Summer 2012.... Who Goes and Where Do We Need To Strengthen?

Personally, I think Gulasci has got the talent to be a top keeper, and I am more than happy with him as our #2 for next season.  Think he will be pushing Reina for the #1 spot inside of 24-36 months as well!

We need a midfield.

We need quality cover who will threaten Pepe for his place...not just be there to sit on the bench and take the money. I don't want a goalkeeper to cover for Pepe. I want a goalkeeper capable of pushing him and taking his place if he does not pull his finger out next season and up his game.

Doni and Jones just didnt look up to the task of a lengthy period in place of Reina.

Personally thought Doni was excellent in the time he came in for Reina.

Secondly no top goalkeeper is going to play no.2 to Reina all season. GKs need consistency os bringing in a big name is pointless imo.

if we think Pepes not up to it he should be sold but dont dance around it with better no.2's

Personally thought Doni was excellent in the time he came in for Reina.

Secondly no top goalkeeper is going to play no.2 to Reina all season. GKs need consistency os bringing in a big name is pointless imo.

Yes, I agree, I thought Doni was good.

If the youngster Gulacsi is good enough now, ok, but it will be hard to find a better experienced keeper than Doni who'd accept being backup.

agree he pulled off a few good saves against Villa and fulham.Dunno for me luckily he's not massively been tested yet.. A draw and a loss with him between the sticks and a red card which was something like i see In a sunday pub league.Maybe I will always remember him for the 7 goals he conceded against the mancs! I'm willing to go with Rodgers decision as he's gonna be watching training each day.

Let's hope he's good enough or I'm sure he will be moved on.

And who thinks Reina isn't up to it? He's by far one of the best keepers in world football..

I only mentioned adequate cover I love Pepe!

Don't Spurs have Friedel,Gomez,Cudicini.. Cudicini plays 3rd fiddle don't hear many complaints!

Don't Spurs have Friedel,Gomez,Cudicini.. Cudicini plays 3rd fiddle don't hear many complaints!

Good wages and he knows he's a sh*t keeper

“The days of me bombing up and down are probably gone, I have to be a lot more disciplined", this is a quote from our captain Steven Gerrard. Just thought i,d put that out there because theres so many people crying out for cover for Lucas, we already have it. Although Stevie is probably the best to play alongside Lucas, i can also see Stevie playing alongside Henderson which I think we will see alot more of next season. The constant berating of this guy is uncalled for IMO, he,s 21yrs old FFS. Hes quick, hes got a great engine who better to learn alongside Steven Gerrard have we got. Hes got to be played with Stevie IMO. We have to be alot smarter with our transfer money in the future. Its pointless buying for the sake of buying.

Our new manager is going to look at the whole squad. We still have Aqualani, Cole and Pacheco on our books so they will all get thier chance. We dont know what Rodgers plans are only the way he sets up his teams and tactics and by this we are all assuming this player and that player will not fit in. By the end of August we,ll all have a pretty good idea on who, on here, were right and who was wrong.

Luciano Narsingh assists and goals sc heerenveen 2011-2012

This guy

This is an easy question to answer,anybody that can't fit into Brendon's tactical philosophy,or are past their physical peak have to go,reputations have no place in the modern game.Anybody who has failed to contribute to expectation levels and any players who cannot step up to winning a regular top 4 EPL,need to be shipped out quickly.So as a result of our poor league perfomance last season,most places are up for grabs.

Honestly, I think we just need to make three additions in the off-season based on what we have right now:

1) Striker. Not necessarily an expensive one, but just a finisher.

Isn't that a contradiction in terms? If someone is going to be the 20 goal a season striker that we need, he ain't going to be cheap. Look at someone like Grant Holt (and no I'm not advocating that we buy him just using him to illustrate the point) 31 years old, one average season in the premiership and he's likely to command a fee of £8-10m. Darren Bent? Demba Ba? Cheap they wouldn't be

I'd have a cheeky bid for QPR's Alejandro Faurlin. Think he would add something to our midfield and he suits our managers style of play.

I think we can afford to let Carroll go now.

I suggest we give that 6 midfielders formation a go! 

Come on FSG blow another +/-60mill this firepower will guarantee champs league football;
Jackson Martinez - 30 mill
Gaston Ramirez - 18 mill
Sigurdsson - 8 mill
Adam Johnson - 15 mill
Diame - 0

This is one fecking frighting first  team, with a lot of options to change the style of play from the bench. Fits very nicely into Brendan's preferred formation too.
-----------------------------

                    Pepe
          Skrtel         Agger   
Johnson                         Enrique
                  Lucas
         Gerrard   Sigurdsson
Suarez                           Ramirez
                 Martinez
     
Subs: Doni, Coates, Kelly, Diame, Henderson, Johnson, Bellamy, Carroll.
-----------------------------

Other squad players: Jones, Coady, Flannagan, Robinson, Adam, Sterling, Suso,
Out: Cole, Aquilani, Maxi, Spearing, Pacheco, Downing - take the hit.


Games are won by a team, not a player.
Leagues are won by a squad, not a team.

30m for Jackson Martinez?

Decent proposal but I think Martinez signed with Porto and Diame definitely signed with West Ham

Come on FSG blow another +/-60mill this firepower will guarantee champs league football;
Jackson Martinez - 30 mill
Gaston Ramirez - 18 mill
Sigurdsson - 8 mill
Adam Johnson - 15 mill
Diame - 0

This is one fecking frighting first  team, with a lot of options to change the style of play from the bench. Fits very nicely into Brendan's preferred formation too.
-----------------------------

                    Pepe
          Skrtel         Agger   
Johnson                         Enrique
                  Lucas
         Gerrard   Sigurdsson
Suarez                           Ramirez
                 Martinez
     
Subs: Doni, Coates, Kelly, Diame, Henderson, Johnson, Bellamy, Carroll.
-----------------------------

Other squad players: Jones, Coady, Flannagan, Robinson, Adam, Sterling, Suso,
Out: Cole, Aquilani, Maxi, Spearing, Pacheco, Downing - take the hit.


