11 Sept 2014

Time to Leave: 84% of LFC fans want BR to sell £10m star ASAP. Surprise?

Earlier this week, Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson admitted that he 'might talk to other clubs' in January, and with his place in the team no longer guaranteed, an Anfield exit at some point over the next year is all but guaranteed. Johnson is a massively experienced player, and a long-term England international, but what do LFC fans think about the prospect of losing him?

Not much is the answer.

I recently conducting a site poll asking fans whether Brendan Rodgers should keep or sell Johnson:

* 17450 (approx) people voted.
* A whopping 84% of participants voted for LFC to dump Johnson.

That is a massive vote of no-confidence in Johnson, but it's not surprising in the slightest. The £10m-rated defender (arguably) lost the last remaining remnants of fan support last season, and with Manquillo, Moreno, and Flanagan in the squad, he is no longer needed.

Both Manquillo and Moreno have immediately been thrown into the deep end at Anfield, which suggests Rodgers is keen to get them both up to speed as soon as possible, perhaps in anticipation of dumping Johnson during the January transfer window.

The Spanish duo (and Flanagan) are the future, so it's a good thing that they're getting regular game-time at the moment. Johnson's time is over, so Rodgers should just keep him on the bench as a squad player, alongside the likes of Lucas, Allen, and Sakho.

Author:


89 comments:

  1. I think we need 2 players into each position and with Enrique a constant injury risk that would mean keeping Johnson or replacing him. I'm fine with replacing him is a suitable player can be brought in but I don't agree that we should simply sell him at the first opportunity with no alternative plan. I can't see what club would take him, not with his current wage demands, so the idea of getting some fee for letting him go is a fantasy.


    You really don't like Sakho, do you? I really hope he can win you over because either he ends up on the bench as a waste of money or he keeps his starting spot and you'll be spending the next x number of years complaining about him.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The guy is in the France team ahead of Koscielny for a reason...

    ReplyDelete
  3. What have Lucas, Allen, and Sakho, got to do with the RB position, which is the topic of this article.
    Why were they worth a mention, and not for example Coutinho, Markovic, etc etc ??.
    You are stirring debate again JK, but many here will fail to see that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Get him out ASAP!!!....................lazy so and so!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Why are you asking irrelevant questions? It is obvious why I've mentioned Sakho et al - they are (as I see it) squad players, and I've suggested that is what Johnson should be.

    Sent from Samsung Mobile

    ReplyDelete
  6. Okay, now you have explained, as you see it they are squad players,
    Lucas, allen and Sakho are irrelevant to the RB position (the topic), so why accuse me of irrelevance.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nevergonnacrackthecode7:40 am, September 11, 2014

    jaimie
    sakho and allen are not squad players
    allen since southampton last season has started the majority of games
    sakho is france number one centre back and rodgers has shown enough faith in him just because he did not start first 2 you make wild assumptions


    i agree with jonny starrs

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nevergonnacrackthecode7:43 am, September 11, 2014

    sakho and allen squad players how?


    they both played a part in our 11 game winning run , sakho had an injury before that is why he did not start ,
    allen is vital to that diamond formation we play we need his energy there


    they also both cost 33m together

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nevergonnacrackthecode7:44 am, September 11, 2014

    exactly but when logan does it vs, skrtel he according to you know who has an agenda

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nevergonnacrackthecode7:46 am, September 11, 2014

    team for villa game:
    ...............................................balotelli
    markovic.................................lallana/allen.................sterling
    ........................................henderson......gerrard
    moreno...........................sakho................lovren.......manquillo
    ...................................................mignolet


    coutinho starts if he is match fit

    ReplyDelete
  11. Allen and Sakho are squad players, whether you choose to accept it or not, and playing for an international team has nothing to do with LFC status. Last season, they were not regular starters, and this season, Sakho has started just one game for LFC, and that was because Sir tel was injured. Allen is only in the team because Can is not yet up to speed (due to pre season injury), and as soon as Lallana is fully fit, he'll be back on the bench.

