Are we rectifying the mistakes of last summer?

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Simple question really - with the signings we're making, and likely to make, are we righting the wrongs of last summer?

 

I've heard it put forward that we've learnt our lessons from that window, and have adjusted our strategy accordingly, going for first team players and PL experience. 

 

NB: This isn't a whinge, I'm genuinely interested in hearing what others - particularly those of an opposing opinion - think.

 

My two penneth:

 

I rate all of our new signings individually - particularly Clyne and Firmino, who were on my fantasy "want" list -  but I worry that they won't address some of the big problems in our squad, or specifically the issues the manager has struggled with.

 

Last summer we had a gaping hole at CM, needed competition for Mignolet, and most of all should've brought in a mobile forward who could work with - or replace -  Sturridge without the team having to be adjusted. Those problems remain in my view.

 

If the argument is we're going after PL experience, then surely you have to apply the same rationale to Lallana and Lovren (or even Balotelli), who were both supposed to be first team players and would need no time to acclimatise.

 

Clyne is a real talent, and a definite upgrade on Johnson, but I was similarly pleased when we managed to nab Moreno last year. My fear is, once again, we'll see a youngster regress because we haven't heeded what environment the player has previously thrived in i.e. a solid central midfield that covers CBs, who in turn can cover the fullback.

 

Milner is a very good player, but he doesn't fill the hole in CM.

 

Firmino is a smart signing, and will provide the manager with the AM he wants who can play up front too; a nice fall back option should his strikers stink the place out again. Yet, much like Lallana, he'll require a good midfield behind him, which places the emphasis on Milner and Henderson again. 

 

I'm not going to get into whether Benteke is the right kind of forward, as everyone's made up their mind on that one.

 

Before the window began, the list I saw most people raising as needing to be addressed - in order of prioritisation - was CF, CM (or even DM) and RB.

 

Given how we saw the kitty for a forward slowly evaporate last year, spent big on AMs, a fullback who needed protecting, and failed to recognise how an upgraded CM would have had a beneficial effect on both attack and defence, is anyone convinced we've learnt our lessons, or is our barometer now just "better than last summer"?

[Mook]

In terms of going in there & getting the business done early I think they've learned, as for what happens on the pitch, we'll have to wait & see, I like most of the signings myself but I'm not sold that they all make sense, we seem to have about eight No.10s at the moment & the gaping hole that is our DM position is being ignored again, pretty clear we're never getting one under Rodgers.

[s(k)aturation]

At this stage I'd say better than last summer, rather the rectified.

 

"Rectified" can only be judged on performances, just like last summer's shitness was only ratified once the season was under way.

[VladimirIlyich]

I think we are trying to rectify it,but a lack of a DM is still my own personal major concern. I am delighted to see us shopping from the Bundesliga but a couple of actual Germans would compliment Firmino even more.

Volland would be excellent but one of their multitude of German or multinational keepers would have been great too.

[Mr T]

We are doing better at:

 

1) Getting deals done early.

2) Not low-balling teams which is often counter-productive.

3) Looking for value beyond the Premier League.

 

We are making no progress, from what I can tell, at:

 

1) Fixing the midfield.

2) Buying players clearly with a system in mind.

3) Moving on the dross.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

The poll needs a "don't know" option.

 

If you'd asked me last season, the only mistake I would have identified was Balotelli.  Moreno, Lovren, Can, Markovic Lallana and Lambert all looked like decent signings (if some where a bit pricey).  Whatsisname the right-back loanee seemed like an odd, but zero-risk option.  The attempt to sign Remy, had it worked out, could have cast last year's signings in a completely different light.  Only the signing of an immobile, clueless, workshy and hardly prolific striker set off any alarm bells for me.

 

We didn't know how few games (and goals) we would get from Sturridge, or the degree to which Sterling's form would collapse, but it seemed that we were improving our defence (Can, Moreno and Lovren) while adding a bit of pace and trickery (Markovic) and experience and intelligence (Lalanna and Lambert) to the top end.  It was obvious we were not going to repeat the wild ride of the previous season, but we should've had enough to get us into top four and a good cup run or two.  Last season wasn't just disappointing in comparison to the previous season, it was disappointing because, given the players we signed, we finished with maybe 10 points fewer than we should have (due to poor individual form, stupid decisions by the manager and occasionally shit luck with injuries to Sturridge and Flanagan).

