Liverpool Banter Archive May 25 2013

25 May 2013 21:53:20
Long shot but please please please Gundogan and Alacantara for £30 million would be absolute amazing with Coutinho just ahead?

25 May 2013 20:51:11
Hi guys
I really think we should be aiming higher than top 4, for years Liverpool have been considerd title contenders, just seems since rafa left and we finished 7th that year we've always been talking about getting back into that top 4! Why not drill into the players minds that we want to be winning the title then all of a sudden 3rd or 4th is considerd not good enough! If we keep Suarez wich I think we will, along with a full season of sturridge and coutinho we could be right up there, it's obvious we need a few better quality players hopefully we can sign the likes of eriksen/papadop players of this caliber is what we need. Rodgers knows that to! There will be an improvement on our squad this year I can really see us in there next season! YNWA

BC

I here wot your sayin mate but I do believe were not in that position to be competing for the league (yet). sayin that if lfc have ever had a chance to move them selfs up the pecin order its nxt season. Its the first season for a long time that I'm lookin forward to. Fingers crossed. YNWAJFT96

Bang on!

Mate when a player plays for Liverpool he wants to win every game. Maybe you are right but I just think we have a lack of quality in the squad at the minute. Trust me but we will be in the top 4 within the next 2 seasons.
derryred

Word up to that! I think it will take a couple more windows till were there but yes your right we should be aiming higher!

Lets learn to walk before we run! We're no where near title contenders yet and all I hope for next year is a push for top 4

Our players are average. We have 4/5 top players and the rest could play for Bolton. The reality is we are that far behind we either need to pump £100m into the team, or do a Dortmund and start a fresh.

Gotta agree that next season is the first season I've been looking forward to for many years. Rodgers is doing way better than many mould have thought. Hats off to the man.

25 May 2013 20:00:13
Hi Eds. just watching ECF. Noticed that B Dort have 2 stars on there shirt. I thought they have one it once against Juv (3-1). If this is right what does the other one represent. Thanks. Deejay.

25 May 2013 21:00:30
bundes liga teams have 1, 2, 3, and 4 stars for 3, 5, 10, and 20 domestic titles.
LIVERBIRD

25 May 2013 22:59:54
This is their fifth time. Won it 3 times on the trot in 70's. Ick Red

25 May 2013 19:31:16
Eds fellow reds. a web site reporting rafa want to take Danny agger as well now. The funny thing is rafa s not got the job yet. wonder if rafa takes all his signings from Liverpool that he made. will Napoli give us a big chunk of the £200 million he wasted at ours

25 May 2013 18:25:09
Next season is looking very optimistic! Hopefully we will have a real push for the top 4 and a Champions League spot, but worst case scenario we qualify for the Europa League it's good to know that starting in 2015 the winners will be given a place in the CL!

I agree
derryred

Yep. Totally agree.

25 May 2013 16:57:45
I thought ashley williams was coming to Liverpool but the papers are saying he's off to arsenal. Any news ed? {Ed002's Note - There is nothing new.}

To the OP are you not happy everyone's wish is coming true with us not going for Ashley Williams?

25 May 2013 15:20:24
any interest in Ryad Boudebouz does anybody know?

25 May 2013 14:10:38
Heard our goalkeeper targets are out of these.

Diego Alves [Valencia] - good with the feet so first choice

Sergio Romero [Sampdoria]

if not the above then sort term keeper (for 2years)

Ali Al Habsi [Wigan]
or
Julio Cesar [QPR]

Habsi is awful. We should go for mignolet IMO if we can't get him then begovic/vorm.

25 May 2013 14:45:32
This atsu lad is he any good?

He's fast.

Regardless of him being good or not he wants to join spurs!

Not sure if he's good enough for Liverpool, more suited to a team like spurs or everton

Who both finished above Liverpool

He wants to join AVB but they want Ince. then it's between LFC, EFC and NCFC so guess he'll pick Liverpool.

Yes spurs and everton did finish above us and they have the best teams they have had for years and yes they both won nothing like us but take a step back and you will see that lfc on on the up fact.

5th and 6th, seeing as this day and age is all about top 4, it doesn't really matter who fills the places below in my opinion. We have improved since january and with further improvement we can challenge for higher next season. I won't be bragging in finishing above the bitters and the spuds, if we don't make top 4

24 May 2013 15:47:43
Eds, sorry to post it but a tech question - sometimes I notice my posts appearing without my name when I'm ticked onto 'stay sign in' and was signed in the next time I came to the page as normal. Is this a problem my end?

samsam9000

{Ed033's Note - If you tick the 'remember me' checkbox, the next time you visit this site, there is no guarantee this site will "remember" you as in the mean time, your cookie in your machine that "remembers you", may have been deleted. Also, the cookie that "remembers you" doesn't "remember" your IP address but is a small text file your machine that this site reads.

