Summer Transfer Window

[Tes]

I'd be a very very happy man if we could get Adam Johnson. He'd be great for us. Trust me.

For no more than £7.5M, then yes. He needs to apply himself much more, both on and off the pitch and leave the nightlife until he's retired. If he's not carefully he'll look back and think 'what if?', especially when he finally gains some maturity.

[Ed]

For no more than £7.5M, then yes. He needs to apply himself much more, both on and off the pitch and leave the nightlife until he's retired. If he's not carefully he'll look back and think 'what if?', especially when he finally gains some maturity.

Dunno, look at Spurs. Despite the millions spent by Redknapp, they didn't have proper striker
last season and took Adebayor on loan. I hate to see us dishing out 4 year contracts to players
(£7.5 M is probably half of what City would be looking for) who then come and think finishing 8th
is good enough. What has Johnson done to justify us forking out for him?

I'm not convinced.

[Martinmarx]

For no more than £7.5M, then yes. He needs to apply himself much more, both on and off the pitch and leave the nightlife until he's retired. If he's not carefully he'll look back and think 'what if?', especially when he finally gains some maturity.

True, but I think a change of environment and culture might do him a world of good. I always liked his direct and straightforward play, the anti-thesis of Luis Garcia some might say.  He had 26 games in the PL for City last season, tho admittedly most from the bench. Still think we'll need to cough up at least £ 10 m.

[Tes]

Ed and Martin. I have no doubt City 'will look' for much more than £7.5M. He had the talent and potential at Boro, and was head and shoulders above Downing.

Like Martin, I feel somehow he has lost his way and is probably starting to understand that he is somewhat to blame for his stagnation. Of the top teams we are probably best placed to offer him a new start and Rodgers is not the sort to let people act like fools.

We also have to keep an eye on the quota of 'homegrown' players and he is one who really could make a difference despite his nationality.

Everything depends on the fee and his wage demands. If he has sense he accepts a cut in order to give himself a new start and then look to 'earn' the bigger money contract through his performances.
We as a club do review and increase contracts on a regular basis and not just at the 'two years to go' point if the player has deserved it.

[the dude abides]

I wouldn't have Adam Johnston around the place (no matter how cheap he was).......a poor man's stewart downing.

[Tes]

I wouldn't have Adam Johnston around the place (no matter how cheap he was).......a poor man's stewart downing.

Dude, when both were together at Boro it was Downing who was in the shade. Johnson needs a new start. He has the potential to be more than a mere winger, and if we are to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 then we're going to need wide forward players not just traditional wingers.

[the dude abides]

I've never seen anything about Adam Johnston that I liked, Tes.

There was potential there, but that is all that it ever was.

The guy is 25 in two weeks time.  He was not even selected for the England Euro squad this summer......which is a terrible indictment, given how dire the quality was in the squad that was picked.

Technique wise, we need to look abroad.  English lads just don't cut the mustard, sadly.

[Tes]

The manager takes to the airwaves:

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/sports-breakfast/120703/brendan-rodgers-luis-suarez-and-liverpools-transfer-plans-175723

I hope he's not looking at a big turnover of 1st team players despite the obvious need. 2 in, maximum and 2 younger players who could force their way in by the end of the season. Anything more and we risk the inconsistency of trying to blend too many new faces into a system that is new to everyone.

[Juan]

Adam Johnson is going to cost 15-20 million. Hes young, English and perceived to have potential so that makes his valuation a premium. So unless we are getting him in on loan I cant see it happening. He fits the criteria of being better than what we probably already have but I would be sceptical whether he would be worth the transfer outlay.

[Juan]

The manager takes to the airwaves:

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/sports-breakfast/120703/brendan-rodgers-luis-suarez-and-liverpools-transfer-plans-175723

I hope he's not looking at a big turnover of 1st team players despite the obvious need. 2 in, maximum and 2 younger players who could force their way in by the end of the season. Anything more and we risk the inconsistency of trying to blend too many new faces into a system that is new to everyone.

Its often easy to be impressed when a new manager comes into the club. Heck I found Hodgson a breath of fresh air in his first two months in charge and after that car crash ended it was impossible not to be impressed by Kennys return. Its too early in Rodgers reign to form much of an opinion and to be honest no matter what he says or does early he has to be afforded time by the fans and by the owners. 

