13 Apr 2015

Carra raves: 'Amazing' £10m powerhouse is last summer's 'best signing'. Agree...?

As I've argued many times in the past, Brendan Rodgers' performance in the transfer market leaves a lot to be desired, and it's fair to say that only 2 of the 24 players he's brought to the club - Sturridge and Coutinho - are unqualified successes. The negative trend continued last summer, with nine players brought in for a whopping £118m, and according to Reds legend Jamie Carragher, only one of the summer intake is worthy of being labelled a transfer success.

At an event on Saturday night for the 5Times Liverpool Former Players Association, Carra discussed Rodgers' transfers, and when asked about last summer's transfer business, he told London-based Liverpool fans:

'Emre Can is Rodgers best signing last year'

I'm not as enamoured by the (arguably) overhyped Can as other fans, but it's hard to dispute the contention that the German is last summer's best signing.

That's not saying much, though, especially with the (collective) underwhelming performance of the other eight signings (including Origi at Lille).

Can is basically the best of a bad bunch, and although he's played well in defence, the jury is still out on whether he can cut it in his favoured midfield role.

The idea of Can replacing Gerrard in midfield next season is, quite frankly, worrying. The German has looked distinctly average when played there this season, and in my view, Can/Henderson is not a viable midfield partnership:

* Having two box-to-box midfielders in the same team is a bad idea. Both have the same instincts (get forward, attack etc), and both will want to make similar runs.

* Tactical discipline will be an issue; for Henderson, this is already a minor problem, and Rodgers conceded this a few weeks ago.

* A dedicated defensive-midfielder is essential to the success of Liverpool's preferred style of play, and neither Can nor Henderson are specialist DMs.

* Imagine having two Gerrards in midfield. It's a nice idea, but it wouldn't work. Ditto Can and Henderson.

There's one other thing to consider: throughout his brief career, Can has been played in various different positions (including central defence and right back), and he's rarely played consistently as a central midfielder. The question is, why?

If Can - recently hailed by Kolo Toure as 'amazing' - is so fantastic in central midfield then why did Bayern and Leverkusen rarely trust him there? Could it be that he's just not that effective in the role?

Brendan Rodgers should just convert Can into a full-time central defender. With Toure sure to leave at some point in the next year, and Lovren failing to hold down a place, keeping Can in defence could save the Reds big money on signing a new centre-half.

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63 comments:

  1. The bottom line is that we've given him some time and that the next manager would need some too. Only few in the world could take us to the next level immediately and they are certainly not available so sacking BR would be a bad move. I am confidant we will get top 4 next season if we don't this one, and if we do that we will challenge for title.

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  2. Wow. Really. How many times have can and henderson played together in midfield. I think u jus write these articles to get a reaction from fans. Some partnerships click from the first game, others take time to settle. Can is german and hendo is english. It will be ww2 when these 2 guys have time to form a partnership. Mrk my wrds

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  3. No doubt Can is the best signing but that comes by default. On paper most of his signings seemed to be good but this season it has not just worked out.


    I just don't trust BR with making signings. Awful track record.

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  4. 2% Balotelli...



    guess that was a misclick?

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  5. Theycallmemrburt3:09 pm, April 13, 2015

    yep I was going for Origi......... I mean...... the saviour...

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  6. We seem to be overloaded with squad players but no spine, especially with Gerrard leaving.Only Coutinho seems to be our go to guy but he's also unreliable. Sterling, not by a longshot and Hendo is an average player, bless him.We really need some proper proven talent.Doesn't anyone want to play for us any longer?

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  7. voted for Lambert for the lols

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  8. No need. Most of them are in New Zealand.

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  9. Balotelli now on 4%....it's bonkers in here

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  10. Agreed Can is our de facto best signing. But Moreno looked more comfortable at LB than LWB. He, for me anyway, will be a good signing in the years to come as well. But in a half season period of quality Can was streaks ahead of the rest.

