Mid-season Report Card For On Loan Liverpool players

Mid-season Report Card For On Loan Liverpool players

Its the mid point of the 2013-14 season and there has been a lot of mid-season evaluations lately. Here we will take a look at how the Liverpool players on-loan to other clubs have been doing. We'll start with the oldest and end with the youngest.

Pepe Reina

Reina's loan move to Napoli was a bit of a shock to everyone. When Liverpool brought in Simon Mignolet in the summer we all knew that all of Rodger's talk of bringing in competition was a load of crap and that Reina's time at Liverpool was over. Nobody seemed to jump on the signing of Reina though, despite much talk of a move back to his childhood club Barcelona. New Napoli boss Rafa Benitez took him on loan and he has been doing a decent job thus far. He has made 20 appearances and had 5 clean sheets this season. He has had some highs and lows, much like his time at Liverpool. A high was when he saved a Mario Ballotelli penalty kick, the first person to stop one of his spot kicks. He started the season well but has made some mistakes lately and has been sharing the starting position now. Overall I don't think that he has done much to convince the Liverpool bosses that he can still be the goalkeeper they need and Mignolet is still their number one choice.

Grade: B

Oussama Assaidi

There is a rumor out there that Brendan Rodgers never really wanted the signing of Assaidi, and that is why Rodgers never really gave him a chance. He hasn't been the highest profile signing Liverpool has ever done but he is proving his worth by doing exceptional while on loan at Stoke City. He has scored 4 goals in 16 appearances so far, including some very important goals including a goal against Everton and the winning goal against Chelsea. Assaidi found playing time hard to come by at first but now has established himself as an important member of the team. Mark Lawrence said today that Rodgers made a mistake by letting Assaidi go and then bringing Moses in. I completely agree that Assaidi is an upgrade to Moses, but maybe a loan was the only way for him to grow and show his skills. Personally I think he has a place in the squad, maybe not starting every week but he would be a great substitute, a plan B. I'm not sure that Rodgers will want him for next season and may elect to sell him while he's hot, maybe to Stoke but I don't think they should write him off yet.

Grade: B+

Fabio Borini

If I had a nickel for all of the transfers that Borini has had in his short career I'd have...35 cents! The 22 year old Italian had a disastrous season with Liverpool last year, mainly because of 2 really bad injuries. Like Assaidi, his season started off slowly but he too has established himself as an important player for the Black Cats. He scored today from the spot to help Sunderland defeat Manchester United in the first leg of the Capitol One Cup. He has scored 4 goals so far in 20 appearances, though most of those he has been brought in as a substitute or subbed out early. I believe Borini has loads of potential, he just needs some consistent playing time in order for him to grow into the player many clubs have seen in him. Rodgers clearly believes in him having coached him at Chelsea and Swansea and I hope that he continues to believe in him. I think he can be a success for Liverpool  next season, playing second fiddle to Suarez and Sturridge. Sunderland has been bad this season but I expect them to just barely survive and I think Borini will help them succeed.

Grade: B

Suso

Like Raheem Sterling, Suso impressed Rodgers when he came in and was giving a lot of playing time early on in the season but saw his role diminished when Sturridge and Coutinho came in. To be fair to Suso he was being played a bit out of position by being put in on the wing instead of the center midfield. Suso was sent back to him homeland of Spain to gain experience with promoted side Alermia for the season. He has probably had the biggest breakout out of all of the on loan Liverpool players. Suso has had 16 appearances so far, scoring twice and getting 6 assists. I expect Suso to continue to improve this season, hopefully chipping in a few more goals too. He has been a revelation for Almeria and has been fantastic on the counter attack. At only 20 years old he still has a lot of time to grow and I hope that Liverpool don't go out and buy more competition for Suso's position because I think he will do great for Liverpool in the future, maybe as soon as next season.

Grade: A-

Andre Wisdom

Wisdom was used by Liverpool quite a bit in the early part of the season but after the likes of Sakho and Ilori was brought in he was shipped out to Derby County to gain some experience. Many think that Wisdom's true position is at center back, though he has continued to be deployed as a right back while on loan. He hasn't been on loan as long as the other Liverpool players have but he has already accumulated 13 appearances for them, helping them get into a Championship playoff spot. Some have said that one of the reasons Rodgers shipped him to Derby is so that they can leverage for a move for Will Hughes. Wisdom has done very good, though he will have to do even better if he wants to uproot the likes of Johnson, Flanagan and Kelly for a starting place at Liverpool.

