It appears that the rumors of Benteke becoming Liverpool's number one transfer target have passed, or at least put on hold for the time being. In the last week new rumors have emerged of Liverpool striker transfers. It appears as if Danny Ings is becoming closer to a move to Liverpool now that Burnley have been relegated.
The other most interesting rumor concerns Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with a move to Anfield. This is a post to assess if Aubameyang would be a good signing for Liverpool, and if it is a plausible deal. The 25, soon 26 year old Gabonese striker has enjoyed a pretty successful second campaign in Germany, scoring 22 goals in all competitions. He has scored more than all of Liverpool's strikers combined this season and so would definitely bring much needed goals to the team.
Aubameyang is most known for his speed which is considerable. Speed and high pressing is a must for playing in Rodgers' system and Aubameyang certainly can fulfill those requirements. He is deadly on the break with great vision and finishing which is something Liverpool have lacked in a striker this season. In watching him he shows similar style to how Suarez plays, with creativity, speed and improvisation.
I have read reports saying that Aubameyang is a Klopp kind of player...which means if Klopp ends up becoming Liverpool's new manager then this deal becomes much more likely to happen. The fact that Aubameyang is being linked with Liverpool might be implying that Liverpool are trying to bring Dortmund players in because they are going to bring Klopp in too. This is unlikely and to be honest a deal for Aubemeyang seems far off, but still possible.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
Summer Transfer Calendar
The season hasn't even ended and Reds fans have already suffered transfer heartache once again. Rodgers may deny that they were never interested in signing Depay, but the evidence is clear that he is just trying to save face. Liverpool fans are not buying it and so the owners will look to bring good news soon or else face further wrath from the fans. This will be another important summer for Liverpool, though to be honest I feel that only minor adjustments are needed this time around because I expect last summer's signings to perform better next time around after a season of getting used to their new club. Rodgers has stated that last summer it was about quantity, increasing the squad depth but that this time they will look for more quality and said they are looking for marquee signings. Here are my predictions for how Liverpool's summer will unfold.
Norberto Neto
I think that a back up goalkeeper will be the first signing of the season, though it probably won't be announced until mid to late May as negotiations with Fiorentina and other potential clubs will be ongoing as his contract winds down. He will probably be told that the starting lineup is his to claim, though in reality I don't see him overtaking Mignolet after his impressive form this year. Still a good piece of business as we clearly need to upgrade our back up goalkeeper from Brad Jones, who will probably leave this summer with Neto's arrival.
Asier Illaramendi
Liverpool will be losing Steven Gerrard this summer when his contract expires and joins LA Galaxy. Liverpool probably don't need to sign a replacement center midfielder as Emre Can should be playing there next season, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to sign another. Illaramendi hasn't ever really settled at Real Madrid since his move in 2013 and recently has been phased out even more as Sergio Ramos is playing in the midfield now. The young Spaniard will be pricey, probably 20m, but I believe Madrid would be willing to sell, though I expect Liverpool to haggle for weeks as they usually do. I expect this one to be completed just before the team ships out for the summer tour in Australia, mid June.
Christian Benteke
Signing the Belgian beast will be the marquee signing of the summer. While many fans will be calling out for strikers like Higuain or Cavani, I think Benteke might be even more of a success at Anfield, and significantly cheaper. That said he won't be cheap and will cost around 25-30m pounds as he has been Aston Villa's savior this season and in seasons past. The problem with Benteke is that he plays quite similarly to Balotelli, who didn't fit into Liverpool's style at all. The difference is that he is very good on the counter attack on the break, which was the signature of SAS last season. Plus Benteke is a menace to defenders and wins almost every ball in the air, plus a killer poacher of goals. There will be haggling of course but I think Liverpool will will willing to fork over the big bucks to sign Benteke because they need a quality striker to replace Daniel Sturridge.
Martin Montoya
I think that the potential signing of Barcelona right back Martin Montoya will be the transfer saga that keeps rambling on all summer but won't be completed until the last few weeks. Barcelona don't use the young Spaniard but they will be hesitant to let him leave because they are under a transfer embargo so they couldn't sign a replacement until January. This one will be frustrating but Liverpool will realize that Manquillo and Flanagan are not good enough and finally shovel out enough money to sign a great up and coming right back.
I don't expect Liverpool to go crazy and sign the world's best players. Lack of funds and Champions League (and our manager/transfer committee) will also hamper our transfer ambitions. I think something similar to these signings in this sort of way will end up happening, and if it does I for one would be quite pleased. A backup goalkeeper would be a great addition, yet not a total necessity. Same goes for another center midfielder like Illaramendi but he would certainly add quality to the team. Benteke would be the marquee signing which Liverpool fans will be skeptical of but one that I think would be fantastic in the end. A new right back is probably the second most important position that Liverpool need to strengthen and Montoya would be a great addition. Like I stated earlier I don't think a complete overhaul is needed but additions like these would certainly make a difference as Liverpool look get back into the Champions League next season.