Games are won by a team, not a player.
Leagues are won by a squad, not a team.

You know something about Carragher that we don't? Being honest i can't see us spending so much on a new striker even though we do need a top class finisher.

We need somebody on the left, a striker and a creative centre mid.

I have seen so many names floating about that it has now become cringeing to even consider who we may seen for those positions so ill leave that to everybody else.

Reina doesn't need a back up that will threaten him he needs a world class team in front of him. he is the boss and needs to play with better players to get the best out of him.

Sell:  Carrol (15M), Downing (10M), Adam (5M), Spearo (3M) :: Total +33M
 
Buy:  Borini (8M), Sturridge (10M), Affelay (10M), Strootman (10M) and one of Dejan Louvren / Victor Ruiz (9M) :: Total -47M

Sell: Carroll, Downing, Adam, Spearing, Cole, Maxi, Pacheco,

Buy: Dempsey, Borini, Affelay, David Villa and Walcott.

Here are the comments Tony Evans made in his chat on The Times' website today:



Comment From Nick
Tony, how do you see Liverpool's midfield shaping up next season? Rory Smith seems to think we'll sign Joe Allen of Swansea, so where does that leave the likes of Charlie Adam and Jay Spearing?
Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:05

Tony Evans:
Think Rory's got a point, Nick. I could see Adam and Spearing staying as squad players, though. They haven't got a lot of resale value and both have plus points. Spearing could thrive in a Rodgers pressing midfield and Adam can pass. The back four could play the Rodgers game but, Lucas and Maxi aside, thing the midfielders there now might stuggle.


Comment From Owl
Are Liverpool right in trying to offload Andy Carroll?
Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:11

Tony Evans:
Not in my opinion, Owl, but the new manager has to live and die by his decisions. The club have to trust his judgement. Big call. Bold

Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:11

Comment From Owen
Can a side play decent football with Andy Carroll up front?
Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:15

Tony Evans:
Definitely, Owen. Towards the end of the season he was enhancing Dalglish's passing game, where before he'd been slowing it down. The kid's got talent. Someone will get the benefit

Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:16


Comment From JDubs
Does Aquilani have a future with Rodgers at Liverpool? Surely he is the type of player that could flourish in a Rodgers Tika Taka midfield
Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:36

Tony Evans:
This always comes up JDubs, but the basic problem is that Aquilani is not physically equipped to play in the PL. He wasn't bought to play, he was bought because he was injured and cheap and Rafa saw a hefty sell-on value. It was a manic decision brought on by crazy times. I can't see him in a pressing midfield

Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:38


Comment From Marcus
Hi Tony, enjoy following you on twitter immensely... the beer recommendations are the icing on the cake for me. Has Rodgers really made his mind up so quickly without kicking a ball? Surely, being so intent in playing his way, no player is safe until he's seen them in pre-season?
Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:40
Tony Evans:
Thanks Marcus. Rodgers will give the squad a look but Carroll is an easy decision. You can see right away what he does. There'll be a few shipped out, though. It does worry me a bit though. I don't like 'blueprint' managers, generally. I like people who look at their players and devise a system to get the best out of them - Hiddink is the master.

Wednesday July 11, 2012 13:42


Comment From james
Hi tony, any idea on other liverpool targets than dempsey and borini?
Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:01

Tony Evans:
It'll become more clear in the next week or two when Dave Fallows finishes his gardening leave from City. Joe Allen. Plenty to be shipped out first to build a war chest

Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:02


Comment From kesh
If Carroll leaves, do you think Rodgers will bring in another striker (in addition to Borini)? Surely he will have to, no? And - if so - any thoughts on who / what type of player he'd been looking for?

Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:18

Tony Evans:
Definitely, Kesh. Think that's where Demspey could come in. He'll need another couple of midfield players, too.
Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:19


Comment From Simon
Hi Tony, You said earlier that other than Lucas and Maxi, Liverpool's midfielders will struggle with BR style of play. If that is the case where does that leave Downing, Gerrard, Henderson and Shelvy (just signed new deal). Secondly should a club have a "style" of play (Barcelona) and any new manager that comes in has to play that way, rather than constanly changing style and therefore personnel when a new boss takes over?

Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:27

Tony Evans:
Simon, I reckon if the next talented set of kids in Barca's academy start to show signs of suiting route 1 football, then we'd see the ball launched in the Nou Camp before long. I don't think you can create identikit teams and identikit players. I suspect Downing and Henderson will be moved on. Shelvey is a squad player. The captain is reaching his twilight years. He'll play less but can't see him leaving
Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:30


Comment From isaac
Tony, do you think Downing and Henderson have futures at LFC?
Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:39

Tony Evans:
Downing, definitely not. Henderson, probably not. Someone high up at club expressed to me a desire to be rid of English players

Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:40


Comment From kesh
Thanks for the marathon webchat, Tony - it's been most enjoyable. Last question from me - I thought Henderson would be Rodgers' sort of midfielder, and would suit a 'pressing, pass and move game.' Clearly you don't seem to agree?

Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:50

Tony Evans:
There's a mood against Dalglish's signings at the club, Kesh, not from Rodgers. I hope he gives Henderson a go. A slow burner but they knew that when they bought him

Wednesday July 11, 2012 14:50

Some sh*te chatted there by Tony Evans.

Aquilani was bought on the cheap? Hahaha.

I think he's wrong about Downing and Henderson too.