Summer Transfer Window

[the dude abides]

We now have at least four more highly paid, sub-standard individuals to try to get rid of. Either we have to pay them until their contract runs out and get nothing for them or we have to sell them at a vastly reduced fee and use most (if not all) of the fee received to pay them off the remaining years or come to an arrangement over the remaining years of their contract. Either way, we end up with little or no money in order to fund a replacement for them.
So we still require so many positions within the squad that need upgrading with simply nowhere need enough funds to do it with.

yes, the club has now hit the financial buffers.  And I think most other clubs have too (and this is maybe the case across Europe).

the rules are weighted far too heavily in favour of players these days.    You cannot get them shifted, if they are on a big contract.  And if they decide to sit their contract out, you end up getting peanuts or nothing for them.

Things have to change.

But why do clubs (i.e. the 90 percent who have limited money) not see sense and agree not to pay over say 50 grand a week in wages.

clubs, across all the divisions, have walked into this financial quagmire.    Do they not see how close we came to financial meltdown (we were one week from going into administration).  Do they not see what has happened Rangers.

Clubs have been sleepwalking into this madness.   

[the dude abides]

What do we all make of the Dempsey rumour?

Factually, he's a player who's had one good season and it has taken him until the age of 29 for that to happen.
Maybe he'll have another two or three, in that with his experience he's been able to use that to perform to a higher standard than previously achieved.

I just feel he's another risk, another potential 'one season wonder', which happens quite a lot with strikers, Clive Allen, Marcus Stewart, Michael Ricketts, even Van Persie etc.
With just one year on his contract anything under £5M on a one or two year deal with an option of a further year if his goals/assists/chances created stats reach a certain amount, then maybe and it is a big 'maybe'.

I'd rather, even than sort of money, was spent on a younger player with the potential to come good and more time to do it.

like you, I cannot see the value of recruiting Dempsey......unless we get him for peanuts.  Then again, if we get him for peanuts, the bloke will be wanting big wages.  He claims he wants to move and play CL football.....I read into that, that he wants to get one big final contract at a top club.

[Tes]

I read into that, that he wants to get one big final contract at a top club.

His next contract is likely to be his last. He's looking to double his money for the next three years.

I'd rather see us 'invest' our money than just 'spend' it.

I'd rather see the likely (Dempsey) fee invested in (a) younger player(s) - a centre half or a difference maker in midfield.

[Ed]

His next contract is likely to be his last. He's looking to double his money for the next three years.

I'd rather see us 'invest' our money than just 'spend' it.

I'd rather see the likely (Dempsey) fee invested in (a) younger player(s) - a centre half or a difference maker in midfield.

Shades of Hodgson here with Poulsen or Kenny with Adam even Rafa with Keane. I just hate to see
these guys pull on the red jersey (it demeans everything it stands for  ). May as well just burn the
transfer fee, at least then we'd save ourselves the wages.

[Juan]

Borini deal agreed according to the echo. 11 million pounds.

Now for the exciting player we are due to sign, Jovetic would make it a decent weekend!

[Juan]

What do we all make of the Dempsey rumour?

Factually, he's a player who's had one good season and it has taken him until the age of 29 for that to happen.
Maybe he'll have another two or three, in that with his experience he's been able to use that to perform to a higher standard than previously achieved.

I just feel he's another risk, another potential 'one season wonder', which happens quite a lot with strikers, Clive Allen, Marcus Stewart, Michael Ricketts, even Van Persie etc.
With just one year on his contract anything under £5M on a one or two year deal with an option of a further year if his goals/assists/chances created stats reach a certain amount, then maybe and it is a big 'maybe'.

I'd rather, even than sort of money, was spent on a younger player with the potential to come good and more time to do it.

If we were getting Dempsey plus 15 million for Carroll i would take it. But Dempsey and 9 million just isnt enough. Dempseys a good player but would he unquestionably improve our midfield, the jurys out. Put his transfer fee and wages toward a top up and coming talent. Rodgers said his plan isnt short term, so prove it in his purchasing.

