January Transfer Window

[Tes]

You can why the only viewers on here are bots, the last three posts have been excruciating. 

[the dude abides]

 

[the dude abides]

much more speculation in the papers today that we are buying Sturridge.  Blody nora.

and also plan to dump Pepe Reina and bring in two keepers - young lad called Jack Butland and a German lad that Fergie decided to let go 2 years ago (Hannover keeper, Ron-Robert Zieler)     Bloddy nora.

and one or two stories again today about us buying Ince from Blackpool.

Sorry, but there is no good news to report.

We are building for mid-table oblivion (when you add the above deals, to Borini and Allen)

[Ageing Stick Insect]

So you believe everything you read in the press eh? Surely not? 

There is some credibility to the Sturridge story. He's sitting on his backside at Chelsea so will be hungry. That's the sort of player we want. And just because he didn't fit Chelsea's style doesn't mean he won't fit in with ours.

Of course you could buy someone who fitted in at his old club so logically he must do well for us. Oh, hang on. That didn't work for Torres did it? There are no guarantees in football. Every move has risk. It's down to judgement and a degree of luck.

[Ed]

We are building for mid-table oblivion (when you add the above deals, to Borini and Allen)

& subtract Gerrard (and lbh he's hardly vital these days) and Luis
from the team in 18 months time.

Leaves us heavily reliant on top class scouting and youth coaching +
shrewd signings.

Unless the other teams in the division are wholly inept at these
things and I seriously, seriously doubt that.

To make an argument that a paradigm shifting footballing dynasty with
a perennial grip on the title is on the way is just too stupid to entertain.

As we meander our way toward stability over the next 4 seasons with
yo-yo ing league positions as different pieces fall in and out of place
before gently resting as a team that aspires to finish 4th each year with
a decent cup run for good measure and no pretensions to dine at
Europe's elite table...

[Tes]

Butland's been in poor form this season. Granted that's also the charge levelled at Pepe, but the levels they're dropping from is very different.

I'd rather we held fire on Pepe. With what's likely to be limited funds, I'd rather we used them elsewhere.

When / if we look at a keeper I'd rather it be someone like Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. It's probably a shame Chelsea have Thibaut Courtois as he's looked promising when I've seen him for Atletico Madrid, but apparently he had a bit of a mare against Real, then again, he wouldn't be the first keeper that could apply to.

[Tes]

Not sure where these rumours about Mohamed Diame for circa £6M from West Ham. The same Mohamed Diame then went there on a free in the Summer.

[Tes]

The other problem with the Summer window farce is the danger of being forced to or paying over the odds anyway, if FSG react poorly and 'feel the need' to 'splash out'.
Overpaying in January only adds to, it doesn't make up for the Summer. The best way of re-addressing or making up for the Summer, is to learn from it and not repeat it. Not feel inclined or obligated into overpaying. 

[Edward224]

Please God don't let us buy Tom Ince. There is a very good reason why we didn't try hard enough to retain him.

Plus we have the younger and superior Sterling.

I wouldn't mind Sturridge for the right price as long as we get a goal scorer as well. Then we can have Suarez, Borini, Sturridge and A N Other striker as our options.

Also TBH I wouldn't mind replacing Reina at all. He has been far below his ability level for 2 seasons now. 6 months - 1 year could be a blip and forgiven for his past brilliance. But 2 years now he has been well below he capability level.

I haven't seen enough of Butland to judge him. However there are 2 gk's in the premier league that can do a job for us in the next 2-3 year and are gettable, plus whilst not world class they are very consistent and thus reliable:-

Al Habsi, Ruddy and Vorm. If we get Butland too then I go for that. Al Habsi and Butland would be a good combo.

[the dude abides]

So you believe everything you read in the press eh? Surely not? 

why do you give more credibility to the Sturridge story, and poo-poo the other stories?  Unless you have inside knowledge, then you are no more knowledgable than the rest of us.

There is some credibility to the Sturridge story. He's sitting on his backside at Chelsea so will be hungry. That's the sort of player we want.

there are hundreds of players sitting on their backside.

as for being hungry, it's skill levels that we are primarily after, not hunger. 

I have been sitting on my backside for years, am very hungry, but won't be playing premiership football anytime soon. 

[the dude abides]

Not sure where these rumours about Mohamed Diame for circa £6M from West Ham. The same Mohamed Diame then went there on a free in the Summer.

sounds like the type of lad we have been in the market for, in recent years.

snap him up Pam Ayres, lest his price goes higher.

I'd rather we held fire on Pepe. With what's likely to be limited funds, I'd rather we used them elsewhere.

madness, selling Pepe.  I find it farcical, selling our most talented people (like Kuyt in the summer).

we have limited funds.  The last thing we need is a new keeper.

Pepe is proven quality.  He is now entering the best years for a keeper.  His abilities, especially his distribution, are key.  Form is temporary, class is permanent.

[the dude abides]

As we meander our way toward stability over the next 4 seasons with
yo-yo ing league positions as different pieces fall in and out of place
before gently resting as a team that aspires to finish 4th each year with
a decent cup run for good measure and no pretensions to dine at
Europe's elite table...

you are more optimistic than me, Ed.

we are shipping out top class players, and replacing them with mid-table sh.ite.

players like Allen, Borini, Sturridge, Henderson, Downing, etc are never going to have us competing at the top table.

I'm not even convinced that our management or scouts are aware of the level of player that is needed at the highest level.

[Ed]

you are more optimistic than me, Ed.

Tbh I don't see us winning any silverware under Rodgers. Nada, nix...
he doesn't have the killer instinct, missing the i in tiger!

It's a special talent winning things and to do it in adverse circumstances
even more so. Our boy talks a lot but it was Lucas Leiva (a lad identified
by a previous manager for his character) who engineered our home victory
against the Saints.

Sure we'll tick boxes of progress against short-term objectives allied with
grand strategic plans that can be signed off by management and presented to
the chiefs but we'll hit a ceiling and not reach beyond it, imo.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

why do you give more credibility to the Sturridge story, and poo-poo the other stories?  Unless you have inside knowledge, then you are no more knowledgable than the rest of us.

Will this do? I at least post a link.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9706933/Rodgers-hopes-move-for-Sturridge-will-not-be-affected-by-changes-at-Chelsea.html

there are hundreds of players sitting on their backside.

as for being hungry, it's skill levels that we are primarily after, not hunger. 

I have been sitting on my backside for years, am very hungry, but won't be playing premiership football anytime soon. 

Haven't you previously said we need players who are hungry to play? What's the alternative? Someone who doesn't care whether he plays or not? Like Joe Cole perhaps?

And as for the situation with Pepe you might believe this. Then again, probably not. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-transfer-news-rodgers-denies-1474467

[the dude abides]

Will this do? I at least post a link.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9706933/Rodgers-hopes-move-for-Sturridge-will-not-be-affected-by-changes-at-Chelsea.html

Haven't you previously said we need players who are hungry to play? What's the alternative? Someone who doesn't care whether he plays or not? Like Joe Cole perhaps?

And as for the situation with Pepe you might believe this. Then again, probably not. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-transfer-news-rodgers-denies-1474467

well which is it?

you berate me for supposedly believing all that I read in the papers.

and then in the next breath, you post newspaper links.