January Transfer Thread - Que Salah, Salah, "Egyptian Messi, Messi"

Anyone else think we were spending relatively lower amounts the last few windows to make up for the horrific buys in the Hodgson and Dalglish eras? I think Henry realizes if we're in the thick of making the CL he will splash some cash to solidify our CL chances.

 

While we,and him, were shit in the Hodgson tenure he actually made money in the transfer market so while it's fair to blame him for some things, not spending the money you think we should be spending is not one of them.

And it's bizarre to blame Kenny for Rodgers lack of spending as they currently have had roughly the same amount of time at the helm and Rodgers has spent almost £20m more. Kenny would have LOVED to have been backed like Rodgers especially when Suarez was suspended we were on course for a CL place and they never bothered to sign us another striker while he was out for 10 games.

The owners have been more than generous. I would love for someone to point out which teams, outside Man City and Chelsea, have spent more than us since their arrival. It's certainly not United, Arsenal, Spurs or Everton.

I am very happy with Rodgers right now and a manager should have the freedom to do what he wants in the transfer market but to play devil's advocate I will highlight were we as a club have gone wrong under his tenure:

• Too many CB's. Agger, Skrtel, Toure, Coates, Illori and Sakho. That is 6 expensive high wage players for 2 positions with the likes of Wisdom and Kelly for back up.
• Rodgers didn't scout Gerrard enough, either he was convinced that he was going to be mostly injured(fair enough) or that he was still an AM/SS so he brought in 2 gifted players like Sahin and Allen to play his current position. Money should of been used elsewhere.
• Alberto. He probably will become very good, but we spent more money on him than we recouped on Shelvey despite them being the same age and One prem ready. Shelvey has got 3 goals and 2 assists in the Prem this season that is more than Coutinho, Allen, Henderson, Alberto and Lucas combined.

 

There's some talk about Moura coming some perhaps a title could

Get Some Moura Players

 

Sorry but I'll bite. I'm a not saying that all of our transfer business under Rodgers has been great but you make some strange arguments against his transfer policy. Almost like you're doing an exercise in reverse psychology.

1. Too many CBs? Here's a timeline of what's happened with our CBs:

End of last season: No even sure why you mention Coates since he's hardly played or looked like he's going to play for us...Carra retires after a season where Skrtel and Agger were so bad that Carra, who already looked a few years past his prime regained his place...Long term futures of Skrtel and Agger in doubt, with Skrtel in particular looking as though he had to move…With Agger also showing his weaknesses (and constant threat of injury) and with both being old and there being no long term replacement in sight because Coates can't do it, reinvigorating the CB ranks became a top priority only behind keeping Suarez.

• First move: Toure brought in on a free transfer. A proven player to start alongside Agger as it still looked obvious Skrtel wouldn't play again. Skrtel hardly played in the summer and in the beginning of the season.
• In late summer: rumors that Barca/Man City (I think) want Agger. Napoli wants Skrtel.
• End of transfer window: Sakho purchased. Young, strong, potentially world class. With him we are up to four "league worth" CBs: Sakho, Agger, Skrtel, Toure. Ilori purchased as a long-term project, not an instant starter.
• Early in League campaign: Skrtel steps up his game, regains a spot in the starting eleven. Rodgers opts for a formation with 3 central defenders. We have a strong start to the league.

So to summarize all the names you mentioned:
Agger - most experienced Liverpool player of the group, essentially taking Carra's role. But aging, not without weaknesses, and injury prone.
Skrtel - looked like his days at the club were done as late as early September. Jekyll and Hyde sort of player: can be our best and also our most likely player to have a calamitous error.
Toure - free transfer. Brought in to replace Skrtel in the starting 11.
Coates - who? Don't think he's on high wages.
Illori - young defender who gives us a promising option for the future. Not in contention to play this year. Doubt he's on high wages.
Sakho - the first 'big name/big money' signing in defense we've had since Glen Johnson. Has looked good and has also looked like a player adapting to the league.

In the past we've had too few and now we're saying having four experienced and one or two young defenders is a problem. It's not a bad thing that Rodgers has created an environment that allows a player like Skrtel to become a better player.

2. The Gerrard part I can't really argue other than to say (1) Gerrard is in the twilight of his career; (2) Sahin was a loanee and (3) we're stronger with Allen as a selection option than without him. Next best option if he weren't around would be Jay Spearing. Can imagine where we'd have finished last year had Spearing filled in for Lucas instead of Allen? And Allen's transfer was a typical move by a new manager to get a player he's familiar with from a team that played well enough to get the manager to a bigger club. Almost all new managers with resources make this type of move. Don't see what Gerrard had to do with it.

3. We did well to get 5mil for Shelvey, who is a talent but he's currently benefitting from playing in a smaller pond. He's Danny Murphy: will never make it at a big club where he's challenged by better players. There's no way he'd have the same number of goals and assists if he were in our squad right now. More important than his tally of goals and assist is the number of goals our forwards have scored this season, which wouldn't be the case if we had Shelvey constantly shooting from distance, losing possession, failing to regain it, and making violent tackles.