Norberto Neto
I think that a back up goalkeeper will be the first signing of the season, though it probably won't be announced until mid to late May as negotiations with Fiorentina and other potential clubs will be ongoing as his contract winds down. He will probably be told that the starting lineup is his to claim, though in reality I don't see him overtaking Mignolet after his impressive form this year. Still a good piece of business as we clearly need to upgrade our back up goalkeeper from Brad Jones, who will probably leave this summer with Neto's arrival.
Asier Illaramendi
Liverpool will be losing Steven Gerrard this summer when his contract expires and joins LA Galaxy. Liverpool probably don't need to sign a replacement center midfielder as Emre Can should be playing there next season, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to sign another. Illaramendi hasn't ever really settled at Real Madrid since his move in 2013 and recently has been phased out even more as Sergio Ramos is playing in the midfield now. The young Spaniard will be pricey, probably 20m, but I believe Madrid would be willing to sell, though I expect Liverpool to haggle for weeks as they usually do. I expect this one to be completed just before the team ships out for the summer tour in Australia, mid June.
Christian Benteke
Signing the Belgian beast will be the marquee signing of the summer. While many fans will be calling out for strikers like Higuain or Cavani, I think Benteke might be even more of a success at Anfield, and significantly cheaper. That said he won't be cheap and will cost around 25-30m pounds as he has been Aston Villa's savior this season and in seasons past. The problem with Benteke is that he plays quite similarly to Balotelli, who didn't fit into Liverpool's style at all. The difference is that he is very good on the counter attack on the break, which was the signature of SAS last season. Plus Benteke is a menace to defenders and wins almost every ball in the air, plus a killer poacher of goals. There will be haggling of course but I think Liverpool will will willing to fork over the big bucks to sign Benteke because they need a quality striker to replace Daniel Sturridge.
Martin Montoya
I think that the potential signing of Barcelona right back Martin Montoya will be the transfer saga that keeps rambling on all summer but won't be completed until the last few weeks. Barcelona don't use the young Spaniard but they will be hesitant to let him leave because they are under a transfer embargo so they couldn't sign a replacement until January. This one will be frustrating but Liverpool will realize that Manquillo and Flanagan are not good enough and finally shovel out enough money to sign a great up and coming right back.
I don't expect Liverpool to go crazy and sign the world's best players. Lack of funds and Champions League (and our manager/transfer committee) will also hamper our transfer ambitions. I think something similar to these signings in this sort of way will end up happening, and if it does I for one would be quite pleased. A backup goalkeeper would be a great addition, yet not a total necessity. Same goes for another center midfielder like Illaramendi but he would certainly add quality to the team. Benteke would be the marquee signing which Liverpool fans will be skeptical of but one that I think would be fantastic in the end. A new right back is probably the second most important position that Liverpool need to strengthen and Montoya would be a great addition. Like I stated earlier I don't think a complete overhaul is needed but additions like these would certainly make a difference as Liverpool look get back into the Champions League next season.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
This is the price Depay. How will Liverpool sign top players again?
Clint Dempsey, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Diego Costa, Mohamed Salah, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Alexis Sanchez, Victor Valdez. Liverpool have missed out on all of these players and more in the last three years. We were outbid by Spurs for Dempsey, Klopp convinced Mkhitaryan to join Dortmund instead, Costa moved to Chelsea a year after Liverpool tried to sign him, Salah chose to be a bench warmer for Chelsea, we didn't offer enough for Konoplyanka, Sanchez chose London over Liverpool and Valdez chose Man U over us.
Today it was announced that Liverpool missed out on another top target, 21 year old superstar winger, Memphis Depay to Manchester United. So what is the reason Liverpool are so bad at signing top targets? Brendan Rodgers.
Many fans will place blame on the transfer committee or more specifically chief executive Ian Ayre on our transfer woes. They might be right, but looking at the previously named players you can see that Liverpool are targeting the right players...at first. The problem is that they have failed to convince those players that Liverpool are the right club for them, and then have to settle for players like Assaidi, Markovic and Balotelli.
Liverpool, under Fenway Sports Group, have made a concentrated effort to reduce player wages the past few years. Fans may blame this stinginess with player wages as the reason for their failure to sign a higher caliber of player. I believe that this may be true to a point, but it is not the biggest reason.
Failure to be consistently competing in the Champions League has been perhaps the biggest hindrance to the transfer problem. Liverpool missed out on a fantastic opportunity last summer as Champions League and an obese transfer kitty (from the Suarez sale) were once again at Liverpool's disposal to bring in top targets, but still failed to do so. With no Champions League next season (bar an epic miracle happens) it will probably be even more difficult to attract big talents to Anfield.
So Liverpool must look at what they can change in the immediate future to buck this trend of mediocrity in the transfer market. The change that can make all the difference is the managerial seat. Players want to play for top managers, it is an obvious statement, but important to understand. Under Rafael Benitez Liverpool signed players like Torres, Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia, Reina, to name a few. Even under Dalglish, who had been out of the managerial game for years, was able to attract the likes of Carrol, Suarez and Henderson.
