5 Apr 2015

Confirmed: €11m powerhouse whose 'family are Liverpool fans' will 'leave' soon. Sign?

As today's defeat to Arsenal shows, Liverpool still have major defensive problems to solve, and with Lovren seemingly not good enough to make the team, and Toure almost certainly on the way out after his horror show at the Emirates, the Reds clearly need upgrades in defence. Lille defender Simon Kjaer is currently linked with a move to Anfield, and this week, the Dane emphatically confirmed that he's willing to move on this summer.

Kjaer - nicknamed 'The Viking' - has been linked with Liverpool several times in the past, and in March, Danish newspaper BT claimed that:

* Liverpool scouts watched €11m(£7.5m)-rated Kjaer during Lille's recent 1-0 victory over Guingamp.

After the game, Kjaer offered the following response to questions about his future:

"This summer I have two years left on the contract with Lille, and then we will see what happens. But right now I think all of nothing else but to win games for Lille. "

When asked again this week about the possibility of leaving Lille this summer, Kjaer confirmed:

"I will leave if a top club wants me [and] they'll need to show that they intend to rely on me in the long term. I realised that I needed a coach who has confidence in me and listens to what I say. It's important to have a coach who understands you"

Some info about Kjaer:

* Averages 30 games a season.
* 44 apps for the Denmark national team.
* Two-time Danish player of the Year.
* Current contract expires in 2017.

* Oct 2014: Kjaer's admitted that he's interested in a move to the Premier League: “I will not be moving just for the sake of playing in the Premier League. Everything would have to be perfect to realise a move to England. I wouldn’t be moving there just for a bigger pay check for example”

* Nov 2014: When specifically asked about Liverpool's interest, Kjaer told reporters: "My family are Liverpool fans and a move to Liverpool would make my family happy. It is always nice to hear about big clubs being interested. I would choose the club that is the best place for me to play my football"

* In his first season at Lille, Kjaer helped the club achieve one of the best defensive records of any club in Europe, with only 26 goals conceded in 38 games (21 clean sheets.)

* Between September 21st and December 3 (2013), Kjaer helped Lille keep 11 clean sheets in a row.

* Overall, since signing for Lille, Kjaer has helped Lille keep 36 clean sheets in 74 appearances (49% of games), which is a superb achievement. The Dane is justifiably proud of that achievement:"A lot of people call us the clean-sheet kings and it has been fantastic for me since arriving last summer to be playing my part of the wall we have built"

Some seriously impressive defensive figures here. Kjaer clearly has an affinity for Liverpool, and he'd also be comparatively cheap. A potential replacement for Lovren?

Author:


61 comments:

  1. Incredibly, we've spent £45 million on central defenders over the last few windows...and are still majorly suspect at the back.


    What we need are solid and durable defenders, not this injury prone, weak under pressure type defender we've been buying lately.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Experience good footballers is exactly what Liverpool need,they have to bring in leaders in there positions.Players who can take control of games and give there teammates a lift when they need it.At the moment Liverpool are like a boat without a rudder,they look lost at sea.Gerrard aside,there is no leader at Liverpool,Henderson is not a leader and never will be.The next transfer window is crucial to Liverpool's chances of getting into champions league,fingers crossed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. if im honest i think a lot of our defensive problems are down to tactics and the system rogers plays .Its a phrase which gets used a lot under the rogers tenure square pegs round holes,hendo at wing back is an ideal example

    ReplyDelete
  4. our biggest problems seem to be backbone and not being clinical. You know who's frikken clinical though? Ander Herrera. Ander bloody Herrera. You give him one chance and he'll slot it into the bottom corner every time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. All i know about Kjaer is Wolfsburg got rid of him and Roma said he was error ridden and decided not to take up an option to buy he is another one we have been consistently linked to over the years.
    This transfer is highly unlikely in my books.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We will finish above manu, by the way..
    Their next three games are Man City (h), Chelsea (a) and Everton (a). Then it’s West Brom at home and Palace away before the home game with Arsenal. On the final day they go to Hull, who may need to win to clinch Premier League survival.

