The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - #DankeJürgen

[blewuporstuffed]

Danny Ings. If that's where we're at, we might as well get used to Europa Cup at best every year. No offence to the lad, but signings like Ings and Milner are not going to be the inspiration to sustain a CL challenge.

If thats the height of the signings, the club are on a slippery slope alright, but if they are 2 out of maybe 5 new signings in the summer, with 1-2 top class players coming in along with them, i would be happy enough.
With Johnson & Gerrard def gone, sterling all but gone, and at least 2 of borini/ballotelli/lambert likely to go, I would expect a good bit of business to be carried out over the summer.

[Walter Cronc]

Who are the players pool should be targeting?

Pjanic could be one. A class act!

[AZOffaly]

It's difficult, no doubt about it. They've made it difficult for themselves because they put all their eggs in the Sturridge basket last year, and as a result didn't get nearly enough goals. That they finished 6th with all the shite performances and lack of goals was actually a remarkable feat. If they didn't go on that 13 or 14 game run around Christmas, they'd have finished outside the top 10 easily.

The transfer committee is tasked with finding talent which meets FSGs criteria based on ROI. Namely age, price, wages, potential for development and potential to contribute to the first team immediately. The latter is of huge importance now, because if they weight heavily towards the first 4 again, we will be in a constant state of 'rebuilding'. They need to bite the bullet and spend big money on 2-3 top players that will act as leaders and inspiration to the rest.

The rest of the squad I honestly believe is not bad. You can work with Skrtel, Sahko, Can, Henderson, Coutinho, Ibe, Sterling (maybe) and Sturridge. I can also see a squad with Mignolet, Moreno, Markovic, Lucas being competitive. Even Joe Allen wouldn't be the worst squad player.

But what 2-3 top players are going to come in to a team with a manager who is potentially on shaky ground already, with no CL football, and with a self confessed policy of buying youth to develop it. Players want to win now, especially top players. You're basically selling a vision to them lads, rather than solid evidence. That's a tough sell.

[AZOffaly]

For completeness ( I seem to do this every summer), here is the Liverpool First Team Squad as of 2/6 from the official website.

1. Jones   - GONE
2. Johnson - GONE
3. Enrique - Squad player at the absolute best.
4. Toure - Squad player at most, but a bit of veteran leadership.
6. Lovren - I like Lovren's physical toolkit, but he has to play better next season.
8. Gerrard - GONE
9. Lambert - Surely Gone
10. Coutinho - KEY FIRST TEAMER
14. Henderson - KEY FIRST TEAMER
15. Sturridge - KEY FIRST TEAMER
16. Coates - Probably Gone
17. Sakho - REGULAR FIRST TEAM
18. Moreno - REGULAR FIRST TEAM
19. Manquillo - Gone? Loan is probably up.
20. Lallana - Squad Player, but potentially a valuable one.
21. Lucas - REGULAR FIRST TEAM /or maybe Gone!!
22. Mignolet - REGULAR FIRST TEAM
23. Can - KEY FIRST TEAMER
24. Allen - Squad Player
26. Ilori - Possible Squad Player
29. Borini - Surely GONE
31. Sterling - Maybe GONE, if not; KEY FIRST TEAMER
32. Brannagan - Possible Squad Player
33. Ibe - Probably REGULAR FIRST TEAM
36. Yesil - Possible Squad Player, can score goals.
37. Skrtel - REGULAR FIRST TEAM
38. Flanagan Long term injured. Who knows after that.
41. Dunn Possible Squad Player
44. Smith Possible Squad Player
45. Balotelli - Surely GONE
46. Rossiter - Squad Player
47. Wisdom - Squad Player
48. Sinclair - Squad Player
49. Williams - Possible Squad Player
50. Markovic - Squad Player
51. Jones - Possible Squad Player
52. Ward - Possible Squad Player
53. Teixeira - Possible Squad Player
54. Ojo - Probably the next breakthrough young lad.
- Alberto - GONE
- Aspas - GONE
- Origi - Probable REGULAR FIRST TEAM given Sturridge's injuries, but should be squad player.

[AZOffaly]

From that list, the opening day would probably look something like... (Assuming a Diamond 4-4-2)

                                                        Mignolet


               Skrtel                       Sahko/Lovren                   Moreno


                                                      Can


                             Henderson                               Sterling/Ibe

                                                   
                                                  Coutinho



                                  Sturridge                              Origi





If Milner and Ings come in, can you really see that changing too much? We need someone instead of Origi, and a top midfielder as well. At least. Then we need a first team regular at Right back.

[blewuporstuffed]

The are strongly linked with Nathan Clyne, which i could see happening and would solve the RB problem.
i think Sterling will be gone, and in your formation, Milner would slot in there ok.
That would leave the need for a top class striker to play up front along with sturridge/origi/Ings depending on who is fit/in form etc.
Hopefully a more creative CM player could be brought in too.

Good over all summer business would be:

Clyne
Milner
Ings
Top striker - someone like Lacazette/vietto/benzema/huigain (this will be the most difficult to get)
CM - someone like Cabaye who isnt gettinga  game at PSG would be ideal.

with possibly Sterling, borini,lambert,ballotelli,coates,aspas, alberto on the way out, thay wouldnt leave a huge overall net spend and the squad in a hell of alot better shape for the 5 players in.

[AZOffaly]

The are strongly linked with Nathan Clyne, which i could see happening and would solve the RB problem.
i think Sterling will be gone, and in your formation, Milner would slot in there ok.
That would leave the need for a top class striker to play up front along with sturridge/origi/Ings depending on who is fit/in form etc.
Hopefully a more creative CM player could be brought in too.

Good over all summer business would be:

Clyne
Milner
Ings
Top striker - someone like Lacazette/vietto/benzema/huigain (this will be the most difficult to get)
CM - someone like Cabaye who isnt gettinga  game at PSG would be ideal.

with possibly Sterling, borini,lambert,ballotelli,coates,aspas, alberto on the way out, thay wouldnt leave a huge overall net spend and the squad in a hell of alot better shape for the 5 players in.

Milner is a completely different animal to Sterling though. I know he can play out wide, but he's not the same type of player at all. I'd expect him to be more central if anything at Liverpool.

[blewuporstuffed]

A completly different player alright, but in a midfeild diamond, he would slot in as part of the 'two' with henderson ok.
Not the most creative, but will get a few goals and provide that box to box role.
Providing you have a creative player like coutinho infront and a decent DM behind them, its not the worst midfeild.

[AZOffaly]

What do we make of the proposal to swap sterling for Walcott and Gibbs ?

[laoislad]

Where did you see that?

[AZOffaly]

It's on the Echo I think.

[laoislad]

I like Walcott,boyhood Liverpool fan also I think I read somewhere?

Are the two of them combined worth £40 million or whatever it is Sterling would be worth if say Man City bought him?

[heganboy]

i am a big fan of the Benzema rumor, I actually think he would be a great fit...

[AZOffaly]

Thing with 40m from Man city is that they'd have to pay qpr 20%. If it's a swap deal, maybe they'd just have to give Gibbs' right arm or something.

[brokencrossbar1]

I like Walcott,boyhood Liverpool fan also I think I read somewhere?

Are the two of them combined worth £40 million or whatever it is Sterling would be worth if say Man City bought him?

Good players but both permacrocks,  it would only be a good deal if you could get 30 games consistently out of them.