Now we look at Rodgers. When he was appointed Liverpool manager he had just had a surprisingly successful first season with Swansea in the Premier League. Rodgers' first signings were Borini and Allen (who he knew from his time with them at Swansea), Assaidi, and a loan move for Nuri Sahin. It is safe to say that all of those signings have not been successful for Liverpool. When Liverpool appointed Rodgers they began to implement a new transfer policy based on signing young talents with potential to grow into superstars. Rodgers hit the jackpot with the January signings of Sturridge and Coutinho but since then none of his young signings have been able to replicate such miraculous growth.
And then Liverpool entered into the era of missing out on players. I believe that it is Rodgers' reputation that is to blame for transfer failings. It is clear that many Liverpool players do not respect Rodgers.When players have the choice to play for the likes of Wenger, Klopp, Mourinho,van Gaal or Rodgers, most players will choose the formers. And so this brings us to what Liverpool can do to solve this problem, they can bring in a manager of elite status, a manager who top players want to play for.
Liverpool should be doing all they can to bring in one of the top managers in the world this summer who in recent weeks made it be known that he is seeking employment elsewhere. Jurgen Klopp will certainly have many suitors this summer, but this is one transfer that I hope Liverpool can pull off, and by doing so will be able to pull off many top transfers in the future that previously would have escaped us.
Today it was announced that Liverpool missed out on another top target, 21 year old superstar winger, Memphis Depay to Manchester United. So what is the reason Liverpool are so bad at signing top targets? Brendan Rodgers.
Many fans will place blame on the transfer committee or more specifically chief executive Ian Ayre on our transfer woes. They might be right, but looking at the previously named players you can see that Liverpool are targeting the right players...at first. The problem is that they have failed to convince those players that Liverpool are the right club for them, and then have to settle for players like Assaidi, Markovic and Balotelli.
Liverpool, under Fenway Sports Group, have made a concentrated effort to reduce player wages the past few years. Fans may blame this stinginess with player wages as the reason for their failure to sign a higher caliber of player. I believe that this may be true to a point, but it is not the biggest reason.
Failure to be consistently competing in the Champions League has been perhaps the biggest hindrance to the transfer problem. Liverpool missed out on a fantastic opportunity last summer as Champions League and an obese transfer kitty (from the Suarez sale) were once again at Liverpool's disposal to bring in top targets, but still failed to do so. With no Champions League next season (bar an epic miracle happens) it will probably be even more difficult to attract big talents to Anfield.
So Liverpool must look at what they can change in the immediate future to buck this trend of mediocrity in the transfer market. The change that can make all the difference is the managerial seat. Players want to play for top managers, it is an obvious statement, but important to understand. Under Rafael Benitez Liverpool signed players like Torres, Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia, Reina, to name a few. Even under Dalglish, who had been out of the managerial game for years, was able to attract the likes of Carrol, Suarez and Henderson.
Now we look at Rodgers. When he was appointed Liverpool manager he had just had a surprisingly successful first season with Swansea in the Premier League. Rodgers' first signings were Borini and Allen (who he knew from his time with them at Swansea), Assaidi, and a loan move for Nuri Sahin. It is safe to say that all of those signings have not been successful for Liverpool. When Liverpool appointed Rodgers they began to implement a new transfer policy based on signing young talents with potential to grow into superstars. Rodgers hit the jackpot with the January signings of Sturridge and Coutinho but since then none of his young signings have been able to replicate such miraculous growth.
And then Liverpool entered into the era of missing out on players. I believe that it is Rodgers' reputation that is to blame for transfer failings. It is clear that many Liverpool players do not respect Rodgers.When players have the choice to play for the likes of Wenger, Klopp, Mourinho,van Gaal or Rodgers, most players will choose the formers. And so this brings us to what Liverpool can do to solve this problem, they can bring in a manager of elite status, a manager who top players want to play for.
Liverpool should be doing all they can to bring in one of the top managers in the world this summer who in recent weeks made it be known that he is seeking employment elsewhere. Jurgen Klopp will certainly have many suitors this summer, but this is one transfer that I hope Liverpool can pull off, and by doing so will be able to pull off many top transfers in the future that previously would have escaped us.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
An in-between and more probable 2015/16 starting 11
Liverpool are set to undergo more changes in personnel this summer, yet I expect a similar squad for next season.
Mignolet has turned things around this year and currently holds the clean sheet record in the EPL so I would not be opposed to him carrying on next season as number one. Manquillo started the season as the starting right back but lost out to wing backs and now Johnson. He is decent but still has a way to go, yet I think he will continue to improve. Plus good right backs are a dime a dozen these days. Skrtel will probably sign a new contract before the end of the season, yay. Let's hope that Sakho can stay fit next season as he has shown he can be a very decent center back this season. Moreno had a decent yet uneven first season at Liverpool. Like Manquillo he is still very young and will continue to get better. He will become one of the best left backs in the world one day.