    Sent from Samsung Mobile

    ReplyDelete
  12. I already explained the squad player point in the article. And Lucas et al are not irrelevant; I wrote the post, therefore I should know! You insist on taking a rampantly inflexible view of the scope of articles, but I don't. I believe my point in the article is crystal clear: Johnson should be a squad player like Lucid,  Allen, and Sakho,  all of whom are obviously squad players right now.

    Sent from Samsung Mobile

    ReplyDelete
  13. It's very rare I agree with you 100% Jaimie but this is one of those times.the article sums up Glen Johson's situation nicely.
    Johnson has had zero competition during his time at Liverpool, he's not gonna have the stomach for it now. Perennial bench player, hopefully offload him in january

    ReplyDelete
  14. The squad player point in the article, you refer to,
    mentions only full backs, read it again and you will see, so thats a mute point, anyway my last post on this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. first time i agree with you, allen has done nothing wrong so far, and earned his place in the squad in pre season and the first 3 games, so why call him a squad player?
    Sakho has bin brilliant in the WC, and whoever of our 3 best CB play, none of those is a squad player... if you think about rotation and tactical changes you have to be able to switch one class CB for another (f. e. sakho for skrtel)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have a different feeling about Sakho. He was originally bought with the view that Skrtel would become the squad player, but Skrtel impressively re-wrote the script. For me, Sakho is a squad player until Skrtel gets injured, or goes into a period of bad form, where then Sakho can impress Rodgers enough to keep the spot...until he's injured, where Skrtel can then have a chance to impress BR, and so on. It's like a cycle.


    I can't say the same about Allen though. Unless he somehow becomes a very dangerous player in the attacking third, he'll always be a squad player. He's a bit like Ji-Sung-Park: a hardworking midfielder who will do the specific job required in particular games.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Dude, the article encompasses two topics: The RB position, and squad players. It encompasses how he should no longer be the first choice fullback, and it also encompasses how he is, at best, a squad player now.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I don't agree with some of your comments on Liverpool but highlighting the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner deserves a lot of credit.
    Keep up the good work JK.

    ReplyDelete
  19. If Allen and Sakho are squad players then Skrtel and Coutinho are, too. At which point the term stops making sense. Personally I think the manager seems them both as first choice players anyway. They'd both get picked for our biggest games, i.e. those forthcoming against Madrid, on present form.

    Johnson's been given an unnecessarily hard time by fans, many of whom are unable actually to describe what their problem with him is, which reeks of jumping on a bandwagon. In my opinion he remains a very good full-back and an asset to the club. Manquillo is not yet at his level though the signs are promising. Johnson deserves more respect than he's received. Even so if he leaves in January I'll accept it, so long as there's a proper replacement coming in.

    ReplyDelete
  20. very well put indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I agree that people are overreacting with regards to GJ but he definitely deserves little bit of stick at least. Also, most of the fans know what is wrong with GJ. His marking is non existent, his decision making is awkward, sometimes just keeps running with the ball and gives the possession away, going forward he is not that effective any more...etc...etc.
    .
    He cannot defend, attack or keep a ball for too long. His passing quality has been poor too. Not to forget that he keeps getting injured and is serving the last year of his contract.
    .
    How can you actually call him an asset?

    ReplyDelete
  22. The guy is in the Liverpool squad behind Skrtel and Lovren for a reason. And this is the reason that actually matters.

    ReplyDelete
  23. We had our own Ji-Sung-Park in Dirk Kuyt.

    ReplyDelete
  24. You sound like a fan hero with the last paragraph, mate. If I recall correctly, JK actually advocated the signing of Sakho for some time. From what I've seen, he has assessed things fairly and now rates others ahead of him. I don't see anything wrong with that, and there's certainly no form of dislike present. Sakho may retain his place in the team over time, but there was no way he should have started this season, and he didn't start. Do I dislike Sakho because of that view?


