Depay snub a blow, but need not be a fatal one (ESPN article)

[tlw content]

by Dave Usher for ESPN

 

Memphis Depay opting for Manchester United over Liverpool was not a surprise, but it's hardly the start Brendan Rodgers was hoping for in his summer recruitment drive. Depay joins an ever-lengthening list of high-profile missed targets in the past two years, and many fans are already gearing up for another summer of disappointment, particularly as Daniel Sturridge's body continues to fall apart piece by piece.

 

Rodgers has insisted the Reds were never interested in the player, but PSV Eindhoven technical director Marcel Brands has suggested otherwise.

 

Supporters are frustrated, and losing another high-profile target to a rival is causing consternation in the red half of Merseyside. If Depay goes on to have a similar impact to other ones who got away such as Diego Costa and Alexis Sanchez, that will make things even worse.

 

Snubs are becoming an alarming trend. Liverpool seem to be able to sign players only when none of their rivals want them, and the list of excuses is growing.

 

Liverpool often talk of how they cannot compete financially with the current top-four clubs and how they have to do things a different way. Their entire transfer policy appears to be based on being smarter than everyone else.

 

The obvious flaw with that policy is that those entrusted with transfers are not showing they're smarter than everyone else. In fact, they've yet to prove they are smarter than anybody else. Only Manchester City currently appear to be as inept at buying players as Liverpool, although Spurs fans may also want to throw their club's hat into the ring given how the Gareth Bale money was squandered.

 

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[JermainePennant]

There hasn't been a time in my life of watching Liverpool where I've seen us beat other top teams in the league to players so I'm not going to blame the manager or club for this one.

 

I remember as far back as 98 when we were losing out on Desially to Chelsea, Stam to United and there are plenty more examples since.

 

Rafa had a good record with big name signings for a period but the ones he got where at the time not trying to be bought by other top clubs.

 

If we can't get those kind of players we need to be getting the young players who have been seen as stars since their youth days but aren't getting games for whatever reasons, those kind of players in most cases have been a success for us.

[scudger99]

I've been backing Rodgers, but I wish he'd shut his fucking hole in situations like this.  "We weren't interested in Depay".  Then PSV reveal that there were some level of talks.

Either someone else at the club was talking to Depay and Rodgers didn't know it, or he's spouting shite. 

Frankly, I'm not sure which scenario is worse.

[ratcatcher]

Just have a read of what depay has said about why he's agreed to join united.

 

I feel like beating my head against the wall with people blaming the club or rodgers. We need to face facts, we arent a draw for many players nowadays just like most clubs not in the CL.

 

Im sick of hearing pay one or two players silly wages to make a statement. A statement of what? That they'll take the money for two seasons and fuck off when a 'bigger' club comes sniffing?

[Captain]

It's not fatal, but it's probably a sign of things to come.

[ratcatcher]

Its a sign of how things are, however unpalatable that is.

[Mathewbet1]

not necessarily we could unearth the next lazer markovic this summer, money ball my friend ………...money ball. teach. preach. I'm out.

[Dr. J]

Have to agree with Rodgers on this. Whether or not we were in for him, we have other and much greater needs.

[Mathewbet1]

like what? i would say a striker is number one, look at the lack of goals this season and sturridge is fucked, balotteli is shite.

[Dr. J]

Striker or two, and a defensive midfielder.

[King Emlyn]

Why on earth did he want to join Utd over us? staggering, were massive, massive

[aRdja]

There hasn't been a time in my life of watching Liverpool where I've seen us beat other top teams in the league to players so I'm not going to blame the manager or club for this one.

 

I remember as far back as 98 when we were losing out on Desially to Chelsea, Stam to United and there are plenty more examples since.

 

Rafa had a good record with big name signings for a period but the ones he got where at the time not trying to be bought by other top clubs.

 

If we can't get those kind of players we need to be getting the young players who have been seen as stars since their youth days but aren't getting games for whatever reasons, those kind of players in most cases have been a success for us.

 

United wanted Torres. Torres wanted to play for Rafa, then Hodge came in...

[BCM]

Another reason why you need a manager with the reputation across europe to attract the top players.

Especially when you fail to qualify for the big competitions.

 

Time for Jurgen

[Section_31]

The manager is probably the biggest draw for ambitious players. If Ancelotti was at Villa he'd attract better players than us.

[xerxes]

We need players who can make an impact on the EL, then hopefully CL. stage. I am unconvinced that Brendan is the man to deliver that.

[ratcatcher]

We need players who can make an impact on the PL first and foremost.

[ratcatcher]

United wanted Torres. Torres wanted to play for Rafa, then Hodge came in...

 

United had looked at torres for a few years but didnt rate him enough to make the move.

[JermainePennant]

I've just read he's getting a 120k a week at Manu, this makes me believe that he would not have been a priority for us at that price seeing as we have wingers and other positions which need to be addressed .

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I've just read he's getting a 120k a week at Manu, this makes me believe that he would not have been a priority for us at that price seeing as we have wingers and other positions which need to be addressed .

Surely strikers are more of a priority.  Sterling, Ibe, Markovic, etc... We've got wingers.  We barely have a walking striker worthy of the name.

[johnsusername]

Another reason why you need a manager with the reputation across europe to attract the top players.

Especially when you fail to qualify for the big competitions.

 

Time for Jurgen

 

You're right - get Klinsmann in now. He can be manager AND our first choice striker.

[Josef Svejk]

Surely strikers are more of a priority.  Sterling, Ibe, Markovic, etc... We've got wingers.  We barely have a walking striker worthy of the name.

 

We need players who score goals. Like Depay. Which is why we were obviously after him.

 

Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Robben, Muller: not strikers, but goalscoring forwards. Exactly what we need. Doesn't matter if they wear the number nine or eleven or sixty-nine. They put the ball in the fucking goal.

[johnsusername]

Rickie Lambert scored 13 league goals last season. And 15 league goals the season before.

[Josef Svejk]

Rickie Lambert scored 13 league goals last season. And 15 league goals the season before.

 

Which is why we took a chance on someone who's effectively a lower league player.

 

But I don't really see the relevance to the Depay discussion...

[Lightforce]

Rickie Lambert scored 13 league goals last season. And 15 league goals the season before.

He scored 18 goals from open play in 2 years, playing all the league games. It's a shit scoring record. What he scored from pens and free-kicks was never going to be relevant to playing for LFC, as he wasn't going to be taking them. He also wasn't ever going to play 38 league games this season either, meaning he would almost certainly score less than 9 league goals, based on evidence from past performance. Guess what. He has scored less than 9 league goals. Much less. How surprising. When you have a transfer committee full of geniuses, you'd expect them to figure this basic stuff out.

[Lightforce]

We need players who score goals. Like Depay. Which is why we were obviously after him.

 

Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Robben, Muller: not strikers, but goalscoring forwards. Exactly what we need. Doesn't matter if they wear the number nine or eleven or sixty-nine. They put the ball in the fucking goal.

Precisely. Attackers now play anywhere across the forward line, a lot of top forwards at big clubs fit this criteria like the ones you mentioned. Reus is another one. Suarez used to play a lot as a wide forward at Ajax as well.