Brendan Rodgers and the transfer market

[Russ Atmosphere]

For 50 million (Luiz), 28 million (Lukaku) and 37 million (Mata) = 115 million

 

Weirdly, that amounts to less than what we've spent this transfer cycle. Would anyone have spent that on Luiz, Lukaku and Mata?

 

Prices are jolly steep but which of them wouldn't get in our team?

[Russ Atmosphere]

Think he was signed under Rafa in jan/feb 2010?

 

But wasn't Shelvey bought when Roffa was here?

[Ne Moe Imya]

In May I think... think Wilson was too

 

Wilson definitely signed under Hodgson, I still recall the picture of the owl with his fresh-faced signings: Wilson, Cole, and Konchesky.  What a disaster that summer was.

 

The scouting/negotiating might have started under Rafa, though.

[Ranxerox]

Prices are jolly steep but which of them wouldn't get in our team?

 

Luiz would be a disaster in our set up, he's most of the reason Brazil got shredded in the WC. Mourinho was happy to let him go because he is so mistake prone. Mata has regressed as a player since Mourinho dumped him, Lukaku is admittedly more promising than Balotelli or Lambert.

[Mr T]

If the club isn't spending north of £2m per year on a scouting/ststisitcal analysis setup then it is fucking criminal waste of resources. If such a setup avoided even one Balotelli signing once every ten years it will have paid for itself meanwhile it is much more likely to unearth some gems as opposed to our 1/50 hit rate at the moment.

 

After 2001, 2008, 2011 and 2014 will we finally learn our lesson? Will we fuck.

[Boss]

I'm pretty negative on Rodgers but even I don't want him sacked yet, he will rightly get the season. But it would be nice if he worked on some of the team weakness and stopped trying to pass the buck on transfers when he was quick to claim Sturridge and Coutinho when they shone brightly. Now it's all spin and nothing to do with me guv.

 

I am also worried that a lot of the players he has bought this summer, it looks likes he has not had a plan on how to use them. We seem to have several players who are best behind the striker. We then have a striker who is best as one of two but then how does he play all these attacking players. If the one thing he has championed himself on is attacking play, but he has hodged our attacking players this season, not a good sign.

 

I am also staggered that he has spent a fortune on our defence and we are going backwards at the back. All very worrying signs and if you asked any fans how we will line up in the next game, no-one would have a clue. 

 

[Jairzinho]

Mata would be one of our best players. Although, admittedly, we do have 183 number 10s.

[Gnasher]

Mata has scored 10 goals in 25 appearances for the mancs, often from the bench. If the papers reports of man utd offloading him for 20mil someone will get a bargain.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/534194/Juan-Mata-Man-Utd-Transfer-Chelsea-Juventus-Atletico-Madrid-Stars-Update-Latest

[Gnasher]

Mata has scored 10 goals in 25 appearances for the mancs, often from the bench. If the papers reports of man utd offloading him for 20mil someone will get a bargain.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/534194/Juan-Mata-Man-Utd-Transfer-Chelsea-Juventus-Atletico-Madrid-Stars-Update-Latest

I'm not saying he hits them in "from' the bench, he's not that good.

[Denny Crane]

Boss not sure who you would like me to be pretty negative about for our woes this season. Hodgson, the refs, the tea lady our kitman. Or maybe I could just say Rodgers has been woeful this season, like I have. The man who is paid to coach and manage the team.

[Section_31]

If the club isn't spending north of £2m per year on a scouting/ststisitcal analysis setup then it is fucking criminal waste of resources. If such a setup avoided even one Balotelli signing once every ten years it will have paid for itself meanwhile it is much more likely to unearth some gems as opposed to our 1/50 hit rate at the moment.

 

After 2001, 2008, 2011 and 2014 will we finally learn our lesson? Will we fuck.

To be fair, you don't need a tactical surveillance unit to tell you Balotelli is shite, or Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing for that matter.

[Mr T]

We are placing far too much emphasis on the subjective views of one individual and now the views of a committee. But how do they form their collective judgement? Better to feed this committee with rigorous and systematically sourced evidence rather than the back of the fag packet stuff they are clearly using at the moment.

 

Carroll Downing Lovren Balotelli .. for each of these signings there were people on here championing them (as well as the club decision makers) so it clearly isn't that obvious.

[an tha]

I am supportive of Rodgers and believe he can get us going again, but he needs to stop coming out with shite.

 

He was quoted in August as saying he had signed quality players who wanted to come here because of the stature of us and because of champions league and because that is where top players want to be, and how they fitted the mould and profile of how we play, plus he prattled on about how it's hard to deny players that and how it is how football works.

 

Then the other day he is saying we couldn't get our top targets and how they wouldn't come and we had to work harder to make it happen.

 

That kind of contradictory shite isn't helping him.

[Grinch]

I am supportive of Rodgers and believe he can get us going again, but he needs to stop coming out with shite.