    Similarly, again from what I've read, Skrtel was never JK's first choice yet he seemed to turn his Anfield career around and won a lot of fans over.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Over the last 18 months Johnson has looked more and more complacent with every match that has passed. I remember the goal he scored against Chelsea in the League Cup under Dalglish, cut in from the right and placed the ball into the net with his left foot, but ever since then that attacking quality, penetration and intent has been missing.


    Nowadays, Johnson generally dribbles into defenders and loses the ball which puts the whole team under the pump. It happens far too often for fans to simply overlook it. So I think most of the criticism is fair.


    Manquillo hasn't been anything special so far, but he's certainly provided a breath of fresh air and he also complements the attacking fluidity of the team. Momentum is lost when Johnson gets the ball. He could turn it around, and fair play if he does, but I think he has lost it and he'd be lucky to end up at Juve or a similar team when his LFC contract expires. He has regressed to a middish table type player.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm just worried about them rotating too much. We need the defence to gel together through letting them play together a lot...

    ReplyDelete
  27. My point is that people discount Sakho as a hopeless player. Being the starting CB for France suggests otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
  28. France NT are nothing to write about....its like saying there is a reason Smalling is starting for England! although I concede England are at a whole different level!

    ReplyDelete
  29. first Lucid and nor Sir tel, guess we have some new players

    just kidding - even though you should definitively work on your Samsung-Dictionary ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  30. IMO, Johnsons's attacking quality deteriorated ever since he scored a stormer against West Ham. Ever since that, he has looked a shadow of his former self beginning with 'that' thrashing against Aston Villa and has continually regressed since. It is not the bad form that infuriates me but the fact that he has made no effort to come back into form and has been one of the players BR has not been able to turn around.

    ReplyDelete
  31. That is the whole benefit of squad depth. A couple of years back, Allen was a major part of the team and i we had no replacement for him. Now, he has been relegated to the bench and can come in and do a job. It is not about who starts, it is is about the squad and we have depth in almost every position and that is a very strong thing to have.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I think its his transfer fees. 18mn for a player who couldn't start at PSG and was serving the last year of his contract? Lovren cost us just 2mn more!!
    .
    If he was bought for under 10mn, people wouldn't discard his chances completely but he surely doesn't look or play like 18mn player. Hopefully, he will improve.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Sorry, "his marking is non-existent"? He's not always as tight to his man as I'd like, but that's not "Non-existent" marking. At the heart of a full-back's job is to know when to get tight and when to drop off. Most young fullbacks tend to get tight too often because it's the easier option. Like most experienced players Johnson tends to drop off.

    Decision making is "awkward"? What does that mean? The only time I can think of Johnson, an elegant and skillful player, looking awkward is when after beating the first man in the wing position his feint outside is too easily read, and anyway he hardly ever goes that way. One of the reason's he's better on the left is because his favoured option to cut inside onto his left foot to shoot is gone.



    He's tall, quick, passes crisply and accurately, stays on his feet but defends to the very last, making the extra effort to get blocks in etc. So far this season his form has been unimpeachable. You can't point to a single mistake Johnson has made. He's played uncomplainingly on both flanks, with different defensive partners.



    His form wasn't great last season but can I remind you that he has suffered injury setbacks from which players at his stage of their careers always struggle to return. They require patience because their experience is so important. If you don't think a player pushing 400 appearances in a technical position is an asset to the squad, well, I don't know what to say to you.

    ReplyDelete
  34. "No effort"? How can you say that? He's played in a defence that's been in transition, at times it's been chaotic, with different personnel from game to game, new players and rookies coming in, and changes of formation ahead of them.



    Every game I watch Johnson gets up and down that flank with amazing energy and enthusiasm. I don't think you can accuse him of a lack of effort at all.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I do like the look of Manquillo but if you actually look carefully at his performances he's made lots of mistakes. He's getting a bit of reflected glory from Moreno at the moment. But Johnson is clearly the superior player. As such it's foolishness to wish for his departure. He is our best full back.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I think your view of GJ is completely different to mine. Lets just agree to disagree as I see no scope here.
    .
    ("passes quickly and accurately, defends to the very last, elegant and skillful" - made me chuckle, complete BS though, sorry)

    ReplyDelete
  37. I am not going to agree to disagree with you, because this is an objective matter.

