Summer 2011

[nAz]

Downing might walk into our current team but he wouldn't walk into any top 4 side, so if that's what we're aiming for we need much better.

 

I'd be extremely disappointed of we signed those 4. I actually rate Dann and and Enrique and wouldn't mind them, but Downing and Adam as well? That's just overdoing it with the mediocrity.

 

People are very optimistic but were it Rafa or Hodgson who would sign these players we'd all be pissed off and you know it whether you'll admit it or not, because this is the kind of summer's business that always got people's knickers in a twist, buying a shitload of average to decent squad players who are "a good addition to the squad", or in rare cases "improve on what we have", which actually means fuck all since Jimmy fucking Kébé would be an improvement on what we have.

 

If Hodgson would do it we'd tear him apart, this sort of raid on all the mid-table and bottom sides for strictly British, pretty average talent is what we were afraid of when he was in charge. No chance of top 4 next season if those are our signings, even if we add Mata and someone else.

 

I'm still clinging on to some hope that no one actually knows anything and these won't be our signings, but it's looking like a pretty faint hope right now.

 

Its a good point about Hodgson however I feel there is more confidence in Kenny to use these players in the right way. Downing, for me is a good player and with him crossing to Carrol, I reckon its a winning combination. We havent had someone to give us real width since reira left and we finished second the season we had him there. If we can get downing and mata, our whole attack has two new dimensions, width and creativity respectively.

 

I know these names are not star names but remember, names dont win you the league or get you fourth. A good team and players that fit Kennys vision will.

[PaulMcC]

If we got Downing and Mata, where would both them play?

[zigackly]

Wasn't there a clause in the Greek's contract that said if he played a certain amount of games he would automatically get a contract extension, I seem to remember it being mentioned that he passed that mark in the new year some time

 

I think we had an option, but there has been no information that it has been exercised. I could be wrong of course.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

---------Carroll

Mata----Aguero---Suarez

 

----Gerarrd---Matudi

 

*fap*

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

The Aguero deal is not happening. Can we stop mentioning it. All the journalists that know everything thats going on in Spain have said he is not interested.

 

He is a player at a club in a very similar position to us, neither here nor there. There would be no logic for him to come to us.

 

People on twitter and the likes say we have signed Adam, im chuffed with that. He has amazing passing ability and will fit right into a Kenny style of football team. We are in talks with Mata as well which will be a brilliant coup. Remember, United brought only Carrick one season and they won the league. We dont need big names or anything. We need players that fit the system and will play well together with what we already have.

I think Downing would do well if he came and do not rule out young either as that is not a for gone conclusion.

 

Be a bit patient and we will see good players coming through and next season our team will be stronger and will play better.

 

Firstly most journalists know fuck all.

 

Secondly, the minute Aguero signs for another club is when we know we are not signing him.

 

The truth is no one knows who were are after, which is how it should be.

 

People are speculating because they know fuck all.

[zigackly]

No they don't.

 

If you extend the results since he took over to the whole season, we just scrape it. Ok, "prove it" might be a bit strong, but I have faith.

[silverlining]

Firstly most journalists know fuck all.

 

 

People are speculating because they know fuck all.

 

Again, not true. We have expressed clear interest in many of the players in this thread, including Dann, Adam, Downing and Enrique.

[The Woolster]

I think we would do really well to get £5M for Ngog. I suppose if you start at £8M then you end up around half that for the actual figure would be about right. Any chance we could get club-buster 'Arry interested?

 

 

Perhaps we are bumping his price up to be used as a makeweight in a deal with Wigan for McCarthy/N'Zog, or Newcastle for Enrique? Both are need of strikers I think

[The Woolster]

If we got Downing and Mata, where would both them play?

 

 

See my excellent analysis from yesterday morning...

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

That would probably be the single best thing in the world ever if you got the whole of Anfield shouting that in that way. I think i may even weep if it happened. You have been turborepped.

 

How could it not happen, RiS? How could we buy Dann and not all shout 'Dann, Dann... Dann...' then stop for a second and 'DANN!'.

