Roy tells Degen to leave the club

[Carvalho Diablo]

I honestly don't know who would be stupid enough to sign this crock. Apart from Rafa obviously.. What the hell was he thinking with this one?

 

Can't defend, he's shite in the air, he's got all the positional sense of Stevie Wonder in a wind tunnel, and he's always, always fucking injured.

 

I hope Roy holds out for at least £5m ! Man City are bound to have an interest...

[Trucker Paddy]

I honestly don't know who would be stupid enough to sign this crock. Apart from Rafa obviously.. What the hell was he thinking with this one?

 

And the rest of the signings that summer, can we now say 2008 was the worst dealings in the transfer market in our history, even 2002 was'nt as bad, and Rafa did'nt have an illness as an excuse that Ged claimed he had, willie Mckay is not an illness!

[Jose Jones]

how?

 

there's me thinking I was being realistic, saying we're not going to see any investment this transfer window, but suggesting its a good thing to remove the shite on the squad anyway.

 

Good post.

 

You're just being naive and sucking up the hype. You're believing all that Purslow is telling you though his mates in the press. In fact, you're doing the Yanks' work for them. You're obviously an enemy of the club. Are you a manc?

 

Shitty divisive patronising post.

[bobhorse]

Degen, Plessis, El Zhar and Itandje these players are just milking a wage they have never been good enough to play for Liverpool but having said that they didnt cost a great deal to add to the squad at a time when money was tight if you can move them on for a fee and add the money to what we have in the kitty and buy 1 or 2 players that might add to the first team squad then it will be a great bit of work it looks like Insua and Reira have gone i would add Babel and NGog as neither look good enough based on what we have seen that lot could add £30m to what we have to spend which should get us the LB and Striker we need without having to sell Masch

[Paul]

I think with only 16 top pros, the kids would have to play plenty of games.

 

Especially if we're doing ok in Europe.

 

I'd like us to have a squad of good players and the young players that are good enough to get in will be in it. I'd have Martin Kelly as second choice right back, even though he's had plenty of injury problems, and i now think Gulacsi is ready to be sub keeper.

 

5 of our key players are now officially injury prone. Hoping they are going to stay fit through a july->may season on the back of a world cup is a big risk to take.

 

And if your contingency is a pool of players who the new manager never misses an opportunity to point out the short-comings of, well, then I reckon you're playing a high stakes game that can't be rationalized in terms of "footballing reasons".

 

Why the hell bring in a "man"-manager with a PhD in Arming Shoulders and then ship out players whose game can be easily raised by someone like that?

 

Why bring in a manager whose tactical expertise is teaching players to keep shape and then ship out a full back whose biggest weakness is keeping shape?

 

Whatever it all is, its not a sound footballing strategy.

 

Have you two been told about some imminent sugar daddy who can fund this mega-squad you both seem to be keen on? We're skint; therefore we have to take some risks. Joe Cole is one such risk due to his fitness issues over the last two years. We need to focus what money we do have on quality, not cheap journey men to fill a hole.

 

To Piscinin:

 

Easily? If it was that easy, Rafa would have done it. To raise your game, you have to have a game in the first place. Gerrard has a game that can be raised. Ryan Babel doesn't.

 

Insua's biggest weakness is, aside from his chronic lack of pace, the fact that he has no brain whatsoever. A player who doesn't even understand that he should get goal side of his direct opponent isn't going to be dramatically improved by some coaching drills, no matter how well delivered they are. I have to say I admire your persistence with the view that there's a player hidden in Emiliano Insua, but you seem to be entirely on your own in that regard as even Rafa, the man who championed him, had seen enough.

[Jose Jones]

Have you two been told about some imminent sugar daddy who can fund this mega-squad you both seem to be keen on? We're skint; therefore we have to take some risks. Joe Cole is one such risk due to his fitness issues over the last two years. We need to focus what money we do have on quality, not cheap journey men to fill a hole.

 

To Piscinin:

 

Easily? If it was that easy, Rafa would have done it. To raise your game, you have to have a game in the first place. Gerrard has a game that can be raised. Ryan Babel doesn't.