 

He was quoted in August as saying he had signed quality players who wanted to come here because of the stature of us and because of champions league and because that is where top players want to be, and how they fitted the mould and profile of how we play, plus he prattled on about how it's hard to deny players that and how it is how football works.

 

Then the other day he is saying we couldn't get our top targets and how they wouldn't come and we had to work harder to make it happen.

 

That kind of contradictory shite isn't helping him.

 

The only thing he needs to do is start winning again.  He's always talked shite, like all managers.  It's only a problem when the teams rubbish on field.

[an tha]

The only thing he needs to do is start winning again. He's always talked shite, like all managers. It's only a problem when the teams rubbish on field.

Alright yeah, talking shite and winning is not as bad as talking shite and not winning. Fair do's.

 

The shite will attract flak though when he isn't doing the business.

[El Dangerous]

I would happily forgo signing an Aspas/Lambert/Assaidi every season if we could plough that money into having the bestest scouting network in all the land. Who know's, after a while we might not need to take so many low money punts because the ones we do actually pay dividends.

 

Looking at that Chelsea list, it's not even like all those players joined because it was big money Chelsea with the trophies and ambition. We could offer the same money to the likes of Courtois, De Bruyne, Matic etc (before he rocketed) and actually give them the platform to perform for us instead of being loaned out all over the shop.

[billypilgrimnz]

And the fans. Not just lazy, but weak willed pussies, too.

 

You know, Numero Veinticinco turned into moof so gradually, I didn't even notice.

[therevivalist]

His demeanor tells it all and Rodgers has lost it for me for all practical purposes. Rodgers doesn't come across as as a leader confident enough to take us out of this mess. He has become obstinate unlike earlier on when he was quick to change/switch players/tactics when things did not work out very well and he got the results. I'm afraid he has gotten a tad arrogant now riding on the crest of the wave of last season's unexpected success or he's simply hit the ceiling of his capacity as a manger.

 

As seen in most of his post match interviews, he clearly cannot read games well and hence unable to comprehend the causes of our failure. Or he he's not prepared to admit his own failures, which is most worrying. But I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and see where we'll end up with him at the helm. Not optimistic though, which I must admit  is not out of character with me.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

You know, Numero Veinticinco turned into moof so gradually, I didn't even notice.

Thanks, mate.

[Kevin D]

I think we've overspent, have some really good, solid players who are under-performing, but have the basis if a good side. I think we need some leadership and experience, plus a really top quality partner for Sturridge.

Largely agreed.

 

I have a higher opinion of a few of our buys than most - Sturridge and Coutinho being quality buys with Allen and Mignolet being success - even if I thought we bought the wrong players and prioritised debatable positions.

 

What has surprised me is the speed of which complete confidence in Rodgers has turned into almost certain concern that, while he should still be manager, it's beyond him at this stage. If he was the Prime Minister, he would have had something like 90% approval between April-August and now it's in the 40%. I think a part of it is that we've seen the signs before and I'm not really sure that's entirely fair on the current regime.

[xerxes]

His demeanor tells it all and Rodgers has lost it for me for all practical purposes. Rodgers doesn't come across as as a leader confident enough to take us out of this mess. He has become obstinate unlike earlier on when he was quick to change/switch players/tactics when things did not work out very well and he got the results. I'm afraid he has gotten a tad arrogant now riding on the crest of the wave of last season's unexpected success or he's simply hit the ceiling of his capacity as a manger.

 

As seen in most of his post match interviews, he clearly cannot read games well and hence unable to comprehend the causes of our failure. Or he he's not prepared to admit his own failures, which is most worrying. But I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and see where we'll end up with him at the helm. Not optimistic though, which I must admit  is not out of character with me.

A good post in full.

 

The problem for him as an inexperienced manager is that he is having to tackle adversity like this for the first time. No-one, least of all him, knows what will happen.

 

He has earned this season. All will hinge on how his transfers to date look in May. Our immediate run of games is pretty soft, lets hope that we are on a high as we hit the critical Bournemouth/Arsenal/Man U/Basel sequence.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Largely agreed.

 

I have a higher opinion of a few of our buys than most - Sturridge and Coutinho being quality buys with Allen and Mignolet being success - even if I thought we bought the wrong players and prioritised debatable positions.

 

What has surprised me is the speed of which complete confidence in Rodgers has turned into almost certain concern that, while he should still be manager, it's beyond him at this stage. If he was the Prime Minister, he would have had something like 90% approval between April-August and now it's in the 40%. I think a part of it is that we've seen the signs before and I'm not really sure that's entirely fair on the current regime.

Fickle little pickles, some of them.

[Coro]

with Allen and Mignolet being success

 

Please define 'success'.

[TheFridge]

.

[eeyore]

If Rodgers manages to coach his way out of that massive shit heap of a transfer window, then he will be the undisputed champion coach of the world.