3 Nov 2011

Why Liverpool should NOT buy this non-scoring, injury-ravaged midfielder...

In an extremely dubious 'exclusive' yesterday, the Daily Mirror claimed that Liverpool are interested in signing Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone. There are dozens of sites making up stupid transfer rumours on a daily basis but this must be one of the most ridiculous.

The Mirror claimed:

"Liverpool are ready to swoop for Spurs midfielder Tom Huddlestone. Anfield director of football Damien Comolli...believes he can tempt the 24-year-old away from London now".

No sources. No quotes from Comolli. The 'story' is clearly a complete fabrication.

Why would Liverpool need to sign Huddlestone anyway? The club is already oversubscribed in the midfield department, so signing yet another midfielder doesn't make sense.

It would be a different story if we were talking about a top class creative player, but with the greatest respect, Huddlestone is not in that bracket, and (arguably) would not be an improvement on the players already at Liverpool.

The Mirror also noted:

"When fit, he will find Luka Modric, Scott Parker and Sandro all in front of him".


Well, if Huddlestone joined Liverpool, he would probably find fellow central midfielders Steven Gerrard, Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, and Lucas Leiva ahead of him.

If this 'rumour' is actually true, I'd be extremely worried. The last thing Liverpool need is another midfielder who doesn't score goals. We already have Lucas and Downing who fill that role (Yes, I know Lucas's job isn't to score goals).

In the last 9 seasons, Huddlestone's stats are as follows:

Games: 284
Ave appearances per season: 31
Goals: 15 (1 every 19 games)
Assists: 27 (1 every 10 games)

Is this the rate of creative return Liverpool should be aiming for? Heaven help us if it is.

Additionally, Huddlestone is currently injured, and given the problems Liverpool have suffered with the likes of Philipp Degen, Fabio Aurelio, Alberto Aquilani and Daniel Agger, it would surely be negligent to sign yet another injured player?

If Liverpool are going to sign another midfielder then it needs to be a top class creator; a playmaker, right-winger, or a decent left-winger; a player on the level of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard; a match-winner who can score and create goals on a regular basis.

Clearly, Huddlestone doesn't fit the bill.

Jaimie Kanwar


61 comments:

  1. The 'Daily Mirror' must be getting desperate, to sell the paper, that is all that needs to be said!!!.

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  2. Well, if Huddlestone joined Liverpool, he would find Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Downing, Kuyt, Lucas, and (arguably) Maxi, Spearing and Shelvey (when he returns) ahead of him. 
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH

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  3. No we do not need him , but fans have got to realise we are now moving on from the Gerrard Carra era . Its a shame but time catches up with every one .

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  4. I would be disapointed if huddlestone was a target for our midfield especially after letting the likes of meirles and aqualini leave the club who IMO are far more creative players than huddlestone.

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  5. Couldn't agree more . Excess baggage we don't need ! Disappointed to see that you read the Mirror, Jaimie. Hope you don't have to pay for it. Dreadful rag !!

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  6. we might aswell sign carrick while we're at it.
    i think our priority in the next window should be a creative centre midfielder player and another top striker who is a bit more potent than suarez.

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  7. I don't read The Mirror! Perish the thought :-) The Huddlestone story is doing the rounds at the moment, and if I'm going to write about it, I wanted to reference the original source.

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  8. another month or so and we will be linked with all sorts of players as usual .
    all we need is adam johnson and maybe cahill. rid of skrtel

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  9. Just reading about Huddlestone don't under estimate this player, Redkanpp and Spurs think highly of this player and has been there captain even in Europe in the Champions League.
    Him and Modric heart of the midfield that got them Champions League football and has been compared to Hoddle by Redknapp a great passer of the ball.
    I don't reckon Spurs will sell even if it was true.

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  10. How comical, writing about someone you know nothing about. He is a defensive midfielder with a fantastic range of passing with either foot.

    Adams is weak defensively, Selvey and Spearing are a country mile behind a guy who has played for England, Kuyt, Maxi and the hopelessly overrated Downing are not central midfield players.