    He is an elegant player. With the ball at his feet he is calm and plays with finesse. He is extremely good at beating players with the ball at his feet, has a number of feints and skills which he executes appropriately -- the definition of skillfulness.

    He covers all the way back to the goal line, as he did for Jovetic's goal against City, attempts sliding blocks -- the definition of defending to the last.

    You don't have an argument, it's just impressionistic nonsense about him being "not good enough" or rhetorical exaggerations about his "non-existent" contributions.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Exactly. England are a different level. About 5 levels below France that is.

    ReplyDelete
  39. If he keeps playing the way he has the sooner he's out the better, complacency has creeped into his play for far too long.
    Slightly off topic but the likes of Johnson Lucas Allen and Sakho on the bench is a little underwhelming, 4 defensive players plus a keeper? If I was the opposition I wouldn't be too worried about what was coming off the bench, especially when one of them is going to be either Lambert or Borini.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Certainly Johnson got worked out, and lost a bit of pace. But I'd argue that the team's reliance on him to provide threat down that side was much too strong last season. He was expected to provide virtually all the wing threat on his own, because of the way the team set up, and any player will struggle in those circumstances.

    He also lost form due to injury and I would expect supporters to get
    behind a player in that situation, not trash talk him and demand his
    replacement. It's ridiculous, and it doesn't seem to me to be what being
    a Liverpool supporter is about.

    This season it's slightly different and for me Johnson's looked excellent so far.

    I wanna just remind you too that he is not in the side to score goals, he's a full-back. Judging him on his goals return is highly questionable. Even a full-back regarded as a significant offensive constributor will get fewer than 10 a season. Dani Alves has got 6 in the last 5 put together.

    He is adept at beating players with the ball at his feet; his dribbling's fine. I'd suggest it's his use of the ball once he cuts inside that's the problem, partly because he's doing what you *praise* him for, which is trying to score. So he can't win, can he?

    "Juve or a similar team" -- are you seriously implying that would be a downward step? Juventus are an outstanding side at the moment, Pete, Italian champions with world class players like Pirlo, Pogba, Chiellini, Buffon..

    ReplyDelete
  41. No, I said he would be lucky for a club like Juve to sign him (as has been reported, even Madrid), because in my mind he has regressed as a player.


    I've never demanded that Johnson must go immediately, but his place in the team has never been under a greater threat than what it is now.


    I play fullback and love the role, so I pay close attention to it. And no, I don't expect Johnson to score regularly or even assist, but when is the last time he's put a decent ball into the box? His final ball has been lacking for a while and his decision making on the ball is increasingly suspect.


    Sometimes, it's just the little things that push you over the edge. I'm happy for Johnson to see the bench if it means he is a better player for it. Unfortunately, I think the end result will have Johnson playing for a new club next season. Loosing the ball a lot is just one of those things for me, there's only so much I can accept, and it's not because of some pre-conceived opinion of Johnson and what most fans think of him nowadays, it's from what I objectively assess every time he plays. Same with Gerrard, who I have criticised a lot defensively.

    ReplyDelete
  42. He doesn't lose the ball pointlessly. He loses it trying to force a situation.

    He has put several *excellent* balls into the box so far this season. One was a brilliant assist from the right that Sturridge put away well, ruled out for a close offside against the striker. I can think of several good passes into the box, and a lot of good link-play in midfield too.

    Got plenty of respect for your opinion mate, sorry if I came across a bit over the top. This issue gets my goat.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I possibly being a bit harsh, I see your points, but I will stand by mine, too. After all, I think the best case scenario is that Johnson has some viable competition. After that, we will see what happens.