Emre Can has become a starting center back since the switch back to three at the back, yet seeing him make forward runs it is clear that he is more useful in the midfield. With Gerrard leaving this summer and Lucas being injured on a frequent basis I would bet that Can will start more games. Henderson will most undoubtedly become the new Liverpool captain and he deserves it. He has come a long way and has become one of Liverpool's most consistent performers. Rounding off the midfield is Coutinho, who recently made it into the EPL's Best 11 for his performances this year. His numbers aren't awesome but he has become an awesome player. He can be somewhat inconsistent and less effective against tougher opposition or when teams park the bus, which is something he can hopefully improve on next season. Plus he needs to grow out his hair to how it was when he first arrived when he looked like a proper Brazilian.
The biggest changes will most likely happen in the attacking positions. Sturridge is injured for the long haul once again and every other striker isn't good enough. There have been some big names linked with a move to Liverpool but I think they will end up signing Benteke as one of their two marquee signings. He has impressed me immensely in recent weeks and his goals to games played ratio is crazy good this season. Forget the overpriced and over hyped strikers, sign Benteke up! Sterling will have one year left on his current contract and I expect him to stay even if he doesn't sign a new one this summer, that is unless Manchester City are desperate for English blood and fork out the big bucks. If so then there are plenty of other options including Lallana, Ibe and Markovic. Last of the attacking three will hopefully be Depay from PSV. There are a lot of clubs going after the young Dutch winger but Liverpool seem to be one of the top suitors for his signature. These changes up front are sure to bring many more goals for Liverpool than this season.
Mignolet has turned things around this year and currently holds the clean sheet record in the EPL so I would not be opposed to him carrying on next season as number one. Manquillo started the season as the starting right back but lost out to wing backs and now Johnson. He is decent but still has a way to go, yet I think he will continue to improve. Plus good right backs are a dime a dozen these days. Skrtel will probably sign a new contract before the end of the season, yay. Let's hope that Sakho can stay fit next season as he has shown he can be a very decent center back this season. Moreno had a decent yet uneven first season at Liverpool. Like Manquillo he is still very young and will continue to get better. He will become one of the best left backs in the world one day.
Emre Can has become a starting center back since the switch back to three at the back, yet seeing him make forward runs it is clear that he is more useful in the midfield. With Gerrard leaving this summer and Lucas being injured on a frequent basis I would bet that Can will start more games. Henderson will most undoubtedly become the new Liverpool captain and he deserves it. He has come a long way and has become one of Liverpool's most consistent performers. Rounding off the midfield is Coutinho, who recently made it into the EPL's Best 11 for his performances this year. His numbers aren't awesome but he has become an awesome player. He can be somewhat inconsistent and less effective against tougher opposition or when teams park the bus, which is something he can hopefully improve on next season. Plus he needs to grow out his hair to how it was when he first arrived when he looked like a proper Brazilian.
The biggest changes will most likely happen in the attacking positions. Sturridge is injured for the long haul once again and every other striker isn't good enough. There have been some big names linked with a move to Liverpool but I think they will end up signing Benteke as one of their two marquee signings. He has impressed me immensely in recent weeks and his goals to games played ratio is crazy good this season. Forget the overpriced and over hyped strikers, sign Benteke up! Sterling will have one year left on his current contract and I expect him to stay even if he doesn't sign a new one this summer, that is unless Manchester City are desperate for English blood and fork out the big bucks. If so then there are plenty of other options including Lallana, Ibe and Markovic. Last of the attacking three will hopefully be Depay from PSV. There are a lot of clubs going after the young Dutch winger but Liverpool seem to be one of the top suitors for his signature. These changes up front are sure to bring many more goals for Liverpool than this season.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Please no more half measures this summer
Life as a Liverpool fan has been difficult since Suarez left us. The current squad is just not good enough for Liverpool. The reason Liverpool have gone so long without a title has been failing in the transfer window, a fact that Stan Collymore pointed out this week. In order to bring the good times back to Liverpool serious changes need to happen. Here is my dream team for 2015/16.
Goalkeeper
Cech or Lloris in. Brad Jones out.
Goalkeeper is not an area that needs massive improvement as Mignolet has done a bang up job since being dropped in December, but we can always do better. Cech and Lloris are definitely upgrades on Mignolet and so I would be happy to see either play for Liverpool.
Right back
Daryl Janmaat or Serge Aurier in. Johnson out, Manquillo out, Flanagan loaned out.
