Liverpool edged Swansea in a seven goal thriller today to keep the Reds in the title race being just four points behind the leaders Chelsea. Despite Liverpool's amazing form recently, especially when at Anfield, there are plenty of questions being asked of the porous defense. The Reds have conceded five goals in the past two matches against lesser opposition and it has been their amazing goal scorers that have saved them. It is not only the past two matches that their defense has been poor, it has been happening all season long and so I believe that Liverpool must clear out the old guard and start anew in the summer with new defenders. I do not say this lightly because of the great work many of these defenders have done in the past, but this is a team on the rise and so improvements must be made and better players replacing under-performing ones. Below I go over which players need to go and which ones should replace them in order to keep Liverpool on the up for next season.
Who needs to go?
Aly Cissokho
When the summer comes Cissokho will have finished his year long loan at Liverpool. The Reds have the option to make his move permanent, I believe that the fee would be in the region of 3-4 million pounds to prize him away from his home club, Valencia. Due to the long term injury to first choice left back Jose Enrique, Aly has gotten a good run in the starting lineup recently and has done a lot better than his first showings towards the beginning of the season. Despite his improved form I believe he does not have what it takes to make it at Liverpool unfortunately. Left back has been perhaps the weakest position of Liverpool's for many years and now that Champions League should be returning next season we should be able to attract better defenders than Cissokho.
Daniel Agger
I have been a fan of Agger's for many years now but I believe that his time is finally up at Anfield. Agger has endured many injuries while at Liverpool and missed a lot of matches, including this season, because of them. He is a great passer of the ball but it now seems as though Mamadou Sakho will be the first choice left-footed center back in the future. Daniel is the vice-captain this season but has been out of the side too often, and been inconsistent when he has been in the side. After Swansea scored their tying third goal it was Agger that came off for Toure, and it is very rare to substitute a center back which I think demonstrates Rodgers' unhappiness with him. Agger has been linked with many clubs in the past few years including Barcelona and Napoli so there will suitors for him in the summer I'm sure. Selling Agger should give Liverpool sufficient funds to purchase a replacement.
Martin Skrtel
The Slovakian came very close to moving away from Anfield in the summer with Napoli being heavily linked. Skrtel recently admitted his frustration last season and how close he came to leaving. Like Agger, Skrtel has been a very strong and loyal servant of Liverpool for many years and was even the player of the season in 2011-12. He's improved from last season and has been the most constant starter this season but he has had perhaps even more blunders than Toure has, for example him deflecting Bony's header into the goal and bringing him down later to award them a pk. Skrtel also has many admirers around Europe and so should be able to bring in a hefty fee to go towards a new signing to help improve the center back position.
Sebastian Coates
I don't need to do a whole lot of writing to convince Liverpool fans that the 23 year old Uruguayan should be traded. He never really adapted to the English game and lacked the necessary speed to succeed. The long term injury he got last season has left him unable to play for the entirety of this season and it would be in everyone's best interest if he moved on, especially with Tiago Ilori here now for the future.
Glen Johnson
This is probably the most controversial of my picks of players to leave this summer. Johnson has been one the strongest performers since his signing but I don't think he is what Liverpool needs under Rodgers' system of play. He is great at going forward on the attack but is slow to come back when the ball is lost and I believe he is to blame for Swansea's first goal by not staying close enough to Bony, which seems to happen much to often. Liverpool has a plethora of young right backs including Kelly, Flanagan, Wisdom and McLaughlin who could use with some more playing time. Johnson is just coming back from another injury and it seems as though the injuries are coming all to often for the 29 year old. He has many who would love to have him and will also command a large fee.
Who will replace them?
As you can see, I wish that almost all of the old guard to be shipped away in the summer and so there needs to be many recruits of the highest quality to improve the starting 11. I will only list players that have been linked with a move to Liverpool recently.