Grade: B

Jack Robinson

As you can see from this photo, young Jack Robinson has had to toughen up a bit while on his loan to Blackpool. Liverpool have had quite a few dealings with Blackpool recently and so it was quite easy for Liverpool to hash out a loan deal with them. Robinson spent the second half of last season on loan to Wolverhampton, who were relegated to League One. Nobody expected much from Blackpool this season but Robinson has helped them overachieve, again. Last season Robinson was shipped out on loan after a shocking performance against Oldham in the FA Cup. Rodgers didn't have enough faith in him to have him play back up to Jose Enrique this season. He has done pretty well, though not fantastic with them. I still think he needs a bit more experience before he is ready to start for Liverpool. I hope that he finishes the season well and maybe spend one more year on loan or get some playing time in the cups for Liverpool next year.

Grade: B-

Conor Coady

Coady hasn't been rated as highly by the bosses as the previous players but is one that very well could be a great player in the future. He has only made 2 appearances for Liverpool, both in the Europa League and this is his first loan away from the mother club. Sheffield United are in League 1 so the competition isn't as strong as the others but he has been getting a lot of playing time. He has played in 23 matches so far and has scored one goal. All of the previous players are capable of having rich Liverpool careers but I'm not so sure about Coady's chances, though at only 20 years old he has time to spare. He has been deployed in the same position that Liverpool played him in, as a center defensive mid though he can play as a center back as well. I suppose that Lucas doesn't have any back up so he has a chance, only because there is no one else.

Grade: C+

Krisztian Adorjan

Here is another player who I don't think can quite make the grade at Liverpool. He will probably end up being sold, maybe at the end of this season, maybe to Groningen where he is on loan. I honestly don't know anything about this kid except that he is 20 years old and from Hungary. He is a midfielder and has scored 2 goals in 10 appearances. Hopefully Liverpool can get a good fee out of him in the end.

Grade: D+

EPL Match Predictions Round 21

EPL Match Predictions

Round 20

Last week I only predicted 3 match results correctly, with no perfect predictions. This predicting business is rough let me tell you.

Hull City vs Chelsea

I think that this will be a tough match. Hull City, though losing last week to Liverpool, are doing very well. They are sound defensively and have scored a lot of goals lately. Chelsea have been doing very well too, they beat a very good Southampton team last week 3-0 last week. Chelsea's strikers are still not firing in the goals and have had to rely on their midfielders like Oscar and Hazard. I think Chelsea will struggle to get past Hull's strong defense but that they will get the job done in the end.

Prediction: 0-1

Cardiff vs West Ham

Cardiff did well against Arsenal at the Emirates last week but couldn't last the full 90 and conceded 2 late goals. Cardiff are in desperate need of some serious firepower because their current strikers aren't getting the job done. Defensively they are pretty sound but Campbell, Cornelius and Odemwingie aren't good enough to score enough goals week in, week out. West Ham basically have the same problem. They were absolutely humiliated this last week. First by losing to crappy Fulham and then in the FA Cup to Nottingham Forest 5-0. I think that these teams won't be able to score a lot of goals this game, but I think that Cardiff, with their new manager at the helm, will take advantage of West Ham's woes and add to them.

Prediction: 1-0

Everton vs Norwich

Someone has got to put a stop to Everton's good season, and soon. They haven't been as good as they had been previously but are getting by and I expect that to continue this week because Norwich don't have it in them to win. Norwich were unlucky not to leave their last match with Crystal Palace with all three points and it will be even more difficult at Goodison Park. Gary Hooper is beginning to find the back of the net and other Norwich players are stepping up as well. Lukaku needs to step up if Everton are going to win these kind of games, but I think they will do just enough to win this one.