 

So - are we rectifying last summer's mistakes?  I'd say "yes" if we were binning off players we'd brought in and replacing them with better ones.  I'd say "no" if I had a firmer idea of what last summer's "mistakes" actually were and whether this summer's business was addressing them.  I still have some (varying degrees of) hope that Lallana, Can, Markovic, Moreno and even Lovren could prove to be much more effective this season than last.  If that happens - and if Sturridge and Flanagan return to reliable fitness and form - then there will be much less pressure on our new signings (and the manager) and the performances and results will start to come.  If, however, that doesn't happen, then we're fucked.

 

This is all just a long-winded way of saying - Dunno.

[Dr. J]

Absolutely have improved. I can't see all this emphasis on midfield when the most glaring problem was the lack of goals in the side, which the club is prioritizing.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Last summer was about strengthening the squad. Which we did to an extent.

 

This summer was supposed to be about getting two-three class acts in to improve the starting eleven.

 

Now it seems we are trying to do both this summer. We probably also need to, because of:

- The Sturridge injury situation

- Gerrard has left (which I think no one knew last summer)

- Manquillo has been a disappointment (as has others, even if I still think both Markovic and Moreno may come good)

- Lambert and Balotelli, especially the latter of course, have proven to be total waste (as has Lovren, but it's not as urgent to replace him)

 

Whether or not this window will be a success will to a large degree depend on if we can bring in a top striker/scorer or not. The lack of movement, pace and goal threat up front was our main problem last season and will continue to be until we bring in world class in that department. (Which Benteke is not)

[Beno]

Do you think Emre Can can do the DM job?

I think he's  worth a go.

Indeed do you think we need an out and out DM?

We've got several all action box to box midfielders in the squad now  so he may not be looking for this DM that everyone craves.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

We are doing better at:

 

1) Getting deals done early.

2) Not low-balling teams which is often counter-productive.

3) Looking for value beyond the Premier League.

 

We are making no progress, from what I can tell, at:

 

1) Fixing the midfield.

2) Buying players clearly with a system in mind.

3) Moving on the dross.

 

With regards buying players with a clear system, I think the system is the same as whatever the plan was last year, and as much as I knock our planning, there must have been one.

 

Benteke is a strong CF, capable of using his body to roll defenders, much like Bony, and I'm assuming it was hoped Balotelli.

Firmino continues the AM obsession, and should cover for what Sterling was supposed to offer as a makeshift forward, or even Lallana's injuries.

 

It's looking more and more like this season is more of a do-over, and about giving Rodgers the players for one more crack at what he was trying to put into place last season.

[Russ Atmosphere]

May as well wait until the squad is finalised. Thus far we've only really been sorting out replacements for 4 of the signings. Still no DM. Shit keepers.

 

In general though we've not replaced a lack of leadership quality yet, or experience or bought a free kick taker... so it all smells.

[Grinch]

Any summer that you spend over £100m on a few squad players and a load of shite you need to sell on ASAP, takes numerous windows to recover from.

 

Rodgers set us back years last summer.  Something that was quite obvious at the time he was spunking all that cash.

 

At least this year, the players look likely to improve us.

[Jairzinho]

No.

 

We've already made six signings and still haven't addressed the two most important we needed to make. One I doubt we actually will, and the other I'm not convinced we're going to get right.

 

However, I think Clyne and Firmino are good signings.

[Special K]

We need a goalscorer, strong defensive midfielder and a centre half. We are yet to address this problem and that is worrying

[smilezzz]

Do you think Emre Can can do the DM job?

I think he's worth a go.

Indeed do you think we need an out and out DM?

We've got several all action box to box midfielders in the squad now so he may not be looking for this DM that everyone craves.