Angelo Ogbonna
The 25 year old was linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer but instead moved to Juventus. Ever since the Italian center back's move he has struggled to establish himself in the starting 11, only having 10 appearance in Serie A so far. Now reports are resurfacing that Liverpool will return for Ogbonna in the summer. It might be a bit of a long shot seeing as he plays for the Italian champions and might be reluctant to leave Italy only one year since his move but I think he would be a good partner to Sakho. He is a good overall center back, the only weakness I've observed is his speed but that can be overlooked a bit in his position. He would cost around 10-12 million pounds but I think it would be worth it.
Bacary Sagna
The 31 year old's contract with Arsenal expires in the summer and seems to be looking for a move away. Liverpool and Inter are the clubs most strongly linked with a move for the right back. Last summer's free signing of Kolo Toure demonstrated Rodgers' willingness to bring in experienced and older Premier League players if he can get them on the cheap. Sagna has been a starter for Arsenal for years now and is just the kind of defender Rodger likes, able to get forward and a great passer of the ball. It is being reported that Liverpool are offering Sagna an offer to him that he can't refuse and I hope that they do. As I said before, Liverpool have many up and coming right backs but none are quite ready to start week in, week out. He would be great to cover right back until one of these youngsters emerges as the front-runner for the role and the best part is that he come free.
Ashley Cole
The 33 year old Englishman's situation is much like Sagna's but with Chelsea. Mourinho has given the starting left back spot to Cesar Azpilicueta instead this season and his contract expires in the summer as well. It is rumored that Rodgers will offer him a better contract than Chelsea will and so might be playing for Liverpool next season. He would be a welcome addition to provide experience and cover for first chance left back Enrique and also help mentor young Jack Robinson for the future.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Looking forward to the summer transfer window
Liverpool just played the best game they have done in years by beating Arsenal 5-1 at home. Everyone was fantastic, A+s for everyone! Liverpool are now only 6 points away from the leaders, Chelsea and are looking like they will be featuring in next season's Champions League. There is still work to be done, lots of it. It seems as though Liverpool can only play like this for the big matches like Tottenham, Everton and Arsenal but still struggle against teams like Hull, West Brom and Southampton. Liverpool still need to strengthen the starting lineup if they want to progress. Here I will go over what I would like to see happen in the summer transfer window to help Liverpool continue to progress.
Transfers out:
The majority of the squad is performing very well but there is still some that are dragging us down. The squad is already pretty thin as it is but some players need to be replaced.
Iago Aspas
He leans where he wants to. But he doesn't play as well as he leans unfortunately. My diagnosis is that Aspas had a very lucky season with Celta Vigo and made a jump too early to the Premier League. Liverpool should have given him another year before deciding if he should be signed. He just looks lost out there. He can occasionally score a good goal but they aren't frequent enough and he is a small guy who gets injured easily. I say sell him back to La Premiera for about half of what we bought him for.
Pepe Reina
Liverpool obviously wanted to sell the Spaniard last summer but were only able to seal a loan deal to Napoli. The rumors are that Barcelona want him to replace Victor Valdez next season but that could just be speculation. Mignolet has had his bad moments this season but overall he has been great, an improvement to Reina. Having him around to play second fiddle to Mignolet is just not going to happen, so yeah he's gotta go.
Aly Cissokho and Victor Moses
Both players are here on loan until the end of the season and if Liverpool wanted they could sign both of them to permanent deals but I don't think they should. Cissokho started his Anfield career very poorly but has done better recently as the replacement for Jose Enrique who is injured for the long term. He still is not good enough to help Liverpool progress as a team and I think young Jack Robinson would be better than he is.
Moses never should have been signed in the first place and I feel he was Plan J for last summer's transfers for attackers. He has had glimpses of good play but for the most part he has been a train wreck. He looks lazy and disinterested on the pitch and then complains about how he wants a chance to prove himself with more game time.
Oussama Assaidi
The 25 year old has been spending the season on loan to Stoke City and has done pretty well. I don't think Rodgers ever wanted the Morrocan international and only sent him on loan because he doesn't want to play him and wants to increase his market price for when they sell him in the summer.
Sebastian Coates
The 23 year old Uruguay international has had a horrid time at Anfield, mainly due to a horrible injury which has ruled him out for this season. It seems harsh to sell him after he has suffered so much here but I think its time for him to leave, probably back to Uruguay.
