13 Apr 2015

Season Killer? 'Tough' £18m Liverpool star ruled out for 3-4 weeks with hamstring injury

At various times this season, suspensions and injuries have conspired to derail Liverpool's forward progress, and with the Reds fighting to secure a much-needed Champions League place, the club's injury curse has struck again.

According to the Liverpool Echo on Sunday:

* Mamadou Sakho [cost: £18m] will be sidelined for 'three to four weeks' with a hamstring injury.

* Weekend scan results revealed the 'full extent of the damage' sustained during Wednesday's FA Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers.

* Liverpool 'hope' the France defender will return for the Chelsea clash on May 10.

'Mentally tough' Sakho will now miss up to five games, including Newcastle tonight; the FA Cup semi-final with Aston Villa, and subsequent league games against West Brom, Hull and QPR.

With the Can-Skrtel-Sakho axis, Liverpool have maintained a settled defensive unit for much of this year, which has played a huge part in the club's good form this year.

In recent weeks, however, that unit has been disrupted (suspensions/injury etc), and Liverpool's defensive consistency has (predictably) suffered as a result.

As such, with Sakho out, it now means that the much-maligned Dejan Lovren [cost: £20m] will almost certainly get the chance to resurrect his Anfield career.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man?

Rodgers hailed Lovren as 'outstanding' after his performance against Blackburn, and the following two facts show illustrate why Liverpool fans need not worry about the defender's presence in the team:

* LFC are unbeaten in Lovren's last 10 appearances.
* Four clean sheets in his last five starts.

4 clean sheets in the last 5 games? Clearly, Lovren is turning things around already, and if he maintains current form, Sakho could find it hard to get back into the team upon his return...

Author:


134 comments:

  1. Sakho, another injury prone player, we seems to have loads in the team.

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  2. How many more injury prone players do Liverpool have ?

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  3. After a while, you must think if there is a problem with how we handle the players. For example. was Danny injury prone before coming to LFC or were any of our other players. For example, Aquilani could not get off the treatment table for us but plays regularly for Fiorentina now.

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  4. Yeah; and Aquilani also played regularly for AC Milan and Juventus on loan, although when he joined us he was still post-op after an injury he suffered at Roma.

    But I've also wondered about whether our players can handle the training regimen. Lallana and Markovic broke down during pre-season.

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  5. Sturridge was injury prone before, but for the rest I agree.



    Aquilani, Borini, Allen, Sakho, Lallana were/are all regularly injured, but they were always fit at ather clubs...

    It's definitely a concern, probably one of the reasons zaf iqbal was sacked

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  6. Sakho will not find it hard getting back in the team. He is by far the best defender we've got.

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  7. What about Jose Enrique ?

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  8. That is why Chelsea sold Sturridge and Liverpool thinks they got a bargain !

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  9. They did not sell Sturridge because of his injury problems. They sold him because he was deadwood for them and if you ask any Chelsea fan, they would take him back.

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  10. Jaimie.. Come on. Do you really think Lovren has turned it around? You yourself said that he should be performing well against lower league clubs and he has done absolutely nothing to prove he is ready. In the games where Lovren kept clean sheets ( Southampton, Burnley and Blackburn twice), he was poor in one, had nothing to do in the other and only played well against Blackburn. He has a long, long way to go.

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  11. honestly I think we have 3 top-CBs in Sakho Skrtel and Lovren.
    Yes Lovren hat a very poor start, but nobody could handle that pressure. When we signed Lovren everybody expected him to be the next carrager from minute one.

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  12. I seen a lot of baby G's and ésés on this feed criticizing balotelli. Give the geezer a break because he hasn't had a fair run in the team. Sturridge is the guy we need to be focusing on because he starts every match after continuously performing poorly. We want lambert we want lambert Holmes. Shout out to ma boy J.K. Though for telling us that lallana doesn't cut it at lfc. I'm out

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  13. He remains a bargain.

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  14. We really need a top, proven and imposing manager who is result oriented. Can't see Liverpool sliding down every year and wasting millions on duds.

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  15. ...and we played without any defensive protection from midfield at the beginning of the season, too. Lovren hasn't lost his ability; just his confidence and form.

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  16. What a ridiculous comment. Of course we got a bargain Strurridge's record for LFC is up there with the best. I have to wonder if you are talking about a different club sometimes...

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  17. Not sure about Sakho's injury history at PSG but Sturridge has always been injury prone and Aquilani arrived with the main injury that kept him out for us.
    I doubt it's a problem with our training methods, the club are driven by sports science, I think if that was the problem then someone, either players or back room staff, would have highlighted it by now. It's frustrating for us fans though

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  18. My mind boggles with the fact that we have to explain things like that...

