29 Dec 2012

'We're in talks with LFC' - Boss confirms BR wants 'phenomenal' £6m star. Big mistake?

Pepe Reina has conceded eight goals in his last four league games, and despite Brendan Rodgers' recent assurances regarding the Spaniard's future, Liverpool continue to search for a new goalkeeper, and Birmingham Chairman Peter Pannu has now confirmed that the Reds are in talks to sign Blues stopper Jack Butland.

Birmingham are in dire financial straits at the moment: the club's President, Carson Yeung, is facing money-laundering charges, and he hasn't put any money into the club over the last 18 months on account of his assets being frozen in Hong Kong.

Unless a takeover is completed soon, the Blues may have to sell some of their star players to avoid administration, and according to Acting Chairman Peter Pannu, Butland may be one of the first to go.

Speaking to Reporters on Thursday, Pannu promised that he is 'not going to allow' Birmingham to go into administration, and insisted that he would sell players to save the club, even if it meant 'annoying' the fans. He added:

"No one is for sale and everyone is available. There are talks with Liverpool, and if they come in for Butland, do you not think [he] wouldn't want to go there?

"As in any club. Give me a £15 million offer for Jack Butland, can I say no? He is a phenomenal player. I rejected £6 million from Southampton [in the summer] but I might not be able to reject it if I get something similar."


In an interview last month, Butland admitted that he has no control over his Birmingham future:

"You can talk about it [Birmingham's problems], but there's nothing we can do about it as players. We can only control what we do on the pitch and what we do on the training ground. What happens with the board, with the owners and a possible takeover is meaningless until something actually does happen."

Liverpool definitely need a new goalkeeper at some point IMO. Pepe Reina is in decline, and I've argued this point many times in the past. His heart isn't in it anymore, and privately, I doubt he appreciated being usurped by Brad Jones recently. However, even if the Reds sign Butland, I don't see how he could be a viable replacement/challenger for Reina right now:

* Only 19 years old
* Zero experience at the top level
* Only 48 appearances in the lower leagues so far.

Additionally:

* Conceded 64 goals in 48 games.
* An average of 1.3 goals conceded per game.
* Only 4 clean sheets in 24 games this season.
* No clean sheets for the last 10 games.

That's hardly an amazing record, and it's certainly not worth £6m+ (IMO). With these things in mind, it would arguably make more sense for Liverpool to forget about Butland - or any other 'keeper - right now, and put all the available cash towards buying experienced strikers/creative players. Reina and Jones can surely hold the fort until the summer. The Spaniard may not be in his best form right now, but there's no way Butland - at this stage - is a better option.

Is a new goalkeeper an absolute necessity right *now*?

Jaimie Kanwar


78 comments:

  1. Please giving rest for Pepe Reina and start using Brad Jones for regular player again.Pepe reina look never give consistency performance.Plyers rotation very important to keep stable performance.

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  2. We need a young GK butland has Brillant potential.... I would buy him for 6 million and send him out on loan to a premiership team.... Just like city did with hart....look how good he has gone.

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  3. i dont think it is an necessity but if u can get him for 6million get him before someone else does cos this guy is going to be good and 6million will be a bargain

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  4. I see them letting him for 4, and it would be a good buy since a good keeper is hard to find, and he could become one. In meantime sell Reina and put Jones on the line.

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  5. absolutely agree with you!
    in the next 2 years we ll have to look for a good young goalkeeper. butland is aviable now, so we should take the chance !!!
    we have (eventho it doesnt look so) multi-millionaires as owners, and why should they mind, spending a few millions now or in 2 years. well spend money for a new GK anytime soon, butland has great potential, lets get him, loan him back to birmingham to finish the season, maybe another year on loan and then LetsGo Butland No1.

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  6. do you seriously think we have 6 million spare this is not a option,when we are looking at 12million to solve our striker problems,fsg new plan buy them young buy them cheap and if they do well sell them on for a profit

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  7. Erm? They signing ince and sturridge? We are wanting goals from all areas that will do til, the summer and FSG will pay out for a young keeper. Sorted why else are we in talks? Because we do have money to spend on him.

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  8. Yeah, would be a good keeper for us for a long time I would be happy with his signing. :)

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  9. he will be better than Hart in a couple of years.We don't want him to go but money talks and i can see a dutch auction looming as 5 prem clubs have been linked with him.For the record your manager made an inquiry nothing more just like others have done.

