Current Avatar:
No Avatar image uploaded
No Avatar image uploaded
Liverpool Rumours Member Posts
Vango's Profile
Vango's Posts and Other Poster's Replies To Vango's Posts
To Vango's last 5 rumours posts
To Vango's last 5 banter posts
To Vango's last 5 rumour replies
To Vango's last 5 banter replies
Vango's rumours posts with other poster's replies to Vango's rumours posts
08 Dec 2024 12:10:54
Mo close to agreeing a 2 year extension, taking him to 35.
Bring on the top 3 all time premier league scorers.
1.) 08 Dec 2024 12:28:02
I'll believe it when he signs on the dotted line mate.
2.) 08 Dec 2024 15:02:02
Aways skeptical of the BBC gossip column. I suppose even a broken clock is correct twice a day. Hopefully this is one of those times.
3.) 08 Dec 2024 16:18:18
BBC gossip is just a news aggregator. So depends on who their source is.
4.) 08 Dec 2024 16:43:53
Let's hope so.
5.) 08 Dec 2024 20:18:16
@JLC, the BBC page is a self titled gossip column- it’s not meant to be anything more than a conversation starter - it’s just a bit of fun rather than a source of truth about transfers.
6.) 08 Dec 2024 22:57:50
It’s David ornstein whoever he is.
17 Oct 2024 08:51:36
Liverpool are in advanced talks with Sevilla over a deal for French 24-year-old defender Loic Bade.
1.) 17 Oct 2024 10:12:08
@Vango, that’s not necessarily true is it? It was reported on the BBC gossip page based on a story in Todo Fichajes (in Spain) .
2.) 17 Oct 2024 20:15:15
WDW-Indeed it is from the BBC page, afterall, as you always point out, this is a rumour page and that is a rumour.
Bade looks bad, in a good way. He would be off every Jan for the AFCON though.
3.) 17 Oct 2024 23:25:12
AFCON is every year now?
4.) 17 Oct 2024 23:33:31
@Vango, all for rumours mate - all I was saying is the third hand rumour wasn’t necessarily true. I’m sure you’d agree that most rumours are a complete load of rubbish and are only shared to provoke a reaction.
5.) 18 Oct 2024 08:20:22
Afcon is not every January.
6.) 18 Oct 2024 08:26:25
WDW, I hope this one is one of the true ones. He looks like a beastly player.
7.) 18 Oct 2024 13:56:11
@stoneage. AFCON is every 2 years.
8.) 18 Oct 2024 22:05:00
WDW the lad was only saying what he had heard. After all it is for the rumour page.
9.) 19 Oct 2024 08:34:46
@Iwillbered, did you read all of the thread and understand what was being said ?
14 Oct 2024 20:46:03
Pep L is on thin ice already. He seems like a useful number 2, but anytime someone is too full of themselves, it raises an alarm for me. Jurgen is perenially humble and never bigs himself up.
As Bruce Lee said ' Be afraid of the quietest man in the room'.
The fans in Salzburg have called for a meeting with the player leadership group, who are put out that, after a decent season players have been outed for the two young reds. Apparently its rocked what was a fairly stable boat. Will Pep ever make a great manager. i wonder.
1.) 14 Oct 2024 21:16:53
don't care - he's gone . move on. Is there a soft drinks page?
2.) 14 Oct 2024 21:53:22
He's the Dutch brendan.
3.) 14 Oct 2024 22:33:30
Ljinders? Klopp? We’ve moved on to new things to moan about now.
4.) 15 Oct 2024 00:24:38
Linders is being shown up for what he is in afraid, a Pep. G wannabe. Yeah people we say we won loads while he was here but I would say that was in spite of him rather than because of him. The sort of football he wants to play only works at the top level of you can attract and afford the best of the best which hasn't been the LFC way since the 80s. For me, Ljinders will always be remembered as the coach who took one the most energetic, fast paced and deadliest pressing and countering teams in the history of the game and made us a mediocre Man City impersonator.
5.) 15 Oct 2024 01:24:33
If a club constantly sells their best players, it can only be expected that they are going to hit a fallow period when the youth coming through/ new signings are not quite up to the standard of those leaving. It also looks as if things were going stale there before Pep joined, so he may need a bit of time to reinvigorate the team. It remains to be seen if he is the right man to do that, and whether he is given the time. To be fair, we all probably thought the two young guys on loan would hold their own in that league, and the club does seem to be good at nurturing talented young players, if they hadn’t come from the same club as Pep, I doubt there would be as much noise around them.
6.) 15 Oct 2024 01:33:55
Westwood, the parts of that monster pressing machine were wearing out, the team had to evolve, we were never going to get like-for-like replacements for Mane/ Bobby/ Mo/ Fab/ Hendo/ GW. If you use the same tactics all the time, the best teams can, and did, figure out how to beat us. It is also worth remembering, MC won way more titles with their system than we did with our high octane pressing style of play.
7.) 15 Oct 2024 05:12:21
@D-day
The monster pressing machine gave the likes of Henderson, Milner and Robertson the chance to compete with Man City in the first place. Man City won more because they had £50m+ players in every position and only our best 4 or 5 players could rival theirs from a technical perspective. Even their backups like Mahrez (! ) were as good as our best players technically (not overall) . Pep Guardiola and his style wouldn't have stood a chance with our squad.
Klopp’s problem was not his style of football, it was the fact he refused to upgrade on players early enough.
8.) 15 Oct 2024 19:17:33
D-Day, yes City did because they can afford the best, which is what I said. We cannot. During Pep. G's term at City thus far in the league, we were the only team that could push them, match them and on the one occasion beat them by playing a system where you didn't need to be the best technically. So why would we change and try to emulate them? It doesn't make sense and that's why Ljinders will not be remembered fondly by many LFC fans, and especially not by me. I also don't accept that we couldn't have found like for like players as you suggest? A damn site easier to find a team of hard workers than it is a team of technical wizards. It is also reflective of the Club, the City and fans that we weren't technically ever the best but we wanted it more and that shone through. That's what Klopp brought and in my opinion that's what Pep Ljinders pulled apart. Glad to see him gone and not surprised in the slightest he is failing.
9.) 17 Oct 2024 07:36:58
Styles have short term impact until teams figure it out. It was other teams (lower than top 4) that started to figure it out and so you have to have an adaptation of style to counter it.