Prediction: 1-0

Fulham vs Sunderland

This is a massive game for both teams as they have found themselves in the battle to avoid relegation. I believe that Sunderland are the better team, but they have been unlucky and don't have enough experience. Fulham just suck right now, they can't string 3 passes together, its pretty pathetic if you ask me. I believe that one of these teams will survive the drop and it just might be because of the result of this match. Sunderland have been tying a lot of their matches and that is the result that I am going to go with. 

Prediction: 1-1

Southampton vs West Brom

I have no idea what is going on with the management of WBA at the moment. Sacking their manager was a terrible mistake and after nearly a month they still don't have a replacement for him. Despite their leadership being out of whack the squad isn't doing too bad, they beat Newcastle away from home last week. Southampton struggled at home last week against Chelsea and lost 0-3, which flattered the guests but was still a bad loss. This should be an interesting game and should be wide open, end to end stuff. The winner will be the team that takes their chances and I think Southampton's players will score more.

Prediction: 2-1

Tottenham vs Crystal Palace

When you look at the squads of both teams it looks like an easy call to go with a Spurs win, but lately these teams keep surprising me. Spurs had a great win at Old Trafford but then lost in the FA Cup at their rivals, Arsenal. Palace won in the cup and tied Norwich in the league. Palace's home field advantage is almost non-existent because they will just sit back and try to counterattack. Tottenham are very hot and cold but the re-emergence of Adebayor has lifted them lately. I hope that Palace can hold on to get something from this match but I think Spurs will be able to unlock them.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester United vs Swansea

This will be a replay of the FA Cup match that these two teams just played out today. Swansea won the match at Old Trafford 2-1 thanks to a Fabio getting a red card and Bony scoring the winner. United played some of their fringe players which weakened them but I think they will be at full force this time. Swansea did a good job and are the kind of team that can really take it to Man U but I think that the Red Devils will learn from their mistakes and get all three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Newcastle vs Manchester City

This will be probably the best match of the weekend. These teams play some very entertaining football with a lot of goals going both ways. Newcastle are very capable of pulling an upset but I think that Manchester City will be able to cope. City tied in the FA Cup to lowly Blackburn 1-1 where the usually reliable Negredo didn't really deliver. City are obviously vulnerable at the back and might be looking for new recruits in that area. Newcastle are also vulnerable at the back and the attacking firepower that City possess will be able to beat them, but I am going to play it safe by predicting a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Stoke City vs Liverpool

This was the first match of the season and it ended 0-1 in favor of Liverpool thanks to a penalty stop by Mignolet. Stoke did well in their match against Everton last week and it was Liverpool loanee, Assaidi, who scored their goal but he will be ineligible for this match against his parent club. The Brittania Stadium is one of the most feared venues in the premier league, though not as much this season, but still a hard place to get all three. Liverpool are doing well and I think that they will be able to beat Stoke again. Stoke are very dangerous on set pieces and Liverpool have been very weak on defending them this year so I think they will get one that way. Suarez will probably score and I think Sturridge and Allen might be available for selection. This should be a close one.

Prediction: 1-2

Aston Villa vs Arsenal

Prediction: 1-3

January Transfer Preview: Winger/Attacking Midfielder

January Transfer Preview: Winger/Attacking Midfielder

So we have looked at Liverpool's transfer possibilities for left back and center midfielders so far. In my opinion the last position Liverpool need to strengthen in this transfer window is the wing or an attacking midfielder. Liverpool sent some of their young wingers like Suso(not actually a wing but played there for Rodgers last season) and Assaidi on loan for this season and so they brought in Victor Moses to compensate for their departures. Moses has been a disappointment in my opinion, he is alright with the ball but his work rate and quickness is not up to standards. With Moses not impressing and no one else in the squad to fill in a replacement is essential if Liverpool are going to finish in the top four. I think that a winger is the most important area for Liverpool to strengthen in this window and if a good winger is the only player brought in it will have been a successful window. Here are the players most likely to sign for Liverpool in January:

Mohamed Salah

Salah is a 21 year old Egyptian international who currently plays for FC Basel in the Swiss Super League as a winger. Even though he plays in a small league he has been gaining a lot of accolades due to his speed, flair and finishing. He has done absolutely fantastic for his country, scoring 17 goals in 27 appearances. He has been nicknamed "the Egyptian Messi" due to him being left footed and that their playing styles are quite similar, though Salah prefers to outrun rather than out-pass his opponents. Raheem Sterling has done brilliantly this season on the right flank and I think Salah would be able to have a similar effect on the left side. Out of all of the players being linked with a move to Liverpool Salah is reportedly the closest to signing with it being reported today by some sources that a deal has been agreed for 9 million pounds, though that might be a bit premature. His friend reported to Egyptian media that he is 99% sure that Salah will sign for Liverpool. Salah might not be as good as the likes of Mkhitaryan, Costa or Willian right now but I after watching a lot of highlights from his play I say that he has a bright future ahead of him and that Liverpool would be wise to sign him as soon as possible.

Probability: 4 out of 5

Javier Pastore

Pastore has been linked with a move to Liverpool for quite a while now. He has been with PSG for a few years now after a 35 million pound move from Palermo. I have seen him in action when I went to the Chelsea v PSG preseason match at Yankee Stadium and I thought he was the best player on the pitch, no contest. Despite his talent he has found his playing time diminished lately and might be up for a move elsewhere with Liverpool being a likely destination. He usually plays on the wing or through the middle as an attacking midfielder. He would likely cost a fortune to bring to Anfield and definitely be quite a gamble as he can be inconsistent and might struggle to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League. I would love to see him move to Liverpool but I think this one isn't going to happen for a number of reasons. While he is still quite young at 24 it would seem that he doesn't have the mentality that Rodgers is looking for because he can be quite selfish and not willing to put enough effort into defending. 

Probability: 2 out of 5

Jay Rodriguez

Okay so Rodriguez isn't technically a winger or midfielder, he is a striker, but he has been playing on the wing for his club Southampton and has excelled there since his move there in 2012. He has done so well that he was called up to the England National Team last year. Rodriguez isn't the most influential player but he is a fantastic supporting player that is great at finishing and setting up his teammates. He fits FSG's transfer policy to a T as he is a young English international with much potential. Rodriguez would be a good buy because he could be deployed in basically any forward positions and help give cover to SAS. He would cost in the region of 10 million pounds, though I'm sure that Southampton are determined to try and keep a hold of their star players. I would like to see him at Liverpool, a lot, and it has been a while since Liverpool have bought English so they're about due.

Probability: 2 out of 5

Cristian Tello

This kid is pretty dang good but I from what I've hear him say I don't really like him as a person because he, like many others, seem to be obsessed with FC Barcelona, even though Barcelona don't really reciprocate the same feelings. He is a fantastic talent at 22 year old and has a great future ahead of him, though it will probably be at Barca. He has been linked with a move to Liverpool for a long time now, with a loan deal being talked about but nothing ever coming from it. Unlike Gerard Deulofeu, Tello would rather try to make it into the first team without going out on loan so a move is quite unlikely. Though if Tello decides he wants a move, temporary or permanent, Liverpool is one of the most likely destination. If a permanent deal is in the cards he would probably cost in the region of 15 million pounds. I think that he would be great for Liverpool and would link up well with Suarez and Coutinho but unfortunately I don't think that will ever happen.

Probability: 2 out of 5

Juan Mata

Everyone at Chelsea loves Mata. He has arguably been their best player since he signed for them and yet Jose Mourinho doesn't think much of him. Last week Mourinho was quoted saying that Mata, and three other players, are free to leave Chelsea if they want. It took less than 48 hours for Mourinho to make a u-turn with his comments saying that he is sad that he has had to leave him out of the team so much and he can stay if he wants. That said I still believe that Mata might make a move away from Chelsea and Liverpool is a possible destination. Liverpool tried to sign Mata, on loan, in the summer but had to settle for Moses instead and might go back for him this month. Everyone (except Mourinho it seems) knows that Mata is one of the best players in the world. He plays either on the wing or as an attacking midfielder and is known for his creativity, which is something Liverpool are in need of up front. He definitely wouldn't come cheap, probably costing upwards of 25 million pounds. This one is an interesting one to think about and even pray for but lets be honest, this one is very unlikely to happen. If he was to sign for Liverpool, hello premier league title!