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  10. Stop believing all you read in the newspapers, this story has been totally misunderstood, we turned down £6m from Southampton in the summer & Pannu has said of Butland that if someone was to offer silly money i.e £15m then he would have to consider it. So if he was worth £6m in the summer before playing a league game for us then he's obviously worth more now he's gained valuable experience

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  11. JACK BUTLAND has amazing potential.I watched this boy in the Olympics and against BRAZIL especially, i thought this kids got something about him.Great shot stopper and good size for someone so young.Unlike that MAN U keeper who looks like a lost school boy when dealing with corners.
    Looks to have good character going by the interviews he's done and the orders he gives defenders.The only weakness from what I saw was his distribution, which can be worked at.
    With BIRMINGHAM struggling with finances it's the perfect time to take advantage.REINA makes me nervous these days compared to the reassuring matador he once was.We need other positions strengthened more at this point but selling a flop or 5m out of the summer budget can't hurt and will prove to be good business.

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  12. Four mill, and if you read it carefully you'll see that would do it, is not such a big investment, don't you think?

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  13. I rejected £6 million from Southampton [in the summer] but I might not be able to reject it if I get something similar.
    Similar meaning even smaller.

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  14. You have financial problems? You can't really say how much you want for a keeper? When you need all the money to keep you a float... " I might not be able to reject it if I get something similar" he doing his job and that's keeping your club out of problems....

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  15. I think you should learn to distinguish between paper talk and factual comments that come straight from the horse's mouth. This is not something the papers made up; this has come directly from Birmingham's acting Chairman.

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  16. In the summer, your finances were ok. Now your finances are not. So the circumstances have changed. Hence why Pannu said if a similar bid to Southampton's came in, they may now sell.

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  17. And why would a host of top clubs enter a chase for Suarez if he ain't wc? Because he is a prospect?!?

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  18. You're right ( I'm afraid ) ...... as a matter of interest do you remember who Man City loaned Hart to ?............

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  19. Birmingham city haha :)

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  20. so a quater of our transfer budget on a player to loan out ,makes lots of sense i mean its not as if we need players now were flying in the league

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  21. agree not a big investment, but it is when you don,t have a lot to invest .and i dont think we would get him for 4 million

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  22. rejected £6 million from Southampton [in the summer] but I might not be able to reject it if I get something similar. To me similar means even smaller. And if Fsg is a long term, they know they will sell Reina for triple at least, so...

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  23. jaimie (notafications) its saying who replyed to your post but not on which subject annoying sort it out please

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  24. Rather pay 4-6 million now than his value going up. It's cheap and affordable. It does make sense because we need to find a replacement for reina. He be moving on in 2 years by that time butland will be up for it.

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  25. Yes, it's a glitch with Disqus. Should be fixed soon hopefully.

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  26. That reasoning doesn't make sense. Top clubs go in for players all the time; are they all world class? No.

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  27. Gutted that Butland is going to be sold .... he's a prospect all right. Whether he's ready for the unrelenting spotlight of the PL is another matter. I've great respect for Liverpool as a club so, if Jack joins, he'll be stepping on to a very big stage. Good luck mate

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  28. whole host of top clubs? only for world class.

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  29. Sick of buying on potential....especially on prices that you would expect to get players who have reached their potential or are there abouts . you buy potential at bargain not at inflated price

    just look at the list of potentials in the last few yrs

    Carroll...........35m
    Henderson....20m
    Adam.............8
    coates ...........8
    Borini ............12
    assaidi ............3
    Allen...............15
    sturridge .......12m?
    Butland .........6m+?



    potential manager......BR .....5m+ compo to swansea




    How about some here and now....tried and tested

    Potential...potential.... potential.......we might be Potentially RELEGATED

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  30. indeed, also we dont seem to go for good potentials but rather ones who don`t have that much potential which makes it even worse lol. Hazard had and was a potential, Borini look average before coming to us.

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  31. Think we should buy him, but good post, haha...

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  32. Butland looks good, yes his record doesn`t, but he does perform well. His defense arent helpping him when it comes to the goals let in side of it. I don`t think he is ready for first team prem stuff tho, but as a no2 then say. No matter what people think about signing English players, the PL rules on squads mean unless you want a paper thin squad you need at a fair few. Having one spot taken by a back up keeper would be great. Means one more outfield player who can be from abroad. He is very young, and would need game time else where too. For this year though he would provide a reason for Reina to up his game, and we could then re-access at the end of the season about keeping Reina or not.