I think Can is a decent shout, and his time in defence could have been with the idea of him learning some discipline to play that role.

 

I've always thought of him as a more attack minded player though, albeit not the midgets we seem to like. He reminds me a bit of Shelvey, or a Lampard lite... Capable, but wouldn't excel in that position. IM probably wrong though.

 

With Milner coming in, I think the plan is to have two box to box midfielders playing deep, either one with licence to bomb forward, but one to stay back and cover the other. It's the only way I see things working with him, Allen, Henderson and Can around.

[thompsonsnose]

[Boss]

Nobody knows, on paper they look good signings, you can't really complain about signing a 22 year old that scored 11 goals last year for about 6m, Milner one of the best Man City players last year on a free and Firmino and Clyne were both fantasy team signings at the end of May.

 

But Adam scored 12 goals and had quite a few assists for a piss poor Blackpool side, Downing scored 7 goals and had loads of assists for an insipid Villa and Jose Enrique was deemed one of the best left backs in the league when we signed him. It remains to be seen who kicks on and who flops. I hope for our sake we get it right, but it looks like we are falling for the same trap as last season and spending a large amount of our budget on premier league proven players. The players like Vietto, Martinez, Luiz Adriano, Mandzukic, Bacca etc have all gone elsewhere, so our most important position to strengthen is getting to that Mario 'take a punt' time.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'll wait and see. It could be a very good window with a couple of clever additions, but if we waste a load of money on players who aren't worth it... fuck it.

[Evil_Ways]

Firmino and Clyne are both very good signings i think. Milner is good business on a free too i think. But it is still central midfield and a forward that needs sorting out. Those were the two positions that most needed sorting out heading in to the window, and remain so. It's going to come down to that i think.

[Pureblood]

It's an emphatic "yes" from me.

 

Signings have been made early and decisively, in contrast to last summer.

 

The so called problems with our midfield are hugely exaggerated in my opinion.

 

Add a reliable striker and we're in business.

[Christian]

There's a fair chance that only 1 of the summer signings last summer will be in the side: Moreno. And he's a bit suspect overall.

 

Mig

Clyne Skrtel Sakho Moreno

Hendo Milner

Firmino Coutinho Sterling (if here)

Benteke (if signed)

 

If we do sell Sterling, I'd be looking for a top class immediate centre back and/or left back with the money (unless it's already allocted for Benteke/ AN Other.

 

Can't see Can, Lallana or Lovren in a fully fit squad starting in the first XI.

[JermainePennant]

Lallana was the only player showing any kind of form at the start of last season, injuries were the reason he struggled.No one could have imagined how poor Lovren would be, Balotelli was a gamble and Lambert a bench option.

 

I'm happy with what's been done so far but like others am concerned about the dm position, hopefully Lucas goes soon and we atleast get one who can be relied on to be fit.

 

The praise Can got last season and BRs comments about Origi make me think they will play quite often, those two have been used as examples of our committe getting things right and the owners are aware of this. All the praise can got from fans last season may not have been the best thing as BR is under a bit of pressure to play him in cm or dm while anytime he played there for us he was poor.

[Kevin D]

It's very easy to rectify the mistakes of last summer: Sack every member of the transfer committee for gross incompotence.

[Denny Crane]

If Rodgers plays 3 midfielders he is at least one midfielder short especially when you consider

 

Naz da Gama ‏@Nazdagama 2h2 hours ago

1/ Since Allen moved to LFC in 12/13: JA was out injured 236 days (33 games). Lucas was injured 192 days ( 44 games) in the same period

12 retweets 3 favorites

 

Milner, Can, Lucas, Henderson and Allen

 

The more I think about they must be in the market for another midfielder let's hope he is good.

 

Benteke, Sturridge, Firmino Lallana, Ings, Ibe, Coutinho, Markovic.

 

I reckon one from Origi, Markovic or Ibe will go on loan if Sterling stays 2 out of the 3 will go on loan.

[TheHowieLama]

All teams have pretty much the same record in terms of whether a transfers performs on the field.

 

We very obviously have had a re think about how we go about the process of signing players - for the better.