3 May 2013

Gerrard insists: This is 'what we need' in the summer transfer window. Priority...?

The upcoming summer transfer window is undoubtedly one the Liverpool's most important in years, and it's crucial that Brendan Rodgers brings in the right players to ensure the Reds continue to move in the right direction. Several key positions need strengthening, and club captain Steven Gerrard has confirmed what many Reds fans already feel: Liverpool need another striker, even if Luis Suarez stays at Anfield.

Speaking to the official Liverpool FC website today, Gerrard revealed his optimism for the future, and hailed the signings of Daniel Sturridge and Philppe Coutinho, who he believes will be 'two big players' for the club.

When asked about the club's transfer needs this summer, he observed:

"Sturridge and Coutinho are both signings for the starting XI, and they can both be even better next season, and if you add another striker to that and you have Luis coming back, then that's what we need to be challenging nearer to the top four".

We all know the influence Gerrard has at Liverpool, and I'm sure he will have made his feelings known to Rodgers, who will hopefully listen and prioritise the signing of another established striker, something he failed to do last summer.

Yes, Rodgers signed Borini, but he's constantly played the Italian out wide, and barely given him a chance to play down the centre.

Additionally, with Suarez banned for the first six games of next season, the Reds need someone to come in and pick up the slack. Can Borini be relied-upon to deliver the goals? I doubt it. And Sturridge - good as he is - seems prone to picking up niggling injuries, and if he misses any games at the start of the season, who else is there to take his place?

Getting a new striker must be near the top of the priority list. Yes, the club needs defenders, but goals win games, and goals will get the team into the Champions League.

Gerrard also believes that if Sturridge and Coutinho had signed last summer, Liverpool's season would've been very different:

"If we had got in Sturridge and Coutinho at the start of the season then I think we'd have been right up there among the top four."

Gerrard has a tendency to exaggerate his praise for players (!), but in this case, I absolutely agree - LFC would almost certainly be in the top four (or close to it) right now if Sturridge and Coutinho joined last summer.

Alas, Rodgers made the same mistake as Kenny Dalglish: he wasted big money on the wrong players, and this (IMO) cost the Reds a Champions League place this season.



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25 comments:

  1. liverpool4life56510:33 pm, May 03, 2013

    Two centre backs, another midfielder, and another striker sorted, :)

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  2. Cristian Ericson should be the No1 target. IMO.

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  3. Got to be a big dominant centre back first. That has to be the priority, then depending on our budget a right winger and maybe a striker. Just my opinion but I'd like Howedes, Ince and Remy.

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  4. This has been the same unfortunate debate for the past few seasons - we need defenders, midfielders, and stikers in order to complete the team. But I agree - two centre backs, a ball winning midfielder, and a striker. I see another mass exodus this summer as well - Carroll, Spearing, Carra (retire), Shelvey (loan), Skrtl, Coates; let's just hope we get this transfer window right.

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  5. Ditto with Zulu, in relation to CB area. Sort the first XI. We have, for now, the strikers sorted for the first XI, whereas the form of our first XI CBs this season has been poor.

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  6. We have to give a chance to Andy Caroll and make sure that we will keep Luis Suarez... The money value is down for both of them. If we deside to keep them and the two forwards play well, then we will have a massive attacking force or a better chance to sell them for more money... And if they cannot play that well, their value will not drop match more... One defensive midfielder and one left back and we are ready to rock! And we don't need another center back. Kelly, Coates and Wisdom deserve a proper chance, plus that Skrtel just can't have another year like that...

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  7. Off topic here but heres the link to the first ever article i read on this site. http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2010/11/why-nelson-mandela-is-to-blame-for.html I still read back to this and laugh :)

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  8. Jaimie why are my comments getting reviewed? I made one what could have been interpreted in a racist context but I didn't mean it in a racist way, I just got slightly carried away in the debate :/ fully except why you deleted it though.

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  9. With the benefit of hindsight it all seems so obvious!! Hang on, in fact what you are saying is that with more better players Liverpool would have finished higher up the table. Stunning and insightful analysis as always.

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  10. we need two centre backs, powerful fast box-to-box defensive midfielder, one quality attacking mid, young english NATURAL winger, and a pacey experienced striker. ive got players all within our budget.