    ReplyDelete
  7. If we keep a clean sheet for 6 consecutive away fixtures then suddenly concede 6 for the next two matches this shows the players are not defensively rubbish. Maybe a problem with confidence and tactics.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Clealry sanity has prevailed and Lovren is seen as Sakho's backup. We don't yet have a good backup for Skrtel other than Toure who was ridiculously bad against Arsenal. An upgrade on Skrtel would be even better. I have doubts Kjaer is that man though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Can wasn't too bad in the Arsenal game but Moreno's form has dipped terribly. Lovren and Toure can't really be trusted. Johnson is on his way out and deservedly so. Manquillo and Flanno are good defenders but unspectacular at anything else.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Seriously though how many of the mistakes against Arsenal and earlier in the season were down to tactics rather than terrible individual mistakes? I agree there is not enough protection at times for defenders but when it comes to the crunch they have to make better decisions.

    ReplyDelete
  11. How many goals has Herrera scored? And I think he is on 100 plus.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The thing is B Rodgers needs to be given his P45 at end of season whether we win Fa Cup or Not. His pathetic Transfers over last three seasons, his Love for clue less and useless J Allen(24) is alarmingly pathetic.


    In Crucial Games we have needed to Win he has opted to play J Allen(24) ahead of better players and we have come unstuck:


    Basel at Home to make next round of Champions League
    Man United at Home
    Arsenal Away


    J Allen(24) has two good games all season and B Rodgers is trying to get the guy a new contract, yet Sterling(20) has carried scoring burden and people are moaning the player who has scored more goals than anyone in this squad and is the biggest threat in our side wants to be paid what he is worth.


    Sterling(20) is more crucial to team than Balotelli(24), Borini(23), Lallana(26), Lambert(33) and Markovic(20).




    Going Forward the players a New manager should build the side around are as follows: Can(20) ,Coutinho(22) , Flannagan(21), Henderson(24) , Ibe(19) , Moreno(23), Sakho(24) and Sterling(20)


    Sturridge(25) is top class and too injury probem, so we cannot rely on him.


    Lallana(26) is hot or cold and needs to score more goals for side




    These dead wood average players need to all be shipped off the clubs books and off the wage bill permanently:


    GK: B Jones(32) CB: S Coates (24) CB: K Toure(34)


    RB: G Johnson(30) RB: A Wisdom(20) LB: J Enrique(28)


    CM: J Useless Allen(24) AM: L Alberto(22) FD: I Aspas(28)


    FD: F Borini(23) FD: R Lambert(33) FD: M Balotelli(24)
































































































































































































































































































































































































































































    ..................................................................................................................................................

    ReplyDelete
  13. Agree, Johnson should definitely go. he is below our own not so high standards...
    we should scout some decent right back until the end of season, if we are not to sign Alves. It is incredible scouting team has absolutely no clue on the upcoming young prospects like Danilo until they sign for huge clubs like Madrid.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I had a look at the remaining fixtures and we need to win nearly every game I think. I like the attitude and I am one who believes if it is mathematically possible then keep the hope alive.

    ReplyDelete
  15. We were linked with Danillo heavily for a while and I am sure he was scouted. Problem is most really good talents are known by a lot of clubs.

    ReplyDelete
  16. No need to look at our fixtures, we need to win 7 very tough games..

    ReplyDelete
  17. did we make an offer? Probably no
    could we not include Sanchez in the Suarez deal? Probably Yes
    it is known for a fact we are not good in transfers

    ReplyDelete
  18. From what I know about transfers is there is usually an amount of putting feelers out first through agents etc. You find out if someone is interested or not. As for the Sanchez Suarez thing you cannot make a player sign who doesn't want to but I agree that the business was done very poorly as we seemingly had no real backup plan and that is just dreadful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. i love your optimism only i hope it rubs on the team right now because we are really low on confidence.It does look we can't really win games with 3-4-3 anymore and its reflecting in the players performance and confidence.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Exactly no back up plan.
    We did it with Suarez
    Shortly, will do it with Gerrard
    watch this space.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Funny thing is, Mignolet who is know for his shot-stopping prowess, conceded form 4 shots!