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  33. Borini was good in Italy- Juve was interested. Same league, decent record, could have got him for 10 mill euros, and still they didn't take him. Yes AVERAGE, nothing more...

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  34. Good argument but again is it the death of ambition to buy cheap players. Are the fans patient enough to wait for potential to improve ?.

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  35. exactly Jason we are in dire need of top players so lets waste all our budget on butland and Austin and not play them

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  36. heres a better idea why not add the butland money to ince and get the lionking or similar stature forward

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  37. rogers can barely scrape the money together for sturridge where is this 6m coming from .....hes already blew 30m on players he cant or wont use so this deal wont be happening

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  38. like kirkland was

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  39. if we can 18m for reina ill take him to the airport for free

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  40. the way liverpool are playing hell have lots to do ...hope he doesnt suffer from a bad back

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  41. Experienced players hasn't worked either POULSEN, DOWNING, KONCHESKY and COLE.You should be moaning at the lack of quality signings in recent years regardless of potential or tried and tested.Our scouting people must be MAN U supporters!

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  42. Think is possible, and 15 is minimum in my opinion...

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  43. Says something of the managers too...how much worse can it get that almost 100% of the managers signings are a failure especially for the prices we paid.

    Dalglish ..Hodgson and Rodgers ....almost all their signings

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  44. If you stop a lot of shots in lower league you will propably stop lots of shots in premierleague aswell. Butland has a decent claim for future in England national team doesnt he? ive been saying we need a keeper who atleast tries to capture balls when standing between the posts. Reina has a poor command of his area, makes me *hit my pants when he decides to come for crosses, and like JK has said: Constantly beaten in near post, halfhearted attempts on saves. id take gamble on butland and sell reina with 15+.

    cant remember when reina has last time won a game for us. good goalkeepers have it in them to do so.

    Now people are going to come and play DISTRIBUTION card. what use is it open the play quickly when everytime we reach opposition 30, we take three passes backwards untill ball comes to SKRTEL and he seems puzzled what to do with it, untill allen or agger comes and takes it from his feet.

    Id rather have a keeper who doesnt leak than keeper that can throw the ball quickly.

    if that kid turn out to be a top / no a good keeper someday, and we couldve had him for 6 mil. ill be gutted we didnt buy him. when i think the prices we have paid for lets say, my favourite, Stewart Downing

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  45. I know Pepe hasn't been that great lately, but surely the issue here is our defense that leaks like a sieve.
    Targeting a new keeper seems just, 'oh so superficial' a response.

    How in heck do they prioritise a goalkeeper with our limited funds?

    Unless of course reducing our wage bill is their priority...
    Then it makes perfect sense.

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  46. There are simply two areas whereby we need to strengthen asap because we don't have reliable enough OR consistent enough options in those areas...

    One is our defence/GK...and the other is our attack/goalscoring ability or lack of....

    Hate to mention this is it grates me to even think about it BUT Spurs brought in Clint Dempsey and Lorris(spelling) the up and coming french international GK, both these signings have boosted those areas where they were arguable weak last season....

    Brad Jones somehow looks like a half decent option to Pepe Reina SO that in itself should sound the alarm bells but ffs its so goddamn late in the day that it borders on the hugely embarrassing that we are still even discussing it.....

    Brendan Rodgers if you are serious about fighting for your job at this Club then you are going to have to try to do something to improve strengthen both our attack AND of course our leaky ever so shaky panicky when a goal down goal defence namely Reina but Brad sadly just ain't good enough either though i'd play him over Reina any day....

    I disagree with Jamie it cannot wait, we have waited for too long already WE NEED A QUALITY GK AND ANOTHER QUALITY STRIKER ad infinitum........

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  47. IMO butland has a long way to go yet.. Watching him week in week out (for someone who is 6ft 4 or 5) he has poor control of his area, and he is left severly wanting at set pieces and crosses.. He is definitely not ready for the prem, and 6m is a lot to ask... Anything less than 6mill is not really going to make a dent in the financial situation we are in.. isn't modern day football great.. Fit and proper persons bullish*t, and when you are in trouble no one actually gives a damn, unless the big clubs can get your youth prospects on the cheap!! I hope the premiership and it's unholy money goes into meltdown and we get some semblance of reality back to our great game!!

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  48. 90k aweek and we have to buy so he can up his game??? reina should be sold asap .sign butland and throw him in at the deep end he couldn t do any worse than reina .think brad jones was shit on by rodgers just like andy carroll was shit on by rodgers. bring back the king!!!!!