Earlier today I saw Glen Johnson play right wing back for us once again and it was painful to watch. Manquillo is an okay player but offers little to nothing going forward, which doesn't suit this 3-4-3 system we are currently playing. Flangan is still recovering from a season long injury and plays similarly to Manquillo. Obviously serious changes are needed at right back and so the transfer committee needs to make it a priority. They solved the left back problem with Moreno and need a similar kind of player on the right. To be honest decent right backs are hard to come by these days. Nathaniel Clyne would be the perfect match but it appears as though he already has all but signed for Manchester United. Daryl Janmaat impressed playing for Holland in the World Cup and has been one of the bright spots of Newcastles torrid season. He is able to also play center back, which makes him perfect for our current system. He is still decent going forward as a right back, as he did so in the World Cup. Prying him away from Newcastle could be difficult though. Serge Aurier was linked with many Premier League teams last summer before he sealed a season long loan move to PSG. He hasn't been first choice this season and so I expect that he will have many suitors. He is more of a true right back with pace and decent attacking threat.
Center Backs
Papadopoulos in, Toure and Coates out
Despite all of the stick that our center backs, especially Lovren, get I don't think that we need to make serious changes in this position. Skrtel has been great and Sakho has shown how good he can be as well. Since Liverpool shoved out such an enormous fee for Lovren I think they should give him one more season to prove himself. If Rodgers insists with the 3 center backs then he needs to get someone to take Can's spot. Can has done well but it is clearly not his best position and Janmaat or Schalke's Kyriakos Papadopoulos would be good replacements. Good center backs are also hard to come by which makes improving in the position hard for Liverpool at the moment. Papadopoulos made a loan move to Bayern Leverkusen this season and hasn't played a ton but lately he is getting more game time. He isn't the fastest but his physical presence is massive and would be very helpful to Liverpool's back line. If Liverpool don't bring another center back it wouldn't be the end of the world.
Left Back
Stay the same
I don't see any reason to change things around at left back. Moreno has had some shaky moments but he is still extremely young and he has shown us how good he can be this season. Behind him in the pecking order is the social media freak Jose Enrique, who is a good back up.
Center midfielder
Nainggolan in. Gerrard out.
Everyone knows that Gerrard is leaving at the end of the season and everyone knows that Liverpool need to bring in a new midfielder to help in midfield. We don't need to sign another Gerrard, what we need is a solid midfielder who can allow the likes of Henderson, Coutinho and Allen to do their thing. A new midfielder isn't as important as other positions but I do believe that getting a quality midfielder in will do wonders. We don't need a midfielder like Coutinho, Lallana or Markovic but a player who can tackle and cover. Nadja Nainggolan of Roma can certainly do that so I would like to see Liverpool sign him.
Attacking midfield/winger
Depay and Milner in. Markovic out.
Liverpool signed both Markovic and Lallana last summer but neither has made serious contributions. Sterling has done well but because of it his head has grown too big and might look to move elsewhere. Liverpool needs to do all they can to convince Sterling to stay. That said I believe it wouldn't hurt to improve in the winger position and in doing so provide a back up if Sterling leaves. Memphis Depay is another Dutch player that shone on the main stage of the World Cup and has continued to improve in club play with PSV, who just won their first title in 8 years. This kid is seriously good, and only 21 years old. He will be one of the most coveted players of this coming transfer window so if Liverpool can sign him it would be a major coup. Manchester United are said to already be in negotiations, as has Liverpool, but I am hoping that we sign him. If we do sign him then someone will have to make way and I believe that would be either Markovic or Ibe, and I like Ibe. It also appears that Liverpool have already negotiated a deal for out of contract player James Milner who will be leaving Man City in the summer. He would bring precious winning experience and versatility that would be invaluable to our team. His main position is winger but I could see him excelling in a wingback role as well, or even in center midfield.
Striker
Cavani or Jovetic or Higuain or Lacazette, and Ings in. Balotelli, Borini and maybe Lambert out.
Liverpool need a new striker. Suarez was not adequately replaced and as a result Liverpool have only scored 47 goals in 34 games, while last season we had scored 94 in as many games. Balotelli was a risk but most of us knew it would fail. Liverpool need to go big this summer or they will endure another goal shy campaign as Sturridge is out half the time with broken nails or paper cuts. Edinson Cavani is my choice for striker, but it is quite a long shot as PSG bought him for 50m and are in no need for cash. Gonzalo Higuain is next on my list and is a more realistic target for Liverpool. Higuain has done good at his time at Napoli over the past 2 years, but not brilliant. I believe he would do very well at Liverpool, he has the same style as Suarez which would possibly help his teammates sync together like they did last season. Higuain wouldn't be cheap either but I think 30m would do the trick. The most realistic of the three is Stevan Jovetic, but even he is a bit of a long shot because I am sure Manchester City will not want to sell to a rival, especially if Milner ends up signing for us. Jovetic is quite similar to Higuain but injuries and stiff competition have kept Jovetic from getting enough playing time to truly prove himself, though he certainly has shown us glimpses of his talent. I would be happy with any of these three strikers. Last of the superstars would be Lacazette of Lyon. The Frenchman has been linked with all the top European sides this season as he has been scoring for fun. He has pace and a special eye for goal and is also able to play in any advanced position. Competition for him will be fierce but I would be very happy if Liverpool signed him. Now on to Danny Ings, who will undoubtedly look to move in order to have another season of the Premier League after Burnley look like being relegated. Ings has shone despite Burnley's troubles and Liverpool are long time admirers of the young English player. He is also out of contract in the summer so he is free, so a move totally makes sense. I believe that every striker besides Sturridge should leave this summer. Balotelli has been trying hard lately but just isn't what Liverpool needs. Liverpool have been trying to get rid of Borini almost as soon as they signed him 3 years ago and I expect him to leave in the summer as he got almost no playing time this season. Lambert is a tough one. His transfer was an emotional one as he was a boyhood supporter of Liverpool finally playing for the team he loves. His style isn't really suited for Liverpool but he offers a Plan B and has no shortage of passion. If Liverpool get a good offer I say sell but I wouldn't mind if he stayed for another season, especially if we qualify for Europa League.