Yes you also need the resources but typically short term tactics should be just that and adaptable teams stay the test of time.
07 Oct 2024 00:46:34
Real Madrid had planned to sign England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, 25, on a free transfer next summer when his contract with Liverpool expires, but might move for him in January after Spain defender Dani Carvajal, 32, sustained a serious knee injury.
1.) 07 Oct 2024 09:15:10
According to the gossip column of the bbc. Clue being word gossip.
2.) 07 Oct 2024 09:58:13
Just to add to what 1jj said, it's a link from a website called Sport45 in Spain - if I was to guess, it's a clickbait site.
{Ed002's Note - I am not aware of them looking to pay for the player in January. I expect them to look to negotiate a pre-contract in January.}
3.) 07 Oct 2024 15:36:10
Hi Ed002,
Hope you’re keeping well….
Do you think RM will be successful in their pursuit for Trent?
Cheers
Drogie.
{Ed002's Note - I think that he will need to talk to them in January if the club cannot reach agreement by then. Right now it is likely he will make the move.}
4.) 07 Oct 2024 20:01:47
Thanks ed002….
5.) 08 Oct 2024 03:31:18
If the club mess this up, and he does move to Madrid, then heads should roll. This is an unbelievable level of incompetence for a club as large as ours, honestly it is embarrassing how badly they have handled it and, if they do manage to allow all 3 contracted players to leave on a free, incredibly detrimental to the club as a whole. Allegedly one of the biggest clubs in the world with an absolute minnow mentality, the chickens will come home to roost on this one.
6.) 08 Oct 2024 08:28:28
"Absolute minnow mentality" - comical stuff.
7.) 08 Oct 2024 10:32:04
@Seano, Do you remember when Coutinho and Suarez and Owen and Mcmanaman wanted to leave? TAA leaving doesn’t necessarily mean that the club has messed anything up. If a player wants to leave at, say, the end of his contract then the club can’t make him stay.
8.) 08 Oct 2024 14:54:36
Problem is, WDW3, those players didn't leave the club at the end of the same season.
9.) 08 Oct 2024 23:59:23
As I think you will appreciate @ Darwin, these things evolve. At this moment all three might leave or, at the other end of the scale, none of them might leave. If as some people think, the club are happy / because they want to leave then I suspect the club will bring in replacements. The club isn’t going to collapse, we will still be in a position to field a team capable of winning things and life will go on.
I’d say the only issue in letting all three go at once is as a result of poor planning for possible / likely scenarios when the contracts were agreed and signed.
The departure of players is an opportunity to improve the quality of the club is, perhaps, an alternative way of looking at it than assuming that the sky is going to cave in as the first option. That last bit is a general comment and not something specific to you in any way @Darwin.
17 Sep 2024 17:52:29
A few old faces from L4 are intimating that Trent will be leaving for RM.
Can the lack of movement on new contracts really be down to club incompetence, as some say, or is there more to it?
1.) 17 Sep 2024 18:35:38
Originally I suspected the players were waiting to see the ambition of the club after Klopp, or basically waiting to see if we fell off a cliff under Slot.
But when you hear Salah and Virgil coming out in public and stating they simply have had nothing off the club in terms of Contracts.
Then you just assume it’s another Hughes disaster and he’s once again, Failing at his job like he did in the window.
2.) 17 Sep 2024 19:01:16
LiverpoolFC8- I can't see how such a well run business could make such a grave error as to allow a 100m+ talent to leave due to incompetence.
Trent has been getting some stick about his defending, and has seen how well Jude is doing over there and has surely has his head turned.
Its a once in a lifetime opportunity for him and his family, and who could blame him? Mcmanan has been welcomed back to L4 after his move, so why not Trent?
3.) 17 Sep 2024 19:08:41
This should've been handled a year ago and wasn't. Poor from the club to allow this situation and arise, imo.
4.) 17 Sep 2024 19:20:39
Terrible if true. Can't believe they didn't sort this out before the summer window, worst case if he wasn't signing we could've sold him. amateur hour.
5.) 17 Sep 2024 20:01:39
Trent will leave.
6.) 17 Sep 2024 20:47:37
Trent is not a guaranteed fit for Real in my opinion. In L4 he is one of the top players, but Real do have a decent RB who defends really well.
Real do like a Bosman, and would pay more than us, but surely we have to do everything we can to get him signed up for life.
7.) 17 Sep 2024 21:55:40
A friends opinion -
I have zero trust in the owners on contracts. Wouldn't put is past them to think Trent is nailed on to sign, then to try and save 2 years increased wages by doing the deal early.
They didn't reward players with deals after the PL win. Had Salah, Mane, Firmino all expiring in the same year. Its the US attitude to players and contracts.
There's no ambition or drive left.
8.) 17 Sep 2024 22:20:19
Trent will stay.
Great assist from him today too, and a reminder to the fans who has written him off last season and wanted Bradley to replace him. I think his defending has been much better this season too.
9.) 17 Sep 2024 22:23:22
Comedy gold ihis.
10.) 17 Sep 2024 22:47:46
Any idea what a ‘ Mcmanan’ is?
11.) 18 Sep 2024 01:28:33
So, have I got this right? Trent’s contract is up next summer and people on here are hearing rumours that there has been no discussion with the club?
Amazing, next people will be saying that we need to buy a defensive midfielder too!
12.) 18 Sep 2024 02:10:25
If Trent decides to leave, the blame should be put on some of the fans too (I'm not suggesting you lot are one of them) . I'm sure you all still remember how much sticks some of them threw at him when he wasn't on form. And Trent is a really young bloke. Been in socmeds, blogs, and highly likely this site as well. I'm certain he is well aware of this.
I have a few mates who are one of them. Trent should be sold. His contract shouldn't be renewed, coz no clubs would want to pay the huge fee Liverpool might ask, its ok for him to leave for free. Suddenly now they started to say different things, like Trent is irreplaceable etc etc.
I get it that he wasnt playing well previously, and he seems to be playing well currently. But he was phenomenal, right? He was one of the players that made most of us fans finally able to see Liverpool lift the League title, right? And CL too, right?
Ok sorry for the mumbles. YNWA!
13.) 18 Sep 2024 02:40:23
"more to it" seems to be in the eye of the beholder and what you're predisposed to already believe has happened.