    Don't wand him going to Liverpool, he would improve their team and they would be in danger of challenging us then instead of fighting Arsenal for 5th.

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  11. The point is Liverpool don't need another non-scoring midfielder, defensive or otherwise.

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  12. This article is just a thinly disguised excuse to have a go at Tom Huddlestone.  Now why would you bother to do that Jamie kuntwonker?

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  13. So having a serious injury that requires surgery and then takes a while to recover from makes you injury prone? The author is an idiot. Tom is the best passer of the ball in the league and would walk into Liverpool's team. Genuinely two footed, can put the ball on a six pence be it 5 or 70yds. The closest you are ever likely to get as a replacement for Alonso. The good thing is Spurs realise his quality and wouldn't sell him for £25m let alone the rumoured £16m. Once fit he will play his part in ensuring we return to the champions league like he did the last time.

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  14. Statistics never tell the full story. Modric is the best midfielder in the league, yet his assist and goal stats are poor. He would also walk into your team. What you obviously don't understand is pass completion and ball retention are key. Modric has the same pass completion %'s as Xavi, another player who if you judge him by your rational is rubbish also I guess. Tools. 

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  15. He was out for 5 months last season, and now he's injured again, and Redknapp admitted he needs another operation, and will be out for 'a while'. That = injury prone IMO.

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  16. Jaime Redkanpp compared him to Alonso.

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  17. Really...you've lost it9:38 pm, November 03, 2011

    Spurs fan here but huge admirer of lfc...unfortunately you are all massively deluded or mislead fans...huddlestone is a class above adam, henderson, lucas, and spearing or shelvey are well below his level.
    his touch, pass, tackle, shot and ability to switch feet are excellent, he is slow but quicker than adam.
    just because he might struggle to get into our team don't think he would with you...we are a far superior team to liverpool, the football we play is much, much better and our squad far more balanced.
    a lot of average players at liverpool and a manager who is a bit clueless, sorry but it showed last 3 or 4 times we played you and will again.
    I hope we don't lose huddlestone, I'm convinced he wouldn't want to go, but am shocked you wouldn't take him

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  18. Modric the best midfielder in the league? I sincerely doubt that. As you say, his goals/assists record is poor, so how can he be considered the best in the league when the primary role of an attacking midfielder is to create and score goals?

    And please don't misquote me; at no point did I say Huddlestone was 'rubbish'; i didn't suggest or imply anything of the sort. My argument is simply that Liverpool need creative mids who score and create goals, not more midfielders who don't consistently contribute anything to the creative cause.

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  19. Charlie Adam has 90 goals and assists over the last 5 seasons; how exactly is Huddlestone a class above him? At this point, you're probably right about Spearing and Shelvey; the jury is still out Henderson, but he's definitely not a class above Lucas either.

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  20. Well you are an idiot, it is the same injury. His stats used in the stupid article which I have no reason to doubt show him playing on average 32 games a season. When he first signed he wasn't a regular and for a lot of the time he has been at the club we haven't been in Europe or gone that far in domestic cups, so I'm sure his appearance record stands up to most players. But anyway he is too good for you and you won't be signing him anyway, so if you think he is a crock who really cares?

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  21. So what if it's the same injury? It's two separate periods, keeping him out of the team for months at a time. If it's the same injury then that, by it's very nature, means he's injury prone.

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  22. Alex Ferguson is a better judge of a player than you, he and several top football people stated that Modric was the best player (not even midfielder) in the league last season.
    My comment about him being rubbish was a direct response to the inference of the article, nothing to do with you. 

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  23. Let's agree to differ here as we are not going to agree. He has been available for selection for the majority of games the club has played since he signed. He has had 1 serious injury which although having surgery to repair seems not to have healed properly. You think this makes him injury prone the facts state he isn't. I won't post again on this matter.