 

Insua's biggest weakness is, aside from his chronic lack of pace, the fact that he has no brain whatsoever. A player who doesn't even understand that he should get goal side of his direct opponent isn't going to be dramatically improved by some coaching drills, no matter how well delivered they are. I have to say I admire your persistence with the view that there's a player hidden in Emiliano Insua, but you seem to be entirely on your own in that regard as even Rafa, the man who championed him, had seen enough.

 

I think you’ll be surprised at how many people think there is a player in Babel and also Insua Paul!

Still I agree with the majority of your post, better to have class backed up with potential rather than less class backed up by known mediocre.

[RedinSweden]

Sexy people do

 

By sexy, do you mean stupid?

 

Good post.

 

Shitty divisive patronising post.

 

I think he was joking.

[Jose Jones]

By sexy, do you mean stupid?

 

 

 

I think he was joking.

 

I know.

But it wasn't funny, it was just rather shit and patronising.

I do that myself, but expect better from Stringvest.

[RedinSweden]

I know.

But it wasn't funny, it was just rather shit and patronising.

I do that myself, but expect better from Stringvest.

 

I'm with you JJ.

[stringvest]

5 of our key players are now officially injury prone. Hoping they are going to stay fit through a july->may season on the back of a world cup is a big risk to take.

 

And if your contingency is a pool of players who the new manager never misses an opportunity to point out the short-comings of, well, then I reckon you're playing a high stakes game that can't be rationalized in terms of "footballing reasons".

 

Why the hell bring in a "man"-manager with a PhD in Arming Shoulders and then ship out players whose game can be easily raised by someone like that?

 

Why bring in a manager whose tactical expertise is teaching players to keep shape and then ship out a full back whose biggest weakness is keeping shape?

 

Whatever it all is, its not a sound footballing strategy.

 

That would only be true if there were not players of at least equal ability available to the manager for such occasions. You mentioned Insua's biggest weakness, but it obvious to any casual observer that it's just one of many. It should not be difficult to improve on Insua. I'd be amazed if we don't already have better options in the squad now, and I am fairly sure that Hodgson will look to bolster the left back position anyway.

 

Removing players like Insua and Degen is an absolutely sound footballing strategy, in the narrowest and widest sense.

[stringvest]

Good post.

 

 

 

Shitty divisive patronising post.

 

yep, ok - I'm just fed up of reading exactly that sort of nonsense on here.

[piscinin]

Have you two been told about some imminent sugar daddy who can fund this mega-squad you both seem to be keen on? We're skint; therefore we have to take some risks. Joe Cole is one such risk due to his fitness issues over the last two years. We need to focus what money we do have on quality, not cheap journey men to fill a hole.

 

To Piscinin:

 

Easily? If it was that easy, Rafa would have done it. To raise your game, you have to have a game in the first place. Gerrard has a game that can be raised. Ryan Babel doesn't.

 

Insua's biggest weakness is, aside from his chronic lack of pace, the fact that he has no brain whatsoever. A player who doesn't even understand that he should get goal side of his direct opponent isn't going to be dramatically improved by some coaching drills, no matter how well delivered they are. I have to say I admire your persistence with the view that there's a player hidden in Emiliano Insua, but you seem to be entirely on your own in that regard as even Rafa, the man who championed him, had seen enough.

 

Coming out of last season my thoughts were we needed to structure the squad so that players like Insua and N'Gog play less games not more. When you suggest a sound football strategy that makes the opposite more likely, my eyebrows raised. You think its a good idea. I don't, nor from what I can tell does any manager who has pretensions to be competitive.

 

Not selling Insua and using him in the 10 games against teams who don't attack down his side would seem sounder and not require a sugar daddy. No-one said it would be easy given the financial constraints but Wenger managed a similar balancing act so its hardly virgin territory.

 

BTW If Hodgson can't motivate any better than Benitez, personality bypass and all, then I'm worried.

[piscinin]

That would only be true if there were not players of at least equal ability available to the manager for such occasions. You mentioned Insua's biggest weakness, but it obvious to any casual observer that it's just one of many. It should not be difficult to improve on Insua. I'd be amazed if we don't already have better options in the squad now, and I am fairly sure that Hodgson will look to bolster the left back position anyway.

