General LFC Transfer Discussion (January 2009 Transfer Window)

Are there places that desperately need improving on the team? Are some players not cutting the grade needed?


I think there are some positions that need improving but its a matter of whether that can be done over a period of time or whether it has to be straight away. It depends on the position, for example: low quality full backs we can cope with for a period of time, lack of attacking force we can't. Not saying we need more attackers btw .

Who do you think we will see signing for Liverpool in january?

would like to see rafa's long term target simao,pure quality on thr right,always seems to be a threat for us when he plays against us would also give us great attacking options up front.

i definately wouldnt say no to simao, he was a threat against us and of course managed to get an equaliser in the 1st game away in spain. How much do you think he would cost though? Do we have the money?

We need more cover in the full back positions. Dossena hasn't been earth moving and we can't rely on Arbeloa and Aurelio all of the time.

In a similar way, we need a little more variety there. Gabriel Heinze was going to be brought in because of his defensive qualities in the position whilst Dani Alves was being cited for his attacking qualities from RB. I think we need to diversify it a little so we can keep teams guessing and still have the rocks at full back when we're playing attacking sides with quality wingers.

To be fair we was never going to get dani alves. I think gabriel heinze would have been a quality signing. maybe we should go for him in january? I might be wrong on this 1 but ive heard he doesnt play much for madrid in the starting 11? he wanted to move to liverpool too before he got sold to madrid.

there was talks of rafinha coming to liverpool too but ive seen him play just the 3 times including once in the olympics and he had shockers?

Gareth Bale? Young and can still improve, would be an asset when he's 24 years old.

I just don't want anyone except Voronin and especially Xabi to leave the club in January or in fact for a few more years.

Why would you want Xabi to leave :S ?

Why would you want Xabi to leave :S ?

Think that's just misconception in the reading of his post.

Probably meant "I just don't want anyone (except Voronin), especially Xabi to leave the club in January or in fact for a few more years."

Hopefully anyway!

I like the idea of Gareth Bale coming in, not sure it'll happen though.
Same with Simao, be good but can't see it happening either.
What we need are full-backs, Dossena has been poor and Arbeloa still looks a bit light-weight (great goal on Saturday though). The jury is still out on Fabio too IMO.

simao is quality and the standard of player we on the wing that we need.Rafa brought in skirtle last January window and I'm sure agger was also bought in the window too.I'm exited to see who Rafa will want to singe.

Think that's just misconception in the reading of his post.

Probably meant "I just don't want anyone (except Voronin), especially Xabi to leave the club in January or in fact for a few more years."

Hopefully anyway!

You're right. I meant to say "I don't want anyone to leave,especially Xabi and except Voronin"

the first time that i don't know whom should we sign.

I am hoping the 2 Yanks exit the club but hopefully before Jan 

Would like to see Paul Anderson return from his loan deal and give us some much needed quality on the right wing.
Also would like a decent left back,perhaps Gareth Bale.

Well, signing a midfielder and a striker, then we'll have too many of them. I think we need another right back. We only have Alvaro at the moment,we had Finnan last season.

Our left back? Gareth Bale may be good but then we'll have 3 left backs!

Why Simao? Good player but he's still in the CL with Atletico and by the time he is available for the CL he will be near 30 or thereabouts. Not worth it IMO.

Dont think fullbacks are coming either, we brought in 2 and one was for 7 million. Dont think there'll be any significant signing to note of this January.

You're right. I meant to say "I don't want anyone to leave,especially Xabi and except Voronin"

Sorry mate. Ill go to specsavers

the first time that I don't know whom should we sign.

same here. i havent got a clue who we could, should or would sign.

Are there places that desperately need improving on the team?

The owners' position! We desperately need the current ones out this January!

Left-back desperately needs cover, as does right-back. Right wing could do with someone with pace too.

Left-back desperately needs cover, as does right-back. Right wing could do with someone with pace too.

With the likely prospect of having little or no money to spend, I can't see the right wing being meddled with when super Dirk is there, can you mate?

Couldn't agree more about right back and left back though. Crucial areas needing improvement.

For me, Darby and Insua can offer us as much cover as any realistic target could for the full backs.

Personally I think we need a forward, now I know that might surprise a few, but if Keane/Torres gets injured (again) then we revert to one up front and I don't want to see that again this season. I'm sorry but Kuyt/Babel/Ngog have had chances up top and haven't taken them. I like the look of Nemeth and Pacecho but it's really if Benitez is brave enough to put them in. Realistic forwards I'd be lookin at are

1) Jermaine Defoe, he knows how to score which is more than you can say for our current back up forwards. Whether he'd move up north I'm not so sure, but he'd jump at the chance of Champions League football. Price...a lot lower than you'd expect with the finicial trouble Portsmouth currently find themselves in.

