Problem solving. Thats all Brendan Rodgers seems to have done since arriving at Anfield in the summer. And now he’s faced with the ultimate conundrum not even a member of the Countdown audience could resolve. What to do with Steven Gerrard? With the emphasis now based on ball retention and short, sharp passing, Gerrard’s role in the Rodger’s system is currently hanging in limbo. In all honesty the Reds skipper isn’t the most technically accomplished player and is more likely to risk a 40-yard ball across field and lose possession instead of a simple five yard pass to a teammate. At 32 his days as a regular are coming to an end but theres a lingering thought that his path to the substitutes bench could be hastened by Rodgers as a means to fully implement his methodical philosophy on Merseyside.
This week on FFC could Luis Suarez be driven away from the Premier League and which Villa striker is being linked with a January loan move to Anfield?
[divider]
Best of FFC
A transfer warning to Liverpool: Don’t buy them!
A distinct possibility for Liverpool FC in the coming years?
Should more teams follow Brendan Rodgers’ lead?
Rafa Benitez deserves much more respect for his achievements
Will Luis Suarez be driven away?
The TEN things we have learned so far about Liverpool under Rodgers
Tottenham V Liverpool Combined XI
Alberti confirms Liverpool and Arsenal interest
Liverpool ready to make £6m return move
[divider]
Best of WEB
[divider]
A glimpse of his potential? – Live 4 Liverpool
Negative approach? Brendan Rodgers gets it wrong again… – Liverpool Kop
Analysis: The impact of Lucas’ return on Joe Allen – This is Anfield
Downing: Left Back, Or Left Back In The Changing Rooms? – Liverpool Kop
The First Time I Ever Saw The Reds – The Tomkins Times
‘LFC can’t rely on him’ – Aldo writes-off goal-shy Liverpool star. Premature…? – Live 4 Liverpool
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Why Steven Gerrard must quit international football – This is Anfield
[divider]
Quote of the Week
[divider]
“It’s important for the club to sign our young talent – but it’s even more important for Raheem. If you are 17 and playing regularly, you would be very foolish not to commit yourself very quickly. This is a club that is going to give young players an opportunity and he has played more games than he could have dreamed of this season, both in the Premier League and the Europa League. Liverpool have given him the chance to become a full international player. If I was Raheem Sterling and his agents, I would look to tie it up very quickly.” Brendan Rodgers urges Raheem Sterling to sign his new contract at Liverpool
After dispatching with local rivals Tottenham 5-2 last weekend, you’d be forgiven for thinking that things were on the up for Arsenal, but after enduring a drab 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday evening, the boo boys were out in force once more, only serving to highlight just how fickle and divided the club’s support really is over the issue of their manager Arsene Wenger and whether he deserves to continue to lead the club forward in the future.
To put it into context, the result against Paul Lambert’s struggling but spirited side left Arsenal in sixth place in the Premier League after 13 games, having drawn five, won five and lost three, sitting five points behind Chelsea in fourth place. This is far from a catastrophe given the circumstances which has seen the club lose its best player for two successive summers running and with plenty of the season still left to play.
Arsenal fans appear to collectively lurch from one crisis to another, from despair to unbridled joy with consummate ease, with very few shades of grey in between. Of course, the reality is that when you trust a manager, as the board undoubtedly do with Wenger, to the tune of 16 seasons, stability and continuity are almost ingrained in the club’s psyche and the pace of change is often painfully slow, which makes a mockery of the hysteria on the terraces, with perception often far outstripping any kind of development.
The north London club, perhaps more than any other in the top flight, finds itself at the whims of a vocal minority susceptible to the media-driven narrative that encapsulates the extremes felt by the few; this in turn sees those very same grievances projected onto the many. Arsenal are currently enjoying their 15th straight season in the Champions League and while Wenger’s argument that finishing fourth is tantamount to winning a piece of domestic silverware is troubling, what is the alternative?