25 May 2013 12:13:58
Eds? A non Liverpool question, with barca seemingly interested in neymar, surely €40+ million, add this to their already astronomical debt, would you say their in trouble of exclusion from European competition due to the ffp rules? Thanks for any insight. {Ed002's Note - No.}

25 May 2013 13:04:43
FFP is a joke. UEFA won't touch club like real, Barcam Bayern or UTD.

UEFA won't have any concern with Bayern or any other german team for that matter, the Bundesliga has its house in order, no stupid owners who see the clubs as play things

Very true

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich & Manchester United all fall WELL within the FFP calculations. Liverpool do not.

Disney! {Ed002's Note - That is a little misleading Syd.}

25 May 2013 11:53:41
Hi Eds and Reds,
A new transfer window is upon us and I'm super excited, not just by the rumours but by the squad we have and Brendan's vision for the future, not to mention the way we've been playing, Moyes' move to the mancs and Scholes, maybe Rooney leaving, Sir Alex retiring and our chances for next season looking better than ever for CL qualification. However, my question is for the Eds or Macca or anyone who might know the answer. Does anyone know when the new Vice-Captain will be named and who is maybe in the running for it? My hopes would be Agger and then Lucas. Cheers and have a great summer.
YNWA!

Luis Suarez

25 May 2013 11:33:28
Eds, do you know how Samed Yesil's recovery is getting on? Is he going to be available pre-season?

Dan. {Ed002's Note - Sorry, I can't help. He has not been mentioned in the last couple of PR relating to injured players.}

Today is yesils 19th birthday. He is back in training from his injury.
Red American

25 May 2013 11:09:30
Anyone who thinks Diame is anywhere near good enough for us, let alone a better player than Lucas, needs their head checked. He must give the ball away more often than he finds a teammate. Yes he's played well against us in recent past but that accounts for his one good game a season!

Jason

Think it's you who need your head checking bud, why do people think Lucas is so good? He can't score, can't pass well can barely tackle and yet you harp on like he's the messiah. He's nowhere close to some greats we've had in midfield and I, like a lot of fans feel we need to be stronger in that area. And I also believe Diame is a better player

Well you're simply wrong! Diame is a terrible player. He is more physical, I'll grant you that. His passing is shocking, he makes terrible decisions and adds very little to the team. I agree Lucas is not as good as some of the midfielders we've had in the recent past but he is far, far better than Diame.
Lucas makes so many tackles, then plays a simple accurate pass to get us going. Just go back and watch the difference in our team over the last 2 seasons with and without him in the team!
When we play teams that play through a playmaker (city- silva, spurs- bale, Chelsea- mata) Lucas invariably keeps these guys quiet. Although it doesn't help they still get assists because we cannot defend a corner.

So to sum up fellow fan, Diame is terrible, Lucas is good. :)

Jason

Better then Lucas really. Is that why last summer he was on a free and the best club in for him was westham.

To the clueless 1st reply, lucas has the 2nd highest tackle success rate in the PL and that's playing 10 less games due to injury he also has one of our highest pass success rates in our team

The first reply, No name has no clue whatsoever. Lucas is a defensive midfielder, while Diame is more of an attacking midfielder. SO how is Diame a better player for that position?

Lucas can't tackle? Are you so clueless? he has the 2nd highest percentage of tackles won in the premier league, having missed 10 games.

Don't worry, I don't expect you to understand this, as you clearly don't understand a lot.

The real AG

"Lucas can't score and he hardly tackles".

He's not in the team to score you damn fool. And he makes great tackles! All game he'll nic back posession and play a simple outlet pass to get us going forward. The only problem wih Lucas early on is he looked sluggish (obv because he came off of that cruciate knee injury) but he looks his old self again now. And in no universe is Diame better than Lucas. Period.

Just so people are aware (as I've read it a number of times here) that the fact that Lucas has the second highest pass completion % having played 10 less games is far less impressive than if he had completed every game. Percentages are inflated by a lack of games in Lucas's case, that's how math works people.
Not a slant on the player at all, I'd take him over 2 diames!
Liverpaul

Thank you Liverpaul, I was just going to point that out to them haha

Jak

26 May 2013 00:21:01
@ Real AG.

I see what you are saying, but in my view, Big Sam is not playing Diame in his best position.

He really isn't an attacking midfielder, he's wasted in such a role.

I agree on Lucas.

