28 Oct 2012

'He's a dream player!' - Molby hails 'nightmare' £6m striker snubbed by Dalglish...

Prior to signing for Everton, Nikica Jelavic was strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, but for some inexplicable reason, Kenny Dalglish decided not to sign the Croatian, and decided to put his faith in Andy Carroll instead (!) Jelavic has been a revelation for Everton, and Anfield legend Jan Molby has warned his old club to wary of him on Sunday.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo yesterday, Molby conceded that Everton are probably 'slight favourites' for the game, and singled out Jelavic as the major threat. He said:

"Liverpool must also try to nullify the threat of Nikica Jelavic. He’s a goalscorer and a real dream for a manager.

"Jelavic never drops too deep, he just spends his time in dangerous areas and keeps asking questions of defenders. He is a nightmare to mark".


Jelavic was definitely on Liverpool's radar in January 2012, and it was frustrating to see the club just let a natural goalscorer slip away. The striker's record since arriving in the Premier League is fantastic:

* 15 goals and 4 assists in 20 games
* Goal every 1.3 games
* Goal/Assist every game
* League only: Goal/Assist every 100 mins

Mark Lawrenson is also a fan of Jelavic, Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson is a big fan of Jelavic, and he recently dedicated an entire column to praising the Croatian goalscorer. Lawro enthused:

"He has been outstanding. 41 of his last 44 goals have now been scored with one touch, which tells you he has a great body position. .

"His movement is excellent and that’s not something you can teach, it’s natural. He might not even need half a yard of space to get a shot away, and he also works extremely hard".


Based on his stats, it's highy probable that Jelavic will score or assist on Sunday, so Liverpool will need to lock him down hard.

Jaimie Kanwar


24 comments:

  1. Jelavic is a slightly above average player who is playing well above himself, not too concerned about him . Child's play for the likes of Agger and Skrtel

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  2. Seeing Jackson Martinez play up top for Porto just makes me question what scouts are looking at when evaluating players.
    It really needn't be so hard to pick up some quality value in the transfer market.

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  3. Carrol 35 million, how many goals/assists? Jelavic 6million 15 goals. You tell me which one is a moneyball purchase? Now you know why Camolli and Daglish were shown the door.

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  4. Mirallas and Jelavic were offered to Liverpool but it didn't happen, very good strikers both of them. It shows that you need to sign the right players at the right price, those players are still out there if your not too lazy to scout properly!!!..................they cost Everton £11m for the pair!!

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  5. Jelavic is a slightly above average player who is playing well above himself

    What an idiot, do you actually think before you post? How long does a player need to play well for before they're classed as good?

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  6. Now just go for Hooper for £8million in January and everything is forgotten. Please don't waste time with the Chekski flop Sturridge. No top team has given him a second look and even when Torres is shooting blanks, Chleski are not playing him. Tells you something doesn't it. This is one overhyped English player with big ego. Should have gone to QPR or reading on loan to prove his worth before opening his mouth. Expected Liverpool to pay £15 million for his services and did not want a loan move. Luckily FSG held out and now the player will be valued at less than £3 million in January. Sturridge is more a Borinin type player than a six yard box goal sniffer. Liverpool does not need him, as young Morgan is a better goal scorer in the reserves. Whatever money that is available must be used to get a decent player who will score goals regularly. Do not go for players who cannot get into their first eleven and do not pay more than their value.

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  7. why kenny went for a striker who was unproven in the premiership is baffling, carroll scored most of his goals in the championship and for kenny to $35mil for him was a big mistake

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  8. To think Kenny could have bought Cahill instead of Coates for the same money was a mystery then and now.

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  9. He has 13 goals in 20 games jaimie not 15 in 20

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  10. More than 20 games, that's for sure. Half a good season proves nothing, just look at Andy Carroll

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  11. Let's be honest Kenny lost the plot, baffling decisions in the transfer market, baffling team selections and tactics, no wonder he was sacked, I don't know any fan who understood what he was trying to do? fans were urging him to buy certain players but he insisted on ignoring them, and it cost him.

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  12. Arabee - unlike you, I do not rely on wikipedia for stats. This is just another example of your constant sniping and your desperation to prove me wrong all the time.

    Jelavic has 15 goals in 20 games; you are missing the 2 goals he scored in the FA Cup.

    Get your facts right next time.

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  13. It's not sniping or trying to prove you wrong. It is simply a difference of opinion. It's also not just you i disagree with, most people rate Jelavic.

