Liverpool Banter Archive September 10 2013

10 Sep 2013 23:35:48
When you consider the recent players we've signed, there is one interesting fact about all of them. For one reason or another they are all players who have a great desire to prove themselves.
As an example Toure, a great player who was put in the cold by City. He is desperate to prove to himself that he still is a class player. Sturridge, great skill and promise, but couldn't get off Chelseas bench, look at him now! Same goes for Coutinho, Sakho, Ilori, Aspas etc.
Maybe BR has decided he wants really hungry players, unlike the expensive cash driven players bought by some of our competitors. The crunch will come when they have to put their bodies on the line for the club. We have already seen the likes of Glen Johnson and Toure show how precisely to do that.
We have a bunch of fighters here boys who want to show the world how good they really are, and are determined to be a success. No doubt about it, BR has put together a bunch focussed and determined winners, who all have a lot to prove!
Cant wait for the season to really get going now. the signs are looking OK at the moment. top of the league no goals against, unbeaten and counting.

Spot on Tel mate, I was wondering about the same thing. Listening to all these marquee signing crap, all we want is players who desperately want to do good for the club, of course having the talent is a prerequisite. I think BR spotted some real rough diamonds recently. Another subject that bugs me is all this talk about, Liverpool can challenge for top 4 spot but not the league title. and so on. Why not?
I think Liverpool should always start every season to want to challenge for the title. If you look at the Bundesliga, since the year 2000, 5 different teams won the title, in Italy 3 different teams. So why not? I think this is a season we can take each game at a time, of course, but having the title challenge in the back of our minds as long as mathematically possible!

Excellent point Tel. Exactly my thoughts!

I think it is our policy driven by both budgets and our lack of CL. We know we can't sign the very top tier of player so are looking at those needing a fresh chance or having something to prove.

They are more affordable and yes hungry. Based on our current situation it makes a lot of sense.

I won't see it as a ploy really. it happens so that we are getting such players, but its more so that they are looking to leave the club they are not getting there chance at. and hence they see Liverpool is still one of the biggest clubs so they come here without second thoughts. its more to do with the ease with which these transfers happen. for eg coutinho sturridge were all no fuss transfers. same with toure. it was also about there teams ready to get rid of them so the transfers were easy.
i don't think lfc has a policy of signing players that are hungry and benched by top clubs. the policy is to sign youthful players and groom them.

But we wanted Costa, Willian and Mkhitaryan. Tello falls into your category though.

But costa and co were in the heat of the suarez leaving stages but we can afford one player a year for big money and the rest with something to prove plus we want a attacking left sided player couldn't get who we wanted so the scouts are probably working hard now on alternatives for the year we have moses to fill the gap in the mean time

I made this exact point about Moses back before we got him and I was comprehensively laughed at by everyone. what a change a few weeks makes.

11 Sep 2013 18:10:52
Not Aspas, he was a regular starter, but you're spot on apart from him.

10 Sep 2013 21:24:24
What a player Konoplienka looks! He'd be on my shopping list I'll tell ya that much.

sort it out Ayre ;)

10 Sep 2013 20:29:04
Can't watch the england game, there is some paint drying here that I just can't drag myself away from.
Seriously though, the England team look more and more old fashioned and ordinary the longer hodgson is in charge.
The FA have got some work to do if they want to sort this out, but they won't.

That's because the FA are more old fashioned themselves. Can't really expect a bunch of dinosaurs to drive us into a new era can you Mikey.

10 Sep 2013 17:43:22
I love the Sturridge comments. Club before country all day long. Just the commitment we need.

Where can I find those comments?

How very narrow minded, if these players fail to get to the world cup they miss out on loads of experience of the big game. the players would be improved and would be more successful so I am sorry but I don't follow this narrow mentality. the players would want to play to try and acheive as much as they can and really boost their confidence so the player actually gets better and more experienced at playing against the best. but you are Liverpool so this does not surprise me. I have not seen this on any other page

Narrow mentality? What planet are you on 'Derbyshire dave'? Please enlighten us?

He is focusing on playing for Liverpool, ya know, that team that gave him a chance. If he performs consistently well for club, then no doubt he will be playing for England next year in the World Cup. His England career doesn't hinge on this one performance. Playing now, when he isn't 100% means he has an increased chance of injury, which would be disastrous for Liverpool and potentially for his chance to stake a claim in the England squad next year. It's called looking at the bigger picture, and if you can't see that I'd suspect you're the narrow minded one mate.

JFT 96

JP

Sensationalist headline aside, that's not actually what Sturridge said as he's made pretty clear himself via twitter (or by taking the time to read his actual quotes).

I can't see how sturridge playing for England will improve him? Playing for a modern team under a modern manager has done him wonders. Playing for England under that dinosaur will only set him back.

Read the quotes.