The boo boys should be careful what they wish for and amidst all the knee-jerk reactions to what was an admittedly disappointing result, but far from the end of the world, who do they propose that the club moves for to take over the reins instead of Wenger? What mythical manager out there could do a better job with the resources that he has at his disposal than the Frenchman?
The game against Villa was the club’s third inside a week, with their previous two seeing them hammer local rivals Tottenham at home and their victory over Montpellier in mid-week clinching their place in the knock-out phase of the Champions League. To be greeted with jeers of “you don’t know what you’re doing” by a section of the away support just further drives home the point that some fans have been mollycoddled to such an extent, that they live in a bubble, seemingly devoid of any sort of context. Honestly, when you’re banging the same drum as Piers Morgan, you really do lose all credibility and you have to wonder just how far you’ve strayed from both sanity and rational thought.
The current situation at Arsenal is far from ideal, granted, and the club do appear to have bargained way too much on the Financial Fair Play rules being strictly enforced by Uefa. Turning the tide back over the waves of mediocrity which all too often dominate their displays is going to be difficult and requires patience above all else, but it’s at least a coherent plan worthy of consideration, rather than making a scapegoat out of Wenger just because the team happen to be playing poorly on an absolute dog of a pitch.
Wenger showed signs of his frustration in the press conference after the game, with his substitutions largely seen as lacking in invention, stating: “What is the thinking behind the substitution? I will not explain every decision I make. I have managed for 30 years at the top level and I have to convince you [journalists] I can manage the team?” When pushed on the topic of the chants, he seemed reluctant to have a pop at the fans: “I don’t want to comment on that. I do my job and do my best for the club. Why should I create a rift? I have given you the answer.”
The problem that Wenger faces is that he’s failing to match the expectations which he himself helped to create. A seven-year trophy drought is no laughing matter and to an extent, the failed experiment with the dogmatic approach to a one-dimensional playing style was all at Wenger’s behest and the extent to which they’ve fallen away from the summit of the English game was somewhat preventable.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
However, when you consider that prior to the club’s title triumph in 1997-8 under Wenger, that the club hadn’t won the league for six years and had won just a solitary FA Cup since the 1970s, then they are clearly in better shape now than they ever were back then. The belief that the grass is greener has festered away at some of the club’s fans and it’s a dangerous view to subscribe to. Gratitude for past achievements is not a good enough reason to keep a manager employed in the present, but it should at least afford them more time to turn things around when things are not going according to plan.
Wenger is far from perfect, but criticism, such as the booing he endured away at Aston Villa at the weekend, just lacks any semblance of perspective; the sort of fans which feel it is their ‘right’ to compete at the higher end of the table and challenge for trophies. That the fans have to contend with the highest average ticket prices in Europe must be hugely frustrating, particularly given that Wenger seems reluctant to criticise the board over the matter, therefore making his position untenable, but we shouldn’t lump all our negative points about the club on to the shoulders of one visible target.
The relationship between a manager and a team’s fans is always a tricky one to balance, but with a dearth of alternatives and a team undeniably in transition out on the pitch, patience and faith are the order of the hour, not malevolent discontent which threatens to undermine anything Wenger does. With the club’s identity so directly intertwined with the Frenchman’s, removing him from the job could have catastrophic consequences that will condemn Arsenal to years in the wilderness, and with the fate of the side hanging by a thread, now is simply not the time for rash decisions and reactionary rhetoric.
David Gold insists Premier League clubs need to curb their ‘crazy’ spending of recent years, as the West Ham co-owner believes January’s transfer window will see the lowest amount of money spent for some time.
Gold – who was previously chairman at Birmingham before taking over at Upton Park with David Sullivan in 2010 – referred to Portsmouth’s demise as a warning of what can happen when spending gets out of control.
And the Hammers chief has urged fans to realize that signing a big player or two in the window may only mean moving up a couple of places in the league table and often defies business logic.