Probability: 1 out of 5

EPL Match Predictions Round 20

EPL Match Predictions Round 20

I have missed predicting the past few matches during the Christmas period mainly because I was too busy and the games came so frequently. But now I'm back to look at the matches that will all take place tomorrow on New Years Day. We'll see which teams will start 2014 with a bang and those that stutter.

Round 20

Swansea vs Manchester City

Swansea are going through a bit of a rough patch this month, just doing enough to get by. They are sitting in 11th place and tied Aston Villa away from home last match. They are doing alright defensively but goals are becoming a bit scarce due to injuries to their primary goalscorers. The injury to Michel Vorm is proving to be quite troublesome for the Swans because Guy Tremel is just awful, in my opinion the worst goalkeeper in the premier league. Manchester City's goalkeeper, Joe Hart, seems to have regained his form and put in a great performance against Liverpool and made a fantastic save against Crystal Palace as well. Aguero is back for Manchester City, though the other strikers have done the job without him during injury, especially Negredo. Both of these teams like to possess the ball, probing, waiting until they can unlock their opponents defenses so it will probably be a slower paced game. The Swans are pretty good at home still so it will be a bit difficult for City but I don't see anything but a victory for the Citizens, their attack is just too strong for them.

Prediction: 0-1

Arsenal vs Cardiff City

Arsenal also went through a little rough patch but are back in fine form and sit in first place in the league. Their midfield is finding its rhythm again and Cardiff won't be able to handle the likes of Cazorla, Ozil and Ramsey(who used to play for Cardiff). Ramsey had a brace last time they met in Cardiff and I expect him and the Arsenal team to score many goals. Cardiff are in shambles right now. Their owner, Vincent Tan got rid of their beloved manager, Malky McKay and was even shown booing his own team last match when they tied Sunderland at home. Nobody will want to take up the manager's job their now, especially when he told McKay that not a single penny will be spent in January. Cardiff still have an alright team and good defenders like Caulker but not any good attackers. Their highest goalscorer has been Campbell, scoring 4 and they have Odemwingie, who has scored 2 but these guys won't be able to get close to the Arsenal goal, especially at home and I expect a blowout.

3-0

Crystal Palace vs Norwich

I thought that both of these teams put in remarkable displays last week and if their opposition weren't the Manchester clubs than they definitely would've won. Palace narrowly lost to City at the Etihad, 0-1 and came very close to scoring if not for a save of the year candidate from Hart. Palace are more organized and defensively sound under Pulis but still aren't very good on the attack and their goals have almost always came from counter attacks. This is the kind of thing that happens away from home so I don't think being the home team will benefit them all that much. Norwich are still on their roller coaster and just barely lost to Manchester United last week, and should have at least come away with a point in my opinion. Gary Hooper has been in fine form, living up to his buying price now that his injuries are behind him. I don't think there will be a lot of goals in this one and will be quite sloppy and boring, but you never know what to expect in a Norwich game. I am going to go with a Norwich win, but just barely.

1-2

Fulham vs West Ham

Both of these teams suck right now. I did not expect either of these teams to be in the relegation battle but both of them are in the bottom three right now. This is a massive game for both of them and may determine which of them will stay, and which one will be relegated. This will be an intense game, very physical with little technical displays. West Ham played a very entertaining game against West Brom with it ending 3-3, showing that they can score, but that they struggle to close out games. Fulham were humiliated by being defeated by Hull 0-6, I couldn't believe it when I saw it to be honest. West Ham are set up quite similarly to Hull so I think Fullham will struggle to unlock them, there is just absolutely no chemistry between the Fulham players right now. I am going to go with a West Ham win, just barely.

0-1

Liverpool vs Hull AFC

This will be an interesting game for sure. When Liverpool played Hull away from home they struggled against the organized Hull defense and were caught by surprise at Hull's attack and lost 3-1. Hull are coming off the win of a lifetime and will certainly be on a high from it. Liverpool did well against Manchester City and pretty good against Chelsea but their thin squad numbers were exposed and even had to call on 19 year old Brad Smith who has never played an EPL game before. Gerrard is set to come back into the starting 11 and just in time because Joe Allen is out for a short while now. Suarez struggled against the big teams but I expect him to continue to prey on the smaller teams like Hull. Liverpool have been very vulnerable from set pieces and Hull scored a lot of those last week against Fulham so look out for that. I expect both teams to score, but Suarez and Liverpool will get back to winning ways by scoring more.