2) Santa Cruz, I know he hasn't quite hit the heights this year but he's still a top class forward. Again he knows how to score, and with givin Pennant to Blackburn to sweeten the deal, we might be able to get him for less than 10 mill.

3) Ebanks-Blake from Wolves, scores for fun in the Championship. If we're lookin for a bench player then he'd be the perfect foil, providin we don't mind an ex United player on our books. Would be relatively cheap.

4) Michael Owen, even half fit, would get double figures in terms of goals.

5) Kevin Doyle. Might surprise a few, but again he scores for in the Championship, scored a few in his first season in the Prem, it was only last year he struggled and that's because Reading didn't create chances. Plus he already has an understandin with Keane from their ROI connection.

Other possible targets (for each postion)

Keeper: Wayne Hennersay from Wolves, best keeper outside the Prem and is better than Cavalieri. Would be excellent cover for Reina.

Right back: Micah Richards, I really rate City's number 2 but he's probably too pricy for us this window.

Centre backs: Beevers from Sheff Wed, only 18 but already good enough for Premiership football and has had one or two glimpses from top flight clubs, includin Everton who've had big success with players from the Championship (Jagielka, Lescott, Cahill) so I think he'd be a real good buy, although we don't require a centre half too badly. Other centre half, simply for cover, Mark Hudson from Crystal Palace. Good in the air and would be quite cheap.

Left back: Joe Mattock, I'm a real fan of the Leicester left back and would hate to miss out on him because I think he has everythin to be a top Premiership full back. I know there's a few top flight clubs interested.

Right wing: Antonio Valencia from Wigan, every time I see him, I fail to see any major faults.

Centre mid: Don't really need any but Palacios from Wigan always impresses me and would be a better option than Lucas (not sayin much mind you) and the other would be Drew Surman from Southampton who produce some good youngsters, and Surman is just one of them. Being left footed, he'd add that bit of balance to the middle.

Left wing: Ashley Young, just think the fella is great. But probably too pricy and has just signed a long contract extension.

Forwards, listed above.

(I don't follow football outside of England, which is why all my targets are English based)

Dont need forwards, dont need centre mids, probably cant afford decent wingers so its fullbacks i'd target personally. Wouldnt buy any as it'd be contradicting though. Just some adjustments to our already signed players.

As you say, Joe Mattock would be a great buy but Insua can reach just as big a things as him at our club so it'd be a no thanks.

Doss needs to learn more before starting again and Aurellio offers nothing in defence. Insua or Arby at left back but Arby has been brlliant in bombing down the right to assist in attack.

If Rafa is brave enough to sell a left back of his then i'd say buy another one but cant see it. Other than that, its really tough to foresee what Rafa has in mind.

The owners' position! We desperately need the current ones out this January!

Why wait till January? I want them out now!

Well, I'll go by positions.

Forward

It's not really necessary but if Fernando and Robbie gets injured, we'd have a problem. Although N'gog, Nemeth and Pacheco have potential, i think we'd be burdening them expecting them to fill Fernando's and Robbie's boots.

1- Michael Owen is too much of a risk for me and he's approaching 30. He'll score but if we can get him for 5 million, then it's okay.
2- The 2 candidates i prefer would be
a) Jermaine Defoe - he's quick and scores goals. Plus, he's english and would be a good addition. However, having 3 really good strikers would be a problem as 1/2 of them would mind sitting out. Jermaine Defoe needs to start games.
b) Roque Santa Cruz - he is decent and i am guessing he'd rather sit out than Jermaine Defoe.

Midfield
I don't really see much trouble here. Xabi has vision and sublime passing skills and he is pretty cool connecting defence and attack. Javier has good tackling skills and is tough and occasionally makes long passes. Stevie - needless to say. Dirk is hard worker and all, i really like him. Our left is pretty good too.

What we need though, is a right winger who can cover for Dirk that has pace and good crosses. Pennant has those but i think he isn't up for it but i may be wrong.

For wings, Ashley Young is great but chances of him coming over are less as you know, we have a history with Aston Villa
Antonio Valencia is awesome too and i think United are eyeing him as well.

Defence
4 really good centre backs - not a problem. Our right back is great but he needs a cover. Our left back, Aurelio is decent and I am yet to see Dossena and Degen perform. Dossena's best game was probably the away game against Atletico Madrid.

I doubt we can get Clichy,Evra or Bosingwa
1 - Gareth Bale - some reason, i rate this guy. Looks to have pace and is still only 19 and can learn alot more. And if Riera is out, we can put him left midfield and Aurelio at left back.

My country doesn't have championship matches so i don't know those decent players. I don't follow other leagues but if i had to choose a team from Spain, it'd be Barcelona. Italy - AC Milan? < that's because of Kaka