same time?

[JermainePennant]

Why would Vidal leave Juventus for United? Load of shite

I read in the metro yesterday that he said he would be willing to go there if united can agree a fee with juve, wouldn't surprise me at all to see him end up there as the Italian league is shit and despite juves domination there they are not one of the best teams in Europe.

[PestiRed]

The goals only count if they play at the same time?

Point being that replacing the 31 goals and 13 assists by a single player requires a change in system rather than just a number of like-for-like players

[etho]

Well it will be 4-3-3 won't it, with Sturridge and Lambert as the central men. It will all depend on the ability of all the new men to play AM/WF adapting quickly and weighing in with goals and assists, and maybe the likes of Sterling, Coutinho and even Henderson adding another 5 goals each to their tallies.

[moof]

Point being that replacing the 31 goals and 13 assists by a single player requires a change in system rather than just a number of like-for-like players

That was exactly my point. The goals will come from more areas this season, like the bench, because we won't have to rely on Aspas and Victor Moses. Just an example.

[Bjornebye]

I'm happy with with Studge as our focal point. Lambert and Borini will do the job against lesser teams. Wouldn't mind a shit hot youngster in the mix, a tricky forward.

 

What we really need is that injection of first team class from the wide forward. If not Sanchez I want Griezman, before everyone else cottons on to how good he can be .

 

Neg worthy????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Bjornebye]

That was exactly my point. The goals will come from more areas this season, like the bench, because we won't have to rely on Aspas and Victor Moses. Just an example.

 

This is 100% correct. 

[index1000]

I read in the metro yesterday that he said he would be willing to go there if united can agree a fee with juve, wouldn't surprise me at all to see him end up there as the Italian league is shit and despite juves domination there they are not one of the best teams in Europe.

that should have tipped you off right there...