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  24. I'm not the biggest fan of Huddleston but in defence of the lad he has played a large chunk of his games as a 'ball playing' center back.  It is only recently, or more accurately last season that he cemented a place in Spurs 1st 11.  At present he is probably the only central midfielder that the fans scream "SHOOT!!" to in unison as he has a scorcher of a shot with either foot.  If his shooting is encouraged he could score goals. 

    I personally think he lacks mobility and genuine star quality.  But then so does Downing, Carroll and to a certain extent Henderson.  So there you have it, Huddleston...welcome to Anfield you'll fit right in.

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  25. Dalglish said of John Barnes."It was John who signed all the players at
    Celtic," Dalglish said.  "I don't know who was the worst
    although there were more bad ones than good ones. "Obviously
    there was some consultation between us but, at the end of the day, the
    guy who is responsible for who plays, how we played and where and when
    we trained is the guy who is ultimately responsible for buying players." I hope the chickens don't come home to roost BUT the Barnes Dalglish relationship was I expect the same relationship Dalglish now has with Comoli.  I don't believe any of our summer signings (apart from Coates) were influenced by Comoli, but If we do sign Huddleston (a player signed by comoli for spurs) after the obvious comoli signing in Coates maybe things are changing and Comoli will be allowed to bring some his own players through the Anfield gates. 

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  26. Why would we want somebody like Alonso when we have somebody better than Alonso better and that is Charlie Adam ..just ask another x-red Gillespie

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  27. lucas is a regular for brazil,  huddelstone is a regular at physio.  as for tottenham a better team, behave!

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  28. huddleston looks a good player when hes got 5 minutes on the ball. no thanks.
    slow and fragile, and cant head a ball.spearing covers more grass in half a game than he does in a whole game. shelvey has real potential. lucas is good most the time. adams is getting better all the time. stevie g will be back sooner than u think. get a grip people, we dont need spurs cast offs . only 3 obvious players they have we could with. vdv-bale-moderic

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  29. Well said Jaimie, Adam is light years better than Huddlestone!!!!!!

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  30. According to the London media Spurs are Barcelona................ha ha ha

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  31. Is there any other better midfielder than Huddlestone so that we can focus on?

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  32. Another unnecessary barb at our joint leading Shot Assist creator, Downing

    If we got Huddlestone for free on paltry wages then maybe, not a runner really

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  33. I watched Spur's lastnight, they should have lost 6-1, there squad is not good enough!!!!!

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  34. Our current manager has not been in charge the last 4 times we've played you

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  35. I didn't watch Spurs last night but if it was anything last previous games then it would've been a mix of fringe players and kids getting their first tastes of senior football. It doesn't make any sense to judge them on such a game

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  36. imo Huddlestone is a very good player when fit, and I can't be bothered to argue about which of our players he is better than or not but the way that our squad is composed we definitely would not need him atm. However I would say that we could well do with another defensive midfielder, as the team is still severely lacking power and pace. A more dominant ball winner wouldn't go amiss as far as I'm concerned and would go a long way to solve the problems of our team conceding the midfield to the opposition for long spells

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  37. I'm surprised that people are even reading transfer rumours at the moment though anyway. It was bad enough the amount of rubbish that was written while the transfer window was open, but with the next transfer window still months away there really isn't any point in paying any attention to the nonsense being made up all over the net for now...

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  38. I like Gillespie, but he did need the penalty explaining on Saturday by John Bradly!
    I was surprised how passionately he backed Adam over Alonso who was n't really a goal scoring midfielder I don't think any manager would buy Alonso and expect a hatful of goals from him.
    With Huddlestone he and Modric got Spurs playing and struggled once he was injured last season like Alonso was injured in the 07/08 season.
    Spurs brought Parker to fill the void left by Huddlestone who again is n't really a goal scorer but got Spurs playing again.Like Rafa Spurs don't rely on the CM players to score.
     We do need goal scoring wingers looking at other teams Man City,Man United,Arsenal and Chelsea have it.
    Adam is a goal scoring CM so hopefully he will get somemore this season.  

