16 Jan 2016 14:38:39
Question for For the Eds, first of all hope you are well.
I am surprised by your thoughts on signing Caulker, we have Sakho and Lovren who have spent a lot the season either injured or in pretty poor form, Skrtel is out for another month or so and as much as i like Toure as a person he is a poor player, i personally thought he was at fault for Arsenals first goal when he failed to clear the ball initially, do you you not think Caulker is an upgrade on him.
Of course the jury is out but i would much prefer him to start tomorrow against Utd and for the games coming up.
Cheers
Macca.
{Ed002's Note - Toure is leaving at the end of the season to be replaced by Matip - whilst the club has had injuries at centre back they have paid for a player to come in when those injuries are no longer a major issue. Additionally they have taken Ilori back. Whilst the fans are not keen on the performances of Lovren, Klipperty is very pleased (or has been stretching the truth. As for Sakho, it would have made some sense (although one is very left sided and the other primarily plays on the right) to bring someone in on loan if the interest in buying him had not gone away - but it has. Makes zero sense to me - whereas perhaps bring Subotic in for a fee would provide a desired long term solution and a more reliable short term solution.}
16 Jan 2016 15:06:35
Whilst you say injuries not a major issue, there are lots of important games to come whilst there are question marks over Lovrens and Sakhos fitness levels especially if they are rushed back.
Do you believe Subotic is of the required quality for the long term to warrant a substantial transfer fee?
You mention costs about Caulker, i was told his wages are being subsidised, have you hear this?
Again this could come back and bite me on the arse but i believe it could be a shrewd signing.
Cheers
Macca.
{Ed002's Note - Putting aside Gomez, Liverpool still has five centre backs to use during the period of these important games - and if they don't want to "rush back" Lovren and Sakho then a left sided centre back is the cover they need - so not Caulker. Personally I am not convinced about Subotic but the interest of Klopp is known by both his representatives and Dortmund.
I am aware of the loan fee and the payment to Southampton - but not his wages.}
16 Jan 2016 15:07:47
Alright Macca, happy new year to you mate 😉.
16 Jan 2016 15:10:19
Fans are pleased with Lovren ed.
{Ed002's Note - Try the search engine.}
16 Jan 2016 15:14:45
I guess the problem there Ed is you are assuming that Subotic is a long term solution. I don't think he is. A loan for him would have been better than the loan for Caulker but it couldn't be agreed. As such a 6 month loan for Caulker makes more sense then spending more money on players who aren't long term improvement on what we have.
{Ed002's Note - I am not making that suggestion - it is Klopp who has made his interest known. A loan for Subotic was never an option - the club knew that when they enquired with Dortmund. My point is that Caulker is not required and the club has sufficient cover.}
16 Jan 2016 15:17:59
Hi macca do you have any nuggets of info which we crave?
16 Jan 2016 15:27:08
I get that Ed, but we have Man Utd, and a semi final of the league cup and potentially could have a half fit Toure and Sakho, the reason i say half fit is because i feel he would be if pushed to play 3 or 4 games back to back, Toure that is.
And you could also argue right side is as important as Lovren and Sakho can cover the left side and only Toure can cover right.
I get your points fully but was just surprised how against the signing you guys where.
Lets wait and see, but i think it may be shrewder than we all think, 24 year old desperate to make a good impression who was also highly thought of a while.
Its all about opinions i suppose.
Fingers crossed we can beat Utd tomorrow, i think we will beat beat them comfortably, hope i am right.
Take care Eds.
Cheers
Macca.
{Ed002's Note - It is simply a case of him not being required as far as I see it - particularly given that the club paid for Ilori to return from loan to do exactly the same thing and they could dip in to the mass of youngsters should they become really desperate. There is a practical limit as to how many players a club needs in each position. From my perspective the more than 40 first team squad players Liverpool now finds itself with means that there are too many and some must be fearing for their long term future.}
16 Jan 2016 15:29:00
I've likened the Caulker loan to that of when we loaned Paul Jones. It was a stopgap for want of a better phrase. I don't expect to get much gametime to be honest he's necessary cover.
16 Jan 2016 15:49:47
I totally agree that the squad is far too big and by all accounts the quality isn't there either.
I believe it gives Klopp the chance to look at the likes of lori and see if he thinks they can make the grade.
Anyway Ed thanks for getting back to me, i will let you go as i believe you have more problems at your club to try and fix take care mate.
Cheers
Macca.
{Ed002's Note - Thanks Macca - Chelsea do indeed have problems of their own. Enjoy your weekend.}
16 Jan 2016 15:50:56
Valid points by macca re amount of games coming up and toure legs giving way. Caulker is a big lump of a bloke who does well inthe air unlike one or two we have now, i'm prepared to give the lad a chance let's see his desire in a red shirt before people slate him off.