    I don't think I am wrong. You say the strikers record since joining the premier league is outstanding, and then you include his cup goals. Technically you are correct but the way you write is misleading. Also 19 goals/assists in 20 games is not one a game.

    I also see that it's okay for pacojones to call me an idiot

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  14. I don't really care what happened to that 2 champions, I'm more concern about the immense damage they did to LFC instead. It will take us many years before we can recover. All ill effects came after that. FSG decided to close the tap and fans started to curse them for that. Lucky we have BR that knows how to remove deadweights, work around tight budget and throw youngsters into games. Unfortunately, some of us started cursing him as well. FSG was seriously stupid in appointing the wrong people for important jobs at the club initially, but I'm quite sure they are getting it right this time. Time for us fans to get behind the club, owners and manager.

    Actually, I still think we sold Torres on a cheap. If w can pay 35 mil pounds for someone that scored 11 goals in 19 games, Torres should fetch at least 280-320 mil pounds. What do you think? :)

    YNWA

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  15. Unbelievable. How can it be misleading when it's a fact?! it is an fact that Jelavic has scored 15 goals; why should FA cup goals not be included? Just because it suits your argument?

    19 goals/assists in 20 games is one every 1.05 games, which rounding down is one per game.

    With respect, you are a pedant of the highest order, and I have better things to do than waste my time on his nonsense.

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  16. Not trying to be a pedant but most ppl would round 1.05 to 1.1 not 1. over 100 games the difference is a not so insignificant 10 goals

    I also conceded that you were correct about the goals.

    I have no argument just an opinion like you, I don' rate Jelavic as highly as you do.

    It might seem like I am always trying to prove you wrong but the truth is when I agree with you there is nothing for me to write.

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  17. Coates is a good player and I would suggest bought to keep his fellow national company. You have to look at the bigger picture - both on and off the pitch. Cahill is also a good player but we had already speant the cash by the time Chelsea had bought him.

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  18. You mean as opposed to Jelavic, who was unproven in the Premiership? The majority of players bought by Premiership clubs are unproven in the Premiership.

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  19. kenny was denied the money after he proved he had no clue in the transfer market. he did want jelavic though

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  20. Kenny tried to sign Jelavic but FSG would not give him the money, at that stage they were waiting for him to fail (not support him) so they could do what they set out. remove the legend from the management position and for ever being in the crowd while they have an inexperienced manager and kids on show to generate some revenues by selling the best to fund redevelopment over a long period of time.

    That is also why the club remained totally silent during the Suarez affair, knowing the facts of the case they also knew how stubborn Kenny would be and support his player, i.e. give him some rope and he will hang himself. No words from the MD or owners until it was time to humiliate him by making him apologies.


    As for John Henry, not to shake Kenny's hand after the FA Cup final, what does that say about the excuse for a man. So if the goal stood and we went on to win would he have shook his hand or would he have fired him.

    Kenny made mistakes for sure, not playing Maxi, Kurt and selling Merriles.


    Also buying Jordan H. was a complete waste of money. I did think Andy Carroll was and will prove himself to be a a very good striker over the next 10+ years.

    Who sanctioned the fees , the american, not Kenny, i doubt that was his role.

    LFC need to get used to FSG. The only we we will go to a final now is if the bus drives does not have a GSP. We will play kids and when one becomes a star , he will be sold to highest bidder. That is why they will give BR time as the owners have no ambition for trophies, they want to make their investment work and this is the only way given their funds, that is why they never wanted Kenny in the first place as he would have demanded funds to make Liverpool compete for trophies.

    So tika taka, find a player, make a player, sell a player, tika taka is a distraction for the media and public, Liverpool always passed the ball.

    No point passing it and not putting it in the net, have we missed Boroni, think not, he is not a striker.

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  21. your a dick head

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  22. Arebee you may not rate Jelavic highly, but dalglish choose him Carrol over him.

    You cant honestly tell me that he made the right decision??

    Also you have to remember the prices tags involved with both players. We all know about Carrols inflatable, unjustified price tag, but did you know everton picked Jelavic up for 5 million from rangers??

    Swaying towards Jamies thinkin yet??

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  23. Nail on the head Gaz! Jelavic scored all his goals in SPL, and people often say that SPL players will never make it in the EPL.

    And Man U look set to spend 10 million on a Wanyama, a player celtic bought last year for 900k.

    Kenny just got carried away spending that much!

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  24. The money paid for carrol will never be a justifiable bench mark that any other other player will be rated against.

    If that were the case, I would be worth at least 350k, im at least 1% as good as carrol lol

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