Writing for Sports Direct News, Gold said: “For every Manchester United there’s a Portsmouth and whilst I understand what supporters mean when they talk about signings “taking us to the next level” it isn’t an argument that makes a great deal of economic sense.
“For what they are really saying is that a couple of big signings would move them from perhaps tenth to eighth place or ninth to seventh. That’s an argument which if repeated in other businesses would see the people responsible sectioned.
“For there is actually very little difference between finishing two places further up if it has cost you a £10 million fee, say, and the same in wages. In four words: “It makes no sense.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“We have to put a lid on the crazy spending which has seen so many clubs coming to the edge and I believe there’s a new reality coming in at last.
“Personally I believe this will be the lowest spending window ever and that’s a good thing. We really can’t go on as we have been.”
Ahead of the January transfer window, Alvaro Negredo was linked with a move to Chelsea in order to bolster their attack and provide current club Sevilla with the financial means to push on. But with Demba Ba’s transfer to Stamford Bridge and Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido expressing a desire to keep the player unless a irresistible offer came in, it looks as though Negredo may be staying put for the time being.
But is that the whole story? Del Nido says the club have rejected a bid for the striker in the past few weeks (Sky Sports) and that it was from one of Europe’s elite. Interest should be high in the Spanish international and perhaps there are other Premier League clubs in England who would benefit from the powerful striker’s presence.
How would he do in England? Negredo is a striker who is readymade for the physicality of English football. With so many clubs looking to play with one striker ahead of a five-man midfield, Negredo would be a perfect fit—and one who is available, despite what the Sevilla president says.
The thing about the player and the current setup at Sevilla is that both he and his club should be doing better. They failed to make the Champions League this season and really don’t look anywhere near consistent enough to land a top four spot come May. That doesn’t dispute the fact that they have one of the most impressive starting XIs in La Liga, with players who would be desired all over England.
[cat_link cat=”premiership” type=”list”]
So what’s the problem? The idea that can’t be forgotten is that Negredo appears to be in a battle with Roberto Soldado for a position in the Spanish squad. Both failed to stay on at Real Madrid and make an impact there — although that certainly doesn’t take anything away from their quality — but they are now the main figures in two very good Spanish sides.
Negredo, for all his ability and power up front, just doesn’t have the same level of consistency as Soldado. You’ve got to wonder if that’s a result of the rest of the team’s lack of continuous bite throughout the season, or if his slumps in front of goal causes his team to fall away.
On his day, Negredo looks like a top class striker who would be at home in any of the leading Premier League sides. But then comes the frustration, the disappointing finishing and the evidence from Euro 2012 which raises the question as to whether he can cut it in the big time and away from Sevilla.
I like Negredo and I think he’d be a good signing for many clubs in England and around Europe. However, I do feel that for a similar price Soldado would be the better option. The Valencia striker provides similar qualities but gives a greater level of confidence in front of goal.
How would La Liga react? Well the transfer of Negredo out of the league certainly won’t be felt as heavily as Javi Martinez’s move or Fernando Llorente’s impending move, but that’s largely because of the recruitment policy Athletic Bilbao adhere to. But it will certainly be seen as another big name to be drawn away leaving Spain a little weaker and without as great a spark. There are a number of outstanding talents around Spain who haven’t been picked up with any serious interest from abroad, but it remains the case that the best either leave for Barcelona and Real Madrid or leave the country altogether.
You look more at the financial state of the Spanish clubs rather than the loss of these players. With the case of Valencia, Juan Mata, David Villa and David Silva have all left, yet none have been replaced by quality equal or better. Atletico Madrid can’t get away from the fact that they will eventually lose Radamel Falcao, despite replacing Sergio Aguero more than adequately.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It’s the disappointment that Spain can’t afford to keep its best players, but it’s the realisation from other nations and leagues that there does appear to be an endless stream of talent in Spanish football, as is so often suggested by the national team.