Anyone who doesn't rate Lucas at this stage, doesn't have a clue. Before his injury he was the best DM in the country - footballer of the year material in my view.

He has seemed a little off the pace since his return, and some clumsy tackles in bad areas have resulted from this - but he's magnificent.

He said himself he knows he's still not 100%, but plans to be in time for the start of next season.

Great player.

Some people only have memories that stretch back two weeks. At most.

They never want to be identified - always nameless posters - it's as if deep down, they know they are wrong.

BJH YNWA

25 May 2013 10:50:13
If Rafa is really after lucas, I think it will be a loss to us, remember in the start of the season how bad our defending was, we need him and should not let go of him for less than 15 million

Nah we got henderson for £16m Allen for £15m. BR would be damned if we got anything less than £20m

25 May 2013 10:48:19
Who thinks Coutinho is at par with Oscar or even better, I believeb he is better as he is younger and was cheaper

Plus when you look at goals and assists comparison. someone put it up here the other day. its looks good for couthinio its hard to find a better signing this season maybe michu.

Certainly as good.
Coutinho reminds me of Zola, I can't pay a bigger compliment
G

I think Coutinho is already one of the best attacking midfielders in the league, the best we've had in that mould since Beardsley.

I may get stick but coutinho reminds me of kaka with his through balls. Remember kakas vs Liverpool in 2005 champs final when he gave it to crespo I think. Coutinho can gve as good balls as that. I think he will be the heartbeat of our team in the next years. Yoyoman

25 May 2013 13:54:03
i think we are overdoing here a bit IMO
oscar is better when it comes to big games. anyone remembers long ranger goals vs one of tye best buffon? or halfway line stunning goal vs shakhtar.
coutinho plays badly when pressed vs chelsea and everton but I wish to be proved wrong next season.
LIVERBIRD

Coutinho all the way, he's ability is breath taking

Oscar is good but hasn't done anything to make me weak at the knees just a couple good efforts on goal that's it

I think coutinho will be as good as David silva this time next year.

Suso will be the next Silva (silva played on the wings for Valencia as Suso is doing at the beginning of his career)

25 May 2013 10:28:25
Lucas is rafas primary target when he gets to Napoli
If we sell Lucas then we could get wanyama {Ed002's Note - I would not hold your breath.}

25 May 2013 11:09:54
Unless Rafa and Napoli have discussed about transfers over the phone, I can't see how every1 has come to that conclusion already! Is Rafa even at Napoli yet?

Why? Lucas is better at what he does than Wanyama.

Last year, it was Tiote, when Newcastle were doing well, sometime back, it was Wanyama, when Celtic won against Barca, now it's Diame.

The real AG

We can't humour the thought of selling Lucas.

Along with Suarez, he is one of our world-class players. Even when not playing at his best this season, our defence shored up immensely when he returned.

I'd still be happy to sign Wanyama, but Lucas is one of the first names on the teamsheet as far as I'm concerned. He needs backup though.

BJH YNWA

25 May 2013 09:29:21
Besides a commanding CB being our priority in this transfer window, I feel we need to also sign a Hamann or Mascherano type defensive midfielder. Lucas is a good player but not sure he is the answer to being the anchor in our midfield. Lucas lacks pace, creativity and physical presence. His attacking ability is very poor.

I can't remember any club ever showing interest in Lucas which seems to suggest that there are better players out there. I would not sell him though as he would be decent backup but we need a better player to cover for our defence.

Ask yourself this question, if we still had Mascherano at the club, would Lucas be getting into the team?

The only reason why Lucas starts all the time is because we have no other first team defensive midfielders. This needs to change.

Logan

Someone finally noticed.

Anonymous woolback

'Ask yourself this question' how well did we do without Lucas?
Redgrant

I agree Logan someone like wanyama or diame would be perfect

Diame is an attacking midfielder. Do you watch football?

25 May 2013 10:56:18
I would not sell him for £20 million!

WelshBoyDave

Lucas is a key player in our squad. see some fans just have a eye for silkyness and attacking. when we start playing again try focus on watching lucas. (you usually see his best work when the opposition has the ball)he closes down so well. he shuts down angles for oppositions simple passes forcing them into mistakes and so many times in every game he gets a vital toe poke to the ball we recover possesion and then the other team have to chase flat out while we move it around. he is essential and if he is sold he better be replaced PROPERLY or i'm very worried

Good quality midfielders should be kept, selling Lucas would weaken the squad
G

I like Lucas for his mentality to over come the boo boys and for comming back from a terrible injury, I think as the season progressed he was starting to look a little more like the player we lost when he got injured against Chelsea. I hope with a good pre season to work on fitness he will be back to his best next season.
On the flip side I do think we would benefit from having another Defensive mid in the team, too add competition for places, or beef up at the back when we need too by playing 2 holding midfielders.

