Summer Transfer Ballache 2016

[The Golden Eel]

I genuinely pity anyone who can't get excited about signing a three times Estonian footballer of the year

[Scooby Dudek]

I genuinely pity anyone who can't get excited about signing a three times Estonian footballer of the year

You're Tallinn me

[amli]

I genuinely pity anyone who can't get excited about signing a three times Estonian footballer of the year

That's slightly dampened by the fact that an Estonian year consists of 47 days.

[ben48]

Im thinking we will sign poorer players then we did under the last manager based on the players we are signing now.Im thinking Klopps time here may not be successful because of him looking shaky tactically last season, his style of play and the signings he is making.

 

I'm not saying we are fucked if we have any manager that's not Rafa, I do think the future doesn't look great under Klopp though and when his time is up I don't want the club to take anymore risks so Rafa should be the next manager.

,Spot on JP you are a fuckin genius.

[kalasoma]

Ragnar is a good Viking name. More vikings.

[SammyAftershave]

That Iceland CB Ragnar Sigurdsson looked like he might fit the bill.

[Ginny]

Im thinking we will sign poorer players then we did under the last manager based on the players we are signing now.Im thinking Klopps time here may not be successful because of him looking shaky tactically last season, his style of play and the signings he is making.

I'm not saying we are fucked if we have any manager that's not Rafa, I do think the future doesn't look great under Klopp though and when his time is up I don't want the club to take anymore risks so Rafa should be the next manager.

This is brilliant ... Just brilliant

[Lee909]

I think we just wont play a LB. Won't make any difference to be fair

[Em City]

That's it, I am officially entering hysterical fanny mode.

[chrisbonnie]

You're Tallinn me

He is very talinn-ted after all.

 

 

[Frankenhooker]

RAGNAR !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'll be devastated if we don't sign him.

[Dr Nowt]

Thought bubble from the collective FSG Brains Trust:

 

"Newcastle were relegated last season. They'll probably be open to cutting a deal BELOW his market value."

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Suddenly Rafa has supplanted Rodgers. Someone must have ran out of material. And gone full mong.

[setreal]

As I don't know anything about Klavan I read around a bit on Augsburg forums. They say he is a defensive leader (we can absolutely do with someone who can communicate and organize the line since Carra left) and has good ball distribution. Obviously sad to see him go but 5m€ is a lot of money for them (and a 30 year old) as well. Apparently it was his dream to play in England.

[Dr Nowt]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/07/17/who-is-ragnar-klavan-all-you-need-to-know-about-liverpools-lates/

 

I think this sort of signing is more where we'll see the influence of Klopp transfer-wise.

 

Not a chance we'd have looked at such a player to fill a gap in recent times and reminiscent of some of the business we did under Houllier and Rafa. Hopefully not in the Ferri/Josemi sense.

 

No harm in stocking the squad with some unfashionable nous, fuck knows it needs it.

[Sputnik1]

Suddenly Rafa has supplanted Rodgers. Someone must have ran out of material. And gone full mong.

 

 

He wasn't getting bites with Rodgers, besides Rodgers has just seen is new team record their worst ever defeat (if you believe the Daily Record) by getting beat by a bunch of part time footballers in the CL qualifiers. 

 

So he's moved on to the next trolling subject. Quite how people still read, never mind reply to him is amazing in itself. Give it a week of simply ignoring his trolling and I assure you he would get bored. If I could get the responses he does at a rival forum by winding up the weak minded, I'd be all over it. Unfortunately there's not many of our rivals as stupid as some of our fans.  

[AngryOfTuebrook]

 

Anfield HQ ‏@AnfieldHQ 12h12 hours ago

 

Jurgen Klopp feels that Brad Smith could serve as adequate backup to Alberto Moreno for the season ahead. #lfc (@MelissaReddy_)

 

Could you at least post a pic of Melissa Reddy to soften the blow.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

but who will Moreno be back up for ? ( please )

[Jairzinho]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/07/17/who-is-ragnar-klavan-all-you-need-to-know-about-liverpools-lates/

 

I think this sort of signing is more where we'll see the influence of Klopp transfer-wise.

 

Not a chance we'd have looked at such a player to fill a gap in recent times and reminiscent of some of the business we did under Houllier and Rafa. Hopefully not in the Ferri/Josemi sense.

 

No harm in stocking the squad with some unfashionable nous, fuck knows it needs it.

 

Indeed. I have no idea who this fella is but instinctively prefer the signing to the usual overpriced, "Prem proven", lobotomised, cowards and super toddlers we've tended to sign in the last few years.

[Dr Nowt]

Just spotted in an article on Manninger that his most recent club was Augsburg.

 

Feeder club.

[Dr Nowt]

Article from 2 years ago on The Klav, who is already my favourite LFC player.

 

Estonia’s Ragnar Klavan plans to block England’s long road to qualification

 

The defender and captain who impressed Louis van Gaal is determined on a famous victory against England in Tallinn

 

Saturday 11 October 2014 09.00 BST Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 15.30 BST

 

Back in January 2009 Louis van Gaal invited Ragnar Klavan to his office, handed him a pen and a whiteboard and asked him to explain AZ Alkmaar’s tactical system. The Estonian apparently passed the test with flying colours and was duly signed by the coach from Heracles Almelo. He immediately made his way into the starting line-up and was instrumental in winning the historic Eredivisie title four months later.