    Don't worry buddy, respect is mutual and I can take the heat ;)

    ReplyDelete
  44. I agree with Pete. He has become predictable coming up the right side. He makes the cut to the inside at about the same point every time. Then he promptly loses possession because everybody in the stadium knows exactly where's he's going. That's bad enough, but then after the loss of the ball he doesn't track back and defend. He leaves the entire side open. Similarly when the ball is coming up the middle in the opposing half and is fed to him he takes the ball down near the end line and tries to beat the defender with the same move every time. The entire stadium knows this move and he loses possession just about every time. He is not a good fullback because he's not a good defender. He's constantly missing on the break because he gets surprised and doesn't track back fast enough. He's a liability every time he's on the pitch and every other side knows it.

    ReplyDelete
  45. You're beginning to sound a bit like JK's mum, defending him against everything I say. He's a big boy, I think he can argue his own case. I've said nothing unreasonable and if it's a bit adversarial in nature well ... have you read this blog? Have you ever seen an exchange of posts between JK and I before? Lay of it a bit Pete, it's not a big deal.

    I make the comment, quite fairly I think, because the suggestion is that Rodgers should "keep him on the bench as a squad player" and thatt comes across to me as a bit final, a bit too rigid. It's not "keep him on the bench until he improves" or even "for now". He's also said a number of times that he thinks Sakho should be sold and that Rodgers doesn't trust him. I guess you don't like the way I phrase it (i.e. he doesn't "like" him) but there is no disguising the fact that Sakho is being quite firmly rated as not good enough. I just happen to disagree with that and I think there is a good chance he'll get a regular run in the team at the expense of Skrtel. At that point I'll be genuinely interested to know what the reaction is. Either Sakho will win JK over with his performances or we'll see a few more "Sakho should be on the bench" type comments. Which is exactly what I said in the first place. So is it really just the "you don't like him" part that bothers you?

    ReplyDelete
  46. If you took the last 10-15 games as a benchmark then neither Coutinho nor Allen are squad players but in the current roster both need to be a little better in order to lock down a spot. Coutinho certainly has a better long term record of playing regularly but I have a feeling that might be under threat this year. Lallana will take game time away from both of them and Allen is that little bit more versatile. When Gerrard needs to be rested Allen will be up against Can to take that spot and I have a feeling Allen will get the nod quite often. In terms of a mid-field option for any position I think Allen is the obvious first choice. Coutinho is competing with Sterling, Lallana and Markovic for that advanced attacking role near the strikers and unless he steps up to another level he certainly won't be an automatic pick.


    I suspect we'll go back to a 4-3-3 on the weekend and both will start. Lallana and Markovic off the bench.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Skrtel and Coutinho are not squad players. Status shouldn't be judged on the just three games; based on the last year, Skrtel is most definitely not an SP, as he's been almost everpresent, and Coutinho has played regularly. He may become more of a squad player this season, though, with Lallana and Markovic to contend with.

    ReplyDelete
  48. So by referring to past articles and inferring ideas I'm somehow JK's mother out to save him from the bullies...


    I merely suggested that he neither likes nor dislikes Sakho, but rather, Jaimie, like so many others, is assessing things fairly and just expressing their point of you.


    You conveniently missed the point anyway, because I basically referred to multiple Sakho articles over a number of months, advocating for the club to sign him. I didn't defend Jaimie, I proved your dislike claim wrong. And if it wasn't a claim/suggestion, what was it? A shot at point of view? Excuse me for reading it that way considering your negative stance on most articles.


    For the record, I actually felt that the Sakho mention in the article was needless, IMO it's there to stick the knife in, but it's particularly relevant due to all the Sakho talk recently.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Suggesting 'I don't like' Sakho is nonsense. There's no personal element here whatsoever. I've explained many times why I don't believe he is suitable to be first choice CB, and it's all football related. I don't just make statements without backing them up with reasoning, so if you're going to challenge my view on something, then please do it without resorting to laziness.

    As Pete says, I was in favour of Sakho signing for LFC; I got it wrong about his ability to adapt to the pace of the league. If he improves and becomes a regular, I will give credit where it's due, just as I have with Skrtel.