Phooey.

25 May 2013 08:18:29
Sturridge and Coutinho aside, is anyone else a little nervous about BRs ability in the transfer market? Allen and Borini have hardly set the league alight and we can thank our lucky stars that the Dempsey and Sigurdsson deals fell through. And why is everyone thinking we will offload Assaidi when he's been bright and skilful in the limited chances he's had?
Puzzling.

And in the limited chances borini and allen you've written them off. Puzzling indeed

25 May 2013 09:14:44
because assaidi, no matter how great he is at dribbling, has very limited final product and is one of the worse players I have seen when it comes to defensive responsibilities, he cnt win a tackle or a header, rodgers teams depends on our wingers being able to defend when we dnt have the ball. that's why

Wide players aren't expected to win header plus you probably just summed up why Suso isn't ready to play AM.

I think anyone with half a footballing brain can see all the players BR has signed have the potential to be exceptional.

Remember Lucas, Hendo.

K79

Yeaah awful signings! Allen best player at the start of the season and made our team tick. He then got an injury and he just had his first child will always effect you not to mention fatigue.

Borini what are you basing your opinion on him on? He's basically been injured this whole time, a 21 year old coming to a new team with only a few games and you can see the energy he puts in to his runs which is really impressive just needs games.

Sturridge and continho speaks for them selves.

You were saying?

So ignoring rodgers best bits of business he is carp in the transfer market. you are saying he has got 2 good buys from 5. that is 40%. if we take away the top 2 of every 5 signings made by any manager they won't look great in the transfer window.
If assaidi doesn't make the team then there is a reason for it. I'm curious about how he gets limited opportunities to please BR, does he not train with Liverpool about 12 times a week? I respect your views but please tell me how you can write off borini and allen in the same breath as saying assaidi gets limited chances. Remember allen was our best player at the start of the season.
derryred

Spot on Derry red, It's like Henderson, I liked the lad at Sunderland and was glad when we got him, then as a youngster he was stuck out wide and heavily critizised. The second half of this season he has come back to his natural position, been given a run of games, his confidence is growing and he looks really good.
Or look at it another way, if a young defender was to play 60+ games for a top portugese side in 18 months and get 6-10 goals, and then get sold to Athletico Madrid, there would be loads on here asking why we didn't sign the RB. Oh wait a minute that's Insua? the same kid who got slaughtered by a load on here.
You need to give youngsters time, and Borini and Allen are still very young.
Big powerfull CM's is not BR's way so drop it please, it is all about the ball doing the work and movement off it. He is about the collective, pressing as a team to get the ball and making options available when we have it.

Definitely worried about him in the transfer market. Everyone makes mistakes, problem for me is that his summer signings were awful. I can see nothing in Allen, Borini, or Assaidi to suggest anything other than they are low level premiership players regardless of their age. Look at the difference in Ability between Allen and Henderson who are similar ages.
Yes Dalglish wasted 35M on Carroll, but he has certain abilities that still mean he has value - if West Ham do sign him, he will be absolutely central to their success as their style of play is built around his ability. That never happened at LFC because we play football.
LFC need to have an experienced team involved in player recruitment, not just the say of one or two individuals. I also don't like the way BR is constantly being linked with Swansea players
G

No I am not worried, and as has been pointed out, the decision is not alone BR's, it's more of a committee decision.

I agree BR seems to target a lot of the players he has worked with, but with a new scouting team and a committee making the decision, it hopefully will work out.

The real AG

25 May 2013 07:33:13
Moutinho and Rodriguez to Monaco for £60m combined plus Falcao?
These players and more are prepared to give up Champions League football and become Mercenaries for the love of money ahead of the game.
Another example of "Money talks!"
Give me the way we at LFC are being run and the type of players we employ any day of the week.
I hope Dortmund can win tonight as I will see it as a victory for great Management and structure of a football team over Money.

The 'Agree' button has never been more sorely missed. Spot on Kid

I agree with you kid. But you've got to admit it would be nice to get a massive signing like Falcao or Lewandowski. It's not coming out of the fans pocket, at the end of the day we just want Trophies

I think we as Liverpool fans and fans of football love to see the underdog win because so many times we have been that underdog.

I respect both teams because they bot being German teams show how well run businesses can be profitable and good moneys worth fr the fans.

Bayern let's not forget are still very good quality for their ticket price I think you can watch a game for Bayern for a third of the price of a Liverpool ticket.