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  49. I disagree, the major problem right now is in midfield.

    At the moment the balance there isn't right.
    As a result our centerbacks are exposed and our forwards dont have quality service from a creative midfielder.
    In short, we don't have the right midfielders for Rodgers system.

    His persistence in this 'system' especially at the back isn't helping matters either, he needs to take a step back.
    Our gaolkeeper is coming under too much pressure because of defensive lapses.
    The centerbacks we have aren't rubbish, they're just struggling with Rodgers split centerback system.
    A new goalkeeper wont solve any of that.

    Yes we need a striker and another goalscoring winger, but none of that will be of much use if the midfield continues to be targeted because of its perceived weakness.
    Too often this season teams have waltzed through the middle without much resistance.

    Its pretty clear to me from watching our games this season we need another big physical DM and a proper No10 for our midfield.

    Gerrard doesn't cut it in this system, it requires a proper No10.
    In that respect, Suso is the best option we have right now, even though the kid is far young and raw.
    Without that quality service, any forwards we have will continue to struggle.

    All this needs to be sorted, hopefully in the summer.
    Then we can add a striker and goalscoring winger.
    Goalkeeper would be one of the last priorities on my list.

    IMO if a new keeper comes in, its to reduce the wage bill, not necessarily to fix any goalkeeper issues.

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  50. Very true. More chance that than top 4.

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  51. Patience is running out. So will our global support and sponsors.

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  52. You can stick anyone in goal for us and they'll leak goals, untill we have a quality midfield to protect the back 4.

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  53. You'll find the problem is midfield, remember a young Stevie g, Hamman, Alonso, Mascherano and the quality before them? O.K i see your point about the striker.

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  54. At last, well said David, it's been a while since i've seen someone that knows the problem. Pity Rodgers has'nt grasped it yet.

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  55. You bet it will.

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  56. sorry m8 maybe 3 years ago .3 to 4 mill tops .u know why? cos he is CRAP

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  57. Nope lol. Football is about here and now.

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  58. I guess the key word is right now. We have so many holes in the team, the lack of senior strikers has taken the front page but it is only one of many. Yes, we need a goalie to put pressure and eventually take over for Reina but that is the least of our problems. In general we need more depths, a couple wingers, a big physical midfielder, at least one forward, left back, a creative attacking midfielder. Then we can see Liverpool restored to its place. At this point it seems like a Christmas list but you never know, YNWA.

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  59. Name another keeper that would have to deal with so many poor back passes and keep clean sheets the defence is rubbish the only time we were play well in defence is when johnson was at left back and wisdom right back , after that its been a shambles no the keepers fault.

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  60. The reason I mentioned distribution (nobody else did so just say my name next time) because whether you like it or not we have a manager that likes his teams to start attacks from the back.That puts extra responsibility on the keeper and defenders so they need to be capable on the deck.
    Do we have players comfortable enough on the ball to play the way BRENDAN RODGERS wants, the mistakes we've made this season suggest not but he isn't going to change for TUOMAS PUKKI or anyone else, so deal with it.What you like to see from a team is irrelevant my focus is our manager and how targets linked, fit into his system!

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  61. You people are so blinkered, how many times this season have we witnessed some fine pocession of the ball....how many games have we literally peppered the box with crosses etc...yet we have failed somehow to get the ball into the back of the net....

    Ask yourselves also how many times have schoolboy errors from the goalkeeper and defence cost us....in fact both those attributes (if you can call them that...) combined are exactly the reason why we have been so inconsistent....

    How was it that when Reina was out Brad seemed to be a pretty decent alternative.... it was because even his most ardent fans had noticed a serious decline in form....

    IF Brendan is eyeing up an alternative keeper then fair play to him, because afterall it is his career as a prem manager at stake and IF our owners are not willing to back him heavily so he can pursue better quality options then whose fault is it if we end up with someone like Butland who might well be the best option for the money "we" have.....

    I say "we" should back Rodgers and spend some money.... strengthen the areas of inconsistency.... before we slide even further down into mediocrity...its not just this season but the last where we have seen our GK and our lack of quality strikers let us down....

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  62. That's right , and we've also let Ben Foster ( who's better than both of them , believe me ) slip away in the mean time as well !

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  63. 6M? We bought Carson for 1 or 2 M as a "great potential". I can't see us spending much more.

    My guess is that there would be plenty of buyers for B.Jones this summer and therefore we're looking for a new #2.