    If Sakho continues to be shaky in defence (like the last game, where he gave the ball away several times etc), I will continue to highlight it, and I'm afraid you'll just have to like or lump it.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Rodgers doesn't trust Sakho. If he did, he wouldn't have bought Lovren. If you spend £18m on a central defender, that should be it, but due to Sakho's unconvincing debut season, Rodgers obviously felt the need to spend big again. I'm sure BR thought that Sakho would bring leadership, organisation etc, but that hasn't transpired. How many teams spend £38m on central defenders in the space of a year? Sakho did nothing to improve LFC's defence last season, and one clean sheet in eighteen games with him in the team is persuasive evidence of this.

    As for saying 'keep Sakho on the bench' - obviously, it's implied that if he consistently plays well then he'll move off the bench. That's obvious; I shouldn't have to spell it out.

    ReplyDelete
  51. I think you're right about BR's intent with Sakho. Skrtel ripped up the plan by having an absolute stormer last season. Skrtel is still injured (as per BR's press conference today), so Sakho will get another chance this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Skrtel and Coutinho have exactly the same status in the squad as Sakho and Allen on present evidence. They are picked depending on the opposition and to fulfil tactical options.

    That's what being a squad player means, isn't it? Unless you mean just squad filler, which Sakho and Allen obviously aren't.

    Who isn't, in the Liverpool squad, a squad player? Which players are, right now, this season, guaranteed starters if fit no matter the opposition? Sturridge, Gerrard... anyone else?

    ReplyDelete
  53. 10mn!!!! Ok, end of dream. After Agger, I have a clear ideaof what we can expect for LFC outcast. In Jan, we 'll be lucky to get 3mn for him, 5mn for Lucas & may be 10mn, at best for Allen. However, even 3mn is a great business for someone charging 100K+/week for warming bench.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Liverpool 1 A Villa 2 - With 6 players injured - FORGET IT - Cannot believe how timid and puffy these players are - Rush was quicker than Owen and Sturidge yet NEVER injured - THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES - or try a real sport like BOXING

    ReplyDelete
  55. Letv Tommy Smith take Training Duties

    ReplyDelete
  56. and dirk is still doing his job brilliantly for fener and the national team... absolutely gutted LFC let him go too early, as he could still be an integral part of our squad

    ReplyDelete
  57. He definitely shouldn't be starting matches. But for me the paltry amount we would get for him in January (a 30 year old in decline with 6 months left on his contract) I would just keep him in the squad and pay his wages. Let him go on a bosman then, just in case the unthinkable happened in the run in.

    ReplyDelete
  58. On Johnson 0me million from Arry last day

    ReplyDelete
  59. I don't get the negativity with Lambert from a lot of areas. He is a third choice striker bought for 4mil. He won't start any high profile games and is not a champagne footballer, but he is effective when brought from the bench. Very few centre backs want to see a 6ft bull coming off the bench after playing 75mins of football. He can head, he can shoot and provides assists.
    23 goals assists in38 league games last year.
    For four mil he is an excellent option from the bench.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Nevergonnacrackthecode4:04 pm, September 11, 2014

    can,allen,sturridge all out of villa , can for 6 weeks


    .......................................balotelli
    markovic.........................lallana...............sterling
    .............................henderson.....gerrard
    coutinho rotating with gerrard

    ReplyDelete
  61. I recognise that criticism, that he's become "predictable".

    But that doesn't lead for me to where you end up, "a liability".

    Losing the ball in the final third when attempting to get the ball into the penalty area is not the same as losing it with clumsy or inattentive play in the defensive third, as Manquillo and Moreno have both done this season already. That's being "a liability".

    But again, Glen's form already this season has been much sharper and I think we've seen less of that from him already.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Spirit of the Shadows5:02 pm, September 11, 2014

    That was one horrible international break on the injuries front. What a nuisance.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I voted in the poll re Johnson, I voted he should be sold as I believe he's well past his best and the club should move forward, as I believe they are. I didn't for headlines or terms such as 'Get out' or 'Dump'. I feel generally speaking Johnson served LFC quite well for a period of time and using terms like these are demeaning !

    ReplyDelete
  64. There are many games this season so Allen will play his part this season.