 

One might say that Klavan is lucky enough not having to draw the defensive scheme of Manchester United these days, given few people have got a clue about it yet. As a matter of fact, Van Gaal could probably use the calmness and game-reading skills of the sure-footed Estonia captain, who will lead his side against England on Sunday and is fast becoming the most successful player in his country’s history.

 

The 28-year-old centre-back is not a household name but he has been quietly impressing in the Bundesliga for two years, playing extraordinarily well at unfashionable Augsburg. Klavan has always dreamt of joining the Premier League, even though United are not his preferred destination. He is an Arsenal fan through and through, and they could have a good look at him today in Tallinn. “If Arsène Wenger calls, I will go immediately,” Klavan recently told an Estonian newspaper.

 

Klavan could have ended up in England a decade ago when Sunderland were interested in the Estonian prodigy, even though his most intriguing trial was at Ajax. Danny Blind wanted to sign him but Van Gaal, who served as a technical director at the Dutch club then, was the one who vetoed the move. Klavan also spent time training at Feyenoord, while the PSV coach Guus Hiddink made a trip to Tallinn to watch him playing for the national team but nothing materialized. Klavan eventually signed for newly promoted Heracles in 2005 and in retrospect it was the best option.

 

Back then Klavan did not really know what his ideal position was and he actually started as a midfield player, just like his father Dzintar who played 19 times for Estonia in mid-90s. His role model was Zinedine Zidane and he still keeps his France shirt in his wardrobe.

 

At 19 Klavan was compared to David Beckham in his homeland – not for footballing talents but because he dated one of the most popular young singers in Estonia. Lenna Kuurmaa was part of the Vanilla Ninja girl band, a local answer to Spice Girls, and the pair were subsequently nicknamed Posh and Becks. The romance did not last too long and Klavan is happily married to Lili now.

 

The youngster made his debut for the national team at the age of 17 but it soon became evident that his technical skills did not resemble those of Zidane. He was even less talented than his father as a midfielder and moving to left-back was a natural solution, even though Klavan still liked to roam forward whenever possible. “I am an attacking full-back,” he said after signing for Heracles.

 

He played in that position for Estonia until 2012 but switching to central defence at Alkmaar proved to be a huge success and that is where Klavan finally fulfilled his potential.

 

Estonian journalists and fans alike were sceptical about his chances of making a name for himself in Germany following the move to Augsburg in the summer of 2012, but his progress exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. The defender fitted instantly into the tactical plan of the brilliant young coach Markus Weinzierl and he never looked back.

 

Klavan became the ultimate stalwart at Augsburg and his self-confidence played a crucial role in the team’s fortunes. When the Bavarians were bottom at the winter break of 2012-13 season, 10 points from safety and staring relegation in the face, the Estonian told Augsburger Allgemeine: “Most fans would gladly settle for a 16th-place finish and go to playoffs but I think we should finish at least 15th. I am optimistic that we can do it.”

 

Sure enough Augsburg won 24 points in their next 17 games and were safe in 15th place. “He is a positive guy in every way,” Weinzierl said.

 

Augsburg have been outstanding ever since, having a phenomenal season by their standards in 2013-14 and even flirting with Europa League qualification – Mainz took that spot finishing one point ahead of them – in a side based on defensive solidity. Only Bayern Munich, Dortmund, Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach had a better defensive record.

 

Klavan was a starting player when Estonia reached the play-offs in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, eventually thrashed by the Republic of Ireland, but now his status within the team is different. He is the captain, the most experienced figure and the leader, while the tournament has been enlarged to 24 teams. After winning 1-0 against Slovenia last month, Estonia have a fighting chance despite Thursday’s 1-0 defeat by Lithuania. “Our goal is to qualify, otherwise there would be no point of taking part in the competitionat all,” he says.

 

Michael Yokhin is a European football writer and contributes regular columns for ESPN, FourFourTwo and Champions. Follow him @Yokhin on Twitter.

[aRdja]

Interested to see a formation that would fit our £25m+ AMs; Lallana, Firmino and Wijnaldum, as well as our two best players; Coutinho and Sturridge.

[Unrighteous]

Interested to see a formation that would fit our £25m+ AMs; Lallana, Firmino and Wijnaldum, as well as our two best players; Coutinho and Sturridge.

Firmino is a very dangerous forward.  Lallanabanana can't score, and Wijnaldum has an eye for goal.  

[aRdja]

Firmino is a very dangerous forward. Lallanabanana can't score, and Wijnaldum has an eye for goal.

So Lallana a £25m bench warmer? I forgot Mane too.

[Unrighteous]

So Lallana a £25m bench warmer? I forgot Mane too.

I would imagine so... Wijnaldum might end up on the bench.  We're gonna need to have more resources on the bench if we want to compete with the big spenders.  The way to do this is buy for our first team, and make them all fight for their place.  Simple.

 

We're gunna see the back of Markovic, and Benteke.  Wijnaldum and having Firmino as someone to play forward as well makes sense to me.