Summer Transfer Window

[Ed]

same here, Ed.

he's given others enough rope to hang himself many times over.

like oleary, he is impossible to listen to, like, or have empathy for.

He has this weird way of talking

"I respect players and I’m precise with my information so they know where they stand.
We all come into the profession knowing what the job is. Ultimately, it comes down
to what your objective is as a player."

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see Andy has been a cover player for us and has
been excellent in terms of his attitude and acceptance of where he is at, but as a football club,
I don’t think we are in a position to have £35 million players as third-choice strikers...
This is the challenge I have"

It's like he feels obliged to say nice things and portray himself as a nice guy and
endlessly explain himself to the media. I think it was despicable that he tried to win
fans over with that speech the other night about how much players cost and earn a year.
That's a real fan argument, a level I've never heard any manager (not to mind a top one) go
down to.

I'm sorry but I just don't see this guy having the cohones of steel to hold it together on
the back straight of a title challenge. There's something weak about the way he dealt with
Carroll. I think he's too quick to draw conclusions about things and rash in his decision making.

I don't think he was angry enough after the City game to succeed at a top club and wonder
whether starting with Sterling against City was a priority over containing Tevez.

[Tes]

If it works it's because of him, if it doesn't it's despite him.

I expect things to be different as change is implemented but our defending in the four senior games we've played has been been poor.

P4 W1 D2 L1 F4 A6 GD-2

So far what has changed is:

Our ability not to concede - got worse
Our ability to keep possession - slight improvement
The amount of clear chances being created - negligible change either way
Ability to take chances created - no change

The overall change so far is in the red. Granted, sometimes you need to take a step backwards or sidewards to be able to take two forwards. Hopefully we're at that stage at the moment, however, the best teams (Barca being the exception) are all built on the ability to keep the opponents' score at 0.

Our success was built on a sound defence. Taggart has always built his teams, Aberdeen included (Alex McLeish and Willie Miller), on a sound defence. Arsenal's successes under Wenger have been built the same way and it's no coincidence that since the defenders utilised have been of questionable quality, and a defensive shield has been done away with, then the only thing they've gathered in their trophy cabinet is dust.

He may want to play like Barca, but until we have the attackers of a similar quality we can't afford a similar defence, but Barca aren't all conquering and never will be until they ensure that they don't concede especially if their attack isn't firing smoothly.
Whilst he wishes to defend by keeping possession, common sense dictates you won't always have the ball, it's simply impossible, so therefore you need to be able to defend without the ball also.

They say league tables don't lie and if you look at the 'A' column when we won the league, likewise Arsenal, Taggart's mob and Mourinho's Chelsea, all have been amongst the best teams with some of the lowest numbers in their 'A' column.

Against City we led twice. To let them back in once is a mistake, but to let them back in twice............
What's the point of a lead if you can't defend it?

Maybe Rodgers has to go back a step. Reintroduce what we did last season in order to defend well, then build on it. If his methods and style don't allow for building on a solid defence then change the methods.
We didn't score goals last season with a sound defence but so far we haven't been able to either with a giant sieve for our defence.
Maybe the problem that needs addressing most urgently is at the top of the park. Suarez is a scorer of great goals (as witnessed last night) not a great goal scorer. His best work is not done down the middle but from a wider position as his starting point.
If he's going to play a system based on 4-3-3, then Rodgers needs to get a goalscorer to be the head of the attack. I'd choose Borini over Suarez to be it. Last night Morgan should have been it, not stuck out on the right of the attack. Ideally, it's neither of the above at the moment.
Would Rush, Fowler, Wright or Shearer have played on the right or left of a '3'?

Arsenal on Sunday, who haven't scored in the PL this season. We need 3 points and a clean sheet to get our season underway. Scraping past Hearts doesn't count as doing that.
 

[barticus]

I've gotta say i'm deeply troubled by us letting Caroll go to West Ham on loan...if we get no replacement we've shot ourselves in the foot...if dempsey is a cert then it's vaguely acceptable...
the carroll situation must be a deeper one than the face value one...maybe it is down to his attitude...both dalglish and rodgers seem reluctant..
but the whole point of letting players go is to bring money in...to let them shine for free for another club seems ludicrous...
and if it comes down to letting other clubs paying wages for our players...then my how the mighty have fallen...

[Martinmarx]

I read on Jaimie Kanawar's blog Huntelaar was cought on camera at John Lennon this morning. That's fornicating good news if it's true. You really could tell from Brendan's post-game interview last nite they still hold a few cards. Lets hope they play them well.