3-1

Southampton vs Chelsea

Southampton were a bit unlucky not to get at least a point from their last match away to Everton, losing 1-2. They are still a great team and are quite good at home. Chelsea played one of the best matches I've seen them play against Liverpool with David Luiz doing an exceptional job as a center mid. Ramirez comes back into the team after serving a one match suspension. Eto'o scored for Chelsea last game but it was Hazard who was the attacking force for them and I expect him to continue that. Southampton shocked Chelsea last match by scoring within 13 seconds of the whistle so they must be aware of their threat. I think that it will be a pretty even game and that it will end in a draw.

1-1

Stoke City vs Everton

Stoke were defeated quite easily by Tottenham last week, 0-3. Everton got a result against a good Southampton side last week. I think Everton will be able to win this one without too much trouble. Assaidi has done well for Stoke, scoring against Chelsea and ...another team. Well I don't know really what else to say about this one. Everton have only lost two games this season which is amazing but Stoke is still a work in progress under Hughes. I think there won't be too many goals because both defenses are really good.

0-1

Sunderland vs Aston Villa

Sunderland have been a bit unlucky this season though I'll admit they aren't the greatest team. Aston Villa are starting to get sucked further down the table and it is only a matter of time before they are in the relegation battle. A win will get Sunderland out of the relegation zone and I think they will do it. Their strikers are starting to get things right and it will be hard to choose who starts, though Fletcher scored last game so he'll probably start. Villa's strikers have been struggling even more lately and it was only Agbonlihor who scored last game. Benteke needs to get things going again and he will have his chance against a horrible Black Cat's defense(mainly cuz they depend on ex-Man U players :P). I think there will be quite a few goals and I think Sunderland will bring their game and take all 3 points.

2-1

West Brom vs Newcastle

I think these teams are quite similar in their set up but it is Newcastle that are enjoying this season. Newcastle lost to Arsenal away from home but it was only 0-1 so that won't get them down too much. West Brom tied in a 6 goal thriller at West Ham last week and tied the game before that 1-1. Steve Clarke was doing an alright job with WBA but the owners didn't think it was enough and haven't picked a replacement yet. Newcastle will take advantage of West Brom's unorganization, I guess that isn't a word but oh well. Goals can come from anywhere in the Newcastle team and they will probably score more than West Brom, but because they are at home I'm going to go with a tie.

1-1

Manchester United vs Tottenham

I hate both of these team so so much! This will be the best game of the round though. Man U were able to just get by Norwich 1-0 but Tottenham ended their poor run of late with a 3-0 win over Stoke. I believe it was a tie last time these guys met and will be remembered because of that great goal from distance by Sandro. Sherwood needs to find his best 11 and try to stick with them as much as possible and get some fluidity and chemistry into the talented side, if they can achieve that then they will be very dangerous. Without Rooney Man U are simply a top 4 or 5 team so if he has a good game then they will win. This one is hard to call but I don't see Tottenham winning this match and I'm going to go with a slight win for Man U.

2-1

January Transfer Window Preview: Center Midfielder

I continue my preview of Liverpool's potential moves in the January 2014 transfer window by looking at potential center midfielders that could be signed. We have already looked at potential left back options for Rodgers and I concluded that either Ryan Bertrand or Martin Montoya are the most likely transfers.

Liverpool's scarcity in their midfield was shown during Liverpool's last match against Chelsea on Sunday when Joe Allen went off injured and had to be replaced by Brad Smith, a 19 year old with no top level experience. I have been very impressed with Liverpool's midfielders so far this season but I do believe we need another to challenge for a starting spot. So here are some midfielders who are linked with a move to Liverpool.