 

If it didn't happen, I'd be fairly annoyed. I'm going to start the campaign

[Einch]

Soto's contract had an automatic appearance based clause. There was an Echo article (I think it was the Echo) that covered this. Too lazy to find it and link it.

 

I see someone has mentioned Banega in one of the formations above. Yes please. Shame that we are not even linked with him so far this summer.

[BenR_]

I don't get this "no chance of top four if we improve four positions in our team and deepen the squad" business.

 

If Kenny had been in charge last summer we would have had top four this season, with this squad. His results since taking over prove it.

 

Put your trust in the second most successful living manager in English football. He will not let us down.

 

Anyway, as I said earlier, anyone thinking the new owners won't want to make at least one huge signing in their first summer is dreaming.

 

I still think next season it will be a whole new ballgame in terms of pressure.

 

You're also pretty much assuming that we'll be the only team to improve our squad. Chelsea and City will spend big again. Arsenal might strengthen and make some good defensive signings. United will definitely strengthen.

 

Point is, if this is the kind of summer's business we're going to have (signing bucketloads of average British talent from mid table-bottom sides), I can't see us having a squad anywhere near as good as those 4. And then it's just unfair on Kenny to expect him to get it to 4th, it's unfair to expect him to work magic with a mediocre squad again.

[Antynwa]

We didn't see Carroll coming.

 

This might be another Carroll moment

[The Woolster]

I think we had an option, but there has been no information that it has been exercised. I could be wrong of course.

 

I don't think it was an option for us from what I remember reading. It was in place as a carrot to him, prove you are good enough and play 20 odd games, and you get the extension. So the option is with him.

 

Anyway, I am sure that a Greek side would be interested, especially with Liverpool on his CV, and this way we could get a small fee for him. Every little helps.

[zigackly]

Soto's contract had an automatic appearance based clause. There was an Echo article (I think it was the Echo) that covered this. Too lazy to find it and link it.

 

We will just have to shoot him in the face then.

 

You're also pretty much assuming that we'll be the only team to improve our squad. Chelsea and City will spend big again. Arsenal might strengthen and make some good defensive signings. United will definitely strengthen.

 

No, I'm really not. But I'm also not assuming that we will only sign shit players or that the team is only the sum of it's parts.

 

As for expectations, I have repeatedly said that I will be happy next season if Kenny is still in charge at the end of it, even if we don't make the top four. I have a lot of faith we will make it, but I'm not so crass as to believe we are in an ideal position when there are four clubs richer than us and we don't have CL football to offer.

 

One thing I do know is that Kenny will get the best out of the resources he is given that it's possible to get.

 

That will do for me.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Ballague has apparently said that Mata will cost 18-20m (not sure if that's Euro or GBP). Further makes mockery of Downing's valuation.

[Whelan]

I think Mata is a case of him, and whether he wants to join us or not. The fee is nothing, the club will not stand in his way.

 

Lets get him.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I think Mata is a case of him, and whether he wants to join us or not. The fee is nothing, the club will not stand in his way.

 

Lets get him.

 

He has said it's Euro, which makes him cheaper than Downing.

[Whelan]

He has said it's Euro, which makes him cheaper than Downing.

 

That is ridiculous!

 

It would be wrong not to buy him!

 

But isn't there a round of Internationals? That might explain the lack of action in that regard.

[RoyHodgeGone]

I don't know a lot about Mata but it seems TGTBT. If he's so good, where are the other teams after him?

[aws]

We didn't see Carroll coming.

 

 

 

Good point. Nobody expects a Spanish acquisition.

[Major Tom]

Young to go to Utd within days according to this:

 

Football premier-league: Young set to seal move to Man United

[Lee909]

Nobody expects the Spanish acquisition

their chief weapons are suprise and skill and pace

[Welsh]

I don't know a lot about Mata but it seems TGTBT. If he's so good, where are the other teams after him?

 

Who gives a shit? It's their loss.

 

Mata would be my ideal signing, I'd rather him over Hazard/Sanchez/Aguero.

[Welsh]

I just heard Hazard loves North Wales and often comes for a break here, classy man.