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  11. I think that you'll find in all likelihood gents, that those votes have a degree of sarcasm in them

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  12. OK, fine then how would you explain Lambert? Surely not one can manage to misclick Lambert;)

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  13. Nonsense and double standards? ;-)

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  14. So Carra was asked who he thought Rodgers best summer signing was and he said Emre Can... Hardly raving is it?
    Can is still very young and learning his trade, writing him off as a midfielder at this stage is a bit shortsighted. Anyway the situation will take care of itself. He'll either develop as a player and force his way into the midfield or he won't and will become a cultured defender. Either way it's a win-win for us.
    Gerrard played all over the pitch too before cementing his place at the heart of our midfield and he wasn't pulling up trees in his first season either. He was the same as Can, a kid who looked the real deal.

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  15. the worrying thing is we cant ever tell for sure in here ;)

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  16. Check last minute and a half of the second goal we scored vs City. Henderson tactically disciplining Can, captain stuff!

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  17. What are you raving about?

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  18. That's my whole point. It will undoubtedly come but at this point in time he's not developed physically enough yet to be playing in the prem every week.

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  19. Now there's an image for Bob to play with ;-);

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  20. I'm waiting for a late move from Lovren

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  21. Hocu nesto dokazat ;)

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  22. We like each other really our only quarrel is about Lovren and Sakho :D

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  23. Thank u very much Jaimie, alas I am not alone :)

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  24. U tell 'em Jaimie :)

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  25. I'll ignore that remark :P

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  26. Sterling: "Of course, when the crowd is with you, there is nothing better. My ambition is to have my own song from the Kop."
    They gave him 120k..

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  27. A song idea for Sterling, to the tune of Yellow submarine-

    We don't need you, young mercenary, young mercenary,young mercenary..

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  28. You do that dejan ;-)

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  29. When I read that did ask what's he smoking?

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  30. Me too. But I asked myself what The Kop is smoking when I heard Balo song and saw the Genio banner too..

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  31. I actually voted for Can :)

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  32. Not another misclick! ;-)

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  33. Ajmo zajebavat mene jel? ;)

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  34. I bet JK loves it

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  35. Only If you want so.

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  36. Money for nothing?

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  37. a lot of promising talent for the future, all with a season of PL under their belts. Wonder what will happen to all the on loan guys

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  38. Same as Lambert

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  39. Out of our 3 big money signings last summer (Lovren, Markovic and Lallana) Lovren was the one player that I felt the fee was fairly reasonable. Unfortunately he struggled early on and then came the fan and media bandwagon which affected him even further. Lovren is still young, a seasoned international and IMO a very good defender who given the right support will hopefully get back to being a solid defender for the foreseable

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  40. OK, I confess it, I voted for Lovren ; felt bad for him all the way down there with nul points. 1% is much more respectable. Well done, lad.

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  41. Are you his relative?

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  42. Wonder where that came from!

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  43. can is still a kid Jk and is well worth the 10m we paid and has all the tools for cm

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  44. Wacky stuff in that shisha pipe I reckon

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  45. Lallana over Moreno. Ridiculous.
    Moreno has had to start with no reliable replacement. He is relied upon every game, and at the slightest mistake critics jump on him, and he doesn't deserve it. Remember the 3-0 win over Spurs? He's a hard worker, and clearly wants to do well too. Completely sick of the criticism he has received.

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  46. Yea I have to admit I was surprised by that. It may have just been him trying to give the impression he still sees a future at Liverpool and hope that might placate the fans somewhat. If it was genuine then he's seriously detached from reality

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  47. With a list like that we don't deserve a top 4 finish!

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  48. Confirmed #LFC team v @NUFC: Mignolet, Johnson, Can, Lovren, Moreno, Allen, Lucas, Henderson, Ibe, Coutinho, Sterling

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  49. Pleased Ibe is back and hopefully will keep Raheem on his toes .....

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  50. Sturridge injured?

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  51. Apparently so and Mario has an 'Illness' cough cough

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  52. Yea right mate and your use of 'their' is wrong, learn proper grammer.

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  53. pish posh, I object!

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  54. Sums it up pretty well :)

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  55. Well at least he scored in the preseason. Given our lack of goals, I would sign my grandma if she could score............cheers!

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