14.) 18 Sep 2024 05:20:10
Faithinworks-I just don't believe that business incompetence is the reason for any of whaever is going on.
15.) 18 Sep 2024 07:06:24
Like a football equivalent of the Jeremy Kyle show.
16.) 18 Sep 2024 08:02:02
I was over in Liverpool in Aug / Sept last year and was told by a friend who s connected with the club but I wouldn’t say is part of management decision making position but was told that TAA was taking Spanish lessons. I mentioned it when I got back home (Australia) and mentioned it again at the turn of the year as we headed into the Jan transfer window.
I have absolutely no idea if what I was told was / is true or not but I would say the person who told me usually has both oars in the water. Perhaps it could be the case that Trent didn’t want (last year) and doesn’t want (this year) to negotiate a new contract. Just idle speculation on my part.
17.) 18 Sep 2024 11:41:37
Trent's a great player but if he doesn't want to sign a new deal he doesn't have to. Equally, if he didn't want to leave this summer just gone because he knew running his contract down would be the best way to get a move to Madrid, that's also absolutely up to him. Hughes can't force him to stay or go on Liverpool's terms. Nobody even knows for a fact what is going on with this situation, yet a loud minority have absolutely hammered Hughes and Trent about it for months. Personally I'm just going to wait and see. If he stays, great. If he leaves, step forward Connor Bradley.
18.) 18 Sep 2024 12:36:39
Correct, MK. You're right mate but why wouldn't he want to sign a new contract? I do get it, the idea of RM must be exciting and all that but at the same time he hasn't been even offered a contract, that in itself is rediculous.
If he leaves on a free because of that then it's crazy. I wouldn't blame him for moving on, who can? none of us can but we can point the finger at the club because so far they've made no effort (that we know of) to keep him. It's different if 6 months ago he went and said 'yeah I want out' but we'd of heard about that. He's a local lad loyal to the club and yet here we are buggering about with his contract, it's rediculous.
Added on to this, if we lose Trent, Salah and VVD on frees then it'll be disastrous for the club, we'll suffer. I just get the impression these new fellas were brought in to decrease the expenditure. Probably way off, I know that but it certainly seems that way to me.
Where is the ambition? where's it gone? you keep your best players and sign new ones to improve positions or for cover. We've done bugger all and it'll show eventually.
I understand it's all speculation at this moment in time but it's still wrong what's gone on here.
19.) 18 Sep 2024 12:59:07
@Salah, you can only keep players if they want to stay.
20.) 18 Sep 2024 13:38:27
"Bon Voyage" and "Close the Door" on ye way out! is what Shanks would have told him and any other "Big Time Charlie" who does not want to play for LFC. He's not the First and he won't be the Last!
Any "Bosman" type transfer is only of benefit to the player's pocket and the Club he joins Coffers. The most patronising thing they portray is Denial and playing the Innocent Victim in it all, be a Man for once and either confirm/ deny the rumour which is only going to Snowball, personally I would not go as when Ancelotti goes (and there are murmurings) there the next Man Utd after Ferguson left them, ye future will be more Successful with the new "ARNE-celotti".
Bye, Bye Trent, LFC will still Survive "Thank God".
21.) 18 Sep 2024 14:08:51
If Trent wants to leave then drop him to the bench and concentrate with Bradley, no point flogging a dead horse. If he leaves on a free he’ll be another Micheal Owen for me.
22.) 18 Sep 2024 14:10:32
WDW, I agree mate. But why would he want to stay? He's not even been given an option to stay which is why I'm saying what I'm saying mate.
23.) 18 Sep 2024 14:33:00
Can’t see Trent leaving on a free as a local lad. Surely worst case he will sign a short term deal with a fair release clause so the club can get some money for him. I am starting to think he is on the way though. If he wanted to stay it would have been done by now - simple what do you want and club pay it conversation would have happened.
{Ed002's Note - I am afraid it doesn't work like that.}
24.) 18 Sep 2024 14:35:46
why wouldn't he want to sign
he's young and has options
He's entering his prime years and may want to experience another culture while he can still play at a high level
He's won everything at Liverpool
New manager come in and may want to assess himself what the next 2-3 seasons may be like
He could move to warmer climate
There's a winter break in spain
His family may be keen on a new experience out of merseyside
If it is Real Madrid, he has a good friend there already
just something top of mind.
Not sure why people keep asking "where is the ambition" and the like.
I mean are you just going to keep on asking that until they've re-signed? It seems like a position you would take once we know the outcome not something to keep moaning about while it's getting sorted.
25.) 18 Sep 2024 15:48:35
This thread just gets better and better.
I wonder what brand of glue 007 has been sniffing.
26.) 18 Sep 2024 16:26:11
If the club hasn’t yet knocked on Trents door re contract, that’s poor if correct, yet Trent has an agent I imagine, so surely his agent would have contacted the club and discussed what is going on I would have thought.
27.) 18 Sep 2024 19:32:19
Can’t go on much longer though, he either buys into slots management and ideas for the future or he decides that he wants Real Madrid…. If it’s the latter and decides he’s walking out on a free he gets dropped to reserves right away and Bradley takes his spot, hope he doesn’t want to go, barring a little petulant behaviour when being subbed he's been superb for this club on and off the field, but if he has no future loyalty to Liverpool then I won’t have any support for him anywhere else. And why should he hold Bradley’s future back. Come on Trent it’s decision time.
28.) 18 Sep 2024 19:56:09
I actually agree Magico, sign a CB and play Bradley and Gomez at RB.
29.) 18 Sep 2024 20:20:47
@Salah, how do you know he hasn’t been given an option to stay? The club might have approached him or his agent to ‘test the waters’ and been told that the lad thinks it’s time to move on. I’m sure that informal conversations happen all the time. Point is we don’t know that he or his agent haven’t had (albeit informal) discussions with the club .
30.) 18 Sep 2024 21:12:46
My friend knows Trent’s dad. Not very close but knows him to chat to. He doesn’t live in Liverpool.
Even though I’m skeptical, my friend doesn’t even entertain the possibility that Trent will leave.
Gives me some reassurance, mind you my friend never entertains the idea that Liverpool ever face a tough game ?.