SO WELL DONE GERMAN FOOTBALL.

Kopping a feel

Thankfully for us it doesn't talk to all footballers. Suarez could probably play for any team in the world.
derryred

Bayern are similiar to the lot up the road to us except the 400 million debt so I for one will be shouting on dortmund. ps. I would love to see us buy top top players but if we can't well we will try to develop our own.

Suarez would definitely start in any team no question. The only positive for me if he leaves is that I would get to see him playing alongside other world class players who match his ability and see how he does.

25 May 2013 04:43:42
say rafa goes to PSG and wants Lucas

i'd take £8m plus Matudi for Lucas

Rafa went to Napoli so forget it!

Chaki

Too bad Rafa is going to Napoli then eh?

Maybe you can come up with another name from Napoli to replace Lucas?

The real AG

24 May 2013 23:55:37
Before and even after his injuries he has been a stand out performer we need strength in depth not to start again in every area, amazed at how many "fans" would cash in on players who have fought to wear the liverbird. Lucas epitomizes the term fighter

He is too good to let go BR see's that.

This team fell apart when Lucas was injured. it exposed Skrtel in ways that led to Carragher being reinstated as first choice.

it exposed Gerrard, Allen and Henderson. That led to question marks over Gerrard's ability to adapt to the system. Allen looked a distraught figure and making woeful passes and clumsy tackles. Henderson bless him was forth choice behind gerrard, allen and shelvey due to his lack of direction and sahin just looked out of hid comfort zone.

in total minutes played in the premier league (when added up) Lucas only played around 21 and a half games. but stats say he has attempted more tackles than any other player, not in the team, no in the league. what!

Means; reading the game, stepping out of position to make a challenge, not waiting for the player with the ball to just run in your direction but taking the initiative to win his team the ball. That's called dedication and if that isn't the definition of leader then there is no such thing.

if he leaves which is 99% not going to happen, my guess is it would require a substantial fee.

Op, I suggest you should go back and watch our games since Lucas returned from injury. The truth is, he has been a shadow of his former self. He has looked slow and off the pace since his return. He has hardly been a standout since he came back.

Lucas will be going nowhere ok, it's as simple as that, he loves the club, has just signed a new contract and has stated he sees his future at Liverpool, why would he want to go to Napoli? It's lazy stupid journalism, that just because Benitez has taken over he will automatically go for his old employees, who's next? Alonso? Torres? Mascherano? Gerrard? Oh yeah that's right. I've just heard we are selling gerrard to Napoli just this moment. it's pathetic

Ack17

Brisbanelfc I suggest you have a reality check. Lucas has just come back from two very bad injuries, one that could easily have finished a players career I would have been very surprised if he had of came back faster, stronger, and hard in the tackle. Its meant to take a player a year to get back up to speed after a ACL but if you'd have noticed lucas was performing nearly to his standard the last 7-8 games.

gee man

Gee Man, I don't need a reality check, as I said he has hardly been the standout that the OP suggests, if you yourself can't see that he hasn't performed as well as he was before 2 serious injuries, then my friend, you are the one in need of a reality check.

25 May 2013 11:03:45
Brisbane

Our win% is still drastically improved with him in the side, whether he's as good as he was or not. Are you not willing to give him a full pre-season at least? Before casting him aside?

WelshBoyDave

Says volumes for the man that even when he's not back to his best yet, the team still looks better and performs better with him in. He missed the second half of the season for KK and the first half ( more or less ) for BR, and that's when we have struggled.

WelshBoyDave, all I have said is that he isn't performing at the level he was before he was injured. I haven't slagged him off or slated him, all I was saying is that he has hardly been the standout performer since his return from injury that the OP suggests he is.

Lucas will be back to his best next season, after a proper pre-season under him. He had 2 major injuries, and has shown he is a fighter, he will be back to his best.

The real AG

25 May 2013 17:35:40
I didn't suggest you slagged him off, but as we don't have any replacements, and we know we get more points with him in the side, i'd say he's a keeper.

Don't forget in Kennys first full season we went downhill massively after his injury.

WelshBoyDave

BrisbaneLFC ill agree he's not at his best yet but I bet he will be. Lucas is a fighter and rodgers wants that in his players. He should be even stronger after pre season mate. Future captain me thinks.

gee man

An important cog in the wheel

25 May 2013 00:42:10
Tottenham can have Tom Ince we just have to get Atsu. Atsu will likey cost a little less than Ince plus we will get a 3rd of the fee Blackpool get for Ince. means we'd get Atsu for even less. !

24 May 2013 23:20:45
Harry Redknapp favourite for Everton job. Come on