    Lovren ans Sakho are the way forward :-)

    ReplyDelete
  65. We tend to give the stick to players like GJ, LL these are players that have given everything for our shirt . Then we prsise and idolise players that when the club gives them all gi to other clubs. Support all our players they also can have difficulties in life

    ReplyDelete
  66. Johnson will not sign a new deal even if offered. He has publicly stated that he wants to move and he has engineered a bosman. Good riddance very poor over last 18 months

    ReplyDelete
  67. as long as liverpool keep clean sheets im happy .....but sako looks ungainly thats a fact,maybe its a case of substance over style ....apparently he had costa in his pocket for france but ive never seen the game so its just speculation ,

    ReplyDelete
  68. we have vastly over payed for both players but it is what it is......for me he has to keep with pairing as long as not conceding goals

    ReplyDelete
  69. its a pretty balanced assessment Adam to be fair when all of Liverpools players are fit there is a good chance that all 3 of these players but most certainly two of them will be on the bench

    ReplyDelete
  70. We have to RBs (Flanno and Manquillo) and two LBs ( Moreno and Enrique). So Johnson isn't needed, and if you want a fullback with experience then get someone who is actually decent as well as experienced. As for CBs we are well covered especially with Illori coming in next season.

    ReplyDelete
  71. 17450 people don't even fill Anfield hardly 84% of Liverpool fans! (That is what prompted me to read the article!) lol! However, I think the issue is quite simple. He is not now worth the amount he receives and would like to continue to receive with a new contract. Therefore, contract talks have stalled. It could be it is showing up in his application on the field. He is currently injured? I think he will move on in Jan or even go on a free when current contract ends. Hardly important as BR knows what he is doing.... Have a vote on that!

    ReplyDelete
  72. Only 84%? Yes, that is a surprise! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  73. Leave boxing to the experts

    ReplyDelete
  74. Maybe it is actually Sugar Ray Leonard though...

    ReplyDelete
  75. You're both stuck on the suggestion I made that JK doesn't "like" Sakho. It's a turn of phrase and neither of you are idiots so you can use a little liberal interpretation. The idea that I think JK has a personal distaste for the man is fairly stupid, I simply think it's obvious that he doesn't "rate" him or "fancy" him or any other number of terms I could have used. Yeah, mentioning Sakho in that way is sticking the knife in. That's generally when JK gets a response from me, when he says something I think is unnecessary. So he did, and I absolutely chose to have a dig at him in return. If you really think I was trying to argue that JK has some personal vendetta with Sakho then I suppose I understand the argument, but it's just not the case. I'll put that down to me not being able to communicate my sense of humour adequately ovet the internet.

    And this is all a distraction from what I originally pondered which is about what will be the response if Sakho is suddenly no longer used as a "squad player". I think it's a likely scenario. So if Sakho is used as a first team player JK will either come to appreciate him more or continue to complain about him. Seems fairly uncontroversial, no?

    ReplyDelete
  76. Got to disagree wit you about Allen only being in the team because Can isn't yet up to speed. Allen always seems to be under rated, but on current form I'd be playing a four man diamond midfield with Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, and Sterling for most of our Premiership matches this season. That combination took Tottenham to the cleaners.


    Allen is technically good, a good passer, and his energy and ability to harass the opposition into mistakes is up there with Henderson. Granted he has his weaknesses like his physical strength and finishing, but overall I rate him and he is a player who has shown a marked improvement over the last 12 months and I believe will continue to get better for some time yet.

    ReplyDelete
  77. I'm not really sure why you guys are taking the "like" suggestion so literally but I suppose that's what happens with off-the-cuff remarks. It was half a joke, half a dig at you for your stance on Sakho which I simply disagree with. I guess it doesn't translate very well.


    I absolutely expect you to continue to highlight Sakho's shortcomings, I'd be almost disappointed if you didn't. I did the same myself in our first three games, even the clean sheet against Spurs. But then I'll continue to argue against what I think is needless criticism. If I don't think Sakho is at fault for something, I'll say so. I'll also continue to argue against the suggestion that his ungainly appearance on the pitch has any impact whatsoever on his effectiveness.