31.) 18 Sep 2024 21:34:13
What we do know is that the club has allowed its best 3 outfield players to all get within 6 months of being to walk for free. It’s incompetence at best.
32.) 18 Sep 2024 22:46:08
I personally think Trents time with Liverpool is coming to an and and I couldn't be happier.
Don't get me wrong I just feel he's served his purpose and is now hindering the development of a player I feel should already be playing in his place.
Bradley has the potential to be really special and should be playing way more than he currently is.
33.) 18 Sep 2024 23:51:33
If you think Bradley will ever be better than Trent your mad. We need to keep our best players it’s simple Trent is a special player they don’t come around too often and he is s local lad. He should be offered a blockbuster new contract and be given the captaincy once Virgil leaves. Of course common sense is quite a rare thing within the professional game. And was definitely not used in this situation along with Mo’s and Virgil’s. It does feel like penny pinching from the club rather than doing the right thing.
34.) 18 Sep 2024 22:29:24
Ed001 has always maintained that he's not the sort to just leave his boyhood club that he supports, maybe he just wants to be paid on par with the clubs high earners or seeing what it looks like with Slot in charge? He's a great player and it would be disappointing if he left on a free, but it's not like he's a 1 in a million generational talent. Over the years Robertson has been just as effective down the left side whilst possessing far less natural talent than Trent, and cost £8M from Hull. If he leaves, he'll even I'd all 3 of them leave, we'll replace them just as we have every time out big players have left. Hell Coutinho was 'irreplaceable', until he was replaced, and Suarez, and Torres, and Owen and Fowler and so on and so on. We'll be fine either way.
35.) 19 Sep 2024 10:26:09
If players leave there’s an opportunity to find other stars. Though I hope Trent, VVD and Salah stay for at least one more year. Would give the club more time to plan and for people like Hughes to get their act together.
36.) 19 Sep 2024 12:56:36
How about we wait and see?
37.) 20 Sep 2024 16:48:04
The owners will set annual targets, including for financial return, and will appoint people they expect to deliver on them. So while they’ll be hands off on the day to day decision making the flexibility around what we can do contractually will be limited. Partly by the owners overall value expectations, and partly by financial sustainability rules. They’ll also be looking at value in the market, and how cost effectively we can replace whoever goes.
The three players will be wanting massive deals. I’m not saying we can’t get something done and shouldn’t have the ambition, but we are constrained. I expect if the players are reasonable we can get two or three done, but if they want us to match Real Madrid or other offers it won’t happen. VVD is probably the most likely to stay, I think Trent is the most likely to go.
Vango's banter posts with other poster's replies to Vango's banter posts
05 Nov 2024 23:01:38
Darwin part Ex for the Sporting CF, anyone? Id give them Jota and Darwin for that guy.
1.) 05 Nov 2024 23:52:27
He looks a player for sure. Will most likely break the bank for someone in the summer. I doubt it will be us.
2.) 06 Nov 2024 00:43:24
I dunno, but out of interest, when is the last time football clubs have made an NBA-style trade like that? any examples?
3.) 06 Nov 2024 02:18:18
I’d give them you for a coke and a bag or cheese and onion crisps.
4.) 06 Nov 2024 06:49:15
I don’t know if Gyokeres has what it takes to succeed in the Prem. He might do, in the right team, but I’m not convinced.
5.) 06 Nov 2024 08:43:27
I’m sure everyone forgets that Núnez was banging in quite a few goals in the Portuguese league….
6.) 06 Nov 2024 08:53:41
Exactly, Johnnyr1970. Gyokeres essentially took over from Darwin as the goal king in Portugal so if people are criticising Darwin for not being able to translating his finishing over to the PL, what makes them think Gyokeres will? . Just asking.
7.) 06 Nov 2024 09:02:05
I think Gyokeres is destined for Real as Mbappé is not doing what they expected.
8.) 06 Nov 2024 09:04:25
Swap a player that scored lots of goals in Portugal for a player that's scoring lots of goals in Portugal?
9.) 06 Nov 2024 09:12:47
I suspect he will follow Amorim to Man U.
10.) 06 Nov 2024 09:44:27
Darwin was the goal king of Portugal for 1 season. That's like saying Solanke is the goal king of England.
I want Nunez to be a success here but no idea why people make stuff up to try and defend him.
Nunez has lots to offer and lots to work on.
11.) 06 Nov 2024 09:53:47
Nunez and Gyokeres are different people aren’t they?
12.) 06 Nov 2024 11:11:06
Didnt watch the full match but Gyokeres scored two penalties. He didn't really pull up trees at Coventry either. Give me Darwin all day long.
{Ed001's Note - are you being serious about that? He pulled up a lot of trees at Coventry.}
13.) 06 Nov 2024 13:54:34
Gyokeres is actually a superb player and so much more than a pure striker, he can drop deep, he’s good running at the defense with the ball at his feet, he can dribble, is incredibly strong, has decent touch, can link up the play and can finish. I still wouldn’t swap Darwin for him though ?.
14.) 06 Nov 2024 15:09:13
You don't have to be a tree surgeon to see that Gyokeres is a decent player.
22 Oct 2024 10:46:16
Jones was the best player on the pitch for a run during both of Klopps last seasons. His talent is undeniable, and at 23 he has time to iron out inconcistencies and find solutions to his fitness issues.
1.) 22 Oct 2024 11:34:28
What struck me is the Sturridge said he played with him at Liverpool which I would never have guessed, it made me think that Jones was a lot older.
2.) 22 Oct 2024 11:38:54
How many last seasons did klopp have.
3.) 22 Oct 2024 11:40:10
Joking aside Curtis jones needs games and he is a very gifted footballer he suits slots way of playing more than klopps and I expect he will become a very vital part of the team.
4.) 22 Oct 2024 11:43:16
I like Jones and he has good moments as well as frostily moments like every other player.
But to say he was the best player on the pitch at any run is surely red tinted bias.
It was once argued he was better than Foden on here.
Everyone’s got their favourites and then players they’re not keen on but for me he’s never been better or first name on team sheet ahead of Ali, Vvd, Trent or Salah as well as quite a few others.
Fantastic to see him do well on Sunday and let’s hope he builds from here.
5.) 22 Oct 2024 11:53:25
Interesting stat on Jones, he has never scored more than 3 goals in a season or manager more than 2 assists. I like Jones and his performance against Chelsea was excellent, but to be considered a regular starter, he certainly needs to be involved in more goals and assists as well as staying fit.
