Summer 2011

[Beantown Red]

Independent

 

Kenny Dalglish's last public act on Liverpool's tour of Asia was to engage in some public banter with Phil Thompson in front of 38,000 fans who had come to see his players engage in a little light training.

 

It proved that, however firm their place is in Anfield's pantheon, Thompson and Dalglish have a limited future as a comedy double act, although the reception they received would have flattered Morecambe and Wise. Then, the Liverpool manager was driven to the airport for a 6,000 mile overnight flight to Merseyside to meet his newest signing, Stewart Downing.

 

The chance to welcome the 26-year-old winger, who has never quite fulfilled the early promise he showed at Middlesbrough, was not the reason for Dalglish's journey. There was a family engagement to fulfil but, as a player and a manager, Dalglish has never been slow to seize an opportunity.

 

Since his return to Anfield in what was a bleak if emotional January, Dalglish has moved swiftly. The £20m fee Liverpool will pay Aston Villa brings his total spending to £100m in seven months.

 

Looking at the footballers he has brought to Liverpool, it is not hard to see where he imagined the deep fault lines that undermined his predecessor, Roy Hodgson, lay. There have been two very different centre-forwards in Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez and now three midfielders. If Charlie Adam has been recruited to provide the telling through ball for Suarez, then Downing's role is to deliver the crosses that were often absent in the narrow teams Hodgson and, in his last season, Rafael Benitez oversaw.

 

At Blackburn and Newcastle, two clubs where Dalglish also spent big with differing results, the most common cry on the training pitches of Brockhall and Chester-le-Street would be Alan Shearer's voice demanding crosses into the box. At Melwood the Geordie accent is similar but it belongs to Carroll.

 

Jamie Carragher, for one, understood that this is something Liverpool have long lacked. "It's a terrific signing, there's no doubt about that whatsoever," said the man who has flung himself into the role of pressing the flesh in China and in Malaysia.

 

"He's been a top player in the Premier League for the last six or seven years and he will make a difference, with his ability to go outside and down the line to get quality crosses in.

 

"He was Aston Villa's player of the year and he will give us something that we have been lacking, genuine quality on the left hand side. Every team looking to compete needs quality players in each position and that is what we are getting back towards."

 

Suarez apart, the one common link in Dalglish's spending is that it has been focused on British footballers, which underpinned his success at Blackburn. In his brief, sometimes tortured, tenure at St James' Park he often shopped abroad with mixed results.

 

British players are relatively expensive – the £35m that took Carroll from Tyneside to the shores of the Mersey was enough for Barcelona to bring Alexis Sanchez to the Nou Camp. However, they bring with them a certain togetherness.

 

"I know him, so does Stevie; he knows Andy Carroll and Johnno from playing for England, so he is not going to be walking into a dressing room and be on his own," said Carragher. "He will get a great welcome because he's a good lad and a top player as well."

 

It is easy to feel optimistic when you are a Premier League footballer in Asia. At last night's training session Dalglish's squad were cheered and the flashbulbs glittered when they passed into an empty net. Their manager's every press conference was book ended by the kind of applause Dalglish does not expect in England, not even among his own journalists at Anfield.

 

Nevertheless, Dirk Kuyt, who 12 months ago was toying with a move to Internazionale, said he felt the kind of genuine optimism missing when he returned to Melwood from the World Cup. And it was not just because, for the first time in five years, he had been able to have a proper holiday.

 

"When I arrived at Liverpool, five or six years ago, we seemed to have two very good players for almost every position," said Kuyt. "I have just got a feeling we are getting back there. There is more rivalry, more competition but it gets the best out of you.

 

"The start of pre-season last year was very strange for all of us. We didn't know where the club was going with the owners but since they [Tom Hicks and George Gillett] have gone, there has been a lot of change. A change of manager and a couple of good signings like Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

 

"It all looks very positive. It is what I want and what the players want. We have to challenge with the best and it looks like we are getting there."

 

Canny Kenny: Will his Famous Five prove good value?

 

Luis Suarez

 

Bought from: Ajax

 

Fee: £22 million

 

Verdict: A forward obviously from the top bracket, and a bargain at £22m.

 

Andy Carroll

 

From: Newcastle United

 

Fee: £35m

 

Verdict: An inflated price which Carroll (two goals so far) will struggle to match.

 

Jordan Henderson

 

From: Sunderland

 

Fee: £16m

 

Verdict: Expensive given his experience, will have to grow into role at Anfield.

Charlie Adam

 

From: Blackpool

 

Fee: £7m

 

Verdict: Given Adam's technical quality, a good fee, if he can step up to a big club.

 

Stewart Downing

 

From: Aston Villa

 

Fee: £20m

 

Verdict: Perhaps £5m more than market value, Downing will have to produce at Anfield next season to justify it.

[Unrighteous]

Good article find, Beantown.

[Unrighteous]

Warning! The following content is NOT WORK SAFE. Click the Show button to reveal.

[Brownie]

Great stuff from Carra.

[Dogbert]

SSN Ticker: Villa Bid £10m for Nzogbia according to the press association

[Unrighteous]

SSN Ticker: Villa Bid £10m for Nzogbia according to the press association

 

Anyone else reckon that Wigan are thinking, "Hang on, you've got 36m for your last two wingers... we want more."

[lamai]

Anyone else reckon that Wigan are thinking, "Hang on, you've got 36m for your last two wingers... we want more."

 

It would be nice if they held out for 15+ for him :)

[Whelan]

Anyone else reckon that Wigan are thinking, "Hang on, you've got 36m for your last two wingers... we want more."

 

It would be nice if they held out for 15+ for him :)

 

Carefull now, we need Villa to have a few million spare for Joe Cole!