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  19. Lovren has not turned it around as yet in my opinion. He's like an ocean liner in that respect, but he hasn't been as bad as he was in the first part of the season. He was still a little shakey against Blackburn and needs to stop the Gerrardesque long balls and play the ball to feet...

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  20. Injury prone, awkward gait- all things related to Sakho; wasted potential ;he's been two years with the club and is never able to "become world class" , I wonder why nobody brought this up?

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  21. Please look further down, thank u!

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  22. Sakho, Sturridge, Lucas, Flanagan, Johnson, Lallana

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  23. http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/02/lowdown-on-mamadou-sakho-ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-liverpools-latest-signing-3947338 ;he was the youngest captain in PSG only beacuse the manager wanted to spur established first team players into action...

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  24. For what?! I have been on this site long enough to know how it works. Long enough to know that your Lovren's biggest fan in the whole wide world! Irrespective of that, this my opinion which I think is slighty less tinted than yours.

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  25. He hasnt one...

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  26. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, which is accepted if the bigger picture is taken into consideration which is not the case with u. Period.

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  27. Brendan would like to add Walcott to the above list if Sterling keeps yearning a return to the south...

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  28. When is Sakho going to become "world class" ?

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  29. Please explain how I have not 'taken the bigger picture into consideration'? Stipe has been a better Lovren defender than Lovren has for LFC!

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  30. I only defend the guy because a lot of "supporters" want to use him as a scape goat, which is not ok, I just don't like bullies . P.S read again what other real supporters have said on the topic.

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  31. Please dont insinuate that tartan360, who has a long history with the site, isn't a 'real' supporter, if that was your intention. He has a good point, Lovren, whilst he isnt as bad as he was when he started, hasnt given reason enough for fans to think he's 'turning it around'. When called upon he has never looked comfortable and has been a liability at worst, doing the job he's paid to do at best. I have faith that he could become a good, maybe even great defender for us, as he was at southampton, but he certainly hasnt come close to showing it so far.

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  32. When is Sterling, Coutinho, Sturridge, Lucas, Johnson going to become world class? Being world class is not a mandatory goal every players achieves, only a few players can achieve that status. Why single out one player in particular?

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  33. The squad is depleted, no doubt. We have no offense which could take pressure off the defense. After tha Man U game our season ends from a practical standpoint, if not mathematically. Play some kids and give us a glimpse of what the pipeline is bringing and what isn't. Ibe, Flanno, Ojo, Smith and Rossiter should play.

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  34. Im talking about Sakho, and one's repeated claims of world classnes and default selection into starting line up :O I have seen nothing of that in two years of his residency

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  35. I disagree with a claim that he's a liability- I followed his career before Liverpool so I know his ability, he IS a great defender, I only argue his outings in the first half of the season are attributed to team's form as a whole- Im sick of branding Lovren the sole perpetrator :O Expectations are high but the same can be said of Sakho who is almost two years at Liverpool yet doesn't fulfill his potential...

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  36. People keep banging on about Rossiter, but I just don't see anything our of ordinary with this kid. What do you think?

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  37. are you blaming him for being injured?

    sakho is playing on a very high level, and is a top player, you can't really accuse a player for not being world class...

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  38. Thank you sir I could not have said it better.

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  39. Not really but it will impede his progress... As for his form lately I've seen him play for France against Brazil where they conceded three, and Blackburn before injury, he was far, far away from top level and top player...

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  40. Johnson already a world class if you ask me. 120grand /week says it all

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  41. Your insinuation, if that what is was, that I'm not a 'real supporter' is laughable as I've noticed that your contributions on this site are very recent. Please don't make assumptions when you clearly don't know what you are talknig about. @Benj coherently echoed what I said intially. If you took the time to read what I said properly, I did not bash Lovern I said
    'Lovren has not turned it around as yet in my opinion' meaning I have not written him off but he still has a lot to prove - hence the phrasing 'as yet.' But I dont expect you to understand as you clearly showed your ignorance in your last few comments.

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  42. Sorry you just read my mind....

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  43. Transfer business aside i honestly don't think there's anyone out there who can do better. We have too many passengers in the team and you can see it yourself. If BR manage teams like citeh they could be winning the league every year

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  44. From the little I've seen, Harry Wilson and Cameron Brannagan look like our best Academy players. Just my fleeting observation.

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  45. Ne seri majke ti. Al onako prijateljski ti kazem..