[Tes]

If we were getting Dempsey plus 15 million for Carroll i would take it. But Dempsey and 9 million just isnt enough. Dempseys a good player but would he unquestionably improve our midfield, the jurys out. Put his transfer fee and wages toward a top up and coming talent. Rodgers said his plan isnt short term, so prove it in his purchasing.

Dempsey + £9M values Dempsey in the region of £11M with only a year on his contract. Makes him a £20M+ with a three/four year contract, which is pure fantasy.

Dempsey's 'season' was more as a striker and if we were to sign him we'd have to view him as such.
He wouldn't noticably improve our midfield and could he repeat last season playing as a striker?

Like you, Juan, I'd rather we put the fee and wages towards a younger player whom we will get a good few years service and who still has a potential transfer value once his time with us is over.

Dempsey will probably go back to the MLS at the end of his next contract and will therefore have no transfer value to speak of.

Verdict: give Dempsey a miss. 

[Ed]

Now for the exciting player we are due to sign, Jovetic would make it a decent weekend!

Juan i think you mentioned Suso in one of the lost posts:

http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/features/120711/liverpools-spanish-genius-who-lighting-europe-talksport-talent-spotter-176368

i know Rafa's a fan also. Whatever about the league obsession next season I think we
need to be really smart about giving youth it's chance in the cups. There are 3 approaches,
1.) The Swansea/Wigan strategy to get knocked out of them at the first opportunity 2.) Take
them uber-seriously at the expense of the league campaign (us last year). 3.) Play Stevie G,
Carra and Spearing with the kids and entrust the league campaign to Lucas et al?

[Juan]

Juan i think you mentioned Suso in one of the lost posts:

http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/features/120711/liverpools-spanish-genius-who-lighting-europe-talksport-talent-spotter-176368

i know Rafa's a fan also. Whatever about the league obsession next season I think we
need to be really smart about giving youth it's chance in the cups. There are 3 approaches,
1.) The Swansea/Wigan strategy to get knocked out of them at the first opportunity 2.) Take
them uber-seriously at the expense of the league campaign (us last year). 3.) Play Stevie G,
Carra and Spearing with the kids and entrust the league campaign to Lucas et al?

Sure did Ed. I posted a video compilation that disappeared.

Here it is again;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ggUYo_Hj1MU

What Id like to see happen next season is for the league to be given complete priority. You play your best available in the league week in week out no matter who the opposition or what cup games are coming up. If at all possible give players like Sterling or Suso a run for 20 minutes or half an hour when the result isnt in doubt.

After that I think the Europa Cup and FA cup should be played with the strongest possible team but with the league being kept in mind as priority. Like if Suarez is tired rest him in the cups and keep him fresh for the league. If Lucas has a slight tweak in his hamstring rest him  and again keep him for the league. Give young players more of an opportunity in the the Europa league and FA cup than they might not get in the league but still try to field a strong team.

The carling cup is a great route to the europa league but i think it has to be used to give youngsters a chance while keeping a spine of first team players. Theres no point throwing out a complete youth team that will get knocked out in round 3 or 4, that benefits nobody but I would give a handful of youngsters their chance. Winning the Carling Cup doesnt hold much significance when your finishing 8th in the league.

[Tes]

Sure did Ed. I posted a video compilation that disappeared.

Here it is again;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ggUYo_Hj1MU

What Id like to see happen next season is for the league to be given complete priority. You play your best available in the league week in week out no matter who the opposition or what cup games are coming up. If at all possible give players like Sterling or Suso a run for 20 minutes or half an hour when the result isnt in doubt.

After that I think the Europa Cup and FA cup should be played with the strongest possible team but with the league being kept in mind as priority. Like if Suarez is tired rest him in the cups and keep him fresh for the league. If Lucas has a slight tweak in his hamstring rest him  and again keep him for the league. Give young players more of an opportunity in the the Europa league and FA cup than they might not get in the league but still try to field a strong team.