[kalasoma]

Wigan would be crazy to let him go for 10m. Villa will improve their offer to 12, then wait for Wigan to reject. Then Villa will offer 15M (their final offer). Dave Whelan will let them sweat it out for a couple weeks then Arsenal will step in with an offer of 18M (which they will of course deny).

[Red Phoenix]

Anyone think Negredo would be worth going for? Haven't seen him play personally, but he's been banging goals in since we were on about him during last seasons window. Scored 26 in 55 games for Sevilla, and is 25 years old.

[Scrump]

TLW Exclusive – Kenny’s Devastating Transfer Policy

Stanley Devastating Reveals All

 

TLW icon Stanley Devastating has exclusively revealed to TLW the thinking behind Liverpool’s summer transfer signings.

 

“A number of people think we’ve got a policy of buying British” said Chief Footballer Buyer Dynamo Camoli “but in depth study of TLW’s Summer transfer thread has conclusively shown that buying premiership-proven British players is no guarantee of success. We’ve decided to take things one step further and buy only northerners”.

 

The policy is based in part on the failure of high profile southerners such as Jo Cole to deliver the goods on arriving at the club.

 

“Without wanting to show any disrespect to anybody” said TLW legend King Kenny “northerners are just better equipped to deal with the physicality of the premiership and indulge in the banter that’s essential to a well-balanced dressing room. We want to build the team around a core of young Scousers, complemented by talented Geordies, Mackems and of course Scots – it’s the Liverpool Way .”

 

The club would not comment on whether the policy was informed by the views of some TLW Forum regulars that all the best players have come from the north as southerners are soft and more likely to shirk out of a tackle.

 

“The club has had a number of problems with southern players adjusting to the climate and lifestyle of a proper northern working town” said a spokesman “There are problems when they leave their families behind - and even more when they bring their mums up here.

 

“The issues that Etihad City are having with Carousel Tevez just show the problems you can have with keeping southerners happy in the Premier League.”

 

TLW understands that the club have engaged a team of crack genealogists to research the family history of Brazilian goalkeeping backstop Doni to see whether he has enough northern blood to meet the club’s new transfer requirements.

 

This innovative approach to the transfer market appears to spell the end of speculation linking the club to southerners like Aaron Lennon and Scott Parker and has fans scratching their heads over who might be next in.

 

…

 

In other news, TLW’s chief nutritionist who is accompanying the squad on their Far East tour has bizarrely put female hotel staff on a diet made up entirely of fruit….

 

TLW Exclusive – Kenny’s Devastating Transfer Policy

.

[Red Phoenix]

Hah, love the end part of that SWRed. Dynamo Camoli works well too.

 

Just seen this via BBC's transfer rumours page :

 

"Everton have rejoined the race to land Real Madrid midfielder Sergio Canales."

 

Everton join race sign Real Madrid starlet Sergio Canales on loan also target Aston Villa QPR - Transfer News - MirrorFootball.co.uk

 

 

Only supposed to be on loan, but just no. NO!

[Lee909]

I thought i read last night that Canales was going to Roma

[Red Phoenix]

I thought i read last night that Canales was going to Roma

 

Rather than Everton?

 

*pumps fist in the air*

[mouse1989]

Coventry missed out on the loan signing of Pacheco. Looks like we want to loan him to a club closer to Liverpool.

[WaltonRed]

Canales wouldnt go to the shite, no chance in hell of that happening.

 

Pacheco should go to Wigan or something

[JaminKibbler]

Doni confirmed.

[Frankenhooker]

I would of thought the club would of announced Doni at the same time as Downing.

[Bogman]

Meanwhile, across the park, something was stirring...........................

 

...................or then again:

 

 

1655: FOOTBALL - Everton chief executive Robert Elstone has warned fans not to expect the club to make any major buys in the transfer window this summer. "The squeeze on money is harder than ever," he admits.

[MLB]

Fucking hell, the shite really haven't got a pot to piss in, have they? We should do them a favour and take Baines off them.

Edited July 15, 2011 by MLB

[PaulMcC]

Kenwright is taking the piss.

[WaltonRed]

They've got Rodwell, Baines, Fellaini who they could sell to raise funds.

[18-5]

Reading that Cole or Maxi to Villa. Think we will sell before we buy from now on.

[Beantown Red]

Google translation

 

Culiacan, Mexico, Jul. 15, 2011.-striker Marco Antonio Bueno , recent world champion with the Mexican National Team Under 17 , recognizing that it could leave the Pachuca , his current club to reach a so-called "Big Four" of England, Liverpool .

 

Well told the television channel three of the TVPacífico that "there have been some talks with the team ( Liverpool ), "so now awaits the reaction of the board of Pachuca and travel to England on Saturday July 23 to get their near future.

 

" Pachuca and Liverpool have been talking, but right now I'm focused on reaching Pachuca and get ready because I have to go to Liverpool these days, the 23 I think I go out there and do it the best way to make a good impression of the Mexican player "said the attacker to the aforementioned TV station in his hometown of Culiacan.

 

The version of Antony , which he played well as Pachuca in the "Emeralds" of León , was supported by his father, Pedro Bueno , who confirmed the same medium Sinaloa claims of the "Reds", who runs Kenny Dalglish for the Under 17 world champion.

 

[YOUTUBE]DdSejt52dOA[/YOUTUBE]

[Beantown Red]

15/07/2011

 

Not only are the voices of newspapers, Alberto Aquilani really like Fiorentina. The agent has confirmed the former Juventus, Franco Zavaglia: "Part of what is written in the papers correspond to reality, there is a concrete interest of Fiorentina, but the deal is far from over. I can not say that Aquilani is a step away from Florence, this news does not confirm that. But to really like purple Aquilani. "

Google translation