    ReplyDelete
  22. True but he also kept a few out that he had no right to save. The other shots (perhaps barring Ozil's) could not be saved. The stopping should have been done before the shot. Toure and Moreno were awful.

    ReplyDelete
  23. The sendings off have played a part too

    ReplyDelete
  24. Also I think you mean conceded 4 goals as there were more than 4 shots.

    ReplyDelete
  25. 05fbe088@opayq.com4:49 pm, April 05, 2015

    This could turn out to be the season Gerrard denied us from CL spot. Have U by any chance heard of a very similar scenario before, perhaps involving the word 'title'?

    ReplyDelete
  26. How many goals has Moreno conceded? He didn't show defensive abilities once I think.. Ok, tracking back and tackling are very good, but positioned defending is just awful.. Look like a defensive coach would really be the answer..

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yes, I mean 4 goals.

    ReplyDelete
  28. It really is something he should know by now and at times he has taken up good positions. More defensive involvement is needed.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Arsenal look invincible, Manu are grinding our results
    we, on the other hand are dealing with Sterling contract
    Yes, we'd be champions.

    ReplyDelete
  30. United dealt with Rooney's contract. Arsenal have dealt with Walcott's contract loads of times and his own fans want him to sign "da ting". Contract situations go on everywhere. Rooney is now on 300k a week. Falcao Falcoa fuckoa is on massive wages. What we are doing on the pitch and off may be linked but may not be.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Protracted contract talks I mean.
    Do you think the contract issue with Raheem did not play a role in Saturday result?

    ReplyDelete
  32. Yes protracted talks! Either your new to footy or haven't payed much attention to the news regarding other teams. Rooney was supposed to be leaving and he talked about United not matching his ambitions, and that was during Fergie's reign. Nearly everyone of Walcott's negotiations have gone on for months. This one is now.

    As for it havng an effect of the result, I have no idea. It would be nothing more than guesswork and as Sterling was one of the better players I can't see how it was. I am not arrogant or foolish enough to presume to know what the minds of the players are when I have no real information to go on.

    ReplyDelete
  33. The point is, the Sterling Contract has been publicized way too much and this much publicity and him being 'flattered' by Arsenal link and the public row between Rodgers and Sterling does not help the club break into Top 4.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I am not sure I have seen a public row. But like I have said the very public and protracted talks between United and Rooney and Arsenal and Walcott didn't stop them from getting top four. What may be a factor is that all the teams above us have more expensive teams and more improtantly more expensive first team players. What might be a factor is we don't have any fully fit decent strikers. We have a team that has an average age of around 24 when those teams above us have an average age of about 27. Experience in both managers and players, lack of leaders in the team, players in terrible form but a lack of quality/experienced/applicable backups. These things I think are factors. But yeah the Sterling thing might be to as well. Why not.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Personally, Gerrard's lack of leadership in this crucial time is baffling.

    ReplyDelete
  36. He has always been a player to lead by example. He can't do that so well anymore. He is supposed to be good behind the scenes but we need leadership on the pitch. One or two occasions have made me think that perhaps Hednerson is not the man for the job. We need to sign someone who can be that man, either as captain in name or just on the pitch..

    ReplyDelete
  37. We'd beat united on the day and we'd be top 4. Is getting a stupid red card leading by example?
    As for Henderson, he is still way too naive. We need a temporary captain in Lucas or Skrtel

    ReplyDelete
  38. He was daft. As I was saying he can't do what he used to. Lucas was terrible against Arsenal and is injured a lot and Skrtel is not the best option either for me. Both are good experience and good on the pitch but we need more I think.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Can't think of any other candidates. I'd make Coutinho the club captain only for his passion for the club.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I think we need to sign some of that experience and leadership. Difficult.

    ReplyDelete
  41. More importantly, Rodgers is not the man to pull that of.

    ReplyDelete
  42. What happens in the summer happens. If he is still here (which I think he will be) he will need support and has shown that he can excel in the right circumstances. The loss to United was poor but I am sure we could have gotten something out of the game had we had eleven men in the second half. Arsenal are the form team of the league with ten wins from eleven. They showed us what can be done when you buy quality on top of a decent side. I hope we learn that lesson in the summer.