If picked up for the right price, Negredo would be a very good buy for Premier League clubs. The most interesting aspect of his move will be to determine whether he can flourish into a consistent and lethal finisher in a foreign league. He’s more than equipped with the means to do so.
Liverpool and Everton have spent the season chasing dreams of finishing fourth in the Premier League and making it into the Champions League. Although both Merseyside clubs are still in the mix, it would be safe to say that they’ve become outside contenders compared to Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea.
Reaching Europe’s most prestigious club competition will no doubt be the target next season for both clubs, not only for the pride, but also the financial rewards that accompany the tournament, which both the Reds and the Toffees desperately need as David Moyes and Brendan Rodgers struggle to keep a firm grasp of the purse strings while improving their squads.
Both Liverpool and Everton are expected to bring in new recruits in the summer to fulfill their ambitions, but which players are on the clubs’ radars?
Here’s a list, compiled of realistic transfer targets from across Europe, that could soon be gracing a pitch on either side of Stanley Park.
Click on Scott Sinclair to see the ten potential new recruits that could propel Everton or Liverpool to the promised land of the Champions League
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It took just a week for Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Tottenham to become meaningless. Ok, those three points are going to count for something at the end of the season, but it was just another “false dawn” for the club – something no set of fans want to be associated with.
It represented a victory in body rather than in mind. Even with a win over a current top four club, Liverpool are nowhere near to convincing themselves that they’re good enough for the Champions League.
Liverpool have become their own worst enemy, and not because the ship is captained by a baseball fan. How do you balance the need to build patiently amid the storm of eye-watering transfers from Manchester, Paris and St Petersburg, and keep hold of Luis Suarez? Even after all that has been said by the Uruguayan of his desire to remain at Anfield, surely the forward isn’t an exception to the rule that hollow promises rule the day in modern football.
It would be a blow to the Premier League as much as Liverpool if Suarez were to move away – and for all his value to the game, I don’t see Liverpool surrendering their best player to a league rival once again.
It’s the matter of turning a corner and looking like a legitimate threat. For all the excitement it generates, using outside investment in the manner others have to build a squad good enough for the big time will long be seen as something of a dark art in the game. Liverpool are going about it the right way, picking up players like Coutinho for an apparent bargain price and adding depth to the scoring line with a youngster in Daniel Sturridge who is well-versed in the English game.
But it’s not that Liverpool need to look like a top four team now; it’s that they really need to look like they’re making progress. Losing 3-1 to Southampton is no way to build on the small success of victory over Tottenham.
It becomes frustrating for fans as much as players, and who’s to say Suarez will be around for a number of years to come, patiently waiting for all the pieces to fall into place? You would like to see it, but far too many clubs are being burned by the demands of modern players and the power of the chequebook. It would be incredibly naïve to say Suarez is sure to be at the club next season based on what he’s said in the past.
Yes, there has been a new manager and an owner who hasn’t totally backed Brendan Rodgers. But where is the sense that last season’s League Cup win has been a step forward? Such is the erratic nature of football that Liverpool is just four or five back-to-back wins away from laying all those problems to rest and genuinely making a late charge for the highest possible league place. The biggest issue is that up until this point of the season, we’ve seen little to suggest that this team are capable of banishing their own demons and getting the job done.
Three league wins leading up to the game against Southampton is exactly what you would have expected from a team who were given an injection of life in the January window. Performances against teams like Norwich showed the obvious gulf in class that hasn’t always been too clear for Liverpool this season. Draws against Manchester City and Arsenal when both games could have been won should have added plenty of belief that the end product isn’t too far away.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
How much longer will Suarez resist the draw from those around Europe? Even he is sure to think long and hard on the prospect of playing for Pep Guardiola’s Bayern should the Bavarians come calling. The idea of La Liga complementing Suarez’s own style is also sure to be greatly attractive, too.
Keeping Suarez will come down to obvious progress being made, and it’s not always just about signing players. The whole club needs to have a mentality that the next step is achievable and the stuttering form is out the window.