Here is what my dream team would look like for the 2015/16 season.
Here is what will most likely happen.
Depay and Milner in. Markovic out.
Liverpool signed both Markovic and Lallana last summer but neither has made serious contributions. Sterling has done well but because of it his head has grown too big and might look to move elsewhere. Liverpool needs to do all they can to convince Sterling to stay. That said I believe it wouldn't hurt to improve in the winger position and in doing so provide a back up if Sterling leaves. Memphis Depay is another Dutch player that shone on the main stage of the World Cup and has continued to improve in club play with PSV, who just won their first title in 8 years. This kid is seriously good, and only 21 years old. He will be one of the most coveted players of this coming transfer window so if Liverpool can sign him it would be a major coup. Manchester United are said to already be in negotiations, as has Liverpool, but I am hoping that we sign him. If we do sign him then someone will have to make way and I believe that would be either Markovic or Ibe, and I like Ibe. It also appears that Liverpool have already negotiated a deal for out of contract player James Milner who will be leaving Man City in the summer. He would bring precious winning experience and versatility that would be invaluable to our team. His main position is winger but I could see him excelling in a wingback role as well, or even in center midfield.
Striker
Cavani or Jovetic or Higuain or Lacazette, and Ings in. Balotelli, Borini and maybe Lambert out.
Liverpool need a new striker. Suarez was not adequately replaced and as a result Liverpool have only scored 47 goals in 34 games, while last season we had scored 94 in as many games. Balotelli was a risk but most of us knew it would fail. Liverpool need to go big this summer or they will endure another goal shy campaign as Sturridge is out half the time with broken nails or paper cuts. Edinson Cavani is my choice for striker, but it is quite a long shot as PSG bought him for 50m and are in no need for cash. Gonzalo Higuain is next on my list and is a more realistic target for Liverpool. Higuain has done good at his time at Napoli over the past 2 years, but not brilliant. I believe he would do very well at Liverpool, he has the same style as Suarez which would possibly help his teammates sync together like they did last season. Higuain wouldn't be cheap either but I think 30m would do the trick. The most realistic of the three is Stevan Jovetic, but even he is a bit of a long shot because I am sure Manchester City will not want to sell to a rival, especially if Milner ends up signing for us. Jovetic is quite similar to Higuain but injuries and stiff competition have kept Jovetic from getting enough playing time to truly prove himself, though he certainly has shown us glimpses of his talent. I would be happy with any of these three strikers. Last of the superstars would be Lacazette of Lyon. The Frenchman has been linked with all the top European sides this season as he has been scoring for fun. He has pace and a special eye for goal and is also able to play in any advanced position. Competition for him will be fierce but I would be very happy if Liverpool signed him. Now on to Danny Ings, who will undoubtedly look to move in order to have another season of the Premier League after Burnley look like being relegated. Ings has shone despite Burnley's troubles and Liverpool are long time admirers of the young English player. He is also out of contract in the summer so he is free, so a move totally makes sense. I believe that every striker besides Sturridge should leave this summer. Balotelli has been trying hard lately but just isn't what Liverpool needs. Liverpool have been trying to get rid of Borini almost as soon as they signed him 3 years ago and I expect him to leave in the summer as he got almost no playing time this season. Lambert is a tough one. His transfer was an emotional one as he was a boyhood supporter of Liverpool finally playing for the team he loves. His style isn't really suited for Liverpool but he offers a Plan B and has no shortage of passion. If Liverpool get a good offer I say sell but I wouldn't mind if he stayed for another season, especially if we qualify for Europa League.
Here is what my dream team would look like for the 2015/16 season.
Here is what will most likely happen.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Will will be Liverpool's attacking reinforcements?
In a recent press conference Brendan Rodgers admitted that the difference from last season to the current season has been the number of goals. Suarez left and Sturridge was nursing his injuries 90% of the season. Liverpool took a chance with the signing of Balotelli but it just didn't work out. Lambert has done okay when called upon but he is not quick enough to suit Liverpool's high pressing game. Don't get me started on Borini. Rodgers even called on contract rebel Raheem Sterling at times to play as center forward, a role which he performed admirably, yet it is clear that he is not the long term solution for that position.