    What will be no good is constant sniping amongst fans. Constant unrest or otherwise. I can tell you right now that if Rodgers goes then we are going to sign another young manager who will need time to get the team to what he wants. This will mean a fifth place finish again maximum. Anyone believeing we will have this massive turnaround with a new manager is dreaming.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Rodgers is a fine manager and excelllent tactician, its just at this moment of time, with no Gerrard, no Torres and no Suarez around, there is a huge need for a manager like Benitez to replace the experience we so desperately need

    ReplyDelete
  44. We dont like to adnit it but we are now a selling club

    ReplyDelete
  45. Yesterday ,I said on this forum that it was the players not the managers fault that we lost .
    ,Well I got slated !

    ReplyDelete
  46. Manager's or players fault !!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Lallana , Southhampton 's captain for the last 2 season's.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Soto and Liverpool are very different bud. For me Lallana hasn't yet gotten to grips with being a Liverpool player yet never mind captain. He could be helpful next year but for me we need a Vibrant, a Roy Keane. Not necessarily a mid but soneone with that fire and natural authority.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I can't see Benitez coming back. He had a right to war with our cowboys but he tends to fall out with whoever he manages.

    ReplyDelete
  50. but the reality is 90% of the team is playing in either an unfamiliar position or system which leads to poor decision making,IT would be interesting for the next game if rogers just played a simple 442 with players that purely suited the system and positions

    ReplyDelete
  51. No excuses Red cards were players faults -
    Gerrard , Skirtle and Can totally irresponsible at this crunch time and they knew the importance of these key matches to our keeping in the race .... Total lack of mental discipline . We missed the experience and defensive authority of Stevie and Skirt yesterday . I blame Rodgers for persisting with the strategy of trying to build play from the back ....
    All these short quick passes . Our players don't possess enough skill to hold the ball or win it back after losing it . Just can't understand how we seem unable to pass and move . What do we do on the training pitch FFS ?????
    Other teams know it now and when they press us quickly from the start we can't cope , panic and make mistakes . Often as not this puts an opposing player directly in on goal ! Like the MU match we totally lost control in the first half and thanks to Migno we were not 2 nil down in the opening ten minutes ! So much for our style of play of last season where we were were the ones to press and inject pace from the off ......
    It's all gone pear shaped and the players must shoulder most of the blame . If we don't get things right and minus key players , Blackburn will be giving us another hiding on Wednesday !

    ReplyDelete
  52. Could be a telling summer for the club and the manager I think... Whatever comes from this season, it has to be a more evolved understanding of how we need to approach each game as an individual, and not one tactic fits all as we have been doing...

    ReplyDelete
  53. Walcott's contract negotiations are famous for being protracted, to the point that Wenger even makes a joke about it..

    ReplyDelete
  54. Are you forgetting the early part of the season? We have won 9 of 11 using this system. In a 4231, 433 and diamond we had the worst start to a campaign in years.

    ReplyDelete
  55. He was very highly rated in his Palermo days (more in terms of potential rather than his actual quality, though starting in Serie A so young, in such a tactical league, counts in his favour, a few spotty performances notwithstanding) but I remember he was horrendous at Roma and totally surplus at Wolfsburg.

    I don't know whether that was fair at Wolfsburg or it just reflected his status as the latest victim of Magath's whims but he was awful for Roma. Admittedly, the whole team looked shite under Enrique, but I don't think that totally excuses him.

    Has looked good whenever I've seen him internationally or in Ligue 1.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Yea I thought Can was the only player to come out of the game with any credibility... Then he got sent off

    ReplyDelete
  57. Sakho and Mignolet for me. Can if not sent off.

    ReplyDelete
  58. I probably don't watch Herrera enough then. Because every time I've seen him shoot it ends in a nice, cool finish to the bottom corner

    ReplyDelete
  59. I think he has gotten most his goal said late. Finding form at the worst time for us.

    ReplyDelete
  60. we have scraped through in a lot of these games and look unconvincing

    ReplyDelete
  61. Certainly there have been a few of those. Others were comfortable. United have not looked good most the season but that doesn't matte. Winning games matters and we were doing it. Earlier on the season we were not winning games so what matters more?

    ReplyDelete