If you're going to question his signing why not build off of your Luis Alberto argument by mentioning Borini, Aspas, Assaidi.

 

How does a timeline change the fact that we have too many CB's? A 35 year old Carra* went out and we replaced him with 3 CB's despite no European football this season to justify it.

I hate to break this to you but llori and Coates did not leave their native sunny countries where they were guaranteed first team football for little wages.

Honestly this is such a BS response. He's still only 21, same age as Alberto. He has not suddenly became 30. He would of improved on last years play, like he did the previous 2 years running, had he remained a red this season.

Secondly, try showing a former RED a bit more respect. Danny Murphy made it at a big club. 246 games and 44 goals for Liverpool FC in which he was a PL runners up, FA cup medal, UEFA cup medal and 2 League cup medals. Or league finishes of 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 5th and 4th. Or the three winners for us at Old Trafford.

Lucas, Allen, Henderson and Shelvey would be lucky to have that kind of career at Anfield.

*It's weird how so many were quick to label Carra as past it the last few years and yet we are on course to have our worst defensive season in a decade.

 

Spud! Damn skippy he made it at a big club. Who's bigger than Liverpool FFS???


As for too many CBs...I'll respectively disagree with pikas.

 

I think its more about style of play when it comes to Shelvey and Alberto. Both are likely to be good (although I'm not convinced either is destined to be great), but Rodgers prefers the attributes of Alberto over those of Shelvey. Had Shelvey stayed, he'd probably have received the same amount of time as Alberto. Just because he has scored a couple goals for a team in the bottom half of the table is hardly a strong case that selling him and replacing him with Alberto was a drastic error of judgement. The jury is very much out on that.

 

As I stated in the original post I'm more than happy with Rodgers being allowed to have the freedom to what he wants in the market. The post was just defending the owners spending and pointing out why certain area's of the squad might seem lacking.

 

Disagree on the center back side. Am diametrically opposed to anybody believing that Shelvey was a player that we should have kept.

But, Spud was an amazing servant to our club, performed incredibly well over a number of seasons, and was under-utilized and should have been allowed to stay when he was shipped out.

 

Only gossip of late:
The scum are poking around Willy Hughes, though we are told that 'pool is still in pole position.

Liverpool are weighing up a move for Fenerbahce left-back Caner Erkin. Guess BR is going to be allowing Cissokho to leave in January if this were to happen.

 

I told y'all that Cissokho was gonna be riding the Sahin train out of Merseyside in January

 

Fair enough. The swapping of Shelvey for Alberto certainly supports the notion Rodgers has been backed pretty well in transfer market (a point I definitely agree with), but not sure it's strong evidence for our perceived lack of depth in the squad (perhaps you were citing other examples to make that point.) I don't think Shelvey would be providing anything to our squad that Alberto isn't providing.

 

I thought it was time for Jonjo to go although I kinda liked his personality (I still follow him on twitter)

Alberto, so far, looks like he is having difficulty adjusting to the pace of English football. He is skilled and looking to make good passes and linking play but he looks to be playing in slow motion. I am hoping that will change.

Frankly, I would rather have Suso in that role.

 

My enthusiasm for the signing is waning...and I was clamoring for him 3 years ago.

 

Shelvey is capable of starting Prem games, thus far Alberto is not. Not to say that in the future Alberto wont exceed Shelvey on the pitch(OTWT) but this season Shelvey is the better option as shown by his MOTM performance against Newcastle or him coming of the bench and scoring the winner in the away win to Fulham.

Alberto, Allen and Lucas are all in the same mold. Technically great players who are unlikely to come off the bench and be a game changer. Shelvey is, he's Gerrardlite in his play.

 

Those who don't think we have too many CBs haven't looked at the midfield lately. Need to ship some out and bring in pacey midfielders. Looking back, we should've taken the big money for Agger and bought a great midfielder. Illori & Cissokho were wastes of money. Aspas & Alberto are too and no, I don't buy "they'll be good one day" shite. Only player who deserves that label is Flanno. LB is right, Suso should've stayed as he's light years ahead of Aspas & Alberto. BR said this past summer's tranfers were to strengthen the squad and he didn't. Time to get it right in Jan.

 

Rep everyone else in the thread

 

Shelvey is capable of starting a Prem game for a team in the bottom half. I've no doubt Alberto is as well, its just there are better options in front of him at LFC.

Capable of starting for LFC when we are sitting in the top 4? Entirely different argument. Second half of last season pretty much showed what Rodgers thought of Shelvey's readiness to start games for us. Nothing he's done since has dramatically changed that view. He's had a few good games, but he's hardly the game changer you are making him out to be. If he was, Swansea would be higher in the table.

Anyhow, think we've beaten the Shelvey horse long enough. Who are we buying?

 

Pet hate of mine, someone typing out a detailed reply and then deciding that the discussion is over.

 

Suso will come back a better player and at the very least will have added diniro to any future transfer fee.

 

a couple of extra 'diniros' ?