[the dude abides]

If it works it's because of him, if it doesn't it's despite him.

I expect things to be different as change is implemented but our defending in the four senior games we've played has been been poor.

P4 W1 D2 L1 F4 A6 GD-2

So far what has changed is:

Our ability not to concede - got worse
Our ability to keep possession - slight improvement
The amount of clear chances being created - negligible change either way
Ability to take chances created - no change

The overall change so far is in the red.

excellent post, Tes.  I pretty much agree with all your points.

our form to date, all-be that it is very early in the season to judge much, is mid-table form.

we will lose as many as we win.  We have not solved our goal scoring problem......nor have we improved our leaky defence.

we have two old creaking quakers who are poison to the system that rodgers prefers.....namely hoofer and captain marvel.  And it has got no air-play, but the first goal that we gifted to City on Sunday, came because of Captain Marvel gifting possession to City.  Of course pravda (english media) will refuse to divulge this info.

the other lad, with limited brain power, viking mountain dweller, Skitrail, gifted City their second goal.  At that point, the defender has to knock the ball down the channel.  It is not a time, 40 yards from yourown goal, late in the game, defending a slender lead, to pass it square to Tevez.

I just do not see any pattern, balance, or tactics to Rodgers system.  There are many moments in games, where  you change things....I do not see that level of thinking in Rodgers team.

I see a very limited manager.  One that given time, other bosses (and fans) will have fully figured out. 

And when fans see our - win one, draw one, lose one, level of consistency, they will start to ask questions by Christmas.  But it will be away from home, where Rodgers bluff gets called.  That is where, in my opinion, he will flounder (with his limited abilities to change things).

[Martinmarx]

That's probably two of the least educated posts I read since I got here. Don't have the time yet but I will return with some proof of how hollow and shallow your "analysis" actually are. 2 league games and the knifes are out. Laughable to hear you two feed each other.

[the dude abides]

not wanting to blow one's own trumpet, but I strongly suspect that one or two of us in here have forgotten more about football, martin, than you have ever known about it.

[Ed]

That's probably two of the least educated posts I read since I got here. Don't have the time yet but I will return with some proof of how hollow and shallow your "analysis" actually are. 2 league games and the knifes are out. Laughable to hear you two feed each other.

Martin there are two ways of looking at things and the Gaffers actions to date:

1.) Won't work with DoF
2.) Promotes Marsh, alienates Segura,
3.) Forces Carroll to move by selecting Adam Morgan,
4.) Strange need to communicate everything to the media (always prefaced by, if I'm honest...ffs you're the manager of LFC, cut the B*llshit!).

Now maybe these are the actions of somebody 100% confident in their abilities as the top manager,
maybe not? We'll wait and see. There aren't many on here though, as far as i can see, who are willing
to greet every utterance from the new man as if in fact it was the words of God whispered in his
ear. I don't like the manager and remain to be convinced that he's the right man for the job, he can't be
sacked so what the hell difference does it make.

You, Tomkins and a lot of others remind me of this! 

[Martinmarx]

We all have our drives, Ed mate. Dude's easy to figure out. He's grown a bitter cad over losing his gaylord Rafa and write of anyone thinking maybe he wasn't the man for no 19.( "I know more about footy than you and all your ancestors and probably the rest of the world because I've watched the game on weekly basis since the 1860's" for critizising his totally uncritical, take on Rafa the stubborn cad). Tes' a different treat, here I think 20 years of  slow but steady decay starts to settle in she knows damn better than what she wrote in that post. To me it's sheer frustration. Period. . Her comments are more depressed than malign if you catch me drift. As for you Ed, my friend I don't know. You're younger than me but closer to the game than the most of us as I gather so I listen carefully to what you say. However, you show me this 6 point list two leaguegames into the new gaffer's regime. Surely you can see that even if he gets us relegated there too little to go by as of yet?

I don't know, but what I do know is that if you take those two posts and put them into any context, and I mean any, lets say 15 months from now,  none of the posters would feel comfortable about them.

Brendan Rodgers will do fine. He's made this team perform better than any of his predecessors. Fair enough there'll be lapses, low points an'all but the tempo on the ball, the movement and the urgency he's managed to instill after just two games I haven't seen this club produce on this side of number 18.