The carling cup is a great route to the europa league but i think it has to be used to give youngsters a chance while keeping a spine of first team players. Theres no point throwing out a complete youth team that will get knocked out in round 3 or 4, that benefits nobody but I would give a handful of youngsters their chance. Winning the Carling Cup doesnt hold much significance when your finishing 8th in the league.

Agreed Juan. I'd also extend the context of the UEFA Cup to making it the second most important trophy after the league in order to raise our profile once again in Europe. Most European countries and players aren't as dismissive of it as we in this country are. I would also look at it as a chance to give the players who are likely to make the nucleus of the team a chance to gain (or further their) European experience which along with raising our European profile will be the most beneficial to the club.

[Tes]

Liverpool Football Club can today confirm that Maxi Rodriguez has joined Newell's Old Boys in Argentina.

Maxi, who arrived at Anfield from Atletico Madrid in January 2010, netted 17 goals in 73 appearances for the Reds.

Highlights of the midfielder's Anfield career include two hat-tricks in the space of a couple of weeks against Birmingham and Fulham in 2011 as well as important strikes against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November of that year.

Everyone at Liverpool FC would like to thank Maxi for his contribution to the club and wish him all the best for the future.

Official Statement

So two of the three players that formed such a fluent front line with Suarez during Dalglish's 'caretaker tenure' have now left the club.

Still, we've saved a few quid in wages. 

[Tes]

like you, I cannot see the value of recruiting Dempsey......unless we get him for peanuts.  Then again, if we get him for peanuts, the bloke will be wanting big wages.  He claims he wants to move and play CL football.....I read into that, that he wants to get one big final contract at a top club.

There' s not much difference in age between Dempsey and Maxi and Kuyt, who have both now left the club. Neither can I see Dempsey moving for a salary much less than either of them were being paid. Neither were exactly quick but then neither is Dempsey, so an injection of pace can't be the reason we'd buy him.

We've got Bellamy who's got pace and is a technical player but the manager really needs to pull a quick, technical player for whom money's not important and is capable of playing equally well wide on either side and as and just behind a striker, out of his transfer hat, that costs no more than £2M.

It's a good job we've got such a highly efficient scouting network. 

[barticus]

We've got Bellamy who's got pace and is a technical player but the manager really needs to pull a quick, technical player for whom money's not important and is capable of playing equally well wide on either side and as and just behind a striker, out of his transfer hat, that costs no more than £2M.

It's a good job we've got such a highly efficient scouting network. 

Speculation is rife that either Cardiff or QPR will sign Bellamy...Maxi gone too...Cheer up Tes, at least we have Downing...

[Tes]

Speculation is rife that either Cardiff or QPR will sign Bellamy...Maxi gone too...Cheer up Tes, at least we have Downing...

Cheers Barticus. That well and truly stopped me from Downing my sorrows over the state of our squad.

[Ed]

Tbh, I wouldn't like us to lose Carroll this Summer.

Granted the manager appears to favour a 4-3-3 with lots of movement, passing and
pressing up front. How exactly that will work in terms of width with our current playing
personnel and what role the full backs will have remains to be seen. Is Carroll more suited
to a traditional 4-4-2 with wingers?

Anyway I don't see why we have to have one system. Does that make us predictable and
1-dimensional. Price tag aside, I like the flexibility Carroll gives us (in all fairness we saw what
damage he did against Chelsea in the FA cup final when we were a complete non-entity prior
to his arrival from the bench) and would think it hasty of the manger to further unsettle the lad
after he was showing form at the end of the season.

Rather than publicly musing over his future I'd have preferred if the gaffer had had a proper conversation
with Andy about his plans and given him an opportunity to get a proper pre-season in before deciding,
given that some other (who shall remain nameless) notable under-achievers from last season appear to
have  been welcomed back into the fold...