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  46. he made one misstake against blackburn, but handled it well afterwards. then he made some very good headers and tackles.
    He can be pretty nervy on the ball, and simetimes he lacks concentration but he's a solid defender IMO

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  47. google translate helps me a lot ;-)

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  48. Same things people blame Lovren of being?! Branding him rubbish when he's out of form in terrible formation?! So when he regains his form he will be world class??

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  49. did I ever say Sakho is worldclass?

    only the least players become world class, but Lovren in form in the right team is a good defender. just like sakho

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  50. Im just saying it's hypocritical to judge Lovren of being out of form when the whole team was woeful, yet Sakho is in similar position and is somehow absolved from everything, he falls asleep on the pitch now and then, passes is to opposition here and there but hey- he's our best defender! Double standards!

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  51. Maybe better ;) but we agree at last...

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  52. What the hell are you talking about?!? SAME position as Lovren? The guy who was so lost that he injured his teammate, the guy he should work eith the most, fellow CB? Sakho makes a mistake now and then, and Lovren makes a good call now and then. Sakho made an error vs Blackburn, but then he slides in to make it a corner. Than he heads it out- the same corner. Then he heads out the resulting cross. When opposition presses he is the only one that knows what to do with the ball. Mate I would love if Lovren was good as Sakho, but right now it is 8-3 for Sakho..

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  53. I have no idea what is your reference for keeping "scores" like that, but ok... Lovren has started to regain his form even faster than Sakho last year when they both first arrived! First part of the season aside, Sakho played few games more in the back three when the whole team found balance so his frailties could be masked, which probably ups his score, but Lovren is on the high, and Blackburn game showed it, and Newcastle game will seal it. Bottom line- I do not agree that Sakho is better than Lovren- ability wise, I think they should both play TOGETHER in a back four... On another note, Sakho was soo convincing last year that Rodgers decided to replace him with Lovren.-- Nuff sai.

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  54. I don't think it would matter too much if we offered £25m, Utd will offer £27.5m They don't seem to have a ceiling they hit when in a bidding war.... Our only hope is that Depay really does want LFC, because thats worth more than Utd can offer...

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  55. 1) Why transfer business aside? Transfer business is a huge part of the manager's role and BR has failed miserably.
    2) I think there are managers (Mourinho, Rafa) who could have done lot better with the same squad and transfer kitty available to them. Most of the so called passengers in the team are brought in by BR himself. So you can't state them as an excuse to defend BR. Those players are not the cause of the BR's failure, they are the consequence of the BR's failure.
    3) I see BR improving at the expense of his Liverpool tenure. However, considering all the aspects like team selection, formation/tactics, transfers, man management, big games, focus on academy, consistency.......BR has failed badly.

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  56. Croation? Forgive me if Google has erred.

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  57. Kolo Toure is better than Lovren IMO and should replace Sakho.

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  58. What is it with foreign names tht gets fans all hot and bothered....He has been great in Eredivisie granted, but alot of players have... If this was an equally good British player from Bolton or Watford(other teams are equally poor or good), people would be complaining that we have no ambition and only ever buy potential....Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

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  59. This season Lovren has made more far mistakes than Sakho and played less incomparison. I judge on what I see nothing else. Sakhos distribution is currently much better also. For a 20m defender I expected more composure and game intelligence. Hopefully he improves but he has a way to go and is still in the the process of turning around.

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  60. The highest bidder doesn't always get the player... If we get an offer accepted by PSV before Utd, then it doesn't matter how high they go with theirs. Depay will have to choose for himself. Wages help, but there's a point where the player will realize that Utd's just going to offer him an absurd amount, which to me, desperation isn't flattering...

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  61. Jaimie, you've blatantly used double standards in your assessment of Lovren.

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  62. Croatian, Serbian, Montenegrian- all same shite even if we won't admit it..

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  63. Even if that is true, there is no future in it. So specially with Lovren getting hold of himself apparently, Lovren is the choice..

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  64. What I saw in Rossiter was a skinny kid. He's got a bit of physical development to do before he's ready to play CM in the prem

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  65. Ojo looks and exciting player

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  66. Ryan Kent and Adam Phillips as well. Our academy is better than what people give credit for.

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  67. In Rossiter, you have a a local lad who gives everything in the game, has a great reading of the game, can tackle well and can burst forward as well. He is like Sterling a bit in that he looks weak on the outside but is still quite agressive.

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  68. Simply coz british players are over valued just like BR is taken to b a very
    good manager.

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  69. compare the price of the recent english playesr who do not even play at international level and those of established international of other countries

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  70. You are a progressive human being.

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  71. You're both right; they do look promising (although I must admit to not having been aware of seeing Adam Phillips play!).