Returning loanees and players to loan out next season:
Fabio Borini
The 22 year old Italian was signed at the beginning of the 2012/13 season but suffered an injury ravaged season and so he was sent to Sunderland on loan for the season. He has probably performed the best out of all of Liverpool's loanees this season and should be kept around as cover in the forward areas next season.
Suso
The 20 year old Spaniard had a breakout season last year and has improved even more while on loan to Almeria for this season. He has played a lot and had a lot of assists and a goal here and there. I would love to see him play second fiddle to Coutinho in the attacking midfielder position. I don't think he needs another season out on loan and is ready to get back into Liverpool's team.
Andre Wisdom
This is a hard one to call. Wisdom has played just about every minute for Derby County this season while on loan, helping them achieve a playoff spot in the Championship. Before he went out on loan he was Liverpool's back up right back behind Glen Johnson but now Jon Flanagan has taken that position. Many see Wisdom playing as a center back in the future but I don't see that happening anytime soon with all of the quality center backs at our disposal. Wisdom is still only 20 years old and so I think that another year out on loan will do him good as well have too many right backs as it is.
Ryan McLaughlin
The young Northern Irishman is playing on loan at Barnsley currently. The right back is 19 years old and is seen as one of the most promising prospects of Liverpool's youth academy. He still has a way to go and I don't think he will be able to overthrow the other right backs for playing time for the first team. Loan him out another year.
Jack Robinson
Robinson is about the only young left back coming through the ranks that could play for the first team. He still the last half of last year's season on loan to Wolverhampton and this season was spent with Blackpool where he has played almost nonstop. He is only 20 years old and I expect him to be a starter for Liverpool in the future. He has done pretty well, though not fantastically and has had some problems with acquiring yellow cards. After spending a year and a half in the Championship I believe he is ready to play in the EPL but not for Liverpool, so I say loan him to a promotion side like Leicester.
Conor Coady
The 20 year old defensive center mid has spent most of this season on loan to League 1 side Sheffield United. He's been playing in most of their matches so far but hasn't impressed that well. He will probably be a good player later but I think he needs another loan, this time to a Championship team next season.
Jon Flanagan
Flanagan has proven a lot of people wrong about his abilities recently and did great in the win over Arsenal. He is 21 years old and many say he will be the next Carragher but I think he needs at least one year out on loan. Personally I think Martin Kelly is better and smarter than him so he should play second fiddle to Johnson.
Luis Alberto
The 21 year old Spaniard has had a minor role this season playing as back up to Coutinho, and has done alright, not great though. His pace isn't quite up to standards for a top four side and so I think a loan would be good for him. Suso would be a better option than Alberto currently but that could change after Alberto spend a year out on loan.
Transfers In:
Because of Liverpool's great form and standing in the table I'm going to assume that they will be playing in the Champions League next season. They will need some quality players to help have enough players to cover the extra games that Champions League brings. And because Liverpool will be in the CL they will be able to attract better and better players to Anfield and thus putting behind fiascos like Mkhitaryan and Willian behind us. Here are the players I believe Liverpool should sign in the summer.
Yevhen Konoplyanka
Liverpool tried desperately to sign the 24 year old in the closing hours of the January transfer window but failed as they couldn't get the price figured out. His club, Dnipro, has stated that they are 1000% sure that he will sign for Liverpool in the summer. He will be signed for around 15 million pounds and bring experience and pace to the wing, taking Moses place as a potential starter.
Thomas Ince
Ince is currently on loan at Crystal Palace after being offered options at quite a few EPL sides, Liverpool included. His father and former Red, Paul Ince, stated that he considered a move back to Liverpool but that he is not quite ready for that jump. After scoring on his debut and earning a place in the Team of the Week on ESPN I believe he will do enough to earn a permanent move to Liverpool to give Sterling some competition for a starting place.