 

Removing players like Insua and Degen is an absolutely sound footballing strategy, in the narrowest and widest sense.

 

Who are these players at the club that are better 2nd choice full backs than Insua?

 

And let's be clear in and of themselves I don't say offloading those two is a bad thing, a strategy of 16 experienced pros plus reserves is a bad strategy.

 

With only one or two exceptions the players who were not able to dig us out of a hole last year, Insua/N'Gog are way ahead of what we have in the reserves.

 

And I'm sure you're right, Hodgson will target a LB, he needs to, because we are going into our first game of the season WITHOUT A LB AT ALL. Sound.

[PaulMcC]

N'Gog is a lot better than any reserve forward we have.

 

Everytime he plays for the reserves he looks a step above that level imo.

[piscinin]

N'Gog is a lot better than any reserve forward we have.

 

Everytime he plays for the reserves he looks a step above that level imo.

 

Ayala, Pachecho. Can you see anyone else in the reserves who is ready to play as many games as N'Gog/Insua and wouldn't let us down?

[PaulMcC]

Ayala, Pachecho. Can you see anyone else in the reserves who is ready to play as many games as N'Gog/Insua and wouldn't let us down?

 

I don't think even them 2 would perform are ready to play as much games as N'Gog or Insua did. Especially if teh team is as low on confidence when N'Gog was getting long balls launched at his neck.

[aws]

I don't think the 16 plus youngsters approach is enough to even challenge over a season let alone win anything (except a Cup maybe if we were lucky with injuries).

 

And what's the point of saying give youngsters a chance and then shipping them off if they don't hit the first team running? Insua isn't good enough to be first team regular but as a back-up he's currently miles ahead of anyone else at the club. Same with N'Gog - eight goals last year which isn't many less than the likes of Carlton Cole and Zamora who had a lot more playing time. Two players who came through the reserves and now most people seem delighted to class as shite and sell off to make room for who exactly?

 

Same thing happened with Spearing - a few games and now he's the forgotten man. Get in Shelvey, he's the new star even though nobody's seen him play yet. Six games and he'll be "shite".

 

Ayala, Kelly and Pachecho are the only youngsters anywhere near ready for the league but they're not yet good enough to rely on for an extended period.

[aws]

N'Gog is a lot better than any reserve forward we have.

 

Everytime he plays for the reserves he looks a step above that level imo.

 

Agree with that.

 

Reserves look toothless without him. Just like the defence looks shaky without Ayala.

[Markmywords]

I am growing to like Roy more and more, getting rid of the shite... super, now just to get rid of reira, babel and ngog, and invest in some new signings

 

Do you not think that Roy may be the man to get the best out of Babel?

 

Personally I think that if a manager showed belief in him and got him to work a little harder, we may see a different player. Stranger things have happened.

[stringvest]

Ayala, Pachecho. Can you see anyone else in the reserves who is ready to play as many games as N'Gog/Insua and wouldn't let us down?

 

what about Kelly?

 

what we mustn't forget is that Insua repeatedly let us down last year, and N'gog was ineffectual at best.

[piscinin]

what about Kelly?

 

what we mustn't forget is that Insua repeatedly let us down last year, and N'gog was ineffectual at best.

 

In my mind Kelly is already in the first team squad.

 

I know they let us down last year; which is why I don't think it's a good idea to go into a season planning to rely on players who are obviously further behind in their development.

[PaulMcC]

what about Kelly?

 

what we mustn't forget is that Insua repeatedly let us down last year, and N'gog was ineffectual at best.

 

Kelly seems to a first team player.

 

He could definitely do a job for the first team.

[stringvest]

We'll see. Most of our second-tier players provided such insipid and downright shit performances last year when called upon that I find it difficult to believe our reserves could do worse.

[piscinin]

We'll see. Most of our second-tier players provided such insipid and downright shit performances last year when called upon that I find it difficult to believe our reserves could do worse.

 

How many of our reserves games have you watched?

[The Dude Abides]

what we mustn't forget is that Insua repeatedly let us down last year...

 

What games were these exactly? He had a few poor games alright, like the majority of the squad. But all this talk of him being a "liability" is grossly exaggerated.