Ivan Rakitic

The 24 year old Croat has enjoyed an out of this world season so far. He can operate in any center midfield role but excels as an attacker the most. He has scored 9 goals in 22 matches so far this season with I think 5 assists as well. From what I've seen of him his play is quite similar to a young Steven Gerrard. As Gerrard gets older and closer to retirement FSG need to be looking for someone to inherit his throne, and I think Rakitic would do the job splendidly. He would come at a high cost for sure though, with some sources saying it would take 33 million pounds to prize him away from Sevilla. It might not take nearly that much though as Sevilla have had financial problems for the past few years and had to sell Negredo and Jesus Navas. Sevilla made a butt-load of money from those sales so you would think that they would be set for at least a while but you never know. Rakitic has personally said that he is 100% committed to Sevilla but that you never know what will happen and has expressed his flattery at being linked with a move to Anfield. Liverpool missed out on a huge blockbuster buy this summer and might decide to splash the cash to bring in one hell of a footballer who can fire them into the top 4 and beyond.

Probability: 2 out of 5

Jorginho

I'll admit that I had never heard of this kid before the rumors appeared that Liverpool were interested him during the summer but now he is a name most people know due to his amazing season in Serie A with Hellas Verona. He has scored 7 in his 16 appearances, helping the promoted side reach sixth place in the league currently. I wasn't too excited about the link at first but now I am. The 22 year old was born in Brazil but moved to Italy very early and has played for the Italy U-21's so far. His playing style is a mix between Philippe Coutinho's and Steven Gerrard's in my opinion. He could provide real depth in Coutinho's position or play in a more defensive role in the midfield as well. His price was set around 7 million pounds but it will probably cost around 10 now that he has done so well recently. It was reported yesterday that two top officials from Verona were at the Chelsea v Liverpool match, supposedly to talk about a deal with Liverpool for Jorginho. I think Jorginho would be a great buy, not as good as Rakitic, but a good back up just in case Rakitic's price tag is too high.

3 out of 5

Emmanuel Badu

That's Badu jostling with Raheem Sterling during last year's match against his club Udinese. The 23 year old Ghanaian defensive midfielder was reportedly linked with a move to Liverpool today. Liverpool are more in need of another defensive midfielder than an attacker in all fairness and Badu fits the bill. He however is not the player Liverpool needs in order to push for a Champions League spot this season. He is a better tackler than the others but he is still not that great of a defender, especially with his head. Badu has a decent shot from distance and nicks the occasional goal. He would be the cheapest option for sure, probably costing around 6 or 7 million pounds. Rodgers was quoted as saying that he is looking for players to improve the starting 11, not the squad and I don't think Badu is even close to as good as Lucas. I pray that Liverpool do not buy Badu, it would be a terrible mistake to be sure.

1 out of 5

Adam Lallana

Lallana has been making headlines ever since his team, Southampton, regained their Premier League status. Lallana has been even better this season and has had a few England National Team call-ups to reward his great run of form. He is much like Gerrard during his days of being a human dynamo, marauding from box to box. He would be a great future replacement for Gerrard for sure and would be a great addition in January. He is a great striker of the ball but even better in possession, he is like a mix between Joe Allen and Gerrard in my opinion. I cannot say if he would be able to displace the current center mid's we have to start each match for now but would get more playing time in the future. He definitely wouldn't be cheap probably costing in the region of 15 million pounds. Lallana has spoken repeatedly of how much he has enjoyed his time at Southampton, his only club, and rules out a move anytime soon and says he would turn down a move to Man U or Liverpool, so this move is quite unlikely.
1 out of 5

Verdict:

These are the most likely to be signed in January, though there could be others, but to be honest another center midfielder is low on the the Red's wishlist at the moment. My guess is that probably 2 players will move to Liverpool in January but it probably will be a left back and attacking midfielder/wing instead. That said I really hope that Liverpool sign Rakitic and would also be happy with the joining of Jorginho as well.

January Transfer Window Preview: Left Back

January Transfer Window Preview

We now have less than a week until the January transfer window opens! Merry Transfermas! Hopefully Santa will see that Liverpool have been good this year and surprise us with a big name signing that will help Liverpool secure a Champions League stop this season. Rodgers says that the squad is big enough and now he is looking to bring in players to be inserted straight into the starting lineup.