Jonny I wasnt refering to what sturridge has said or hasn't as I don't follow twitter. I was more talking to the fans, I was saying let's say we don't qualify for the world cup then sturridge is denied pitting his wits against the best in the world, gaining experience and making him a potential world class player, and you can only be world class on this sort of stage. now had he played and scored. well who knows. I wasnt criticising sturridge that's what everyone else has been doing I was just saying he should have played if he could (but he couldnt) but the fans here need to realise you can't cover him up in cotton wool or he won't improve and ascertain the levels expected of him without allowing him the experience he NEEDS

10 Sep 2013 15:03:10
Of all the players we missed out on this summer, who do you think we will regret missing by the end of the season?

I think that Mkhitaryan would have been a great addition

Mkhitaryan I would guess, I saw he's already scored a brace in the bundesliga

I think the biggest of the ones we ''missed out' on that we'll regret it Henrik Mkhitaryan. Dunno exactly why it didn't work but was excited because he is a goal scorer, with pace, great finishing, seems two footed, good movement and can play anywhere up front. Saw him for Dortmund recently and he was quality, after that probably Yarmolenko. Good goal scoring wide player who is young and adds height to the front and could play striker. Saying that am very happy with the deals we managed to do and if anything think we could probably have done with getting rid of one or two players (skrtel or Coates sold before his injury, maybe loaned one or two youngsters).

Mkhitaryan without a doubt. Would have really completed a fine window this summer if he had been nailed on.

Crying over spilt ilk won't get u anywhere we didn't get him so just support the lads we have got

10 Sep 2013 10:49:14
If the fixtures are correct, we play City on Boxing Day (Thursday), and then Chelsea on December 28th (Saturday), harsh? {Ed002's Note - You should take this to the conspiracy page.}

Remind me of your next 6 fixtures?

10 Sep 2013 12:56:46
Every team in the league has a game on both of those days though, so its pretty fair. The travel for us is not even that bad considering one game is being played next door in Manchester, despite the other being held in London. Count yourself lucky you are not a Sunderland away fan as they must travel all the way to Everton, and then all the way to Cardiff in the space of 3 days. Swansea must come second with trips to London and then Birmingham. Then again, Southampton must travel all the way to Cardiff, and then all the way to Liverpool for a game against Everton! I would agree that it is slightly unfair that the teams either have 2 home games or 2 away games. The teams who have two games at home will have more recovery time, and more preparation time. Chelsea and Man City have both drawn two home games, along with Villa, Cardiff, Everton, Hull, Newcastle, Norwich, Tottenham and West Ham. Whereas Liverpool, Swansea, Sunderland, Southampton, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Man U, Stoke and West Brom have all drawn 2 away games. I do think it would've been fairer to arrange the fixtures so all teams played one home game, and one away game in such a busy period, but that's life. The following matches are played just 4 days later on the Tuesday, and you'll be pleased to know, the home and away teams are flipped, and we face Hull at Anfield. It all evens itself out.

YNWAdam

I think it is great we have chelsea, this is one of the fixtures where I think we will get a thumping win. One thing for sure, Notts county was more of a challenge than Chelsea will be come boxing day.

We always do well when matches are close together if we beat Citeh we will beat Chelski, bring it on!

Our fixture list could not be better this season with 5 of the top six teams visiting Anfield in the second half of the season, and the fortuitous timing of games in our early part of the season .

Our players are being given plenty of recuperation time between games (Saturday morning, Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon and now Monday evening after an international weekend)

I would take this fixture list every season .

10 Sep 2013 02:29:24
Spanish news saying Real Want Suarez in January surely we would't sell again in january and surely not for less than £60m (around the price tottenham actually got for Bale after paying southampton a handsome fee) {Ed007's Note - Southampton didn't receive any money from the Bale deal. They accepted a £3m settlement in return for waiving the 25% clause.}

Haha that's stupid southhampton. and brilliant levi.
i hope this settlement happened way b4 bale was sold. because if this happened like this transfer window, then southhampton made a buisness blunder! {Ed002's Note - 2008 I think.}

DOH!!

It was done to save Southampton from administration so was a good deal at the time. I read that the Saints get a couple of million from the sale under the new agreement in 2008. {Ed002's Note - And a player called Tommy Forecast was included in the transaction.}

A business blunder they had no money about to get shut down that 3million probably saved them at the time

Yes Ed, Tommy Forecast who didn't actually play in the first team for Southampton so Spurs got a good deal all round. As a football fan, it's always sad to see teams, who produce good youngsters who move to bigger clubs, struggle financially. As we have a debate about England not producing young talent, it's worth throwing into the pot how many young 'uns are lost in the system after moving to the bigger teams (Bostock of C. Palace comes to mind - released by Spurs this summer) Given all the potential in the Liverpool system at the moment, I hope expensive imports don't hinder there progress

{Ed002's Note - Sadly the introduction of the FFP rules will make matters worse for the youngsters. Clubs will seek to buy in cheap youngsters on spec - those that are lucky will get loans.}

Tommy Forecast is now a weatherman!
I had to.