6.) 22 Oct 2024 13:12:51
Stuie, and here is where he needs to improve. Just look at the play where he had dallied on the ball making Salah offside before releasing to him who squares to Gakpo and he scores. He releases the ball after one touch? We get a second and Chelsea prolly get smoked cos their defence is wretched. CJ needs to have that type of impact in games cos he has the talent and is very good in front of goal, as well.
7.) 22 Oct 2024 14:27:11
Curtis Jones needs to stay fit. That's the main thing right now.
If he stays fit, he is more than good enough with room to improve too.
8.) 22 Oct 2024 15:08:27
Yeah that's my point Oli - he's a gifted footballer, no doubt, but until he starts adding assists and goals to his game he can't be considered elite.
{Ed025's Note - for me Stuie he is very average, had a very good game on Sunday but even a broken clock is right twice a day, he is very much in the Ray Wilkins mold for me (god rest his soul) as he tends to make more backward and sideways passes rather than being on the front foot and creative, he did get forward in the Chelsea game more than usual and maybe thats more of his bag mate, i see him as a decent squad player but not as a starter and his availability has to improve but of course that is only my opinion..
9.) 22 Oct 2024 16:22:23
As a fan that doesn't rate Jones I got to say he's had a few decent displays this season.
The question for me is if it carries on does he get another season, or should he be sold for a decent price and invest in a player that's got a history of better consistency?
10.) 22 Oct 2024 17:22:08
Jones has had one very good PL game. That’s after 2 months of the season. It’s no where near enough and sums up perfectly his career.
11.) 22 Oct 2024 19:00:52
He’s going to be a big player this season. A Henderson-like comeback.
12.) 22 Oct 2024 19:03:12
In my opinion Jones and Elliott have the potential to be an integral part of the team and at 23 and 21 respectively they are still a way off from their peak.
Both have had issues with injuries, Curtis in particular, but both have shown that they have what it takes. I think the tweaking of the system suits both of them and if they fulfil their potential and can keep fit then they will potentially save us millions and millions. My gut feeling is that they could have great careers at Liverpool and that their best years are ahead of them.
Apologies for the optimism to the ‘glass is half empty’ contributors.
13.) 22 Oct 2024 19:26:31
I just don’t see what other fans see in jones, would love him to prove me wrong but I don’t get the hype.
14.) 22 Oct 2024 20:54:43
Ed, I actually agree with you to a point. I do think he is better than average, but most of that is 'potential', but how long do you give him is the question. I think judgement should be reserved until he has a near full season injury free to really show what he can do. but that raises the question of if he will.
{Ed025's Note - hes only young though Stuie so he can improve mate, i must say i liked the way he got forward on Sunday because most of his game is usually quite negative, now i dont know if thats down to his skill level or he is playing to instructions but he can certainly play a part this season...if he can stay injury free..
15.) 22 Oct 2024 22:15:15
Curtis has got everything.
He has lacked physical durability, but at his age that may be about to change.
He lacks a bit of confidence in my opinion, he doesn’t realise how good he is. He should take control of games more, like he did on Sunday.
He’s an excellent prospect, he could be a superstar.
16.) 22 Oct 2024 22:15:54
Sturridge played with him. He also said on Sunday that Jones always had great technical ability but he has now added pressing to his game. So
My only concern is him staying fit, which he hasn’t had the greatest luck with.
Rather take the opinion of someone who has played with him, if I am honest. Especially someone of Sturridge’s technical ability.
{Ed025's Note - or as in Studge,s case someone with empathy because he spent a lot of time on the treatment table mate...most of it playing the old soldier..
17.) 22 Oct 2024 22:55:09
Curtis is better going forward than back passing all the time.
18.) 22 Oct 2024 22:57:53
Been rooting for him for his while career hoping the best for him. I just pray this can be the turning point for him to now be taken seriously. I suppose if Trent does do the dirty and leave then we would still have one of us in the team. I would prefer to have two scousers starting week in week out that is.
19.) 22 Oct 2024 23:22:48
Last season up til the spurs sending off he was one of the first names on the team sheet. He was playing better than macca who everyone seems to love. He scored a goal had a couple of penalty shouts couple great interceptions and blocks yet somehow some of you still calling him out. What more could have he done? There was about £600 million quids worth of Chelsea midfielders out there who would have loved them stats.
20.) 22 Oct 2024 23:33:21
Still being a prospect at 23 speaks volumes to me. A 23 year old prospect that lacks physical durability doesn't fill me with confidence.
21.) 23 Oct 2024 00:01:40
I don't think anyone is calling him out for Sunday's stats, john. He played well on Sunday but I don't ever recall a time when he was one of the first names on the team sheet. I don't think he's ever been in the first six names on a team sheet.
He's a squad player that is continually talked up by 'what ifs'.
Let's talk about him for what he has actually done.
22.) 23 Oct 2024 23:04:23
Jeez @Rigsby - past it at 23 eh?
23.) 24 Oct 2024 00:17:31
Not past it at 23, WDW.
I'm reading he's a superstar, he's got it all, he WAS the first name on the team sheet but he can't stay fit.
23 is not old but he has achieved very little. I'll judge him by what he's achieved at 33 not by what he's not achieved at 23.
It he does half of what Gerrard did, I will doff my cap.
And I'll apologise if you can show me where I said Jones is past it, mate.
06 Sep 2024 20:12:22
100M for Wharton? Discuss.
Inflation is normal and usually addressed across a long period of time. Hyper-inflation is just a cancer that kills it's host. I know that success and freedom tend to go hand in hand. It's certainly best practice to leave markets alone as much as possible. Except when it's about to collapse of a cliff.
Player transfers are classed as 'Intangible Assets'. Here is one major issue. Because there are strictly enforced and regulated accounting standards for 'Fixed Assets' valuation to account for the difference between it's 'net-book value' and the 'market value' (fair value) . However, the accounting standards for Intangible Assets are extremely subjective and almost industry specific. That categorisation is supposed to cover things like; Software, IP and Patents, Entertainment product names (music, film etc. ), collectors cars, paintings and antiques. And unfortunately, the very limited accounting standard applied for valuing these items is simply to look at the recent history of similar items sold and form an aggregate.