16 Jan 2016 15:51:47
Ed. just in reply to your comment about a few first team players now fearing for their future. Could that not be seen as a good thing? Maybe they now fully realise that they have to up their game to be a part of LFC's future.
{Ed002's Note - Every club wants their players to up their game but you also want to build an environment where they are happy to be and to work. Take Teixeira for example, what future does he have? What will he be thinking no he is 22 or 23. He has been at the club for four years and had a good season on loan with Brighton last year before injury. He is back, he is fit, he wants to do well, much is expected of him - any chance at Liverpool? Nada right now.}
16 Jan 2016 15:54:12
Hi ED02
I understand your point on Liverpool having cover in the sense that we have central defenders but as another poster said, we are weeks away from having skrtel back. Toure is adequate as back up but seems to get injured very regularly despite little football and lovren is still out.
I suppose i'm just a bit surprised at the dismissive attitude many seem to have to what is a low risk move for caulker, although he doesn't seem to be any great solution. In your opinion, was there a better available solution anywhere barring subotic?
This is getting too long now i know, but i really don't want to see lucas or can shoehorned into the defence again, i don't believe many do and it seems as if there isn't an academy player that fits. Whilst the acquisition of caulker looks a bit desperate, the team had to have another body in there.
{Ed002's Note - So your argument seems surround Toure not being good enough or a suggestion he will get injured again. I am not so sure that Liverpool need cover for Ilori who is cover for Toure who is cover for Skrtel and all of this kicks in when Lovren is injured and there is no one to partner Sakho.}
16 Jan 2016 16:25:50
It's hard to see Caulker as anything but a kick in the teeth for Ilori. I imagine he was at least somewhat excited to come back only to be effectively replaced by Caulker within 48 hours. Not sure I agree with loaning Caulker either, but I can also see why Klopp might have not been completely convinced by Ilori either.
With respect to the bloated squad (and it is very bloated), about how many do most see moving on in the summer? I figure around 10 and perhaps even more than that.
{Ed001's Note - it does seem odd that we pay a fee to terminate Ilori's loan then immediately go and sign a defender on loan rendering him surplus.}
16 Jan 2016 16:10:28
Good point well made. Under Klopp and certainly recently I have seen him On the bench which is a progressive move. Maybe he should of started at Exeter?
Could it be his transition into a Klopp thinking player hasn't hit home yet? Maybe he's adjusting to the high pressing game?
Always appreciate the return.
16 Jan 2016 16:30:44
I do take your point completely Ed02
But anyone that watched ilori come off the pitch absolutely shattered after an hour against exeter would justifiably be worried. Could he manage to get himself into the right shape to play 90 minutes in the league quite soon? Genuine question.
I know my argument is based on if kolo gets injured but there's a fairly solid chance he will. If there aren't youth team players to take up the slack then i think it's sensible if not ideal. Thanks for your reply Ed.
{Ed002's Note - I understand completely - Ilori was a mistake originally and after two years is no different - I have explained that on a number of occasions. Regardless, clubs should look to improve and, as I have said, I don't see a player who cannot get a game with either a Championship side nor Southampton as the right solution.}
16 Jan 2016 16:59:18
Total agreement with that conclusion, seems like a bit of a sticky wicket to deal with. Perhaps it could have been sorted out in a better way though.
{Ed002's Note - I like you idea of Liverpool forming a cricket team with all over the padding they have in the squad. Caulker is pretty tall - a bowler perhaps?}
16 Jan 2016 17:21:31
Haha, nice one Ed.
I'm Irish so i'm not entirely sure where i pulled that odd cricket reference from. Seemed appropriate at the time i suppose!
Have a good weekend, thanks for your replies.
{Ed002's Note - Enjoy. Thanks.}
16 Jan 2016 19:45:46
Guys you're all wrong, Caulker is a replacement for Benteke not any of these centre backs! Kloppster made that very clear! ;)
16 Jan 2016 19:40:07
Re subotic - ed02 - I've read that dortmund blocked a move to lfc- mayve loan- aby truth? Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - They would not leave him leave on a loan to buy deal which is what Liverpool wanted.}
17 Jan 2016 13:15:50
I'm not that happy about the Caulker signing, but i think really the way people have been picking up injuries and i have been happy with Lovren, Sahko and skrts in general still some stupid errors and everything but improved over the last few months.
We paid for Illori but you can see he was not up to game fitness and the lad hasn't played properly for ages. I think if he had to get thrown in straight away should injuries persist for a while he would struggle a little bit and then he would get slated for being poor and it would destroy the lads confidence, it can't be too great so at least with Caulker in Illori can get games and brought in slowly that's what i'm hoping for anyway if there are injuries. If our CB are fit i'd want them playing and then give Illori a few games here and there to ease him properly into the game and see what he's made of!