Ashley Cole
Cole's contract at Chelsea is due to expire at the end of the season and rumor has it that he will not be offered an extension. Mourinho said that he will probably be offered a better deal somewhere else anyway. Liverpool were rumored to be monitoring his situation at Chelsea multiple times this season and will probably be offered a deal similar to Toure's. Cole is 33 years old and will probably be looking for a team that can offer him a good salary and Champions League football. I think he would be a good acquisition and give competition for the very injury prone Jose Enrique and the best part is he wouldn't cost anything!
A center midfielder-probably a defensive one
I really don't know who Liverpool should sign for this position. Rodgers has been deploying Gerrard as a defensive center mid to replace the injured Lucas and at first struggled but has done pretty well more recently. I think that a defensive mid should be signed which would push Gerrard a little more forward than he is currently. The best choice by far would be Porto midfielder Fernando Reges, aka the "Octopus" because of his long tackling legs. Yann M'Vila would also be a great player to have though his behavior and attitude problems would be a stumbling block for him. If a more attacking midfielder is wanted by Rodgers than Rakitic would be perfect.
Replacement for Brad Jones
The back up keeper position needs a stronger replacement than the aging Australian. He probably should be younger but it doesn't matter too much.
Transfers out:
The majority of the squad is performing very well but there is still some that are dragging us down. The squad is already pretty thin as it is but some players need to be replaced.
Iago Aspas
He leans where he wants to. But he doesn't play as well as he leans unfortunately. My diagnosis is that Aspas had a very lucky season with Celta Vigo and made a jump too early to the Premier League. Liverpool should have given him another year before deciding if he should be signed. He just looks lost out there. He can occasionally score a good goal but they aren't frequent enough and he is a small guy who gets injured easily. I say sell him back to La Premiera for about half of what we bought him for.
Pepe Reina
Liverpool obviously wanted to sell the Spaniard last summer but were only able to seal a loan deal to Napoli. The rumors are that Barcelona want him to replace Victor Valdez next season but that could just be speculation. Mignolet has had his bad moments this season but overall he has been great, an improvement to Reina. Having him around to play second fiddle to Mignolet is just not going to happen, so yeah he's gotta go.
Aly Cissokho and Victor Moses
Both players are here on loan until the end of the season and if Liverpool wanted they could sign both of them to permanent deals but I don't think they should. Cissokho started his Anfield career very poorly but has done better recently as the replacement for Jose Enrique who is injured for the long term. He still is not good enough to help Liverpool progress as a team and I think young Jack Robinson would be better than he is.
Moses never should have been signed in the first place and I feel he was Plan J for last summer's transfers for attackers. He has had glimpses of good play but for the most part he has been a train wreck. He looks lazy and disinterested on the pitch and then complains about how he wants a chance to prove himself with more game time.
Oussama Assaidi
The 25 year old has been spending the season on loan to Stoke City and has done pretty well. I don't think Rodgers ever wanted the Morrocan international and only sent him on loan because he doesn't want to play him and wants to increase his market price for when they sell him in the summer.
Sebastian Coates
The 23 year old Uruguay international has had a horrid time at Anfield, mainly due to a horrible injury which has ruled him out for this season. It seems harsh to sell him after he has suffered so much here but I think its time for him to leave, probably back to Uruguay.
Returning loanees and players to loan out next season:
Fabio Borini
The 22 year old Italian was signed at the beginning of the 2012/13 season but suffered an injury ravaged season and so he was sent to Sunderland on loan for the season. He has probably performed the best out of all of Liverpool's loanees this season and should be kept around as cover in the forward areas next season.
Suso
The 20 year old Spaniard had a breakout season last year and has improved even more while on loan to Almeria for this season. He has played a lot and had a lot of assists and a goal here and there. I would love to see him play second fiddle to Coutinho in the attacking midfielder position. I don't think he needs another season out on loan and is ready to get back into Liverpool's team.
Andre Wisdom
This is a hard one to call. Wisdom has played just about every minute for Derby County this season while on loan, helping them achieve a playoff spot in the Championship. Before he went out on loan he was Liverpool's back up right back behind Glen Johnson but now Jon Flanagan has taken that position. Many see Wisdom playing as a center back in the future but I don't see that happening anytime soon with all of the quality center backs at our disposal. Wisdom is still only 20 years old and so I think that another year out on loan will do him good as well have too many right backs as it is.