The Glazer family are still yet to shake off their negative image spanning from their takeover of Manchester United back in 2005. Red Devils fans were appalled that the business acquisition was funded by £515million worth of debt, which would be indirectly transferred to the club itself and secured against United’s assets, and would be repaid in the long run by the supporters through ticket sales and merchandising.
Furthermore, the stigmatism attached to having american owners – viewed as having little knowledge of the English game, or the integral cultural and social ties British clubs have, which is incomparable to the business style franchising of United States sports teams – did little to help the powerful family’s image.
The takeover infuriated United fans so much that a breakaway club was formed, FC United, who are making their way through the English league system and followed by a cohort of traditionalist Red Devils supporters, who still sing songs about heroes of old, such as George Best, Bobby Charlton and Sir Matt Busby.
Whilst the initial 4000 strong fan base for the breakaway movement has now dwindled down to around 2000, the majority of United fans have remained with their club, but have made no secret of their distain for the owners. However, the impact of the Glazers has done little to halt success on the pitch, with Sir Alex Ferguson leading the team to seven domestic trophies, including four Premiership titles, as well as a Champions League trophy in 2008. Similarly, off the pitch, Manchester United have remained one of the World football’s biggest economic powerhouses, raking in unprecedented revenues that the billionaire owners of Chelsea and Manchester City could only dream of.
So is it time we gave the Glazers a break? The initial concern was that Malcolm Glazer was simply a businessman, with little concern for the ins and outs of the game itself; he was there to make a buck out of an investment and would not be interested with the needs of the fans. But fast forward to the present day, and it is hardly just the United owners who could be accused of being purely business-minded. Liverpool, Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers are owned by men who are business men first and fans second, despite how much Mike Ashley tries to convince Newcastle supporters he’s a Magpie through and through.
Similarly, Cardiff City’s takeover by money-rich Malaysian business men Vincent Tan and Chan Tien Ghee saw the fans have to compromise being given a sizeable transfer kitty for rebranding the club geared towards the Asian market, including changing their strip from blue to red, despite being historically nicknamed “the Bluebirds”, and plans to rename the team the Cardiff Dragons.
But even so, the business-savvy type of owner, has just as many drawbacks as the foreign billionaire style owner. Although Manchester City are still reaping the benefits of their Sheik majority shareholder who can provide a blank cheque for Roberto Mancini during any given transfer window, Chelsea fans are very much feeling the backlast of having a sole proprietor who can exercise full autonomy over a club via Roman Abramovich’s tight hold of all the purse strings, which has lead to the rather embarrassing and dividing Rafa Benitez saga, not to mention the Fernando Torres fiasco.
So perhaps Malcolm Glazer and his relatives don’t always have the fans best interests in mind, but in comparison to other clubs, their influence on all things football has been relatively minimal. At the same time, the business side of Old Trafford has been running smoothly to say the least, with new sponsorship deal upon new sponsorship deal.
Their latest arrangement with Chevrolet, in which General Motors will pay a record breaking £51million per year to have their automobile brand as shirt sponsors from 2014, but in fact will be making smaller payments prior to the 2014/2015 season, is a particularly lucrative deal that eclipses the £25million paid to Barcelona by the Qatar Foundation.
At the same time, renegotiations with Nike over their long-standing kit manufacturing sponsorship rights are rumoured to provide Manchester United with up to $1billion in revenue, which could start as early as next season. Similarly, during the Glazer era, Manchester United shirt sales have equalled or bettered Real Madrid and Barcelona, with the three European powerhouses being some way ahead of the rest of the pack in terms of revenues from replica kits.
Despite the Glazers reducing club debt to the lowest level since their controversial takeover, announced in November 2012 to be below the £400million mark, as a result of floating shares on the New York stock exchange, United fans still remain relatively hard-line about their American owners.