    Toby Alderwerield - CB 23 years old - £10M
    Stefan De Verij - CB 21 years old - £7M
    Mohamed Diame - DM/CM 25 years old - £3.5M
    Cristian Eriksen- AM 21 years old - £14M
    Thomas Ince - RW 21 years old - £6.5M
    Loic Remy - ST 26 years old - £6M
    Total: £47M... board will give us about £35M to spend

    but we will sell coates for £6M, skrtel for £10M, carroll for £12M, spearing for £1M, allen for £7M and that gives us in total:£36M.

    the sound of sturridge, coutinho, suarez, gerrard, diame, eriksen, loic remy, ince, alderwerield, agger, johnson, de verij on a match squad sheet sounds pretty scary.

    100% confident if we get in these players, especially as BR has finally got the team really playing, we'll get top 4 and win all the domestic trophies. thats a squad as good as any in the league



    YNWA

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  11. 2 CB's - Dede and Sahko, 1 LB Cissokho, 1 DM Diame, 1 AM Eriksen, 1 FWD Aubermyang
    Sell - Carroll, Spearing, Skrtel, Coates, Assaidi
    RB - Johnson, Kelly, Wisdom
    LB - Enrique, Cissokho, Johnson
    CB - Agger, Dede, Sahko, Kelly
    DM - Lucas, Diame, Allen
    CM - Gerrard, Hendo, Allen
    AM - Eriksen, Coutinho, Hendo
    RF - Aubermyang, Downing
    CF - Sturridge, Suarez, Borini
    LF - Suarez, Coutinho,
    Loans for Suso, Sterling & Shelvey
    Top 4 here we come

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  12. cissokho, forget about it. dede has been sold to cruzeiro, sakho is good but we need ball playing good defenders. de vrji and alderwerield better options for present and future. thomas ince should be included, and i'd choose remy over aubermyang. aubemyang reminds me of gervinho, remy is proven quality. i'd sell allen as the midfielders we bring in will surely leave him benched, plus hendo is better. eriksen and diame are perfect. and keisuke honda on a free and were complete.
    RB-Johnson, Kelly, Wisdom
    LB-Enrique, Johnson, Downing
    CB-Agger, Alderwerield, De Vrji, Kelly, Wisdom
    DM-Lucas, Diame
    CM-Gerrard, Hendo, Diame
    AM-Coutinho, Eriksen, Honda
    RW-Ince, Downing, Honda, Sturridge
    LW-Coutinho, Suarez, Borini
    ST-Suarez, Remy, Sturridge, Borini, Honda
    loans for shelvey, suso, sterling, ngoo


    top 4, fa cup and carling cup triumph here we come

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  13. I will be happy with Diame, Eriksen, Williams and Gameiro.

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  14. we don't need 2 young cb's when we have wisdom and kelly tbh, but i totally agree with every other purchase!

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  15. we need real a full time striker who is aggressive & talented, center backs & middle fielder

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  16. We wont sell Allen .. but I agree with all the signings, these should be our priority players !!

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  17. lol !! Jail Him!

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  18. Mr. Point Of View9:57 am, May 04, 2013

    how much budget we get for next season?
    if major buy on each position again will it take time to the team settle in?
    will those big name mentioned considering coming in? since we no europe?


    leave in reality, stop playing fantasy football hehehe and mr. kiss of death hail PC n DS is not a good sign hahaha

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  19. I do agree that we would lose Caroll for a big loss, but I dont think he is or ever was good enough. Therefore I would rather take a lose or loan him out again than have him in the team and lose games. That said it aint my money lol

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  20. Agreed. First team should always come first. I see no point in signing back ups just in case someone is out when other areas are weak in the first team. The defense needs some major work and that is the area we must improve before any other.

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  21. totally agree although i would prob rather go for expereince in the CB roles. However both players you suggest are good.


    The signings above are all do able and affordable if we sell a few players off who are deadwood. Do I think we will go for them? nope.

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  22. alderwerield is exactly what we need. big centre back with pace whoes very good with the ball. plus hes a captain. same for de vrji, hes a captain. and there both internationals. ashley williams is not more experienced than alderwerield despite being older

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  23. well we should, because if we get diame and eriksen surely that will call a end to his anfield days. plus henderson is 5 times better than allen

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  24. I wish players would keep quiet regarding incomings and just comment on the players we currently have.STEVEN GERRARD probably didn't mean it because he doesn't think he runs the club like other captains seem to think (JOHN TERRY) but any talk of strengthening problem areas even if right could be deemed as undermining the coach.Leave wishful thinking to us fans!

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