    But really anything can happen with BR's transfer plans. I don't think a single fan is thinking about a new goalie at the moment. It is perhaps the one position we are well armed in.

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  64. i believe FSG has money buying butland fits there profile (young and train) so butland makes a lot of sense especially as Reina is on the decline

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  65. good post . reina needs to go. this man is costin us big time.even if we dont sign butland give the shirt to brad jones and if it does nt work out give doni a go .infact any one but reina .dreading 2moro unless brenda grows a pair of balls and drops uncle festa

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  66. u can always win a game 1 _o . we cant with reina in goal a forward and a goal keeper head my list of priorities

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  67. also agree that we need a big unit in centre mid we look like a team of midgets at the moment.

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  68. How can Pepe be the problem? Our system is at fault.Our defenders always hang around the 18 yard area!Moreso when we are leading!
    We are not Barca!

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  69. Love it Mali341. Liverpool has become one big experiment. Nothing is certain anymore. Our transfer dealings are what might be called semi pros. They are still pretty much trying to find their feet. This team will be scary one day you mark my words when all these youngsters finally find their form . Until then we can forget winning trophies or making it to the top four. Sometimes i pray that an oil baron buys the club. Shopping in the bargain basement sometimes produces champions but how many Lionel Messi's and Christano Ronaldo's can you discover in their infancy? It is a gamble to shop exclusively for amateurs, most times they never meet expectations.

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  70. lol cheers got five now and dont know what any are about just have to try and find them grrrrr

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  71. B Rodgers should bring J Butland to the club in January at all costs, as our club is in rebuilding stage and Butland has the potential to be England's No 1 Gk in the next three to Five years.

    B Rodgers has lined up as Ince and Sturridge as his two main signings in January, both players are better than what we have at club and will offer more creativity, goals, pace and speed to the side.

    These three players should cost club up to £25M, Butland £5-£7M , Ince £6M and Sturridge £12M

    But hopefully B Rodgers can bring in two players on loan also to help the side also. Jeffren Suarez (24) Of Sporting Clube De Portugal RWF and D Villa(31) Of Barcelona FD

    But in the summer, the owners need to back B Rodgers heavily with £70-£80M to bring in 8 players to change dimension of squad. And to get club back competing with both the Manchester Clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham for the top 4 positions in league year in year out.

    3 Defensive players to bring more steel , power, competition for places:

    1: CB: A Pearce Of Reading Or S Danns(25) Of Birmingham, One of these Centre backs should brought for £3-£6M to compete with Skrtel, Agger and Coates.

    2: DM: M Sissoko(23) Of Toulouse, B Matuidi(25) Of PSG or M Diame(25) Of West Ham, One of these Big Tall Powerful Strong Tough Defensive Midfielders needs to be brought to club to give LUCAS some competition for his position and to bring some strength,power to the centre of midfield for £5-£14M. ( in order to match up and counter the most physical teams in the league away from home: STOKE, WEST HAM, QPR, SUNDERLAND and WEST BROM. ( In Hamman, Masherano and Momo Sissoko Mould)

    3: LB: D Rose(22) Of Tottenham should be brought to club for £3-£5M to compete with Enrique for Left back position.


    Five class quality attacking players:

    1: RWF:World Class / Marquee Signing: Willian (24) Of Shakhtar Donesk should be brought for £19-£23M

    2: AM: ISCO Of Malaga should be brought for £14-£17M to compete with Shelvey and Suso

    3: FD: G Rossi(25) Of Villareal should be brought for £8-£12M to compete with Borini,Sturridge and Suarez

    4: LWF: B Arfa(25) Of Newcastle should be brought to club in swap deal with A Carroll and D BA (27/FD) Or £10M

    5:RW: Nolitto(26) Of Benfica should be brought to club for £7-£12M

    These are the players needed to get our club back winning the best trophies and back in the champions league, these are the players who will bring class, quality, steel, resilience, commitment, creativity, goals, quality competition for places and some CONSISTENCY amongst the side.

    With those 8 players at club, whether we play Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea, Stoke Or West Ham. We would have players who will stand up and be counted home and away.

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  72. we don't have any promisin youngsters in that position. our keepers are old and clumsy. Rather get a youngster that'll learn from its mistakes. I say snap him up while his still cheap.

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  73. agreed if we had loads of cash sadley we have not 

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  74. shhhh, wenger doesnt know that...

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  75. take it you would not want promoting then ,well you should be happy because, thats not going to happen ;-) 

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