[Tes]

We all have our drives, Ed mate. Dude's easy to figure out. He's grown a bitter cad over losing his gaylord Rafa and write of anyone thinking maybe he wasn't the man for no 19.( "I know more about footy than you and all your ancestors and probably the rest of the world because I've watched the game on weekly basis since the 1860's" for critizising his totally uncritical, take on Rafa the stubborn cad). Tes' a different treat, here I think 20 years of  slow but steady decay starts to settle in she knows damn better than what she wrote in that post. To me it's sheer frustration. Period. . Her comments are more depressed than malign if you catch me drift. As for you Ed, my friend I don't know. You're younger than me but closer to the game than the most of us as I gather so I listen carefully to what you say. However, you show me this 6 point list two leaguegames into the new gaffer's regime. Surely you can see that even if he gets us relegated there too little to go by as of yet?

I don't know, but what I do know is that if you take those two posts and put them into any context, and I mean any, lets say 15 months from now,  none of the posters would feel comfortable about them.

Brendan Rodgers will do fine. He's made this team perform better than any of his predecessors. Fair enough there'll be lapses, low points an'all but the tempo on the ball, the movement and the urgency he's managed to instill after just two games I haven't seen this club produce on this side of number 18.

Cheers Martin for the gender re-assignment, I will remember to wear a dress after I've shaved tomorrow morning, or I may borrow the wife's leather mini, though I doubt I have the legs for it.

Martin, you've been cheerleading for Brendan since before his appointment, but for the rest we'll judge on what we see, something which we have no control over, so any assessment is only a reflection.
So far our defending  has got worse.
We haven't created any more clear chances than under Dalglish and those we have we are still struggling to worry the net.
etc,etc

Downing at left back? I understand youngsters developing a different position to what they started out in at very junior level, but Downing is 28. How many players have re-invented themselves at that age successfully. The list is tiny, the probability low.

And Dude and I have definately never dined together, more's the pity. 

And when you start using such demeaning terms about posters, you completely undermine your argument.

You may not concur, that's the beauty of a discussion forum, but keep it civilised. There's plenty of other places where the trading of insults are carried out as par for the course.

[Edward224]

Two things:-

1) I agree 100% completely with Martin regarding Rodgers.

2) There will be no more incoming transfers. Unless something drastic happens.

Rodgers is a breathe of fresh air. I like his way of dispensing of players in a cut throat fashion if they don't fit in with his plans.

[barticus]

Not looking like Dempsey is coming now cos it seems we can't raise 7 mil and only offered 4 mil
or we want to make a swap deal with henderson and henderson doesn't want to go....so now we're valueing 16 mil henderson at 7 mil???
if we can't afford 7 mil then that brings to mind the FSG promise that they'd break the bank to bring in the right player if needed...and 7 mil ain't that much but just might do the trick...

so now we get rid of Carroll and we're left with suarez and borini....

brilliant....we look like paupers and we're lightweight up front..

Maybe we can bring that little turn coat Owen back....at least he'll cost nowt...

[Edward224]

It's not that we can't afford it but it is all about the valuation of the player, which is the key.

For me Dempsey is definitely worth a punt at £7m because he will score 10 goals and make 5 or so assists which will make the money worth it.

We are royally screwed if Suarez and Borini are our only two options. However this gives an opportunity to Morgan and the exciting signing, Yesil to take their chances, when it surely comes along now. 

[Ed]

However this gives an opportunity to Morgan and the exciting signing, Yesil to take their chances, when it surely comes along now. 

We were told only recently that there were players 1-11, cover players & development players.

Now surely, anyone with the faintest grip on reality would categorise Morgan & Yesil (£1 million)
as development players??

We have little or no credible cover options up front + 4 campaigns to manage. FFS, we don't even
have anyone who can get on the end of a cross. C'mon, what sort of nonsense are you on about?

Simple thought experiment, Suarez gets injured...

Even put the words back in Rodgers mouth & it couldn't possibly be argued that on the pitch we
are now somehow better off that we have no recognised third striker?? (& I'm not even a Rocket
Scientist, but yet I have deduced this by counting with 3 fingers! ).

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see Andy has been a cover player for us and has
been excellent in terms of his attitude and acceptance of where he is at, but as a football club,
I don’t think we are in a position to have £35 million players as third-choice strikers...
This is the challenge I have"

1 small step for Andy, one gigantic leap for West Ham! (& now Spurs have gazumped us again!)

[Edward224]

Dempsey is at Spurs lodge.