Saying that in the interview above it does sound like Rodgers has grasped the idea that Liverpool dont just need to sign good players but they moreso need to sign players that are better than whats already there. That seems like a simple concept but its not one that has really been adhered to over the last few seasons. Rodgers suggests he will look to sign 3 or 4 players in the window. In fairness with the players that are coming back 3-4 players will probably be more than sufficient. It finally seems the likes of Cole and Aquillani might have a future at the club. Id sooner have them at the club than paying half their wages to play for someone else. And the fact that they are technically decent players may mean they can contribute more than they would have done under previous regimes. Daniel Pachecos another Id love to see Rodgers make something of. Hes has undoubted technical ability but for some reason he hasnt progressed enough over the last 2 years. Hopefully Rodgers can change that.

Its going to be an interesting season but I dont think we should expect to challenge anywhere above 6th. If we could be in the running for the CL places it would be a miracle especially considering the amounts spent by Chelsea and Arsenal already.

[Tes]

Its going to be an interesting season but I dont think we should expect to challenge anywhere above 6th. If we could be in the running for the CL places it would be a miracle especially considering the amounts spent by Chelsea and Arsenal already.

At this very early stage it looks like the two Manc teams, Chelsea and Arsenal, with us fighting it out with Spurs and Newcastle for fifth or the hope that one of the other four massively under achieve.

Juan, it's interesting that we potentially have those three you mentioned to come back though whether Aquilani will stay I have my doubts. I agree with you that they would suit Rodgers intended style of play, going forward at least. Whether they can be motivated to do the hard work aspect of his style I'm less confident about.

I agree with you that looking at our last three seasons, to expect a challenge for fourth would just be plain daft. I think that will have to wait until next season at the earliest.

We have to be brutally realistic, as the reality is brutal, as to just how far we have fallen in the last three seasons. We're now the sort of points distance off fourth that we used to moan about being off first when we regularly qualified for the CL.

As for the amounts spent by Chelsea and Arsenal, we could say the same about ourselves last Summer, working purely on the figures.
There is always the possibility that those players could flop and then there's always the chance that RVP will leave Arsenal, they won't have Benyoun, Arteta could revert to his normal brittle self etc.
With Chelsea there's the question over Di Matteo. Did the same thing happen for Chelsea that happened for us when Dalglish took over, ie he simply wasn't the previous manager, and will the same thing happen in a full season?

All we can ask for is that Rodgers gets it right with his sales and purchases, we get the bigger earners who contribute next to or nothing permanently off the payroll and we see the basis of the style of play Rodgers wants starting to take shape and we improve on our goals scored and our home form and a noticeable increase in our points tally. 

[Juan]

As for the amounts spent by Chelsea and Arsenal, we could say the same about ourselves last Summer, working purely on the figures.
There is always the possibility that those players could flop and then there's always the chance that RVP will leave Arsenal, they won't have Benyoun, Arteta could revert to his normal brittle self etc.
With Chelsea there's the question over Di Matteo. Did the same thing happen for Chelsea that happened for us when Dalglish took over, ie he simply wasn't the previous manager, and will the same thing happen in a full season?

All we can ask for is that Rodgers gets it right with his sales and purchases, we get the bigger earners who contribute next to or nothing permanently off the payroll and we see the basis of the style of play Rodgers wants starting to take shape and we improve on our goals scored and our home form and a noticeable increase in our points tally.

I think Chelsea will have a much stronger, younger core this year. Some of the disruption caused by Drogbas presence will be gone and player power will probably have dwindled in the dressing room. So it should mean a stronger season in the league. But I agree re Di Matteo, Im unconvinced. I actually think he could be gone by February. The problem is I think they will have Guardiola lined up.

Agreed re Arsenal also. Theres no guarantees their signings will workout and who knows where their goals will come from if RVP leaves but then again history has shown they generally put in a lame title charge that falters but always finish in the top 4. So I cant see next year being any different.

For us this year has to be about laying the foundations for a successful future.

[Tes]

Sigurdsson confirmed as a taker of Spurs' gold. Strange how he confessed to wanting to work with Rodgers yet ends up at the opposite end of the country.

A sceptic could question whether he's put cash ahead of football.

[Juan]

Sigurdsson confirmed as a taker of Spurs' gold. Strange how he confessed to wanting to work with Rodgers yet ends up at the opposite end of the country.

A sceptic could question whether he's put cash ahead of football.

Lets just hope hes gone for the money, to live in London or because he personally sees Spurs as the better footballing option.

I will have a problem if Rodgers wanted to sign him but the board refused to sanction the transfer.

[the dude abides]

looks like we dodged a bullet in missing out on Sigurdsson.

reading between the lines (like Tes said the other day), it sounds like Rodgers quickly realised that the Icelandic lad was playing the field....and trying to get an auction going (re wages).  Thus we stopped our interest abruptly a week or two back.

massive risk for Spurs.....no doubt a big 3 or 4 year contract.  We as a club, know all about being unable to get high wage non-playing staff off our books.

I wish they;d take Cole too.