There is a growing fear that the Glazers aren’t in it for the long haul, and through their debt-based takeover have created a system at Old Trafford that is unsustainable. With Sir Alex Ferguson edging closer and closer to retirement – although I’m sure he’d rather die in office – there is a sense growing amongst the United faithful that they are coming to the end of an era, whilst the final members of class of 92, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, also face the decision at the end of each season whether or not to hang up their boots.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Whilst things have been going well on the pitch for United, the Glaziers have reaped the rewards on the business side of things, but there is a concern that could all change as one era comes to an end. Fans have pointed to limited investments in the transfer market, in comparison to Chelsea and Manchester City, which in years to come could severely damage the talent of the first team. Similarly, at the same time, much of business success can be attributed to Chief Executive David Gill, as much as it can the Glazers themselves, who have been lining their pockets in the mean time.
The true test of the American owners’ loyalty will come when the club hits hard times on the pitch. Should they fill their briefcases with every inch of United money they can get their hands on and run back to their native country, the anti-Glazerites will be proved right. However, should they stick around and try and protect their investment, their reputation will change for the better.
Premier League duo Liverpool and Manchester United now face stiff competition to sign highly rated Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna this summer, according to talkSPORT.
The Italian international is set to leave Turin no matter when the transfer window opens and the English rivals were set to battle it out for his signature.
However, German giants Bayern Munich have now entered the race for the 24-year-old centre back and their current form suggests they could sign anyone they wanted to.
Bayern have already snapped up Mario Gotze from Borussia Dortmund and are reportedly close on signing his current team mate Robert Lewandowski from under the nose of United.
Sir Alex Ferguson will not want to lose out again this summer and could make the first move to bring Ogbonna to the Premier League in the coming weeks.
Liverpool want the highly rated blocker to replace the retiring Jamie Carragher in the heart of the Reds’ back four.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Liverpool are wasting no time this summer as they prepare for next season, strengthening right across the board and continuing to eye deals that will make them a realistic candidate for the top four in the Premier League.
Is there ever a negative to getting transfers done early? Manchester City have already made a splash with the signings of Fernandinho and Jesus Navas from Shakhtar Donetsk and Sevilla, while a number of other top Premier League clubs are said to be finalising deals of their own.
Liverpool’s low-key transfer strategy is as much of a risk as splashing £20 million on a midfield hopeful – and they’ve certainly been down that road in the past. The acquisition of Iago Aspas has been one of praise from everyone who followed the Galician forward last season in La Liga, highlighting the Spaniard’s playing resemblance to Luis Suarez and how much quality he will add to the team.
In addition, Luis Alberto is a name who will only go on to have bright future in the game. He was and is far too good for Barcelona B, yet shy of making an impact in the first team at the Camp Nou. That’s no slight on the former Sevilla player; there aren’t too many youngsters who have a clear and mapped out path to first team football at Barcelona.
Were Liverpool jumping the gun on the signing of Kolo Toure, one of the other notable additions of the summer thus far? I can’t see that. With Jamie Carragher out of the picture through retirement, there was a need to bring in a veteran player who will be as much of an asset in the dressing room as he will be on the pitch. For Arsenal fans especially, there is nothing but fond memories for Toure and his time in north London. Manchester City too had a positive relationship with the player, and it’s very difficult to see any drawbacks to Liverpool bringing in a player of his experience. The fact that Toure still has a few miles left on the clock is only a bonus.
While players like Aspas and new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will play key roles next season, the importance of this summer clearly rests on Luis Suarez and the decision to either sell or retain the star forward. Liverpool have expressed their desire to keep hold of the player, while Real Madrid have been quoted fees that will force them to rethink their approach for the Uruguayan.
It further adds to the club’s need to have all their figures in place ahead of the start of the season. Retaining Suarez is obviously the priority, but considering Liverpool have been in the hunt for £25 million Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the club are clearly not averse to spending heavily if need be. The quick and timely sale of Suarez will allow Liverpool to seek a replacement and have him well adjusted to life at Anfield before the season begins. Were the club to leave it late and still appear unclear about what their transfer strategy was, there would be justified criticism for the club’s lack of forward thinking.