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  39. I just want to say that Jaimie's idea of an assist as the be all and end all is ridiculous. Case is point is Arsenal's first goal against Chelsea on the weekend. Gervinho is credited with the assist, but the chance would never have come without the cutting pass by Aaron Ramsey. So Jaimie, does that then mean that Ramsey is not doing his job as a creative midfielder? Just because a player doesn't get the assist to their name doesn't mean that they are not an integral creative force in the chance. And as for you constantly knocking Lucas and Downing for not scoring goals, fair call with Downing, although Downing has hit the woodwork numerous times this season and Lucas does his job very well. His job being a holding midfielder, not an attacking midfielder.

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  40. Tom Huddlestone should be playing for Huddersfield !

    I took a good look at his game once or twice & in terms of quality I was left wondering how he was even playing professionally let alone for a club of Spurs high profile .

    Perhaps he was just awful in those 2 games ?

    I wouldn’t swap Spearing for him at this time .



     

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  41. I disagree .

    If a player isnt ambitious enough to motivate himself to play his way into the public’s conscience & his managers considerations when he has the world looking upon him then he is not a player with either the ambition , personal pride , competitive spirit , or right attitude for Liverpool FC .

    Its exactly in games like that players should be judged because cream rises to the top & you cant keep a good man down .

    We have signed enough limp wristed posing pansys sponsored by hairdressers , this past 15 years to last an eternity .

    We need players , proper players , men who put their game above everything else in their lives , players like that perform in 5 asides in training , they perform in a kick around with their kids in the back yard & they perform each & every time they are asked to play for their club because they cant not perform because they are made from the right stuff !

    No excuse .

     

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  42. I felt the same way about David Ngog! 

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  43.  I still do !

    Although in fairness to N'Gog the job was far too big for him at that stage in his career .

    Even absolutely top class international forwards of legendry status like Fernando Morientes have failed to fulfill the role .

    Bolton is an excellent club for NGog & If he can put a run of 30 games together I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit between 10 - 15 goals .

    I dont rate him far behind Darren Bent but Bent does have a more pragmatic game & also has valuable experience .

    I cant ever see any of them competing with Europe’s best but they are both capable of being solid decent respectable strikers in any of Europe’s top Leagues .

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  44. Darren 'tap em in' Bent!

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  45.  You obviously either have never seen Gary Liniker play or ya just cant remember him .

    Tap in artists are what Wegner once called a "Fox in the Box" then he went out & signed Franny Jeffery & turned him into a 3'rd division squad player after being one of Englands most promising prospects .

    I think ol'Wegners French blarney works best on those who's 1'st language isnt English !

    Yea but my point was ....

    Its takes game intelligence to keep getting in the right positions at the right time to consistently get a tap in & its arguably the most valuable skill in the entire game .

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  46. Come on man it's not rocket science! football isn't rocket science otherwise we would never have heard of David Beckham! ;-)) 

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  47.  Dont get me stated on Beckham neither , he is one of the most over hyped players of all time & I'd say he is the 1'st of "The MTV Generation's" Icon Footballers , famous for his media image & appearance more than his actual talent .

    He is the English equivalent of Barcelona signing a Chinese player to boost shirt sales out there .

    He is a gimmick footballer , similar to how Villa Boas is a gimmick manager .

    He is about half the player Steven Gerrard is & he is about .75 the player Roy Keane was & was about .80 the player Scholes was .

    No left foot , couldnt tackle , poor pace , couldnt head it , poor temperament & I could go on .

    If it wasnt for free kicks , corners , his ability not to beat a man but manage to use the Predator boot to curl a lazy deep cross around a full back coupled with him being Mr Posh Spice & his pandering to the gay community by publicly wearing a dress & flirting with its Queen Elton John ?

    He would be scratching a living at Huddersfield with Ben Thornly which is where the sum of his actual playing talent derserves him to be !

    Grrrrrrrr !

    Snort , Spit !


    I disagree about the rocket science bit .