    In the simplest terms I think your continued insistence that Sakho isn't good enough is off the mark. I just don't agree. I can see the mistakes he makes but I also see the basic skill set he has as a defender and in my mind it's very impressive. He has all the tools to be very very good defender. I've also seen plenty of times when he's played a full 90 minutes and done nothing wrong, yet somehow people seem to find fault with him. I think it mostly comes down to what I said about him looking ungainly on the pitch and I'm just not convinced that's relevant. I think it makes fans uncomfortable because it's different but in terms of being a good defender it means nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Sure, I don't totally disagree, but it's Sakho in particular I'm on his case about. Allen ... well he's a divisive issues for all fans. But Sakho I think really is going to be a very good player for Liverpool. I don't think he's going to be a waste of money, I can see him earning that transfer fee, every penny. Just recently it seems Skrtel has the edge and that's probably fair. He seems a little more composed and settled, a bit more sure about his job. But my standing problem with Skrtel is that when things go wrong his ability to cover and improvise goes out the window. When the structure breaks down he doesn't seem to know what to do. I don't quite see that in Sakho, but maybe that's just because he hasn't been at the club long enough.


    I see in Sakho all the tools of a very good defender: he's strong, times his tackles well, can stay on his feet or go to ground equally well, he has enough pace to deal with attackers, he doesn't get caught ball watching, he's pro-active and when he's got the ball he always looks forward. It seems like he's not quite all there yet for Liverpool and for some reason he plays much better for his country. He looks so composed and comfortable for France and yet at Liverpool all our defenders, even Lovren, can have moments where they get the jitters. Overall I just don't see the deficiencies in Sakho's game, I don't see that he has fundamental flaws or a missing set of skills. I completely expect him to take over from Skrtel as Lovren's first choice partner, either sometime this season or next.

    ReplyDelete
  79. Whacha smokin?

    ReplyDelete
  80. I'm with you 100 percent, until you start defending glenjo. Never tracks back, careless final third play, statistically poor (check his intercepts/slides/blocks). I used to defend him, as I remember him at Portsmouth and he was great. Full of pace ad crosses.... To be fair to him he can still cross a ball very well, the rest he doesn't do too great anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  81. Are you Glen's dad?

    ReplyDelete
  82. Never tracks back? Are you sure?

    ReplyDelete
  83. Joel Matt Murdock Hwa3:38 am, September 12, 2014

    Point noted and you have my full respect of your opinion. Yup, I have never got more excited than now, because our squad is even stronger than the last. Kudos to BR and his team, and not forgetting our owners, for rebuilding this squad and setting out a blueprint in the club right from the Academy to the first team on our we gonna approach our football. We are definitely going in the right direction and truly believe we will build another dynasty very soon. YNWA!

    ReplyDelete
  84. Joel Matt Murdock Hwa3:42 am, September 12, 2014

    On your point of Sterling, I want us use more of our youngsters, give them more first team opportunities and they will shine. Ibe, Suso, Texeira, Llori, Wisdom. All they need are opportunities.

    ReplyDelete
  85. Agreed that the youngins need some opportunities, which they should get, especially in the cup games, but I can see Rodgers really attacking the CL to make a statement this year, so I think they'll be restricted to FA and Carling cups. I'm just not sold on Suso, I think he's a great player but I'm just not sure he'll be able to do it in the PL, BUT I would love to be proven wrong. Teixera is exciting, Ibe should be like a beefy Raheem, Illori and Wisdom will be good squad members in a year or two and if they continue, could be great additions to the first XI. A big YES to the kudos you gave to BR, I dont think people really sit back and look at what he has done, he has made LFC fans worldwide excited (for example, I'm in Australia and everyone here is excited as all hell) and ready for this season, whereas I absolutely dreaded it with Woy and was slightly afraid of it with Rafa, even after the 08/09 season. Thanks for the chat Joel, you dont often see intelligent conversation amongst football fans, big up.
    YNWA

    ReplyDelete