Liverpool are clearly taking no chances with their transfer business, and that should be applauded. Even if Suarez is replaced this summer, the surrounding signings away from the Uruguayan’s saga will stand the club in good stead ahead of next season. Importantly, all the names who have been brought in thus far have a clear purpose in the squad, with Brendan Rodgers doing all he can to acquire players who are able to execute his preferred playing style next season.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Have Liverpool done well to wrap up their transfer deals this early in the summer?
Until Saturday, Liverpool’s season was going swimmingly. A strong start had garnered 10 points from a possible 12 with a victory over rivals Manchester United the pick of the bunch. This included three clean sheets and a great start to the season for Daniel Sturridge in front of goal. All of this is made even more impressive by the fact that star player Luis Suarez was still serving his suspension for biting Branislav Ivanovic last season.
With Suarez about to return, Liverpool are looking in a good place despite their surprisingly poor performance at home to Southampton in a match where Brendan Rodger’s footballing style of playing the ball out of from the back looked weak to say the least. Great pressure from Southampton forced Liverpool’s back line and goalkeeper into mistakes as they persisted with a risky approach rather than adding a bit of wisdom to their game and knowing when to hoof the ball into row Z. Nevertheless, the tenure of Rodgers needed time and if the first 4 games are anything to go by then Liverpool can have a successful season.
Crucial to Liverpool, like many clubs is stability. Rodgers has been given time to build a squad capable of making a successful run in the Premier League. The last four seasons, in relative terms have not been great for Liverpool by their standards. The last four seasons have mustered 7th, 6th, 8th and 7th position finishes respectively. Yet, the Liverpool hierarchy are displaying great wisdom in keeping with the philosophy of Rodgers despite setbacks like Saturday being a surprise rather than a shock with regards to Liverpool these days. In a way, this shows just how far Liverpool have fallen from the glory days of the 1980s. With Liverpool’s last title win coming in 1990, despite the figures from their finishes in the Premier League indicating that Liverpool are further away from them glory days than at any time in the last 20 years, there is a realisation that Rodgers needs to be kept with to have a chance of that success again.
This season, the Northern Irishman has added to the ranks of Liverpool in a style indicative of wisdom. The addition of Ivory Coast man Kolo Toure brings a wealth of experience to the club and his performances so far have displayed a player that is in the peak of his career rather than on the decline like many pundits assumed. He could have easily headed off to pastures new and relax for the last few years of his career but clearly Rodgers has convinced him to contribute to Liverpool’s cause. For Liverpool to have a successful season, experience at the back is vital.
Perhaps the most successful aspect of Liverpool’s season thus far has been the creativity of players like Phillipe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge in fashioning chance after chance. The quick, incisive play and threaded balls through in behind the defence mean that Liverpool getting on the score sheet looks inevitable in the matches when the duo clicks. However, their freedom of expression would not be as clear without the work of the still effective Steven Gerrard in a role reminiscent of a quarterback in American Football. Gerrard truly is one of the Premier League and Liverpool all time greats, and as with many of the greats as they reach the twilight of their career has successfully adapted his game to suit his attributes most. His role in the team is strikingly similar to that of Xabi Alonso in his last spell at the club- a partnership which involved Gerrard fulfilling the attacking role than the current era of tricky little players like Coutinho now play in the team.
Any move for Liverpool to bring Alonso back to the club would be a step backwards. Not only is he past his best, he is a man that will always be remembered as a player of the Benitez era of grinding out games rather than Rodgers’ passing style. Furthermore, players like Joe Allen who were brought in specifically to spread this philosophy to Liverpool’s players from that era would see their role in the team negated. Psychologically, it would not be a good signal to send to Liverpool’s youngsters. Bringing back Alonso would purely be for the sake of it, and Rodgers is surely too wise a manager to do this.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.