This is a serious issue. Because some of those industries above see items sold for more than their worth because they're bought at auction. Some are bought due to commercial potential and reputation. Football has tried to form a correlation here due to similar behaviours seen in how players are bought. BUT, there are metrics available to us that we as fans use to judge which players are simply 'better' than others. that don't apply when comparing paintings, vintage cars, music or films. Age, injury records, appearances, goals, assists, disciplinary record, international caps. You can even combine some of these to form ratios like 'age/ appearances'
The Football industry is infected with something that's ironically called an 'agency problem'. Agents. They're the one's who just by a snowball effect, picked up on the principles of intangible asset valuation and went to the moon with it, making it arbitrary. "You want Anthony Gordon? Well, Grealish went to City for £100m so let's start there". Meantime, Jack Grealish had 3 goals and 3 assists after that move. That's why these bad deals keep F-ing the rest of us. And I'm all for leaving markets alone as much as possible. Except when they're heading for a deadly cliff. Football valuation needs regulation, pronto.
1.) 06 Sep 2024 20:39:07
Can you explain it again please? ?♂️.
2.) 06 Sep 2024 21:08:39
I think you explained it very well Vango and thanks for taking the time. What an original post.
I guess the problem is that anything is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Yes- The oil clubs have pushed the prices up for the rest. But- fans clamouring for new shiny things every window doesn’t help either.
3.) 06 Sep 2024 21:37:30
In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary.
Come again?
4.) 06 Sep 2024 21:43:57
No thanks! Better value to be found in the market for sure!
5.) 06 Sep 2024 22:14:11
Cracking football banter at its best. It’s no wonder we all talk drivel when the transfer window hovers into view.
6.) 06 Sep 2024 22:25:46
A player is only worth what someone is willing to pay.
He might not be worth 100 mill to any club in football but Palace only need him to be worth it to one for them to do a deal.
Personally I couldn’t see it but as they say Football is a funny old game.
7.) 06 Sep 2024 22:42:41
The problem is that we are dealing with human beings. You can sign a wonderful player with great stats and all the right attributes that you have targeted for your team.
Next day they can put their feet up and see out a long contract on the sidelines. Equally you can sign a relative unknown and they up their game, as we have seen over the years there are no sure things in football and even less in people who come to work for your team.
Sometimes you are better to take a punt on a young hungry academy player than the Naby Keitas of this world.
As for agents, they are bloody sucking vipers with nothing to lose and all the money in the world to gain.
8.) 06 Sep 2024 23:24:43
In football, when teams buy and sell players, they treat players like "intangible assets, " which means they are hard to put a price on. With things like buildings or cars or rare, collectable (finite) paintings, it’s easy to figure out their value. But with players, the value can be really hard to pin down, so people just look at what similar items have sold for recently.
The problem in football is that agents have started using past transfers to set the prices of current players, often inflating the prices. This makes player prices go up without much reason.
The big issue is that football teams are spending way too much money on players, based on inflated prices, which can hurt the sport. While we usually let markets run on their own, football transfers have become so out of control that some rules are needed to stop this before it causes more problems.
West Derby Wanderer3- I need an emoji to express my joy at your response.
JK23-He might not be worth 100 mill to any club in football but Palace only need him to be worth it to one for them to do a deal. (Exactly, and when you add financial doping into the equation, it is easy to see how far reaching the effects of clubs like City could reverberate through the whole sport and cause all kinds of disparty and chaos)
9.) 07 Sep 2024 00:36:35
Prices also get inflated when teams don't want to sell. If they were happy to let him go im sure Wharton would go for half of that.
10.) 07 Sep 2024 05:12:47
The idea that markets should be left alone is a capitalist myth peddled by those looking to exploit the market for personal gain. And it also ignores the fact that markets are regularly controlled and regulated by governments. Strict regulation is the way to prevent things like rampant hyper-inflation, not allowing speculating persons free rein (as 2008 and other notable crashes have proven) . And the idea of too big to fail is just a slap in the face for anyone who has ever paid a penny in tax. Free market, but on our terms, isn’t a free market, it’s a monopoly.
11.) 07 Sep 2024 06:02:51
I was thinking during the last window, how nice it was to seemingly have seen the back of these exorbitant transfer fees. Hope it continues
Also this always cracks me up about the market - “ It's certainly best practice to leave markets alone as much as possible. Except when it's about to collapse of a cliff”. Let them fall off the cliff mate lol.
12.) 07 Sep 2024 08:33:32
We could learn a lot from other sports except football is far too arrogant for that.
Look at NFL, plenty of money swirling around in that but teams have the same salary cap. Not for individuals (that would be illegal for us) but for the team. Sure you can give Salah £500k a week, but you’ve only got £1m a week left for the rest of your squad.
If it was up to me, I’d taper your teams salary cap based on last years league position. So City would have the lowest salary cap for their playing squad this season.
13.) 07 Sep 2024 09:28:12
Mbwell77, Exactly. It may only take Nyoni or Baj 2 seasons to be at a similar level to Wharton. Undoubtedly Wharton currently looks like a generational talent, he is fairly local and would not have problems settling in to L4, and yet 100m for someone with as few games as he has played is still risky. Caicedo at 115m was a punt that may well work out, but the way our youth system is shaping up, anything is possible.
14.) 07 Sep 2024 10:02:42
That's why if you are not willing to pay whatever it takes to get the player his club does not have to or does not want to sell then, keep it moving.
15.) 07 Sep 2024 10:25:44
Manu deliberately drove up prices (Rooney, Ferdinand etc) as they knew no one else could compete with them and kept them further apart from others trying to catch up.
Chelsea changed all that and now there are a number of teams using the same tactic to keep themselves at the top eg Grealish for £100m etc.
You could say teams before like Forest with the first £1m player and Liverpool in the 80s did this but the difference now is at scale and like most areas of life increasing from rich to poor.
02 Aug 2024 09:14:05
Im leaning towards Baj, Endo and Morton as the DM, at least for the first 6 months of the season to see how the youngsters develop.
Endo's stats were very good for last season.
1.) 02 Aug 2024 09:38:14
I would agree with you there Vango, use the players who are used to the club and the system where possible.
However the shiny toy brigade will be out in force to say that we will finish outside the top 4 if we don't buy a CDM.