Liverpool are in need of a few players as the squad is a bit thin at the moment and if someone was to get injured or go through a rough patch of form then we could be in trouble. The most obvious position in need of strengthening is left back. This has been a problem area of Liverpool's for years now and although Enrique has done a decent job this season injuries are keeping him from holding down a regular spot. Cissokho has been a bit of a dud and looked completely out of his league in the Man City game today and Flanagan still has some work to do as well. So a starting, young left back is the first priority for me. Here are some left backs that have been linked with Liverpool recently. They are listed in the order of a probable move to Liverpool.

Ryan Bertrand

The 24 year old Englishman is probably the most likely left back to join Liverpool in January. I think he is very similar to Ashley Cole in appearance and playing style but he hasn't had too many opportunities at Chelsea, especially this season and now is the third choice left back behind Azpilicueta and Cole. It was rumored that Liverpool were interested in a move for Bertrand in the summer but a move was never made but now that he is further down the pecking order it might happen now. He still has a way to go but he has a lot of potential and could be a future starter for England. His situation reminds me a lot like Sturridge's move to Liverpool last year so I think this might happen for around 8 million pounds.

Probability: 3 out of 5

Martin Montoya

The 22 year old Spaniard currently plays for Barcelona and is starting to get more playing time there, playing part in 12 matches overall this season. It was rumored that Ian Ayre, Liverpool's managing director, flew out to Barcelona in order to hash out a possible move for Montoya to Liverpool. He has been linked with a move to Anfield for a while now but I still don't know if this is a move that Montoya is interested in, as most Barcelona players are very loyal to the club. He is the best choice for Liverpool but price and his decision to renew contract talks with Barcelona could make this one a no go.

Probability: 2 out of 5

Dennis Aogo

Aogo is a German international that is currently on loan to Schalke from Hamburg and has been doing very well this season. He is a little bit older at 26 years old but still has many good years in him. He would be more of a gamble for Liverpool and I don't think he would be the best purchase right now. To be honest I don't know too much about him or seen him play a whole lot but I just think there are better, younger players Liverpool should focus on instead. The fact that he is already on loan to another club would also make things very difficult.

Probability: 1 out of 5

Fabio Coentrao

This player coming to Liverpool is a bit of a long shot but is still a possibility and I personally would like this player moving here the most. He has proved himself one of the best up and coming left backs at his time with Real Madrid since 2011 with Mourinho using him quite a bit. His playing time has gone down considerably this season only playing part in 4 matches so far, it was even rumored that Real tried to offload him in the summer. His attacking prowess is fantastic though can be caught out of position on occasion but marauding fullbacks is what Rodgers is looking for. He wouldn't come on the cheap though, my guess is somewhere around 12 million would do the trick but there are plenty of clubs interested like Tottenham, of course.

Probability: 1 out of 5

Verdict:

Liverpool are in a much better position to bring in high quality players to Anfield, quite a bit more than a few months ago even. It is still a bit of a stretch to bring in players like Coentrao or Montoya though it is still a possibility, though I believe that Bertrand will be the one to move to Liverpool in January. He is out of favor at Chelsea and already has strong connections to Liverpool through former teammate Sturridge and former coach Rodgers. Hopefully this deal can be done early in the window so we can send Cissokho back to Valencia and send Flanagan out on loan for the rest of the season.

I will be covering the other positions that Liverpool need to strengthen in the January transfer window in the coming days so check back soon!

Utah Scouser

A scouser is an inhabitant of Liverpool, England. Although I have lived in Utah in the United States my entire life I still consider myself a scouser because of my love for the U.K. and especially Liverpool Football Club. I've played soccer since I was a kid and became a Liverpool fan after the famous Champions League Final win in 2005. My favorite player became none other than Captain Fantastic, Steven Gerrard. Since that win Liverpool have gone through some good times but most of them have been bad and my beloved club have fallen from grace but I believe that Liverpool can become champions of England and of Europe once again.

This blog is dedicated to Liverpool Football Club. I will discuss Liverpool and the English Premier League matches as well as transfer dealings and other news in my posts. I analyze each EPL match and predict how next week's matches will turn out.

To show you why I became a Liverpool fan I have posted the video of the famous 2005 Champions League Final match, enjoy!