Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has hailed the signing of Serbian attacker Lazar Markovic, and predicts that he will fit perfectly into the Reds' 'fluid system of football'.
LFC confirmed the £20m signing of Markovic earlier this week, and in his column for the Liverpool Echo today, Lawro enthused:
"He [Markovic] could have gone to Chelsea but he can see the brand of attacking football at Liverpool.
"That will have been the biggest attraction for him because he knows he will flourish in this team.
"He fits the bill and his flexibility means he will thrive in the fluid system of football here".
Did 'unstoppable' Markovic actually reject Chelsea for Liverpool, or is it the case that Chelsea just weren't interested in taking up their £12m option to buy?
I suspect it's arguably the latter; Markovic is a massive Blues fan, as his previous gushing comments prove:
"I really hope I can go to Chelsea, it's my dream. I had all the pictures of the team on my wall at home back to when they had Gianfranco Zola. And any time they are on TV I try to watch them. For me Chelsea are the best".
If Chelsea had blinked in Markovic's direction, he probably would've rejected Liverpool and made a beeline for Stamford Bridge. Still, what's done is done, and hopefully, the Serb will live up to hype being generated by the likes of Avram Grant, who this week gushed:
“I can say that apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age"
One thing I personally like about Markovic is his apparent self-confidence; most great players have a slight arrogance about them, and he projects a certain self-assurance, which is arguably a positive sign. Indeed, in his first interview for Liverpool, he made a confident statement of intent about his expectations at the club:
"I went to Partizan and won the title. I went to Benfica and won the title. Now I have joined Liverpool and want to win the title, 100 per cent"
This is the attitude of a winner. Markovic can certainly talk-the-talk; here's hoping he can walk-the-walk too.
Author: Jaimie K
LFC confirmed the £20m signing of Markovic earlier this week, and in his column for the Liverpool Echo today, Lawro enthused:
"He [Markovic] could have gone to Chelsea but he can see the brand of attacking football at Liverpool.
"That will have been the biggest attraction for him because he knows he will flourish in this team.
"He fits the bill and his flexibility means he will thrive in the fluid system of football here".
Did 'unstoppable' Markovic actually reject Chelsea for Liverpool, or is it the case that Chelsea just weren't interested in taking up their £12m option to buy?
I suspect it's arguably the latter; Markovic is a massive Blues fan, as his previous gushing comments prove:
"I really hope I can go to Chelsea, it's my dream. I had all the pictures of the team on my wall at home back to when they had Gianfranco Zola. And any time they are on TV I try to watch them. For me Chelsea are the best".
If Chelsea had blinked in Markovic's direction, he probably would've rejected Liverpool and made a beeline for Stamford Bridge. Still, what's done is done, and hopefully, the Serb will live up to hype being generated by the likes of Avram Grant, who this week gushed:
“I can say that apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age"
One thing I personally like about Markovic is his apparent self-confidence; most great players have a slight arrogance about them, and he projects a certain self-assurance, which is arguably a positive sign. Indeed, in his first interview for Liverpool, he made a confident statement of intent about his expectations at the club:
"I went to Partizan and won the title. I went to Benfica and won the title. Now I have joined Liverpool and want to win the title, 100 per cent"
This is the attitude of a winner. Markovic can certainly talk-the-talk; here's hoping he can walk-the-walk too.
Author: Jaimie K
I like his direct, almost arrogant attacking style. He just powers towards the goal at pace. It would be nice to have more footage of him but we'll see him in action soon enough.
ReplyDeleteAt the very least, this year, he should give us a bit of 'oomph' from the bench when we need it (unlike 'Mr Worst Corner In History' man). And, hopefully much, much more in future years as he matures and develops.
ReplyDeleteHe is going to need a bit of time to adapt to the league. Not saying "one for the future" but the difference in intensity from the Portuguese league to ours will take a some time to adjust to. I would love it if the fans would be somewhat patient with the lad but I am sure that is hoping for too much. One thing he has and that is effective in this league is pace, now with Remy too we have (probably) the quickest forward line in the league. And in Lambert, Coutinho and Gerard three players who attempted the most through balls in the league. You can see what Rodgers is thinking can't you?
ReplyDeleteHow do you know he would have gone to Chelsea rather LFC??
ReplyDeleteIt's a good presumption based on the quote provided.
ReplyDeleteAssumptions and Presumption are the mother of all F'ups!! A lot of players say they wish they could have been in another team but are very"happy" to be in another. Suarez said he always played as LFC on FIFA and was always an LFC fan and was very "happy" in Liverpool but yet was engineering a transfer out. TWICE!!!