I haven't seen Morton play regularly, nor Baj since the start of the 22-23 season, so who's to say that they are not as good as, or better, than the latest shiny toys?
2.) 02 Aug 2024 09:43:38
Gawd help us if you're right, Vango.
3.) 02 Aug 2024 09:57:50
Reports saying Slot is looking for a ball playing No 6.
Obviously those reports might be wrong.
4.) 02 Aug 2024 10:23:09
Zeddicus they will have us down for relegation mate and fsg out flags/ plane banners, also walk out protest.
5.) 02 Aug 2024 10:35:45
No shiny toy, no shiny toy, no shiny toy. Let’s make no signings. We are a special club that doesn’t need to indulge in such frivoloty.
6.) 02 Aug 2024 10:48:20
Context matters. If we play the same crazy football that left us needing cross breed hybrid of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Xabi Alonso as our CDM then I can buy into the clamour for a CDM right this second.
But so far under this style and structure I can see any combo of Macca, Endo, Baj, Szobo, Trent and Jones working well together in that role.
7.) 02 Aug 2024 10:53:45
Didn't we buy Bajetic and Endo once upon a time?
They might not be new or shiny but they fall into the we bought them category.
8.) 02 Aug 2024 10:59:54
I love an academy kid coming through more than anyone but c'mon. Endo was bought as a stop gap and did well but don't think Slot rates him, Morton has next to no Premier League experience and Bajcetic is obviously very talented but the lads been out for 15 months, people have wrote Gordon off completely for being out that long. I don't think we win the league this year without signing a starting midfielder to play with Mac! Nothing wrong with signing players, as Pelican says we are not different to any other top club.
9.) 02 Aug 2024 11:09:35
This time last year we had people clamouring for Caicedo, Lavia, Thuram and the other young lad (was it Kone) . Seems we dodged a few bullets. I watched my niece’s little lad, a two year old, open his birthday presents recently. He was more interested in the shiny wrapping paper than what was actually wrapped up.
10.) 02 Aug 2024 11:29:08
We need a DM to come in. Tyler Morton (especially) and Baj aren't coming back from such a long time away.
11.) 02 Aug 2024 11:32:09
It’s not about shiny new toys, if you don’t strengthen you stagnate. Top teams strengthen every year, fergie was excellent at it and that’s why they were dominant for so long.
12.) 02 Aug 2024 12:00:53
Don't be daft FPF. Unless you are a coach at the club, how do you know what our players (especially the youngsters breaking through) are like?
Would I like us to be stronger in certain areas compared to last season? Of course
Would I like to see any departing first teamers replaced? Of course
Do I know that our academy players (remember, we spent a sheep load of money on our academy that reopened 3-4 years ago, yes the tight-bottomed FSG shower spent money to save us future transfer fees) are any better or worse than players we are being linked to? Of course not, and neither do you.
Let's just see what transpires.
Or do you think we can't win anything with kids?
13.) 02 Aug 2024 12:01:47
Reports saying Slot is looking for a ball playing No 6.
Is Bajetic not a ball playing 6? Ends helps out when a rest is needed?
14.) 02 Aug 2024 12:16:51
Because Ferguson got a great crop of kids 30 years ago doesn’t mean it’s a regular occurrence Zed. It’s a bit of a nonsense statement really.
15.) 02 Aug 2024 12:17:59
Bajcetic has played less than 2 games as a DM in the PL.
16.) 02 Aug 2024 12:18:49
Squirsey Baj has only ever started 2 league games for us in his career at DM mate so its hard to answer that question.
I did say reports are saying he's looking for and not wanting to sign one so that does mean the current squad are an option.
On another note it Looks like our starting line up this season is going to be
Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Rhys Williams, Chambers, Morton, Trent, Jones, Gordon, Danns and Koumas.
Not a single once upon a time shiny new toy in there.
Imagine how good our bank balance and wage bill would be once we sell the rest of the squad.
17.) 02 Aug 2024 12:26:20
@Peleg, why can’t we strengthen from within? Surely we should have confidence in the coaching staff to improve the players - in particular the youngsters. Of course bringing people in can (and sometimes does) improve the team, but not always and what the club is doing at the moment is presumably taking stock of what we have and if there are areas that the club think can be improved and who can be brought in to do the improving. A lot better than spending a billion and ending up in mid-table.
18.) 02 Aug 2024 12:50:53
I can’t name one player that is realistically obtainable that is guaranteed to make us better for cdm . Therefore I understand why the club haven’t just bought some random player just to appease restless fans . I’d rather we wait aswell until there is a player available that significantly improves us not someone to be just another squad player there is zero point and it’s a waste of resources from the club .
Patience is a virtue. We still have a great team and squad.
19.) 02 Aug 2024 12:56:14
Hi IR - that’s 2 games more than most of the names being linked.
On a general point, I think Baj is quite shiny even if he’s not new.
20.) 02 Aug 2024 13:04:47
Wdw do Man City promote from within, have arsenal? No they strengthen I’m not saying we can’t compete with what we’ve got but if we want to compete and win we need to strengthen.
{Ed001's Note - Man City promote from within all the time - this season their one 'signing' is just promoted from one of their feeder clubs. You are forgetting that all those clubs exist solely as giant academies for City. Not sure that Arsenal are relevant in this conversation until they start actually winning something.}
21.) 02 Aug 2024 13:10:15
I may be wrong here and it is still very early days, but Bajcetic and Morton only got the last 20 minutes against Arsenal. That's despite us being missing Mac Allister still, who I think is a shoe in to play in one of the two 6 roles (as Slot and the players have described it) . Jones, Szoboszlai, Endo and Nyoni have been Slot's preferred midfielders so far in pre-season as the "two 6's". So if Bajcetic and Morton can't get decent minutes whilst our best midfielder is away, or even ahead of a 17 year old, I don't think we'll be relying on them during the season; at least not initially or regularly.
The way I see it playing out is Morton leaves (Leipzig maybe), Bajcetic spends a lot of next season in with the u21's recovering properly and probably playing alongside Nyoni, Gravenberch gets sold or loaned out and we sign a new No.6 more suited to the way we want to play. Leaving us with Mac Allister, Jones, Endo + A. N. other (with Baj and Nyoni coming in for cup games) and Szobosali, Elliott and maybe Carvalho competing for the no.10 role and also providing competition/ depth for the wide positions as well.