    Just like dancing or Gymnastics arent rocket science but it takes years to master your own body & years on top of that to make it work in harmony with your brain , then you have to make it work in harmony with yer brain at a level everyone is paid to do not just the same but are also paid to stop you doing your thing .

    Football at grass roots level is a simple & enjoyable participation sport but at the level we are talking about I'd argue that its as highly skilled a profession as a GP or a dentist .

    Its a more organic form of intelliegence required I conceede but to be really good at it like Maradonna or Dalglish was or Suarez is you have to be at genuine genius levels of intelligence .

    Other great players are comparable to Special Ops soldiers by comparison & they usualy develop into a great generals right hand man .

    They are excellent at following orders & have a mental picture of the battlefield & tactics that is unshakable , players like Roy Keane , Steven Gerrard , Graham Souness , Lothar Matthäus ,,, er ,,, well each & every German who has ever kicked a ball really ..... & their like .

    Soccer has a world of intricacy’s .

    Great players never stop improving because they have mastered the knowledge of HOW to improve .

    Its an organic art form , its an organic form of intelligence & just like in all professions & within all art forms the standard begins at disastrous & ends somewhere up there along with Genius & Magic .

    If I'm a lair go out & get a contract with a Professional club , win the top prizes in the sport & come back & tell me all about it .

    Theory is theory & practice is practice but putting it all together at will when it matters is where the money is at my friend .

    Ka Ching !

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  48. im a fan of adam but to say hes better than alonso is just foolish

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  49. Foolish how ?

    Adam is an excellent footballer as is Alonso & although their games have slightly different orientations namely Adams is more attack minded while Alonso's is more defensive I dont think it can be reasonably argued that their vision , range ,timing , weight & variation  of passes are much different .

    Alonso was a good player for us but Charlie Adam is looking like he could captain us to a Title in the near future .

    Adam is a brilliant passer of a ball & is an all around excellent midfielder , no team likes him to line up against them .

    I'm delighted with him so far .

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  50. Really...you've lost it1:18 pm, November 05, 2011

    really??? who was that mug who liked daglish in our last 2 wins

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  51. i never said he was a bad player imo he is not as good as alonso,im happy he joined and was a fan when he was a blackpool similier players yes better no  you need to relax

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  52. LUCAS BETTER THAN MESSI1:52 am, November 06, 2011

    Huddlestone may be with leniency toward him better than adam and at the moment hendo but NOT for a minute rate him higher than lucas. Lucas is proven best dm in the league. He averages more tackles than anyone in the league. As for spurs i doubt that adebayor will be bought come end of the season but wat happens when redknapp leaves for england??? BYE BALE,MODRIC,VAN DER VAART As for kenny if he doesnt get us into the champions league we will be in a huge mess suarez, reina as good as gone i say we bring in a german manager if kenny gets sacked hope he stays though. 

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  53. Not really a big fan of adam would have been  better spending extra 5 mil on afellay

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  54. Tottenham are a better team than lpool coz 1 they dont buy overpriced english players and have finished above us last 2 seasons straight and are ahead of us at the moment modric miles better than adam vdv miles better downing and just edges past bellamy and kuyt bale better than johnson

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  55. Gerrard will go on and on and on

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  56. Here we go again buying more overpriced english players adam johnson is good but we wont get him for less than 25 mil and cahill is a nuclear bidding war waiting to happen vertonghen is more consistent we have links with suarez who knew vertonghen at ajax and vertonghen is better than cahill would ever hope to be

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  57. HA HA HA HA HA HA  Adam better than alonso this not only disrespectful to a liverpool spanish legend and a football great in alonso but also shows how overrated adam is

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  58. Modric is amazing in my opinion just a level below cesc but definitly one of the best midfielders in league

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  59. im not he always gives unneccesary free kicks away and half the long balls he plays reach no one and oh yeah he tries about a thousand shots from half line which the goalie doesnt even hear aboutadam is lucky we only paid 8 mil for him. enrique was buy of summer for lpool

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