January Transfer Window

[Tes]

Another step towards no. 19 was thereby taken. I tell you, Brendan's the man to take us back to the top.

Have I missed something?

[the dude abides]

Coutinho video

http://youtu.be/MjrHoLXFzHs

if he can consistently bring these skills to the premiership, he will be a genius.

but again, he's another light-weight midfielder, who for all his flashes of genius, scores few goals......I worry that he'll be muscled and kicked out of games.  And consistency must also be a concern (after his time at Inter).

fingers crossed that he can excel at Anfield.

[the dude abides]

Have I missed something?

sounds like a bottle of Johnnie Walker   

[Ed]

but again, he's another light-weight midfielder

Yeah this is where the balance comes in.
No point in our league sending out a bunch
of ballet dancers 

Hence the importance of Lucas being able to mix it
effectively with big lads, as he does.

But in my eyes the signing of Coutinho increases the
importance of Hendersons role. A big lad who has energy
and can do the hard graft (but not a one-dimensional bruiser).
At least if he keeps working on his game and can master
the art of a stern, legal tackle high up the pitch.

One wonders where it leaves Allen, first team or squad...

I mean to accomodate the flair of Coutinho and have the
weak and diminutive Allen in the side (skittles!).

See Stevie going the Giggs route, influential in certain games
but not essential in others.

[the dude abides]

Yeah this is where the balance comes in.
No point in our league sending out a bunch
of ballet dancers 

Hence the importance of Lucas being able to mix it
effectively with big lads, as he does.

But in my eyes the signing of Coutinho increases the
importance of Hendersons role. A big lad who has energy
and can do the hard graft (but not a one-dimensional bruiser).
At least if he keeps working on his game and can master
the art of a stern, legal tackle high up the pitch.

One wonders where it leaves Allen, first team or squad...

I mean to accomodate the flair of Coutinho and have the
weak and diminutive Allen in the side (skittles!).

See Stevie going the Giggs route, influential in certain games
but not essential in others.

make stevie our super-sub - coming on for the final 20 minutes of games, and running at already tired defenders.

yes, big questions now re Allen.  But we need to wait, because there could be big questions by the end of the year re Coutinho too.  The sleight midfielder is always up against it in english football.  We know that too well ourselves.  e.g. look at the wonderful skills of Smicer, who despite all his talents, never managed to be a success in the premiership.

agreed re balance.  Yes, Henderson will add some weight and steel.  Must say that I am still pondering Henderson.  He has improved of late.  But I still wonder if he is good enough for the highest level.

I hope he keeps improving his game.

[Martinmarx]

make stevie our super-sub - coming on for the final 20 minutes of games, and running at already tired defenders.

yes, big questions now re Allen.  But we need to wait, because there could be big questions by the end of the year re Coutinho too.  The sleight midfielder is always up against it in english football.  We know that too well ourselves.  e.g. look at the wonderful skills of Smicer, who despite all his talents, never managed to be a success in the premiership.

agreed re balance.  Yes, Henderson will add some weight and steel.  Must say that I am still pondering Henderson.  He has improved of late.  But I still wonder if he is good enough for the highest level.

I hope he keeps improving his game.

Would agree with that Dude. Me neither will jump the bandwagon on the back of a couple of good games. No doubt he has improved but, as you say, that in itself doesn't tell wether he's good enough on the highest level of the game or not. I'll wait til the end of season before judging Henderson but he still have quite a walk to make to change my opinion on him.

[Edward224]

The likes of Henderson and Allen will only grow in their roles and under the tutelage of Rodgers will be better players.

It has taken Henderson well over 12 months to acclimatise to the club and the pressure of being a Liverpool player. It will take Allen the same amount of time.

Now that Henderson has shown signs of coming through that period and has been a bit more consistent, now the question will be can he sustain that, will be improve further and only time will tell on that.

But both Allen and Henderson have the talent to be here for a very long time. But the initial 12 month period is always the hardest and after that it is then a question of consistency and further improvement.

Gerrard isn't getting any younger so in the time that we do have Gerrard for the next 2-3 years both Henderson and Allen need to given the time to show they can be our midfield for the present and the future.  I'd also throw Shelvey into that equation.

[Tes]

Would agree with that Dude. Me neither will jump the bandwagon on the back of a couple of good games. No doubt he has improved but, as you say, that in itself doesn't tell wether he's good enough on the highest level of the game or not. I'll wait til the end of season before judging Henderson but he still have quite a walk to make to change my opinion on him.

We can add Borini and Allen to that list. All have one thing in common, age, or rather lack of it. In three years time they could be mainstays of the team or long forgotten having moved on.
My problem with Allen is I see  it difficult to see how you can play him and Lucas together. We'd need a more physical presence to play behind Allen, and I want to see more adventure from him. Simply passing the ball back to the centre half who's just passed to him, may keep the ball and 'recycle possession' but it's simply 'passing for the sake of it'. He needs his play to be more progressive. Carry the ball until closed down then take the player out the game with a forwards or sideways pass (can create a new angle) or look to pass forwards and follow the ball's forward movement so we work our way up the field and make forward progress more quickly.   

[Edward224]

I do agree we lack certain physicality in midfield. It is also true that when Allen did understudy Lucas, when Lucas was injured he was pretty poor.

For me Allen is not a defensive midfielder. I see him in a role that Alonso used to have with us in the sense of setting the tempo of the game, being in positions able to receive the ball from the defence and also getting into positions to give the ball to our forwards. For me his positional play is his best attribute, but again he is not a defensive midfielder and cannot play that role. If he can add further attributes to his game in the sense of using his passes to hurt the opposition rather than playing the ball square he will be much better for it.

As for Henderson I see him in a more offensive orientated than either Lucas or Allen. I see him as being on the right hand side of the three midfielders and getting into positions to help out either the defence and the forward lines. He has a long way to go but I would say if all goes to plan, then he will be the eventual long term replacement for Gerrard. But Henderson is a long, long, long way off of that and has to show much more consistency to even show that he has a future here.

If he can do that for the next 2-3 years whilst Gerrard is still here then the transition will be smooth. But its up to Henderson to prove he can step it up to that level.

[the dude abides]

see the interesting chart, in the link below.  It shows the net spend of the premiership clubs, this window.

6 clubs have spent zero.

8 have spent 5 million or less.

we have spent 20.5 million, net.

only City have spent more money than us.

no excuses......we have spent big money this window.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfers/9511033/Transfer-deadline-day.html

[Edward224]

Tell that to the FSG haters..............

[the dude abides]

so me wanting FSG to appoint top people to run the club, or else to sell up, is tantamount to HATING them?

bizarre analysis. 

[Martinmarx]

so me wanting FSG to appoint top people to run the club, or else to sell up, is tantamount to HATING them?

bizarre analysis.

That's only true if you consider yourself an FSG-hater. I didn't see your name in Edward's post. Now how's bizarre, really?

[the dude abides]

well who else was his dig aimed at then?

PS - and why all these negative vibes. 

[Tes]

so me wanting FSG to appoint top people to run the club, or else to sell up, is tantamount to HATING them?

bizarre analysis.

I agree with the analysis, as one didn't remotely equate to the other.

Not being impressed by certain things, asking questions as to why they aren't doing things that would help the club have a better chance of success, not addressing issues that have needed addressing since they walked through the doors (stadium issue not included) does not equate to being a hater.
I've not really examined whether I like/dislike/love/loathe/feel indifferent to them, as there are much bigger issues that occupy my thoughts than the absolute irrelevance of my personal attraction/being put off by them.