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  72. Gandalf versus Terminator...

    *gets popcorn*

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  73. Hope Gandalf sees this on time..

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  74. A question, do you believe in top 4 at the moment?

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  75. It makes me happy that you are not somebody that enjoys being 'different' and thus special - if I use my South African example, say, it makes some people feel good to believe that they are 'white' or 'Indian' or whatever, whereas we are all just South Africans. And humans.

    So I'm glad you're not playing the Croat-versus-Serb-versus-whoever game.

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  76. Oops - I replied but it went to moderation.

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  77. Contributing to 4 clean sheets in his last five starts is turning things around. Yes, he should be performing against lower-league opposition, but only one of those games is against a non-Prem team.

    I didn't say he's back in business, just that recent performances/results suggest that he's in the process of improving his form, which is correct.

    Sakho has played well this season (and I've acknowledge that many times), but he has also played against inferior (on paper) Prem teams, too, as have Can and Skrtel.

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  78. I believe in science.

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  79. Friendly being the key word..

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  80. I believe the team is capable of achieving that, yes. Whether it happens is a different story.

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  81. Do try with different wording, please..

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  82. Seriously?? Maybe for Sunday league perhaps?

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  83. I agree, my point was that Glen was saying we were going to miss out by 5 mil, I was just pointing out it would be more like 20 if we were going to try and compete with United and even then, they would just offer more. We would just have to hope the lad would prioritise playing time over money at this stage of his career

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  84. Here goes.

    If I understood you correctly, you're not playing the 'Croat-versus-Serb-versus-whoever' game, which is nice to see. It makes me happy, like when I see my fellow South Africans not playing the 'white' or 'Indian' or whichever 'race' they want to be, and instead just be South African and ultimately simply human. And that's progressive (without meaning to sound patronising).

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  85. Oh dear. The second reply got snagged too. Not sure which is the banned word. I'm going to rely on Jaimie's goodwill here to let one of them through.

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  86. If he was an attacker then he might get away with it but the position he plays, I reckon he's a few protein shakes away from a first team place

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  87. Then do not read my comments.
    Their is alot that you write that is hogwash ,but I would rather keep quiet !

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  88. Not sure what that has to do with his injury history but ok

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  89. Separating t h e w o r d usually helps, just so you know..

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  90. And therein lies the problem. The club needs to be driven by cars, or at least buses. This 'driven by sports science' malarkey, or Flintstoning, to paraphrase VermHat, is unsustainable.

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  91. Please do NOT explain .

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  92. Alrighty; third attempt.


    If I understood you correctly, you're not playing
    the 'C r o a t-versus-S e r b-versus-whoever' game, which is nice to see. It makes me happy, like when I see my fellow South Africans not playing the 'w h i t e' or 'I n d i a n' or whichever 'race' they want to be, and instead just be So uth A frican and ultimately simply h u m a n. And that's progressive (without meaning to sound patronising).


    If this didn't work...

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  93. Good; now I don't have to make up a threat to follow through...

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  94. Google tells me Bosnian :P

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  95. All these countries... I might need another geography lesson from NGCTC pretty soon...

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  96. Cruel and unusual punishment...

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  97. I believe in nachos. And cheese.


    What, you're telling me there's more to life? Nonsense.

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  98. Ibe and Flanno have been injured. Ojo is on loan, and only 17 anyway. Smith's hype has died down for some reason, and Rossiter is still developing.

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  99. Keep in mind he's still a teen. Not many guys his age are very bulky, and it comes naturally as we get older... He's probably not even done growing :D As long as he's doing to work in the gym through these crucial growth years, I don't think it'll be much of a problem.

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  100. just like allen?

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  101. Smith has been injured too, hope he doesn't stop developing he's a really good player

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  102. 1) By "by transfer business aside", I don't think he means to disregard it. Rather, he's saying "Other than in the transfer market, BR is as good as any manager we could get". Transfer business is only one facet of the job. Anyone else might be better in the market, but have major flaws in other areas, likely ones BR is actually good at.


    2) There are other managers who could have done good, but how many do we have a chance at? Rafa would be a step back imo, Mourinho and Pep obviously not, Simione is occupied at the moment, and Ancelotti has been at Real, Klopp at Dortmund, etc etc. None of them have any realistic interest in LFC. Really, only Van Gaal or possibly De Boer, or maybe taking what was a chance at the time on Pochettino would have been realistic. Picture is a bit different now, but managers still aren't too available.


    3) There's a such thing as learning from mistakes. If managing clubs was easy, everyone would do it. Given enough time, BR will figure it out... he's a smart guy.
    The question is, does LFC have that amount of time? If not, then the sooner we replace him the better.