ReplyDeleteLiverpool reportedly set to launch Isco bid
ReplyDeleteMarkovic has won 6 major trophies with two different clubs and is only 20. Most have only good things to say about him. Fingers crossed, hopefully he will become a success at Anfield.
ReplyDeleteThink you might want to edit the post a little... you say "did markovic reject Chelsea or were Chelsea not interested, I suspect its the former", by the former you imply that he rejected Chelsea to come to us but then the quote he gives contradicts that...
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! A far cry from Stewart Downing!
ReplyDeleteI mean latter. I'll change it later. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSent from Samsung Mobile
Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteYup, he will certainly become the next legend at LFC if LFC can lift the EPL crown upon his arrival. But seriously I've never heard of him before this transfer episode. Like it or not, he's already here. Just pray hard that he is as good as what others said about him.
ReplyDeleteNext topic, where's our defensive reinforcement?
One word; Lebron!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank was a lot more because of the media vultures following. And criticising his every move. He loved Liverpool but is married too and wifes family in Barcelona, anyone who has been married will know the women always want to be near their parents and i can be sure Suarez got stick from his missus and fatherinlaw etc after the bite. Time to move to Barcelona. I wish him and his family well.
ReplyDeleteAspas was a miss, but I think, BR has a very good eye for young players, particularly at attacking 3rd. With Borini apparently priced 12-14mn, almost every BR attacker (read Sturridge, Coutinho, Aassaidi, Borini, probably Yasil as well) has gone to succeed or increase their value. We should also credit BR for the development of Suso, Sterling, Ibe, may be Taxieara, Sinclair & Peterson. BR knows his attacking game & I am quite confident that Markovic 'll shine as an attacker.
ReplyDeleteNow, if Chelsea rejected him or he opted for LFC - my logic tells it's Chelsea not going for him. 12mn is peanuts for Abrahamovic & his crooked Manager wouldn't have left any chance to deny one of his main rival at the expense of Russian riches. He has the highest number of players loaned to mid to lower table EPL sides, who can't play against CFC but can trouble his rivals.
However, after blowing over 100mn to hold on to 3rd spot in EPL table playing the ugliest football that we have ever seen from a top 4 side (not making any of the domestic cup finals either) & becoming the most successful English club in CL (for his last minute QF victory against a PSG side without Zlatan), I am sure he had been given a mouthful by his boss - so he might be a bit restrained this time. Already has spent crazy money for an overloaded side with overpriced & massively overpaid mercenaries (& yet still looking for big money players), may be he just don't have the balls to spend for a player whose purchase he can't justify (barring the crooked loan game).
Or may be, JM is a bit exposed after his Spain & recent EPL venture, may be he is just not that much special any more for young players to sit on bench for him.
Abramovich is not as dumb as we may think. Chelsea have signed loads of the best young players over the years and them loaned them out and if surplus to requirements sold them on for a profit.
ReplyDeleteLoan?
ReplyDeleteIsco = regular playing time = no go.
ReplyDeleteIf we have signed Origi then I think we are done with shopping for attacking players.
Now onto a CB and LB!
Not sure BR is finished buying up top. My pref would be to buy 2 defenders, and then buy 1 big name up top (any of the names that we are currently being linked with).
ReplyDeleteAlso we need to start moving on some of the dead wood (anyone BR thinks won't contribute - take you pick from the likes of Coates, Kelly, Illori, et al..).
Who else should we buy after adding Remy and possibly Origi?
ReplyDelete4-3-3 there is space for three forwards. 4-3-1-2 space for three forwards and 4-1-2-1-2 space for three forwards.
Sturridge, Lambert, Remy, Coutinho, Sterling, Markovic, Lallana. Seven forwards. If we add Origi and does not go on loan it will be eight. If we keep Suso and Ibe it will be ten.
Our attack is sorted.
I would tend to agree with you in that we seem to have enough in terms of number of attackers. But, and here's the kicker, if you are a big CL team, would you fear that attack on paper. This may present an opportunity to surprise them 'cos their talent in the ranks.
ReplyDeleteBut it's been shown time and time again that some games are won in the tunnel before kick-off - just the shear fear factor of who you up against. That's why I think we need to sign a Marque well-know international signing.
But only after we've fixed the defense.
I had someone argue with me yesterday that Remy will be happy to sit on the bench. If remy was playing for Madrid or any other top European team he would have probably cost us in excess of £20 million.
ReplyDeleteThe word marquee is very vague.