22.) 02 Aug 2024 13:38:34
WDW get what you’re saying mate but our current first squad is (guesstimating here) about 90-95% bought and 5-10% brought through the ranks.
I fully agree that it’s nice to see players come from the academy but the evidence shows that the majority of players are purchases.
I’d even argue that’s the case for most top flight clubs.
23.) 02 Aug 2024 13:42:36
In all seriousness, we have an excellent squad that needs only a few tweaks. So let's make those tweaks and not repeat what we did in the last few years by going into seasons with squad gambles.
24.) 02 Aug 2024 14:13:07
Wr may not win the league even if we do sign a midfielder.
25.) 02 Aug 2024 14:49:27
That made me laugh out loud @Faith. Just imagine buying a DM and a LCB and not winning the league - it will take us ages to figure out who to point the finger at ???.
On a separate note it’s true that there aren’t many youngsters who have made the step up from the Academy into the first team squad but that’s the beauty of the work that’s being done at the revamped Academy. We are actively going out and targeting the best youngsters available with the result that the kids who are being taught to play in the same style as the Men’s team are finding it a smoother transition. last year we had Bradley - an exceptional talent bought in as a 16 year old and Quansah who joined Liverpool as a kiddie making the break through. We also have Elliot (ripe old age of 21) who we brought into the Academy and Jones who is a local lad and still in his early 20’s. Nyoni who we brought in last year (and perhaps Nallo) and Doak and Baj may get their chance this season and I suspect that we may see more HG kids coming through internally in the coming years. Again, I’m not saying we shouldn’t go out and buy ‘the right player for the right price’ but hopefully we don’t need 4 or 5 of them every couple of years going forward.
26.) 02 Aug 2024 15:07:13
WDW, exactly that mate.
BTW, to Pegleg, regardless of Man City's wider "academies" they have Phil Foden who has come through their academy.
Other recent players from their academy (who they have either sold or have left on frees) that are worth €10m+ (per Transfermarkt) include Eric Garcia (Spanish CB now at Barcelona - €20m), Brahim Diaz (Spanish midfielder, sold to Real Madrid for €17m now worth €40m), Rico Lewis (RB still at City worth €38m), Angelino (Spanish LB, sold to Leipzig for €17m) and many many more.
So yes, other teams do bring players through their academy and also use academy player sales to fund other growth.
I would rather get the fresh blood to try in the EPL from our own academy than teenagers from other leagues, even if they join the academy later (like Elliot, Bajcetic, Gordon, Clark and so many others)
27.) 02 Aug 2024 16:05:24
Good posts Wdw and Zed.
I think buying talents from other academies and then a having them as home grown players and claiming it’s all the work of our academy is slightly bending the rules though ?.
But in this day and age you’ve got to push the boundaries to get ahead.
28.) 02 Aug 2024 17:16:10
I think the idea that Endo, Bajcetic and Morton would be enough at number 6 to make us title challengers is pie in the sky.
Endo, although decent, isn’t top class, good squad member and cover but not good enough as a first choice, Bajcetic has had a very very long time out and he’s only played maybe two or three games as a defensive midfielder, so there’s not a lot to go on there, as for Morton, he’s not a particularly defensive midfielder, he’s neat and tidy on the ball, but there isn’t much more than that, nothing particularly special about the lad, reminds me of Joe Allen in a way, he wasn’t a stand out midfielder in the championship, he did ok but not much more than that.
As for jones at 6, that’s just a bad idea.
Personally I think it’s the one position we do need to absolutely go for the best player we can on as it makes a difference, look how much of an impact Fabinho had when he came in. I’m not convinced we need to buy a central defender as VDB was a stand out defender in the Bundesliga last year so why not try him. I’m not convinced we need a forward unless Salah or Diaz was going (I’d be tempted to move Salah on because of his age though) .
29.) 02 Aug 2024 22:31:00
We conceded 41 goals in 38 league games last season. apart from Arsenal, who conceded 29 and City who conceded 34, everybody else in the league conceded at least 10 more than us. I’m not necessarily convinced that there is an urgent need, or rather a priority, on buying a DM.
05 Dec 2024 17:37:50
Fatwallet-Quansah was excellent last season, and lest we not forget his age.
He has plenty of time to develop into a top level player.
Id be selling Jo Gomez ahead of Quansah.
05 Dec 2024 10:44:49
Nunez does much more than not score, fortunately. He creates space and draws defenders away from others.
Ask the other players/ coaches who select him.
Im not saying he will be here next season, only that it is not as simple as scoring/ missing chances.
25 Nov 2024 17:44:30
People want security, especially as it is the last/ second to last contract he'll receive as a player. Apparently the delays are all around length and nothing else.
20 Nov 2024 20:59:36
Where has the Elliott rumour come from?
20 Nov 2024 16:39:13
Loic Bade looks top drawer to me.
08 Dec 2024 17:50:24
ViktorVaughan-A good dose of VV reality checking re Billing.
05 Dec 2024 20:38:22
A one year rolling contract with options to extend is the most sensible option. What with the world cup and Afcon happening over the next few years, it could be that he plays too many games and gets worn out/ down about elimination again.
People can't wait to slag FSG off but their prudence has built solid foundations, unlike plenty of other clubs.
05 Dec 2024 20:04:06
ViktorVaughan-We just spent over 100m on 4 new MF players last summer, after bidding for Caicedo too.
We also had a verbal agreement with Zubi, before he was convinced not to move. What more should we do, drive to Atlanta and kidnap Ederson?
Id like to think we will spend in Jan, if the right players are available (i imagine Zubi may well be available, along with Bade and a decent left back) .
Both of the big titles are there for the taking this season.
05 Dec 2024 19:56:50
Beckers pecker-Exactly, we are not 12 and crying about club transfer/ negoatiation practices. Those people know far more about the intricacies of the art of the deal, agent tactics than any of us laymen.
Remember what Ed2 said on so many occassions about people being clueless about how things work, and how agents, for example Remy abbass function.
Patience and subtle manipulation are part of the way it works, for better or for worse.
05 Dec 2024 19:52:08
So many using him as a stick to beat FSG with.
Edwards track records with transfers suggest people should wait due course before making swift judgements.