In the conference Rodgers admitted that they will look at a large number of players during the summer to help them in attack. There have already been countless strikers linked recently with a move to Liverpool, so let us take a look to see if they would be a good fit.
Memphis Depay
Obviously the young Dutchman is not a striker, but he is an attacking player for sure. I previously wrote about how Depay would fit in at Liverpool as we already have so many young wingers/attacking midfielders. While he would be coming in to stiff competition for a place in the starting lineup I now believe that he would be an upgrade to the current squad. He is an extremely creative and exciting player, I would describe him as a mix between Hazard and Coutinho, though he still has work to do of course. He has scored over 20 goals for PSV this year, helping them win the Eredivise. He can score goals and he knows how to win at only 21 years old. Sign him up.
Possibility: 6/10
Stevan Jovetic
Recent reports are linking Liverpool with moves for two of Manchester City's players. We have already known of Liverpool's interest in bringing in James Milner when his contract expires this summer, but now Jovetic is supposedly interesting Liverpool too. The 25 year old Monteneran has endured an injury ridden 2 years at City yet has shown glimpses of his talent during this time. City will undoubtedly look to offload at least one striker this summer as they currently have Aguero, Bony, Dzeko, Jovetic, and Negredo (currently on loan at Valencia), and it might be Jovetic if they receive a good offer. Jovetic hasn't scored hundreds of goals but he is still young and all he needs is an injury free season to get his career back on track. I find his style of play to be similar to Suarez's with much improvisation and invention. It is a bit unlikely but I would welcome Jovetic to Anfield.
Possibility: 4/10
Christian Benteke
The 24 year old Belgian was an instant hit in the Premier League with Aston Villa but suffered a second season slump which continued into this season. Injuries have kept his goal numbers down but in recent months Benteke has again shown his class as he is almost single handedly dragging Villa out of the relegation zone. He has scored against Liverpool for fun as our defenders just can't seem to deal with his physical presence. At 24 he still have many years of playing and improving left, but the question is, does he fit Liverpool's style? He is big and physical and a great striker of the ball but he is not quick and a fantastic passer of the ball. I fear that he would play similar to how Lambert has for us this season, which just doesn't seem to be a great fit. He is a great player but I don't see him succeeding for Liverpool. Plus he's an Arsenal fan, so there's that.
Possibility: 2/10
Radamel Falcao
There are so many questions surrounding the Colombian right now and none will really be answered until the summer. Reports say that talks have already begun between Falcao and Liverpool, but I don't trust them. It appears that Man U are still deciding if they should keep him or not, but my gut tells me that he won't stay. There are few clubs that can pay his enormous wages and Liverpool have become weary of paying huge wages to players in recent years. I believe Falcao would do better at Liverpool than he did at Man U, but I don't seem him being our savior either. He would cost a fortune to buy and it is just too much of a risk.
Possibility: 2/10
Danny Ings
Signing the Burnley striker certainly wouldn't solve all of Liverpool's troubles up top, but it certainly would help. He is only 22 years old and has been Burnley's top scorer, impressing in his first season in the Premier League. Ing's current contract expires in the summer and it now appears that his team will be relegated, which means Premier League teams will be eyeing his situation closely like vultures. He is quick and hard working, creative and can score goals even when his team is struggling. I believe he would be a great acquisition with minimal risk as he would be a free transfer. I can see him playing deputy to the often injured Sturridge next season and doing a bang up job of it. Liverpool will have much competition for his signature but they should make Ings a priority.
Possibility: 5/10
From looking at the possibilities that I assigned each striker it is clear that it is unclear as to what Liverpool are thinking for the summer transfer window. There are many others that I haven't mentioned such as Lacazette or Immobile, but these deals seem very unlikely. We still have more than a month before the window officially opens so there is plenty of time, though hopefully Liverpool have learned their lessons about the consequences of leaving things late. If it was me in charge of transfers then I would sign Depay, Ings and Jovetic (or another striker of his caliber like Lacazette). After a season of more failure than success from the players signed last summer I hope that the Liverpool hierarchy begin to get their acts together and spend serious cash on seriously good, established players. We have the basis of promising youth players, now let's get a world beater!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Mass Exodus out of Liverpool
There has been reports that Liverpool are preparing a massive overhaul of their squad by getting rid of as many as 10 players in the summer. Here we will discuss who should go if Liverpool are ready to wield the transfer ax, beginning with the most obvious.
Steven Gerrard
The captain will be missed but after his lackluster performances this season I agree that it is time for him to move on when his contract expires this summer. You will be missed Stevey G.
Glen Johnson
Liverpool were smart not to extend his contract further as Johnson has become a liability in defense, as most of our defenders currently are. He is too slow and too lazy. His marauding runs forward will be remembered but it has been some time since he has been able to do them.
Mario Balotelli
It was a pure gamble to bring the controversial Italian to Anfield, he is a quality player after all, yet he just didn't fit Liverpool's style and never got going. Liverpool under Rodgers press fast and high up the pitch, something that Balotelli was never interested in. Liverpool will take a financial hit for his sale, but his negative attitude and massive wages need to be passed on elsewhere.