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  103. If only we actually bought Honda last summer, the analogy would have been perfect! :)

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  104. Among my 5 best friends we have 3 nations and two religions that 'h ate' each other on Balkans for no reason, not being progressive here means you are alone or in poor company..

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  105. 1 Ferrari is no good when you have to transport 10 people. You need to ability to transport everything you need first before you start upgrading your cars one by one to Ferrari's once rest are doing a job.

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  106. But we already had a bunch of Hondas in our garage.

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  107. Yokohama Liverpool Fan4:05 pm, April 13, 2015

    Well Allen so far hasn't cut the mustard as a defensive MF.
    Lucas takes a while to get going but is our injured a lot when he finally hits a run of good form.

    So, we can go for Song, Carvalho, Kondogbia, Illamerendi, Nainggolan, Khedira, Lars Bender or Xhaka for the designated defensive MF. What will win us matches is signing players who can drive forwards or box to box and creative attacking players in the end. Lack of goals has beem our problem this year.

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  108. Yokohama Liverpool Fan4:08 pm, April 13, 2015

    Barcelona have s transfer ban. Other teams are well stocked. That will be our bargaining chip.

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  109. When you have a ferrari (Suarez), and replace him with a few Toyotas, a few Hondas, and maybe one or two mercedes benz, it's not a like for like replacement.

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  110. Hahaha, I forgot about that.

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  111. If sterling is going, then £25M should be no problem as we'll get far more Sterling and have to pay Depay less in wages. The cash generated from player sales should also allow us to get our other targets, our problem will be other teams will know we need to sell and offer us peanuts or loan deals

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  112. what are you 'Lot', talkin about

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  113. see what I did there. Did you see, did yer?

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  114. Yokohama Liverpool Fan2:48 am, April 14, 2015

    There are no equally good players that haven't been picked up. Depay plays for the Dutch national team and is a clear talet that knows where the goal is. Sterling is morw of a rough diamond to be honest. Super goal against New Castle but missed two sitters.

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  115. Today the papers are reporting we are now ahead of United for Depay, makes you laugh dont it! Changes by the day.

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  116. There was a certain Mr Suarez who people said oh hes good in Eredivisie but i doubt he will score many in the premier league.

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  117. I think the quantity issue was due to the fact that the Liverpool squad last season was extremly thin on numbers, had we had European football and longer cup runs we would have seriously struggled. Now the squad has a bit more depth i think you will see more quality and less quantity.

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  118. Hindsight hey! Remember Joze Altidore...

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  119. I watch a few Eredivisie games on Skysports, PSV are on alot, so I know Depay has his moments just like Sterling... Oh Yeah! Sterling is in the English National team.

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  120. Yokohama Liverpool Fan2:07 am, April 15, 2015

    Yes and we already have Sterling and he won't be sold for under 30 million. Point I was trying to make is it is difficult to find players of this calibre that are English for a relatively reasonable price.

    I would prefer Lacazette to be honest as he has an even more impressive goal scoring record this season and it is goals we are crying out for.

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  121. I can't argue on the value for money thing, why we insist on putting premiums on English players though, well ask the premier League why they allowed a situation to build that see's English players being forced out by cheaper alternatives, alternatives that are no really any better than what we have... Bringing in this homegrown rule has created a problem that forces all clubs to hold a certain number of homegrown players(who still don't have to be British, just brought through the academy), a problem the money hungry clubs trying to comply with FFP are exploiting..... The rest of the world is huge, and players are a dozen a penny... We have a limited stock from our own tiny place on the planet.... Supply and demand.

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  122. Yokohama Liverpool Fan5:26 pm, April 15, 2015

    I agree with what you're saying in terms of the homegrown rule. The Premier League is flushed with cash, domestic players are not getting much of a chance in the top teams with johnny foreigner coming in.

    On the other hand I feel more domestic players should ply their trade abroad in La Liga, Eredivisie, Ligue Une and Bundesliga. Why not??

    Anyway this is a forum about Liverpool and we should be accredited with bringing young home grown talent through whether they are English or foreign. We have enough English players in Henderson, Sturridge, Sterling, Ibe, Johnson, Flanaghan and Allen

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  123. U speak as if we have a proper number six these days. Lucas has the aggression but sadly lacks the physicality.

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  124. We should have pushed harder for him last season but instead we moved for origi(who will need time which I doubt he will get, hell even balo isn't being given tym and he's a pl and cl winner!!!

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  125. We're spending that money and more on wages on toure Johnson Gerard and Allen.

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