He isn't - whoever thinks that someone from a middle-class background could make $25BN before 40 as dumb is idiot himself.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have lots of easy money to roll-on, you can always take the risk of investment. If LFC had the reach of some Mafia or Oil money; I would have loved to see us spending left, right & centre for players like Origi, Kingsley Coeman, Kongdobia, Thivuan, Ginter, Draxler, Max Meyer, Goretzka, Bakkali, Zouma, Digne, Deulofeu, Morata, Jese, Icardi ... even I put another 50 names, on whom you can take a risk of investing over the top & makeup most of that from loan fee (& no salary) - icing of the cake 'll be if one out of 4 turns out to be a Pogba, Oscar or Courtious. It's not a rocket science, but for that, you need to have sources like Abravamivic & luxary to spree without accountability. Problem for JM is, his mouth runs faster than his team & he has hardly any friends outside. A great Manager indeed, but a Narcissus,
Fair point. But it could also be suggested that Remy is not an automatic starter for France, as a measure of marquee.
ReplyDeleteMoving forward, we should be looking to have two strong players in each position for a squad of 22. So far I count:
GK - Mignolet, Reina (if he stays)
RB - Johnson/Flanno
LB - Enrique/Moreno (if he is coming)
LCB - Agger/Sakho
RCB - Skrtel/Lovren (if he is coming)
Holding CM - Gerrard/Can
LCM - Allen/Lucas
RCM - Henderson/Courtinho
#9 - Sterling/Lambert/Remy
#10 - Sterling/Llanan
LW - Markovic/Ibe
With the likes of Suso, Coady, Texeira, Yesil to come in.
That means we've got Toure, Coates, Illori, Kelly, Jones potentially labelled dead wood.
I would not rule out Kelly yet. If he stays fit then he should be starting ahead of Johnson.
ReplyDeleteAgree. But the above is my interpretation of BR's thinking. I'd do things differently.
ReplyDeleteBut then that's why I'm not the boss and BR is :-)
LETS ALL DO THE DISCO COUTINHO STURRIDGE ISCO!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLucas apparently off to Napoli on loan with it becoming permanent if he plays a certain amount of games. Similar to what we had with Aquilani.
ReplyDeletePlus the deal for Lovren to LFC is expected to be completed within in the next 48 hours.
If Lovren does sign I'll have to be honest and admit I don't understand why we bought Ilori. Is the guy ever gooing to play in a Red shirt ? Why sign him in the first place ?
ReplyDeleteLovren, Sakho, Skrtel, Agger, Toure, Ilori, (not to mention Coates), this isn't healthy competition at all.
Anyone of Skrtel, Agger, Toure could still leave. Coates is completely out of the picture.
ReplyDeleteIlori could go on loan again. This signing like Alberto has been up in the air. Who knows what is going to happen with them. Hopefully Ilori's injury ain't that bad as It would be good to see more of him.
Totally agree. It also wasn't healthy competition last season when Rodgers bought Ilori and Sakho (with Agger, Skrtel and Toure already at the club), which again begs the question, why buy him in the first place?
ReplyDeleteI can answer this one. It's because you have the first team; and the U21s; and in between them you have another level of player development: The Possibles. These are younger players who are not going to be making the match day squad on a regular basis yet, but who have outgrown the U21s, and will spend time on loan: with one eye on enhancing their market value to return a profit for the club if they can earn a deal elsewhere; and one on developing them into players who can compete for squad and match-day places. Either outcome is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteIt's pointless buying weak players who will never be able to press for a role in the team for The Possibles. So you have to make some investments in players between the ages of 15 and 21 to maximise your return. Thus Borini, Ilori and Alberto -- also to a certain extent Sterling and Wisdom. It's clearly an increasingly important area of the club's commercial and developmental strategy. I welcome it as being usually a good thing for the players concerned, and unreservedly a good thing for big clubs like Liverpool. But I must admit I have some reservations about the impact the introduction of this kind of market churn is having further down the feeding chain.
I know you won't agree but it is these kind of things that makes one wonder if Rodgers actually does have full control on all transfers. I mean he isn't stupid, is he? If we can see that 4 center backs to pick from for a team not involved in CL is more than enough, why can't he?
ReplyDeleteTo be perfectly honest I wouldn't be surprised if this famous comitee are actually the ones forcing the move for Lovren, having noticed our terrible defending last season.
Huh? What the hell is this idea a minority have that we have finished our attack shopping? There's still 75 million there to splash! I know it won't be all spend on attackers but not all of it can be spent on defenders either...
ReplyDeleteSo, I guess you meant the "latter" not the "former".....
ReplyDeleteI agree, Kelly is worth a shot and so is Ilori. Hope Ilori had been hitting the gym though. When he arrived, he looked like a light pole.
ReplyDelete