Ryan McLaughlin
The young Northern Irishman is playing on loan at Barnsley currently. The right back is 19 years old and is seen as one of the most promising prospects of Liverpool's youth academy. He still has a way to go and I don't think he will be able to overthrow the other right backs for playing time for the first team. Loan him out another year.
Jack Robinson
Robinson is about the only young left back coming through the ranks that could play for the first team. He still the last half of last year's season on loan to Wolverhampton and this season was spent with Blackpool where he has played almost nonstop. He is only 20 years old and I expect him to be a starter for Liverpool in the future. He has done pretty well, though not fantastically and has had some problems with acquiring yellow cards. After spending a year and a half in the Championship I believe he is ready to play in the EPL but not for Liverpool, so I say loan him to a promotion side like Leicester.
Conor Coady
The 20 year old defensive center mid has spent most of this season on loan to League 1 side Sheffield United. He's been playing in most of their matches so far but hasn't impressed that well. He will probably be a good player later but I think he needs another loan, this time to a Championship team next season.
Jon Flanagan
Flanagan has proven a lot of people wrong about his abilities recently and did great in the win over Arsenal. He is 21 years old and many say he will be the next Carragher but I think he needs at least one year out on loan. Personally I think Martin Kelly is better and smarter than him so he should play second fiddle to Johnson.
Luis Alberto
The 21 year old Spaniard has had a minor role this season playing as back up to Coutinho, and has done alright, not great though. His pace isn't quite up to standards for a top four side and so I think a loan would be good for him. Suso would be a better option than Alberto currently but that could change after Alberto spend a year out on loan.
Transfers In:
Because of Liverpool's great form and standing in the table I'm going to assume that they will be playing in the Champions League next season. They will need some quality players to help have enough players to cover the extra games that Champions League brings. And because Liverpool will be in the CL they will be able to attract better and better players to Anfield and thus putting behind fiascos like Mkhitaryan and Willian behind us. Here are the players I believe Liverpool should sign in the summer.
Yevhen Konoplyanka
Liverpool tried desperately to sign the 24 year old in the closing hours of the January transfer window but failed as they couldn't get the price figured out. His club, Dnipro, has stated that they are 1000% sure that he will sign for Liverpool in the summer. He will be signed for around 15 million pounds and bring experience and pace to the wing, taking Moses place as a potential starter.
Thomas Ince
Ince is currently on loan at Crystal Palace after being offered options at quite a few EPL sides, Liverpool included. His father and former Red, Paul Ince, stated that he considered a move back to Liverpool but that he is not quite ready for that jump. After scoring on his debut and earning a place in the Team of the Week on ESPN I believe he will do enough to earn a permanent move to Liverpool to give Sterling some competition for a starting place.
Ashley Cole
Cole's contract at Chelsea is due to expire at the end of the season and rumor has it that he will not be offered an extension. Mourinho said that he will probably be offered a better deal somewhere else anyway. Liverpool were rumored to be monitoring his situation at Chelsea multiple times this season and will probably be offered a deal similar to Toure's. Cole is 33 years old and will probably be looking for a team that can offer him a good salary and Champions League football. I think he would be a good acquisition and give competition for the very injury prone Jose Enrique and the best part is he wouldn't cost anything!
A center midfielder-probably a defensive one
I really don't know who Liverpool should sign for this position. Rodgers has been deploying Gerrard as a defensive center mid to replace the injured Lucas and at first struggled but has done pretty well more recently. I think that a defensive mid should be signed which would push Gerrard a little more forward than he is currently. The best choice by far would be Porto midfielder Fernando Reges, aka the "Octopus" because of his long tackling legs. Yann M'Vila would also be a great player to have though his behavior and attitude problems would be a stumbling block for him. If a more attacking midfielder is wanted by Rodgers than Rakitic would be perfect.
Replacement for Brad Jones
The back up keeper position needs a stronger replacement than the aging Australian. He probably should be younger but it doesn't matter too much.
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