Fabio Borini
Liverpool have been trying to get rid of Borini for two years now but the kid doesn't seem to take a hint. He received multiple offers in the Premier League last summer and his native Italy want him to. He isn't a bad player but it seems as though he doesn't have the cutting edge that is needed to succeed at a big club. I was really pulling for Borini from the start but its time to move on, I expect Origi to take his position next season.
Kolo Toure
The Ivorian's contract expires in the summer. At times it seemed as though he was our best defender this season but Rodgers has lost patience with him, even shouting at him after the loss to Arsenal. He simply is not quick enough to be an effective defender. He needs to be replaced with a competent defender.
Sebastian Coates
The Uruguayan's contract has one more year but Liverpool clearly don't rate him as he is on loan at Sunderland, where he can't get a game it should be said. He is a good defender with potential but injuries have stopped him from developing and his pace is too slow for the Premier League.
Iago Aspas
His was a shrewd acquisition that came as a surprise to fans. He was behind SAS in the pecking order last season so rarely got on the pitch. He was given chances but seemed out of his depth in the Premier League so he was loaned to Sevilla, where he hasn't gotten many more games. His goal return for Sevilla has not been terrible though despite his lack of playing time. He seems to fit in much better in the Spanish league.
Javier Manquillo
The young Spaniard has one year of his 2 year loan spell from Atletico Madrid left but it appears as though Liverpool want to send him back early. He hasn't started a game in a very long while, since Rodgers switched to a back 3. Manquillo isn't good enough at attacking to put him in the wingback position and so he rarely makes the bench anymore. He hasn't been bad for Liverpool, but he hasn't been good either. A mediocre player that has been given his chance and found wanting.
Dejan Lovren
It appears as though Liverpool signed the wrong Southampton defender. Lovren has been a liability at back while Southampton have conceded the least amount of goals this season. Lovren cost a whopping 20m and it will be difficult to find anyone who is willing to pay half of that, but if Liverpool do they should take it and run. I would have loved to see Lovren do well for us but I have lost my patience. There is a possibility of him staying as a second chance, but only if nobody wants him.
Steven Gerrard
The captain will be missed but after his lackluster performances this season I agree that it is time for him to move on when his contract expires this summer. You will be missed Stevey G.
Glen Johnson
Liverpool were smart not to extend his contract further as Johnson has become a liability in defense, as most of our defenders currently are. He is too slow and too lazy. His marauding runs forward will be remembered but it has been some time since he has been able to do them.
Mario Balotelli
It was a pure gamble to bring the controversial Italian to Anfield, he is a quality player after all, yet he just didn't fit Liverpool's style and never got going. Liverpool under Rodgers press fast and high up the pitch, something that Balotelli was never interested in. Liverpool will take a financial hit for his sale, but his negative attitude and massive wages need to be passed on elsewhere.
Fabio Borini
Liverpool have been trying to get rid of Borini for two years now but the kid doesn't seem to take a hint. He received multiple offers in the Premier League last summer and his native Italy want him to. He isn't a bad player but it seems as though he doesn't have the cutting edge that is needed to succeed at a big club. I was really pulling for Borini from the start but its time to move on, I expect Origi to take his position next season.
Kolo Toure
The Ivorian's contract expires in the summer. At times it seemed as though he was our best defender this season but Rodgers has lost patience with him, even shouting at him after the loss to Arsenal. He simply is not quick enough to be an effective defender. He needs to be replaced with a competent defender.
Sebastian Coates
The Uruguayan's contract has one more year but Liverpool clearly don't rate him as he is on loan at Sunderland, where he can't get a game it should be said. He is a good defender with potential but injuries have stopped him from developing and his pace is too slow for the Premier League.
Iago Aspas
His was a shrewd acquisition that came as a surprise to fans. He was behind SAS in the pecking order last season so rarely got on the pitch. He was given chances but seemed out of his depth in the Premier League so he was loaned to Sevilla, where he hasn't gotten many more games. His goal return for Sevilla has not been terrible though despite his lack of playing time. He seems to fit in much better in the Spanish league.
Javier Manquillo
The young Spaniard has one year of his 2 year loan spell from Atletico Madrid left but it appears as though Liverpool want to send him back early. He hasn't started a game in a very long while, since Rodgers switched to a back 3. Manquillo isn't good enough at attacking to put him in the wingback position and so he rarely makes the bench anymore. He hasn't been bad for Liverpool, but he hasn't been good either. A mediocre player that has been given his chance and found wanting.
Dejan Lovren
It appears as though Liverpool signed the wrong Southampton defender. Lovren has been a liability at back while Southampton have conceded the least amount of goals this season. Lovren cost a whopping 20m and it will be difficult to find anyone who is willing to pay half of that, but if Liverpool do they should take it and run. I would have loved to see Lovren do well for us but I have lost my patience. There is a possibility of him staying as a second chance, but only if nobody wants him.
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